The next day, Reina made a suggestion while I was having my breakfast in the hut.
「Let’s make a bathing room.」
What is she talking about? was my first thought, and it clearly showed on my face. I soon regretted my mistake.
As Reina kicked my back, I thought it was too expensive to build a bathing room in our hut. Since cleaning magic existed here, only the rich or nobility had bathing rooms in their houses.
「I want it.」
I understood why. When we lived in Levantein, there was a bathing room in the inn and it was her habit to go to bed right after a bath. In Yggdrasil, she had to walk a ways from the public bath to the hut.
「Besides, this shabby hut is inappropriate for a clinic.」
True, I couldn’t perform any surgeries in this small, drafty hut. There were only two rooms: Reina’s room and the room that served simultaneously as a living room, kitchen, storage, and my bedroom. The toilet and well were outside.
「Well, my final goal is to perform surgeries in a basement, where it can be cleaned and ventilated with wind magic.」
If I really thought about it, there weren’t any buildings that could function as a hospital unless I custom built it myself. The building itself was definitely important. I couldn’t conjure up a hospital from thin air no matter what, but I at least wanted to have a clinic like Hugh’s.
「First, you should make a bathhouse, then apply that experience when making that operation room of yours.」
Hmm? I felt like Reina was saying something smart. Certainly, it was probably a good idea to try this project first. In order to maintain a sterile environment in the operating theater, the air pressure needed to be a little higher to prevent external bacteria from entering. I also needed wind magic tools to control the ventilation and air pressure, light magic tools for lighting, water magic tools for cleaning and refining medications, and finally, a proper drainage facility.
It would cost a lot, so having experience was important. Reina argued that it was necessary to start small and fix the flaws from there. A bathhouse, which required water, ventilation, and lights, would be suitable as practice.
「You’re right. Alright, let’s do it.」
Thus, our first step was to create a bathhouse. Once that was decided, we needed to go to a magic tools shop to get an estimate. With that plan in mind, we finished our breakfast and headed into town.
「Why would you give me such a troublesome request?」
We received a reply like that when we went to a magic tool shop in Yggdrasil and told the owner about our order. Well, it was only to be expected.
「I just want it.」
「I see. Well, sorry I can’t help you.」
What sorry you can’t help?! The magic tool shop owner readily refused when Reina insisted that her request wasn’t difficult to fulfill.
「Isn’t it your job to meet your customer’s demands?」
It was a viewpoint I couldn’t really relate to, but that mindset existed, huh. Anyway, it was fine if one didn’t cause trouble with excessive demands.
「But, it’s ridiculously expensive.」
「How much is it?」
The magic tool shop owner quoted us an enormous sum of money that we definitely couldn’t afford at the moment, even if it did include the materials.
「There are also costs for other buildings… just give up, it hurts to think about it.」
「Hmm, isn’t it fine if I use clay to make the building? And we’ll procure the magic stones necessary for the magic tools ourselves. So, make a quote with just the production and installation costs.」
「Okay, if it’s like that…」
The cost of only making and installing the magic tools themselves became manageable once we decided to procure the raw materials ourselves. If we took out our savings, we could manage to pay it. Was the cost of the materials really that high?
「For the building itself, the bathtub and the walls need to be waterproofed to some extent.」
So said the magic tool shop owner. I think it was better to leave the drainage plumbing to the professionals too.
「Is there anything like a blueprint from previous projects?」
「Oh, there are a few. Would you like to look at some for reference? I’ll make it free of charge.」
The magic tool shop owner lent me several blueprints. Reina looked at them as well, and nodded knowingly.
「H-hey, Reina. Are you okay~?」
「Of course, who do you think I am?」
I was sure Reina wasn’t an architect but an adventurer… I was getting a bit worried.
However, her work blew away my anxiety.
「Ta-dah!」
A building was built with earth magic next to my hut. Whoa, it looked really solid because the soil was compressed and molded with considerable precision. For some reason, although she explained that she applied water magic to increase it strength, I didn’t get it at all.
