#17. Beginning

I won.

A thrill running from my toes upward. This was the feeling of victory.

But, having won, such thoughts came to me.

Was it right for me to win?

…She’s a professor?

I glanced at Felliana, who was struggling to hold back tears.

Seeing such a fiery person like that, a strange feeling washed over me.

I didn’t make her cry, did I?

“Are you alright?”

“……”

Though, truthfully, I didn’t think I’d cry either.

I imagined I’d just be suitably surprised and concede.

I don’t even know when it became a ‘contest’ in the first place.

How did this happen…?

What is this? Alchemy?

“Well, I’ll be going now….”

Since Felliana offered no reply, I decided to leave as a first resort.

I didn’t think it was the best option, but it was the most practical.

There’s nothing I can do now.

“Wait.”

Just then, Professor Felliana stopped me. Her voice was oddly choked.

I froze, mid-step.

“Rain Ortiz, I’ll admit it. You are a genius the likes of which we’ve never seen.”

Wiping away tears with her hand, she rose from her slumped position.

Perhaps it was because her eyes were red-rimmed, but her expression seemed almost gentle.

“…Come with me somewhere.”

“Huh?”

Out of the blue?

I paused for a moment.

Let’s review the things that have happened so far.

I followed Professor Rachel and almost became her assistant, followed Professor Meriel and solved a difficult problem.

Though, as of now, I’ve already created a new medicine…

Who knows what else might happen.

“I’m sorry, but I have class right af–“

However, another thought occurred to me.

Could things really get any worse than this?

Do I even have the right to evade?

“……”

Before, perhaps not, but what happened was, this time, by my own design.

Would it be right to avoid even that situation?

“……I’ll cut class. I still have emergency absence credits left, anyway.”

‘Emergency absence’ is a system at the academy that allows students to be marked present when they can’t attend class due to unavoidable circumstances.

Two absences per semester. Acceptable reasons granted for missing class.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Professor Felliana retrieved a box from the corner. It was brimming with recovery potions.

There was another box, its contents unknown.

Felliana, having packed the potions I’d made separately, headed out of the laboratory.

“Allow me to carry that.”

I took the box from her and asked, “Where are we headed?”

“The slums.”

…Suddenly?

I was caught off guard, but decided to follow.

I didn’t know why. It was just the mood I was in.

Was it because I saw the professor crying?

And so, to the main gate.

“Ah, Professor Felliana.”

An academy employee guarding the gate greeted Professor Felliana.

“Heading to the slums again today?”

“Yes. Could you open the gate for me?”

“Understood.”

The academy’s main gate was usually always open, but it had been closed due to the recent Mine incident.

Identification had become essential for entry and exit.

The academy’s gate slowly creaked open.

It was the first time I’d been outside during lecture hours.

The air felt different. At any rate, it felt new.

“Aren’t you curious about why we’re going to the slums?”

“Well… I think I have a rough idea.”

Just seeing the potions she packed was enough to know.

She must be going to help those who can’t afford treatment.

“What you’re thinking is probably right.”

Questions lingered.

Why she was bringing me, that was what I wondered.

But I didn’t ask. I felt it wasn’t the right time yet.

“We’re here.”

From some point on, the buildings became dilapidated. Distant, furtive glances could be felt from afar.

Despite the foreboding atmosphere, she didn’t break her stride.

“This is alright, right?”

“It’s fine.”

We finally arrived at a plaza.

No, ‘what used to be’ a plaza would be more accurate.

“You can put it down here.”

I set the crate down as instructed and turned to face her.

She seemed to have something to say.

“I’m going to ask you something. This time, give me an honest answer.”

“Understood.”

“What kind of discipline do you think alchemy is?”

In that instant, the question from just before flashed through my mind.

─I’d like to hear your thoughts on alchemy.

What had my answer been?

I think I’d vaguely replied that it was a good discipline.

“Alchemy is…”

The fact that she was asking again meant she wanted a different answer.

I carefully considered it, then opened my mouth.

“I believe it’s a discipline for healing.”

Alchemy began to develop after the discovery of healing potions. But the alchemy of today is only being researched in ways that harm people.

Poisons, for example.

“That’s right.”

Professor Felliana affirmed.

