Chapter 37
The laboratory stood empty.
Great Sage Louis quietly stared at the door Yulian had left through.
‘The more I see of this child’s talent, the more it goes beyond astonishing and becomes frightening.’
His attitude toward learning.
His character, wary of arrogance.
His powers of observation, hungering after truth.
He possessed all the qualities Louis considered essential to a genius.
And over the past three years, the boy had proved that genius once again by absorbing all the black magic knowledge the Great Sage had accumulated over his lifetime like a sponge.
‘A child so perfectly suited to black magic….’
Originally, every mage possessed what was known as an innate ‘aptitude attribute.’
A mage specializing in fire magic was not necessarily weak at water magic.
It was simply that the laws and theories governing the two fields were so different that, after running up against the limits of their knowledge, they found it difficult to handle magic of another school.
To put it in terms Yulian would understand, it was like a thermodynamics major in mechanical engineering trying to master fluid mechanics, as though their brain were about to explode.
For that reason, most mages chose a single magical path to delve into for the rest of their lives.
The magic they understood most intuitively.
They called choosing that their own ‘aptitude.’
And in Louis’s view, Yulian’s aptitude for black magic was beyond comparison with any other being.
He could state that with certainty.
Even that elder lich called the king of black magic could not display an aptitude for black magic equal to Yulian’s.
‘He’s already surpassed me in black magic.’
Of course, Louis was overwhelmingly superior in terms of raw mana and tier.
But where the theory of black magic alone was concerned, Yulian was already at a level where he stood shoulder to shoulder with the Great Sage Louis.
But if Yulian’s limitless knowledge of life were combined with it….
‘How fortunate that this child is good.’
Black magic was originally magic that directly interfered with life and souls.
Because it struck directly at the source of life, it was far more difficult to counter than other magic, and its results were overwhelmingly fatal.
More than anything, its greatest danger was that the caster’s mind could easily fall instantly into depravity if they succumbed to misguided curiosity or even made one wrong move.
The perverse pleasure of manipulating human lives was that dangerous.
That was precisely why, despite having founded black magic a thousand years ago, Louis had been extremely cautious about teaching it to other mages or studying it in depth, treating it as taboo.
But with Yulian alone, Louis could pour out all that forbidden knowledge without the slightest hesitation.
In all the years he had watched the boy, there had been no malice or arrogant lust for power in his eyes aimed at trampling others.
Since his eyes held only a pure, steadfast obsession with saving the people at the bottom, there was not even a crack through which the temptation of black magic could corrupt him.
And ironically, Yulian was pitifully lacking in traditional ‘talent as a mage.’
Even if he mastered the essence of black magic,
he lacked the mana and talent to go directly onto a battlefield and cast wide-area curses on tens of thousands, so he had no risk whatsoever of falling into a mass murderer.
From a teacher’s perspective, could there be a more perfect and safe successor?
‘Of course, there is one more fortunate point.’
Louis recalled Yulian’s handsome face and secretly let out a sigh of relief.
One of the three branches of black magic was hypnosis, which violated and controlled another person’s mind.
If a Yulian with that face also possessed an aptitude for hypnosis….
‘No woman in the world could have resisted him.’
No, depending on the circumstances, perhaps not even men….
Fortunately, Yulian had shown not the slightest talent or interest in hypnotic magic.
If he had shown even a little talent in that area, Louis would have seriously considered erasing his disciple’s memories.
‘…No, is this imagining things a bit too far?’
Louis let out a hollow laugh.
He shook his head.
Thus, Louis Edelhart tidied up the laboratory while musing about his disciple.
Then an egg from the successful experiment caught his eye.
He picked up the egg and examined it once more.
Blood vessels stretching across the transparent chorioallantoic membrane.
White spots blooming across it.
Traces of a curse that left it alive, but not sick.
“….”
A smile spread across Louis’s lips.
‘How much does that child truly appreciate the weight of this egg?’
To Louis, Yulian seemed simply happy.
At having found a medicine that could prevent the blister plague.
Of course, that alone was an incredible achievement.
The southern fever—the dreadful disease recently given the name malaria—could not even hold a candle to the blister plague.
For the blister plague was the most terrifying disease, and the one to claim the most human lives, in all the Great Sage’s thousand years of life.
‘I had to cut off my arm because of it too.’
Even the Great Sage had not escaped the disease over all those years.
