episode_0190

Episode 190. Winter Solstice Festival (3)

****

Melissa swallowed.

It was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Melissa had finally arrived at the Imperial Palace. She had the opportunity to make a proposal to the Imperial officials.

And that too, face to face.

The prince sat haughtily in his study, his chin resting on his hand. Next to him stood his scribe, holding a piece of paper and a pen.

“Hello. I, a humble person, dare to meet the little sun of the most noble empire. I am Melissa, a healer of the Academy and a disciple of Professor Asterix. Nice to meet you.”

“You’re him. Sit down.”

The prince looked a little tired.

Melissa sat down at the prince’s desk in his office. As the prince nodded, a bottle of wine was placed on the desk in his office.

“I am a disciple of Professor Asterix, and I have come to make a suggestion regarding the sale of medicine overseas.”

The prince nodded and pushed a glass towards Melissa. Melissa nodded several times and held the glass in her hand.

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“Take it.”

“Yes.”

The translucent golden cider that the prince himself had poured filled half the glass. Melissa drank the cider in one shot.

“What, you want me to do it again?”

“No.”

Melissa put down her empty glass. Maybe it meant that there was no need to be overly formal. Melissa thought it was the prince’s consideration.

When will I ever get to drink the alcohol the prince poured for me?

“Did you come during the festival period?”

“No.”

“Tell me honestly.”

The prince frowned, and Melissa opened her mouth. If she tried to lie, it would be obvious.

“To be honest… … . I came because I thought the imperial officials would be more generous with their spending if I visited before and after the winter solstice festival.”

“That’s right. Just in time for the Winter Solstice Festival, I’m sure they’d be thrilled if they were to offer magic potions to other countries.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a good picture politically. I don’t know who planned it, but the operation to get the medicine was very elaborately planned… … .”

Melissa nodded.

It was just as Professor Asterix had thought. Since he said he worked for the imperial family, he would know what the imperial family thought.

Now, the prince of the empire is here, and there is Melissa, an expert and aristocrat. But the one who dominates the atmosphere here is… …. Professor Asterix, who is not even in this room.

He’s a scary person, the more I think about it.

“Thank you.”

“That. You prepared a presentation, right? How effective the medicine is, how much money it will make if sent abroad, how it will save lives, and how it will increase the empire’s influence.”

“Yes.”

“Just leave it. It’s something I’ve heard so many times. I’ve reviewed your proposal.”

Melissa nodded with a trembling expression. The prince looked at Melissa.

“Do you mean to say you accept the offer?”

The prince seemed to have come to a conclusion about this matter even before Melissa came to visit.

“Think of it as a year-end gift. After all, money is money. From a business perspective, there are also advantages to selling it overseas at a higher price.”

Melissa breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for your grace.”

“Get out of here now. I’m tired just hearing Professor Asterix’s name. Do you know how often that professor’s name is used these days?”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“When Professor Asterix asked to see his disciple, I wondered what great thing he was going to say. But here he is again… … .”

Melissa scratched her head.

Everything went as planned, but I don’t know what the prince is upset about. Is there something that doesn’t go as planned? Or does he not like Professor Asterix?

I heard you were close.

“Thank you so much for your valuable time today. I will definitely come back successfully.”

“Yeah.”

The prince cut him off shortly, and Melissa gathered her things and left the prince’s office.

****

“Did you succeed?”

“Yes.”

Melissa shrugged. It wasn’t easy being in the Imperial Palace during the Winter Solstice Festival, of course. It was a bit of a struggle.

In order to bring in Melissa, I had to give her the title of my disciple, the name of the Lutece Kingdom and family, and even a proposal to make to the imperial family.

Only after mobilizing all the forces was Melissa able to stay as a guest of the royal family.

How many people would want to come to the Imperial Palace during the Christmas festival? There would be an uncountable number of people who would come to the palace for a banquet.

