Chapter 107

107th Episode. Harvest Thanksgiving Banquet (1)

****

The procedure went well, and I took Amy back to the ward. It would’ve been nice if Amy had seen how Thomas Splint works.

We might encounter a patient with a broken leg in the future. No, we definitely will.

“Hello, patient.”

“Yes.”

“Try moving your toes. All five of them.”

The patient wiggled their toes. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any nerve damage since all the toes were moving.

“Does your leg feel any better?”

“No.”

Well, it wouldn’t have healed overnight, would it?

“Did you receive your medicine?”

“Oh, yes.”

“The painkiller has been administered.”

“It still hurts a bit though.”

“That’s likely due to the painkiller.”

“Is this normal?”

I slowly nodded. While I’d like to use more painkillers, there are side effects like bleeding or kidney damage.

It’s best to stop administering the painkiller when the pain is tolerable—at least for now.

“Yes. If another doctor had treated you, they might’ve either set the bone properly or possibly amputated the leg or left it shorter.”

“Ah, I see.”

“I’m proud to say I provided the best treatment possible. Pulling the leg bones into alignment without surgery was part of that.”

“I understand.”

“Yes. Here’s the plan.”

“Ah, discharge?”

Ultimately, the goal of treatment is returning to daily life. You should be discharged whenever possible. I nodded at the patient.

“In about two weeks, you should be able to return to normal activities, but removing the splint entirely will take several months. Fully recovering might take around six months.”

“Will I be able to work?”

“I can’t guarantee how much function will return yet. We’ll know more after some time.”

“Got it.”

If only we had X-rays to check. Unfortunately, we don’t.

Amy picked up the staff nearby.

“Light of healing.”

If this could shorten the recovery period even slightly, that’d be great. Though, I can’t be certain it’ll work perfectly.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“You too, Doctor.”

I need to leave the hospital for at least two days starting tomorrow. Hopefully, nothing unusual happens while I’m gone.

Istina, Amy, and me.

Finally, all three of us gathered in the lab after a long time.

“Take a look.”

“Yes.”

I drew a picture of the Thomas Splint on paper—a device that secures the thigh and shin with straps to stretch and align the leg.

“You’ve seen this, right? The one we used to straighten the patient’s leg.”

“Yes.”

“You must have seen cases where patients with leg injuries end up with twisted or shortened legs, right? This device is designed to fix that.”

We’ve discussed this many times before.

The grad students nodded.

“Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Your task: document this case of the patient with the broken femur thoroughly. Note what was uncomfortable, what went wrong, and what worked well.”

“Okay, understood.”

“You’ve noticed this already, but this isn’t a treatment relying solely on my skills or special medicines, right? Any other hospital or medical team could replicate this method.”

“True.”

“That’s why I want you to document it carefully. Both the Thomas Splint itself and its usage are relatively simple methods to apply.”

That’s why I consider it a particularly important case.

“So please document it thoroughly.”

“Sure thing.”

The Thomas Splint is a method that could drastically reduce patient mortality and complications. It should be available in every hospital across the empire.

“I’ll be going on a business trip tomorrow…”

Busy, busy. The royal banquet is already tomorrow. It felt like it would never come.

Though I feel uneasy leaving the ward in someone else’s hands, I don’t have two bodies. There’s nothing to do but trust them.

****

Istina scratched her head.

While I know Professor Asterisk usually works hard, is it really fair that the grad students are stuck in the lab while the professor goes on a date with the imperial princess?

This isn’t so much about right or wrong as it is tragic irony. Istina might finally get some breathing room once she finishes her Ph.D., right?

Probably not.

****

And on the day of the Harvest Thanksgiving Banquet…

Mint was waiting outside the lab door, dressed in a gown with her hair tied up.

For a moment, I just stared at Mint blankly. Her pale white neck was visible beneath her neatly tied pastel-yellow hair.

She looked absolutely stunning.

The princess’s dress was dark blue adorned with gold thread. Although her shoulders were exposed, it wasn’t overly revealing.

Rather modest than flashy. True, there’s no need for extravagant colors when the face itself completes the fashion.

As soon as Mint saw me, she lit up.

“How does the dress look?”

“Absolutely beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

I climbed into the carriage first, then helped Mint inside by holding her hand. With a cheerful smile, Mint followed me in.

Mint lightly kissed my cheek and held my hand tightly, intertwining our fingers while rubbing her thumb against the back of my hand.

We sat quietly in the carriage for what felt like an eternity, though only a few minutes passed.

Maybe it’s because I’m nervous.

“This is my first time attending an event with you, Mint. I’m worried I might mess something up.”

“Why should you be nervous? You’ve been to the palace often with me. You even worked there.”

Mint looked at me bewilderedly. To be honest, it’s less about being nervous and more about the fact that I’m accompanying the princess to the event.

“Still…”

“There is something I should explain.”

“What is it?”

“Since social gatherings are ultimately a form of governance and communication, there are certain rules to follow. So I asked the prince.”

“What did he say?”

“This is what concerns me.”

Mint fiddled with her hair with her left hand, looking thoughtful.

“I’m listening.”

“Neither of us are truly people of high society, and neither are you that kind of person, right? In a way, we’re both newcomers to this scene. You might be able to get by with your eloquence, but…”

I shook my head slightly.

I don’t think I’m particularly eloquent. More often than not, I simply say what’s right while others say what’s wrong.

I see eloquence as a different issue.

“You shouldn’t rely on eloquence.”

“Really?”

“You should say what’s correct.”

“Hmm… Isn’t that ironic coming from you?”

“I disagree.”

“Why so humble all of a sudden?”

“I’m not eloquent. People just listen begrudgingly because what I say is true.”

I truly believe that’s how it works, though I’m not sure how Mint perceives it.

Mint tilted her head, causing her hair and ribbon to shift cutely to one side. She’s adorable for some reason.

“Hmm… Now that I think about it, maybe you’re right.”

“To be honest, eloquence isn’t about winning arguments or acting crazy. It’s about conversing with others, finding mistakes in their words, compromising, and deriving the best outcome. Though, I’m not entirely confident about that.”

“Wow, that was surprisingly deep.”

“You need to understand this, Mint.”

“Effort is key, right? Even if your personality is strange, it’s partly your fault… But it’s reassuring to see you’re aware of it.”

“Yes.”

“Just follow me and don’t worry too much. Things will work out fine if you try.”

Thinking about it casually, that’s true.

Mint, as the imperial princess, ranks higher than most people who’ll be there. As for me, I’m not noble, so I naturally keep my distance. Since I’m not bound by high society gossip, it doesn’t bother me much.

“As you said earlier. You’re already famous as the empire’s top healer, so most people will probably just see this as the eccentric behavior of a genius.”

“That’s possible.”

“The important thing is this: Of course, I love you deeply, but I also need to persuade the imperial palace. To make things easier for persuasion, it’s better to build goodwill ahead of time.”

“Understood.”

“I’m sorry for putting you through unnecessary trouble because of my family issues.”

I shook my head. That didn’t seem accurate. Even adopting a dog would make the giver somewhat anxious, wouldn’t it?

It’s not because she’s a princess—it’s just a matter of degree. Most people go through similar situations.

“Other people experience similar things too. Don’t parents always see their daughters’ partners as rascals?”

Mint tapped her foot impatiently, then hugged my arm tightly and rested her head on my shoulder.

“Ah, but…”

“Yes?”

“Teacher, you are really coming to the banquet with me, right?”

“Of course.”

I answered immediately. It’s an obvious question confirming something we both already know. Maybe she just wanted to hear me say it.

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