“Ugh….”
“Hoo…”
In the makeshift ward set up in the Southern Fortress, over two hundred knights were already laid up.
“Hands off, healers! Look over here!”
“Isn’t there a spare blanket?!”
Since arriving at the Count’s territory, the healers of the First Royal Princess faction had been busily healing knights without a moment’s rest.
The expedition had been long. A full month of marching.
But considering the usual strength of the Imperial Knights, they shouldn’t be this weakened from fatigue.
Moreover, this was the First Battalion led by Heike, who had even won the martial arts tournament. They were the Empire’s finest knights.
Nevertheless, the environment of the Count’s territory was so different from the systems they were used to that adapting was difficult.
“Damn it, no matter how few hands we have, even I, the attending physician, shouldn’t be running around in the field.”
Alberich grumbled to Heike in secret.
During outdoor activities, it was a principle not to leave the lord’s side, yet Heike insisted on keeping every faction healer, including Alberich, constantly on duty, determined to save even one more knight.
There were a few holy knights in the knights’ order who could handle a minimum amount of divine power. They were like medics.
But their healing abilities were nowhere near what the inner palace healers could provide, making it unavoidable to jump in directly during situations like this.
“What in the world is Count Blücher doing living in a place like this? While I’m gone, if anything happens to His Majesty, it will all be my fault.”
As Alberich grumbled, he cast a healing spell on a knight groaning in pain.
Being the attending physician, he swiftly restored the frozen hands and feet to their normal state with his excellent skills.
The issue was that frostbite could easily recur depending on the constitution of the person.
Altitude sickness was the same. Knights who had been vigorous in their own land were feeling weaker in this unfamiliar environment, making healing a different matter altogether.
“At this rate, it’s like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom.”
As Alberich sighed in boredom, a healer burst through the door with confidence.
“Step right up, who’s next for a check-up!”
Seeing the healer’s face, Alberich gasped.
“G-Gothberg!”
“Yes, that’s me. Miss me?”
“Who would want to miss you! Why have you come all the way here to plot something?!”
Lars, the unbothered healer, answered smoothly as Alberich was having a meltdown.
“Oh, there’s no plot. I came to treat you.”
A group of healers from the Moonlight Palace followed behind Lars, each carrying various medications.
Clap, clap, Lars clapped his hands as a signal.
“Let’s start the check-ups right away. If there are any urgent patients, send them my way.”
The healers hurriedly dispersed to attend to the patients.
Alberich clicked his tongue and hastily rushed toward the next patient, competing.
*
“Hey, are you back to your senses?”
I lifted the body of a fallen knight. The one who had been semi-unconscious slowly opened his eyes and shook his head.
“…Aren’t you the attending physician for the Third Royal Princess? Did you heal me?”
“Yeah, you’re looking better now. If you’re fully awake, join the others and warm up. We’re setting out tomorrow.”
“That’s amazing. I was breathless and my head felt foggy, but it’s like my body’s been lightened up. Thank you.”
The knight thanked me and got up.
I quickly continued attending to the First Battalion. Using my diagnosis skill, I prescribed diuretics for altitude sickness and ointments for frostbite.
“Tch, you’re all worked up because you can’t steal the spotlight from me. You’re nothing but a little brat without manners.”
Alberich grumbled as he watched our healing team. Due to time constraints, I ignored him and focused on the treatment.
“Hey, are you all going to just stand there like blind men? Get in there and use your healing spells!”
Alberich yelled at his faction healers, and they became a flurry of activity.
We needed collaboration here.
I stood up from my spot and signaled, and my healers blocked Alberich’s faction.
“Bishop, there’s something I need to inform you. Among the knights we treated, those with a red handkerchief on their arm shouldn’t be treated with healing spells, so be cautious.”
“What? What do you mean don’t use healing spells on knights going into battle?”
“Instead, please focus on casting blessings. They’ve been treated with diuretics for altitude sickness.”
“What difference does that make?!”
Alberich was getting angry.
Well, of course, he wouldn’t understand this.
I decided to explain calmly to some extent.
“To put it simply, altitude sickness occurs due to the lack of oxygen at high altitudes. Oxygen is delivered throughout the body via blood.”
“And?”
“The amount of oxygen delivered varies from person to person. Those knights inherently have a lower oxygen delivery capacity. The terrain made the situation worse, hence their condition. We administered treatments to expand the blood vessels, increasing the amount of oxygen.”
“I don’t understand.”
Hugo stood next to me and chimed in.
“It’s like if a river is narrow, it cannot flow properly, so we dug the land.”
“…Hmm.”
“As you well know, Bishop, healing spells work on the principle of restoring the body to its original state. Those expanded blood vessels would contract back to normal, causing the altitude sickness to recur.”
“So, you can’t use healing spells?!”
Alberich stomped his feet and pointed a finger at me.
“What am I supposed to do if those knights get injured in battle?!”
“Then we’ll have no choice but to use healing spells at that time. Please focus on providing care for them in your faction.”
Alberich shook his head in disbelief.
“Are you saying my faction has to bear the weaknesses of your medications? It’s ridiculous that healing spells and your treatments can’t be used together!”
“Most medications can be used alongside each other, but this is a somewhat special case. Either way, my medication is the only way to treat altitude sickness.”
“That’s pathetic. This could weaken the main force’s combat capabilities. If healing spells conflict with this, doesn’t it mean you’re going against the teachings of the Goddess? I’ll report this to His Majesty!”
“Go ahead. I still have knights to treat.”
