Light Novel Volume 11

Volume 11

Japanese
English

Japanese

薬屋のひとりごと１１

Romaji

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 11

Trans. Title

Apothecary's Monologue 11

English

The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 11

Cover Character(s)
Maomao, Rikuson

Release Info

Format

Light Novel

Release (JP)

April 30, 2021

ISBN (JP)

ISBN-13：ISBN 978-4-07-448226-9
ISBN-10：ISBN 4-07-448226-6

Pages (JP)

408

Release (EN)

Digital：May 19, 2024 (J-Novel Club)

ISBN (EN)

ISBN-13：ISBN 978-1-71-836138-6
ISBN-10：ISBN 1-7183-6138-6

Volumes
◄ Previous	Next ►
Volume 10	Volume 12

"The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 11" ( 薬屋のひとりごと１１, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 11 ) is the 11th volume of the The Apothecary Diaries light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga and illustrated by Touko Shino. It was first published in Japan on April 30, 2021. The translated digital English version was published via J-Novel Club on May 19, 2024.

The second audio drama CD was included with this volume.

Blurb[]

I-sei Province is still reeling in the aftermath of the insect plague. Jinshi resolves to do everything in his power to help the people of this land—but how far does his power really go in the Western Capital? And will he regret his efforts when all the credit seems to go to Gyoku-ou? The local lord seems to have an agenda of his own, but Jinshi still doesn't know what it might be. Meanwhile Maomao must deal with problems of her own, from finding relief for a sick child to unraveling the mystery around the freak strategist's favorite Shogi opponent. Somehow, each answer only seems to lead her to a bigger question...

Chapters[]

Prologue
Chapter 1: Dried Fruit (乾燥果実, Kansō Kajitsu^?)
Chapter 2: The Strategist Strikes! (軍師襲来, Gunshi Shūrai^?)
Chapter 3: Big Lin (林大人, Rin Taijin^?)
Chapter 4: Small Lin (林小人, Rin Shōjin^?)
Chapter 5: A Brother's Return (兄帰る, Ani Kaeru^?)
Chapter 6: From the Capital (都より, Miyako Yori^?)
Chapter 7: The Letters That Arrived (届いた文, Todoita Fumi^?)
Chapter 8: The Letters That Didn't (届かない文, Todokanai Fumi^?)
Chapter 9: The Meeting (会合, Kaigō^?)
Chapter 10: The Golden Ratio (黄金比, Kōgonhi^?)
Chapter 11: The Coal Mine (炭鉱, Tankō^?)
Chapter 12: Mother versus Son (親子喧嘩, Oyako Kenka^?)
Chapter 13: A Visit to the Ill (慰問, Imon^?)
Chapter 14: Tianyu (天祐, Tinyū^?)
Chapter 15: Violence (暴動, Bōdō^?)
Chapter 16: Gyokuen's Children (玉袁の子どもたち, Gyokuen no Kodomo-tachi^?)
Chapter 17: In the Shadow of the Ritual (祭祀の陰に, Saishi no Kage ni^?)
Chapter 18: The Siblings' Conference (兄弟会議, Kyōdai Kaigi^?)
Chapter 19: The Weeping Wind (Part One) (風は泣く (前編), Kaze wa Naku (Zenpen)^?)
Chapter 20: The Weeping Wind (Part Two) (風は泣く (後編), Kaze wa Naku (Kōhen)^?)
Chapter 21: The Strategist Takes Command (軍師の采配, Gunshi no Saihai^?)
Chapter 22: The Imperial Brother's Complaint (皇弟の愚痴, Otōto no Guchi^?)
Epilogue

Synopsis[]

Five days have passed since the locust swarm, and supplies are running low, despite Gyoku-ou having sent aid out based on Rikuson's calculations. At the request of a servant, Maomao and Tianyu rush to perform an emergency operation on an eight-year-old girl suffering from intestinal blockage. While checking over the girl, Maomao notices white hair at the roots, likely from stress. With permission from the girl's mother, Tianyu handles surgery, while Maomao prepares the painkiller and aftercare medicine. They extract the gastrolith, a ball of persimmon fibers and hair.

After the surgery, Maomao questions the mother, Gyoku-ou's daughter, about the presence of hair in the gastrolith. She explains that she repeatedly dyed her daughter's naturally auburn hair black due to her father's hate of foreigners, which extends to foreign traits.

At Jinshi's room in the annex, Maomao reports on the surgery for Gyoku-ou's granddaughter. Noting Gyoku-ou's hate of foreigners, Jinshi surmises that Gyokuyou and he may not be as close as originally thought. Lakan then arrives, requesting help to house a Shogi master, an old friend of his who lost his home during the swarm, to play against him. Jinshi agrees to do so the following day.

