Dark-Haired British Doctor Chapter 14

Episode 14 Sir, Listen to Me [3]

What is a banquet?

Isn't this where popular kids get together and drink and stuff?

'no.'

No.

This is the 19th century.

There was something like a banquet back when I was in Upton.

It was just a party where the old man invited people he knew and just chatted.

They make and sell alcohol, but since he is a Quaker and does not even touch it except to taste it, they did not give him any alcohol.

It's probably different here.

Wouldn't it be great if a party like the ones you see in the movies were held?

“That… that kind of banquet isn’t it.”

As I was letting my imagination run wild, the butler said.

"yes?"

I looked at the butler as if my mind had been read, and he continued speaking.

“Isn’t the banquet usually held in the suburbs? It’s actually the season now.”

“Ah… … Yes, that’s right.”

I kept nodding my head because I felt like it would be a bit odd to say I didn't know here.

Actually, I didn't know anything about that sentence.

That it's held in the suburbs.

And now is the season.

The banquet isn't even seasonal fish, so how can there be a season for opening it?

Joseph is also a country bumpkin, so I'll have to ask him later when he wakes up from his pain.

“In fact, Master has been receiving invitations since December… … As you know, it is difficult to be tied down to one place in the trade business. No matter how much you do the work here and there, there are transactions that ultimately require the Master’s hand to be involved.”

Anyway, the butler spoke quite earnestly.

The reason was simple.

Our senior was joking.

I'm the son of a very successful person in Joseon.

He's hardly a nobleman, and on top of that, what?

“Prince Kim.”

"ah."

But this isn't it.

Prince Kim, huh?

Joseon is the Yi Dynasty.

The Kim Dynasty… … oh my.

Over there in the north… … ?

“He is not a prince. Our king is Lee.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for my rudeness. Anyway, my master cannot attend a large banquet due to personal circumstances. Instead, we will hold a smaller banquet here. It’s a bit different from a typical social gathering. What should I say… … .”

Whenever he made a bombshell statement, the butler would stop talking and look to one side of the mansion.

A round table appeared.

Around there, what was that called?

Oh, yeah, those finger foods? There were a bunch of those.

It didn't look tasty.

This isn't important, but what should I call it… … .

“It’s a business meeting.”

“Gambling… …not a gathering?”

That's right.

I also left the ashtray out in advance.

There are several card packs.

I wish the lights were turned on a little more dimly… … .

This was also a scene I saw in a movie.

Not just good movies, but movies with a lot of bad people in them.

'Trading… is it something like doing something strange…?'

Come to think of it, it was suspicious that a house like this existed in London.

That's right.

How can you make so much money just by doing legal things?

“Oh, yes. It’s a gambling club. He really enjoys it. He especially loves those card games.”

“Ah, yes… … .”

But, despite my thoughts, the butler was very confident.

No, it wasn't to that extent, I even saw a glimpse of pride.

Yeah, well… … .

In fact, don't things like law and morality all change with the times?

In the 19th century, it might have seemed like a good idea to have a house in your home and have gatherings there.

What is that?

Wasn't the sandwich invented by some nobleman while gambling?

If it were something shameful, you wouldn't be bragging about it so proudly.

“So… … it would be nice if Prince Kim came too.”

“I told you I’m not a prince?”

“Then should I call you Noble Kim?”

"hmm."

He's noble.

As far as I know, both of my parents got their surnames while crossing the Indian Ocean.

“Yes, you can call me that.”

“Yes, Noble Kim.”

Well, what can I do?

There's no need to go into detail when they call you that.

Because it's all a joke anyway.

“Anyway… … the meeting will be very quiet. We’ll mostly talk about business… … so it might be boring, but if you come and talk to us, everyone will enjoy it. Since we’re all in the trade business, there’s less prejudice against Asians.”

“Aha. Okay, thank you. Then when… … can I get ready and come out?”

“We will tell you separately.”

"yes yes."

So the butler left, and it took a long time for the senior to come to his senses.

“Does it hurt that much?”

I felt a little sorry even while asking.

Because it will hurt.

At the same time, I was curious.

How much does it hurt?

If you cut your finger with a knife without anesthesia.

“You son of a bitch… … .”

It's so bad I want to swear.

Yeah, that could be possible.

I decided to humbly accept my senior's insults.

“Still, you swear?”

Joseph asked if that was the case, but I stopped him.

“If you use a knife, you should be cursed. Of course.”

I would also curse if someone asked me to have surgery without anesthesia.

Besides, I was in a situation where I had to bring up something very important.

As a result, I had to ask for money.

Isn't it always the person who pays the money?

So I lowered my body slightly and helped my senior up.

Judging by the way his legs were shaking, it seemed like he was really in pain.

“Still, there’s no fever. The progress is good.”

“Yeah… … That’s right.”

“But the person who died before was someone close to you? Why are you so scared?”

