Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Estelle's Treatment
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There are always limits to a game's story.
This is especially true for gacha games, where characters pop up left and right.
It was practically impossible to give each and every one of them a deep, meaningful backstory.
So game companies had no choice but to churn out individual stories full of clichés, and Lutger Rosenberg was one such character.
A dad with a sickly only daughter. The ultimate cliché.
His daughter, Estelle Rosenberg, had been famous throughout the territory for her beauty until she turned ten. Everyone praised her, saying she'd grow up to be a beauty representing the Albad Kingdom.
But that beauty was ruined by hideous boils that suddenly erupted all over her body.
Lutger summoned renowned doctors to uncover the cause of her illness, but none could figure it out.
Then a vicious plague swept through his territory.
—That's the cause! That's what's spreading the disease!
—That monster!
The territory's people pointed to Estelle as the source of the plague and showered her with curses.
They'd sung her praises until their mouths went dry, but now they treated her like a monster and started hurling stones.
Deeply disappointed by his people, Lutger relinquished his territory and title, taking only his closest retainers and wandering the continent in search of a cure.
Later, the protagonist and Als, who had set out to subjugate Lutger's band—now reduced to bandits—learned of their plight and decided to help.
Als, dispatched to the northeast continent, coincidentally discovered the cause of the illness.
He brought back the cure to where Lutger was, but Estelle, unwilling to be a burden on her father, had already taken her own life.
Grief-stricken over losing his daughter, Lutger wept bitterly but was profoundly grateful to the protagonist's group—especially Als—and swore loyalty to them.
That was Lutger's story.
"But... it seems the master is absent."
Lutger was nowhere to be seen.
The polite man named Ings, who was guiding me, scratched his cheek at my question.
"You noticed. Yes, as you guessed, our lord is away in the south gathering rare herbs."
"That lord of yours?"
Ings hesitated for a moment.
"Lutger Rosenberg. Also known as Jade Rosenberg. Do you know of him?"
"I've heard the name."
Albad's former second general and right-hand man to Strategist Kaien. A famous commander. That was Rosenberg.
'Tch, we just missed each other.'
From what I heard, it would take at least a fortnight for Lutger to return. I couldn't wait that long, so meeting him would have to wait.
Ings led me to a cabin tucked away in the mountains. As we approached, a foul stench hit us.
"Please, try not to scream or anything. It would upset the young lady."
With that, Ings flung open the door.
Inside was a sight too grotesque for words.
Even the ever-composed Ymir gasped. If Ings hadn't warned us, we might have screamed.
'This is worse than I imagined.'
The game just described it as "hideously disfigured," so I had no idea it was this bad. It was truly severe.
I'd once glimpsed a photo of a drowned corpse by chance, and Estelle looked even worse.
No wonder the territory folk saw her as the plague's source.
The boils covering her body were swollen tight with pus, ready to burst, and the ones that had already ruptured reeked horribly.
"Ings...? Is that you?"
"Yes."
"Father..."
"As I told you, it will take time for Lord Lutger to return."
Her eyes were covered by swollen boils, so she didn't know where to look as she spoke.
But she instinctively sensed my presence and flinched, shrinking back.
"Is someone else here?"
"Yes, someone to examine your condition."
"..."
Estelle showed a gloomy expression, no longer holding any hope for doctors.
I shrugged at Ings, who looked to me expectantly.
"I'll do what I can."
"Wha...! Do you have an idea what this illness is?"
"I'm not certain."
It was just from the game, after all.
And I'd never actually used the herbs Als supposedly brought back. Estelle had killed herself before that.
'I miscalculated.'
I hadn't expected it to be this severe. My prepared ingredients might not be enough.
"That's more than enough. We were completely in the dark. Please, we beg you."
"Then let's get started."
But then.
"...I don't want treatment."
It was Estelle.
"What are you saying, miss?!"
"..."
She didn't mean she didn't want to get better. She just couldn't believe it.
She knew how the dozens, hundreds of doctors who'd come before had made grand promises only to deceive her and her father.
Ings ground his teeth and turned to me.
"Prepare. I'll convince the young lady."
"Sure, whatever."
Outside the cabin, I prepared my tools with Ymir's help. First, I needed to lance the boils, so I sterilized a medical scalpel and ground my prepared herbs, mixing them with a special oil into an ointment.
I had this herbal knowledge.
It wasn't modern knowledge. There was nothing else worth studying in this world.
Because of Lutger's story—and thinking it might help later—I'd read pharmacology books in my spare time. With my master's help, I'd learned emergency treatment and basic medical skills.