The building, created according to the blueprint, was a simple design that only included a bathtub and a toilet. It seemed she had chosen a design that seemed to best meet our needs. One after another, she used earth spells to create small windows and drainage. I believed Reina could make a living even if she switched professions to construction.
「I think the roof and materials for other parts will need to be made later, and then your bathhouse will be complete.」
「Oh, you’re right. The rest of the parts need to be water resistant…」
「Now, let’s go get the materials.」
The magic stones used for magic tools needed to be highly pure. Furthermore, there were a few materials we needed to increase the water resistance of the walls and floors, too. There was a ton of things to do.
「We’ll have to go to the guild after all.」
「Yeah.」
It was funny. I was supposed to be retired as an adventurer, but here I was, doing the same things as I did as an adventurer. However, this was also a part of making the hospital.
When we arrived at the guild, the person who received us last time saw and waved at us. He seemed to have something for us.
「By any chance, are you the healer who somehow cured Mr. Neumann’s ‘curse’?」
It seemed the rumor had already spread.
「Yes, you’re absolutely right!」
While I was thinking about how to respond, Reina answered first. While I didn’t want to deny it, I hoped the rumor didn’t spread in an odd direction. Medicine wasn’t all powerful.
「I knew it!」
The receptionist didn’t try to hide his excitement.
「Please, by any means, the guild master wants to meet you.」
It wasn’t a bad thing to forge a relationship with the guild master here. Reina and I looked at each other, and nodded in agreement with the receptionist’s request.
「This way please.」
The receptionist guided us to the guild’s interior. We waited for a few minutes in what seemed to be a reception room until we heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. When the footsteps stopped outside the door, I could hear the person straightening out their clothes and clearing their throat loudly before they knocked on the door.
「Please, enter.」
「Excuse me.」
An elderly mage in a robe entered. His grizzled hair was tied in a bundle at the back, giving off a neat appearance. His beard was cleanly shaved, but he had a fatigued expression and his skin was a bit pale.
「I’m Ron, the guild master.」
Ron shook both my and Reina’s hands before urging us to sit down. Even though we were both S ranks, it was rare for a guild master to be so polite to mere adventurers. His attitude gave us a good impression. No, it was probably better to stop using Raven as a standard.
「Are you the ones who cured Neumann’s curse?」
「Well, that’s true. However, please let me correct something.」
「Hm?」
I wanted to explain what “curses” were before the discussion started.
「That wasn’t a ‘curse’, but a ‘disease’. It was a kind of ‘disease’ that I could treat.」
「That was a ‘disease’ huh…」
Of course, words like “disease” and “illness” existed in this world, too. It was only medicine that didn’t develop.
Ron thought about it a while, and then broached the subject as if becoming resolved about something.
「Could you please examine my wife?」
＊＊＊
Amanda, Ron’s wife, was a brilliant S rank mage. She had been recognized as the top ranking mage for many years in Yggdrasil’s Adventurers’ Guild. However, a “curse” forced her to retire. According to Ron, he felt it had been steadily progressing.
「Recently, she has started getting breathless after any movements. Her cough is terrible, and her legs started to swell more…」
It seemed no matter which healer came to cast recovery magic on her, the curse couldn’t be lifted.
「She’s steadily begun losing her appetite as well. I just can’t stand watching her waste away little by little…」
A guild master’s work was endless and exhaustion showed in Ron’s eyes. He likely wasn’t able to go home because of his duties. At this point, I couldn’t tell who was really the sick person here.
「Alright, for the time being, let me take a look at Amanda.」
「Oh, thank you.」
He was probably clutching at straws at this point. Ron was relieved even though it wasn’t clear whether or not Amanda could be cured.
「Amanda, are you there?」
Ron’s home wasn’t far from the guild, so we walked over to see Amanda. It seemed he originally wanted to come back during the day and eat at home as much as possible, but that never happened.
「What happened? It’s unusual for you to come home during the day like this.」
A woman approximately Ron’s age was inside the house. She was sitting on a couch, reading a thick book. She didn’t give off the impression of a mage in her current clothes.
