Chapter 177: Devil's Snot (1)

Humans love their own reason far too much.

That is why they are always mistaken.

Thinking the products born of their own hands will remain in their grasp forever.

However, reason and logic are softer things than one might think.

They bend at a mere brush of madness, and can be infinitely distorted by Greed.

People rarely want to believe that fact.

Who would meekly want to accept the fact that their house could burn down from the fire they lit themselves?

There was a reason why I suddenly fell into such a boring and pedantic contemplation.

'This really needs to go well......'

It has been two months since my identity was disclosed to The public.

And it was the sixth night since treating the Pancreatitis of the Student named Torvan.

Under the calm Lighting of a Mana Stone.

I sank into a long deliberation with a single Letter placed before my eyes.

'Should I tell them to delay the Disclosure even now.'

The Letter was already written.

— [No matter how much I think about it, I don't think we are ready yet. How about disclosing this Medication to the world a bit more carefully?]

If I were to put this Letter into an Envelope, stamp it with Sealing Wax, and hand it over to Perisia, it would probably arrive at The Capital within an hour.

The Military receiving the Letter would cancel all schedules and act according to my Letter.

At least the current me had that much Influence.

The Influence to make The Military move with a single Letter, that is.

"......"

But I soon stopped myself.

It has already been several years of just hesitating and delaying like this.

I couldn't put off the Disclosure of this Medication forever.

'Morphine...... I have no choice but to use it, I guess.'

The true identity of that Medication was none other than Morphine, the Emperor of the Drug world.

It had been quite a long time since I felt the necessity of this Medication.

Although I am somehow managing to perform Surgeries with Cocaine, Chloroform, and Ether for now, these were not perfect Anesthetics in a strict sense.

A perfect Anesthesia in the truest sense absolutely required Morphine.

That was why I made Morphine even while risking the Side Effects.

But when it came time to actually introduce it to the world, I kept hesitating.

It seemed I wasn't the only one thinking this way.

[Yulian. Does this Medication really have to be here?]

Beyond the Crystal Orb.

Teacher's Voice, sounding concerned, could be heard.

[From a Stance of knowing the Effect of this Medication...... I am very worried. Is it by any chance impossible to perform a Surgery with only the Medications you have been using?]

"Yes. Regrettably, that is the case."

[For someone saying that, haven't you been doing just fine performing Surgeries up until now?]

"To be precise, it's closer to having somehow managed to do Surgeries."

The existing General anesthesia was done through Chloroform and Ether.

The problem was that these two substances only covered one of the three pillars of Anesthesia.

"Existing Surgeries only put the Patient to sleep, but it does not completely eliminate the Pain."

Anesthesia consists of three pillars.

A Sleeping Pill to put the Patient to sleep.

A Muscle Relaxant to prevent Sleep talking.

And a Painkiller so they can't feel Pain.

General anesthesia is achieved by administering these three types of Medication 'simultaneously'.

At this time, the Medications I previously used corresponded to Sleeping Pills.

"Of course, it's true that a Sleeping Pill also has some analgesic Effect. But it does not completely replace a Painkiller."

When you fall asleep, you become dull to the pain.

However, it doesn't mean you can't feel the pain at all.

It's just that they can't actively complain about the Pain due to the Sleeping Pill.

The Patients are still feeling that Pain to some extent in their dreams.

[Then does the Patient keep waking up during the Surgery because of the Pain?]

"I wouldn't say there aren't such cases, but that is rarer than you'd think."

The power of a Sleeping Pill is great.

To the extent that even if the Patient feels Pain, it can forcefully keep them asleep.

Because of that, cases of the Patient waking up from sleep due to Pain are rarer than one would think.

The problem was in another area.

"The problem is that the body keeps reacting."

A person can react to pain even while asleep.

In ways like muscles flinching, or breathing getting faster.

And this became a huge problem when performing Surgeries on the internal organs.

