Once Richard left the laboratory, the already awkward atmosphere sank even lower. Astrid hadn’t been me when Rika died—why should things feel this uncomfortable now?
“Are you here as the leader’s attending physician?”
Rick finally spoke, shattering the oppressive silence that had been crushing me. I let out a long breath and forced a smile.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“I was the one who recommended you. To Sir Richard.”
Rick’s answer caught me completely off guard. I had assumed he would resent Astrid—yet he was the one who suggested bringing her here as Jin’s doctor.
“You don’t resent me?”
At my question, Rick turned his head away with a slightly pouty expression.
“Why would I resent you? Rika adored you so much.”
His ears had flushed faintly pink as he spoke.
What is this? Since when is this kid so adorable? Why wasn’t such a cute character even mentioned in the original story?
And then it hit me—the reason Rick, Louie, Finn, Betty… none of these people appeared in the original narrative.
After Jin’s death, the Liberators had scattered. Most died or vanished without a trace. Of course they wouldn’t be mentioned.
All of it traced back to Jin’s death. Somewhere inside me, a quiet but fierce determination had taken root: I had to keep that fragile jellyfish of a man alive.
Another heavy silence settled over the laboratory. To break it, I spoke again.
“I never imagined you’d become an alchemist with the Liberators.”
It really was astonishing. Five years ago he had been a destitute orphan wandering the streets—now he was crafting alchemy here.
“The leader taught me alchemy himself.”
Rick answered, lips pursed in that same pouty way.
Just what kind of person was Jin, exactly?
Astrid had been the one to teach Rick how to read and write when he could barely manage letters. And yet, in only five years, that same boy had become an alchemist capable of producing something as remarkable as that cleanser. Of course, he must have had natural talent, but still.
“That cleanser is incredible. What on earth is it? It felt so… modern.”
I asked, genuinely amazed. Visually it had been almost identical to modern soap foam. I was dying to know if it functioned the same way too.
“Um… it’s a little complicated. So… there are ingredients that like water and ingredients that hate water, coexisting in the same substance… When it meets water, the surface tension at the interface…”
Rick began explaining earnestly.
I listened with a blank stare, but none of it made sense. Rick, this noona is tragically a liberal arts major. No matter how passionately you explain, I’m not going to get it.
“So I named it a surfactant. The one I made is a mildly alkaline liquid that helps remove stains and foreign substances from the skin…”
The moment he said “surfactant” and “alkaline,” my eyes widened. Those were words I actually understood. Somehow, this meant the composition was similar to modern soap. Overcome with emotion, I grabbed Rick’s hands.
“Rick, you’re a genius!”
When I beamed at him, Rick blinked in bewilderment, staring back at me.
Of course he wouldn’t understand. This young man had no idea that his invention could potentially extend human lifespans by decades.
“But Teacher… you seem a little different from before.”
Rick’s cheeks were faintly pink. Realizing I was still holding his hands, I quickly let go.
“R-Really? I don’t notice anything.”
I tried to sound calm and composed. The real Astrid probably wouldn’t have grabbed his hands so impulsively.
“Maybe… brighter? More lively? I like the current you better. You feel more… like one of us. Before, you always seemed kind of otherworldly.”
At those words, heat rushed to my face. Otherworldly? Like an angel? Had Astrid really carried that kind of untouchable, saintly distance?
“It’s embarrassing to be praised like that by you, Teacher. I only made it because I hated the sticky feeling left on my hands after alchemy experiments.”
Rick’s face reddened further. His tone was deeply humble, but I couldn’t stop marveling. Whatever the reason, the simple existence of soap in this world was a miracle worth celebrating.
“No, Rick. This is going to help me enormously.”
I kept gazing at him in open admiration. Unable to bear it any longer, Rick turned his head away. The tips of his ears were practically glowing scarlet.
★
Richard hurried back to Jin’s bedroom. Leaving his friend alone even for a short while had weighed on him, and there was much he needed to discuss.
He was about to push open the door when Astrid’s warning flashed through his mind. He froze in place.
Everyone entering Jin’s room had to wash their hands thoroughly—and wear a mask, she’d said.
Part of him bristled at the way she treated him like some unclean creature, but another part reasoned that she must have her reasons—even if they were incomprehensible to someone as simple as him. With a sigh, Richard went to wash his hands.
Then he pulled the black cloth he always carried from his coat, wrapping it around his nose and mouth. Surely even that fastidious doctor wouldn’t complain about this much.
“Jin, I’m back.”
No answer came from the bed. Richard’s heart plummeted. No… surely not… Cold sweat prickled along his spine.
“Jin…?”
Then he saw it—the faint rise and fall of Jin’s chest beneath the covers. Richard exhaled shakily. Thank god. He had simply fallen asleep.
‘You scared me, Jin.’
Richard gazed down at his friend’s slightly flushed face. He reached out to check for fever, but long strands of hair slipped forward, getting in the way.
Gently, he brushed aside the jet-black locks and pressed his palm to Jin’s forehead. It felt faintly warm… or was that just his imagination?
At the touch, Jin’s eyes fluttered open.
“Sorry—did I wake you?”
Jin shook his head weakly to say it was fine.
“…I shouldn’t sleep yet. There’s something we need to talk about. Help me sit up.”
Richard carefully supported him into a sitting position. His friend’s body felt terrifyingly light—nothing but bones. Even before the illness, Jin had never carried much weight, but now…
“What’s with the mask? Decided to follow the doctor’s orders after all?”
Jin asked with a faint, teasing smile. Richard didn’t bother answering. There was no need—Jin would read the truth in his silence anyway.
“So… what do you think of her, Jin?”
