“Ryouma-sama, this thing you refer to as ‘antibody’. The relationwith the ‘Poison Resist’ and ‘Disease Resist’ skill. And the antidotemade from the b.l.o.o.d.y slime. I’m not a specialist or anything in thefield of medicine, but even a layman such as myself can see just howinestimable the value of these findings is.” [Serge]
“Indeed. I know enough to tell that if those methods of yours workfor that snake’s poison, then perhaps it can also work for otherpoisons. But at the same time, it makes me wonder whether you’re reallytelling the truth… Not that there’s any point in doubting now.” [Pioro]
“It doesn’t benefit Ryouma-kun to lie to us. Although at this point,it might be better if it turned out to be just a lie…” [Elize]
“Frankly, I also think it’s too much.” [Reinhart]
Discovering the antibody from the b.l.o.o.d.y slime, extracting the blood serum and investigating its effects.
Although it’s fun doing experiments alone, it’s not very effective.
A single child’s efforts aren’t enough for it to be released to society.
But…
“Actually there’s more to it.” [Ryouma]
“…There’s still more?” [Reinhart]”
“The reason I was able to find out about the antibody and the bloodserum is because the poison resist skill leveled up.” [Ryouma]
“…! I see! It wasn’t learned. It was a level up. In other words, there are other antibodies other than those for the poison of the bush snake.” [Reinhart]
“It’s exactly as Reinhart-san says. In the first place, the b.l.o.o.d.yslime isn’t a slime that I evolved on my own. It’s a slime I purchasedfrom an adventurer who found it somewhere, so it already possessed thepoison resist and disease resist skills resist right from the start.”[Ryouma]
And then after finding out about the antibodies, I wondered if there are other antibodies using the Identify spell.
“I found several antibodies. One of them was for ‘Cursed Wound’.” [Ryouma]
“…” [Reinhart, Elize, Serge, Pioro]
The four adults all sighed simultaneously and looked up at the sky. They looked very tired.
It can’t be helped.
When afflicted by the cursed wound, one is expected to suddenly fall sick and die.
It doesn’t matter how big or small the wound is, where the wound was incurred, or what one’s social standing is.
Like a curse, one will just suddenly wake up sick.
A few days will pa.s.s after incurring the wound without anythinghappening, but before long, the limbs and the face will start to numb.From there, the status of the afflicted will worsen and the body willlose its freedom and start moving about without regard for the damagecaused to it. Yes, just like a man possessed by some kind of demon. Thewhole body will tremble violently, and there are cases where one’s bodywould even bend like a bow, then harden like a stone. Without any way toresist the urge the bend, the spine will eventually break. This is notsomething that the afflicted can do anything about. To make thingsworse, despite not being able to control one’s body, one is fullyconscious through the whole ordeal; hence, one can thoroughly savor thepain and thus die while squirming about. The death rate is extremelyhigh…
In other words, it is what is known in my past life as ‘Teta.n.u.s’.
A disease that causes death even in modern day j.a.pan, where bloodserums are a thing. Unfortunately, for this country, there is no cure.As such, when people are afflicted with teta.n.u.s, they are labeled‘cursed’ with no way to be saved. It’s a disease feared by allregardless of status.
Basically, what I’m saying right now is that there’s a chance that a cure might be concocted for that terrifying disease.
They value of such a cure is immeasurable.
“Are you certain that it’s the antibody for cursed wound? I’m not doubting you, but…” [Reinhart]
“I used Identify on it, so there’s no doubting it. In the firstplace, cursed wound is a disease that one could be afflicted withanywhere. Naturally, the disease demon (bacteria) responsible for it canalso be found anywhere.” [Ryouma]
It is popularly known that clostridium tetani resides in soil.
The b.l.o.o.d.y slime probably absorbed it after touching soil.
“But Ryouma-kun, in order to create antibodies, one has take thepoison into his body first. Won’t surviving be impossible then? Thecursed wound has a high fatality rate too, and yet the b.l.o.o.d.y slime isstill alive.” [Elize]
“One possible reason I could think of is that the disease demons(bacteria) taken in were few in number and that the make up of theb.l.o.o.d.y slime’s body is different from humans, making it difficult for itto multiply, thereby creating less poison and greatly reducing theeffects on the slime.
Secondly, the characteristic symptom of curse wounds is mainly musclespasms, but the b.l.o.o.d.y slime doesn’t have nerves or muscles… It’spossible that because of this the effects on it were much weaker.
Regardless, there’s a large difference between humans and b.l.o.o.d.yslimes, so I’m wondering if it can be used. Unfortunately, I don’t haveproof.” [Ryouma]
“…Right. When you put it that way, you’re perfectly right.” [Elize]
“Just the production of a new medicine can be seen to have greatvalue, but if it’s a medicine for cursed wound, then all the more so. Atthe same time, it’s a dangerous thing.” [Reinhart]
“Putting it lightly, it’s a great discovery, but if some bad guyswere to get word of this, they’ll probably try to get you. No, they’lldefinitely try to get you. If the Medical Guild or any researchinst.i.tute where to get wind of this, they’d never leave you alone.”[Pioro]
“Indeed. And research inst.i.tutes don’t have a trustworthy reputation either.” [Ryouma]
We were all left speechless with how difficult it was to handle the the blood serum.
For a while, only the sound of sipping tea and eating sweets resounded in the room.
“Ryouma-kun” [Reinhart]
In the end, Reinhart-san was the first to break the silence.
“Yes.” [Ryouma]
He wore a face more serious than I’ve ever seen as he naturally fixed his posture.
What he said within that tense atmosphere was this.
“What do you think about becoming our family’s ‘Engineer’?” [Reinhart]