"Since the Painkiller isn't working properly, the Patient's internal organs kept squirming during Surgery, making it tricky."

[Hmm...... Just hearing about it makes it sound very dangerous.]

"Right. That is why Morphine is necessary."

Right now, I am using Opium before going into Surgery to handle the pain a little bit.

But Opium's Effect is irregular compared to Morphine.

Since its Effect is irregular even when using the same dosage, it's hard to know how much to use, and dosage control was also tricky.

Therefore, even Opium was hard to view as a good Painkiller in a strict sense.

"Aside from that, Morphine is necessary in various aspects."

I gave Surgery as a representative example, but Morphine isn't only utilized for this in Medicine.

Starting from the Acute Pancreatitis Patient last time,

the Painless Injection for a Mother in Childbirth after Delivery is also Morphine.

Ultimately, it was a Medication that had to be made someday for Medicine to move forward.

......The problem was just that its Side Effect was too severe.

[I also know how much Effort you have put in for several years after making this Medication. But I am Worried if this will be enough.]

"No, it probably won't be enough."

The time since I developed Morphine was longer than one might think.

I remember probably making it a few years after making Viagra.

It had also been several years since Teacher found out about the existence of this Medication.But its Disclosure had been delayed up until now.

Because I couldn't be sure how ready the world was for this Medication to be disclosed to the world.

At the time, Teacher could not understand this side of me.

Because he thought, 'Is Morphine really that bad?'

However, after checking the Clinical trial results for Morphine, Teacher also changed his mind.

To the extent that he meekly admitted that no matter how much he thought about it, it was too early for Humanity to handle this.

[It won't be enough?]

"Probably, no matter how much we prepare, it won't be enough. Eventually, Side Effects will appear, and it won't be controlled."

Even Switzerland and Singapore, introduced as model cases for drug Management in my Previous life, had endless noise regarding Drugs.

One should consider that perfect Drug control in human society is impossible.

In the first place, The Empire is also failing to completely control Drugs.

Cocaine, Opium, and the like pouring out from the Limbus Pit.

You can tell just by seeing these Drugs circulating in the Black market.

Therefore, I did not even set perfect control as a goal.

"I tried to create an Institution that can effectively sort things out when an Incident occurs and use it as a lesson for Development, a System that won't be swayed by The public's Interests."

I don't even hope for Singapore or Switzerland.

I'd be exceedingly grateful if it were just around the level of Korea or Japan.

'I just need to avoid it ending up like the United States or Mexico.'

Over there, Pharmaceutical Companies or Cartels offer Bribes, and Drugs circulate openly.

I only hoped The Empire would avoid that kind of situation.

'I just need to make sure my Medication doesn't become a lifelong stigma in History.'

Morphine's infamy is on that level.

To the extent that it could blow away the Fame I had built up until now all at once.

Of course, people always say Great persons of History have two sides to them, but

I don't want anything like that.

A flawless Protagonist remembered forever in History.

Even for this goal, I had to be careful with the Disclosure of Morphine.

"It turns out perfectly. Since the fact that I am a Saint has even been disclosed, it should be perfect for controlling this Medication."

This was also why I decided to disclose Morphine at this specific time of all times.

This time when my Fame hit a High point by treating Demon Disease.

There wouldn't be a better time to control Morphine than this time.

How effective that will be, even I cannot guarantee though.

I should at least be able to write an excuse in the History Books.

That at least I put in my Best effort.

"So starting Tomorrow, I will disclose Morphine to the world."

[Alright. If that is your intention, I will respect it.]

Beyond the Crystal Orb, Teacher nodded.

***

The Chief of Personnel of the Imperial Military, Edmund Eschenwald.

He had one Conviction.

It was none other than Leaving Work on time.

It was because of his only son and wife who would be waiting for him at home.

However, very rarely, there were two cases where he bent that Conviction.

One was when there was a company dinner.

And the other was when there was an emergency meeting known externally as a 'company dinner.'