Blisters that began at the arm and spread up to the face.
To stop them, the Great Sage had cut off his arm and restored it with holy magic.
He had been relatively lucky.
Usually, it began on the face rather than the arm.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t caught this disease even once since then…. Why did I never notice that?’
His face flushed at the thought that he had wasted his life.
But Yulian had not overlooked that obvious experience, and had ultimately achieved a great discovery that would save humanity.
‘This will not end with the blister plague alone.’
Louis looked down at the magical formula written on the parchment.
[Qando vestigien complet = verus, tuncanic immunitas(objec, pest) = permanens.]
The Great Sage’s brows quivered as he looked down at it.
This formula did not apply only to the blister plague.
Red Plague. Black Rot. Curse of Decay. Bone Melt.
All the various plagues that periodically swept through the Empire, killing hundreds of thousands within the walls.
This formula could be applied to every one of those plagues.
Of course, the detailed conditions would have to be changed for each plague, but it was obvious that this formula would serve as the basic framework.
‘…The age of plagues is ending.’
In his thousand years of life, he had witnessed countless discoveries.
The refining method for mana crystals. Spatial jump magic. A life-extension formula.
But this was a great discovery worthy of standing alongside all of them.
This was a discovery that would change not only the history of magic, but the history of humanity.
‘I must make that child understand how great this discovery is.’
Over the past three years.
As a result of observing a boy named Yulian, the Great Sage thought he had come to understand what kind of child he was.
The boy who did not even know the meaning of arrogance was sure not to fully grasp this discovery either.
Even if someone beside him puffed him up with praise, he probably would not recognize his own greatness in the slightest.
So, as his teacher, the Great Sage wanted to tell Yulian directly how remarkable he was whenever he had the chance, so the boy could develop some pride.
As he was thinking this, Yulian returned to the laboratory after finishing his conversation with Wangcho.
Louis immediately explained to Yulian how great this discovery was.
“I see.”
As expected, Yulian’s reaction was subdued.
It was clear he understood it intellectually.
He seemed well aware of how much of a ripple this discovery would cause.
He simply did not accept it purely as his own, wary of arrogance.
‘Sigh… as expected….’
But the faintly raised corners of Yulian’s lips told Louis that he was, at least a little, beginning to grasp his achievement.
That fact was at least a consolation to Louis.
Because it was not evidence that his disciple’s self-esteem had been shattered.
Once Yulian’s praise session ended,
Louis suddenly remembered something.
“Yulian.”
“Yes, Master.”
“This magical formula… or was it called a ‘vaccine’? Do you have any intention of officially registering it with the Magic Tower Alliance and the Imperial Patent Office?”
“You mean a patent?”
Yulian tilted his head.
Louis added an explanation in a serious voice.
“Normally, magical formulas are an individual’s achievements, so there is no obligation to share them. But for great formulas that serve the public interest, the Empire directly guarantees a patent and grants the original creator exclusive rights.”
“….”
“If you invoke my name, even the Imperial Family will find it difficult to refuse. If you wish, I will help you obtain exclusive rights to this formula.”
Yulian fell silent for a moment.
Louis took that silence for hesitation.
‘Is he wavering?’
In truth, Yulian was already rich enough.
Louis knew that well too.
Over the past three years.
Yulian had occasionally introduced other medicines to the world as well.
But the patent for this ‘vaccine formula’ was on an entirely different scale.
The moment this formula was made public.
The lords across the Empire and the royalty of neighboring countries would gladly pay to protect their families from plagues.
Even a magical tool that prevented poisoning cost enough to buy one or two mansions.
For a medicine that could protect them from plagues for life, they would gladly pay enough to buy a castle.
If that happened, Yulian would acquire wealth surpassing that of a grand ducal house in the blink of an eye.
‘No. He might even stand shoulder to shoulder with the Golden Lords….’
The richest man in the world.
Who could possibly refuse that position?
That was why Louis expected his young disciple to rejoice at this tremendous offer, or at least deliberate over it.
But Yulian seemed to ponder briefly before giving Louis an answer he had not expected.
“No. I will not file a patent.”
“… What did you say?”
Louis’s single eye widened in bewilderment.
“I intend to release this formula to the world with no strings attached, so that every alchemical workshop and healer can use it freely, without paying anything.”