The next day, Chue brings Maomao to a match between Lakan and Big Lin, the Shogi master. Big Lin previously worked with the Yi clan as an official and later a historian but became senile after losing all his work in their destruction 17 years ago, only gaining clarity during Shogi games. As she watches them play, Small Lin, Big Lin's caretaker and relative, records his mutterings.

When Big Lin falls asleep, Small Lin shows everyone his notes, which resemble Shogi game records. Placing game pieces where the notes indicate reveals a map of the Western Capital, with each marking out different locations. As the locations no longer match a current map, Small Lin leaves to find an older map.

Maomao becomes suspicious with Small Lin having not returned after half an hour. She asks Lakan the locations of the game pieces, to which Chue points out one of them is a shrine. Lakan also claims that Small Lin is a liar. At the same time, a soldier arrives to inform them that the shrine has been set on fire, and that Big Lin's real family are searching for him. Maomao then realizes that Small Lin has deceived all of them.

Maomao's group reports to Jinshi that 'Small Lin' seemed completely ordinary in all aspects, while speculating on his intentions. Chue explains that some people can completely immerse themselves into a role, as Small Lin did. Lakan also notes that Gyoku-ou is like Small Lin in playing a role, except that he is a "hero".

Another locust swarm appears 10 days after the first, further leading to a breakdown of order. Days later, Lahan's Brother arrives back in the western capital ragged and unkempt.

In the Imperial Palace, Lahan works to address requests for emergency supplies in response to the locust swarm. He gives his workload to a coworker to focus on documents concerning the western capital's past. After work, Lahan heads home, only to find Yao and En'en standing by the gates. Yao questions him on any news from Maomao, to which there have been none. She then requests Lahan to allow them to stay at the annex, wanting to continue reading the medical books. In exchange, Yao offers information regarding her uncle, Vice Minister Lu, specifically his prior investigation of the western capital's coal. After some consideration, Lahan agrees to the bargain.

Supplies in the western capital continue to dwindle, despite new supplies sent from the Central Province and Lahan's Brother's efforts. At the medical office, Tianyu comments on Gyoku-ou, who seems to thrive in the spotlight. Lahan's Brother brings Maomao three letters, from Lahan, Yao, and En'en. All the letters are reinforced with oil paper, which strikes Maomao as suspicious. Lahan's letter also includes sentences that seem out of character for him.

Busy with the locust plague aftermath, Rikuson wonders why he has yet to receive any letters. He comes across a request for Gyoku-ou to send food to a farming village, in exchange for conscription of soldiers.

Jinshi remains in the annex, unable to freely venture outside on orders from Gyoku-ou. Though it was Jinshi who procured supplies from the central province, Gyoku-ou took the credit for distribution. On Gyoku-ou's summons, Jinshi attends a meeting with him and Lakan at the administrative office. Gyoku-ou requests for soldiers to start a war to capture Shaoh's harbors, under the pretext of regaining the leverage Shaoh had over Li when the former shrine maiden died. Jinshi questions whether Gyoku-ou's decision is supported by his family, including Gyokuen. He also quietly convinces Lakan to not support the planned war, which would result in medicine shortages. Lakan decides to leave the meeting, with Jinshi following shortly.

Maomao shows Lahan's Brother the letter she received from Lahan, who scowls on hearing his name. Lahan's Brother notes that Lahan usually writes in a very particular way, which Maomao interprets as Lahan hiding a clue in his letter. By overlapping Lahan's letter with Yao's, she makes out a message to "find the coal". The message is then turned over to Jinshi.

Chue reports back that coal mining operations did previously exist in the Western Province, but there are no longer any records. She also discusses with Maomao the arguments for and against Gyoku-ou's plan of invading Shaoh, which includes exporting coal mined near the border for profit. Maomao surmises that coal continued to be mined despite not reporting and was given to farmers in times of bad harvest. Chue adds that it may have been enslaved Windreaders who mined the coal.

Basen and Taomei argue over Gyoku-ou and the western capital's lack of respect for Jinshi. Chue proposes to send Basen out as Jinshi's representative, to improve his image among the public. Maomao, Basen, Chue, and Lihaku join Dr. Li at a pop-up clinic to help see to the numerous sick and injured from the locust swarm. While Chue makes a meal when Dr. You and Tianyu arrive back from visiting patients, she explains to Maomao why Dr. You was chosen as the main physician for the trip.

