Chapter 91
Chapter 91
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Treatment (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"How did it go?"
Yebin was surprised.
She'd been so focused that she couldn't say exactly how much time had passed, but it felt like she'd invested quite a bit into the thorough examination.
Yet Baron Merrygold was still pacing anxiously in front of the door, waiting.
For a moment, she couldn't help thinking that he truly cherished her.
At the same time, a heavy burden settled on her shoulders.
She had to deliver the news that the condition of someone he valued so dearly was far from good.
"First... to cut to the chase, recovery is possible."
"Ahh..."
Amelia staggered, her legs giving out beneath her.
If it hadn't been for Yebin, the stranger she'd just met that day, she might have collapsed right there.
"His entire body is a mess. There's severe damage to the major organs, and above all, the internal injuries from the mana circuit burnout are extreme. Without emergency treatment, it might have been irreversible... but fortunately, it wasn't too late."
"What does 'recovery is possible' mean exactly?"
"Could I compile some data and bring it over a bit later?"
"Of course. Thank you for your hard work."
Fatigue from the detailed examination had built up, and she'd need pen and paper for a proper explanation anyway.
So the rest of the conversation between Amelia and Yebin took place after dinner, in the dining hall.
Yebin laid out the charts summarizing the examination results, one by one, for Amelia to see.
"This chart very briefly outlines the organs that need healing... Before regenerating the brain, we should prioritize addressing the accumulated injuries throughout the body."
"........."
The chart depicted the human body and its organs in line drawings, with circles marking only the injured areas.
It would have been easier to find spots without circles.
There wasn't a single uninjured part from his toes to the top of his head.
Even though she already knew this, seeing it laid out on the chart hit differently.
Amelia felt her head spinning.
"Reconstructing the body to the point where regeneration spells can be applied is the top priority. And... this is a bit hard to bring up, but..."
"Tell me everything honestly. Understanding his condition is the most important thing right now."
"In that case, let me explain the state of his brain."
Yebin hesitated.
Amelia urged her on with a resolute expression.
Yebin pulled out the second set of charts: four diagrams schematically illustrating the entire brain.
"As you can see, the meninges are damaged, of course. Areas BA47, 45, and 44—that is, the inferior frontal gyrus—have severe damage. Especially since the injury came through his left eye, the orbitofrontal cortex is almost completely destroyed. It's in really bad shape."
Yebin paused midway because Amelia was staring at her with a look like the sky had fallen.
She regretted not saying this before dinner.
The exquisite meal she'd enjoyed after so long now sat like a lump in her stomach.
Not that witches got indigestion, of course.
"So... what does that mean?"
"Even after surgery, there could be various changes."
"In what ways?"
"First, the orbitofrontal cortex... It's connected to various sensory organs. It handles taste, vision, smell, and even synesthesia receptors and pathways. I can't guarantee full restoration of function after revival."
"And?"
Yebin steeled herself.
Right now, she wasn't here as a witch, but as a doctor.
Conveying the patient's condition objectively was a doctor's duty.
"It's also directly linked to the limbic system, indirectly managing desires and motivations. More precisely, it socializes human behavior through reward systems tied to desires and motivations.
There could be impairments in learning, and since it's tied to desires, there might be issues with sexual function as well... Is it okay to continue? If it's too much, maybe take a break."
Amelia, who had been holding back tears valiantly, finally let them flow.
Tears dropped onto the back of her hand, yet she shook her head stubbornly.
Yebin suppressed a sigh and continued.
"...The prefrontal cortex handles most 'executive functions.' Decision-making, behavioral coordination based on situations, verbal expression, critical thinking—all executed here.
I've read papers on patients with prefrontal cortex damage even in the modern world. The most noticeable changes are the loss of higher emotional processing and difficulties with impulse control."
Amelia looked so heartbroken that Yebin couldn't bring herself to use analogies, but in short, it meant turning into a robot.
A particularly violent one, driven solely by simplistic impulses.
"Will it be like that even after treatment?"
"Would it be alright if I used just one plate?"
Amelia nodded faintly, and Yebin telekinetically shattered a plate that had held a fine dessert.
She began reassembling the dozens of glass shards like a puzzle.
"Reassembling torn skin and bones is like this. Cells are responsible for maintaining 'structure' and 'function,' and the pieces are large and straightforward. It's not hard, and if it's assembled wrong, you just try again."
Her 'surgical telekinesis' was weaker than standard telekinesis but far more precise, fitting the plate together without a millimeter's deviation.
The reassembled plate retained its pre-shattered form perfectly, edges interlocking flawlessly.
"But the brain is more like this."
-Crack!
The plate shattered into thousands of finer pieces.
"The brain's very 'structure' is intimately tied to its 'function.' And among all bodily organs, it's the most delicate and sensitive. No matter how hard I try, perfectly recreating the original is impossible. At best, I can manage something like this."
Even restored as closely as possible to the original, the reassembled plate was covered in spiderweb cracks.
Gaps were visibly missing at a glance.
"Are you really okay with that? The patient who wakes up again..."
"Shin Siwoo."
