Parallel World Pharmacy (2022) s01e09 Episode Script

The Story of a Certain Wicked Man

1
Why, Camus?
After you established numerous new treatment
methods and gained renown as a genius
Why did you
Bruno, do you still not see it?
The beautiful truth of this world.
No matter how much healing
one performs, people die.
But, you know, no matter how much dying
takes place, people are born anew.
That's the reason you repeatedly conducted
those gruesome human experiments?!
Neither people nor the world
will be destroyed so easily.
And therein lies the beauty.
You understand,
don't you, Bruno?
Why, Camus?
Parallel World Pharmacy
Episode 9
The Story of a Certain
Wicked Man
Lookie! My tummy is huge!
Oh, my goodness!
Father, are you tired?
I'm fine. I was just thinking
back on something.
An old—
It's not important.
Master, a letter has arrived.
From Palle?
It's Tall Brother
Oh, him.
That reminds me. Palle is
coming home for a visit soon!
Speaking of which,
he's saying his visit will be delayed.
Oh my, it will?
I hope he's not working too hard.
And I do hope he's eating properly.
Is Tall Brother really busy?
I imagine he has his hands full
with his college studies.
College
Um, Nov Nova
Novavava
Novalout College of Medicine.
Yeah! Novalt Medicine College!
It's the world's best medical
research institution.
Master Palle is brilliant!
Though Master Farma is brilliant as well.
Tall Brother is amazing!
Small Brother is more amazing!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Farma.
Yes, Father?
Come to my office later.
Next month, the capital is
hosting the Saint Fleuve Fair.
That's the annual,
large-scale wholesale event
that takes place over the
course of a month, right?
Correct.
Merchants from all over the world
will gather in the imperial city.
Thus, we must be cautious.
About what?
A strange epidemic
broke out on Pante Island,
a colony of our neighboring
country Nederland.
According to Palle's letter, the roughly
1,000 colonists there were wiped out.
A fatal disease
Was it an endemic disease?
Could it have been from a poison?
I don't know the details.
A top Novalout academic research team
took back samples for study,
but then two people died there as well.
So then, it could be contagious
The colonists' deaths ended the epidemic.
But Nederland merchant ships loaded with
goods from the island are coming to the fair.
You're saying contaminated cargo
might be coming to the city?
And the only port Nederland's
merchant ships can use is Marseirre.
Marseirre is currently governed
by the de Médicis family
Are the remains of the infected researchers
or their samples still available?
Everything was incinerated
with fire Divine Arts.
I expect the samples are nothing but ash,
and not even bones remain of the bodies.
That is certainly the safe measure to take.
Fundamentally, both viruses and
bacteria are vulnerable to heat.
But that means
the top authorities in this world judged
the situation to be unmanageable
The progress of the disease
was clearly abnormal.
The first researcher suddenly developed a
high fever, followed by headache and vomiting.
Lumps had developed on
his neck and in his armpits.
Afterward, he fell into a coma,
and on the seventh day
of symptoms, he perished.
For the second researcher,
it was even faster.
Purpura developed all over his body,
followed by necrosis of the hands and feet.
His skin is said to have turned dark black.
Their laboratory has been sealed off, and
all travel to the island has been prohibited.
Necrosis and blackened extremities
Could it be
Father, is there any more
detailed information?
A revolutionary device
with an unknown inventor
was introduced as a tool to the College.
What device?
Why, your microscope, Farma.
It seems it's being utilized
even in far-off Novalout.
There may be sketches from the
samples taken in the investigation.
Could you ask Palle to send
copies of those sketches?
I believe it's fair to say these
numbers are truly revolutionary.
The number of deaths
from disease in the capital
has actually decreased 20%
compared to last year.
Truly remarkable results.
Yes. This is marvelous.
This must be due to Parallel World Pharmacy
and the Compounding Pharmacy Guild.
The number of member shops
is continuously growing.
Cosmetics that cause minimal harm to health,
regular public health lectures,
efforts to increase the people's
awareness of disease prevention
His endeavors are spectacular.
If these achievements
spread to the provinces,
the Empire's prosperity will be unshakable!
I remember you turning your nose up at
chartering "a pharmacy run by a child."
So now even you commend him.
Your Majesty, I
It is welcome.
Now, then
Given this, I ought to grant
Farma de Médicis some reward.
What about the rank of archduke?
Your Majesty, I'm afraid his status
as a minor prevents that.
The granting of archduke rank to a minor
is not recognized under imperial law.
I see. So it would be premature to do so.
Then let us table this matter
for the time being.
Onto the next item.
Yes, ma'am!
Regarding the renovation of the Grand Écurie
and the riding school,
which the Finance Minister
has informally approved
As I suspected, that boy must have
been possessed by some being.
What I can do is provide ample support
to make it easier for him to act.
I pray the Empire's prosperity
continues on like this forever.
Good morning, Farma!
What's wrong?
I have something important to discuss.
A fatal illness? Oh, gods!
This is no time to be holding a fair.
It starts in just over two weeks.
It's too late to stop the
cargo from Nederland.
Then what do we do?
Well, I have several ideas, but
Begging your pardon, Master Farma.
A carrier pigeon has arrived
from Master Palle.
Thank you.
It's as I feared
That disease exists in this world, too.
What's wrong? What does it say?
Farma, do you know what that is?
It's a sketch of low magnification, so I
can't say with absolute certainty, but
This is Yersinia pestis.
You're ready to go ahead
of us and get started.
We'll join you later,
once we finish some things here.
Yes, Master!
Once you reach Marseirre, ask Adam,
the acting governor, for instructions.
I have already conveyed the details of the
quarantine stations and the rest to him.
