Chapter 24

We have turned twelve.

The production of medical alcohol is on track, and we can soon start exporting to other countries, although not in large quantities, as domestic consumption takes priority.

Since we use discarded agricultural products, mass production isn't feasible. It would be putting the cart before the horse to grow crops specifically for alcohol production.

However, thanks to this, our names have become known in the medical community. Well, as the prince, my name was already known, but now it's for contributions to medicine.

As a result, I can now meet with people who are researching medicine at the National Academy.

The Academy is the upper division of the school, equivalent to a university in other countries. It is the highest institution of learning, combining domestic science, medicine, philosophy, and other research fields.

"Wow! Thank you for coming! I'm grateful that you took an interest in someone like me, who only does odd research!"

"I read your paper. It was very interesting. I wanted to hear more, so I'm grateful for your time."

Today, I'm visiting the laboratory of a young researcher named Spalutes.

"Still, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, you didn't have to come to my laboratory in person. I could have come to the palace if called."

"Call me Shin. If that's too informal, you can call me Shin-kun. Since I'm disturbing your research, it's only natural. I also thought it would be easier to talk this way."

"That's quite... Then, Shin-sama. And with the future princess as well."

Cerea also bowed slightly.

"I've heard about your work. You've been instrumental in improving hygiene in hospitals using alcohol. Thanks to your efforts in mass-producing alcohol as a national policy, we can now sterilize without boiling, which has greatly helped my research. I'm very grateful."

It's nice to know that our work is useful even in places like this. I'm glad.

"By the way, since you both know that alcohol can prevent disease, do you believe in the existence of invisible microorganisms...?"

Spalutes whispered.

"Yes."

"Of course! I've been struggling to get people to recognize this! No one has shown interest, and I've almost given up many times!"

He shook my hand excitedly.

"Look at this! This!"

He showed me a flask with a long, curved neck.

"Boiled meat broth will eventually spoil when exposed to air. However, if we create a trap by bending the fine tube to prevent anything from entering from the outside, the broth remains fresh and hardly spoils. No mold grows. You know that mold is a type of plant, right?"

"Yes."

"These organisms don't arise spontaneously. They always come from somewhere and multiply. I suspect that most diseases are caused by such 'microorganisms.'"

"That's why we believe that alcohol cleaning is effective. We think that alcohol kills these microorganisms when applied or poured."

"Brilliant! That's exactly right! I've confirmed that alcohol can kill these microorganisms, which we call 'bacteria,' and suppress their growth. It's called 'sterilization.' I'm thrilled that you share the same view, Your Highness!"

Spalutes was extremely excited.

"Bacteria can be isolated and cultured. When bacteria collected on a petri dish with a starch medium made from hot water and dissolved sugar are left alone, they multiply and form colonies, making them visible. I'm doing this with everything I can get my hands on."

"That's amazing..."

On the petri dishes, there were many different colors of something that looked quite dirty, like mold.

"I think these are one of the causes of disease. I've also isolated and cultured bacteria from the blood, pus, and phlegm of sick people."

This person has discovered what Cerea mentioned, all on his own.

"From people with the same disease, the same bacteria can be cultured. The source of infection is bacteria. Invisible microorganisms can cause diseases by touching, ingesting, or inhaling them. Not all diseases, but most are caused by this, I believe."

"Do you mean that we now understand why diseases spread between people?"

"That's right. I've demonstrated this. I can't conduct human experiments with the bacteria I've cultured, but bacteria can be both beneficial and harmful. For example, the fermentation that turns grape juice into wine is caused by bacteria, which we call 'yeast.'"

I think people in the brewing industry know this from experience, as they use it to make alcohol. The method we recommended for producing alcohol is the same as making alcohol.

After explaining all this, Spalutes suddenly looked dejected.

"...I understand all that, but I'm struggling to figure out how to use this knowledge to prevent or cure diseases. If I could produce some results, this research could progress, but I'm only being ridiculed..."

What a tough situation... But discovering such people, providing them with funding, and advancing their research is part of our job as the royal family.

"Do you know about 'immunity'?"

Cerea's knowledge from her past life came in handy!

"Of course. Many diseases, like measles and smallpox, don't recur after recovery. We say that 'immunity has been developed, so there's no need to worry' after recovery."