「These people are Shuji and Reina. Shuji is a brilliant healer.」
I wasn’t a healer, but if I denied it here, things could get messy. I stopped myself from speaking up, since I figured it’d be fine if I corrected him later.
「A healer? Did you spend money for my curse again? Just stop already. It won’t be cured anyway.」
Contrary to her blunt words, her voice didn’t have much energy.
「Amanda, don’t say that…」
「Ron, you’re the guild master. Get back to work.」
Initially, I’d assumed that Ron was wearing the pants in the relationship, but after seeing Amanda’s attitude, I changed my mind, although it’s pretty irrelevant. For now, I decided to examine her by observing her magic flow.
「Oh? You can read the flow of magic despite being a healer?」
「So you noticed?」
I was a little surprised. Mages who could read magic flow weren’t scarce, but I’d never met someone who could accurately see that I was pouring magic into my eyes and figure out what I was doing.
「Oh right, who are you?」
「Amanda, Shuji recently came to Yggdrasil. Shuji, my wife Amanda is a mage with the nickname ‘Mind’s Eyes’, and is proficient at reading magic flow.」
Her fame as a mage in Yggdrasil was to the extent of having a nickname.
「Excuse me for a moment.」
I decided to focus on the examination, but simultaneously, an idea popped up in my head. I thought about it because I was sure I’d be busy from now on. I placed a homemade stethoscope on her chest and listened to her heart. It wasn’t very accurate, but it wasn’t like it couldn’t function as a stethoscope.
「There aren’t any… murmurs.」(TL: I’m gonna assume he meant murmurs even though the raws said “sounds”)
I see. Next, I examined Amanda’s legs. Both of them were pretty edematous.
「Cough… cough… 」
Amanda coughed a few times during the examination. The cough sounded like it was accompanied by sputum. However, she didn’t seem to have a fever. I asked her to lie down and palpated her abdomen. When I placed my fingers along the ribs on the right, the edge of her liver touched my fingertips. There seemed to be no tenderness. By the time I finished examining the other relevant areas, I was convinced.
「Aren’t you going to cast a healing spell?」
「No, I won’t cast any healing magic yet.」
Well, I’m in a bind.
「Shuji, how is it?」
Reina looked at me worriedly. I guess she noticed my expression wasn’t very bright.
「Mr. Ron, Mrs. Amanda. It is true that this is a ‘curse’, and it’s not something that could be cured by healing magic. Please give me some time.」
「Will Amanda be okay?」
I understood Ron’s worry. I should’ve forced a more confident expression, but I wasn’t the kind of person who put up a facade in this situation where I didn’t know if I could treat her or not.
「I can’t say for sure. At the very least, it’s impossible right now… 」
「I understand. If there’s anything I can do, please tell me.」
Amanda didn’t try to get up after lying down when she was examined. It was likely due to fatigue. She spoke up after listening to my words.
「That’s enough already… 」
Ron couldn’t say anything to Amanda when she spoke like that.
＊＊＊
「So, what was it after all that?」
「Oh, Amanda’s disease? It’s angina, a disease of the heart where the blood vessels supplying the heart are narrowed.」
After returning to the guild from Ron and Amanda’s house, we had a talk in Guild Master Ron’s room. There were still some things I couldn’t say to Amanda herself, and Ron had to explain her medical condition in detail.
When I first heard Ron’s story, I thought it wasn’t angina, but the magical flow around Amanda’s heart was getting thinner, and the amount going to the heart was decreasing.
The flow of magic. It was very important in the medical examination of this other world. Magic was said to dwell in blood, which meant I could see how blood flowed through the body. By looking at this flow, I could make my diagnosis.
I hadn’t found any substitutes for blood tests yet, but this worked as an alternative to diagnostic imaging. When an area of magic flow was stagnant, there was something wrong somewhere in there. When combined with my physical exam, I could make a rough diagnosis.
