Manga Chapter 29: Syphilis

Syphilis

Name
Japanese	Romaji
梅毒	Baidoku

Information

Format

Manga

Volume

Volume 6

Chapter No.

29

Pages

32

Adaptation

Light Novel

Volume 2

Chapter 8
Chapter 9 (partial)

Anime

Lakan (season 1, episode 18)

Chronology
Previous	Next
← Chapter 28	Chapter 30 →

Syphilis (梅毒, Baidoku^?) is the twenty-ninth chapter of Nekokurage's The Apothecary Diaries first manga adaptation.

Summary[]

A crying woman holds down an infant's hand with her injured hand, while raising a knife in another. She brings it down on the now-crying infant's fingers. Waking up from the nightmare, Maomao remembers that it was a memory from when she was a baby. While recalling her answer to Jinshi's question, Luomen greets her and gives her a task to do at the Verdigris House, as she has nothing planned for the day.

Maomao walks to a small private building on the Verdigris House grounds. Inside, a middle-aged former courtesan lies bedridden from syphilis. As Maomao feeds her palliative medicine, she recounts that the once-celebrated courtesan was infected over a decade ago, but did not seek treatment even when Luomen, newly arrived, could have cured the disease. After a rash and sores appeared, the courtesan was isolated in the building instead of being driven out, a mercy from the madam.

As she opens a window and burns some incense, Maomao notices the sick woman humming a song. An apprentice courtesan then opens the door, informing Maomao that a man with a monocle is here. Thanking the apprentice, Maomao thinks about the man, who is a regular patron, but is someone she would rather avoid. The sick woman suddenly gets out of her bed covers and begins laying black and white stones on the bed. Watching her, Maomao sits down and silently rebukes the woman.

After some time, Meimei arrives at the building, having finished entertaining the man. She mentions that the man has made an offer for Maomao again, prompting Maomao to be glad that she is not a courtesan. As Meimei caresses the sick woman, she contemplates what it is like to have wishes come true, given that the madam cares more about making profits, and that Meimei is close to the courtesan retirement age. Though Meimei decides to keep working for now, Maomao senses love from her, a feeling she has abandoned herself.

Jinshi arrives back at the imperial palace the day after his trip in the city. As he regrets bringing Maomao to his destination, which also serves as a brothel, he asks Gaoshun if he planned anything. Jinshi then tells Gaoshun about Maomao's adoptive father, who is an unlikely combination of a eunuch and former court physician.

While Jinshi thinks of the expression Maomao made when she gave her answer, Lakan enters his office and makes himself comfortable. Picking up from where they left off, Jinshi shares his thoughts on what Lakan did to lower his courtesan friend's price. In response to Jinshi's negative assessment, Lakan defends his actions, as his "prize" has already been claimed by Jinshi. Lakan offers to pay Jinshi, who refuses. While offhandedly revealing that he knows who Jinshi is, he wonders what his daughter would think, with Jinshi fully realizing that it is Maomao. As he leaves, Lakan requests a meeting with his daughter, leaving both Jinshi and Gaoshun exhausted.

When he notices that Maomao has returned, Jinshi informs her of the meeting request. Upon hearing Lakan's name, Maomao's face darkens into that of extreme fury. Shocked, Jinshi immediately takes back the request, realizing how she feels about Lakan. After Maomao thanks him and excuses herself to continue working, Jinshi resolves to never see that face again.