Chapter 63: Your Name (1)

'The effect is more amazing than I thought.'

The popularity of Viagra surpassed my imagination.

Maybe it's because this is a world where a successor is directly linked to a title of nobility.

Even though a month had passed since its release, the popularity of Viagra showed no signs of waning.

Its popularity was so great that it matched a full year of Insulin's sales in just one month.

'As expected of Viagra. I'm glad I took the time to memorize it.'

Quinine, Aspirin, Heparin.

Unlike these medicines extracted from nature, Viagra wasn't easy to replicate just by knowing its ingredients or history.

For one, its components don't exist in nature, so extraction is impossible.

Would you believe me if I said that if you trace back the ingredients of Viagra, you end up with petroleum?

As such, the difficulty of making Viagra was on par with creation itself.

The only reason I was able to make Viagra despite this was one thing.

It was thanks to having memorized its manufacturing method during my medical student days.

'I can't believe the thing I memorized instead of soap would be used like this.'

In so many stories, don't all prospective reincarnators memorize how to make soap?

During my time as a medical student, unlike those prospective reincarnators, I memorized the manufacturing methods for some slightly more peculiar things.

They were the three fully synthetic drugs that had taken the world by storm.

'On days when I had no patients and nothing much to do, I'd look up the academic papers on those drugs by myself.'

Trauma Surgery has long waiting times.

There's nothing to do until a summons comes from the emergency room.

During that time, I looked up the academic papers for those drugs.

A quick search on the Internet brought up all the papers.

Back then, I couldn't have imagined that I would reincarnate and put them to such good use.

And now.

Viagra was bringing me more wealth than I had ever imagined.

Is this the taste of money?

Once I got a taste of the feeling of my bank account's leading digit changing every time I blinked, it was hard to keep my wits about me.

'I should make the other two once I get the ingredients and technology.'

I didn't have any greed at first.

But as they say, a late-blooming passion is a scary thing; I found myself wanting to make the other two drugs as soon as possible.

Anyway.

Everything had been going smoothly up to this point.

However,

"Yulian."

"Yes, Teacher."

My teacher's reaction, whom I was visiting after a long time, was a little different from my prediction.

The Great Sage Louis Edelhardt.

The greatest wizard in the Empire and my teacher frowned, holding a medicine bottle of Viagra in his hand.

"If I recall, around this time two years ago, you wanted to reveal Director Schun's identity to the world. Because of that marriage issue."

"Yes. I did. I realized I lacked the wealth to handle Director Schun's reputation."

"And do you still feel that way now?"

I shook my head.

Back then, I made Viagra to reveal my identity because of the issue with my title of nobility and the adopted son-in-law issue.

Now, having gotten engaged to Charlotte, neither of those was a problem anymore.

"Right. I heard you got engaged to the young lady of a marquis family. So, there's no need to reveal the director's identity anymore, is there?"

I nodded my head.

"Then why did you make this drug?"

"By the time of my engagement, the drug had already been made and was in testing. I never expected to meet Miss Charlotte at the place I followed my father to."

"Hmph... Should I have met you earlier then?"

"It's not like human connection can be controlled at will."

"..."

My teacher's lips half-parted as if he wanted to say something, but he closed them again.

Then he nodded and spoke.

"True. It's true that connections are full of myriad transformations. But even so... you definitely said you were making a heart medicine back then, didn't you?"

"Yes. That was certainly my intention."

I had definitely told my teacher as much before I made Viagra.

"But where did the heart medicine go, and why is some aphrodisiac circulating the Empire?"

"I'm still puzzled as to how things turned out this way myself."

But the result, well, as you can see.

It wasn't the heart that came alive, but a strange part.

Of course, this was my intended result.

If I said Director Schun had set out to make an erectile dysfunction treatment from the start, my persona would crumble.

So I told everyone I was making a heart medicine and then feigned that this unexpected side effect was discovered.

But from my teacher's perspective, who didn't know my inner thoughts, it could only seem absurd.

"Ahem, it's true that great discoveries often originate from mistakes. The mana stone purification method was like that, as was the distillation method in alchemy."

"That is correct, Teacher."

"...But I'm not sure if this can be called great."

My teacher's face was tinged with complexity.

My teacher, who picked up the blue diamond-shaped pill and held it before his one eye.

"Don't misunderstand, Yulian. I'm not trying to say your effort is vulgar. The knowledge contained in this small pill is certainly of a level that can be called great."

After staring at it for a while, he carefully put the pill down.

