Chapter 28: Laughing Gas Party (1).

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Laughing gas...

It seemed to be an incredibly terrifying gas.

As we stepped inside, two people were already laughing hysterically.

Judging by their appearances, they looked like men who wouldn't even know how to laugh, yet here they were, grinning from ear to ear.

'Could it be... that even our professor would end up like that...?'

Wow.

Just imagining it gave me goosebumps.

Why, you ask?

Because in this world, there are people whose smiling faces are even scarier.

And that person is none other than our Dr. Robert Liston.

"Now, now. I thought we arrived early, but it seems some of you have already started, ha ha."

Anyway, we followed the professor.

People who seemed to be either employees, butlers, or servants escorted us to the reception room.

Now that I looked closely, the two men I had seen earlier, who were laughing like mad, were just wandering aimlessly around the party venue.

"Are they going to be okay?"

"Huh? Oh, well. They're just in a good mood, so they're like that."

"Ah... I see."

It seemed that the concept of drugs hadn't yet taken hold in this era.

No matter how you looked at it, they seemed far more euphoric than if they were just drunk.

We used to call that state 'high' in professional terms.

When someone became addicted to that high due to drugs, we called it drug addiction.

In other words, they were subjects in need of treatment...

"First, let's do some introductions... and then we'll have some drinks and fill our stomachs before we start."

"Ah, yes."

Here, the doctor was the one giving the orders.

'Is this really not Earth in the 19th century?'

It feels similar, but there's something different, isn't there?

What are we supposed to start, you ask?

Bond?

"Let me introduce you. This is Dr. Richard, our hospital's internal medicine professor."

"Ah, yes. My name is Joseph."

"I'm Alfred."

"I'm Pyeong. I'm from Joseon, and I'm a Christian."

Despite my inner thoughts, I followed the professor's lead and did my best to introduce myself.

As expected, everyone's eyes were fixed on my face.

And also as expected, no one immediately made any rude remarks.

Though some clearly had trembling expressions, as if they were itching to make racist comments or actions, they held back—probably because Dr. Robert Liston was by my side.

"Ah... Pyeong. Joseon, you say. I've heard of it."

Among them, the nobleman in front of me, Sir Hugh Grant, stood out.

'You've heard of Joseon?'

You've heard of Joseon, hidden behind the veil?

If you think of South Korea in the 21st century, it's a big deal.

In 2022, South Korea was the country of BTS and Squid Game, the ultimate "in" nation, but early 19th-century Joseon...

It wasn't just that people didn't know where it was—they simply didn't know it existed.

"Oh, is that so? To be honest, I hadn't heard of it before meeting Pyeong."

"Well, it's not like I know much about it either. But I do know that my hobby is collecting porcelain."

"Of course. I still remember visiting your estate, Count. Such splendid porcelain..."

The Count was clearly pleased.

To think I could even hear Dr. Robert Liston flattering someone.

Everyone else who had been introduced was glaring, but being able to face him directly and laugh heartily felt like a noble privilege.

It was as if they had the unshakable belief that no matter what happened, Dr. Robert Liston's massive fist wouldn't come crashing into their faces. That was definitely a privilege.

"Ha ha. I heard that from the merchant I bought it from. He said there's a country called Joseon near Qing... and that the porcelain made there has a modest beauty."

From the way he described it as "modest," he seemed to be referring to white porcelain.

I felt like I should act as if I knew something about it.

No, I was certain.

Both of them were looking at me.

"You have a keen eye. Indeed, Joseon's white porcelain... reflects the tastes of the Yangban, the nobility of Joseon. They value simplicity over extravagance. That's why it has an elegant glow and form."

"Ah... so it has an elegant side, does it? Well, if I get the chance, I'll have to buy some white porcelain next time."

"It would be an honor."

I rambled on as best as I could.

The only thing I knew about Joseon was what I had learned from high school history textbooks, but I still knew far more than these people, so it was possible.

"Now then... let's give it a try."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

With the introductions over, it was finally time for the gas.

I had vaguely thought that laughing gas might involve balloons, but that wasn't the case.

Well, if this world had balloons, it would probably also have condoms and surgical gloves.

'Sigh...'

Instead, what appeared was an iron canister.

*Click.*

The professor turned the valve on the canister.

Then, a sound that shouldn't have been possible came out, and...

*Hiss.*

The gas began to leak out.

'Ah... do I really have to do this?'

I felt like I was going to die if I did.

The two men I had seen earlier kept coming to mind.

No, I didn't even need to recall them.

"Kya ha ha ha ha!"

They were still rolling around behind me.

They were running around, laughing like they were possessed by some spirit, acting as if their age meant nothing.

Had they taken good care of their joints...?

How else could they run around like that, bouncing so energetically?

"Well, I'll go first."

While I was hesitating, Colin raised his hand and stepped forward, probably to score points with Dr. Robert Liston.

That brat.

It's not like it's going to do him any good.

Huh? Am I now an incredible genius and a blood ally of Dr. Robert Liston through faith?

