Chapter 77

We were able to hear everyone's stories up to this point.

I thought I would hear from the brainless Powell at the end, but there was no way to approach him. He glared at me and said, "I have nothing to talk about with you!"

I guess I'm hated, huh. But I can't think of anything I've done to deserve it.

I mean, I only beat him up in the martial arts tournament and completely shattered his dream of becoming a royal knight. I don't think that's enough to hate me...

The first semester of third year has ended.

I was overtaken in the final exam rankings. Hartis took first place, and I'm second. Serea is tenth, and the heroine is in the thirties, maintaining the status quo.

"Good job, Hartis!"

I praise him sincerely.

"Did you let your guard down, Shin?"

"No, no. I've always thought you would surpass me someday."

"...Thank you."

Hartis looks pleased.

"Is it okay for me to surpass the prince?"

"It's fine. I don't think it's a good thing for me to be at the top of the school."

"Really?"

I lean in and whisper to Hartis.

"(It's a problem if there's no one smarter than me in this school. When I ascend the throne, there won't be anyone I can rely on as a brain.)"

"(Wow...)"

"(I'm counting on you, Hartis.)"

"(I want to be an astronomer...)"

I pat Hartis on the back.

"I'm counting on you!"

"Stop it!"

Well, it's a matter for years to come. He's thinking about it, I guess.

The Student Council has work even during the summer break.

The Music Club placed third in the city's music competition. They should at least get that far. Serea and I went to listen, and they've narrowed the gap with the top ranks. They're challenging some pretty difficult pieces.

The Art Club finally started trying oil painting, and now they can exhibit at the royal salon.

A first-year member submitted a rather crude painting that looked like a child's drawing and was laughed at.

"I tried to capture the impression, but it didn't work... No one understood it at all."

When you look closely, you can't tell what it is, but from a distance, it's definitely a painting. It's a mysterious piece.

I think it's good...

In a sea of precise, realistic paintings, it stood out.

The first-year member was disappointed, but Serea encouraged him, saying, "This kind of work will be recognized someday! Keep it up!"

There were no selected works from the Art Club this year. They have a tough road ahead.

The Swordsmanship Club, led by Jack, had a few exchange matches with other schools.

One win, one loss. We have a Colosseum in my country where martial arts tournaments are held, but students don't participate in such tournaments. There are often proposals to hold national student martial arts tournaments, but the Education Minister doesn't allow it because of the risk of injuries and the belief that students should focus on their studies. Fair enough.

Jack said, "It's time to start over with my training!" and went back to his territory with Sylfa. He's determined to win the school martial arts tournament this year, so I hope he does well.

In the second half of the summer break, we have a field trip with the orphans.

We have a boot camp at a lake near the capital, with Schwartz, who always guards me, teaching the children how to swim!

The staff at the orphanage do everything, so Serea and I can relax at a nearby lodge for the first time in a while.

"Your Highness works too much. Please consider how it affects Lady Serea. Make time to do nothing together. It's good for you!"

That's what Schwartz said and kicked us out.

Doing nothing. We never had such time.

Because when we make time to do nothing, Serea and I can't handle the silence.

We've never spent time together doing nothing. Wow, we can't even do that? It's a blind spot!

Deciding what to have for lunch and dinner, we end up spending a lot of time cooking together.

On a quiet night with only the sound of insects, Serea and I sleep in sleeping bags.

I realize we never had such moments. I need to reflect...

Not doing any work at all doesn't suit me, so as soon as we arrived in the capital, I got back to work.

The penicillin factory is up and running. It's actually a separate division of the alcohol factory. The brewing and fermentation processes are somewhat similar to growing mold, so we sent a specialist from the academy to guide the production and achieve mass production.

This was made possible thanks to the full support of a certain duke.

I won't name him, but his son was infected with syphilis, faced disinheritance and exile, but was cured with penicillin, and its effectiveness was recognized.

The duke was delighted and provided the funds for mass production, allowing us to set up the expensive freeze-drying vacuum pump facility.

The power source is a steam engine! It runs on coal. Amazing!

"I think it was groundbreaking to achieve freeze-drying crystallization right away, instead of using liquid penicillin. This is all thanks to Lady Serea!"

This project is out of our hands now, so I can only hear the details from Spaluts.

The duke and the palace hold shares, and the central hospital is the exclusive supplier.

This was proposed and approved at the council meeting.

Although it's a very dishonorable matter, some ministers have lost family members to syphilis, so they were surprised. It was thought to be incurable.

It's good that it works for tetanus, pneumonia, and enteritis as well. If it only worked for syphilis, it would have been very difficult to get approval for production.

If you say, "We have a cure for syphilis!" it's great, but it's hard for a noble to say, "Let's increase production!" because they might be seen as immoral and promiscuous.

It's an expensive drug that requires a lot of effort to produce, so we have to make a profit first. It's a harsh reality. It might be a decade or more before it's affordable for the general public.

We've asked the chemistry department at the academy to research chemical synthesis, but they're at a loss without any leads. It seems impossible without significant advances in chemistry.

However, being able to treat diseases that were previously untreatable is a big step forward.

"Penicillin has such an effect. There may be many more antibiotics in this world that we don't know about. I want to make this my life's work and study not only mold but other microorganisms as well!"

Spaluts was very enthusiastic!

What's interesting is that when we come, the academy researchers gather excitedly. They all want us to see their research.

"It's said that if you show your research to His Highness and Lady Serea, you'll always get new ideas!" There are many requests to see their research.

Wow... I don't know what to think!

"Lady Serea! The rings around Saturn are real!"

Hartis's father, Count Jofnes Kepler, brings several sketches, and another researcher is shouting, "Mars has two moons! I named them Phobos and Deimos! Gulliver's Travels is real!"

"Lady Serea! Look at this!"

Edmond Halley from the Astronomy Club brought a large rolled-up paper. When he spread it out on the table, there was a large ellipse.

"It's the predicted orbit of the comet that appeared fifteen years ago! I recalculated the orbit using observational data and an ellipse!"

It's big. It extends beyond Saturn's orbit.

"Amazing! If the comet reappears as predicted, this theory will be proven!"

It's exciting to see this—like touching the latest science!

"When will it return?"

"In sixty-three years!"

...Yeah, we probably won't see it.

The summer break is over, and the long second semester begins.

There are many events, but we don't need to worry.

We can surely overcome anything.

"Let's go. To our battlefield!"

"Okay!"

We set out, a little sunburned!

Next: "77. The Third-Year School Festival"