The Quack Lady - Chapter 67

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 67

Unlike when I first saw her, her illness was gradually consuming her more and more.

If we hadn’t used the medicine, she would have lost her life by now.

She seemed to instinctively feel it.

The fact that her remaining days were numbered.

“…It’s still okay. You remember everything now, don’t you? The changed medicine will definitely be more effective. So…”

I couldn’t finish my words.

My throat choked up.

“How can I help it when my heart is so weak like this.”

Grandmother brushed under my eyes.

Then small droplets rolled down.

When I wiped away the tears with my sleeve in surprise, Grandmother smiled.

“You’re really a good doctor. You even cry for your patients.”

“It’s because Grandmother made me cry.”

“Oh my, now you’re making this old woman out to be a bad person.”

Grandmother smiled and gently stroked my head.

Then.

“I’m sorry. For getting angry at you the day we first met.”

She offered another apology.

It was one of Grandmother’s habits that developed after her cognitive impairment worsened.

“Then don’t say such things and somehow receive treatment well. I’ll show you your grandchild.”

I smiled brightly.

Then Grandmother said she couldn’t stop me and took the medicine I offered.

Watching that, I made a resolution.

I would definitely place a grandchild in Grandmother’s arms.

I would see everyone smiling happily.

* * *

The Cardinal’s Office.

Zenhauer’s hair sparkled brightly in the streaming sunlight.

With his usual elegant touch, he put down a letter and asked.

“Are they really going to perform something called surgery?”

“It seems so.”

Zenhauer bit his lips as if suppressing an exclamation.

“To carelessly put a blade to a body given by God…”

He shook his head as if in pity.

‘Such acts that even street commoners wouldn’t do are happening at the Marquis’s Mansion…’

After receiving reports about the Marchioness’s condition, it became even more incomprehensible.

‘Were there many who survived having blades put to their bodies?’

Without a doubt, putting a blade to someone was like a last resort.

Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would lose their lives within a short time.

‘Above all, the Marquis permitted this.’

The distance between him, famous for being a devoted husband, and the Order was also because the Order had forcibly demanded faith from his wife.

But…

‘Are you saying he allowed putting a blade to her body just by listening to a mere twelve-year-old’s words?’

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t understand.

Even giving a hundred concessions for good skills, she was still just a twelve-year-old child.

What exactly did he see in the child to make such a bold choice?

For a moment, an impulse arose to meet the child directly.

However, he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

After being lost in thought for a moment, he asked the paladin in a composed tone.

“Are there people who know that the Marchioness is about to have a blade put to her body?”

“Since it’s being conducted so secretly… it seems even those inside the Marquis’s Mansion don’t know well.”

“Then that’s even better.”

“Pardon?”

“Deploy paladins near the Marquis’s Mansion. And when they proceed with this thing called surgery, immediately arrest the doctor holding the blade in God’s name. We can’t let a child suspected of practicing sorcery run wild, even if she’s only twelve years old.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll send an inquisitor. Judge immediately with that inquisitor and eliminate the sin on the spot.”

“I shall obey your command.”

It was time to give a final farewell to those who were destroying themselves.

A satisfied smile appeared on Zenhauer’s lips.

* * *

Even after setting the surgery date, preparations continued.

The Duke’s full support was like a treasure lamp.

‘This… was it supposed to happen so quickly?’

The Marquis’s family, which owned the Empire’s best information network, was completely different.

They prepared all sorts of rare medicinal herbs and various medical tools as soon as I requested their production.

“The Marquis’s Estate’s manufacturing technology is one of the technologies supporting the Empire. If you just decide on the materials, we can make anything in the form you want.”

The Duke’s words were true.

For example, needles made by mages who mastered micro-processing techniques, or latex-like gloves made from tree sap from the spirits’ forest.

On one hand, I wondered if this was okay, but as long as there were no problems using them, it was fine, right?

