Parallel World Pharmacy

 “Master Palle will return home the day after tomorrow. The Head Chef had informed me!”
 Lotte told Falma cheerfully as she was cleaning his room.
 “Eh!? Brother is coming back!?”
 Palle de Médicis, aged 17, was the older brother of Falma who had the misfortune of his first name literally being ‘pills’, was coming back.
 “It’s been almost a year already. He has been busy with studying and training.”
 “Because of that, there will be a feast the day after tomorrow! There will be lots of desserts too.”
 Um, I should ask the Head Chef. And Lotte was smiling from ear to ear. She decided to be hungry tomorrow and was enthusiastic. However, the Head Chef will heartily feed me bread before the feast, because I will be hungry at that time, as Lotte became cautious.
 “Good for you, Lotte. Since it’s your growth period right now.”
 Falma felt pleasant talking back to Lotte.
 “It’s also your growth spurt, Master Falma! Do you still remember Master Palle?”
 “Is that so?”
 Falma sometimes recalls the memory of the previous host of his body, but they were only fragments and didn’t have any memory regarding his older brother at all. He may recall something if he meets him directly.
 “Master Palle had inherited our Lord’s excellent Water Divine Art and used it to train hard Master Falma. Lady Blanche too.”
 Terrifying, so terrifying, mumbled Lotte as she shivered.
 She spoke about the terrifying matter, saying that Palle had beaten them viciously without holding back and that Bruno scolded him saying “You went too far”.
 “He trained me and Blanche so hard? Be that as it may if it was me, but even Blanche too?”
 “Master Palle said it was a whip of love. However, Master Falma’s and Lady Blanche’s Divine Art had tremendously improved all thanks to Master Palle.”
 It had become like an annual event. Every time Palle returned from Nova Root Medical University, it was to conduct harsh training on both of them in the name of checking progress.
 Falma wanted to be spared from suffering, but escape was futile; according to the information from Lotte, Palle would chase him to the ends of the earth if he tried. By the way, it was said that Falma had received broken bones when Palle was at his worst.
 “By the way, I thought Ellen was the one teaching me Divine Arts?”
 “Both of them are teaching you. Ah, while Master Palle and Lady Eléonore are childhood friends, they are also eternal rivals. Please be careful not to talk about it while both are present if you can.”
 Palle and Ellen are of the same age. Both of them are very prideful, each of them thinking that they are the best apothecary and Divine Art user, so they would naturally compete against each other.
 “Thank you for your valuable information, Lotte.”
 It would have been a disaster if he stepped on that land mine.
 “Come to think of it, my body is getting dull.”
 It would be vexing if I get beaten up overwhelmingly, so I should train again, and so he went out to the courtyard and and fired off many water divine arts repeatedly with his silver wand.
 Unfortunately his wand broke right in half during his practice.
 
 

 
 “Eeeh!? You want a new divine wand? You don’t have one now?”
 The next day, Ellen heard the story in the pharmacy and yelled in a loud voice.
 “When I was training alone yesterday, it broke. I only have that one, that’s why…”
 If you do not have a wand, your elder brother will beat you half-dead, was how Lotte threatened Falma, so he was in a hurry to procure one by the end of the day.
 “If it isn’t a combat-grade divine wand for high-caliber Divine Art use, it might just get broken again.”
 The wand was primarily used for medical care, with little focus on actual combat use. The structure of the apparatus was delicate, to the point that it wasn’t able to handle Falma’s divine power. And so Ellen came to the conclusion that, the Imperial Capital didn’t have a divine wand that was suitable for him.
 “Little Falma, why do you want a wand right now? You can still make use of your Divine Art and Skills without a wand. Wouldn’t it be just an obstacle because a combat-grade divine wand is too big to carry?”
 Certainly, Ellen always carries around a big divine wand which can be used for both medical and combat purposes. It was constructed to be folded so it would be easier for her to carry.
 “Didn’t you always tell me that a n.o.ble who doesn’t carry a divine wand is not a real n.o.ble?”
 Divine wand is for creating Divine Art by transmitting divine power and invoking divine skill, if you can use Divine Art without restriction, it is not neccessary, explained Ellen.
 “Well, but I really want it.”
 “If you want it so much, why don’t you look at the divine wand shop that made Her Majesty’s wand? But I think it’s very expensive.”
 “I will go there during lunch break.”
 “You’re awfully in a rush, it’s not a good thing to choose a divine wand in a hurry. You should mull over it for quite a while over several shops.”
 Why is he so adamant about this?, Ellen wondered. He didn’t tell Ellen that it was necessary because his brother was coming back. Because every time she heard anything about her rival, it just invites trouble.
 
