Translator Corner
Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!
A chapter again! I should not procrastinatemuch…………………
Author:
Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor:
So-Chintzy
Enlightenment Arc
Chapter 1: A Tale of Two Cities G
Brad Joker is a 『RebelPhysician』.
He was someone who practiced medicalprofession, but compared to the other healer in this continent, who use Lightattribute magic (recovery magic by stimulating the body’s systems), he didn’trely on magic, but instead healed the incurable diseases by using medicalexamination and surgery, the sole 『Surgeon』 in this country.
『Withoutclinging to G.o.d (on this continent there was the idea that 「Lightattribute magic is the G.o.d’s grace」, especially in the Lunaria Orthodoxy, which regardthis as sacred power), a person could be healed with another person’s power.』
This is Brad’s credo. Bradwandered around the battlefields in many nations, collecting unidentified corpsesfrom the battlefield and conducted autopsies on them, investigating every nookand cranny of the anatomy of various races. Then with anesthesia and skillfuloperation technique, he established his own unique surgery treatments.Furthermore, he also absorbed the Three Eyed Tribe’s knowledge without prejudice,and was even familiar with the existence of germs and effects of antibiotic,and incorporated them into his own skills.
His ability was even on such a levelthat he was called as 『the Hand of G.o.d』 (althought this sounds like sarcasm as Brad is amisotheist). Especially for diseases that couldn’t be healed using theconventional Light magic, such as tumors, which he could remove with ease. It wassuch an incredible feat.
『Lightalone does not heal the people. The dark, too, gives comfort to the people.』
…… The way he said this waschuunibyou-ish, but I sympathized with his way of thinking, so I wanted to recruithim. However, it was by not using the normal rope(method). It was because,
『The skill(surgery) that I have is required to save the people who lack any treatment or thepeople in lands without Light magicians. I have no interest in money or power.』
……Was what he said. Then, how Icould recruit him? Not with, 『Money』 or 『Power』, but by baiting…… *cough*, 『Goods』transaction.To be definite, it was by promising him surgical tools like scalpels and sutureneedles from the best blacksmiths of this country and by establishing a publicinsurance system, so everyone could have inexpensive health care (although Ialready had wanted to establish it someday in the future). Then, he wouldn’t beworking as my subordinates, as a cooperative partner instead, which was how I wasfinally able to secure his recruitment.
Presently, just like Hilde, hewas the leader of this country’s healthcare system.
In the first place, his acts ofcollecting corpses from the battlefields and performing autopsies incitedeveryone’s disgust. In addition, in the medical world, he was treated as acomplete nonconformist. So, the most troublesome part about recruiting him wasremoving the prejudice against him. The person himself had such an att.i.tudethat I couldn’t expect him to explain everything by himself. Since it couldn’tbe helped, I made him examine the sick people amongst the influential andwell-connected people in this country and let him cure their diseases, which hadbeen previously thought of as incurable, so that his skill would be accepted byothers.
Once they saw how effective hisskill was, society’s evaluation on him made a roundabout turn. The number ofhealthcare personnel that wanted to learn surgery from him also increased. That’swhy currently, he was given an extremely important position as the Healer Directorwhile training new surgeons. Me being me, so that no “fake surgeons” who didn’thave any surgery skills could appear, I hurriedly issued the legislation for licensingsurgeon practice (The license system would cover only surgery practice atfirst, but I plan to eventually include Light magic Healing and pharmaceutics).
◇ ◇ ◇
「…… Whois the patient?」(Hilde)
The moment she heard that it wasan emergency, as if a switch inside her had been flipped, Hilde’s expression turnedserious. It had perfectly turned into a doctor’s expression. As expected from aprofessional. Brad explained the situation.
「Apregnant woman on this settlement. She already had break the water[1].It wouldn’t be strange for her to give birth soon, however, the fetus position isbad. He lies sideways in the mother’s womb with his back facing the cervix.」(Brad)
「Atransverse lie…… Another rare troublesome case……」(Hilde)
I didn’t really understand whatthey were talking about, but it looked like a difficult delivery.