"It is also a fine thing that, thanks to this drug, the brand of impotence is now recognized as a curable, temporary disease. But..."

My teacher let out a dry cough.

And he stealthily averted his gaze.

"Perhaps it's because I'm only human... but hearing it's a drug that acts on that part, I just can't feel any academic awe for it. To be clear, I'm not saying this drug is base. It's just... I don't feel any awe."

I understand.

Honestly, the image of Viagra is a bit ridiculous.

Of course, looking at the objective facts, it is a great drug.

But it's just... a bit like that.

It's not for nothing that I created the alibi of having discovered it by chance.

"It's alright, Teacher. I was also perplexed when I first discovered this effect."

"My apologies. This must be a drug you poured your all into with the single-minded devotion of making a heart medicine. I never meant to insult you."

This is why the misunderstanding genre is great.

Whatever I do is bound to be interpreted in a good way.

I feel sorry for deceiving my respected teacher, but I'll take this misunderstanding to my grave.

My teacher wiped the hand that had held the pill with a handkerchief and picked up his teacup.

"But if you look past that embarrassing side effect, the essence of this drug is truly marvelous."

My teacher, moistening his lips with a sip.

Ahem, he cleared his throat, and then pulled out a thick bundle of parchment from his robes.

It was the academic paper containing the manufacturing method and mechanism of action for the failed 'heart medicine' I had sent him—in other words, the Viagra prototype.

Tapping the paper with his finger, my teacher expressed his admiration.

"I'll be honest. The depth of the knowledge you handle has now far surpassed the level of mastery this old man can approach."

"You praise me too much."

"These are not empty words. A design that precisely inhibits the action of a specific enzyme in the body to widen blood vessels. It is a drug that no one but you could ever design in this era."

"Although it widened a different blood vessel than the one I was aiming for."

My teacher gave a bitter smile at my joke.

"Even so, that doesn't change the fact that it is a great design. In the distant future, other alchemists will be able to create countless medicines by referencing your blueprint. It is as if you have opened a new horizon in alchemy."

My teacher placed his hand on the paper.

"But it will take decades, no, perhaps even a hundred years for the world to catch up to your design."

"Is it that much?"

"How many alchemists are there in the Empire who can fully comprehend the knowledge written in this paper? It took me three readings just to grasp the outline."

It seemed the principle behind Viagra's manufacturing method was more of a struggle for my teacher than I thought.

If a great sage who had lived for a thousand years, indulging in and accumulating knowledge, said so, then it would surely take ordinary alchemists much longer.

"Have you made this paper public?"

"No. I've made it available only to my company's alchemists."

"And did they understand it?"

I shook my head.

They didn't understand it at all.

So right now, Viagra is being made through a division of labor, with each alchemist handling only the process they understand.

Thanks to this, security was unintentionally strengthened as well.

"Yes. That's what I thought. Even if this paper were made public, you would be the only one who could practically synthesize and improve this drug."

"But why do you ask?"

"Where money gathers, thieves are bound to gather as well. But with this drug's difficulty, no one will be able to copy your medicine."

I found it hard to agree.

The people of this world lack knowledge, not intelligence.

Even I, as a medical student, just looked up papers and memorized them.

There seemed to be no reason why the people of this world couldn't do the same.

"I don't quite understand."

"Right. Since you made it, you wouldn't understand why it's difficult."

My teacher, shaking his head.

"Anyway. What I wanted to say was that this drug's popularity won't be a short-lived fad. So at this rate, you'll accumulate more wealth than you wished for."

Accumulating enough wealth.

That was good news.

It meant I now had the power to bear the name of Director Schun.

Of course, it wasn't that I wanted to go around town announcing that I was Director Schun.

It's just that the reality of having to hide my identity from everyone was a little tiring.

So I wanted to reveal my identity to those close to me.

Like Charlotte, or the scholarship students.

"Then, can I now reveal Director Schun's identity to those around me?"

But my teacher's reaction was different from what I expected.

"Well..."

I thought he would nod readily.

Instead, he put down his teacup and stared at me intently.

"Yulian, do you know why I still haven't introduced you even to the other Magic Tower Masters?"

"I do not know."

I shook my head.

Honestly, I was a bit puzzled by that part.

If I was the youngest disciple, it would be normal to at least greet the senior disciples.

I did feel that my teacher was particularly postponing that part.

I just hadn't asked, assuming he had some intention.

"Let me tell you. It is the way of the world that fame is followed by a commensurate threat, and power by a commensurate grudge."