 “Excuse me, Medicine G.o.d. Are you in search of a divine wand?”
 The Head Priest of the Guardian Church interjected as he was listening at the corner of the pharmacy. Every time the Head Priest was on break of his duties in the Church, he would come to the pharmacy almost every day. And, for some reason, offer a prayer (probably to Falma), buy a medicine and drank the free water. Although he was a respectable customer because he buys medicine, both Ellen and Falma cannot help but feel that his main purpose coming here every day was to offer his daily prayers.
 
 “Ah, yes. Please stop addressing me that way.”
 No matter how many time Falma had heard it, he couldn’t accept it. Of course he was never called in a way that the other customers could overhear. Every time the Head Priest called him, Lotte just stared blankly.
 “I have called upon a treasure worthy for the Medicine G.o.d in our Church. I shall bring it immediately.”
 There was a secret treasure called the “Divine Medical Wand”, as it could withstand all four attributes of Divine Art, and was also able to function as an offensive weapon and a medical wand. There seems to be a tradition to change the treasure enshrined at each guardian church in rotation, the Head Priest did a huge favor.
 “You are going to lend it to me? I’m afraid I might break it. It might also be stolen because it’s very expensive.”
 “It is impossible to be stolen, that genuine divine wand is a thing that cannot be touched by a mere human.”
 “I can’t use it then.”
 Falma became worried. He needs a wand that he can use in front of his brother by tomorrow. Even if he has a wand unusable by humans, it won’t help. He will be beaten half-dead.
 “Ha ha ha, that will never happen. You’re just joking. I will certainly be pleased if you use the Divine Medical Wand.”
 
 On that same day, the Head Priest took along 20 Guardian Priest and rode a carriage to the pharmacy. The Head Priest was quick on what he said. It seems it really was a treasure, the number of guards and level of security was on a whole different level. The patients were in an uproar over that thing.
 The Head Priest entered the store from the back door, and offered to Falma something like a treasure chest. Inside the treasure box, geometric patterns were drawn tightly, and a chain was coiled around the wand several times, as if it was sealing the divine wand. It was said that the contents of the chest could not be touched by humans.
 The Divine Medical Wand was as tall as an adult person, it was made of bluish crystal material, there were beautiful decorations, and there were several clear crystals in the part of the handle.
 “It is an entrancing beautiful wand. There are also five clear crystal gems attached to it.”
 Ellen leaked a sigh as she looked at the expensive jewels.
 “What are these crystal gems?”
 According to what Falma had heard, the crystal gems stored divine power, making it convenient when applying boost. You could call it something like a divine power battery. It seems that the bigger and more clear the gems that were attached, the more powerful the Divine Art that could be invoked. That being said, the gem was almost entirely transparent.
 “Weeelll, will you accept it little Falma? Will it be free? Aren’t you glad your old wand got broken?”
 Wand enthusiast Ellen was being immature and jealous. Because she devoted herself to collecting rare wands, it was a given that she’d be envious. Right now, the one she was carrying to use everyday was a long wand which had two blue crystal gems, but the size of the gems were quite small.
 Falma put his hands inside the treasure chest and took off the chain that bounded the wand tightly, and then picked up the wand with both of his hands. The wand was surprisingly light. As soon as Falma held the wand, the wand brilliantly glowed like a pale blue neon.
 “OOOh, it is as I had expected. That wand is rightfully yours my Lord.”
 Strong feeling of grat.i.tude came out from the Head Priest. Even though there was religious meaning that an owner of the wand had appeared, Falma wasn’t concerned about it.
 “Would you like to hold it too, Ellen?”
 “Eh!? Are you sure!? Waー! Let me feel it just a little bitー!”
 When Falma gently gave the wand to Ellen’s willing hands, the wand lost its glow, slipped through Ellen’s hands and and fell on the floor with a thud.
 “Huh!?”
 Falma and Ellen raised their voice at the same time. Ellen was taken aback in surprise that her gla.s.ses dropped on the floor.
 “This is why I have said that the wand cannot be touched by humans.”
 The Head Priest laughed with relish. He said that wand was not something of this world. It seemed that the wand can be retracted from as tall as an adult, down to a dozen centimeters.
 “I seeー. As I have really suspected little Falma, you are indeedー”
 While looking at Falma picking up the wand uncomfortably, Ellen nodded suggestively. But the Head Priest saw Falma as eager to touch the wand.
 Lotte was the only one who didn’t understand the situation, “I wonder why Master Falma can touch the wand that couldn’t be touched by humans” as she looked puzzled. After that, because she didn’t understand even if she pondered over it, she went to the third floor kitchen, prepared tea and served it to the Head Priest.
 “Holy Father. Perhaps this wand has the power of levitation?”
 Falma had noticed it immediately. When he was holding it, he felt that the levitating power was enough to lift his body.
 “Yes, It should be able to give you the ability to fly if you applied strong divine power. It was written on the ancient texts, everyone tried but no one has accomplished the feat yet.”
 Witches soar through the sky straddling a broom, would the wand also fly if he sat on it? So Falma sat on the wand and applied divine power. Then Falma began to float in the air. All the people who saw it were surprised as as they screamed in a loud voice.
 “How can a wand fly? I never heard such a thing.”
 Ellen stepped back a few steps unsteadily.
 “I guess there was no precedent since there was no human who can pour out that much divine power.”
 “Leaving that aside Lady Eléonore, you have stepped on your gla.s.ses, again.”
 When Cedric pointed out the unfortunate event, Ellen screamed with a “Kyaaー” as expected. It seemed that Ellen would drop her gla.s.ses every time she lost focus. If the temple of the gla.s.ses was firmly secured over her ears, it wouldn’t fall off so easily, Falma thought. Even so,
 “It seems that I can save time going to Ma.r.s.eille province or to a house call.”
 Travelling using a horse takes time.
 “If an apothecary visits for a house call by flying, wouldn’t the patient die from being shock and awe?”
 Ellen was seriously worried about that.
 
