Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

"Pinky promise, when I get better I'll ask my big brother to tell me a story." Olivia smiled innocently.

“Okay, it’s settled.” Isaac also reached out his hand, and the little fingers of his two hands, one big and one small, touched together.

After Olivia calmed down, Isaac continued looking at the medical records. Her illness was a hereditary blood clotting disorder that had been present since at least her great-grandfather's generation. There were not many similar cases in the entire Kingdom of Ledingsheftrich, and it was clear that this disease was difficult to cure with the current level of medical care in the country.

But Isaac was, after all, an alchemist from Amestris, and his medical expertise was far superior to that of this country.

While that's true, Isaac still encountered difficulties when considering treatment options.

Because Isaac discovered from the medical records he had of Olivia that her illness had progressed to an advanced stage.

In other words, if Isaac hadn't come, he would have died from his illness a year later.

"This is difficult..." Isaac covered his head; this situation was quite challenging for him.

Treating a terminally ill patient is like pulling someone who knows they are going to die back from the brink of death, which is extremely difficult for someone like Isaac who has only studied medicine for a few years.

"What's wrong, big brother?" Olivia asked, looking at Isaac's troubled expression.

“It’s nothing, just thinking about some things,” Isaac said, trying to give the patient some confidence.

"Is my illness particularly troublesome?"

"..." Isaac couldn't help but admire the little girl's keen observation; it seemed she had been noticed.

Olivia showed no worry on her face, nor did she seem concerned about her dwindling life.

“I know my own illness. My father has consulted many doctors, but it hasn’t helped.”

“Your condition is indeed quite serious,” Isaac said after a moment’s thought.

"I thought so too," Olivia said with a smile, lying on the bed, showing no fear or sadness. "Big brother, can you do me a favor?"

"what?"

Olivia pointed out the window, where the lake beside the cottage was visible. Autumn leaves fell like rain, and naturally, some of them floated on the lake.

“I have a wish I want to fulfill,” Olivia said, gazing out the window. “I want Dad to see the fallen leaves floating on the lake next to our house…”

Isaac didn't interrupt her, and listened quietly as she spoke.

“When the fallen leaves float on the water, I want to walk across the lake on them,” Olivia said, her eyes welling up with tears. “I want my dad to see it.”

“Olivia…” Isaac looked at the girl, who seemed to be giving her last words, and sighed.

"Assuming you weigh around 20kg, calculate the surface tension and air resistance of the lake, as well as the component of the force you exert when you step on the fallen leaves parallel to the flow field, which is the resistance. The acceleration you would need to cross the lake would be approximately 110 kilometers per hour, requiring fifteen times the muscle mass of an average person."

“…” Olivia didn’t understand what spell Isaac was saying at all.

Isaac continued, "I don't think you, Olivia, could run that fast. If your father were watching, he would only see you fall into the lake and then give you a good scolding for being soaked to the bone."

"Hmph! Big brother is so boring!" Olivia puffed out her cheeks and turned her head to the side. "And you call yourself an alchemist."

"I'm sorry, but alchemists are essentially scientists, and they have to be responsible for their words. Besides, as your doctor, I can't let you go for a dip in the lake; it's not good for your health."

“Isn’t big brother an alchemist? Isn’t there any way to grant my wish?” Olivia turned her head back and stared at Isaac.

“Sure, sure,” Isaac said after thinking for a moment. Actually, all you need to do is craft some things to stand on from under the fallen leaves.

"So, can you help me now? I want Dad to see this before I leave," Olivia said excitedly.

"No." She refused without hesitation.

Why?!

"Once you recover, you can make any requests you want, but for now, just focus on cooperating with your treatment."

“Big brother, didn’t you say my illness was…” Olivia asked Isaac, remembering that Isaac had indeed said that my illness was very serious.

“A serious condition doesn’t mean it’s incurable. Please have some faith in me as a doctor.” Isaac smiled and ruffled Olivia’s soft blonde hair.

"Big brother, are you planning to heal me?" Olivia asked, her eyes seemingly regaining hope.

“I’m not planning to heal you,” Isaac laughed, reaching for the bright red Philosopher’s Stone in his pocket.

"I absolutely must cure you!"

Chapter Twenty-Six: Treatment Completed

"Oscar, do you have any spare basements or storage rooms at home?"

After leaving Olivia's room, Isaac found Oscar; it was time for him to make some preparations.

“Oh, yes, please come with me.” Oscar led Isaac to a small hut next to his house. “This is a warehouse, but it hasn’t been used for anything. Is it usable?”

"Barely acceptable." With that, Isaac took out some chalk and began drawing a transmutation circle on the ground. "Don't bother me for the next while."

"Okay." Oscar said this as he left the warehouse, closing the door behind him.

Isaac continued to draw on the ground. This transmutation circle was more complex than any Isaac had ever drawn before, as it involved the composition and decomposition of a large amount of matter.

