Chapter 66 – Outskirts Clinic ~ Princess Priestess in White Clothes 1
After eating the surprisingly delicious dumpling soup that Aiko had cooked, people who were representative of soldiers, medical officers, and medical women gathered around Natsuki.
Since the clinic had just started, we gathered to check if there was anything missing or if we needed help. The soldiers, doctors, and medical women who were not gathered here all worked together to focus on setting up a tent for the patient to lie down in.
I didn’t think there was anything for me to do, but I was just happy to have Natsuki around. Thanks to you saying that, I was able to stay here and secretly hold hands with Natsuki.
“Are we finished setting up the tent? It looks like it’s almost done… “
“That’s right. Now all we have to do is set up the few remaining tents and spread blankets on the floor.”
“I didn’t pull out all the grass, but left some, so it wouldn’t hurt to lie down.”
As I looked at Ain, who had cut me with such care, with a special feeling, he slowly approached me and grabbed my other hand. Unable to do anything with both of her hands being held by her lover, she had no choice but to blink and focus on the meeting.
“All right. Please do your best to prevent confusion. And… “Why were you so restless earlier?”
Natsuki asked a question, looking at the medical officer who was sweating on his forehead even though the morning air was slightly chilly and refreshing.
The woman standing next to her was wiggling her fingers around nervously, and after she had finished preparing herself by tapping the woman’s gown with her elbow, she began to answer.
“Actually, the wagon containing the medicine that was supposed to arrive today did not arrive.”
“I went out to the main road, thinking that the road might be blocked or that I might be late due to an accident, but there was no sign of a carriage.”
A medical officer and a female medical officer. As the two people spoke alternately, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly darkened. The people gathered here were not people who had lived in the imperial palace for a day or two.
It was easy to see that it was not a good sign that the medicine had not arrived at the clinic opened by the princess, a shaman with royal blood, following the royal orders.
“… “I never thought I would disturb Hwang Myeong.”
Natsuki interrupted as if he didn’t know he would do something like this, but instead of showing his weakness, he secretly gave strength to the hand he was holding. As I held it tightly and returned it to cheer Natsuki for showing her weakness towards me, a smile appeared on Natsuki’s lips.
“It is an unexpected situation, but it does not mean there is no way. Aiko.”
Aiko, who was called in from a little distance away, had no idea what she was going to say. She covered her mouth with her hand and protested in a voice that only Natsuki and I could hear.
“Natsuki. The emergency fund you brought is your escape fund just in case. “If you are using it here now, what are you going to do if something happens?”
“Are you okay. I can protect my body. In fact, there are probably more ways to escape from here than from the imperial palace.”
“You’re being cornered like you’re hunting a rabbit.”
“I know.”
Natsuki showed no signs of giving up her thoughts. Aiko gave me a wink as if asking me to help her. If we had to rank her, naturally Natsuki is more important, so let’s try to intervene. Natsuki lightly scratched the back of his hand with her fingernail, as if telling him not to do so.
When I finished biting her mouth, Aiko formed her lips into a triangular shape as if she didn’t know she was going to do that, then took out one of her gold nuggets from her pocket and placed it in Natsuki’s hand.
“Please use this gold to buy the necessary medicine.”
“But… “
“Because you usually followed me, you were left out of the factional fights within the royal palace and the royal palace, right? “I can’t say no.”
“… “
“So, at least when using medical techniques to save people, I will make sure there are no inconveniences or shortcomings.”
The medical officer who received Natsuki’s will along with the gold nugget showed respect by bending his waist at a right angle.
“We will collect the medicinal ingredients as quickly as possible.”
“Yes. There are already a lot of people waiting outside.”
After hearing Natsuki’s words, the group that was meeting looked outside the wall, and the number of people who appeared to be lining up at the front gate was increasing.
There was no place to receive treatment, so the patients who came here early in the morning could not be sent back due to lack of preparation.
“Then hurry up. “There might be an urgent patient.”
“I will follow your orders!”
As the people in the meeting dispersed, Natsuki let out a small breath and looked at me who was next to her.
“Are you disappointed because I, who other people look up to as a shaman, princess, princess, is actually a fool with no sense of humor who spends even my emergency fund without hesitation?”
“What are you talking about? “There’s no way you can be disappointed in a beautiful lover who has a good and upright heart and only cares about you, right?”