And today was that second case.

"Hmm......"

Edmund, sitting in the Seat of Honor in the Meeting room, let out a deep groan while suffering from an unidentified Headache.

As he made a pained sound, the other Military officers also quietly touched their Foreheads as if they had promised to do so.

In front of them lay a stack of Documents.

It was an Academic Paper sealed with Sealing Wax, which had arrived under the name of The Black Saint, Yulian Nihilrit.

"Haa...... This is driving me crazy, really."

"Is there a Demonkin inside that man's Brain or something?"

"Ahem! What kind of Impiety is that! Though it's not like I don't understand you......"

The Black Saint, known to The public as a flawless Saint.

The perception of him within The Military was not much different.

Director Schun was a noble benefactor of The Military who Supplied Quinine at half price and also sold Vaccines and Penicillin at very cheap prices.

Who would dare to doubt his Goodwill.

The Military trusted The Black Saint enough to fall head over heels at his words.

The problem was that the person beneath that Crow Mask was Yulian Nihilrit.

"Huuugh......"

"Even now, perhaps we should reconsider placing Professor Yulian under Probation...... No. That was a Slip of the tongue."

Probation.

It practically meant they would subject him to Imprisonment.

Of course, he didn't mean it sincerely.

Who would dare subject him to Imprisonment?

It was something that absolutely shouldn't come out of the mouth of a star-bearing general.

However, no one blamed him.

Because the Report Yulian submitted this time was just on that level.

Edmund tapped the Document with fatigue-stricken eyes and opened his mouth.

"Lord Saint...... no, should I say Professor Yulian? That Medication he newly devised this time. Everyone has read the Scenario Academic Paper for that Medication, right?"

"......Yes. We read all of it."

Originally, Professor Yulian had submitted numerous 'Scenario-type Academic Papers' to the Imperial Military up until now.

A representative one was the [Group Brainwashing Scenario Using Airborne Lead Poisoning] that made him a Professor in the Undergraduate Division.

That Academic Paper stating that the Lead dispersed in the air from Mana Stone fuels could be utilized.

If Black Sorcerers had misused this first, it was obvious that an uncontrollable large-scale disturbance would have occurred.

And this was only the beginning.

Even afterwards, the Scenario Academic Papers he presented were all assigned The Military's 1st-Class Security Rank.

The most recent one that turned The Military completely upside down was the Scenario related to the Smallpox Vaccine Factory owned by the Merkur Trading Company.

— [Large-scale Bioterrorism Scenario: Substituting Vaccines with Active Viruses after Seizing the Smallpox Vaccine Factory]

When they first received and read this Academic Paper, The Military's higher-ups seriously pondered.

'Shouldn't we classify Professor Yulian as a national subversion risk and monitor him 24 hours a day?', they thought.

Though it ultimately ended with raising the Security Rank of the Vaccine Factory to the highest level.

Like this, Yulian's Reports helped with the Improvement of The Empire's numerous vulnerabilities.

The generals whose hearts sank due to vulnerability Reports popping out about once a month were a bonus.

However, the Scenario Report submitted this time was on a completely different track from those.

"We were perplexed when he submitted a Report like this before disclosing a Medication he developed himself."

Edmund recalled the day Yulian submitted this Report.

*

The day he submitted it was two months ago.

Right after his identity was disclosed to the world.

The title of the Report was as follows.

[Scenario of National System Collapse in the Event of Failure to Control the New Painkiller Morphine]

When they first received this Report, the reaction of the officers was lukewarm.

— "A great Empire that has lasted a thousand years collapsing just because we can't control a single Painkiller? The Lord Saint is overreacting a bit this time."

— "Doesn't it just mean his Affection for his own Medication is that special?"

The Scenarios he had submitted were certainly fatal to The Empire.

But if asked whether it would lead to the collapse of The Empire, that wasn't the case.

They would remain as a painful History for The Empire, but they wouldn't have led to The Empire's destruction.