"That's because the human body has a memory for these diseases. When the bacteria that cause the disease enter again, the body kills them, so the disease doesn't recur."

"That's what I think! Bacteria can't be cultured from the bodies of people who have recovered from a disease. The bacteria that caused the disease are gone! Immunity means that the bacteria are eliminated from the body, not that the body becomes immune to their presence! I've thought the same thing!"

Spalutes looked very happy.

"Last winter, diphtheria broke out at an orphanage. Thanks to quick isolation and alcohol cleaning, the infection was contained, and no children died, which was a miracle."

"Yes, I'm aware. It was a topic among us medical researchers. The staff at the hospital did a great job. This was the first time the effectiveness of 'isolation' in preventing the spread of disease was demonstrated. It was a groundbreaking response."

In reality, it was thanks to Cerea's quick instructions. The staff wore masks, disinfected their hands, and took various other measures.

"Diphtheria is caused by bacteria. At the orphanage, we could only wait for natural recovery, but I've heard that serum can be used as a treatment for diphtheria."

"Serum...?"

"What's serum?"

When I asked, Spalutes explained.

"If you leave blood in a test tube, the red components settle, and a yellowish liquid forms on top. That's serum."

Spalutes nodded thoughtfully.

"Serum as a medicine... What does that mean? Is it related to immunity? Does it involve using the blood of someone who has developed immunity? If immunity resides in the blood... That would be amazing! I feel like it's possible!"

Spalutes was thrilled to receive so many research ideas.

"I would like to support your research through the Academy. We can discuss the details later. First, I would like to give you this as a gift."

I handed him a wooden box.

"...What is this?"

"It's a 'microscope.' A craftsman recently invented it, and I thought you might find it useful."

In our country, we have lenses for glasses, and we also have telescopes for seeing distant objects. Cerea suggested that "microscopes for seeing small objects" could be made and used in hospitals and school science labs, so I proposed the idea to the craftsman, and he actually made one. The idea of placing a sample on a glass slide and illuminating it from below with a mirror is quite innovative, and we are currently developing several prototypes.

Spalutes was extremely excited about this.

With this, he will likely discover many bacteria, and I hope it will lead to significant advancements in medicine.

On the way back in the carriage, I asked Cerea about what happened.

"Cerea, you really know everything! I had never heard of immunity before."

"Actually, I was hospitalized with an immune deficiency, so the doctors explained it to me and my parents. The hospital had many books for patients, especially for children, and since it was a hospital, there were many medical books. I read biographies of people like Hideyo Noguchi and Shibasaburo Kitasato during my stay, which is how I learned about it."

"Even about diphtheria?"

"In a cold country, diphtheria broke out, and a blizzard prevented the medicine from being delivered. A team of sled dogs transported the medicine over 1,100 kilometers, which was the basis for an animated movie I watched. I remembered that the medicine was serum."

What's an animated movie?

...But all of this is quite advanced knowledge. Cerea, at twelve years old, might already have the highest medical knowledge in the country.

However, Cerea is not a doctor, only a former patient with memories up to age ten. In the future, it's best to provide "hints" and leave the rest to professional medical researchers.

"Also, this might reduce the number of 'target characters' we need to deal with!"

Actually, Spalutes is one of the target characters in the game!

According to Cerea's homemade guide, Spalutes, a researcher at the Academy, is not recognized for his work and is expelled from the Academy. He then becomes a biology teacher at Flora Academy, where he meets the heroine. She encourages him, saying, "Your talent will surely be recognized someday. Don't lose hope and please continue your research," and he falls in love with her and they end up together.

It's a forbidden love story with a teacher. Spalutes is a handsome man, very attractive, though a bit eccentric.

Of course, after that, Spalutes publishes groundbreaking medical research and becomes the top physician in the country, with the heroine as his supportive wife.

If we intervene a bit and support Spalutes to produce research results, he won't be expelled from the Academy or become a teacher at Flora Academy, and he won't meet the heroine.

"It feels a bit unfair..."

"No, don't say it's unfair. If someone is so talented, it's much better for them to contribute to the development of our country's medicine rather than have a romantic relationship with the heroine. I have no intention of getting in the way. I have no ulterior motives."

I have no ulterior motives at all.

Next: "24. The First Fight"