A Genius Pharmacist Whom the Empress Is Obsessed With

Episode 7. Transformation.

The thick door, thicker than a forearm, silently opened.

“From now on, absolutely no one should enter this room. Even if it takes some time, please wait until I come out.”

Idun shook the fan he had been holding towards the servant girl who was fidgeting outside the door. It was the fan that the Countess had handed to him, asking him to show it to the servant girl.

“Please take care of it.”

With those words, Idun closed the door. From the sound of hurried footsteps he heard just before the door closed, it was clear that he was definitely going to the Countess to confirm something.

Idun, with a deeply furrowed brow, securely locked the door’s latch and approached the bed. From the moment he stepped into the room, an unbearable foul smell kept stimulating him.

“No matter when, I can never get used to this.”

Golden orbs glimmering near the princess’s chest and red threads tangled like worms. The scene itself was confusing enough, but when combined with the princess’s beautiful appearance, it was a horrifying sight that gave him chills throughout his body.

“I’ll have to change the plan a bit.”

Even if he had only planned to leave the Countess’s room, he had thought of doing something crazy right away today. But thanks to that dreadful sight, Idun regained his composure and decided to take a step back. As there was only one chance to try, he had to increase the chances of success in gambling even a little bit.

Strictly speaking, this was the second time he was meeting the princess, but the previous time was too short. It took quite a bit of time to read and unravel the energy entangled like a labyrinth, but the time Ella provided was barely an hour.

In other words, he knew that there was energy entangled, but he didn’t know exactly what kind of energy it was and how it was entangled. According to the modified plan, tonight was the time to thoroughly investigate what kind of energy was mixed in the princess and what negative effects that energy was having.

Worried that he might get hurt, Idun checked his gloves and clothes once again, then grabbed the princess’s hand.

“Let’s go then.”

Who would win?

Idun’s whole body shone brighter than ever before…

Countless information flowed from the princess’s fingertips to Idun’s.

***

“Idun?”

Idun blinked his eyes at Ella’s face that suddenly came into his view.

“…What was I doing again?”

His eyes, which had been flickering for a moment, became calm. In the foggy haze of Idun’s mind, he remembered that he had been helping Ella with her herb studies until now.

“You don’t look too good. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

Afraid that he might have looked foolish, Idun quickly wiped his face with one hand and replied.

Contrary to Idun’s expectations that a couple of hours would be enough, he couldn’t leave the princess’s bedroom until dawn. There were indeed many energies entangled in the princess’s body, but there were too many.

In order to cure the princess’s illness, the Countess and Viscount Penead seemed to have done everything they could.

They relied not only on calling a physician, but also on forgotten magic and sorcery.

The problem was that the magic and sorcery they used were not proper magic and sorcery.

Until a few hundred years ago, the continent was overflowing with abundant mana. However, at some point, mana started to become polluted and since then, magic and sorcery quickly lost their power. Adrian had heard that some powerful wizards had struggled to do something about it, but it all ended in vain.

During those few hundred years, the power of magic that used to be able to burn a huge mountain all at once had become as weak as a flickering firefly.

Nevertheless, since the lineage of magic and sorcery was not completely severed, it seemed that the Count or the Countess, whether it be the Viscount or his wife, had called upon a magician or sorcerer to entrust the princess.

According to Idun’s knowledge, she couldn’t know exactly what those who were summoned did.

However, she could tell that the curse on the princess had become more severe due to the wrong dosage of the stone jugs. It was to the extent that she couldn’t even figure out what the existing curse was.

“The bigger problem was that it wasn’t the end.”

She was a woman with such strong innate vitality that she could have endured the curse in any way possible….

This time, it was the medicine that was the problem. Numerous misdiagnoses and the resulting incorrect prescriptions gradually ate away at her physical strength. As a result, it seemed that the princess had been in a coma since six months ago.

Idun had to hold the princess’s hand for a long time until she could find out all of these facts.

“I also had to put a lot of vitality into her.”

She couldn’t get proper sleep either. In the midst of that, examining and treating the princess required a great deal of vitality.

The mental fatigue that leaves a person completely exhausted from lack of sleep literally rushed in like madness, making it extremely difficult for Idun to stay sane.

“Given the circumstances, I can’t show such a miserable sight.”

Idun raised her hand and pressed the back of her neck where there was a stiff part of her muscles several times. Bloodletting at that spot was ideal for clarifying the mind.

“Are you really okay?”

Ella asked again, worried about Idun’s attitude, which was different from usual.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Despite Idun’s quick response, Ella sensed that something wasn’t quite right and grabbed Idun’s hand firmly.

“Miss…?”

Surprised by the sudden situation, Idun called Ella’s name, but Ella paid no attention and pressed on Idun’s blood point.

It was the spot that Idun had told her to press whenever her head hurt inside the carriage before.

It was so adorable how she diligently pressed on it with her small hand that even in the midst of the fatigue that overwhelmed her entire body, Idun couldn’t help but smile.