Leave it to us.
We'll make sure the Black Death
doesn't enter the Empire!
Be especially diligent when
inspecting cargo from Nederland.
If a crew member should be infected,
immediately isolate the crew
and begin treatment.
We will!
I hope they perform well.
We've done what we can do ourselves.
Now we need to move the higher-ups.
Father.
I need to speak with you.
Farma. And Eléonore as well.
It's about that unknown pathogen.
Based on the purple-black discoloration
and the lymph node swelling,
as well as the rod-like appearance
of the bacteria in the sketch,
I believe we ought to conclude
that it's the Black Death.
I see. So you think so too.
Though I have only read
about it in literature,
I, too, recognize the dreadfulness
of the Black Death.
The last plague was 210 years ago.
The Black Death—
or plague—
is transmitted through fleas
that are carried by rodents.
There were multiple large
outbreaks on Earth,
and in the 14th century,
it spread with such fury
that it's said to have halved
the population of Europe.
The fatality rate of bubonic
plague is 50-70%.
If pneumonic plague develops,
it's 100% fatal.
It's a nightmare disease that has tormented
humanity more than any other in history.
What makes plague so frightening
is its persistence,
appearing to burn out and
then repeatedly reigniting.
Cargo connected to trade on Pante Island
will be heading to the capital
by land and sea.
Regarding that, as discussed,
I've sent Adam instructions to set up
quarantine stations in Marseirre's port.
In addition, Farma taught the inspection
method to some students of mine,
and we sent them ahead
to get the process started.
Good. Well done.
If an outbreak occurs in the capital,
it will spell the Empire's doom,
for there exists no method
for us to fight against the disease.
No, Father. We can save the Empire!
I have already prepared a new medicine.
Truly?
It is called levofloxacin.
It's an antibiotic that is effective against
the bacteria that causes the Black Death.
At this stage, I am the only one
who can create this medicine,
but I sent the necessary amounts to
partner drugstores to be packaged.
You already did all that?
I'm impressed. Truly.
Thank you, Father.
Nevertheless, the first line of defense will
be to prevent infection from happening at all.
Quite right.
But the task is too big for a Royal
Pharmaceutist to handle alone.
I see.
So your true aim today is
Yes.
Let us head to the palace at once!
I see. I grasp your request.
I shall close most of the gates and limit
the merchants' points of entry into the city.
We are grateful for your decision.
In addition, please allow me to set up
cargo inspection points at the gates.
The pharmaceutists of the Compounding
Pharmacy Guild wish to serve.
Of course.
Anything else?
The Black Death is spread to humans
by fleas that feed in particular on rats.
In other words, we should
eliminate routes of infection?
Precisely, Your Majesty.
I seek a proclamation instructing residents
to exterminate rats and fleas,
and to boil their own clothes.
I shall issue an edict
today on that as well.
Minister, make the arrangements at once!
Yes, ma'am!
I thank you for your swift
judgment, Your Majesty.
Don't thank me, Bruno.
Protecting the lives of the Empire's
subjects is my responsibility as empress.
And besides,
I place the very deepest
trust in your bold claims.
We shan't allow this disease
to wreak havoc on our nation.
Put your utmost into your efforts.
Yes, Your Majesty!
A microscope?
That's what this is?
Yes.
It's a compound microscope,
comprising an ocular lens and a convex lens.
It allows greater magnification
and a larger field of view.
Wow
Most importantly,
it decreases the risk of accidentally
touching samples to your eyes or mouth.
How go the preparations
with the new medicine?
Without a hitch.
The material you provided has been powdered
and turned to 1,000 patients' worth of doses.
I have had doses distributed to
member shops and quarantine stations.
Thank you very much.
Let's hope we won't have to use them.
Should anyone be found to be infected, we'll
provide treatment at no cost, as instructed.
If the bacteria infect the lungs,
the disease will spread quickly from
person to person via airborne droplets.
Make sure to give the medicine to anyone
who may need it, no matter who they are.
I'll give the pharmaceutists
strict orders to do so.
Well then, I leave the
capital in your hands.
We'll work as a team and stop
the Black Death in its tracks!
Finance Minister,
how are preparations for the
Saint Fleuve Fair proceeding?
Smoothly, Your Majesty.
The various guilds and
merchants of the Empire
are fully focused on preparing their wares.
And more foreign merchants arrive every day.
The quarantine stations appear
to be functioning normally.
I see. That is splendid.
I have reports that Bishop Salomon
at the Imperial Temple
has gathered practitioners of wind Divine
Arts and strengthened purification patrols.
A welcome precaution.
At present, rumors of a strange, unknown
disease appear to be completely in check.
Good.
The Saint Fleuve Fair must be conducted
according to thorough safety measures.
The standing of the Empire is at stake.
Considering the enormous
effects on the economy—
Naturally, that is a factor.
However, the greater concern is this:
sudden chaos causes unrest
and exposes weakness at home and abroad.
When faced with an unknown situation,
not everyone can make rational,
logical decisions the way that boy does.
Do not squander the good fortune
of having him in this moment.
Now, do what is required of you!
Yes, ma'am!
I sent word to the advance team
that we would depart today.
Thanks.
I've only dealt with plague
as a page in history.
Will I really be able to contend with it?
Don't worry.
Please, let Master Farma come home safe!
You've saved so many people.
Panactheos—no, Farma.
We all know the things you've done.
Master Farma! Work hard!
But don't overdo it!
Work a healthy amount of hard!
You aren't alone, Farma.
I believe in you, too!
I'll do everything in my power.
Master Farma! Have a safe trip!
Onward! To Marseirre!
Ah, what beauty the world possesses!
Episode 10
The Black Death
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