I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 9

Do You Know Vaccine?

Having gained unexpected insights from my conversation with Rousseau, I returned to the mansion and immediately sought out Lavoisier.

He seemed eager to hear my impressions as well, promptly responding to my summons and ushering me into his office.

“How was your meeting with Rousseau?”

“Very enlightening. I had a tremendous realization.”

“Did you find much to agree with in his philosophy after speaking with him directly? From my perspective, his advocacy for direct democracy seemed like a concept from a fantasy.”

Lavoisier, mistaking my words for an epiphany related to philosophy or ideology, reacted tepidly.

It wasn’t really my concern whether he misunderstood or not.

Instead of indulging his assumption, I cut straight to the chase with a question.

“Lavoisier, I need you to answer my question honestly. You want to climb higher, don’t you?”

“…Excuse me?”

Caught off guard by the question, he didn’t respond immediately, merely blinking.

“Actually, I can guess what’s on your mind without you saying it. It’s frustrating and disgusting, isn’t it? To see commoners from decades ago suddenly become nobles, only to immediately block others from rising.”

“That’s…”

The current proportion of nobles in France was distinctly different compared to other countries.

The number of bourgeois who had been newly ennobled during the reigns of the previous and current kings was enormous.

While neighboring England had a noble population of less than 0.5% of the total population, France had several times that number enjoying privileges.

And ironically, these newly elevated nobles were the most eager to suppress the bourgeois.

The number of nobles was already saturated.

Perhaps because it was the ladder they had climbed, they were exceptionally good at removing it.

Now, becoming a noble required several times more effort and money than before.

It was inevitable that discontent would brew among the bourgeois.

And I knew Lavoisier’s inclinations very well.

He was the man who would later spend a fortune to secure a noble title for his son and push him into the tax collection syndicate.

It was a tragedy that this choice would eventually lead to his son’s demise on the guillotine.

“Lavoisier, I will be recognized as royalty. And as soon as possible.”

“Pardon?”

Lavoisier’s mouth fell open, unable to follow the situation.

After a moment to collect himself and sort through his thoughts, he took out a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat.

“Of course, we will do our best to help you be recognized as royalty. But as I mentioned before, it won’t be easy and will require more time.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to wait.”

I leaned back comfortably on the sofa.

In contrast, Lavoisier’s body leaned forward, reflecting his growing anxiety.

“These matters require time and patience. I don’t know what Rousseau told you, but…”

“It has nothing to do with Rousseau. I just came up with the best approach while talking to him.”

I stared intently at Lavoisier’s face, which still hadn’t grasped the situation.

In truth, I had been agonizing over this decision and still was.

How should I deal with this man before me?

Lavoisier might not know it, but I had died twice because of his instigation of my murder.

I had intended to thoroughly ruin those who had ordered my assassination, even if it was later.

That resolve hadn’t changed.

However, I hadn’t decided exactly how far to take it with him.

In my mind, I had already booked a one-way ticket on the guillotine express for the higher-ups in the High Court.

That was a certainty.

As long as those who sought to control and exploit me remained unscathed, my position could never be secure.

However, Lavoisier’s case was a bit ambiguous.

Initially, I had placed him at the top of my kill list, thinking he was the mastermind, but he was really just a henchman of the High Court.

More importantly, as someone without any foundation, I desperately needed capable allies.

In the current situation, there was no one with better qualifications than Lavoisier, who was a legal advisor to the High Court and possessed considerable wealth.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say that there was no one else at all.

If I could make good use of him, I could overlook his past transgressions.

“Master, what exactly do you mean by ‘as soon as possible’?”

“Let’s see… It’s ’67 now, so I think we should finish it within three years at the latest.”

“That’s impossible. It would be one thing to simply be recognized as a noble, but to be incorporated into the royal family…”

“Normally, you’d want to say it’s impossible, right? That’s why I’m planning to achieve something significant enough to warrant it.”

Lavoisier sighed deeply and shook his head.

Unaware of my plans, he would see all of this as nothing more than a childish fantasy.