If that weren't the case, there was no way The Empire could have maintained itself for a thousand years.

Furthermore, Researchers had a tendency to deliberately title their Academic Papers in an exaggerated manner.

Taking that into account, this Morphine-related Scenario must also be Yulian's exaggeration.

With those thoughts, the officers continued reviewing Yulian's Report.

The events that would occur when hostile forces like Black Sorcerers or Demonkin use this Medication as a weapon and smuggle it in massive quantities into The Empire.

The economy of the Lower Class slowly being eaten away.

Soldiers drowning in Drugs, becoming unable to even grip their weapons.

The bureaucracy rotting due to fights over Vested interests, and ultimately, Silver Coins leaking out in massive amounts, leading to the collapse of The Empire's economy.

The blueprint of the Empire-collapse Scenario created by Morphine was enough to make the officers tilt their heads.

— "Hmm? Something like this happening because of Drugs?"

— "Are you saying something like Cocaine or Opium could cause this?"

— "It makes no sense......"

The infamy of Cocaine and Opium was already well known in the Army as well.

The Military was also perfectly aware of their addictiveness.

However, it wasn't to the extent that it would lead to a national security Threat.

— "There's no way there's a commander weak enough to be swayed by Opium."

— "Only weaklings get an Addiction to those things."

When one reached the officer level in the Army, they were bound to be at least a 3rd Rank Superhuman.

To them, Opium and Cocaine were on the level of a Cigarette.

They could become addicted depending on the case, but it wasn't enough to shatter their Daily life.

Of course, Soldiers would get addicted.

However, what's important on the Frontline is Superhumans, not Soldiers.

While they are necessary for maintaining the Frontline and Soldiers drowning in Drugs would be a painful thing,

there was no way The Empire would collapse as Yulian warned in his Report.

If need be, they could just Purge all the addicted Soldiers.

Thus, the officers also undervalued the danger of Morphine.

— "The Lord Saint truly has a warm heart."

— "Certainly, if it's Drugs, the Limbus Pit could collapse just like the Scenario even if The Empire doesn't."

— "Then shall we proceed in a direction of paying a bit more attention to the security situation over there?"

— "Let's do that."

Like that, after the officers finished their preliminary Evaluation on Morphine, they conducted a closed Experiment with the samples Yulian sent.

It was to test if Yulian's warning was true.

The Experiment was conducted targeting Death row inmates and criminals.

And two months later.

The officers, checking the closed trial Results, could only regret their complacent judgment.

Those who became covered in blood by tearing out their own skin and Fingernails while craving the Medication.

"B-Bugs on my skin......! Aaaagh......!"

Those slamming their heads against the floor while suffering from Pain.

"General, sir. Just once, please. Please...... I'm begging you......"

Those crawling on the floor like beasts, licking empty Medicine Bottles.

"Hehe...... Medication...... It's medication......"

Those bizarrely twisting their backs as if possessed by a Ghost.

"Gaaah...... urgh......!"

Every single person who received the dosage in a manner straying from the recommended method ended up in this state.

Prisoners even started a riot to obtain this Medication.

Among those ringleaders were Superhumans of the 4th Rank and above.

The riot was successfully suppressed, but

the terror of Morphine, which had driven them to this point, was firmly embedded even in the minds of the prison guards.

— "I couldn't have imagined that such a brilliant man would lose every single match in a War Game after receiving the Medication."

— "When we cut off the Medication just once, even the Black Sorcerers voluntarily opened their mouths."

Even after that, the majesty Morphine showed in just two months surpassed imagination.

Countless Prideful criminal-turned Superhumans abandoned their humanity and degraded into beasts.

No, rather, because they were Superhumans, they showed even more extreme Results than an ordinary addict.

A Superhuman who could easily fold a person's spine used that strength to fold his own spine.

One possessing the grip strength to peel skin off would end up ripping their own arm off while scratching their skin.

