I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy Novel

Graduate Student Diary (2)

“Teacher.”

Princess Mint was sitting in my laboratory again today. At least she seemed to have given up on the idea of sitting in my chair. Thank goodness.

“Ah, Princess. What brings you here?”

“Do you notice anything different about me?”

“No, what now?”

“Answer.”

Ugh, this princess and her manners.

What is she talking about now?

I can’t tell.

Her hair was the same as usual, tied in a half-up style with a ribbon that fell just past her shoulders. A few hairpins were stuck in her hair.

Her expression was the same too, that mischievous look that somehow managed to be condescending. Mint blinked her eyes.

Hmm.

Her clothes were the same academy uniform as usual. A stiff white shirt, black tie, and a black robe decorated with yellow thread.

She was sitting with her legs crossed, wearing a black skirt that came to her knees and brown shoes.

Ah, I get it.

“Your hairpins are different.”

“Teacher. I’m not crazy, how could I wear the same hairpins every day?”

“But they are different, right?”

“Perfume. I changed my perfume.”

“Ah, yes.”

It was a bit absurd. I mean, perfume isn’t something you can identify just by looking at it. It didn’t seem like information that could be grasped from this distance either.

Mint sneered at me.

“Professor. You have a graduate student, right?”

“Are you talking about Miss Istina?”

Mint nodded.

“Yes, her.”

“Why do you ask about Miss Istina?”

“Do you usually bully graduate students?”

What could be the intention behind the princess saying this?

She didn’t seem like the type to say such things out of concern for others. Has Mint grown as a person? I don’t know.

“No. I have never bullied anyone.”

“Really?”

Have I ever bullied Istina? I don’t think so. Isn’t it just that she suffers a bit more than other professors’ graduate students?

I even put her name on the paper.

The princess looked at the pair of human femurs placed next to my desk. Did it seem a bit creepy to the sensitive Mint? I should probably put them away.

“Just in case, you’re not dating Miss Istina or anything, right?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s a relief.”

I answered briefly. I don’t know why she’s suddenly bringing this up, but if I had to guess.

That’s it.

Finally, Mint has become someone who worries about others and considers moral implications…!

Now Mint might make friends, talk to me like a sensible person, and this could be the start of a positive butterfly effect.

‘Still, it’s a good thing.’

I didn’t bring the princess to the academy on purpose, but it seems to have had an effect.

Has Mint’s social skills improved? Of course, I’m not in a position to judge, as I’m often called a madman. Anyway.

“That’s a rather unpleasant question, Princess. Isn’t Istina like a daughter to me?”

“Sorry, but do you also send a daughter-like student to buy corpse pieces?”

Isn’t that possible…?

I pondered how to explain this. It seems the princess doesn’t quite understand.

“Princess. I also learned that way from a professor who was like a father to me.”

“A vicious cycle.”

“A task that a graduate student can’t do is a task that a human can’t do. There’s nothing that shouldn’t be assigned to a graduate student. If it’s impossible, they’ll figure it out, one way or another.”

The princess looked at me with a slightly pitiful gaze. Still, it’s a really positive sign.

She’s talking about someone other than herself, and even showing concern! Compared to when I first saw Mint, this is a huge improvement.

“Are you joking?”

“Halfway.”

“You have the advantage of being honest.”

“Thank you.”

A compliment is a compliment. I nodded.

“Please be kind to Miss Istina.”

“Yes, I will.”

The princess scratched her head a bit, then took a crumpled paper bag out of her robe pocket.

“And. I bought cookies!”

Mint carefully placed the rustling paper bag on my desk. It was something unimaginable in the past.

They were real cookies.

How touching.

“Oh my, are you giving these to me?”

“Yes. I’ll have some too.”

I opened the paper bag, and the princess held out her hand to me. I handed a few cookies to Mint, and Mint munched on them.

“Let’s hang out after the exams, teacher.”

“I might be able to find some time. Why?”

The cookies were sweeter than I expected.

“I’m bored. I don’t have any friends.”

“Hmm…”

I had gotten used to the princess’s jokes by now.