Anyone would, so I didn’t blame him for it.

“It’s not as easy as you think. The only way I can imagine it happening is by achieving great merit in war, but we’re not at war right now. Even if we were at war with England, you’re too young to go to the battlefield.”

“I never intended to go to the battlefield in the first place. What I’m trying to do is save people, not kill them.”

“Save people? Are you planning to become a doctor? You won’t have time for that.”

“Lavoisier, what’s the most feared disease in the world right now? What disease could cause a national emergency just by breaking out?”

It was a sudden question, but the answer came immediately.

It was a question that required no thought.

“Smallpox, of course.”

“Yes. Anyone would say that.”

If you asked modern people what disease, besides malaria, has killed the most people, you would get a variety of answers.

Many would say the Black Death.

Others might say influenza.

In reality, the Black Death has caused an estimated 300 million deaths, and influenza is also estimated to have killed over 300 million people.

However, the worst disease that has caused even more deaths than those is smallpox.

The number of people estimated to have died from smallpox is at least 350 million, and often estimated to be over 500 million.

It was a disease that killed people evenly across both the East and West, and it often appears in the records of the Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897].

In Joseon, this disease was commonly called ‘duchang’ or ‘mama’.

The name implied that one could only bow down and beg for it to leave.

When someone contracted smallpox, rashes would break out all over their body, so unsightly that it was hard to look at, and the pain was indescribable.

Because of the high fever, it often led to death, and even if one was lucky enough to survive, they often suffered brain damage or blindness.

In particular, the rashes left scars all over the body, leaving them with pockmarks for the rest of their lives, even after the disease was cured.

People said it was a curse from an evil spirit.

Most of all, what made this disease so terrifying was that it could be transmitted through the air.

Therefore, once a patient appeared, it indiscriminately took the lives of nobles and royalty alike.

Compared to the biggest epidemic of the 21st century, COVID-19, it was much more contagious and had a fatality rate that was 10 to 20 times higher.

In this era, it was only natural for the whole country to be turned upside down even if only one smallpox patient appeared.

The reason why people in the modern era don’t fear this disease is that humanity has completely eradicated it through vaccines.

So, what would be the perception of modern people who are still suffering from smallpox, unlike in modern times?

It can be simply summarized in two words: fear.

Even Lavoisier himself seemed reluctant to even mention the disease of smallpox.

“But why are you suddenly bringing up smallpox?”

“What if someone found a way to overcome this disease?”

“Of course, they would gain immense wealth and fame. An achievement worthy of respect from all over the world… Wait, don’t tell me your plan is to create a cure for smallpox?”

The hope in Lavoisier’s voice quickly faded into disappointment.

I could see right through his thoughts.

What a waste of time.

I knew it was just a child’s nonsense.

Even without focusing, I could see these thoughts reflected in his expression.

“Master, do you know how many people have tried to cure smallpox?”

“I know. ‘If you eat this, it will be cured,’ ‘If you eat that, it will be cured,’ ‘I’ve discovered the reason for the disease,’ and so on. Countless rumors and scams have been rampant.”

“That’s right. And for hundreds of years, not a single one of them has been correct. Most people now believe that smallpox is a punishment from God for human sins. What you’re trying to do is nothing more than adding another line to the countless futile scams that have already overflowed.”

“We’ll see what the results are.”

This was not unfounded confidence or recklessness.

Right now, smallpox is seen as an incurable curse, but it won’t be in the future.

Even at this point in time, there is a method called inoculation [deliberately infecting a person with a mild form of the disease to provide immunity], although it is rarely used in Europe.

Of course, this was not a complete prevention method because it had the disadvantage of being too risky.

But even if I didn’t lift a finger, a person who would find a clue to overcome smallpox would appear in England in less than 10 years.

And 20 years later, humanity would naturally acquire a means to fight smallpox.

All I was trying to do was bring that time forward a little.

“I don’t want a lot of support. I just need you to bring the person I want from England. You don’t have to worry about the reliability of the information either. I’ve even cross-validated it with a conversation that Rousseau and David Hume had.”