Amanda’s case was definitely angina. It was only in one of the three major cardiac arteries, but it was also the biggest one. The moment something clogged it, it would prove fatal. There was a significant burden on the heart already, as symptoms of heart failure had manifested. Her blood pressure was probably high, and even the heart was enlarged.
To cure this, it was necessary to manage the clogging of the arteries. In modern times, there was a procedure to expand the narrowing from the inside with a small metal tube, called a stent, but this was a treatment that wasn’t an option in this world, as I couldn’t prepare a stent. As for other treatments… there was a lot to prepare, and the risk of dying on the operating table was very high. The post-operative management was usually difficult to manage as well. This situation was similar to my work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Japan. There was no way I could do those kinds of things in this world.
「For now, I will prescribe a medicine, so please have her take it.」
「Okay… I’ll try to persuade her somehow.」
Seeing Ron’ hesitant reply, I guessed that Amanda didn’t like to take drugs or something along those lines. It was a different world, where medicine wasn’t widespread. And even if I lived in a world where it was common, there were still people who didn’t want to take medicine. Was it impossible to slow down the progression of the disease with medicine after all?
「Mister Ron, there is technically a way to treat your wife’s disease. But, it isn’t a sure method and there is a risk of death if it fails. Furthermore, I do not have enough things needed at present.」
「What’s missing?」
「It’s… a surgical instrument. In other words, it’s a tool used for treatment.」
I made up my mind to some extent. The only definitive treatment for Amanda’s angina was an off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.
An off-pump coronary bypass surgery was a technique where the coronary artery bypass surgery was carried out while the heart remained beating without using the heart-lung machine. Other blood vessels would be connected to the end of the narrowed artery. Honestly, it wasn’t something I could do alone. While there was a doctor and a nurse who had done it by themselves on a lone island somewhere, in reality, there were parts where two hands were not enough. It was quite dangerous to perform surgery whilst instructing an amateur to not move. However, that wasn’t the point. There was no choice but to have Reina help.
Unlike the previous case of acute appendicitis, it took time to prepare for this surgery. First, I required a special needle with a thread attached to it. This needed to be specially made by a skilled craftsman. The needle needed to be tiny, and the thread had to be sturdy. The problem in making this was not to tie a knot at the base of the needle. If there was a knot, the thicker knot would tear the tissue surrounding the blood vessel when the needle and thread was passed through it. It was probably going to be very difficult to make with current technology.
Next, I needed an IV drip, a tool for tracheal intubation during anesthesia, a large amount of cloth, gauze, antiseptic solution, and, of course, drugs.
「There’s not much we can do with our financial situation now, so can you do something about it, Mister Ron?」
It was the issue of medical expenses which shadowed all medical treatments. In my current situation, there was something even more important. Trust.
「I know I suddenly appeared, said many confusing things, and charged a huge treatment fee. Moverover, I’ve hardly achieved anything since I arrived, so I have very little credibility. To be frank, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn’t trust me either.」
「No… that’s not true…」
「Please think it over.」
We left the guild master’s room. Amanda’s treatment plan was already being formulated in my head, but there were too many necessary things and I was a bit overwhelmed.
「What will Mister Ron do?」
「I don’t know. Either way, I can’t do it without instruments.」
「We can make them.」
「Yeah, that’s true. Guess there’s no choice but to work hard and start collecting materials then.」
It was unclear whether or not Amanda’s condition will deteriorate. Maybe it would be stable for several months, or maybe it’d worsen by tomorrow. For the time being, I decided to head back to the hut to make a remedy for both heart failure and angina.
The next day, we were called over by the guild master when we visited the guild.
「I’ll deal with the cost somehow.」
Ron placed his staff on the table. The staff had a large, imposing magic stone attached to it. It was undoubtedly precious.
「I’ll put this on auction. Nothing can compare to Amanda’s life.」
Reina’s eyes shone in amazement. It was probably a magic stone obtained from defeating a named demon. I wondered how much it would sell for in an auction.
「So please, tell me the details of your treatment.」
There was no hesitation in Ron’s eyes. Perhaps, those were his eyes when Ron was still on active duty.