After studying Olivia's illness, he roughly understood what kind of disease it was: a genetic condition where blood clots in the blood vessels.

To be honest, Isaac had never even heard of this condition before, and he couldn't find any related cases even after searching through the medical notes of the Knoxbell couple.

However, blood clotting in blood vessels is due to the following reasons:

1. Problems with the inner lining of the heart and blood vessels lead to the destruction of platelets.

2. Low levels of anticoagulants in the blood, such as heparin, an important anticoagulant produced in the body. Heparin can inhibit the conversion of prothrombin into thrombin, thereby inhibiting the formation of fibrinogen into fibrin.

3. There are fewer substances in the blood that can dissolve fibrin.

With current medical technology, medication or surgery are basically useless in these situations, but don't forget that Isaac was actually an alchemist.

There's no ailment that alchemy can't cure. If there is, just add a Philosopher's Stone. If there's still something else... well, it's definitely a dead person.

Isaac was full of confidence in the treatment.

Several hours passed, and it gradually got dark.

Just then, Violet knocked on the warehouse door: "Mr. Isaac, Mr. Oscar asked me to tell you that it's time for dinner."

Isaac was so focused on drawing the transmutation circle that he didn't notice the time.

"Is it already so late? Wait a moment, I'll be right out." After writing the last few cryptic characters with chalk, he and Violet returned to Oscar's house. Olivia and Oscar were already waiting for them at the dining table.

Needless to say, the meal was prepared by Oscar, and it was quite lavish.

"Mr. Isaac, when will the treatment begin?" Oscar asked Isaac at the dinner table.

"Tonight." Isaac said, his mouth full of food, as he ate and drank without any regard for appearances.

"Tonight?" Oscar murmured, then asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Not yet, everything is ready."

"Really? That's wonderful!" Oscar was also quite excited. His daughter's illness could finally be cured, and as her father, he couldn't contain his joy.

"Big brother, can you cure my illness?" Olivia asked curiously.

“Of course, I promised you,” Isaac said with a smile. “So, do you trust your big brother?”

Upon hearing Isaac's question, Olivia smiled brightly and nodded.

Dinner is over.

After resting for a while, Isaac led the group to the warehouse.

After the door was opened and the lights were turned on, the originally dark warehouse was instantly illuminated, and everyone could see the patterns on the warehouse floor.

A massive transmutation array.

“Now, Olivia, you should walk to the center of this formation,” Isaac said to Olivia.

“Okay.” Olivia didn’t seem to be there for treatment at all. Seeing the transmutation circle for the first time, she skipped and hopped into it as if she had discovered an interesting toy.

“Oscar, I need a drop of your blood.” He said, taking a small knife and a glass container from his bag.

"it is good."

Oscar didn't say much. He took the knife and cut his finger, and a drop of blood fell into the glass container.

“Alright, everything is ready.” Isaac walked to the side of the formation, knelt down, and asked Olivia, “Are you nervous?”

"No, it's really fun!" Olivia's smile remained as innocent as ever.

Isaac smiled at her, then his expression turned serious. He slowly lowered his hands, raised them, and clasped them together.

Snapped!

He slammed his hand down on the transmutation array.

boom--

The sky outside the warehouse had changed; the once peaceful sky over the entire town of Roswell had become turbulent.

Crack!

Countless blue lightning bolts surged from the transmutation array, which emitted a large amount of airflow. The airflow blew away Isaac's combed bangs, revealing his scarlet mechanical eye.

The gusts of wind also blew Oscar, who was standing in the warehouse, off balance, nearly causing him to fall to the ground. Violet, on the other hand, stood there as if nothing had happened, letting the wind rage around her, but she kept looking at Isaac with a worried expression.

The entire warehouse was creaking and groaning due to the massive energy reaction inside, and it seemed like it would collapse at any moment.

However, Olivia, who was in the middle of the formation, was completely unharmed, and instead had a comfortable expression on her face.

Isaac's face didn't look good.

"Damn it, it still feels a little off." Just as Isaac slapped his hand toward the transmutation circle, he sensed Olivia's current physical condition.

that's terrible!

Her body could only be described as riddled with holes. Due to a genetic disease, most of her organs were failing. One can only imagine the pain she was enduring when she put on that smile.

She didn't want others to worry.

Even if Isaac cures her genetic disease, given her physical condition, she probably won't last more than a few years.

"There's no other way, we have to use that!" Isaac pulled the bright red gem out of his pocket without further ado.

magnetic--

The blue lightning that was originally floating in the air twisted and turned into red lightning. The energy storm surging from the array made the warehouse shake violently.

Poor Oscar was blown against the wall by the gust of air. Violet also clung to the wall for balance, her delicate face showing increasing worry.

"Cough!" Suddenly, Isaac coughed up a mouthful of blood.