"...Even if Shin Siwoo isn't the same person he was before?"
This was as far as Yebin needed to go.
Simply saving him wasn't enough.
The patient was comatose, so his will couldn't be ascertained, but the guardian's must be respected.
"This much I can say for certain. No one else in my place could give you better assurances."
Amelia dabbed her eyes delicately with a handkerchief.
"It doesn't matter. It's my burden to bear."
Her resolve seemed set.
Then all that was left for Yebin was to pour everything into recovering Siwoo.
"In that case, let me explain the treatment plan going forward."
Yebin spread out a paper outlining the surgery schedule in front of Amelia.
"Before brain regeneration, we'll partially restore brain function to recover the body.
The brain has neuroplasticity—even when damaged, it can rewire circuits and shift functions to other areas.
We'll induce this rewiring to secure the functions needed for recovery.
This should take about a month. Additionally, during this time, we'll map which brain areas handle which functions."
"I'll provide all the necessary materials."
Yebin nodded and finished the remaining explanations.
"After that, we'll regenerate the damaged brain parts. We'll focus on preserving as much original memory and function as possible.
Once regeneration is complete, we'll reroute the relocated neural circuits back to their originals. Even with perfect recovery, they won't match the performance of the innate parts from birth."
"Good. When can we start?"
"I'll list the needed items—can you prepare them? We can begin right away."
Yebin was burning with enthusiasm.
Second was the academic thrill of applying surgery tested only on coyotes and seals to a human.
First was easing the worries of Baroness Amelia, who wept before her.
She was reminded anew of the grave responsibility of handling lives.
"Understood."
With Amelia's full cooperation, Siwoo's treatment began.
2.
Yebin devoted 16 hours a day to Siwoo's recovery.
The life-clock spell enveloping the entire room slowed time.
It was excellent for emergency care but an obstacle to true recovery.
Her primary goal was reconstructing his body so he wouldn't die even if time resumed normally.
Restoring his critically diminished cellular regeneration alone required massive amounts of mana essence and stamina.
It was a task of stitching each cell one by one, maximizing surgical tactile senses and telekinesis.
"Hoo..."
Wearing a mask, Yebin exhaled and blinked her fatigued eyes.
It had taken nearly three days just to restore the ruined cardiopulmonary system.
Time for a quick break?
Clutching her throbbing head, she opened the door—and immediately faced the twin sisters.
They were stunningly beautiful, like dolls, identical as if placed before a mirror.
"How's the assistant doing?"
"Is he going to be okay...?"
The twins clutched each other's hands, fidgeting anxiously as they asked.
Yebin easily guessed who they were.
The apprentice witches from the Gemernai family whom Siwoo had helped escape using magic.
"Oh, hello. I'm Yebin Smirna."
"Ah, I'm Odile Gemernai."
"I'm Odette Gemernai."
In their haste, they'd forgotten greetings, but now they curtseyed in unison, skirts neatly aligned.
The perfectly synchronized movements struck Yebin as wondrous.
"I just finished restoring the cardiopulmonary system."
"That's good news, right?"
"A total relief, isn't it?"
Odile bounced with joy and relief at Yebin's ready nod.
Her worry was plain to see, filling Yebin with fresh emotion.
The visiting Baron Avenuga had been the same, and Amelia, the lady of the house, too.
The affection directed at him was palpable, but these twins took it to another level.
"Can we go in now?"
"We want to see the assistant's face..."
"No, he needs absolute rest for the time being... I'm afraid that's not possible."
The twins' shoulders slumped in perfect sync, tugging at Yebin's heartstrings.
She hadn't spoken to him yet, but anyone who inspired such loyalty had to be a good person.
"Are you having a hard time?"
"Is there anything we can help with?"
"Oh, no... There's no need for that..."
With Amelia already providing all supplies and comforts, Yebin could focus solely on treatment.
Yet the twins tugged at her sleeve.
"Don't say that—come to our carriage."
"We've prepared something you'll like, Smirna."
"Huh? Uh, okay?"
Half-dragged to the carriage, Yebin received an avalanche of gifts—from fine clothes to rare magic tools—along with the twins' earnest pleas to take good care of him.
As a bonus, an hour-long tearful recounting of Shin Siwoo's heroic tales.
"Our assistant is a male slave, but he uses magic too."
"He even stood boldly against a vicious 21st Hierarchy exile. To save us..."
"I, I see."
"He had a chance to escape but made sure we got away first."
"He's our hero."
Their alternating speech from either side was dizzying.
The twins' final request was much like Amelia's.
"Please take good care of our assistant."
"The Gemernai count family won't forget this kindness."
After bidding the twins farewell, Yebin returned to the mansion with a new weight on her shoulders.
"........."
She'd known he'd confronted the exile using magic, but hearing the full story in such detail was a first.
To face an exile knowing it meant death, risking his life to protect a witch.
As the twins said, it was heroism worthy of the name—utterly devoted.
She was treating someone she'd only read about in news and papers.
"What kind of person is he?"
He probably wouldn't be the same after treatment,
but Yebin found herself wanting to talk to Siwoo.