Chapter 60

In our second-year school, a sports festival is being held.

We called all the physical education committee members from each class to the student council room and held an executive committee meeting. The implementation will be entrusted to the physical education committee chair, but as a request from the student council, we propose to change the sports festival, which has only featured football, to an event where all students can participate.

"Maybe bowling?"

Unfortunately, Serea suggested an idea, but the poetry cards made by the literature club were rejected due to their lack of recognition. Instead, bowling was proposed as an activity that both boys and girls, even those who are not good at sports, can enjoy.

Bowling is a sport that originated in churches. It started as a rather sacrilegious game where monks used the aisle of the church to roll bottles and knock down the moon sculpture held by the statue of the moon goddess. What were the monks thinking...

The original version was nine-pin bowling. However, it became a form of gambling and was banned several times. It eventually evolved into ten-pin bowling with the excuse, "If it's not nine pins but ten, it's fine, right?"

We borrowed heavy ebony balls and maple pins from the church. The venue is the gymnasium. The student council and the executive committee members marked the lanes and set up about five lanes.

"Shin, are you not playing football this year?"

Jack and the other boys in the class eagerly hoped, but I won't be playing.

"Remember last year. There was a big boo from the other classes. I'll help with the executive committee this year..."

Everyone, both boys and girls, rolled the balls and had a great time, shouting and cheering. Serea also enjoyed it.

Me? I was setting up the pins the whole time.

I don't complain. It's fine that I did that.

On the other hand, the football matches had fewer spectators, and the players complained about the lack of motivation.

When you think about it, that makes sense. I'm sorry to everyone who tried hard to show their best. Balancing things is difficult. If you raise one side, the other side falls.

On a school holiday, Serea and I visited the college's research institute for the first time in a while.

They are newlyweds, Spalutes and Jane. I wanted to check on them and bring a wedding gift.

"Hey, why are you two so distant?"

When we went, the two of them seemed rather awkward.

"Well, we suddenly became a couple, and we didn't have much time to prepare our hearts. We have to work properly in the lab, so..."

"That's not good. Jane, you should move into Spalutes' house first!"

"Wh-What?!"

"Your Highness! Both Jane and I live in the college dormitory!"

"Then rent a place! What are you two doing? You both have good salaries and savings. If you don't use it, it just keeps piling up. Use it when you should!"

The two of them turned red and stood side by side.

It's frustrating. They're grown adults, yet they're getting advice on married life from 16-year-olds like us.

"Here's a gift! Please accept it."

From Serea and me, we gave a set of dishes and a set of cooking utensils.

"Wow, thank you."

"...Your Highness, actually, I'm not good at cooking at all..."

Spalutes is happy, but Jane is dejected.

"Jane, cooking is no different from a scientific experiment. You can definitely do it."

Serea encourages Jane.

I also have something to say: "Spalutes, don't put tea in a beaker and heat it with an alcohol lamp. Start with a regular teapot and cups."

"Then, I'll teach you the secrets of cooking."

Serea, who always makes delicious sweets and bento for me, declares.

"The secret to cooking! It's all about following the recipe perfectly! All the trial and error in cooking has already been done by our predecessors. There's no room for personal originality. Using substitutes for missing ingredients is not allowed. Buy a cookbook and follow it. This is the best way to make delicious food!"

...Serea, I didn't want to hear that...

Let's move on from the small talk and talk about the animal experiments for penicillin.

Spalutes discovered the antibacterial properties of blue mold, leading to the birth of antibiotics. Thanks to our efforts to persuade the royal council to support this research, the college is now fully engaged in it. If it goes well, the penicillin Serea mentioned should be completed.

It's surprising that the most common blue mold has such effects. Perhaps it's because it has such power that it can outcompete other molds and be found everywhere.

"It's an excellent drug. We have confirmed its antibacterial effects on over a dozen types of bacteria, including tetanus, diphtheria, and staphylococcus. We are currently conducting animal experiments, and the results are good. It is particularly effective against inflammation, and we plan to start human trials with pneumonia first."

"That's amazing."

The results are steadily coming in.

The next step is to prepare for mass production. This also needs to be discussed at the royal council.

"We are also collecting high-yield strains of blue mold from various places. This is labor-intensive, but with all the researchers working on it, we hope to achieve this by the end of the year."

"I'm looking forward to it. Please do your best."

In the afternoon, we presented the completed paper theater by the literature club at the orphanage.

I asked the art club president to come as well, thinking we might need to ask them to draw. We started by watching the paper theater together.

The literature club members went overboard. Many of the stories were a bit too complex for the children. Serea's "Peach Boy" was the most popular. Serea has a lot of experience performing paper theater at the orphanage and gave a passionate performance.

I thought it was a bit much to destroy the island with the meteor magic "Meteo" at the end... The dog, pheasant, and monkey didn't even have a role, and the infiltration in the first half was meaningless...

The art club president pondered.

"I think it's interesting. I also think it's a good opportunity for the art club. However, it might be a bit difficult to get the art club members to do it."

"Why is that?"

"Well, many art club members consider art to be a noble pursuit. They might think that creating something to entertain orphans is beneath them... I apologize for saying this."

I see...

Even among the literature club members, those who didn't get a good reaction from the children might not be willing to do it again.

We need to have a good discussion. It might not be possible...

"Still, Serea's drawings are amazing! How can she draw such dynamic pictures that seem to move? Even though they're not technically perfect, they have a charm that captivates the children. Why is that?"

Serea said it's "manga." I also think it's amazing.

There are still many challenges ahead.

Reforming the noble mindset is difficult.

Serea and I thought about this together.

"...The children can't read. The adults might not have the pride to serve the children."

"...Maybe silent picture books would be good?"

"Books without dialogue that are interesting just by looking at them?"

That's extremely difficult.

"But we got some hints. There are no children's books in this country. We want to start with something that helps children learn to read and write, something that makes them want to learn to read and write."

"Then, maybe reading fairy tales would be good?"

"Yeah, that's right. Starting with regular fairy tale readings is good. We can then move on to creating original fairy tales or rewriting classic works for children."

"Yeah, that sounds more like the literature club."

We might have been thinking about things that were a bit too difficult from the start.

If we want people to do something, we should start with the easiest thing.

I might have been too greedy, trying to achieve results in various areas.

I need to reflect on that.

Next: "60. Bucket Relay"