Time for the Shot (2)
“Young Master, what on earth is that thing?”
Asella suddenly asked me in a voice thick with urgency. Her attitude struck me as oddly peculiar, though I couldn't pinpoint why. No way was she scared of a little needle, right?
I replied in my usual calm tone.
“It's called a syringe. I'm going to use it to draw a blood sample from you for testing, Your Highness.”
“What do you mean? You're going to stick that needle in me and draw my blood?”
“Exactly that.”
Asella's mouth fell slightly open, and she froze solid. Who knew she could make such a foolish face?
“Young Master, are you a vampire or something?”
“What kind of nonsense is that? How could I have used the portal if I were a demon?”
“Well, that's true, but... where exactly do you stick the needle?”
“In the vein. On the inside of your arm.”
I tapped the crook of my own elbow to demonstrate. Asella's ears twitched violently as she leaned her upper body away from me.
“Your Highness?”
“You're teasing me right now, aren't you?”
“Doctors never joke about treatment procedures with patients. A misunderstanding could lead to a medical accident, and that would be disastrous.”
Asella squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her forehead. It was understandable—she was seeing this for the first time, so some aversion was natural. Asking if I was a vampire? Drawing blood wasn't exactly commonplace in this world.
“Hold on. Are you saying you're going to wound Her Highness's noble body? That's absolutely unacceptable!”
Lucy, the head maid who'd been watching, finally interjected, unable to hold back any longer. She had a point.
“You're right. But it's just a tiny pinprick—not even worth calling a wound—and I'll heal it immediately, so no issue there. Testing your blood will be a huge help in safeguarding your health, Your Highness.”
“Does it have to be blood? Can't you use some other method besides medicine...?”
“You're the one who promised to provide the setup for using medicine, aren't you?”
“...I did.”
Asella backed me up with a nod. She was mumbling under her breath, clearly itching to argue, but pride kept her from backing out after her earlier words.
“If it's standard in medicine, and I said to use it... Fine.”
Asella took a deep breath, steeling herself.
“Draw it. Use every method available.”
“Understood.”
With Asella's command given, it was time for the head maid to step back. But she added one more thing.
“In exchange, please test Her Highness's blood right here and dispose of it in front of us when you're done.”
“I get it—lest it be used for black magic ingredients. Don't worry, I'll do exactly that.”
My straightforward response left no room for further argument.
“Your Highness, please extend your arm.”
Asella bit her lower lip and slowly offered her right arm toward me.
“...Do it.”
“Drawing blood now.”
I tied a rubber band around the upper part of Asella's arm. She flinched hard.
“...Done?”
“Pardon? No, I've just applied the tourniquet. It makes the veins easier to see.”
Next, I prepped the alcohol swab. I'd used alchemy to distill cheap booze into pure alcohol—plenty of it. Alchemy really is a godsend. So convenient.
I rolled up the sleeve of Asella's dress, revealing her pale, slender forearm. I wiped the inside of her elbow with the swab.
“...Hic!”
Did Asella have a bad reaction to alcohol? She let out such a sensitive squeak, like someone with an allergy. But no, she loved her drinks.
“N-Now it's done?”
“No, just disinfecting. We can't risk infection mid-procedure since this creates a wound.”
“Ugh... What's infection supposed to mean...?”
Asella turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut. ...I was starting to sense something off myself. The Golden Witch, scared of a single drop of blood? Unthinkable.
Is she really that frightened?
A smug satisfaction bubbled up from deep inside—like I'd landed a solid hit. No, Ras, snap out of it.
If Asella were truly terrified, I might be barreling toward a bad ending right now. ...Hmm, but no stat fluctuations from the system. Should be fine.
I continued the procedure.
“Please don't move.”
Asella's skin was so thin, the veins were clearly visible—no need to tap her arm.
Sssslurp...
The draw was over in seconds. I pressed the swab firmly against the site, and Asella finally spoke, slowly.
“...Done? Say it's really done... please.”
“Yes, all finished. Hold still a moment to avoid bruising...”
“You!”
Asella whipped her head toward me, wearing an indignant expression I'd never seen before. She was huffing like a steam engine ready to blow.
Sip.
I met her gaze and fought desperately to keep my lips from curling into a grin. The mighty Asella, terrified of a mere syringe needle. Aww, good girl for holding still. Should've given her a candy for it?