The next day, Reina made a suggestion while I was having my breakfast in the hut.
「Let’s make a bathing room.」
What is she talking about? was my first thought, and it clearly showed on my face. I soon regretted my mistake.
As Reina kicked my back, I thought it was too expensive to build a bathing room in our hut. Since cleaning magic existed here, only the rich or nobility had bathing rooms in their houses.
「I want it.」
I understood why. When we lived in Levantein, there was a bathing room in the inn and it was her habit to go to bed right after a bath. In Yggdrasil, she had to walk a ways from the public bath to the hut.
「Besides, this shabby hut is inappropriate for a clinic.」
True, I couldn’t perform any surgeries in this small, drafty hut. There were only two rooms: Reina’s room and the room that served simultaneously as a living room, kitchen, storage, and my bedroom. The toilet and well were outside.
「Well, my final goal is to perform surgeries in a basement, where it can be cleaned and ventilated with wind magic.」
If I really thought about it, there weren’t any buildings that could function as a hospital unless I custom built it myself. The building itself was definitely important. I couldn’t conjure up a hospital from thin air no matter what, but I at least wanted to have a clinic like Hugh’s.
「First, you should make a bathhouse, then apply that experience when making that operation room of yours.」
Hmm? I felt like Reina was saying something smart. Certainly, it was probably a good idea to try this project first. In order to maintain a sterile environment in the operating theater, the air pressure needed to be a little higher to prevent external bacteria from entering. I also needed wind magic tools to control the ventilation and air pressure, light magic tools for lighting, water magic tools for cleaning and refining medications, and finally, a proper drainage facility.
It would cost a lot, so having experience was important. Reina argued that it was necessary to start small and fix the flaws from there. A bathhouse, which required water, ventilation, and lights, would be suitable as practice.
「You’re right. Alright, let’s do it.」
Thus, our first step was to create a bathhouse. Once that was decided, we needed to go to a magic tools shop to get an estimate. With that plan in mind, we finished our breakfast and headed into town.
「Why would you give me such a troublesome request?」
We received a reply like that when we went to a magic tool shop in Yggdrasil and told the owner about our order. Well, it was only to be expected.
「I just want it.」
「I see. Well, sorry I can’t help you.」
What sorry you can’t help?! The magic tool shop owner readily refused when Reina insisted that her request wasn’t difficult to fulfill.
「Isn’t it your job to meet your customer’s demands?」
It was a viewpoint I couldn’t really relate to, but that mindset existed, huh. Anyway, it was fine if one didn’t cause trouble with excessive demands.
「But, it’s ridiculously expensive.」
「How much is it?」
The magic tool shop owner quoted us an enormous sum of money that we definitely couldn’t afford at the moment, even if it did include the materials.
「There are also costs for other buildings… just give up, it hurts to think about it.」
「Hmm, isn’t it fine if I use clay to make the building? And we’ll procure the magic stones necessary for the magic tools ourselves. So, make a quote with just the production and installation costs.」
「Okay, if it’s like that…」
The cost of only making and installing the magic tools themselves became manageable once we decided to procure the raw materials ourselves. If we took out our savings, we could manage to pay it. Was the cost of the materials really that high?
「For the building itself, the bathtub and the walls need to be waterproofed to some extent.」
So said the magic tool shop owner. I think it was better to leave the drainage plumbing to the professionals too.
「Is there anything like a blueprint from previous projects?」
「Oh, there are a few. Would you like to look at some for reference? I’ll make it free of charge.」
The magic tool shop owner lent me several blueprints. Reina looked at them as well, and nodded knowingly.
「H-hey, Reina. Are you okay~?」
「Of course, who do you think I am?」
I was sure Reina wasn’t an architect but an adventurer… I was getting a bit worried.
However, her work blew away my anxiety.
「Ta-dah!」
A building was built with earth magic next to my hut. Whoa, it looked really solid because the soil was compressed and molded with considerable precision. For some reason, although she explained that she applied water magic to increase it strength, I didn’t get it at all.