I didn’t know why Mint thought such remarks were humorous, but I decided to just go along with it. Think of it as a kind of boss’s joke.

“You still have some exams left, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good luck with your exams. Go study.”

The princess, with a cookie in her mouth, gathered her belongings and left. Creak. As she opened the door, the cookie crumbled and fell to the floor.

“Darn.”

The princess, annoyed, kicked the cookie crumbs out of the lab and left. Well, her temper wouldn’t change easily.

Istina would have to clean that up.

Poor thing.

A few hours later.

“Uh, Professor. Something fell on the floor.”

“Really?”

Istina, holding a broom, swept up the cookie crumbs in front of the lab.

“Uh, someone dropped a cookie in front of the lab. I cleaned it up, so it’s fine.”

Istina is the best.

She actually cleaned it up.

“Cookie? There’s a cookie in front of the sofa.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Istina, seemingly preoccupied, didn’t connect the cookie on the floor with the one on the desk.

She might not have been thinking at all. Istina sat down and nibbled on a cookie with one hand.

With the other hand, she was looking at something that seemed like a script. Probably the palace announcement script?

“Professor.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think giving a lecture at the royal palace will be very difficult?”

I guess the lecture would be worrisome. Even if I were a graduate student, I would have been extremely nervous.

If I were asked to give a lecture at the royal palace now, I would probably just say anything in front of the prince and Violet and leave.

“I don’t know. If I were to give a speech on healing studies at the royal palace, the main audience would be the palace healers.”

They’re just fools.

Just look at Violet. She spends all day playing card games, thinking about how to hide her hand, how to count cards, and when someone comes, she pretends to work a little.

Moreover, she always sits in my class under the pretext of a business trip and then leaves. From an office worker’s perspective, I can somewhat understand.

Anyway.

“If the palace healers are the ones asking questions, it won’t be academically challenging. The problem lies with the palace officials and politicians.”

They are not experts.

It’s something that can be handled with eloquence.

“Phew, what if I get marked?”

“That won’t happen. I’m going with you.”

Most of the people in the palace are people I know. Even if there’s criticism, I’ll take it.

From Istina’s perspective, it couldn’t be better. If there’s a problem, ‘Ah, that quack is talking nonsense again.’ If there’s no problem, ‘The young fellow has a bright future.’

The future is obvious without even looking.

“Where did you get the cookies? They’re delicious.”

“I don’t know. Mint gave them to me.”

“Ah, the princess.”

Istina took a cookie out of the paper bag and ate it. The paper bag rustled noisily.

“I wanted to buy this from the academy bakery. But it was oddly expensive, so I couldn’t.”

“Really?”

Strange.

Istina receives a monthly stipend from me. Why doesn’t she have money to buy cookies?

“I’ll buy you coffee next time.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Istina closed the paper bag and muttered to herself as she diligently stared at the script again.

Anyway, let’s review Istina’s presentation. The topic is epidemic dysentery. More specifically, public health and the proof of the germ theory.

“Look.”

“First, let me outline the contents. First, the methods we implemented in the Lapis territory. Second, why these methods were effective. Third, I will explain the germ theory.”

I nodded.

“Starting with the practical methods is good. Explain the theoretical background later.”

“Right.”

“The reason the prince is interested in our paper is this. First, because it can fundamentally help people.”

“Yes.”

“Second, if the miasma hypothesis is wrong and the germ theory is correct, it means we can control epidemics and diseases. The role of the state in public health and medical care could grow.”

“The role of the state?”

“Yes. Under the miasma hypothesis, diseases were uncontrollable natural disasters. But through the germ theory and the case of controlling epidemic dysentery…”

“Oh, I think I understand what you mean.”

“Perceptions can change, you know.”

Istina hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“We need to state the conclusion, right?”

“That’s right.”

Since it’s a lecture for civil servants, we need to match their level of understanding.

Public health is necessary, and if we implement this policy, these results can be expected, so consider it.

We need to draw conclusions and make our arguments. That’s why they called us.

“What should I say?”

“I don’t know. Tell me what you think.”

It would be okay to speak a bit more freely. Istina nodded.