“W-wait. Yulian. Think of all the blood and sweat you’ve poured into completing this formula over the past three years. A pack of rotten hyenas coveting this formula might try to steal your rights. Why would you try to give up such an enormous reward?”
“Didn’t you do the same, Master?”
“… What?”
Yulian smiled gently.
“When humanity was losing its homes to magical beasts, you organized the previously unknown art of magic into an academic discipline and began teaching it to people.”
That was true.
When Louis organized the concept of magic into an academic discipline.
He taught people the magic he had classified into thirteen systems.
Not everyone became a mage, but thanks to that, the number of mages, once only one among hundreds of thousands, exploded.
Furthermore, magic that had once barely been able to beat low-level magical beasts made explosive progress until it reached a level capable of facing high-level magical beasts.
That was why the world called Louis the ‘Father of Magic.’
Even after countless magical discoveries over a thousand years, the reputation of the Father of Magic never faded.
And Yulian genuinely respected Louis for that.
“I want to follow in your footsteps as well, Master.”
“…You do not have to follow the same path as me, Yulian. This is your rightful claim.”
Even after the Great Sage’s persuasion, Yulian merely gazed at his single eye with a tranquil expression.
And as if he had not the slightest doubt or regret about the decision he had made,
he answered with the warmest smile in the world.
“Master. Would you patent even the rising sun?”
The Great Sage’s breath stopped for a moment.
His heart pounded violently.
This excitement. How many years had it been?
“The sun is great because it shines equally on everyone and nurtures life. This medicine is the same. It becomes all the greater when it becomes commonplace.”
Ah, yes.
The comrades he had sent away.
The First Hero. The Founding King. The Mother of Fairies.
Since bidding them farewell, this was the first time he had felt such excitement.
“…Are you sincere?”
“Yes.”
“Will you not regret it?”
“Rather, I think I would regret it more if I discovered this medicine and still failed to save people.”
There was no wavering in Yulian’s voice.
Louis let out a sigh.
It was a long, deep sigh.
“…I understand.”
Then he chuckled.
“I respect your mindscape.”
Every mage is arrogant.
Because to wield magic, they need not only knowledge and talent, but also a mindscape of their own.
The scenery they imagine, the ideals they pursue.
Mages call that ideal the <Mindscape—Idea (Idea)>.”,
And the mindscape the Great Sage glimpsed in his youngest disciple was more arrogant than he had imagined.
“If that is your mindscape, then as your teacher, I too shall make this formula freely available to the world.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“However.”
Louis raised a finger.
“I will decide the name of this formula.”
“The name?”
“Yes. The name by which it will be passed down to future generations.”
Louis unfurled the parchment.
Then he wrote a single line at the top of the formula.
「Formula Schnabel - The Schnabel Formula」
“…Master.”
“I will not entertain objections.”
Louis said firmly.
“You may forgo the patent, as you wish. But I will not tolerate the name of the person who created this formula failing to remain in history.”
“….”
“This is my mindscape, so respect it.”
“…Understood, Master.”
Yulian nodded reluctantly.
An expression that suggested he was displeased with it.
But as a teacher, Louis had no choice.
Since this humble disciple had no idea how to protect his own interests, he had to make him do so, even by force.
Louis rolled up the parchment and tucked it into his robes.
“Now then, let us begin the next experiment. We have a long way to go.”
“Yes, Master.”
The Great Sage watched the back of the fifteen-year-old boy’s head.
Along with a small hope that the little joy he had discovered in his later years
would last forever.
*
Meanwhile, Yulian…
‘Ah, we really shouldn’t call this formula the Schnabel Formula….’
The name his master had given the formula made him uneasy.
‘How many formulas and medicines will I be making from now on….’
He could not call every one of them the Schnabel Formula.
If he did, medical students or apprentice healers several hundred years in the future would surely curse Yulian.
— “Schnabel Formula No. 3? Which one was that?”
— “Formula No. 5? No, this has absolutely nothing to do with No. 4! Why did they classify them like this!!!”
Yulian knew better than anyone the pain of naming diseases after the scholars who discovered them.
Behçet’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, Hodgkin’s lymphoma….
That was why he resolved not to name any diseases or formulas he discovered after himself.
But his master would not allow it.
‘…I’m sorry, future juniors.’
In any case, this should not be Yulian’s fault.
So Yulian resolved to make sure the origin of the name was recorded in the history books.