Crown Prince Sells Medicine
Chapter 107

[A special reward of 5,000 HP will be given for such exceptional social and historical medical achievements.]

[Your current HP: 5,400]

“Heh heh, heh heh heh.”

Raciel chuckled heartily.

He had fabricated a weak excuse to comfort the injured soldier, as he couldn’t replace the right words to say. What’s unusual about a military medic tending to a wounded soldier? It seemed perfectly normal, at least in his own understanding.

However, who could have foreseen this chain reaction? The rewards didn’t end there.

Ding Dong!

A refreshing notification sound pierced through his senses, like a gentle breeze on a hot day, followed by a message that graced his tired eyes.

[Today, you have displayed an extraordinary ability, completely relieving the pain of the wounded soldier.]

[Multiple camp attendants witnessed your actions.]

[The camp attendants were astonished.]

[The camp attendants now regard you with a gaze filled with genuine awe.]

[News of your achievement will spread throughout the wounded soldiers’ camp, and your reputation will soar dramatically.]

[You have earned 76 GDP.]

[Current Status Points (GDP) = 98]

[Number of lie vouchers available for purchase with current GDP: 0]

‘…Huh.’

He thought that was the end of it.

But the reward parade didn’t stop.

Ding Dong!

[You have successfully performed surgery on the patient, Tieri, by actively utilizing your ‘My hand is a Healing Hand’ skill. This marks the first successful application of your ‘My hand is a Healing Hand’ skill, significantly impacting its growth.]

[Level of ‘My hand is a Healing Hand’ skill increases.]

[Skill Name: My hand is a Healing Hand Lv.3]

[You can delicately touch the target’s body to reduce pain. Local anesthesia level pain reduction (+40%) is available.]

Up to this point, it was similar to previous level-up messages. But the following notification was different.

[A new anesthesia ability has been unlocked due to the increase in skill level.]

[Brachial plexus anesthesia is now accessible.]

[You can now expertly anesthetize the entire arm area by gently touching the brachial plexus nerves located in the shoulder (trapezius muscle, above and below the collarbone, armpit).]

[When performing anesthesia with this skill, the usual side effects and risks associated with brachial plexus anesthesia (complications to the central nervous system, heart rate drop, cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, pneumothorax, diaphragmatic nerve paralysis causing respiratory distress) will not occur. So please use it freely.]

‘What?’

His eyes widened instantly.

Brachial plexus anesthesia? Just by touching?

‘Is this for real?’

Initially, he thought it was a jest. But after reading it multiple times, it was undeniably genuine.

‘Incredible.’

Raciel clenched his fist discreetly.

Brachial plexus anesthesia was a technique to anesthetize the nerve trunk passing through the shoulder, effectively numbing the arm. It offered the significant advantage of avoiding physically taxing general anesthesia while completely numbing the arm.

‘Now I don’t need gimmicks like chess or blindfolds when operating on arm areas. Even the toughest soldier won’t feel a thing while watching his arm get stitched. Plus, there are no common side effects. Is this a dream or reality?’

His heart raced with excitement. Reaching level 3 and unlocking brachial plexus anesthesia hinted at the possibility of more valuable anesthesia techniques at higher levels.

‘Perhaps epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. Maybe even general anesthesia in the future.’

If that became a reality, his range of treatments would expand dramatically.

‘It’s like moving from a cramped studio apartment to a spacious 34-pyeong apartment in Gangnam!’

Not just simple surgeries.

Advanced, hardcore cupping. Or acupuncture using wasp stingers. Full-body adjustments like building with Lego blocks. Various treatments could now potentially benefit from ‘My hand is a Healing Hand’ anesthesia.

‘So, this is an opportunity. I should accumulate skill experience points while I can.’

Raciel steeled himself.

Gardin roamed the wounded camp with his team. He prioritized treating those who could immediately undergo surgery, diligently cleaning and applying anesthesia to their wounds.