“Even if you lack talent, even if you’re impoverished… ensuring everyone can enjoy their natural rights. I believe that’s what alchemy is.”

Before I knew it, people had begun to gather around. As if she were always here at this time.

They were all wounded and emaciated.

“Rain, please distribute potions to those who are hurt. I’m counting on you.”

“Understood.”

I opened the potion crate and led the people.

I had them line up in an orderly fashion, and started examining their wounds one by one.

“This is…”

This was the slum district.

An area primarily inhabited by people in dire straits.

Unable to afford hospitals even when injured, they resort to makeshift first aid.

As a result, the wounds easily became infected and festered.

In severe cases, even recovery potions were insufficient.

“…If you apply this whenever it hurts, it will alleviate the pain a little.”

I said, turning away a patient whose affected area had completely rotted. He clutched the recovery potion I had given him tightly in his hand.

Shifting my gaze, I saw Felliana distributing food to the starving.

Bread and milk. The contents of the second crate.

Food poorer than the cheapest meal at the academy, but the people held it as if it were gold and jewels.

Time passed.

The crates were emptied quickly, soon reaching the bottom.

“Everyone, I’ll be back again tomorrow, so please wait for me.”

As Professor Felliana announced this, the people began to leave one by one.

It was an astonishing sight. Even for a slum district, how could they be so compliant?

“How long have you been here?”

“Since before I became a professor.”

“I thought so.”

Order.

It was the result of time Feliana spent pouring in.

“It couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t easy.”

“Is there a reason?”

“I thought it was necessary.”

When everyone had gone, we left the slum again.

“Professor.”

The sky, dimming.

“I have a question.”

Carrying empty boxes, one by one, we walk along the street.

I think anything in moderation is good.

And, the most opportune moment to ask is now.

“What is it?”

“Why did you bring me here?”

Professor Feliana stopped walking. I halted with her.

“Rain Ortiz.”

I was struck, anew, by the frightening power of human adaptation.

That I could become accustomed to the professor calling my name.

“I’m listening.”

Feliana hesitated, visibly.

I shifted to face her squarely, meeting her gaze.

A signal that I was listening intently.

“…I never thought there were geniuses in alchemy. I believed anyone could achieve what they wanted with effort.”

Silence.

Not the sound of wind, not the chirping of insects.

Only Feliana Mirheon’s voice could be heard.

Only the two of us existed in this space.

“But seeing you create a new potion in an instant…. I realized I was wrong. Honestly, I didn’t want to admit it. It was like my conviction, which I had pushed for so long, was collapsing.”

Those were words akin to a grumble.

As if speaking of emotions piled upon emotions, a voice suppressed, painstakingly.

“So, tears welled up. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had no choice. I felt so choked up, and angry too….”

I listened to her story in silence.

“Perhaps you’ll achieve my life’s goal, disgracefully.”

I offered no opinion.

“Did you know? There are, in truth, limits to recovery potions.”

I know.

A recovery potion heals external wounds. Its principle is to briefly boost the regenerative power of the area it touches, making it impossible to treat areas where the potion can’t be applied.

So, internal injuries can’t be healed with a potion.

“You saw it today too. There are people whose arms have rotted so badly they’re useless, and people with diseases that a recovery potion can’t fix.”

The same goes for diseases.

Because a recovery potion heals *everything*, it can’t eliminate bacteria or viruses.

“…Rain Ortiz.”

From some point, she’d been looking directly at me.

“I’ll admit it again. I lost. I apologize for treating you harshly. And…”

Saying words that humbled her pride.

“I’m asking you.”

She asked me.

“Help me with my research. I want to create a medicine that cures any wound, any disease.”

It was a very her-like request.

“That’s why I brought you here. To persuade you.”

One side’s statement was over. The turn passed, and now it was my turn to answer.

After a moment of silence, I opened my mouth.

“Professor.”

[ ‘Panacea’ cannot be created. ]

“It’s impossible.”

I’m not someone who chases an ideal.

It’s hard to evaluate myself, but if I had to say, I’m someone who looks at ‘reality.’

That’s right.

The ideal I wanted has already become impossible. I’ve come too far to become ordinary.

That’s my reality.

“But I can help with something else.”

Let’s abandon the goal that’s already gone.

[ Searching for ‘First Antibiotic: Penicillin’. ]

I set a new goal.