「Themidwife had given up.」(Brad)
「Naturally.Since the fetus would stuck in the pelvis. Normally, the mother or the baby…… Eitherone must be sacrificed. To save the mother and the baby means……」(Hilde)
「Yes……No other way but to do a section.」(Brad)
Section…… So they mean a CesareanSection! However, Hilde made a troubled face.
「……Can we do it? I heard that the mother’s survival rate is only 20%, you know?」(Hilde)
「Ihad nailed the reason for the low survival rate.」(Brad)
「Oh?…… Then what is it?」(Hilde)
「Sincethey operate without you and I.」(Brad)
Brad declared it as if this wasan unshakeable truth. Hilde scowled at that arrogant remark.
「It’samazing how you can say those words without hesitation……」(Hilde)
「It’sthe truth. Or more accurately, since they don’t possess my techniques and the ThreeEyed Tribe’s knowledge of infection. Their method was just to simply cut thebelly, take out the fetus, put the edges of the wound together and make thewound recover using Light magic. There is no anesthesia, so the mother will bein great pain. Since they don’t have a proper incision and suturing technique,the wound’s opening didn’t close properly even after using Light magic,d causingthe mother to die from blood loss. And since they don’t have yje Three EyedTribe’s antibiotics, it would be very easy for the mother to get postpartuminfections. That’s why the survival rate is low.」(Brad)
After saying this, Brad held outhis hand to Hilde.
「Withme alone, the success rate will be 80%. However, with your hygiene managementby my side, then that probability can certainly be brought to close to 100%.」(Brad)
「…… Goodgrief, it can’t be helped, right?」(Hilde)
Hilde took Brad’s hand.
「Infront of a physician, all patients are equal. That’s why a physician must also notbe fastidious.」(Hilde)
After saying this, Hilde turnedtowards us.
「TheKing and the Refugee Leader! It’s exactly what you’ve heard just now. I’m sorry,but I want to borrow your subordinate’s a.s.sistance.」(Brad)
「Yes,certainly.」(Souma)
「Ofcourse. We are family. A leader will work hard to protect the family.」(Jirukoma)
「Thankyou. Dragonewt-jou-chan(missy)!」(Brad)
「Y-yes!Me!?」(Carla)
When she was called, Carla jumpedin surprise.
「Goto the medical research laboratory in the Capital and fetch the tools andmedicines as quickly as possible. If you mention my black bag to the researcher,then they would understand. It will be fine even if you only brought the bagback.」(Brad)
「I-Iunderstand!」(Carla)
Carla exited the tent in a hurry.After that, Hilde looked at Jirukoma.
「Iwant to borrow this refugee leader’s tent. Even if it’s just for a little, Iwant to move into a place with better sanitation.」(Hilde)
「Iwon’t mind. Use it as you like.」(Jirukoma)
「Then,to search for fellows who have the same blood type as the pregnant woman, pleasegather the refugees.」(Hilde)
「Certainly.」(Jirukoma)
This was something that I had heardlater, but this world also has ABO blood typing (although what they called it wasdifferent). It was mysterious, if the blood type was same, then it was possibleto roughly do a blood transfusion even across the races. ‘Roughly’ was becausethere are blood types that couldn’t be donated to any other blood types. Perhapsit was because there was something similar to the Rhesus positive or negativeblood type.
「And then,the King already knows about sanitation, right? Then explain it to others and tidythe place up even just a bit. Also, boil a lot of water. I want to sterilizethe tools.」(Hilde)
「Iunderstand! Liscia, Owen, let’s do it!」(Souma)
「Yes!」(Liscia)
「Asyour wish!」(Owen)
「P-pleaselet me helps, too!」(Komayin)
Komayin also followed us and helpedus out in tidying up the s.p.a.ce inside the tent and boiling a large amount ofhot water. Each of us were endeavoring in what we could do. Everybody was doingtheir best. In some way, this was like a presentation of our country’s currentsituation.