Of course, it was a lie, but the weight of the names Hume and Rousseau could not be easily dismissed.

Singling out England to bring someone from would have made it sound even more plausible.

In fact, it didn’t matter if I recruited a suitable scientist from within the country, but there was a reason why I insisted on going to England to bring that person.

First, I thought it would be better to share the results through collaboration rather than stealing the achievements of someone who was still alive.

I would achieve my goal, and they would save 30 years, so it wouldn’t be a loss for them either.

And second.

In fact, the previous reason was just a convenient excuse, and this was my real aim.

“Why do we have to send someone to England? Could it be that a way to cure smallpox is being researched there?”

“To be precise, there is someone in England who knows the clue. In fact, if we only discover a way to prevent smallpox, we might just end up being praised and that’s it. But what if our France takes the glory that England was supposed to have? And what if the person who led that effort is of royal blood?”

“Well… the citizens would be ecstatic. No, the word ‘ecstatic’ might not even be enough to describe it. The royal family, whose popularity is already declining these days, would never be able to ignore you.”

That was right.

The reason why I insisted on bringing someone from England was to exploit France’s inferiority complex towards England.

In particular, England even used unethical tactics of using smallpox in the war during the Seven Years’ War, in which France was defeated.

The method of eradicating that smallpox is developed by a person of the French royal blood, using an Englishman.

The British government would become a fool who couldn’t even recognize the treasure that was right under their noses.

What achievement could be more exhilarating for the French people than this?

To compare it to Koreans, it would be an exaggeration to say that it would be more exhilarating than beating China in the semi-finals of the World Cup and then beating Japan in the finals to win the championship.

“Lavoisier, seize the opportunity.”

I drove a wedge into the hesitating Lavoisier.

“This plan requires not only a doctor but also the help of an excellent scientist. So, I’m thinking of getting the cooperation of your son, Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier.”

“Excuse me? Are you talking about my son?”

“Yes. He’s a genius who is almost certain to enter the Paris Academy of Sciences, right? I’ve heard from various sources that if he continues like this, wealth and fame are as good as guaranteed.”

I paused and subtly observed his reaction, and Lavoisier’s eyes twitched slightly.

As expected of a fool for his son, who has great love for his son, he seemed to have a hard time hiding his pride.

I took a moment to catch my breath and calmly continued.

“But if what I’m trying to do succeeds, your son can be named as one of the heroes who saved humanity from smallpox. I believe you understand how much fame this will bring.”

“To summarize… The additional money required besides finding the person is not that much. And meaningful results will come out within three years. Is that correct?”

A look of determination settled on Lavoisier’s face as he sought confirmation.

At this point, he was almost completely on board.

In fact, the three-year time frame was intentionally extended.

From the beginning, I had planned not to exceed two years at the longest.

“If there seems to be no progress even after an additional year, you can stop investing at any time. This way, you’ll have almost no losses, right?”

“It’s not the financial loss in case of failure that I fear. I’m worried that the public’s perception of you will be that of a con artist. Lawyers don’t take risks on uncertain matters. Trying to grab something while taking risks is the mindset of a merchant.”

Having said that, Lavoisier closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“But this time, I’ll roll the dice with the heart of a merchant. I can only hope that my eyes, which saw potential in you, were not looking through a knothole. So, who do I need to bring?”

I suppressed the urge to jump up and cheer and slowly straightened my posture.

The more you act calmly and pretend to be a big shot in times like these, the more effective it becomes.

“There should be a student undergoing an apprenticeship in Chipping Sodbury, in the southwest of England. It’s a small town, so it won’t be hard to find.”

“What’s his name?”

“Edward Jenner.”

He was a person who achieved great things, but surprisingly, not many people knew his name in the modern era, where smallpox has been eradicated.

However, I vividly remembered how his name began to be re-examined in Europe, which suffered enormous damage from infectious diseases before I regressed.

In honor of Jenner’s contribution to humanity, people called him this.

The pioneer of vaccines.

It was a name that could not be more fitting for the great doctor who created the first vaccine in history.