Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

MAOMAO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Even if you ask me that.

Maomao put down the small knife she cut her left hand with.

She was testing new medicine in her room. Though it was an ordinary scene for Maomao, no doubt it was out of the ordinary for Yao.

Its fine. I have medicine here.

However, she didnt know whether it would work or not. The making of new medicine is a cycle of trial and error.

(If only there are other people I can test it on.)

Dad will give her a grim look. Occasionally, she could use the medicine on healthy military officials, but those who fit the criteria were limited, and often, they dont return after the first treatment.

People got angry at her for using mice, and before, when she thought about shaving off maomaos fur to try hair growth medicine, everyone in Rokushoukan objected fiercely, so she couldnt try it out. Even though she had made sure to use the cut fur as a brush.

So Maomao had no choice but to use her own body. However.

FOOL!

Yao got angry at her.

Whats wrong?

Hearing Yaos voice, Enen came over.

Enen watched as Yao grabbed hold of Maomaos left hand in anger.

Enen, say something to her!

What should I say?

Apparently, Enen was in the middle of dinner preparationsthere was a napa cabbage in her hands. Is it hot pot today? Enens baitang is delicious, rich in the flavours of seafood and pork bone stock. Lets partake in it later.

(, lit. white soup, Chinese version of pork bone soup. A milky white broth. The equivalent of tonkotsu broth in Japanese cuisine.)

What, you say. Its this, look. Her left hand is a mess, Yao said.

Yes. Shes probably testing medicine on it, Enen said.

Really?!

Really. Enen is sharp, so it seems like she realised it despite having never seen it before.

If you knew, why didnt you stop her? I thought it didnt look like it was healing at all, but it turns out she was making new cuts. Yao had never pried into the bandage matter. So apparently, it wasnt that she hadnt noticed, but that she was worried and couldnt broach the topic.

This, Milady, is what Maomao did to herself. Since its for the sake of making medicine rather than simply self-harm, I decided there was no reason to stop her, Enen said.

Yes. Theres a reason for it. The difference between medicine and poison is paper thin, so I have no choice but to test out how I should compound them, Maomao said.

As a healthcare practitioner, Yao should know the importance of drug experimentation. In order to test the efficacy of the medicine, the medical office keeps several types of animals for testing. Yao had looked at it with a complicated expression, but she didnt complain. Since she knew that it was needed.

And so, Maomao thought that Yao had no right to speak out, but Yao furrowed her brows, not looking like she was going to draw back.

Even so, I cant just leave it like this. Yao didnt let go of Maomaos hand. To think that my friend is doing something like this!

Maomao and Enens eyes widened.

Friend, yes, if youre close enough to be friends. Yes, I guess Enen looked at Maomao a little enviously.

Were friends, huh, Maomao said.

Which reminds her, recently, outside of work, they had been eating and chatting together. This might be classified as hanging out with friends.

When Enen and Maomao each spoke like they were checking, Yaos face quickly flushed red.

N-no! Were not friends. W-were colleagues! Colleagues! Youll stop colleagues when they experiment on strange medicines, right? Youd do the same too, right, Enen?

Yao sought for Enens agreement.

Enen thought for a moment. honestly, its pointless to stop Maomao. Moreover, if its meaningful, itll be right to let her do it.

Maomao also nodded.

Then, Ill do the same! Yao said.

YOU CANT! Enen snapped back. The cabbage in her hands dropped to the floor. I wont allow any injuries on Yao-samas beautiful, delicate skin. Its not possible. It cannot be. If you were to do such a thing, I would inflict myself ten times, no, a hundred times the injuries on my body. Even so, would that still be fine?

Retorting a spiel of words with a serious look, Enen grabbed Yaos shoulders and shook her.

It seems Maomao was being treated rudely, but since Yao was the subject, it couldnt be helped.

It was about wanting to restrict the other partys actions to the point of attachment. All the more so, if it was connected to self-harm.

Maomao tilted her head and groaned.

She felt that was something that was there and not there in the back of her mind.

(No, lets take it as nothing.)

As Maomao groaned, she smeared medicine on the left hand that Yao had released and bandaged it. She picked up the cabbage Enen dropped.

Hey, I smell something burning. Maomao sniffed the air.

the pot. I left it on the fire, Enen said.

The three frantically headed to the kitchen.

.

.

.

The pan fried buns that had been made in addition to the hot pot had transformed into charcoal. There were three of them; Maomao wanted to believe that it included her share, but she didnt feel like eating the burnt things.

