Crown Prince Sells Medicine - Chapter 104

The battalion commander was arrested.

He had already been offered a final opportunity quite generously. However, he wasted it, and as a result, no one was inclined to provide him with any further leniency.

“So, did he put up a fight when they apprehended him?”

“He was unexpectedly calm.”

“Calm, you say?”

“Yes.”

Raciel widened his eyes, appearing surprised. While observing his own crown prince, Demian nodded.

“He was sighing deeply, hanging his head as if it was all over. As if promotions and such no longer mattered.”

“Well, that’s not my concern.”

Raciel snorted. This was a medical camp dedicated to treating the wounded, nothing else.

However, the battalion commander had neglected his duties to the point of almost sabotaging the operation. Despite suggestions for improvement, he had shown a defiant attitude.

There was no room for forgiveness.

“Keep that man locked up for now. I’ll inform the princess later. But for now—”

Raciel glanced around the tent that had essentially become his own since the former battalion commander’s fall. The eyes of a few soldiers flickered with guilt; they were the ones who had brought in the wounded on the former commander’s orders.

Yet, Raciel didn’t dwell on them.

“First, let’s attend to these wounded.”

He assessed the condition of the injured soldiers.

“Hmm…”

Their condition was far from good.

They had been wounded by arrows: two in the arm and one in the side. The arrowheads had been carelessly removed, and the subsequent bandaging was shoddy at best.

But when was the last time this bandage had been changed? Exaggerating a bit, it looked so dirty that it seemed like mold might soon grow on the dried, dark bloodstains.

Raciel’s expression darkened.

‘The wounds themselves aren’t fatal. However, the level of care is a complete disaster. At this rate, even those who could be saved might not make it.’

He sighed at the thought.

Then, he recalled an episode from the novel “Devil Sword Emperor.” In it, the situation of wounded soldiers on the battlefield was briefly described as background information.

The thought made him sigh even more.

By Earth’s standards, this would roughly be around the 17th-18th centuries.

‘It’s no wonder Florence Nightingale became famous. She introduced a whole new approach to managing wounded soldiers on the battlefield.’

With renewed determination, he gave an order.

“Demian.”

“Yes, Lord Rihan.”

“Fetch Gardin immediately.”

“Understood.”

Soon, Gardin entered the tent. Before showing any respect, he was startled; his eyes were already fixed on the wounded.

“What’s your assessment, Gardin?”

“We need immediate emergency surgery, my lord.”

“I thought as much.”

“Indeed.”

Gardin’s eyes shone brighter than ever before. Raciel smiled to himself.

‘Bringing in Gardin was the right choice.’

He had recently learned about Gardin’s expertise.

‘A while ago, Gardin confided in me that surgery is his primary skill. He said he felt overwhelmed when other physicians fled, leaving only him by my side.’

It was a revelation he had only recently discovered.

The novel hardly described Gardin, who was just an extra. Naturally, his specialty or his area of study in medicine was never mentioned.

‘But if Gardin specializes in surgery… he’s exactly the talent I need.’

Raciel recalled his training in traditional Eastern medicine, which included surgery as part of the curriculum. However, that was the extent of it.

He had never gained any surgical experience after graduating, which occasionally posed a problem when he operated his own clinic.

But if Gardin could provide him with surgical expertise?

‘It can fill my most significant weakness. It will significantly broaden the range of treatments I can offer.’

If they’re going to treat wounded soldiers on a battlefield with all kinds of injuries, Gardin’s expertise will undoubtedly be essential. That’s why he had brought him here.

It was time to assess his skills.

“So, can you perform emergency surgery right now?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

He inquired with anticipation.

Gardin confidently nodded and placed his large backpack on the table with a thud. He opened it and began neatly arranging his surgical tools on the table.

However, the shape of these tools was somewhat unusual.

Thump!

The first tool that Gardin placed on the table was a surgical knife, but it bore no resemblance to the scalpels commonly seen in dramas or movies.

If he had to make a comparison, it looked more like…

‘A scythe? Why is the blade so long and large? It even seems curved forward like a machete.’

It didn’t resemble typical surgical equipment at all. Instead, it appeared more like a knife one might use for a gruesome purpose.

Perhaps sensing his astonishment, Gardin sheepishly smiled and explained,

“It’s a knife for cutting flesh. It’s used for slicing through skin and muscle during amputation surgeries.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, my lord. The blade is heavy and curved forward, which allows me to slice through muscle in one clean, efficient cut. And this is…”

Thump!

Next, a saw appeared on the table, and it, too, had an unconventional appearance.

‘It looks like a common handsaw that I’ve seen in hardware stores.’

It bore a striking resemblance to the two-pronged hand saws sold in hardware stores. Gardin continued, still looking somewhat shy.

“This is a bone saw. Human bones are incredibly hard. When we need to perform limb amputation surgery quickly, this tool is absolutely necessary. Less time means less pain and blood loss. For your reference, I can cut through a long bone in under three minutes.”

“Under three minutes?”

“Yes, I have to be that fast if I want to save at least three out of four patients. Ah, and this is a more specialized tool.”

Thump!

The next tool that appeared resembled an electric saw. Actually, it was an electric saw with a manual handle attached to one side.

Feeling somewhat disoriented, he had to inquire,

“That’s not a chainsaw, is it?”

“How did you know?”

“…”

“It’s a manually operated saw. It’s used to cut through difficult areas of bone or the skull. It’s actually one of the newest models.”

“Great.”

“Of course, and this, this, and these…”

Thump, thump, thump!

Various other intimidating tools were displayed, each with its own unsettling appearance.