 “Thank you for this wonderful gift, Holy Father.”
 “I am happy that you are pleased. That is a very precious treasure of the Great Church. Oh, that reminds me, perhaps the Medicine G.o.d can read the divine letters of the Great Treasure. No matter how many scholars have gathered, we still don’t know what it meant.”
 The Head Priest excitedly spoke about it.
 “Great treasure…?”
 Eeh!?, both Ellen and Cedric was in awe. Even those two were unaware of its existence..
 “Please take a look at the Great Treasure in the Great Church just once. A small plate-like translucent treasure, bluish color, it had an elaborate picture of a black haired person with a holy crest.”
 “Huh, it does sound like an ID card.”
 Falma was intrigued. Thinking about it, he had yet to meet a person with raven black hair in this world. As for what was pictured in that card, would that be of Asian descent?
 “But if I went marching to the Church headquarters, wouldn’t I just get killed?”
 He wanted to make peace with the Inquisition. He fights as not to gravely injure his opponents, and having constantly being troubled by any threats would wear him out. If I explained it to them, there won’t be an Inquisition anymore, the Head Priest would like to make an introduction,
 “If it is known that the Medicine G.o.d lives in your body, there is a possibility that the Great Church will worship you.”
 “d.a.m.n.”
 Falma unintentionally showed his disgust.
 Being identified as something like a Medicine G.o.d , I better stay away from the Great Church., Falma reminded himself.
 “I will order my subordinate, who is an engineer in the Great Church, to make an exact replica of the great treasure, so you will definitely see it at least once, I want you to read the characters.”
 He was told it would take several months for the replica to arrive.
 
 

