Chapter 19
EP.19 The Physician Exam (5)
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Continuing to use [Enhancement], I have gained some understanding of the skill mechanism.
Originally, when enhancing materials with alchemy, it elevates one characteristic by a step.
For example, iron is already hard. After one enhancement, it becomes even harder, and after two enhancements, it becomes very sturdy.
However, if the initial casting of the first enhancement took 1 hour, the second stage might take up to 10 hours.
Advanced enhancements required longer casting times themselves.
‘Another thing is the influence of the materials.’
For instance, it was impossible to cast a second-level enhancement of rose medicine with the property of healing.
It seems to be due to the limitations of the materials.
But for Willow tree, which has potential as a medicinal ingredient, a second-level enhancement was possible.
However, it required a very long casting time.
This painless medicine here was created even by sacrificing sleep for an experiment.
Pain-relieving medicines range from weak ones to analgesics, painless medicine, and anesthetics.
Though not as potent as an anesthetic, painless medicine can still have a considerable effect.
To create an anesthetic, I would need to use different materials or increase my alchemy skill rank.
This is the highest level of medication I can currently produce.
I held the painless medicine in my right hand and opened Boris’s mouth with my left hand.
“Boris, it’s precious, so swallow it without spilling.”
“Ugh, gulp, yes…!”
Even just looking at Boris’s fractured leg, it seemed gruesomely painful.
The healing spells must have been messed up, leaving even more to be desired.
I carefully fed the painless medicine into Boris’s mouth and helped him drink some water, which he swallowed with great effort.
“Phew, phew.”
Boris struggled to calm his breathing.
Before I knew it, other healers, knights, and even my father had gathered around us.
Considering Boris suffered the most severe injuries in this battle, it was natural.
“Phew, phew… Young Master?”
“Oh, Boris, are you coming to your senses?”
“Yes… I feel a bit hazy.”
“The leg? Still hurting a lot?”
“Well… strangely, the pain has decreased significantly. No, it’s more like I don’t feel any other sensations either…”
“The effect is certain. Let me touch it.”
I lifted Boris’s leg to check the angle of the broken bone.
The other healers were agitated by my decisive touch. But Boris didn’t scream any louder.
“Hmm, how did this happen?”
“Did you just feed something to Sir Boris?”
The middle of Boris’s calf bone was fractured, causing the lower part to twist in the opposite direction.
“Hold on for a moment.”
“Yes, yes…”
Boris replied absentmindedly.
I positioned his thigh against my hip to immobilize the area and applied pressure to ensure proper alignment.
‘If the angle remains incorrect for too long, it could lead to thrombosis.’
It’s a big problem if a knight’s muscles atrophy from lack of movement.
Even if it’s a bit rough, I must prioritize resetting the bone.
I pressed firmly beneath the calf with all my strength.
– Crack! –
It wasn’t a pleasant sound to hear.
Nevertheless, it appeared to have returned to its proper position.
“A splint. Bring two clubs over there.”
“Me? Clubs?”
One healer raised a puzzled eyebrow.
Tsk, there’s no one useful here.
Just as I keenly felt the need for a nurse who listens well, Tanya brought the staff and clubs that the goblin shaman had been holding.
“Will this suffice?”
“It’s the perfect size.”
Though there are no visible major injuries, I apply a disinfectant with the red potion just in case.
[Emergency Treatment activated]
I wrap linen bandages around Boris’s legs, placing the staff and clubs on either side.
My hands move quickly, almost instinctively, thanks to my proficiency in emergency treatment.
As the treatment concludes, faint particles of white light emanate from the treated area, indicating the effectiveness of the emergency treatment in boosting recovery.
“My part here is done. I’ve realigned the bone and prevented additional infection. Other healers, proceed with healing spells.”
“Then I shall finish the healing process.”
The healing process continued seamlessly. Unlike before, Boris’s leg was naturally recovering.
“Phew.”
I finally straightened my back and stood up from my seat.
“The leg returned to its original state in no time… According to the usual method, it would take an hour of casting the spell for reconstruction, so it’s amazing.”
The senior healers carefully examined Boris’s leg, impressed by the effect.
Boris, half-dazed, began to drift off to sleep, blinking his eyes.
“Thank you, young master.”
“If you’re thankful, bring a gift.”
“Haha, I have some extraordinary liquor…”
“Something delicious instead of alcohol. If the physician gets alcoholism and starts shaking, it’s a disaster.”
Not good, not good at all.
A physician with shaky hands is the worst of the worst.
“Then let’s conclude the goblin subjugation and the physician practical exam with this.”
My father declared quietly. The knights and healers cheered and applauded.
“Well done, everyone. Stay alert until we return to avoid any injuries.”
After the exam ended, my father returned with a gentle attitude, praising the knights and healers.
The unit began to move slowly.
As I followed, Tanya stood by my side.
“young master, you worked hard.”
“Not really, the commander did.”