From an arrowhead remover that tears open flesh to extract arrowheads, to a leech-like device that draws a significant amount of blood, to an instrument that resembles an execution device designed to penetrate skulls, and even a rectal dilator to forcibly open the human anus.

Amid Gardin’s awkward expression, these various surgical tools bashfully made themselves known.

Upon seeing all of this, Raciel couldn’t help but ask unintentionally,

“You’re not planning to extract top-secret base locations with these, are you?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, never mind. It was a jest. Just caught me off guard. Anyway, what about anesthesia?” He inquired.

If one intends to use such brutal surgical tools, anesthesia would be crucial. That much was evident. Yet Gardin replied as if anesthesia wasn’t part of the equation.

“Anesthesia… what’s that?”

“What?”

“Ah, do you mean a way to lessen the patient’s pain? We certainly have methods for that.”

“Really?”

What a relief. He had a sinking feeling when he asked about anesthesia.

Raciel breathed a sigh of relief. However, that relief was premature.

“Typically, we mix opium with strong rum for the patient to ingest.”

“…What?”

“It helps the patient become unresponsive, you see. It’s better than undergoing surgery fully conscious. The chances of complications or death are reduced.”

“…”

“But in my experience, rum isn’t particularly good. So, I use another method.”

“Another method? What kind?”

‘Please. Something conventional.’

Raciel held onto a glimmer of hope, but that hope was dashed soon enough.

“Vodka is much better. Add some lemon juice and mix in opium.”

“…So, what’s the improvement?”

“The patients seem to prefer the taste.”

“…”

“Faced with a daunting surgery, even a slightly tastier drink can muster a bit of courage.”

“F*ck.”

“…Pardon?”

“Never mind, just forget I said anything. So, what kind of surgery are you planning?”

“An amputation.”

“What?”

“I’m considering starting by removing the arm that was hit by the arrow.”

“…Forget it.”

“Yes?”

“Put those surgical tools away.”

Raciel ordered sternly. Gardin hesitated.

“You want me to put the surgical tools away. Does that mean you’re not performing the surgery?”

“No, it means you can’t.”

“Why?”

“I can’t just kill the patient outright.”

He asserted firmly.

The surgery Gardin was contemplating was brutal. It involved administering alcohol mixed with drugs. And the wounded soldier they were treating– he was already in dire straits.

He had a high fever, possibly due to infection at the injury site. His physical strength was at an all-time low, and his immune system was likely compromised.

In these circumstances, proceeding with surgery without anesthesia? Especially an abrupt amputation?

‘The patient won’t survive. The chances of death are extremely high.’

Raciel gritted his teeth.

He hadn’t come here to subject living people to such treatments. He wanted to save wounded soldiers through effective medical care.

So what now?

‘Anesthesia is indispensable.’

Whether it’s an amputation, suturing a wound, or any medical procedure, anesthesia is crucial.

He had everyone, including Gardin, leave the room. Left alone with the injured soldier, he began a passionate internal debate and contemplation.

‘I need anesthesia. It must be efficient, quick, and safe.’

The method Gardin had suggested was absolutely out of the question. So what other options were there? Could he adapt acupuncture? What about the neural disruption techniques he had used on Anis and the werewolf nurses?

‘No, that won’t work. That technique merely shifts the sensation of pain from one part of the body to another, but it doesn’t eliminate pain itself.’

It merely transferred the pain from the arm to another location. The pain itself wouldn’t vanish. There was no anesthetic effect.

‘What about the paralyzing poison I acquired from Kusman? No, the risks outweigh its ability to block sensory nerves.’

What should he do? What method should he use to anesthetize the injured soldier? He was deep in thought.

Ding-dong!

[Your internal organs sense your concerns and show interest.]

[Heart: Anesthesia? To alleviate pain? Huh, a feeble spirit. Can’t you endure it with determination and bravery?]

[Lungs: If pain is inevitable, why not savor it?]

[Large Intestine: If you’re stuck, why not attempt to use a skill? What are you saving your HP for?]

[Your internal organs have encouraged you and granted you 100 HP.]

[Your current HP: 4,900]

“…”

Right. Skills. There might be a way. Raciel contemplated the possibility and clicked his tongue.

‘Darn it, I wanted to save my HP.’

HP was not something easily obtained.

It was a precious resource.

He didn’t want to squander it.

Ideally, he wanted to use it to raise the level of a skill in a truly desperate situation.

But now?

‘The top priority is to successfully anesthetize.’

If that wasn’t achievable, nothing else mattered. All the effort of coming all the way to Anbouaz would be in vain.

So, let’s explore every potential method. Raciel resolved.

‘Each time I unlocked a skill, I gained unexpected additional features. When I obtained the Palpation skill, I acquired comprehensive check-ups and meridian scanning. When I got the Herbal Decoction skill, I could precisely analyze ingredients and effects.’

And the Medical Billing skill?

It provided the most valuable option of gaining additional lifetime.

‘So, let’s do it.’

The skills that he could unlock. Among them, there might be something useful for anesthesia. He sensed the possibility. Determined, he opened the system window.

The response was immediate.

Ding-dong!

[Viewing the list of available skills to unlock.]

Whoa-!

His eyes lit up.

The message stretched from top to bottom. A neat list appeared before his eyes.

<Available Skills to Unlock>

[1. Acupuncture]

[2. Cupping]

[3. Moxibustion]

[4. Drug Identification]

[5. Herb Search]

[6…]

[7…]

So far, it was the same as before. But at the very bottom, a new option appeared.

[7. My Hand is a Healing Hand]

‘Huh?’

While gazing at the list, Raciel paused. Suddenly, one possibility flashed in his mind like a bolt of lightning.

‘…Could it be?’

(To be Continued)

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