However, he refrained from performing amputations. According to the standards of the era, some soldiers appeared to require immediate amputations due to their injuries, often from stabbings or cuts sustained in battle. Each time such a wounded soldier was brought in, Gardin expressed his disapproval.

“Your… I mean, my lord? If we don’t amputate immediately, the wound will become infected.”

“We cannot.”

“But…”

“I have a plan, so begin by cleaning and suturing the wound.”

“…Very well.”

Gardin reluctantly consented.

In reality, he wasn’t entirely mistaken. Given the medical practices of this world, amputation might indeed be the best course of action for these types of injuries. Such a situation had even occurred in the battlefields of Earth’s recent history.

‘Even during the Napoleonic Wars or the American Civil War in the 1800s, amputated limbs piled up in field hospitals. Not necessarily due to gunshot or stabs, but wounds would fester and turn necrotic even from a simple scratch.’

This condition was precisely what South Korean military personnel would have referred to as ‘cellulitis’ at least once.

‘In modern society, these wounds could heal with a bit of Madecassol or antiseptic. Back then, it resulted in a surge of amputation surgeries or even death due to infection.’

Perhaps Gardin shared this concern. However, Raciel brushed it aside, as he had other plans.

“That’s why I’ve summoned both of you separately.”

Two days had elapsed since the urgent surgeries were completed. Raciel had called Gardin and Demian into the commander’s tent and addressed them.

“First, Gardin.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“While I’m absent, improve the camp’s sanitation. Replace all the tents, bedding, and clothing in use by the wounded with new ones. We received supplies today, so it should be feasible. Also, pay attention to enhancing their diets.”

“Understood. But you mentioned your absence?”

“I need to depart for a while, with Demian.”

“Yes?”

Gardin furrowed his brow, and Demian squinted suspiciously.

“Where do you intend to take me?”

“To a rather dark place.”

“…”

“It’s absolutely necessary. Otherwise, all the wounded will perish.”

Raciel offered a faint smile.

That was the stark reality. Most of the soldiers’ wounds had been merely ‘sutured.’ Left untreated, most would succumb to infections, nullifying the purpose of the emergency surgeries.

“We require medicine to prevent and treat infections. However, antibiotics are unavailable here. So, what’s our solution? We must create them ourselves.”

“…”

“Antibiotics?”

Gardin and Demian blinked and exchanged puzzled looks. It was a type of medicine they had never encountered before, evidently highly effective. While they shared glances, Raciel continued.

“Hence, we must gather the materials to produce antibiotics.”

“Can’t we simply request supplies or purchase them?”

“No, we cannot.”

“…”

“Obtaining them that way is impossible because people here are not yet familiar with these materials.”

It was a fact.

The substance he sought to acquire was something that people in this place ‘still’ had no knowledge of. It would only become known several years later.

‘It was the same in ‘Devil sword Emperor.”

Suddenly, a scene from the latter part of the novel flashed through his mind. It was likely the episode involving the Elf Kingdom, where unique herbs were utilized by the elves for treatments. Thanks to these herbs, Demian, who had been on the brink of death, had been saved.

Raciel intended to implement what he had observed back then. Since when?

‘Since leaving the Star Palace and traveling in the carriage to Anbouaz. All the while, I had been contemplating and strategizing about preventing infections among the soldiers.’

He was en route to tend to the wounded on the battlefield. Naturally, trauma care and corresponding infection prevention measures were necessary. So he contemplated and came up with a plan.

“Anyway, that’s why I’m considering leaving immediately.”

“Right now?” Demian appeared puzzled and inquired further. Raciel responded as though it were self-evident.

“We must act promptly. Gathering the ingredients will take time, and even more time will be needed for preparation once we have them. Meanwhile, what about the wounded? What about their injuries? Will they just patiently wait for us?”

“…”

“So that’s why we’re departing right away. Remember, patients don’t wait for us.”