◇ ◇ ◇
When the preparations were completed,our roles were over. Right now, inside the tent, Brad and Hilde were performingthe operation. We could hear the breathing voice of the pregnant woman insidethe tent. The only thing that we could do was just waiting outside the tentuntil the operation had been finished. Liscia, who was watching intensely atthe entrance, spoke out with a worried expression.
「Iheard that they will cut open the pregnant lady’s belly, but will that bealright?」(Liscia)
「Withoutcontext, it as if you are asking about a bizarre crime…… You need not worry.」(Souma)
I placed my hand on Liscia’shead.
「Cesareansection is the popular method to deal with difficult deliveries in my country.There, the death rate of the mother had been lowered to only 5 out of every 100,000deliveries.[2]It’s so low that everyone no longer fear that the mother will die from childbirth.」(Souma)
「……As always, Souma’s country is amazing.」(Liscia)
「Yeah.The ones who are able to do something almost similar to my country’s medicaltreatment, are those two people. Well, since there is no Light magic in myworld, the comparison isn’t exactly the same.」
Then I asked Jirukoma who stoodbeside me.
「Whereis the husband of that pregnant lady?」(Souma)
「……It’sunclear if he is still alive or dead. They were separated from each other whilefleeing from the north. She said that she will give birth to the child in herwomb and wait for her husband.」(Jirukoma)
「Isee……」(Souma)
A mother is strong. That factwon’t change, no matter which world it is.
「Evenfor these refugees, the child inside her womb became our hope. So that we won’tever lose anything again, this is our sincere feeling. That’s why we decidedthat the baby will become the entire community’s baby, loved and raised byeveryone.」(Jirukoma)
「Isee…… So, Jirukoma.」(Souma)
I turned my face towardsJirukoma.
「Iknow about the skills of Brad and Hilde. That’s why I believe they will saveboth the mother and the baby. In addition, let me say something.」(Souma)
「……What it will be?」(Jirukoma)
「Thebaby will be born in this country. Then, raise that baby in this country. Ratherthan the unknown land of his parents, this country is the baby’s homeland.」(Souma)
「………」(Jirukoma)
He might have already understoodwhat I wanted to say. Jirukoma slowly closed his eyes.
「Youhave said that that baby is the entire community’s own, loved and raised byeveryone. Then, you must not let your grief be inherited by a baby who doesn’tknow anything. Becoming the citizen of this country or going away. You canchoose either option. However, since this country can become the homeland ofthe baby, why force the lifestyle of people from ruined countries onto the baby……」(Souma)
「Calleveryone to gather.」(Jirukoma)
「Brother(Anija)……」(Komayin)
Jirukoma placed his hand on theworried Komayin’s shoulder.
「Ihave made up my mind. I will hand over the position of community leader toKomayin.」(Jirukoma)
「W-whatare you talking about, Brother(Anija)!」(Komayin)
「…… Whatare you intending to do?」(Souma)
When I asked this, Jirukoma madea sad expression and sighed out.
「Tobe honest, in this community, there are people who are exhausted with the nomadiclifestyle. If these exhausted people could make this country their homeland,then I believe it would be a wonderful thing…… However, several of the diehardswon’t give up on returning to their homeland, and those people will be forcedto leave.」(Jirukoma)
Then, Jirukoma looked up at thenorthern sky.
「I… planto take along these diehards with me and return to the north. There, we willbecome soldiers in a recruiting country and wait for a time until we canrecapture our homeland back.」(Jirukoma)
「Brother(Anija)!」(Komayin)
Komayin grabbed both ofJirukoma’s arms as if to keep him from leaving.
「Brother(Anija) is someone who is needed by this community! I am someone whosaid that the King’s proposal was terrible! I will be the one who will performsthat duty!」(Komayin)
「Youcan’t. The reason why Komayin feels that His Majesty’s proposal is cruel isbecause you thought about the people of this community, right? If you have thatkind of heart, then you surely will become a mediator better than me.」(Jirukoma)
「However,didn’t Brother(Anija) say that the King’s proposal was wonderful!?」(Komayin)
「…… Iwas, only better at hiding my true feeling than you.」(Jirukoma)
Jirukoma then softly releasedKomayin’s hands.