Basen questions Dr. You on his loyalty to Jinshi, due to him being born in the western capital and having the same surname as Gyoku-ou. Dr. You affirms that the western capital has always acted independently from the royal capital, including not reporting matters such as mini-insect swarms. He further positively compares Jinshi's dedication to western capital after the locust plague to the Yi clan, which he does not describe as rebellious despite the public's prevailing opinion. To that end, Dr. You agrees to associate himself more with Jinshi.

Everyone in the clinic gets ready to head back in the evening. Chue opens a package Tianyu brought along, revealing a separated human arm. Despite Tianyu wishing to use it for dissection practice, Dr. Li forces him to bury it. While both are outside, Dr. You explains to Maomao how Tianyu became a doctor: He and Dr. Liu were impressed by Tianyu's dissection of a bear, which led to them learning that Tianyu was descended from Kada, the legendary physician. Once they realized his extreme curiosity, they steered Tianyu onto his current path to avoid him becoming a murderer.

As Maomao steps out of the clinic, a child accuses her of "bringing" the locust plague. She realizes that tensions in the western capital are reaching a tipping point. A few weeks later, Maomao's group wakes to a group of angry citizens before the annex in the middle of the night, demanding to see the Moon Prince.

Gyoku-ou arrives to speak, with Jinshi and Basen also appearing. While Maomao and Chue listen from a nearby tree, Gyoku-ou praises Jinshi's support of the western capital, but the citizens are still not convinced. To reassure them, Jinshi agrees to perform a ritual to prevent further disaster from happening. Through his theatrics, Gyoku-ou manages to turn the citizens' anger from Jinshi to Shaoh and Hokuaren, where the locusts originated.

Back in his room, Jinshi discusses with his retinue whether Gyokuen or Gyokuyou had any influence on Gyoku-ou's proposal. After concurring that neither did, he then discusses what moves Gyoku-ou might make next, especially in the upcoming ritual.

Dahai, Gyokuen's third son and overseer of the western capital's port, soon arrives to speak with Jinshi, with Maomao and Chue listening from behind a curtain. While Chue explains to Maomao the workings of Gyokuen's family, Jinshi asks Dahai what Gyoku-ou promised him for invading Shaoh, in return for support. He follows up by asking whether coal was a major factor, which Dahai evades in answering. To make his point, Jinshi blackmails Dahai with evidence of continued coal mining, in exchange for opposing Gyoku-ou's planned war. At the same time, Maomao deduces that Dahai was already opposed to the war but needed a valid 'excuse' from Jinshi to justify not supporting Gyoku-ou.

Days later, the citizens, having been pacified by Gyoku-ou and his brothers, get ready for the ritual. Gyoku-ou and his younger siblings hold a conference to discuss his plans of invading Shaoh, along with Rikuson as an attendant. The older siblings oppose the war due to it being detrimental to their businesses, while the younger siblings, whose businesses are not as successful, push back against them. They also request more fuel, especially coal, for the upcoming winter. Gyoku-ou reiterates that war can benefit the western capital, pointing out the shortcomings of the Yi clan. He then suggests that the crown prince may not remain in that position for long, with the Moon Prince possibly being the Emperor's son, to his siblings' disbelief. Gyoku-ou brings up the many infant deaths in the rear palace, and that those involved in the Moon Prince’s birth may have been silenced. Now doubtful of their prior opinions, the siblings leave for the ritual.

In his office within the administrative building, Gyoku-ou gets ready for the ritual, but is interrupted by Takubatsu, a farmer and Gyoku-ou's milk brother. Takubatsu tries to convince him not to invade Shaoh, to no avail. As a last resort, Takubatsu reveals that they are half-brothers born from the same father, when their mothers were both slaves to a Shaohnese merchant. On Gyokuen's orders, he disguised himself as Small Lin to steal the family register from Big Lin, so the truth would never come out. Gyoku-ou then seemingly agrees to not invade Shaoh, but stabs Takubatsu to death to proceed with his plans.

While Gyoku-ou reminisces about his upbringing as Gyokuen’s first son in a growing family, Rikuson enters the office to check on him. Gyoku-ou is then suddenly stabbed by Rikuson, ending his dream of becoming the hero of the western capital.

Rikuson recalls his youth as a member of the Yi clan, when they ruled the western capital. He would roam around the capital and visit the Shogi hall to greet Big Lin. One day, he met Lakan there, and requested to be given a job once he became successful in the central province.

His family included his mother, aunt (the clan head), older sister, and three younger cousins; husbands could not join the clan due to fear of them taking over. As a soon-to-be man, Rikuson’s future role was to leave the clan and "become the wind", gathering information for the Yi clan as a merchant. He could have also joined the Windreader tribe, had they not ceased to exist. That year, a lack of exports and an insect plague caused widespread hunger, which led to the Yi clan agreeing to bring out the "black stone".