It got even better.
When I whispered that into her ear, Natsuki’s face lit up.
“Don’t be too attached to your master.”
When Ain, who seemed to be burning with jealousy, stepped in between Natsuki and me and separated us, I patted the sulky Ain on the back and praised her.
“Also, Ain showed a wonderful side by protecting me, right? “I think it’s strange that she doesn’t like it.”
I continued patting Ain, who seemed to have calmed down just by giving her a little praise, as if her anger had melted away, and I looked at her entrance.
After passing the tent where patients were to be triaged and laid down, I could see the back of a medical doctor and medical maids going out to get medicine, escorted by several soldiers.
The remaining soldiers began letting patients in the order they arrived first.
“Setsuka. Classify whether the patient’s wound is critical or not. “Can you do it?”
Since it was a simple task using magical power, I nodded confidently that I could do it and stepped forward to triage the patient.
When I gently held the fingertips of the patient who came first and let her magic flow inside, I was able to tell where the wound was and whether it was an emergency or not.
Meanwhile, Ain walked around with a long, menacing-looking scythe on his shoulder to prevent the patient from going wild.
Several hours have already passed since Natsuki started treating urgent patients and continued triaging patients, instructing soldiers with experience in emergency treatment to administer simple treatment to mild patients.
It was almost time for lunch when I heard the sound of a carriage approaching from outside. It was the sound of the medical doctors and medical women who had gone out to look for medicinal materials returning.
As soon as I got off the carriage without even having time to organize the medicines I was loading, I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw the medical doctor and medical maid running towards the patients.
He was feeling mildly dizzy as he continued to stand in the scorching sun without even taking a sip of water.
It was fortunate that he returned in time.
After changing hands with one of the medical maids, I returned to the shaded room to catch my breath, and Natsuki soon came in as well, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Great job. Setsuka is trustworthy?”
“Natsuki looks very tired, probably because she was concentrating on treatment.”
Natsuki simply responded with a smile and then sat down next to me. It was only when the cool breeze slowly cooled down her body temperature that she opened her mouth.
“There were more seriously ill patients than expected. In particular, there were so many people who had their bodies cut with sharp knives.”
I didn’t know the details because I was too busy classifying the wound without having time to look at it. She looked up at Natsuki, wanting her to explain in detail, and after taking a moment to gather her thoughts on how to explain, she spoke.
“I asked the patients because there were many cuts of similar depth. Then he said that they were all assaulted by the same person.”
“Do you know someone?”
“No. “I covered her face with a black mask and attacked her with a long, single-edged sword, then told her to go because the clinic was here.”
“What is that… “
Go get treatment after an attack? Natsuki was shocked to see that she looked like she was crazy, and Natsuki nodded her head in agreement.
“It actually caused deep wounds that would kill me if I didn’t treat it. This also seems like a form of bullying. What would have happened if I failed to respond in time and multiple deaths occurred at the clinic where I was in charge of treatment? “I feel scared of the other person who makes me think like this.”
Natsuki rested her head on her shoulder as she said she didn’t even seem human. Natsuki, looking tired, played with her dainty hands, maintaining her posture, so she could rest comfortably.
“Maybe today won’t end. The medical doctors who returned to treatment midway said they would take turns on duty at night. Maybe there will come a time when you need to wake me up… “
It was true that Natsuki’s power was needed for critically ill patients who could not be treated with decoctions and ointments or who were in urgent need of treatment. Then, Natsuki’s physical strength, mental strength, and magical power would gradually decline, and if an assassination attempt was made to take advantage of that gap, it would be difficult for her to even protect herself.
Nevertheless, Natsuki had no intention of backing down. He took a short, sweet break, vowing to fight back from the front.
After confirming that Natsuki was completely asleep, he reached behind him and opened the sliding door, where Aiko and Ain were standing calmly.
“Aiko, let the surrounding patrols know, so they can strengthen patrols. “I think it would be better not to let her fight, but to quickly retrieve the injured person if found.”
“That makes sense. “We cannot increase the number of injured, which will be a burden to Natsuki.”
“Please keep an eye on Ain to see if any suspicious people come in. Please.”
“Please leave it to me. “Master.”
I closed the door after seeing the two people leave to do their own thing.