Alberich stomped off upstairs in a huff.
Honestly, he was too obsessed with healing spells to have a proper conversation.
I decided to focus back on taking care of the remaining knights.
Shortly after, Heike came down with Alberich by her side.
She stood in front of me.
“Your Majesty.”
“I received the report, Gothberg. Is it true that we can no longer use healing spells on our knights?”
With her arms crossed, Heike was looking serious. Alberich was closely sticking to her side.
It seemed he actually did complain.
I stood up and replied.
“Indeed, Your Highness.”
“Why is that?”
I explained the working principle of the diuretics to her again, just as I had with Alberich.
Upon hearing my words, Heike fell into deep thought.
“How many knights have been given the diuretics?”
“About eighty. Only to those in poor condition.”
“That’s five percent of the total troops. With that much…”
Heike nodded her head.
“Position those knights in the rear and do what you can to avoid situations requiring healing.”
“Your Highness!”
Alberich made a pitiful face, seemingly unfair, but Heike reprimanded him instead.
“If it weren’t for Gothberg’s medication, those knights wouldn’t even be able to participate in battle. What use is having it?”
“That increases the burden our healers have to consider on-site. After all, techniques that conflict with healing spells are…”
“Isn’t that what I’m paying you a hefty salary for?”
Heike cut Alberich off, causing him to fall silent.
“Or do you, Alberich, have a better alternative than Gothberg’s medication?”
“…If you give me some time…”
Heike thumped the floor with her iron boots.
“Alberich, don’t you realize the current situation? Where in the world is time right now? Civilians including the count are isolated. We don’t even know the internal situation accurately. We might be running out of food. Thanks to Gothberg, we barely moved the delayed departure to tomorrow.”
Under Heike’s pressure, Alberich became as mute as a fish.
I understood that feeling. When Acella hounds me, the only option is to flash a commercial grin and nod.
“If you have nothing to do, go get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day. Conserve your strength.”
“…As you command.”
Alberich bowed his head.
Heike left, and he shot a resentful glare at me.
I waved my hand at him.
“Sweet dreams.”
Alberich pointed a finger at me with vigor. However, seemingly unable to find a suitable reply, he smacked his lips and turned away.
*
Clang! Clang!
Waaaah!
From the distance in the east came the sound of swords clashing, the boisterous cheers of knights, and the shouts of barbarians mixed together.
Because of the noise reverberating off the mountains several times, my skin felt prickly.
“It’s been two hours since Princess Heike entered the fray.”
Walter, the commander of the knights from the Moonlight Palace, reported to Acella.
We were positioned in the pathway leading from the Southern Fortress to the Western Fortress.
Heike was currently conducting a preemptive attack on the Eastern Fortress, luring in the scattered barbarians from the Count’s territory.
According to the plan, Heike was bait. All the barbarians around the Count’s fortress were being drawn to the Eastern Fortress.
Meanwhile, we would enter from the Western Fortress and sever the supply line to subdue them.
Once we rescue the civilians, we would then gather the trapped enemies from the Eastern Fortress and annihilate them all at once.
“Scout report. The First Royal Princess faction is continuing the standoff as planned and luring in the enemy. About 70% of the barbarian forces in the Count’s territory are gathered at the Eastern Fortress. However, there’s been no movement from the Central Fortress.”
“Just as the Prince said.”
“Told you, they’re simple-minded.”
Acella, dressed in her magical attire, swept her hair back with her wand.
“The lack of movement from the Central Fortress indicates either that there’s a clever barbarian leader or they’re preoccupied with finding any hidden civilians.”
Acella concluded.
“Even if we stall for time, it would be difficult to draw out the central forces. Let’s start the advance. Commander, issue the orders.”
“Forward, troops!”
The commander of the knights shouted enthusiastically, and the vanguard began to march decisively.
The drawbridge leading from the Southern Fortress to the Western Fortress was steadily being covered in thick steel armor.
Acella and I walked from the rear while confirming the formation.
Once we passed the midpoint, the enemy finally came into view.
Graaargh! Meat!
Hehe! I’ll crush you!
A bunch of unsuspecting barbarians that had remained by the Western Fortress raised their heads and began charging toward us.
They wore the skulls of demons on their heads and were clad in their own pelts. Hunched over and drooling, their charge was more akin to that of feral beasts wielding weapons rather than human knights.
“Step aside. I’ll take them out in one go.”
Acella’s eyes sparkled as she swung her wand, drawing a magic circle.
At that moment, the system’s probability shifted.
[No. 056: The Wicked Woman’s Hatred 7% → 10%]
‘This is going to end with Acella randomly murdering me without reason.’
While it was a minimal statistic, the fact that it increased meant Acella’s inclination toward violence would escalate during this battle, I suspected.
I instinctively grabbed Acella’s arm to stop her and said to her.
“Your Highness, let’s conserve some mana.”
“Why are you stopping me? With a snowstorm spell, we could wipe them out in one go.”
If I thought about it, Acella had probably never used magic against a person before.
Perhaps if I prevent her from ever doing so, I could somewhat affect her.
“Let’s save your magic for when we cut off the bridge later.”
“Are we going to have our knights deal with this? Look at their numbers. Even if most of them fled to the Eastern Fortress, we’re still dealing with an army. Some of those weapons are vicious.”
I shrugged and replied.
“Well, we have Tanya.”
As soon as I finished my sentence, Tanya dashed to the front lines, unleashing her sword energy.
Kaboom!!
The barbarian warriors charging at her were cut down in an instant.
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