“But, my lord, you—”

“What about me?”

“Antibiotics? I’ve never heard of such a medicine. Furthermore, you mentioned it’s made from unknown ingredients. How do you know about this?”

“Suspicious, isn’t it? I read about it in a book. Satisfied?”

“Which book was it…?”

“I don’t recall.”

“…”

“What? Why? What’s the issue?”

“…”

Demian had no more questions, but he didn’t retract his skeptical gaze from Raciel.

‘The crown prince is occasionally a bit peculiar.’

That was why he had abruptly decided to travel all the way to Anbouaz. Like soothing the wounded with unusual songs alone, to alleviate their pain.

And, above all…

‘It seems as if he’s looking at this world from a higher perspective, just like now.’

There were moments when he emitted such an aura. A sensation as if he had already lived in this world once before, or perhaps had the experience of observing this place from a higher realm.

Occasionally, he emitted such inexplicable vibes. Just like now.

“…”

However, Demian soon composed his expression. Instead of displaying suspicion, he responded as usual.

“Understood. I’ll accompany you. However—”

“However?”

“You’ll need to offer me extra compensation.”

“Deal.”

The negotiation (if you could call it that) was successful. They promptly began preparations for their departure. Alongside Demian, Raciel also took six knights assigned by the princess. They also enlisted a soldier familiar with the region’s geography. Thus, a total of nine individuals left the camp.

“Lead us to the most remote forest in this area, where human footprints are scarce,” Raciel instructed the guide soldier.

The soldier took the lead as they departed from the camp and crossed a stream and a field.

They ascended a gentle slope of a mountain, and as the forest grew thicker, the trails commonly used by people gradually became scarce.

Nevertheless, they pressed onward, and eventually, even the remote cabins occasionally used by hunters vanished from view.

Whoosh…

The deep forest resembled an abyss. A realm where only the wind and occasional bird calls filled the air. No other familiar signs were present.

‘This brings back memories of Gangwon Province.’

Suddenly, he recalled a trip to Hongcheon. During that journey, he and his senior had gone trekking and unintentionally veered off course. Was it a path from Hongcheon to Yanggu, seldom trodden even by soldiers?

The ambiance here was such that one could imagine encountering a wild boar from the Ural Mountains and giving it a high-five. The scenery bore a resemblance to what they were currently witnessing. It appeared the group shared a similar sentiment.

“It seems like we’re venturing too deep,” remarked Demian, surveying their surroundings. His tone conveyed concern.

“In a place like this, we might stumble upon monsters. Especially in such an isolated area, we might inadvertently encroach on an Apfros nest territory.”

“Yeah, quite possibly.”

“Yes. That’s why everyone’s feeling uneasy.”

Demian’s observation held merit.

The knights dispatched by the princess and the guide soldiers were also on edge. They watched the group, curious about their destination.

‘I need to reassure everyone.’

Raciel offered a faint smile.

He addressed the group.

“No need for everyone to fret. An Apfros nest? Yes, in a secluded forest like this, we could enter their domain. Apfros are creatures that have extended their colonies from the central region of Magentano to the central-northern region of Anbouaz.”

Silent nods of agreement followed. He bestowed upon them a more confident smile.

“But you all know, right? Apfros are generally placid unless someone disrupts their nest or larvae. That’s common knowledge, isn’t it?”

Everyone nodded once more.

They shared similar thoughts.

At least that portly military officer appears familiar with the behavior of the giant honeybee-like Apfros. So, he won’t do anything reckless. It seems he has a plan given the way he talks.

Thus, they wouldn’t face grave danger. Some of the anxiety dissipated, and they felt somewhat relieved. Yet, at that very moment, Raciel’s smile took on an ominous quality.

“So,”

Up to this point, it was all about:

Preventing and treating infections. Now, the next course of action is…

“From here on out, we’re going to procure the queen larva of the Apfros nest through abduction.”

(To be Continued)

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