Since they got everything I asked for, there was no reason to refuse.

“What’s this?”

Perhaps because of that, Demian asked about this and that every time he came to my research lab.

“Ah, that’s called a drainage tube for draining pus… Can’t you put it down first and then talk?”

One of the medical tools made of rubber, usually used during laparotomy surgery.

I spoke to Demian who was holding a tube as long as a snake.

A boy like you shouldn’t be holding such things!

“Then what about this?”

As if he had been waiting, he picked up a syringe.

Because of the sharp needle at the end, I hurriedly snatched the syringe from Demian’s hand.

“This is for injecting drugs directly into blood vessels…”

“Ah, I know. It’s like bloodletting, right?”

“…Bloodletting is drawing blood out. The problem is drawing blood that doesn’t need to be drawn in the first place.”

I said while checking if air was leaking from the syringe.

‘Bloodletting.’

In this world, it was common to try to solve bodily problems through bloodletting.

It was especially often used for beauty purposes, looking at the pale face after bloodletting and insisting it was a whitening effect…

‘Sigh, let’s not talk about it.’

I shook my head and dismissed the thoughts. Such things wouldn’t be of any help right now.

It was while I was wrestling with the child like that.

Someone approached urgently and burst open the door.

It was Teria, the Marchioness’s dedicated maid.

“Teria, what brings you here…”

“The, the Marchioness’s water broke!”

Seeing her pale face, I felt the blood in my entire body turn cold.

…The baby was trying to come out.

I hurriedly told Demian to stay here and moved toward the pre-prepared surgery room.

“When did it break?”

“10 minutes ago! She suddenly said something felt wet, so when I checked, there was water from below…”

Amniotic fluid, simply put, is the water surrounding the child.

This bursting meant that the amniotic membrane surrounding the amniotic fluid had ruptured…

Which means.

If we don’t get the baby out quickly, it will be dangerous.

‘Originally the surgery was supposed to be in two days!’

But there was no one to blame for this situation.

I had no choice but to quickly go check on the mother first.

“Y-you came?”

The Marchioness asked me with a slightly gaunt face.

‘The labor pains must be starting.’

I immediately spoke to the maids around us.

“Move her to the next room right now! Everything is already prepared!”

At my words, they moved busily.

In an instant, the room became chaotic.

The Duke, who had rushed over upon hearing this news, urged me for an explanation.

“Brien! Hey! What is all this about!”

“The baby is trying to come out, Your Grace!”

When a maid hurriedly reported, his complexion instantly turned pale.

“Don’t worry. Please go outside for now.”

I closed the door and rushed into the surgery room.

As I was thoroughly disinfecting my hands, Tenoa, who must have heard the news late, came rushing in frantically.

“Tenoa. Disinfect your hands like we practiced and change into surgical clothes.”

Tenoa quickly assessed the situation and began efficiently putting on the surgical gown.

“We’ll get ready too!”

As I had given them advance notice, the midwives also came rushing in hurriedly.

Everyone was frantically busy doing their jobs in their positions.

All sorts of commotion was happening, but since this was an abdominal surgery*, hygiene was my biggest concern.

*A surgical method performed by making an incision in the abdomen.

‘There’s no choice if I want to save both of them.’

Still, thanks to preparing well in advance, the preparations proceeded smoothly.

I stepped up onto a pre-prepared platform due to my short height.

‘This kind of scene is also a first for me.’

This wasn’t a cold surgery room.

In this surgery room with sunlight streaming down, there were no monitors for vital checks, no low humming of machines.

It was just a surgery room with only the patient and surgical instruments sitting there alone.

‘I absolutely cannot make a mistake.’

I spoke to the Marchioness, who was on the table, holding her belly and curled up like a shrimp as prepared.

“It will hurt a little.”

I received a syringe filled with pre-prepared medication from Tenoa.

Just as I was about to give the injection, my hands began trembling uncontrollably.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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