 
 “Palle de Médicis. I have returned home.”
 The next day. Accompanied by three servants, the brother of Falma, Palle, came home triumphantly after a long journey riding a warhorse. A boy with long silver-hair and blue eyes, but unlike Falma, his lean toned body gave off an intrepid atmosphere.
 He greeted his parents first.
 Bruno concealed from Palle the fact that Falma became independent with the Empress personal approval as a Royal Court Apothecary and founded a Royal Chartered pharmacy, until Palle graduated from Nova Root Medical University and earned his qualification as a Royal Court Apothecary.
 Palle will be home for a week, let alone him being the heir, if he learned that Falma became a Royal Court Apothecary without graduating from college, Palle will lose motivation to study and may drop out from the university, was what Bruno said. Falma too thought the same and he agreed.
 Palle, who was oblivious to everything, came to Falma’s room acting all arrogant as the big brother.
 “How are you doing, my little brother!”
 “It has been a long time, dear brother.”
 Falma wanted to hear the details of Palle’s journey, what he learned and his dormitory life in Nova Root Medical University, but first, there seems to be a tradition for the older brother to rough up of the weaker younger brother.
 “All right! I’m going to toughen you up until dinnertime! Have you gotten a little more bite to ya?!”
 “It’s raining outside, can we just do it when it’s sunny?”
 There was torrential rain with roaring thunder outside. Falma wouldn’t catch a cold, but his brother definitely would. This was because his big brother had a bit of nasal voice.
 “You think I’m going spare you because it’s raining? We are going to get soaked anyway since we are going to exchange Water Divine Arts. I thought Eléonore taught you something, but you’re getting weak-willed. I’m going to you whip you up to be strong willed!”
 So the older brother was a hot-blooded man, or rather, a terrifying muscle-brain.
 Falma was taken by force by his brother to a wide open field within their residence while there was still a downpour. It seemed that Blanche succeeded in escaping. That was because she always played a very enduring battle of hide-and-seek with Lotte a lot.
 At least I’m going to spare us from competing in this downpour.
 Falma suddenly stopped the heavy rain with the negative ability of his right hand.
 “Huh? The rain stopped. Well this is more appropriate anyway. Take out your wand, I’m going all the way.”
 Palle pulled out an expensive looking long black combat wand attached with two red crystal gems, while Falma took out the Divine Medical Wand, which he obtained yesterday, from his waist and it attracted his brother’s sight as the wand extended. Palle didn’t know it’s value,
 “Don’t tell me you bought that gla.s.s wand that’s only good for decoration? It seems that you only focus on appearances. I will break that gla.s.s wand along with your will.”
 He got angry. The five clear crystal stones in the Divine Medical Wand can be hidden if it was held with both hands. It seemed that Palle only saw it as a long gla.s.s rod.
 “Come on, Falma. Let me see your power!”
 Palle hoisted his black wand up high, and did a big swing.
 “Water Play (Jeux d’eau)”
 The big brother was clearly fluent in his spell, he kept waving the wand as he chanted the invocation. According to the Information from Lotte, Palle’s Divine Art skills was ranked 1 or 2, even in Nova Root Medical University.
 Countless bullets of water attacked Falma while the bullets generated shock waves as it moved pa.s.sed the speed of sound. Falma seemed to held back his power but he hopped lightly, avoided it, and sometimes striking back with the wand as he defended himself from the attack. Feeding divine power to the Divine Medical Wand made the opponent’s attacks look very slow.
 
 “Seems like you’re getting tougher. Great, I’m increasing the pace.”
 When Palle saw what Falma did, his fighting instinct started to throb.
 
 “Water Nymph (Naïade)”
 The divine skill that Ellen was struggling to use, was activated easily. The water that shot out of the wand became a water giant, its attacks trying to crush Falma.
 “Water Tornado (Tornade de l’eau)”
 Falma also chanted a spell, the tornado absorbed the attack of the giant. The water just rose up unaffected as it won over the giant,
 “Water Sanctuary (Sanctuaire de l’eau)”
 Falma surrounded his brother with a water barrier. As soon as Palle’s movement was sealed, he created a water cannon inside the barrier and broke through with sheer force. This brother isn’t bad either.
 
 “Master Palle, Master Falma. It’s time for dinner.”
 By the time sunset came, the butler, Simon, came to call them over with horses. The brothers attacked each other until they became soaking wet. They fought on for approximately an hour. The older brother was badly bruised while Falma was unscathed.
 “You’re… quite… good.”
 While pointing at Falma, the older brother fell, sprawled out on the gra.s.sy plain.
 His face was blushing red and was running a high fever. It seemed he had caught on a cold from earnestly training while soaking wet. Although Falma treated his brother’s bruises on the spot, he thought that it was better to let the fever run without curing it.
 
 “Oho, it seems like it’s Master Falma’s victory this time.”
 The butler was twiddling his mustache with a smile.
 “I don’t think I could say this is the end of it.”
 Although a powerful acc.u.mulation of divine power occurred in the gra.s.sy plain, no priests were present, so n.o.body took notice.
 
 “sigh, the Head Chef has done it again.”
 That day, Lotte ate freshly baked bread as part of the Head Chef’s strategy, she thought. She said “Great Feast” but her stomach wasn’t able to hold it all.