Ill wash it later. Enens shoulders slumped. She was probably more depressed over cleaning off the charred surface than the food wastage.

(Thats rough.)

Maomao helped herself to a meal of congee and hot pot that was more simple than usual. She scooped up some broth with a soup spoon. Enens baitang is delicious. Maomao had asked about the recipe once but Enen never taught her. Although, as Enen was smiling while she watched Yao, it might be the correct answer to not ask for the details.

(What could be in it?)

Unlike Yao, Maomao was fine with strange things, so lets not mind it.

Yao seemed a little disappointed over the slightly fewer side dishes, but didnt say anything when she saw that Enen was down in the dumps. The reason this master and follower got along with each other, was also because, looking from Enens perspective, there was Yao who can take her overly one-sided love.

Maomao picked up a dried shellfish with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. It was still flavoursome. Which reminds me, Yao-san. What business did you have with me?

The reason for the burning pot was because Yao had gone to Maomaos room. The shy Yao wouldnt go to Maomao meaninglessly, or without a reason.

I forgot. Yao put down her chopsticks that was holding onto some pork. She took out a sheet of paper from her bosom. Here, the schedule.

The schedule.

Court physicians are often stationed at the medical office for every ritual. So, court physicians arent called out but provided a monthly schedule.

Maomao opened it. There were familiar words.

Garden party.

Thats right. Its said that this season, before winter, has the garden party feared by the consorts of the inner palace.

The main events are the garden party and the end of year ritual. Enen also stepped in.

Isnt it a bit late for the garden party? Maomao felt that it was already past the month for the season of the previous garden party. There wouldnt be any flowers left to admire.

Its late. But I feel this time, the garden party is a faade. The well-informed Enen traced the words Garden Party with her finger. I wonder if its for the introduction of the new Named that has turned ambiguous?

Gyoku?

Gyoku in other words, Empress Gyokuyous father: Gyokuen. It has been six months since he, who governed the west of Rii, the western capital, was summoned to the capital.

Normally, he would have been debuted immediately. If there wasnt the poisoning incident with that Shaou priestess, that is.

Yao and Enen looked a little sick.

The two didnt know that the priestess was still alive. Yao might have noticed, but Enen shouldnt know of it. If Enen were to, she, who lived for Yao, might do something.

It seems that enlistment has started anew in the West. No, not just the West, other regions as well, Enen said.

(Where did you get this information from?)

Enlistment, you say.

Yes. Its fine if its just expanding the army.

Enen was probably thinking about it through some kind of perspective.

Anyway, it wasnt something for Maomao, a court physician assistant, to stick her head into.

Enen, may I ask a question? Yao asked.

What is it?

Can you trust the people from the western capital?

With Yaos overly direct words, Maomao checked her surroundings. There was no one in the dining hall. It was cold so the doors and windows were shut tight. No one would hear it.

Milady.

I know. Thats why Im asking here.

Even Yao wasnt a fool. She spoke because there was only the three of them here.

Certainly, Ive heard rumours about Empress Gyokuyou. Shes beautiful, but not prideful, even nice to lower people in the inner palace. Maomao would know that well, though.

Empress Gyokuyou isnt the temptress type that ruins nations. And it doesnt appear like his majesty is obsessed with women either.

I spoke too much here, Maomao realised.

is what the inner palace court physician said.

She slipped the quack doctor in.

They were aware of the fact that Maomao had worked in the inner palace before, but she didnt say that it had been at the Jade Palace. Enen might know, but she was keeping silent since its safer to not speak of it. Shell talk about it if its mentioned.

You say shes not a temptress. Yao spooned up some congee. But, I wonder how many temptresses in the past were truly wicked?

She dripped the congee back into the bowl.

Maomao understood what Yao was getting by.

No matter how accomplished a person Empress Gyokuyou is, I dont know if I can say the same for her relatives.

Maomao didnt know much about the man called Gyokuen.

Normally, if pushed to say it, Yao is impulsive, but she is strangely sharp at times.

Yes. I want to believe Empress Gyokuyou isnt a pawn, to put it nicely.

Yao-sama. Enen looked at Yao worriedly.

What does this girl, who had been used by her uncle as a pawn, think about Empress Gyokuyou who, as an instrument for highest promotion, had ascended to become the top woman of the nation?

Yao scooped up another spoonful of congee and put it in her mouth.