“The treatment you provided for Boris…”
“It’s not healing, it’s treatment. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but it’s slightly different.”
“I see. Understood.”
Tanya nodded.
“The treatment you provided for Boris was quite impressive. Healers are essential when our knights are fighting, but they also endure a lot of pain.”
“The healing process can be painful depending on the severity of the injury.”
For instance, let’s say someone got pierced by an ice spear from a demon, causing a hole in their abdomen.
They suffer injuries where some organs are torn away.
What happens when these injuries are healed with powerful healing spells?
The answer is that the original organs are removed, and new ones are regenerated in their place.
Creating a body with divine power is truly miraculous, but the problem is the lack of consideration for the pain that comes with the process.
So, in such cases, during the healing spell, they may be shocked by the pain.
And even if healing spells are continuously cast, there’s no guarantee of sequential recovery.
It’s like suddenly creating organs, then dying from lack of blood due to healing limbs at once.
“If it were an ordinary healing spell, it would have taken extensive training for Boris’s leg to recover. Your treatment, young master, is certainly different.”
“Commander Tanya, do you have keen eyes?”
“Of course. I didn’t end up here with mediocre skills.”
Tanya’s pride in her abilities was evident.
Exiting the cave, we could breathe in the refreshing air.
The knights opened their water flasks and poured them over their heads.
“Destroy the goblin lair. Senior healers, bring the scores for evaluation.”
My father organized the situation and gathered opinions. After confirming the scores, he declared to the healers.
“The results are in. We will now announce the final candidates for the royal physician.”
The healers tensed up again. Since they were focused on fighting in real battles, many may not have paid much attention to their performance.
“There are three final candidates. Tomorrow, a second-rank physician from the royal clinic will visit. They will select one from the final candidates. The candidates will be determined by the scores from myself and the five senior healers, excluding the highest and lowest scores.”
My father finally called out the names.
“The final candidates are Sevram, Gis, and Lars. That is all.”
Sighs of resignation circulated among the healers. It was a natural reaction, as most of them would be eliminated.
My father turned to Gis and asked.
“Gis, you were in the same group as Lars. Do you have any complaints about the results?”
Gis glanced at me nervously, then answered slowly.
“…None.”
It would be strange if he did.
He had just witnessed a new treatment mechanism that could induce cultural shock.
“Well done, everyone. Go back and rest.”
Thus, the practical exam ended safely.
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***
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“Ugh…”
Acella, who had tossed and turned due to abdominal pain the previous night, finally woke up late that day.
With the head maid gone to supervise the physician’s practical exam, there was no one to wake her up.
“What a disgrace.”
It’s not like she’s part of the royal family, nor is she a concubine.
No, even in the palace, it wouldn’t be appropriate.
Acella immediately ordered the maids to tidy up her appearance.
Even that task took over an hour.
Leaving her bedroom, she gathered the escort knights in the viscount’s garden.
“Where will you be going, Your Highness?”
“To the annex.”
“I’ll escort you.”
Acella already had her own knights perfectly aligned with her.
Her knights were loyal to Acella, not to the empress.
No, even the knights and maids of the empress could instinctively sense the direction in which the third empress faction was heading.
Acella’s innate aura and powerful mana.
Anyone who had witnessed her casting high-level magic even once couldn’t help but be captivated.
All courtiers were aware that the real power was shifting to this faction.
There was only one unsettling factor, Acella’s young age.
But aside from that, she is growing and will undoubtedly become a great figure.
The knights who serve Acella had unwavering faith in her.
Yet, no one knew what that girl was thinking.
“Go up alone.”
Upon reaching the annex, Acella sought out Lars’s room.
She wanted to hear the results of the physician’s test directly from his mouth.
While climbing the stairs, Acella witnessed a scene of a maid carrying luggage in the annex.
Recognizing Acella, the maid politely stopped and bowed.
Acella’s gaze fell on the large item the maid was carrying.
“What are you carrying?”
“Huh? Oh, this… um…”
The maid, not expecting the princess to speak to her, hesitated and stuttered.
“It’s Master Lars’s bedding. I was going to wash it…”
Got it!
Acella grabbed Lars’s bedding and unfolded it.
Small, faint crimson stains dotted the pristine white high-quality fabric.
It was bloodstains.
“What are these marks?”
“I, um, I’m not sure. The bedding from Master Lars’s room is always like this…”
“Always like this? Since when?”
“Not always… maybe just in the past week.”
Acella glanced suspiciously at the bedding and then quickly turned back towards Lars’s room.
– `Thump thump. –
Her footsteps lost their grace.
“Lars.”
She knocked on the door roughly.
It was time after the practical exam had ended. He should be back in his room.
…No response.
“Lars, are you in there?”
Acella absentmindedly placed her hand on the doorknob.
The door opened without resistance.
Curious golden eyes peered through the crack into the room.
And there, on the floor of the room…
“…!”
Lars was lying unconscious, blood dripping from his mouth.