A Superhuman who got a spear lodged in their stomach during the riot suppression process joyfully swung their Sword even while their innards dragged on the ground.

It was literally a Scene of madness.

At that Scene, the prison guards supervising the Experiment could realize how poor their imaginations were.

The generals received Reports of everything vividly in the form of Photographs.

It was the Result of the prison guards believing this danger must absolutely not be overlooked.

And exactly as the prison guards intended, the generals had no choice but to immediately change their minds.

Morphine could drive The Empire to ruin.

There was no room for doubt considering it even worked on a Lord-class 5th Rank Superhuman.

And time passed to now.

"Huu. Professor Yulian also sent this Report to us first because he knows this danger better than anyone."

Imperial Prince Edmund rubbed his two fatigued eye sockets.

The ripple Effect is on this level with just the Medication alone.

If so, what would happen if someone developed some kind of Black magic using this Medication?

Imperial Prince Edmund did not want to think right now about that possibility Pointed out in the Report.

Because the tragedy it had already shown just with the Medication was sufficiently horrifying.

"I want to send my praises to the Safety Measures the Professor has prepared up until now before disclosing this Medication."

The Report didn't just jot down the Nightmares that Morphine could cause.

It also noted the Safety Measures Yulian had set up before disclosing this Medication.

"He had been thoroughly managing the middlemen for Drugs with the help of a Limbus Pit local starting from several years ago."

First, the Limbus Pit E-Sector — Smoke Alley, which could be called the main source of Supply for Drugs.

Yulian was thoroughly managing that place.

After the owner of E-Sector suffered a Disappearance due to a certain Incident in the past.

Yulian quickly gained the help of a D-Sector local and firmly got E-Sector into his hands.

And ever since under Yulian's lead, at least the open circulation of Drugs in the Underworld had disappeared.

"It was surprising that the System where the Merkur Trading Company only Supplies Medications to Affiliated Healers of the church was also a safety measure."

One general chimed in.

Unlike other Pharmaceutical Merchant Guilds, the Merkur Trading Company exclusively provides Medications only to Healers.

And this also functioned as a Safety Measure to prevent Morphine from spreading.

This System, which the Merkur Trading Company had built up for over 10 years, also functioned as an excellent Drug surveillance network.

There were many other Safety Measures as well.

A Rehabilitation Institution for Drug addicts established under the Cooperation of the Monastery.

Dosage Instructions to prevent Addiction as much as possible.

Even a new Disease classification called Substance Use Disorder, meant to awaken vigilance toward Addiction.

It was to the extent that it clearly showed how much Effort Yulian had put in to prevent this.

And the last thing Yulian Requested from The Military was just one thing.

— Create a clause strictly punishing all those who smuggle or Abuse Morphine.

The Military, upon receiving that request, immediately granted it.

It was because the Result of Morphine on the prisoners was just that shocking.

As such, The Military also was not overlooking the Threat of Morphine.

The problem was that, despite preparing this much, they couldn't predict how big its ripple effect would be.

"Is it really the right judgment to hand this to all the Soldiers on the Frontline? Of course, it would help improve combat power, but......"

"You know the tragedy of the Western Front, don't you. For those people, there will be no Medication as necessary as this one."

"That's true, but......"

Everyone present there agreed.

Morphine is dangerous.

At the same time, it is as sweet as it is dangerous.

Ultimately, the generals endlessly Discussed whether it was right to disclose it until late at night, the day before the Disclosure.

"......The sun is rising."

"What will you do, Your Highness?"

"Let's disclose it as scheduled."

Eventually, as the Morning sun rose.

They decided to introduce Morphine to the world as scheduled.

It was the Result of coming to the Conclusion that they couldn't prepare any more Safety Measures than this, and this was their best option.

Edmund, having finished the meeting like that, muttered while looking at the rising sun.

"......I don't know why the Magic Management Bureau only set the Academic Paper's Rank up to the Forbidden Rank."