"Don't worry about the profit distribution. Since you're even taking your son along... I'll treat you even more generously."
Our departure is still months away.
Even in the 21st century, things were unpredictable, but the 19th century is truly an era where you can't predict what's right in front of you.
Someone you parted with smiling today could be found dead tomorrow morning.
Not that I'm telling the senior's father to die or anything.
It's just how it is.
"Yes, I trust you, sir."
"Of course, of course. Would I dare cheat someone like you or Liston out of fear? Ah, not that I would cheat even if I could, so please don't curse me."
This is also the uncle's style of joking.
He's certainly not actually afraid of my curses.
He's just letting go a bit....
It's because of his age.
I'm the eldest, so my father is just forty, but here, he's fifty.
Sigh....
At this time, fifty is grandfather age, grandfather.
Moreover, he's traveled all over the world and endured hardships, so it's no wonder he's aged.
"But, you know."
"Yes."
"Even while you're away, this place needs to run properly."
"That's true. I'll teach the students responsibly. As for control... the police and military have both agreed to cooperate, so there shouldn't be any issues."
"Haha, that's nothing to worry about. You two are more fearsome than any police or military."
The uncle seemed to be in a very good mood.
Naturally, since he'd succeeded in securing military supplies.
And as a monopoly, no less.
Of course, it's a monopoly since we're the only ones who can produce it...
But the fact that we tested the syphilis treatment on police, sailors, and soldiers right after developing it, confirmed its efficacy, and are now able to transfer it—that's nothing short of miraculous.
"Now... pay your respects."
Anyway, I had to train the next generation.
Since I plan to take my direct subordinates with me, I need to train some students...
"Ah, hello!"
"It's an honor!"
"To become Feiyingshi's... disciple!"
"Ugh... Liston... they say his gaze is like a finely honed sword, and indeed, his reputation is well-deserved..."
Even in the 21st century, surgery somehow became an avoided specialty...
But it's even worse in this era.
Finding disciples is like plucking stars from the sky, as they say.
Someone like Liston might have people bringing money and begging to be taken as disciples, like Joseph's uncle...
But that was a special case since I'm an Asian and he's an Upton country bumpkin.
Usually, it's a profession where you have to talk about how someone's son seems clever while standing in front of a pig farmer, endure countless rejections, and only then can you take on a disciple.
That's how it should be...
'But these kids seem quite clever.'
Sorry to say, but the kids who came seem much cleverer than my direct subordinates.
Do I feel like I've won the lottery?
No, no.
There's loyalty.
I've spent all this time with Joseph, Alfred, and Colin, haven't I?
Besides, when I think about how I've fed, scolded, and trained them, it's only right that they remain as my direct subordinates.
Well, I can train these new ones and the old ones alike.
"Hmm, good. Nice to meet you. These two will learn under me, and these two under my senior. Even though we're divided by words, since we're learning in the same center, you'll all learn together."
"Yes!"
"It's an honor!"
For now, I plan to teach them quickly only about how to use diabetes medication.
Since our hospital's diabetic patients are still only those who have personal sommeliers, they can confirm the effects, so it's not too burdensome.
We have experts, in other words.
'Well... it's not like I'm going to teach them properly about diabetes anyway.'
Even Liston doesn't really know much about diabetes, let alone our direct disciples.
They don't even know the concept of blood sugar levels...
They probably don't even know what glycated hemoglobin is.
Above all, things like insulin resistance weren't established until the 20th and 21st centuries.
What we're doing now...
It's more accurate to say we're just grinding up natural substances and accidentally achieving cures.
'Well, two months should be plenty then.'
If they were ignoring me, it might be different, but...
'Their eyes are so bright, these kids.'
They're so sparkling that if I told them to die, they'd at least pretend to die.
No, since it's the 19th century, they might actually die.
Rumors are spreading quite seriously that Feiyingshi, the Qing sorcerer, can resurrect the dead by stabbing their hearts.
"So, what are your names?"
"I'm Tom."
"John Snow."
"Hmm."
Tom...
It's a common name, so let's move on.
There's Tom Sawyer, and if you go to Ganghwa Island, there's Uncle Tom's log house, right?
But John Snow...
'A bastard?'
That's a name from Game of Thrones.
If there were a Stark family, he'd undoubtedly be a bastard from a northern house...
I was somewhat knowledgeable among doctors.
So, I know one more thing about him.
Namely...
'Isn't this kid a genius?'
John Snow.
A legendary British doctor who discovered the possibility of waterborne infectious diseases in an era when the concept of pathogens hadn't even been established.
Based on that, he demanded a large-scale overhaul of the sewer system from Parliament, but he died young out of anger at the British Parliament's characteristic 'I don't think so' attitude.
I wondered if it was just a namesake...