I kept pressure on her arm to prevent bruising as time passed.
“...Hoo.”
Asella let out a deep sigh. The puncture mark had vanished ages ago, but she'd thrown a fit demanding a bandage too. And it was such a thin needle.
“So, Young Master.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Asella fiddled awkwardly with the spot where I'd drawn the blood.
“You've taken my blood—surely you have the confidence to deliver results worth it?”
“Of course.”
I answered crisply, but then worried I'd misjudged her sense of value.
“What specific results are you hoping for?”
Asella's lips quirked up slyly. Now I was starting to get it—that face meant she'd hatched some devilish idea.
“Lucy.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Have you told the Young Master about the emergency manual?”
“I planned to brief him today when duties began.”
“Young Master, propose countermeasures based on whatever you've learned from my blood right now.”
The head maid bowed and withdrew. What manual? For what? I needed a hint—this was all too vague.
“Candy?”
I pulled out a rose candy, hoping a bribe might soften any punishment for failure.
“......”
Oof, bad face. Guess cheap snacks don't suit noble tastes. As I went to pocket it again, Asella snapped sharply.
“Put it down.”
I carefully set the candy on the table. Asella unwrapped it and began licking it delicately with her tiny tongue.
“Then let's begin the test.”
Blood samples degrade with temperature and humidity if not used promptly. I'd drawn 3 milliliters each into two glass vials—red liquid sloshing inside. Backups were essential in case the skill failed or contamination occurred.
I uncorked one vial and shook it about ten times. Poured it gently into the petri dish; the bottom stained crimson.
Hope it's not contaminated.
Foreign substances could skew results. I'd disinfected the dish beforehand, but hygiene standards here left room for doubt.
Let's try Blood Test.
I activated the skill, staring at the vivid red blood coating the dish.
...Nothing happened.
Does it differ from Diagnosis? Try Diagnosis first.
That one triggered just from looking at a patient's blood, so something should show.
Injury Status: ■■■
Injury Status: ■■■
Injury Status: ■■■
Injury Status: ■■■
Injury ■■: Rank■ Insufficient■■
The status window text started glitching.
“Ugh.”
A sharp headache hit; I stopped Diagnosis and shook my head.
Asella watched, then propped her chin on her hand.
“Not working as planned?”
“It's going fine. Just wait.”
“You were trying to cast a spell just now, weren't you? Bounced right off.”
Asella looked triumphant, reveling in my failure.
Diagnosis hadn't worked, but I'd learned one thing: Asella's condition wasn't normal. Injuries from her talent's debuff. Maybe I couldn't diagnose the debuff because I couldn't comprehend her talent's realm.
Need Blood Test after all. How does it activate?
In real medicine, tests involve contacting samples to equipment. This skill was based on my knowledge. If I treated myself as the device...
“Hm.”
I rolled up my sleeve and dipped my index finger into the dish. My fingertip grew sticky with Asella's blood.
Asella looked a bit horrified, but better than failing and disappointing her.
Bingo.
Text flooded the status window.
> Patient: Asella von Württemberg
> Blood Type: B Rh-
> WBC: 24.7
> HGB: 8.9
> HCT: 28.8%
> ...
What the hell is this?
A endless string of letters and numbers, like some cipher. A few terms confused me, but I tapped my temple, recalling my knowledge.
First, the blood type was rare—tough for transfusions.
Why's the inflammation like this?
Asella's condition was a mess. She was young and well-fed, so blood sugar, calcium, proteins—all nutritional markers normal. Liver values fine too, naturally.
The problem: inflammation. Sky-high white blood cell count. Internal injury and infection somewhere, ongoing.
No way she's pain-free with this.
I glanced at Asella. Her expression matched the usual one I knew—now and ten years from now, no sign of pain.
I'd heard once, in the future: Asella bore pain as the price of her magic mastery, leading to a rampage incident. But I'd figured that was post-rampage, irrelevant to now or the future timeline.
I'd assumed the pain was like my growth debuff—earned reaching magical heights.
But.
She's enduring it now too?
Hard to believe. This should've meant constant gut-wrenching agony.
My hand unconsciously reached for the painkiller vial in my bag—carefully stored. Took ages to make; only one left.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
“Any squeezing or stabbing pain in your chest or abdomen?”
At my question, Asella's face hardened coldly—as if I'd uncovered a secret she never wanted revealed.