Ch.343Hall of Mercy. Isabella Hospital (3)

After the intensive care unit, it was time for the ward where recovering patients were gathered.

Even though they were called recovering patients, they had been in such a terrible state that they could hardly be considered living people until just moments ago. To the Iron Walker party members, these patients looked like what people would truly consider critically ill.

Patients so emaciated that the outlines of their organs were clearly visible. Patients covered in threads and metal wires, undergoing rehabilitation while gripping walkers with trembling hands. And patients receiving cybernetic prosthetic limbs and bionic artificial organs, having bone marrow injections to suppress rejection reactions. Without the meticulous care of machines and volunteers, these people wouldn’t survive even a month.

Their skin colors varied—not because of racial diversity, but because the regenerated and recovered skin had different colors, making them look like mottled boiled eggs.

The most striking case was a young girl whose limbs had been severed. In the search for limbs with minimal rejection risk, she had received transplants from a hairy male donor, resulting in her bizarre appearance—barely 15 years old but already over 180cm tall.

Machines were busily removing the hair from her arms and legs, while an orange-tinted fluid continuously dripped into her arm.

“Is that kind of case common?”

-Not common, but it happens occasionally. Surprisingly, the human body follows the brain’s gender, so soon her arms and legs will become slender, and the hair will stop growing. The disproportionate ratio between torso and limbs is a consideration, so once her body recovers sufficiently, she’ll undergo surgery to reduce her height.-

“That would slow down her recovery, wouldn’t it?”

-Correct. Therefore, limb reduction surgery is only performed with the patient’s consent. However, without the reduction process, there are various side effects—difficulty finding fitting clothes, standing out among peers due to excessive height, or facing disadvantages in romantic relationships by being taller than most men. As a result, 87% of patients voluntarily agree to height reduction.-

“Hmm… I can certainly see why.”

Viktor looked over at Raisha.

After all, she had suffered for years after mistakenly taking a breast enhancement pill, and despite having undergone reduction surgery once, her breasts were still so enormous that they made every other woman’s chest look like kidney beans whenever she went out in public.

Sensing Viktor’s gaze, the drone briefly looked at Raisha.

The lens aperture contracted and then relaxed as the machine delivered its diagnosis.

-This is a body showing typical side effects of breast enhancement pills. However, her cardiovascular condition is normal. Has she received treatment for the side effects?-

“Yes. She had surgery at a hospital. They said her organs were stretching and… putting strain on her heart.”

-Breast enhancement pills are powerful drugs that affect the hormonal system, which is why their production and distribution are prohibited in 32% of cities across 13 continents. I observe traces of breast tissue reduction, enlarged mammary glands, and artificial perforation to reduce pressure on spinal discs that were under excessive tension.-

“Is my wife’s body alright?”

-A professional examination would be needed for more detailed results, but based on this machine’s capabilities, yes. Your wife is in very good health. However…-

“However?”

-Despite finding evidence of reproductive activity in the cervix, there are no traces of ovulation or endometrial thickening in the past year. This indicates infertility, which has persisted for at least a year.-

“…”

-Cessation of ovulation and menstruation at around 20 years of age is not common. Given her nutritional status, the current condition appears abnormal. I recommend a thorough examination as soon as your pilgrimage ends.-

“Enough.”

Viktor cut off the machine’s dispassionate words and embraced Raisha, who was stroking her abdomen.

“My wife has been cursed by a transcendent being. A curse of infertility. Unless we complete our pilgrimage, this curse will not be lifted. Can you understand that?”

At his words, the machine tightened its lens aperture completely before relaxing it again.

-I apologize. If it is a curse by a transcendent being—a divine entity—then modern medicine would indeed be unable to treat it. Apart from that, her body’s homeostasis is being maintained stably. Your wife can be considered extremely healthy.-

“Good. Let’s continue.”

-Please follow me.-

Although no one had done anything wrong, an eerily tense atmosphere had developed, but it was quickly resolved, causing the Iron Walker party members to breathe heavily in relief.

The drone, being a machine, hadn’t felt it, but for that brief moment when Viktor had slightly revealed his divine presence, the mortals had found it difficult even to breathe.

*

Next was the kitchen where food for numerous patients was prepared.

Though called a kitchen, the facilities and personnel were so extensive that it could easily be considered a factory.

Due to the nature of hospital food, which prioritizes nutrition and medicinal properties over taste, bland and texturally awful items were being produced by the ton every minute and transported elsewhere.

-Various medications are incorporated into this facility’s hospital food. We primarily use drugs without side effects to help patients recover as quickly as possible. Most drugs lose their efficacy during the cooking process, so there are no side effects even if one were to eat hospital food for 30 years.-

If one had to eat hospital food for 30 years, death might be preferable, Viktor thought as he looked around the facility.

This massive factory, where humans assisted machines rather than machines assisting humans, was primarily producing porridge that was easy to chew and digest.

“Is all the volume produced here consumed internally?”

-No. 30% is consumed internally, while 70% is exported. High-quality hospital food requires very expensive and complex processes such as sterilization, so places with lower civilization levels often import hospital food.-

“I see. Doesn’t it rot or spoil?”

-Until the export is complete, it’s transported using refrigerated trucks or special transport vehicles manufactured by the hospital itself, so there’s no concern about spoilage. However, there remains a risk of spoilage after the export contract ends and the buyers store the hospital food. This risk is particularly high when hospital food is used as combat rations.-

“Hospital food as combat rations?”

-Physical enhancement effects from medications, quick consumption and digestion of porridge—these are all necessities for soldiers in extreme situations. Hospital food has a perfectly balanced nutritional profile. While military units maintain different meal plans for barracks food, soldiers with personal freedom often add spices to improve the taste.-

“Ah…”

Indeed, Viktor vaguely remembered hearing from navy personnel that mixing things into military meals was considered a symbol of experience. Given its sterilized nature and resistance to spoilage, Isabella’s hospital food was quite an attractive combat ration whether for army soldiers rolling in mud, navy personnel patrolling vast oceans, or air force members cutting through clouds.

“But what are the ingredients?”

-Mainly grains like corn, barley, and oats as primary ingredients, with inexpensive meats like pork hindquarters as secondary ingredients. Vegetables vary depending on circumstances—this year cabbage is cheap, so we’ve purchased it in bulk.-

“Ah…”

Porridge made by grinding corn, barley, oats, pork, and cabbage all together… it sounded truly terrible just thinking about it.

Something edible but not quite food. This hospital was truly a place he never wanted to be admitted to.

-We’re almost finished now. Only the final course remains.-

After touring the factory, the machine guided them to the final destination.

“What’s at the end?”

-The tombstone of Lady Isabella, who founded this hospital.-

“A tombstone…”

Indeed, machines don’t lie. Following the machine, they arrived at a small garden with several tombstones, the largest of which bore the name “Isabella.”

-Please bow your heads in tribute to the Lady. She founded this hospital. She deserves divine reverence.-

So said the machine.

Viktor pondered these words briefly before bowing his head alongside his wife, and the heads of the Iron Walker party remained lowered for quite some time.