But just looking at his eyes, I can sense his IQ.
'I should nurture this kid well in internal medicine.'
I'm smart too, of course.
In competitive South Korea, being first in school, getting into the best medical school, and even becoming a professor—wouldn't that qualify me as a prodigy, if not a genius?
But...
Comparing myself to giants like Liston or John Snow, who changed their eras, is a bit much.
'Great...'
And such people just happen to fall into my hands...
No, no.
That sounds too devilish.
Let's just say they're by my side.
"Alright. Come here."
"Ah, yes."
Kids like these will realize a lot even without being taught.
But what if I teach them too?
If I teach one thing, they'll realize ten...
Among those, there might even be things I don't know.
Things I know the answer to but don't know how to solve.
"A-aren't you going home?"
"No. I'm not. I have to teach you guys. Why, is it tough?"
"N-no, not at all!"
If I teach them wholeheartedly for two months and then go to China, how much will they be able to accomplish by the time I return?
I'm already starting to feel like I'm scratching a lottery ticket.
So, I taught them with all my might.
Day and night.
Haven't I pulled all-nighters enough times while working at a university hospital?
Though I probably died young from overwork...
But now I'm a teenager.
Hehe.
A professor in my teens.
"Hey, Pyeong."
One day, while I was doing my best to train more capable slaves, Liston called me.
"Yes?"
"Your enthusiasm is killing the students."
"They're not dying. Not from this."
I wondered why he called me over when he's busy, but he's just talking nonsense.
They're not dying.
21st-century teenagers wouldn't die from this...
Why would 19th-century teenagers die from it?
"Well... if you say so. But we have to board the ship soon. Aren't you preparing?"
When I completely ignored him, he finally said something useful.
The ship...
Sailing...
Right, now that I think about it, it is a bit scary.
"Ah."
Besides, with only a week left, it's about time to prepare something.
My parents are utterly satisfied now that they've tasted the benefits of allowance filial piety, so I don't need to worry about them...
In fact, our John Snow and the other disciples have been able to handle diabetes care properly since a month ago.
That means I should start worrying about my own future...
"Is it a sailing ship?"
"It's a sailing ship. What, did you want to ride a galley ship with oars?"
"No, no. A steamship."
"Ah... a steamship. Haha. Where did you hear about that...?"
"They don't exist?"
"They do. But they're too expensive. Besides, loading coal and going around Africa to China—does that sound reasonable?"
"Ah..."
I found one reason to accept sailing on a sailing ship.
When you think about it, sailing ships are eco-friendly, powered by wind, so they don't require fuel, right?
That means the ship can be filled entirely with cargo, soldiers, or cannonballs.
But a steamship would need to fill that space with coal...
Well, the crew might be more comfortable, but do the shipowners care?
It's not like they're the ones suffering; it's the crew.
"Anyway, it'll take quite a long time."
"It will... take long, right?"
"Besides, Africa... I've never been, but I heard it's incredibly hot. You should prepare clothes accordingly."
"Ah, that makes sense. But will we be on the ship the entire time?"
"How would I know? I'm not a sailor."
"Well, that's true."
I thought Liston would know everything except medical things...
But he's a doctor too, isn't he?
So, there are times when he's out of touch with the world.
I'm from the 21st century, but he's from the 19th century, and a British Empire citizen at that—shouldn't he know about ships?
"Well, they said they'd treat us as honored guests, and since it's a warship, it'll be much better than the ones we've been on before."
"Then can't we just stay as we are?"
"Just stay? We're going as renowned doctors... if there are sick people along the way, shouldn't we heal them?"
"Do we need special preparation for healing...?"
I thought the same during my time as a military doctor.
The idea that we're a branch that doesn't need training.
In fact, aren't we the only ones in the military constantly facing real situations?
Since we're composed of specialists trained at university hospitals, we were medically superior to anyone else in the military.
I thought it wasn't much different now.
We're specialists; wherever you throw us, we'll heal well.
"Ugh."
That was purely my imagination.
"You have to be able to treat people on the ship! To do that, you must endure this!"
"B-before that. Ugh."
Liston's methods are a bit unusual...
This madman insisted that we must be able to perform surgery even in the midst of a typhoon.
"This is when most injuries happen! It's only natural!"
I don't know if it's because I'm not in my right mind either...
But as I listened, it sounded plausible, so I practiced with him.
"You want to go out in this weather again?"
It was only possible because we'd threatened a pitiful captain.
"Yes."
"To swing your sword again...?"
"Yes."
"Oh dear..."
"What, should I swing it here? Want to turn the sailing ship into a sa/iling ship?"
"No, sir. Let's go..."
You might think it's impossible to cut a ship unless it's a Mihawk...
But it's probably possible.
If you have a big enough sword.