The building, created according to the blueprint, was a simple design that only included a bathtub and a toilet. It seemed she had chosen a design that seemed to best meet our needs. One after another, she used earth spells to create small windows and drainage. I believed Reina could make a living even if she switched professions to construction.
「I think the roof and materials for other parts will need to be made later, and then your bathhouse will be complete.」
「Oh, you’re right. The rest of the parts need to be water resistant…」
「Now, let’s go get the materials.」
The magic stones used for magic tools needed to be highly pure. Furthermore, there were a few materials we needed to increase the water resistance of the walls and floors, too. There was a ton of things to do.
「We’ll have to go to the guild after all.」
「Yeah.」
It was funny. I was supposed to be retired as an adventurer, but here I was, doing the same things as I did as an adventurer. However, this was also a part of making the hospital.
When we arrived at the guild, the person who received us last time saw and waved at us. He seemed to have something for us.
「By any chance, are you the healer who somehow cured Mr. Neumann’s ‘curse’?」
It seemed the rumor had already spread.
「Yes, you’re absolutely right!」
While I was thinking about how to respond, Reina answered first. While I didn’t want to deny it, I hoped the rumor didn’t spread in an odd direction. Medicine wasn’t all powerful.
「I knew it!」
The receptionist didn’t try to hide his excitement.
「Please, by any means, the guild master wants to meet you.」
It wasn’t a bad thing to forge a relationship with the guild master here. Reina and I looked at each other, and nodded in agreement with the receptionist’s request.
「This way please.」
The receptionist guided us to the guild’s interior. We waited for a few minutes in what seemed to be a reception room until we heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. When the footsteps stopped outside the door, I could hear the person straightening out their clothes and clearing their throat loudly before they knocked on the door.
「Please, enter.」
「Excuse me.」
An elderly mage in a robe entered. His grizzled hair was tied in a bundle at the back, giving off a neat appearance. His beard was cleanly shaved, but he had a fatigued expression and his skin was a bit pale.
「I’m Ron, the guild master.」
Ron shook both my and Reina’s hands before urging us to sit down. Even though we were both S ranks, it was rare for a guild master to be so polite to mere adventurers. His attitude gave us a good impression. No, it was probably better to stop using Raven as a standard.
「Are you the ones who cured Neumann’s curse?」
「Well, that’s true. However, please let me correct something.」
「Hm?」
I wanted to explain what “curses” were before the discussion started.
「That wasn’t a ‘curse’, but a ‘disease’. It was a kind of ‘disease’ that I could treat.」
「That was a ‘disease’ huh…」
Of course, words like “disease” and “illness” existed in this world, too. It was only medicine that didn’t develop.
Ron thought about it a while, and then broached the subject as if becoming resolved about something.
「Could you please examine my wife?」
＊＊＊
Amanda, Ron’s wife, was a brilliant S rank mage. She had been recognized as the top ranking mage for many years in Yggdrasil’s Adventurers’ Guild. However, a “curse” forced her to retire. According to Ron, he felt it had been steadily progressing.
「Recently, she has started getting breathless after any movements. Her cough is terrible, and her legs started to swell more…」
It seemed no matter which healer came to cast recovery magic on her, the curse couldn’t be lifted.
「She’s steadily begun losing her appetite as well. I just can’t stand watching her waste away little by little…」
A guild master’s work was endless and exhaustion showed in Ron’s eyes. He likely wasn’t able to go home because of his duties. At this point, I couldn’t tell who was really the sick person here.
「Alright, for the time being, let me take a look at Amanda.」
「Oh, thank you.」
He was probably clutching at straws at this point. Ron was relieved even though it wasn’t clear whether or not Amanda could be cured.
「Amanda, are you there?」
Ron’s home wasn’t far from the guild, so we walked over to see Amanda. It seemed he originally wanted to come back during the day and eat at home as much as possible, but that never happened.
「What happened? It’s unusual for you to come home during the day like this.」
A woman approximately Ron’s age was inside the house. She was sitting on a couch, reading a thick book. She didn’t give off the impression of a mage in her current clothes.