Among them, only a very small number of people would be able to sleep in the guest rooms of the palace. Melissa was lucky, in a way.

“They also gave me apple cider.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I think the argument that we will sell the medicine overseas to help research and treat overseas patients was properly conveyed.”

Melissa said confidently.

I doubt the prince would have been persuaded by such an emotional approach… I doubt he would have been. Still, I’m glad he got what he wanted.

“How was the festival?”

“I’m so busy. There are so many people I need to meet and so many things I want to do at the festival.”

There is a festive atmosphere all around.

Not only the Imperial Palace, but the capital city itself surrounding the Imperial Palace. If you walk for a few minutes, you will find yourself in the streets of the capital city, which is in the midst of a year-end festival atmosphere.

Actually, Mint doesn’t like crowds that much, so I’ve only been there once or twice.

“Really. I can’t express it in words, thank you so much. I think it’s all thanks to you, professor, that I was able to sell the medicine and come this far.”

That’s true.

It was all my fault. There were other considerations, like the expansion of penicillin research, or the opportunity to help more patients.

“Go now. There’s a lot to see at the festival.”

“Yes.”

Melissa left the room.

I looked around. Where was the resting room in the palace? Mint should be waiting for me by now.

****

I only saw Melissa for a moment. I had already brought her here, so there was nothing more I could do for her. The princess would be waiting for me eagerly.

Mint stretched.

It could be because it was too cold to go outside. It was still warm inside the palace. Although, it was a bit dry, so I drank tea often.

I was cutting a cake that Mint had just made. It took hours to make, but cutting it only took seconds.

A bit of a sad fact.

Well, if you put your mind to it, making another cake wouldn’t be difficult. There’s no need to be too attached.

One piece for the princess, one piece for me.

The rest, again, went into a cold wooden box with a freezing spell cast on them. I’ll eat them later, or give them to someone else.

Mint ate the cake. The silver spoon clanked against the bowl. Outside the window, snow was falling lightly.

“It’s snowing.”

The whole world was white. The whipped cream was white. The snow piling up outside the window was white.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes.”

The cake tasted exactly the same as the one we eat in modern times. Well, the bread part of the cake was a little less soft.

It might be a difference in skill rather than a difference in technique. Mint is not a baking expert. In any case, the cake was much tastier than expected.

“Thank goodness. How was the patient yesterday?”

“Patient?”

The princess nodded. I didn’t expect Mint to be so concerned about a passerby, but it was unexpected.

“The fallen man. Was it Aldenburg?”

“He is doing well. It’s a shame that he’ll be sick on the day of the festival, though… … .”

Still, I overcame the crisis of my life.

“Why him all of a sudden?”

“I took the teacher for half a day. I was hoping it would be successful.”

I see.

I thought the princess would react in a somewhat harsh way, too. Like, she would be upset about disappearing yesterday because she was having surgery.

I thought about the answer.

“I saved your life.”

“That went well.”

Mr. Aldenberg is a clerk working for the imperial court. He may have met the princess. He must save her, of course.

The princess nodded as if she understood.

“Teacher. How did that go? You said you would brag about discovering a way to utilize electricity when you come to the palace this time.”

“Not yet.”

Come to think of it… … .

This was also something that had to be dealt with quickly. It would be better to deal with it while you’re at the palace. I don’t know if the prince or the officials will make time for it.

“You’re still busy.”

“Festivals, events, they all end up gathering people, right? I feel sorry for the princess, but I think it’s an efficient use of time.”

Mint tilted her head.

“That’s true.”

The princess played with her hair, then carefully began eating the cake again.

“Teacher. You know. I made this, but isn’t it really delicious… … ?”

Okay. I nodded, and the princess looked at me and smiled innocently.

When you are in a place where people live and die, you sometimes forget that the outside world is full of daily life, not death and disease.

Just like now.

As the princess said before, I wish it could always be like today. The white cake in front of me. White eyes. Even the girl with the white face.