「Eveninside of me, there is a feeling of not giving up on returning to our homeland.However, I have been entrusted with the duty as leader of this community. That’swhy I covered that feeling and pushed it deep into my heart.」(Jirukoma)
「Brother(Anija)……」(Komayin)
「However,that is no longer needed. His Majesty had said that if the people in thiscommunity love this country then they will be received as this country’scitizens. The people will finally reach a place where they can have a peacefullife. That means that my role is also over. It will be fine for me to let thatfeeling out.」(Jirukoma)
Jirukoma smiled to Komayin whowas crying in tears. His expression, it seemed that he had made his decision. ―――Really……
「Don’tmake your imouto cry. Idiot.」[3](Souma)
「Ihave no word to refute that…… I will leave Komayin and the others in yourhands, please treat them well.」(Jirukoma)
「WhatI can personally do is only limited in helping with the legal procedures. Theone who will truly protect her and the others will be the country itself.」(Souma)
「Thenplease make this country last forever. So that no one, able to destroy it.」(Jirukoma)
「…… Iwill do my best.」(Souma)
When I answered, we could hear afeeble cry from inside the tent. 「Wea~」. Wea~? When I try to recall what kind of voice isthis, Liscia yelled, 「The baby is born!」 Ah, so it was the sound of a baby crying! I thought itwould sound more like an “Ogyaa”……
(The baby has been born safely. Next will be themother……)
We looked at the tent entrance,while praying for the safety of the mother and the baby.
◇ ◇ ◇
――― One week later.
「Howcute~♪」(Liscia)
「I-it’sso soft……」(Komayin)
「Liscia,l-let me hold the baby too.」(Carla)
Short haired Liscia and Mister Souma"s Dragon Maid
The triangle eared baby that hadbeen sleeping in the mother’s arms was being hugged by Liscia, Komayin, andCarla in turns. Last week, Brad had said that the operation had beensuccessful, however we couldn’t see her on that day and was curious about how thingshad progressed since then, so that’s why, with the same group of people who hadbeen there that day, we came to pay a visit. Since I am also quite fond ofchildren, I also wanted to get close to see the baby, but there was no room forme to intrude between those three. S-so this was the motherhood instinct…..
「Ah, I’msorry that my companions are so noisy……」(Souma)
When I said this, the baby’smother smiled.
「It’sfine, to be loved by the Princess, is this child’s good fortune.」(Mother)
The cat-eared beastkin mother gavea calm impression. I felt relieved at seeing her healthy look (since there wasno time, we couldn’t see her on the day of the surgery). Her post-partumrecovery progressed well. The mother lightly rocked the baby.
「Youare truly fortunate. For someone like His Majesty, to be even worried for you.」(Mother)
We had disclosed our ident.i.tiesto the Mother. Since our face were already known, I judged that it was uselessto hide our ident.i.ties. In the beginning, the mother was continuously thankingus (it was like when Koumon-sama took out his inrou(seal box)[4]), but she had gotten used to us bynow.
「Well,I think that this baby is certainly fortunate. Or perhaps, extremely lucky. Afterall, the ones who competes for the position of the number one and two bestphysicians of this country, were both present when this baby was born.」(Souma)
「That’strue. Not only did they save this baby, but they had also saved me.」(Mother)
That day, it was by chance thatHilde was visiting this settlement. It was a coincidence that we met with herin the former slums and that she had casually heard our plans to go to therefugee settlement. If Hilde hadn’t thought about following us, then, both ofthese excellent physicians wouldn’t have been a.s.sembled in this place that day.In addition, if the day of the baby’s birth was off even by one day, thenperhaps the baby wouldn’t be able to meet with such excellent physicians. If wethought like this, then this baby had saved the mother’s life.