"Ymir, any guesses on this illness?"
Just in case, I asked, but she shook her head.
"First time I've seen symptoms like this. More importantly, young master, you shouldn't get too close to that patient. I'll handle any procedures needed."
"What, afraid it'll spread? It's fine. If it did, everyone else would be dead by now."
"More than that... are you sure you don't need to go to Bekavia? If the day passes, you'll have less time there."
"Oh, that."
I'd brushed it off to Ymir like that. It'd be weird if I suddenly said I was going to meet Lutger.
"Next time."
I was preparing for treatment with Ymir's help.
Then.
"Got a moment?"
A hot-blooded man. George, his name was.
"What's up? If you're rushing me, it's almost ready."
"Forget that. Just one thing. A favor."
"A favor?"
George swallowed hard and spoke.
"Please end the young lady's tragedy."
"...Oh?"
Kill Estelle. That's what his face was saying.
"Tired of rotting away in this godforsaken place?"
"!"
"Without that patient, Lutger Rosenberg is free. Then you can see the world again."
It hit home; he clenched his fists.
"Doesn't matter the reason. Her illness is incurable! No famous doctor could fix it. So let's take the path where everyone can be happy! You're perfect for it. They don't know who you are, so Lord Lutger will accept it as unavoidable. No revenge or anything. Don't worry."
"Hah, is that what you call loyalty?"
"Urk!"
"Enough chit-chat. Ymir, grab those and follow."
Back at the cabin, Ings was bellowing.
"Get your head straight, miss! That's why Lord Lutger can't steel himself! Think of me and George, who look after you! Please!"
"Sob! Hic!"
Tears streamed through the pus.
Ings's eyes held more anger and disgust toward Estelle than respect or admiration.
'What a total mess this family is.'
When I recruited Lutger later, these guys were out.
"Ah... sorry you saw that embarrassment. I convinced her. Treatment ready?"
"It's ready. But did you really convince her?"
"Yes. So please treat her."
"Hmm."
The treatment itself was straightforward.
First, lance the boils and drain all the pus.
My ingredients were short, so I could only handle the ones interfering with daily life.
Sizzle! The boils split open with a grotesque sound, dark red pus oozing out.
'This...'
It wasn't normal pus. Pus is a byproduct of white blood cells fighting bacteria—a healing response.
This didn't feel like that. I couldn't analyze it scientifically, but it sure wasn't the body's healing process.
'If white blood cells had produced this many boils, her body wouldn't have lasted.'
Draining the forehead boils cleared her vision.
"..."
She stared into my masked eyes.
Deep blue eyes. Tears welled in them.
"Ymir, the ointment."
"Yes."
After draining, I applied ointment to the scalpel cuts.
Ings asked.
"Is that the end of the treatment?"
"Just emergency care for now. It doesn't address the root cause."
After the eye boils, I treated the ones on her back. That used up all my ingredients.
"Now she can at least lie down comfortably."
"I hope so."
Ings wasn't optimistic.
"Some doctors did the same as you, but it recurred in hours. Worse than before."
"How many hours?"
"About four to five."
"Then we'll wait that long."
I had no certainty about the treatment either.
The ingredients were what game Als prepared.
'I never saw this herb combo in the pharmacology books I read here.'
Never tested, so game Als might've been wrong.
If so, recruiting Lutger would hit a snag, but I had backups.
I decided to stay the day in the cabin Ings prepared.
Twelve hours after treatment.
Thud thud thud! Urgent knocks at the cabin door.
"It's me! Ings!"
I donned my mask and opened it.
"Any improvement? Well, your face says yes."
"Yes! The boils haven't recurred!"
Good. Game Als was right. Now I could guess the full cure.
"Then my part's done. I'll teach you how to make the ointment, so handle it yourselves from now on."
"What? B-but you said it doesn't cure the root cause."
"So?"
"You have to treat her!"
"Hah, what nonsense. I only examined her because you asked. I never said I'd take responsibility. Curing that takes a long time. You expect me to sacrifice that for one patient?"
"W-we'll pay!"
"No need. You don't seem capable of hiring me anyway. We're leaving. Ymir, let's go."
"Wait!"
Ings tried to grab my pant leg, but slap! Ymir blocked him.
Ings pleaded.
"Lord Lutger will pay when he returns. At least tell us your name! Please!"
"Fine then. When Lutger returns, tell him this."
This would kick off the Lutger recruitment plan.
"If he wants to cure his daughter..."
"Find the mercenary Wade."