Chapter 69

I had no intention of hiding the recipe for penicillin anyway.

After thinking about it for a while, I began to spit out information one after another.

“This medicine is made by refining the ingredient called penicillin from the fermentation liquid of blue mold. It is water soluble and stable in cool, slightly acidic conditions. Oh, it can also be absorbed by the charcoal.”

“Why- why are you saying that―”

“I used this property when refining. I poured oil to remove fat-soluble impurities, adsorbed it on crushed charcoal, and then poured acidic and alkaline water alternately to refine it.”

The details are much longer, but I summarized them as briefly as I could.

Harvil looked surprised. Information about medications should, of course, be kept confidential. Especially if you want to profit from monopoly as the Opion did.

“…why are you telling me?”

I shrugged. “I told you, I have no intention of keeping this medicine a secret. Will you believe me now?”

Surprised, he opened his mouth slightly, barely replying. “Bu- but this would be an act of betraying the Count.”

“I know, being greedy, you will never agree. Especially when it comes to fair trade. If you cooperate with me, you will have to keep your affairs here a secret from my father.”

“Honestly, I’m worried.”

“That’s natural. But now that you’ve heard the whole story, you won’t be able to stay the way you used to be. Even if your body is comfortable, your mind will always be uncomfortable.”

“…I don’t know why you asked me to cooperate.”

“The reason is simpler.”

I smiled and continued, “Because you are a good doctor. Enough to give up holidays and treat people in the slums. You won’t be able to turn a blind eye to ways to save many patients.”

“…….”

The long-serving doctor was silent.

In fact, I have some respect for his sense of duty.

‘But,’

I can’t wait any longer.

I wiped my smile. “Now, I told you everything without hiding anything. Don’t hesitate and decide quickly. Are you going to just suck your fingers and watch the situation? Or are you going to take the risk and try?”

“Give me time to―”

“How long will you worry? We don’t have much time. You are a doctor. Show determination when life is at stake! Come on, quickly! Hurry up!”

“Ha, I’ll do it.”

“Okay, this is how you should be.” I smiled contentedly.

I got his approval with half pressure, but I’ll keep my word.

Maybe he was quite embarrassed, Harvil was sweating enough.

“…you have changed a lot since you got married. Somehow it reminds me of when you were four years old.”

“When I was four? How was I then?”

“You don’t seem to remember. You were as bold and clever as you are now. All the maids whispered that our lady was a genius.”

“Well, everyone hears at least once that they are a genius at that age.”

Even I, who see my daughter every day, also think she’s a genius! I think so at least ten times a day.

“Among them, you were exceptionally special… anyway, I’ll go back now before the Count finds out about my absence.”

“Okay. Keep the secret well.”

He laughed. “I will keep that in mind.”

***

A few days passed after that.

Two days before the founding ceremony.

After completing an important mission, I have to do what I had in mind.

‘Oh, I’ll have to go get it.’

I placed an order at a jewelry store located in the downtown area of ​​the capital. I’m going to go get the item myself, so I need an escort.

I’m on my way to the parlor after hearing from the maid that Raven’s knights are there.

When I opened the door, Aren, Laurent, and Hillis are playing poker.

“Madam, what’s wrong?”

“I have to go out for a while. Is anyone okay as an escort?”

“Then what about me― eub!”

Just as Laurent was about to answer, Hillis next to him covered his mouth and smiled kindly.

“The master will be back soon, so how about the two of you go together?”

“Do we have to…?”

“…….”

Hillis was silent, Aren was expressionless as always, while Laurent, who had regained her freedom of speech, muttered, “Madam, you’re so cold-hearted― eub!”

This time his mouth was blocked by Aren’s hand.

Only then did I realize that I had just responded too rudely.

“No, it’s no big deal. Rupert has always been so busy that he’s often called upon by the imperial family, and I don’t want to bother him.”

Hillis smiled. “Then I’ll get ready right away.”

“No, it’s not urgent… well, let’s have the person who lost the poker game escort me.”

“Alright.”

After a while, it was Aren who lost in poker.

“I thought Sir Laurent would lose….”