*Inhale.*

Anyway, Colin inhaled the gas, which looked downright harmful.

Then his face became dazed, and he started staggering.

"Ha ha. What are you going to do if you inhale that much right from the start?"

Dr. Liston laughed heartily as he watched Colin.

It sounded like he was boiling a train engine or something—it was incredibly loud.

Enough to hurt your ears?

But no one blamed the professor.

Even if they were in their right minds, they wouldn't have, but now that everyone was intoxicated, it was only natural.

"Ha ha ha! That's right! There's porcelain!"

"Ha ha ha! This reminds me of when I went to war."

"Yes, yes. Celadon, you mean!"

"Exactly! I was the one with the gun, ha ha."

Even the Count was continuing some nonsensical conversation while laughing heartily.

*Huff.*

While I was looking around, both my senior and Joseph had also inhaled the gas.

They all had the same dazed expressions.

At least they hadn't inhaled as much as Colin, so they weren't staggering.

"Ha ha ha. Is it always this fun?"

Instead, they started laughing while patting the professor's shoulder.

Don't do that, you lunatics.

You're going to get yourself killed!

"Of course! Why do you think it's called laughing gas?"

But the professor just kept laughing.

Looking closely, even he seemed a bit out of it.

I wonder why.

'Of course...'

Didn't he also turn the valve while the four of them were inhaling?

And even showed them how to inhale properly.

If he hadn't lost his mind, that would have been even stranger.

"Now. You try it too!"

A sane professor is scary enough, but what about a professor who's lost his mind?

I had no choice but to bring my face close to the gas canister.

*Click.*

The valve turned, and the gas leaked out.

I only took a slight whiff, but it didn't smell particularly good.

So I just pretended to inhale.

*Huff.*

Maybe because the professor wasn't in his right mind, he fell for it.

No matter how much I respected the professor, I didn't want to inhale some mysterious gas like this...

"Oh..."

Anyway, I staggered and stuck as close to the wall as possible.

Then I observed the people around me.

From this, I learned a few things.

First, I had no idea what kind of gas this was, but everyone who inhaled it showed the same reaction.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Kya ha ha ha ha!"

Given that it was called laughing gas, everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

Most expressed that mood through laughter, but some just ran around.

Like children who had just received Christmas presents, even a bald old man was running around.

If I described it, it would sound like a scene from a horror movie, but seeing it in person, it really was like that.

'Wait a minute...??'

They were really running for a long time.

Even young people like me, or those who took care of themselves, would be out of breath and on the verge of death after running that much.

No, their legs would hurt before that.

It was as if their muscles and joints were about to give out from all the running.

'This doesn't seem normal...??'

It was hard to guess his exact age because of his baldness, but it seemed like his youth was long gone.

He was also quite heavy.

Could his joints really handle that?

No way.

This era doesn't even have proper painkillers.

At best, they'd grind willow bark for relief...

'Steroids are out of the question.'

Steroids.

Cortisone.

That miracle drug, known by many names, was especially effective for arthritis.

Did they have it here?

Of course not.

'Can they... not feel pain? Is it because of the gas?'

I felt a sinking feeling in my chest.

If the pain relief was this powerful, this wasn't just a painkiller—it was an anesthetic.

Moreover, based on what I had observed so far, there didn't seem to be any noticeable side effects.

"Oh..."

Well, except for Colin.

He had inhaled too much earlier, so he was wandering around like a zombie.

But still... he didn't seem like he was going to die.

After all, he's still moving around, right?

His complexion was a bit pale, but... he had his hand on his stomach, so it seemed like he was feeling nauseous.

Usually, if you take too much anesthesia or painkillers, you can feel nauseous.

'Could this be used in surgery?'

If it could...

'This would be the discovery of the century.'

First, I wanted to know how to make laughing gas, but there was no one to ask.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Asking Dr. Robert Liston right now would be half-suicidal.

He had just smashed a table.

I don't know if he was showing off his strength or what, but I had no intention of becoming his next target.

I rationalized that I could just ask him tomorrow when he sobered up, and instead decided to start my own experiment.

"Hey... you monkey brat. What's up, man? Ha ha ha."

Colin, that guy, seemed to be in better shape than before.

'Will he remember?'

Even though he looked drunk, it was probably different from alcohol.

It meant his memories might not be suppressed.

Though they'd probably be hazy.

"Hey, you. Man."

Look at him now.

You brat, you're rolling on the floor right now.

Not walking.

As if he didn't even realize it, he was flailing his legs.

'Good. This is an experiment. It's not some petty revenge.'

Yes, I'm not beating up a racist—I'm conducting an experiment for the great advancement of medical history.

Thinking that way made me feel much better.

I hit Colin with a small wooden stick—probably originally a hook for hanging something.

"Huh?"

I didn't hit him hard at first.

Just in case he fought back.

But look at this guy.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Huh?"

He didn't even realize he was being hit.

'Good. Let's go harder!'