「These people are Shuji and Reina. Shuji is a brilliant healer.」
I wasn’t a healer, but if I denied it here, things could get messy. I stopped myself from speaking up, since I figured it’d be fine if I corrected him later.
「A healer? Did you spend money for my curse again? Just stop already. It won’t be cured anyway.」
Contrary to her blunt words, her voice didn’t have much energy.
「Amanda, don’t say that…」
「Ron, you’re the guild master. Get back to work.」
Initially, I’d assumed that Ron was wearing the pants in the relationship, but after seeing Amanda’s attitude, I changed my mind, although it’s pretty irrelevant. For now, I decided to examine her by observing her magic flow.
「Oh? You can read the flow of magic despite being a healer?」
「So you noticed?」
I was a little surprised. Mages who could read magic flow weren’t scarce, but I’d never met someone who could accurately see that I was pouring magic into my eyes and figure out what I was doing.
「Oh right, who are you?」
「Amanda, Shuji recently came to Yggdrasil. Shuji, my wife Amanda is a mage with the nickname ‘Mind’s Eyes’, and is proficient at reading magic flow.」
Her fame as a mage in Yggdrasil was to the extent of having a nickname.
「Excuse me for a moment.」
I decided to focus on the examination, but simultaneously, an idea popped up in my head. I thought about it because I was sure I’d be busy from now on. I placed a homemade stethoscope on her chest and listened to her heart. It wasn’t very accurate, but it wasn’t like it couldn’t function as a stethoscope.
「There aren’t any… murmurs.」(TL: I’m gonna assume he meant murmurs even though the raws said “sounds”)
I see. Next, I examined Amanda’s legs. Both of them were pretty edematous.
「Cough… cough… 」
Amanda coughed a few times during the examination. The cough sounded like it was accompanied by sputum. However, she didn’t seem to have a fever. I asked her to lie down and palpated her abdomen. When I placed my fingers along the ribs on the right, the edge of her liver touched my fingertips. There seemed to be no tenderness. By the time I finished examining the other relevant areas, I was convinced.
「Aren’t you going to cast a healing spell?」
「No, I won’t cast any healing magic yet.」
Well, I’m in a bind.
「Shuji, how is it?」
Reina looked at me worriedly. I guess she noticed my expression wasn’t very bright.
「Mr. Ron, Mrs. Amanda. It is true that this is a ‘curse’, and it’s not something that could be cured by healing magic. Please give me some time.」
「Will Amanda be okay?」
I understood Ron’s worry. I should’ve forced a more confident expression, but I wasn’t the kind of person who put up a facade in this situation where I didn’t know if I could treat her or not.
「I can’t say for sure. At the very least, it’s impossible right now… 」
「I understand. If there’s anything I can do, please tell me.」
Amanda didn’t try to get up after lying down when she was examined. It was likely due to fatigue. She spoke up after listening to my words.
「That’s enough already… 」
Ron couldn’t say anything to Amanda when she spoke like that.
＊＊＊
「So, what was it after all that?」
「Oh, Amanda’s disease? It’s angina, a disease of the heart where the blood vessels supplying the heart are narrowed.」
After returning to the guild from Ron and Amanda’s house, we had a talk in Guild Master Ron’s room. There were still some things I couldn’t say to Amanda herself, and Ron had to explain her medical condition in detail.
When I first heard Ron’s story, I thought it wasn’t angina, but the magical flow around Amanda’s heart was getting thinner, and the amount going to the heart was decreasing.
The flow of magic. It was very important in the medical examination of this other world. Magic was said to dwell in blood, which meant I could see how blood flowed through the body. By looking at this flow, I could make my diagnosis.
I hadn’t found any substitutes for blood tests yet, but this worked as an alternative to diagnostic imaging. When an area of magic flow was stagnant, there was something wrong somewhere in there. When combined with my physical exam, I could make a rough diagnosis.
