episode_0181

Episode 181. I hugged you (2)

****

“The surgery went well.”

The patient looked surprised, but… … It was a surgery with no major problems. It wasn’t our first time cutting off toes.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The patient looked at his foot. One of his little toes was missing, and there was a bandage on it. Other than that, he looked fine.

“You’re not sick?”

“It may be because the anesthesia hasn’t worn off yet. I think we’ll have to stay in the hospital for a few days and monitor the patient’s condition.”

“Yes.”

“The patient had a fever and was sweating. I think it was due to frostbite, but I would like you to be hospitalized for a few days.”

“Let’s do that.”

The patient answered right away. I sighed. I had cut off the toe that was causing the problem, but that wasn’t the only problem.

“If the patient does not change the surrounding environment or level of preparation, frostbite will recur.”

“Isn’t there a way?”

Unfortunately, there is nothing great about it. All you can do is keep warm. Like thick gloves, socks, and keeping your socks dry.

“How to prevent frostbite… … Well, you have to massage your extremities to get the blood flowing before they freeze, and go somewhere warm.”

“That’s obvious.”

There’s no way around it. There’s no medicine that can prevent frostbite. There are many cases where there’s no answer other than a simple solution.

“There is no other way but to be careful.”

“Okay.”

“If anything hurts more or changes, please let me know. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The patient simply gave his consent with a confused expression. There was nothing to worry about. As long as he didn’t get an infection from wearing shoes.

I left the hospital room with Istina.

****

Istina was looking through the medical records of the patient she had just seen. She seemed to be looking for something.

“What are you looking for?”

“I tried to find the cause of the patient’s fever and chills. When he came in, he was sweating coldly. If he doesn’t get better, it’s a big deal.”

I nodded.

“If it’s because of infection, it’ll be better since you’ve already used antibiotics. If it’s because of necrosis, it won’t matter since you just cut off the toe.”

“Really?”

To be honest, it’s pointless to figure out the cause. You could consider taking medication to manage the symptoms, though.

Let’s see if it gets worse.

“Let’s keep a close watch today.”

“Yes.”

“We will check to see if the patient’s condition is worsening, and if so, we will change the medication. The bandage must also be changed once a day.”

Istina nodded. It wasn’t surprising that she had been feeling chills and fever since she had developed frostbite a few days ago.

“Don’t worry. I think you’ll get better soon.”

“Yes.”

As long as you don’t get an infection in your foot, you’ll be fine.

****

I went back to the lab.

There were still healers from overseas wandering around the academy. There might be some who wouldn’t return like Linea.

But… … . There was one person I thought would come to the last conference but didn’t show up.

It seemed like the saint was coming.

Since I have to come regularly anyway, I thought she would come and participate in the conference this time too. But the saint didn’t come in the end.

Just organize your military records a bit-

I raised my head at the sound of a knock.

To be exact, I raised my head at the sound of a cane and footsteps before the knocking.

Murphy’s Law, you know. Reality sometimes plays a joke. I adjusted my tie.

“Come in.”

“Hello, Professor.”

The saint walked into the laboratory.

Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed as if a faint halo was shining on the saint’s face. It wouldn’t be strange if there was a halo, really.

The saint was smiling.

Well, didn’t you miraculously heal the saint in this lab last time? Maybe you were thinking about that time?

****

The saint sat down at my desk.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Why didn’t you invite me? If you had invited me, I would have attended the conference.”

“It was centered around overseas healers. I didn’t even think about inviting the saint.”

“I’m fine. I was planning on getting a regular checkup, but I’m not sick.”

“I see.”

“And please reply to my letter. If you send me a letter, shouldn’t you reply?”

To be honest, I didn’t even know the saint had sent the letter. It must have disappeared into the pile of letters next to my desk.

The important thing is that I tried to reply as much as possible. I might have missed some letters. If I had known that it was a letter from the saint, I would have replied.

“I’m sorry. I’ve received so many letters.”

“That’s interesting. Professor Asterix, do you happen to know several saints?”

“No, what.”

“I’m not asking for special treatment, but.”

The saintess was laughing with her mouth covered. I sighed. I don’t think the saintess came all the way here to make a joke.

“Yes. Why did you come to the Academy?”

The saint sat with her legs crossed.

“I was sad to hear the news of the conference late, but I came because I heard that people were gathered at the academy.”

“Okay. We should enjoy the festival together.”

“There’s another reason. I wanted to see you, Professor, and talk about the new findings. I heard you published a book this time?”

I put out several.

Perhaps you are talking about the booklet presented at this conference? I nodded.

“That’s amazing. I don’t know how the professor always finds a way to turn academia upside down like this… ”

The saint tilted her head.

“It wasn’t that great. I just wanted to write something that could be used outside the academy, outside the empire, in hospitals.”

“Shall we talk while eating?”

“No.”

“Oh my. Even if I live?”

I answered firmly, and the saintess looked at me with a shocked expression. Who had ever said no to the saintess?

I thought it probably wouldn’t happen.

“I’m busy.”

“Yes… … ?”

The saint looked at me.

“Still. Since it’s been a while since we last met, wouldn’t it be better to go out and get something to eat? Let’s talk while we eat. I’m trying some medicine that I got from the temple this time… … .”

“Is it there?”

The healer in front of me closed his mouth and smiled.

“I hope you win.”

“Is it good?”

“I’ll order the most expensive one.”

I sighed. The saintess didn’t give me a choice. If this is the case, I have no choice but to go eat.

I got up from my seat, and the saint hugged me tightly as soon as I got up. I took a step back and sighed.

“It’s difficult.”

“Oh. That’s not what I meant. But thanks to you, I can walk. I just wanted to say thank you.”

“Then… … . Buy me something expensive to eat.”

“Yes.”

The saintess walked briskly out of the lab, seemingly in a good mood. I followed her slowly. It seemed like it was going to be a long day.

****

Well, maybe I’m taking it too seriously. The saint was sitting across from me, holding a notebook.

Why the notebook-

Ah. I guess you came here with a list of questions to ask. I looked at the saintess.

“You really ordered something expensive.”

“I lost my wallet a while ago.”

Although it is a space mainly used by students, it is also a place where imperial nobles often visit. So, it is difficult to take the Academy Cafeteria lightly.

“How did you lose your wallet?”

“I don’t remember. I lost it and went on a long journey so I didn’t even think about it.”

anyway.

That wasn’t the point.

“I saw the book. I thought there would be something innovative, but instead, it was just very technical content? Practical parts.”

“What did you expect?”

“Innovative content. I thought you would focus on new discoveries, like you discovered bacteria and invented antibiotics!”

The saint made some big gesture.

“That’s true when teaching at the academy. But the medical institutions outside the empire may be in worse conditions. I think overseas academic societies are more interested in the technical aspects.”

“I guess so.”

That’s why I didn’t call the saint. Since the conference wasn’t planned for such people, there was no reason to call her.

“Still. I am looking at the booklet the professor wrote. I am going to apply the contents to our hospital. Especially the part about suturing.”

While the saint was talking, the food came out. I picked up the knife and started cutting the steak.

“I see.”

“Professor, you didn’t just save me. You may think I’m just a patient or a girl who has a lot to learn. But I’m also a healer who goes out to save people every day.”

This is a fact that is often forgotten.

Medieval people were not fools. The experts of this world were no different. They had their own logic to what they did, and they had their own reasons for making judgments. Even if they were wrong.

The saintess would be the best healer by the standards of this era. So she would be a saint.

Come to think of it.

I had no idea what criteria they used to select the saints. I never even thought about it. Who knows, maybe they select them based on their looks.