"Are you saying that I could be in danger if my senior brothers and sisters learn of me?"

"Yes."

My teacher gave a bitter smile.

"The complicated relationship of gratitude and resentment between myself and the Magic Tower Masters is not small. That is the path of a mage. Whenever one person is proven right, someone else's life's work is negated."

I see what he means.

Certainly, for people at the level of a Great Sage or a Magic Tower Master, the web of complicated relationships would be complex.

The more they cherished me, the higher the chance that those who hate them would target me.

That's why my teacher had only informed my senior disciples of my existence, but had not introduced me.

Hearing this much, I felt like I knew what my teacher was trying to say.

"...It seems I'm no longer in a position to be protected, but to protect."

"Yes."

My teacher's one eye moved from my face to the blue pill on the table.

"Once you grasp immense wealth with this drug and your standing grows, numerous vested interests and complicated relationships will become entangled with you without you even realizing it. Even if you don't intend for it."

At first, I was about to say that couldn't be true.

I couldn't imagine someone holding a grudge against me because of Viagra.

The vaccine is a sufficient reason for black magicians to hate me, and the other drugs are enough to make nobles jealous, but.

Hmm. Is there anyone who would suffer a loss because of Viagra?

Just as I was about to say my teacher's worries were a groundless fear.

One fact came to mind.

'That's right. I'm the protagonist of a misunderstanding genre story.'

Damn. I can't deny it.

Given the nature of the misunderstanding genre, there was a high probability that things would unfold in a way I never expected.

It had been that way until now, and I had used it to my advantage.

I don't know how, but I couldn't rule out the possibility that things would get complicated because of Viagra, just as my teacher said.

"The longer one lives, the higher one climbs, the more complicated the grudges become. That is the way of the world."

"But didn't you say so yourself, Teacher? That once I've amassed enough wealth that even a ducal family can't ignore, then..."

"What I said then was the minimum condition. Not a sufficient condition."

My teacher stated firmly.

"In reality, information about the Imperial Family is not fully disclosed. They are the Emperor's children, are they not? And yet, who is which child, and where they are and what they are doing, is all shrouded in a veil."

Come to think of it, that's true.

Despite their status as the Imperial Family, while the world knows that there are several imperial family members, in most cases, the exact members are unknown.

Unless they were active on a battlefield like Edmund, information about the Imperial Family was basically kept secret.

"It is all in the same context that the secret technique disciples that the Magic Tower Masters have hidden away sometimes pop out of nowhere. And if you ask whether that was voluntary or not, it's mostly the latter."

That's also true.

I myself am an example.

"If you're not living like a lone wolf in this world, things will not go as you wish. If you have people by your side to protect, the things you must hide increase just as much."

At his words, the faces of my family, Freya, Charlotte, and Erika and the children at the clinic naturally flashed through my mind.

If I reveal that I am Director Schun, the blades of those targeting me could be aimed at them.

My teacher's concerns were extremely realistic and accurate.

Damn it.

Things in this world just don't go my way.

"Perhaps the day will soon come when you, too, realize what this old man's words mean."

At my teacher's meaningful words, I quietly nodded my head.

It seems it's right to postpone a premature outing.

For the time being, it might be better to stick to the path of freeloading behind the shield of Director Schun.

Meanwhile, my teacher put the Viagra paper from the table away into his robes and changed the mood.

"Now, let us set aside our worries about the complicated future. It is better to focus on what you can do now, rather than a future that has not yet come."

"If you mean what I can do..."

"Yes. I will help you finish the Black Magic Back-tracing Review Practice we left off last time. In the end, to protect your body and your people, while money is money, your magic skill will be the most certain weapon."

I nodded my head.

That day, I succeeded in back-tracing my teacher's black magic 8 out of 10 times.

*

"By the way, Yulian."

"Yes, Teacher."

"Do you have any plans to make a medicine for contraception?"

"Pardon?"

So suddenly?

My teacher then silently pointed at the blue pill on the table.

Ah.

"...I hadn't considered that."

"It's understandable, since you didn't make the drug with that intention. I've gained such insight from living a long life. So, do you have a plan?"

I nodded my head.

"I don't know about medication, but I can think of one contraceptive device."

"It would be best to release it quickly."

"Thank you, Teacher."

One month later.

A rubber balloon began to be sold as a bundle product with Viagra.

For the record, I arranged it so that it was the Guild Master, not me, who first brought up the rubber ring.