Amanda’s case was definitely angina. It was only in one of the three major cardiac arteries, but it was also the biggest one. The moment something clogged it, it would prove fatal. There was a significant burden on the heart already, as symptoms of heart failure had manifested. Her blood pressure was probably high, and even the heart was enlarged.
To cure this, it was necessary to manage the clogging of the arteries. In modern times, there was a procedure to expand the narrowing from the inside with a small metal tube, called a stent, but this was a treatment that wasn’t an option in this world, as I couldn’t prepare a stent. As for other treatments… there was a lot to prepare, and the risk of dying on the operating table was very high. The post-operative management was usually difficult to manage as well. This situation was similar to my work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Japan. There was no way I could do those kinds of things in this world.
「For now, I will prescribe a medicine, so please have her take it.」
「Okay… I’ll try to persuade her somehow.」
Seeing Ron’ hesitant reply, I guessed that Amanda didn’t like to take drugs or something along those lines. It was a different world, where medicine wasn’t widespread. And even if I lived in a world where it was common, there were still people who didn’t want to take medicine. Was it impossible to slow down the progression of the disease with medicine after all?
「Mister Ron, there is technically a way to treat your wife’s disease. But, it isn’t a sure method and there is a risk of death if it fails. Furthermore, I do not have enough things needed at present.」
「What’s missing?」
「It’s… a surgical instrument. In other words, it’s a tool used for treatment.」
I made up my mind to some extent. The only definitive treatment for Amanda’s angina was an off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.
An off-pump coronary bypass surgery was a technique where the coronary artery bypass surgery was carried out while the heart remained beating without using the heart-lung machine. Other blood vessels would be connected to the end of the narrowed artery. Honestly, it wasn’t something I could do alone. While there was a doctor and a nurse who had done it by themselves on a lone island somewhere, in reality, there were parts where two hands were not enough. It was quite dangerous to perform surgery whilst instructing an amateur to not move. However, that wasn’t the point. There was no choice but to have Reina help.
Unlike the previous case of acute appendicitis, it took time to prepare for this surgery. First, I required a special needle with a thread attached to it. This needed to be specially made by a skilled craftsman. The needle needed to be tiny, and the thread had to be sturdy. The problem in making this was not to tie a knot at the base of the needle. If there was a knot, the thicker knot would tear the tissue surrounding the blood vessel when the needle and thread was passed through it. It was probably going to be very difficult to make with current technology.
Next, I needed an IV drip, a tool for tracheal intubation during anesthesia, a large amount of cloth, gauze, antiseptic solution, and, of course, drugs.
「There’s not much we can do with our financial situation now, so can you do something about it, Mister Ron?」
It was the issue of medical expenses which shadowed all medical treatments. In my current situation, there was something even more important. Trust.
「I know I suddenly appeared, said many confusing things, and charged a huge treatment fee. Moverover, I’ve hardly achieved anything since I arrived, so I have very little credibility. To be frank, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn’t trust me either.」
「No… that’s not true…」
「Please think it over.」
We left the guild master’s room. Amanda’s treatment plan was already being formulated in my head, but there were too many necessary things and I was a bit overwhelmed.
「What will Mister Ron do?」
「I don’t know. Either way, I can’t do it without instruments.」
「We can make them.」
「Yeah, that’s true. Guess there’s no choice but to work hard and start collecting materials then.」
It was unclear whether or not Amanda’s condition will deteriorate. Maybe it would be stable for several months, or maybe it’d worsen by tomorrow. For the time being, I decided to head back to the hut to make a remedy for both heart failure and angina.
The next day, we were called over by the guild master when we visited the guild.
「I’ll deal with the cost somehow.」
Ron placed his staff on the table. The staff had a large, imposing magic stone attached to it. It was undoubtedly precious.
「I’ll put this on auction. Nothing can compare to Amanda’s life.」
Reina’s eyes shone in amazement. It was probably a magic stone obtained from defeating a named demon. I wondered how much it would sell for in an auction.
「So please, tell me the details of your treatment.」
There was no hesitation in Ron’s eyes. Perhaps, those were his eyes when Ron was still on active duty.