“You still haven’t fully recovered from the poisoning, and you haven’t even had a day off to rest, so you must be very tired. How about going in and taking a rest for now?”

While Ella earnestly massaged Idun’s hand, the nanny who rarely spoke interrupted.

“Her complexion seems a mess.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I am really okay.”

Idun cautiously withdrew her hand and then picked up the book that Ella had put down.

Then, Ella extended her hand with her mouth pouting and asked with a dissatisfied voice.

“Idun, did you make Lady Ludimine’s medicine?”

Why was she suddenly asking about the princess’s medicine? Idun wondered, but without showing any signs, she answered.

“Yes. I handed it over to the Viscountess after lunch.”

“Then, is everything you need to do today finished?”

After taking the book from Idun and handing it to the nanny, Ella grabbed Idun’s hand, pulling him along. It shouldn’t be too difficult to overcome the strength of a child, but Ella’s expression was so serious that Idun obediently followed Ella, half-asleep.

The place Ella headed to was Edun’s room.

“Miss? Why my room?”

“Rest, Edun. I’ll wake you up at dinner time. Sleep well until then! You shouldn’t be sick like Edun.”

Ella grabbed Edun, who was resisting, and he reluctantly had no choice but to lie down on the bed.

“Lullaby, lullaby.”

As soon as Edun lay on the bed, Ella gently patted his chest and sang a lullaby in a sweet voice. Judging by her enthusiasm, it seemed like she intended to watch over Edun until he fell asleep.

“It’s really okay….”

Although he was lying on the bed, the thought of someone watching him made him uncomfortable. It bothered him that he had been lying in bed since daylight.

“If the lady leaves, I have to get up right away.”

But Edun’s determination could not be fulfilled.

Thanks to Ella’s lullaby, or perhaps due to accumulated fatigue, Edun soon fell into a deep sleep.

*

How much time had passed? Edun blinked his eyes and stood up.

“I must have slept for too long….”

As Edun looked around, he saw a small candlelight and the dark night sky in his eyes.

“Already night…?”

Edun’s face quickly filled with a sense of defeat.

Should he tell the Countess what had happened or go now? He needed to retrieve the herbal medicine that was left out, and Estelon the director surely had the medical records properly taken care of.

For a moment, he wondered why Ella hadn’t woken him up, but either way, he himself was the one who had been sprawled out all this time sleeping.

“….”

Briefly pushing aside his rising concerns, Edun headed towards the table, feeling his throat dry.

On the table, which had only a kettle and a cup, there were a wash bowl, towels, several snacks made of nuts, and a small note.

-I tried to wake you up, but you were sleeping so deeply I couldn’t. I’ll let the Countess know that Edun is sick. Don’t worry, the herbal medicine is sorted out by me and the nanny. Sleep well and see you tomorrow. Ella.-

Thanks to that small note, Edun could tell that Ella had personally taken care of all the things on the table.

“…She’s so kind.”

Edun picked up the kettle with a faint smile. Seeing that the kettle was warm, it was undoubtedly recently brought whenever the water cooled.

‘What should I do for Ella? Dolls and toys seem too common.’

Since he received such a precious sentiment, it was only natural to give something in return.

Edun began to think of things that children would like, little by little, sipping the warm water slowly. No matter how warm the water was, if you drank it quickly, your stomach would be shocked.

As the warm water slowly flowed into his body, his throat, which had been dry, and his slightly stiff body became relaxed. Thanks to sleeping deeply and waking up as Ella said, his head felt refreshed, and he truly felt like he was alive.

However, the brief respite was short-lived.

“!!!”

The taste of something indescribable, like a numbness, was felt between the clean water.ieder quickly spat out the water and wiped his mouth with the cloth.

Under the flickering yellow light, a distinct red color was smeared on the once clean cloth.

“What is this…?”

ieder wiped his mouth with the cloth again. The cloth was now a deeper shade of red.

In the midst of ieder’s astonishment, he felt something flowing down his chin. It was then that he realized the blood had finally burst.

He must have exerted a lot of effort last night.

“…It’s fortunate that it happened when I was alone.”

If someone else had seen this scene, they would have been greatly embarrassed.

ieder, with one hand pressing on the upper part of his nose, used the other hand to dab at the surrounding blood on the cloth, making sure not to leave even the tiniest droplet.

***

“Mm?”

Before ending the day, the wife of the baron, who was looking back at Redimni’s room for the last time, raised her eyebrows.

“Why does it sound like my husband’s breathing is completely normal?”

Worried that the fever might not break, the baron’s wife approached Redimni and observed her for a while. The medicine woman was not an ordinary midwife.

However, Redimni was just as always, peacefully asleep.

“…What am I supposed to do?”

The baron’s wife stood up with a smile and left the room.

No matter how skilled the midwife was, it was impossible to cure a disease that no one had been able to treat in the space of one night.

“Rest well, my dear. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The baron’s wife bid Redimni goodnight and left the room.

As the door closed,

Clink.

Redimni’s usually still finger moved slightly.