Gyokuen, a former member of the Yi clan and already a successful merchant, came by to ask Rikuson's mother to lend him the family register in exchange for helping to distribute the "black stone". Though Rikuson's mother denied his request due to the family register already with Big Lin, Gyokuen explained that he wanted to make changes to it so his eldest son Gyoku-ou's foreign heritage would never be revealed.

The "black stone", or coal, was mined by slaves. Some of the slaves were former Windreaders, who were planning on sharing the secret of using pigeons with other countries. The Yi clan took this as betrayal and refused to immediately free them, as Gyokuen did. On the other hand, the former Windreaders abhorred the Yi clan and supported turning the western capital into a patriarchy.

On the morning the day the Yi clan fell, their mansion was surrounded. Rikuson's mother ordered him, his cousins, and the cousins' mother to run to the house of Gyokuen's newest wife. There, the wife explained that supposedly the Yi clan had been found fraudulently reporting the amount of coal mined, and that they claimed to have a child of imperial descent. These allegations were sent to the imperial capital using Gyokuen's seal and led to an imperial edict ordering the destruction of the Yi clan, even though Gyokuen himself was on a trip to Shaoh.

Rikuson then understood that he was the "child of imperial descent" within the false allegations, and despite that, rushed back to the Yi clan mansion to rescue his family members. He pushed through the mob and into the mansion, only to be discovered by his sister and mother. Rikuson's sister made him promise to protect the west by any means, before shutting him in a large chest. Disguised as Rikuson, his sister along with his mother went out to confront the crowd. They were soon beaten and killed by the mob, led by Gyoku-ou. Rikuson would memorize his face and swore to kill him one day for destroying the Yi clan.

Eventually, Rikuson was rescued by Gyokuen, who had come back from Shaoh. After saying goodbye to his cousins and promising to help Gyokuyou in the future, he left with Gyokuen to go to the imperial capital.

While on the carriage to the port, Gyokuen admitted that it was his fault Gyoku-ou decided to destroy the Yi clan. Not only was Gyoku-ou insecure about his status as Gyokuen's eldest son, due to Gyokuen not being his biological father, but he also sought revenge as a descendant of the Windreader tribe. Gyoku-ou was also under the misimpression that Rikuson was Gyokuen's true son, based on an offhand comment by Gyokuen (who was infertile). When Gyoku-ou's allegations reached the central province, it was the incompetent Emperor who issued the edict, not the Empress Regnant. However, it was true that the Yi clan had not been honest in reporting the amount of coal mined.

To give Rikuson a chance at revenge, Gyokuen promised him the right to kill Gyoku-ou if he did anything that harmed the western capital, in exchange for continuing to "become the wind". At the port, Rikuson convinced a reluctant Lakan to get on the boat and reiterated his request for a future job.

Using the poorly conceived imperial edict as a bargaining chip in imperial court, Gyokuen was able to become the new ruler of the western capital, stop surviving members of the Yi clan from being killed, and seize coal mining rights. Although The Yi clan remained disgraced, Gyokuen's planning ensured the western capital's prosperity.

Rikuson removes the knife in Gyoku-ou and moves next to Takubatsu's body. When several people, including Gyoku-ou's aide, enter the office, Rikuson cryptically 'confesses' that he found Gyoku-ou's dead body next to Takubatsu. Thus, he killed him in return. Though the aide is suspicious, Lakan asserts that Rikuson is telling the truth, which everyone takes as fact. Rikuson and a lady-in-waiting remain in the office after everyone else leaves. He identifies the lady-in-waiting as a disguised Chue, who assures him that there will be no further investigations. Rikuson also requests Chue to destroy the family register, as a favor to Gyokuen, so that Gyokuyou’s biological father will never be revealed.

Chue informs Maomao of Gyoku-ou's murder by a farmer, who was also killed. Though Maomao finds both deaths suspicious, she and Chue discuss who the next leader of the western capital will be. The absence of a leader forces Jinshi to find someone to take Gyoku-ou's place, but no one is willing. Gyoku-ou's siblings reject the offer due to being too specialized in their own fields, and his children have too little experience in politics. Rikuson declines due to being sent from the central province, but instead nominates Jinshi to lead the western capital, to his surprise. Despite the unrest in the capital, Maomao decides to stay on with Jinshi to help manage Lakan.

Having avenged his family, Rikuson bemoans his lack of purpose. When Gyokuen had requested him back to the western capital, Gyokuyou (by pigeon) had given him free rein to do anything, having known his grudge against Gyoku-ou. As he watches the sky, he remembers the words of his sister and decides to continue protecting the western capital.