“Huh? Oh, that was my friend. At the time, I wondered why. But now that I look at it… … That’s right, that’s exactly what it was. Oh my, there were bad particles in the body.”

Aside from the pain, I wondered if it was really that surprising that there would be bad particles in a corpse.

Just looking at it, doesn't it seem like something?

It's instinctively scary.

I'm reluctant to even touch it.

This wasn't for nothing.

Of course, this was clearly revealed through research conducted in the 21st century, but in any case, the point was that the emotions we feel can actually be quite rational.

I thought there would be no use talking about that right now, so I moved on to something else.

It was fortunate that I could now think of what I had called energy as particles.

“So, wouldn’t it be better to block that particle?”

“It would be nice if we could stop it. But how?”

"that……."

It felt a bit odd to continue the conversation in the kitchen, next to the cauldron of hell, so we walked and talked.

As I was going through the process, perhaps because it was a wealthy house, I noticed the artwork lined up along the hallway, and among them was a painting of medieval knights.

“Yeah, that one. That one. Those gloves.”

"gloves?"

“That iron thing over there. The one you wear on your hand.”

“Ah, gloves. Right. Gloves… … Hmm. But how do you do dissection wearing something like that?”

You can't do it with that, man.

Is there any reason to fight a corpse?

Joseph, who was walking beside him at that time and was practically supporting his senior by himself due to his rather good physique, said.

“If it’s gloves for winter… … I think it might be possible?”

“Ah, leather gloves! Those would protect you from being cut by a knife, so they wouldn’t penetrate and wouldn’t be exposed to particles.”

Oh, right.

It will be protected, I guess.

But will you be able to do a proper dissection while wearing that?

How weak is the human body.

Even if you cut it delicately, it's very likely to break, so why are you wearing something that thick?

Besides, we have to dissect rotting corpses without formalin.

It's weaker… … .

“It will protect you. It will protect you, but… … Don’t you have to feel the structure inside and cut it?”

“Oh, that’s right. Actually, I… … I do dissections too. The professor also told me to start working as an assistant doctor starting next year.”

“Oh, I see.”

But how did you end up cutting your own hand?

If it weren't for me, you would have died right away.

But since I was the one who was inferior, I tried my best to please him.

I was confident.

Because I lived like this for over ten years before becoming a professor.

“If that’s what that person said, then it must be true. Dissection is definitely a delicate task, so leather gloves are too thick.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Um… … But we still need to protect them.”

The senior raised his hand and showed it to me.

As I looked, I saw that the pain was coming back and he was crying.

Separately from that, I examined the wound, and it was definitely worth cutting and washing it.

'I won't die. At least.'

It seemed like I wouldn't die if I did this.

I'm having a hard time, my senior is having a hard time, and we're all going through useless hardships.

Anyway, I thought to myself that it was fortunate and quietly took out what I had been carrying in my arms.

It was rubber.

"huh?"

“While looking at this… … I thought about it.”

"huh."

“How about making gloves out of this? Unlike leather, it doesn’t get wet. That sounds good.”

“With this… … gloves? With this?”

The senior also had a slightly cold expression on his face.

But it wasn't that harsh.

“It’s so hard?”

The rubber in front of our eyes was very different from the rubber we thought of.

I feel like it would be better to use it as armor?

But I knew very well what form rubber would eventually take.

I was more confident than when I just thought of surgical gloves.

Can you make it really strong and thin?

I saw it.

I don't know how to make it though.

If you go to the public squares, won't it work out somehow?

“Couldn’t it be made thinner? I heard there is actually thin rubber.”

“But that… … is too soft… … and very weak.”

“What kind of treatment should I take?”

“What kind of treatment?”

How do I not know that?

“I don’t know. But maybe a factory or scientist that your father knows would know?”

“Um… … But you know.”

"yes."

Suddenly, the senior's face became serious.

For the first time ever, I felt smart.

No, in some ways this would have been more natural.

Whatever it was, he was a properly educated person.

“These gloves… … are not commercially viable. It would cost a lot of money to develop one… … I don’t think my father would spend that kind of money just for the safety of dissection practice.”

“Are you my son?”

“I just have to be careful. And you have to protect me from now on.”

Don't say creepy things… … .

What are you protecting?

Are you watching?

I miss Chu.

No, no.

Don't talk crazy… … .

“No, no. I think there might be some areas where it would be profitable.”

“What kind of business is that? No gloves.”

To be honest, it would be nice to wear it while doing laundry or washing dishes.

It was considered impossible to expect that in the 19th century.

It's a bit much to expect that kind of hygiene from people who perform surgery with their bare hands.

Anyway.

“That… …contraception.”

"contraception?"

When I asked earlier, it turns out there were condoms, right?

But they were making it using animal intestines.

really…….

really…….

They are such good-natured kids.

“What if we made condoms out of thin rubber? They would be much stronger and cleaner.”

“Oh… …? Even if I suck it up, it won’t break?”

No, don't suck it up… … .

Let's go disposable, please…