「Justlike a f.u.kunokami(G.o.d of fortune)……」(Souma)
「f.u.ku……?」(Mother)
「It’sa word from my world. It has the meaning of 『Fortune』.」(Souma)
「Fortune……Umm, Your Majesty-」(Mother)
The mother timidly approached me.
「That『f.u.ku』name[5],could you confer it onto this baby?」(Mother)
「Hmm?Will the name be good, or rather, are you asking me to bestow a name?」(Souma)
「Inthis world, it’s believed that by receiving a name from someone with a higher statusor prominent position, the child would share that person’s influence. So,confer the baby a name.」(Liscia)
Liscia who was holding the babyright now, answered me. Well, in that case, then so be it.
「Thisbaby is a boy, right?」(Souma)
「Yes.」(Mother)
「Then,from today on, you will be called 『f.u.ku』. May you grow up well.」(Souma)
As I said this, I patted his headand f.u.ku-kun responded with 「Dauu」 while still having his eyes closed. To reply evenwhile sleeping!? This guy…… In the future, he might indeed become a great man. Whilethinking about this, “Jiii~”[6],Liscia drilled her eyes at me.
「W-whatis it?」(Souma)
「Otherpeople’s babies are nice, but our own child should be even cuter, right~」(Liscia)
「Ah, sincethe delivery method of cesarean section had already been firmly established andthe number of ob-gyn physicians will increase in the future, it will be fine togive birth at anytime.」(Souma)
Liscia eyes were staring at me, amazedat my reply.
「AndI thought you would be talking like a hetare(loser) again.」(Liscia)
「Lookhere…… Well, that too. I have the readiness to become a husband, but I stilldon’t have the readiness to become a father.」(Souma)
To increase the number of Royal familymembers that had decreased due to the succession crisis after the death of theKing two generations ago, which had been told to me many times, Marx thechamberlain had said 「I won’t permit contraception until at least one childis born!」 So I was beingcareful here.
「However,the thing that concerned me the most was the high death rate of pregnant women.」(Souma)
When I examined this country’spopulation, I was surprised by the high level of infants and pregnant women ortality.Even though in j.a.pan, we would still be worried for the safe delivery of thebaby, it was almost unthinkable to think of a case where a pregnant woman died.However, for this country, pregnant women “sometimes” died. For every 1,000pregnant women, several of them would certainly die. In this country whereobstetrics and gynecology medical care were not firmly established, when the pregnantwoman gave birth, it was literally “risking her life”.
I, as a King, was told to haveseveral wives and a lot of children. If Liscia, Aisha, Juna, or Roroa became pregnantand then I lost one of them in childbirth, then…… I might not be able to endureit. So that this won’t happen, to reduce the risk of me losing my family to thelowest degree, I advanced the health care system reforms.
「Butthat’s sounds like I am abusing my authority.」(Souma)
「It’sfine, right? Since the results were also beneficial to everyone.」(Liscia)
Liscia said this while smiling,but then she immediately made a teasing expression.
「Nee,Souma. Since the ban on making children is gone, then how about we try aneffort for it immediately tonight?」(Liscia)
「Ah,that…… You know, can you wait a bit longer?」(Souma)
「Inthe end, you still act like a hetare(loser)!」(Liscia)
「Fue…AAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE‼」(f.u.ku)
Since Liscia yelled, f.u.ku-kun wassurprised. Afterwards, he was handed back over to his mother and everyone madea funny face while he was being rocked by his mother in order to calm him down.But then he saw Owen’s face, and he became surprised and cried again. And so,it had become a topsy-turvy panic.
☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽
Next Chapter:
It issaid that heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Anyexisting distinction between the wise and the stupid, between the rich and thepoor, comes down to a matter of education.
f.u.kuzawa Yukichi. Gak.u.mon no Susume [An Encouragement ofLearning]. (1872–1876).
By the way, I just realized that I named the previous chapter"s link wrong. It should have been 04-1F, not 07-1F. Oh well...