“His card skills are better than I thought.”

In the end, it was Aren who was responsible for escorting me this time. I muttered regretfully, “I think I took up your time too often.”

Aren laughed lightly. “I am really fine.”

‘He’s also kind.’

After he escorted me to the carriage, he himself got into it as well.

A soldier and a coachman rode in the coachman’s seat. The conversation between the two could be heard through the window connected to the driver’s seat. They seem to know each other.

The carriage wheel rolled at a moderate speed.

The Ainel mansion in the capital was located relatively outside. Thanks to this, it was spacious and quiet because there were few passers-by, but there was quite a distance to downtown.

As I leaned against the backrest, I felt the carriage shake regularly.

It was a normal day, nothing special.

But at that moment,

-bang!

The carriage shook with a thump, and Aren across from me reached out his hand.

“Dangerous!”

Immediately the landscape turned upside down.

-thud! -thud! I hit a few places, but I couldn’t feel the pain.

It was as if I had lost consciousness for a moment from the shock.

When I opened my eyes, the carriage door was on the ceiling.

‘It’s overturned.’

What’s going on? Is it an accident?

As soon as I tried to grasp the situation with such thoughts, I heard a voice outside.

“You idiot, you did it too hard!”

“It was a mistake, let’s deal with it as soon as possible.”

I could hear men talking outside.

‘This is… not an accident.’

“Sir, sir, wake up.”

Aren is not in a good condition, as he wrapped himself around me and received the full shock.

There was the sound of horses outside and the tapping of the carriage.

“Bring the ax! I need to break it down and bring out the target! Hurry up!”

“…are you all right?”

Meanwhile, Aren opened his eyes. He seems to have grasped the situation at once.

“Stay still here.”

“No, it’s dangerous.”

Judging from the voices coming from outside, there are at least more than four people.

Besides, he had injured his right arm. Seeing that he frowned while moving, there was a high possibility that his ribs were broken.

‘He is right-handed.’

Considering the number of opponents, there’s no way he, whose hand was injured, could wield a sword with his other hand while fighting them off.

The last one in particular is fatal.

“Sir, go out and run away.”

“…….”

“Listening to the conversation, I think their target is me. If you run away, they won’t chase you relentlessly.”

“I can’t do that.”

-thud! At the same time, he jumped out of the carriage door on the ceiling.

There was no time to stop him.

“Just go!”

The sound of fighting outside could be heard.

Why are you so stubborn!

I turned towards the window connected to the driver’s seat. There was a sound of hitting from there.

‘Someone is crushing it with an ax.’

Bloodstains were visible through the broken glass. It must be the blood of the soldier and the coachman. They must be dead already.

‘Why the hell?’

They had been chatting normally until just now, and they died simply for being with me.

But I had no time to be sad.

The kidnappers were stronger than expected and moved in perfect order. I don’t know, but I think they are a pro in this field.

‘Yeah, there’s no way to hire an ordinary kidnapper to kidnap a high-ranking aristocrat.’

That means I also have to be vigilant.

I hurriedly took a look around. The axing continues. I have to find a way.

Things in the carriage were scattered around, but there was nothing that could be used as a weapon.

Instead, I found a small bottle of perfume. It was a perfume that I kept in the carriage as a reserve in case I might use it.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

‘I have no choice but to gamble.’

As soon as I hid the glass bottle under my clothes, the driver’s seat was completely shattered.

“Hehe, here you are.”

My eyes met the one wielding the ax. He immediately reached out his hand, grabbed my ankle, and pulled me out

“Let go of me!”

I was helplessly dragged out and forced to stand up.

The situation outside was visible at a glance.

“Hey, knight, if you continue to rebel, I’ll slit this woman’s throat!”

I met eyes with Aren who was fighting. For a moment, he hesitated, and the opponent did not miss the opportunity.

“Sir!”

His blood dripped onto the floor.

At the same time, my nose and mouth were blocked by a cloth. A medicinal smell wafted in and my eyes became hazy.

‘I can’t lose… consciousness….’

The last thing I saw before passing out was Aren staggering in blood.