When the man’s upper garment was removed, Sharti was speechless at the sight of his body.
External wounds aside, it was impossible to gauge how serious his internal injuries might be.
‘Is he someone who escaped from a battlefield?’
Nothing else could explain such wounds.
Sharti repeatedly clenched and unclenched her trembling hands.
‘Can I save him?’
First, Sharti took out two round magic stones from the drawer and tapped them together. The smaller stone began to emit light, illuminating the inside of the cave.
‘…Let’s try.’
He must have been desperate to survive if he’d hidden himself this deep in the cave.
If so, she had to save him.
Having made up her mind, Sharti carefully placed her hand on the wound on the man’s abdomen and concentrated. First, she used rainwater to clean away impurities from his body, being careful not to disturb the wound.
“Doctor, you should use this next!”
Nod.
She accepted the herb handed to her by the clever Tein and rubbed it between her palms to crush it. The sharp scent of the herb rose from her fingertips, tickling her nose.
“That’s Woodrath herb! It’s good for stopping bleeding!”
Correct. When Sharti nodded, a flush appeared on Tein’s cold cheeks. Every time Sharti took out an herb, Tein proudly showed off all the herbal knowledge he had learned so far.
“Next is the Laren herb! It acts as a painkiller! And Beval herb! It prevents wounds from opening! This is Merdal herb! When soaked in water and fed, it promotes blood production! This is Gretoo herb! It reduces fever. Also…mmph!”
Sharti smiled and placed a small leaf in Tein’s mouth, which was chirping like a baby bird. Tein chewed on the leaf and nodded as he watched Sharti do the same.
“Jatul herb for preventing chills!”
Correct. She stroked Tein’s cheek with the back of her hand.
“Hehe. I get 100 points.”
Tein was delighted.
Since she couldn’t show the man’s serious condition, she had seated the child behind her, and it seemed the child had interpreted the situation as a practical lesson.
“Doctor! But how can a person be as big as a bear? It’s like he ate a bear!”
Sharti wiped away cold sweat under her hood as she listened to the child’s imagination.
‘Phew. I’ve done all the emergency treatment.’
She had done everything possible in this situation. The cave literally only had herbs for first aid.
Sharti took out a blanket from inside the cave and covered the man with it.
‘Now it’s up to his physical strength.’
He appeared large and strong, so it didn’t seem like he would die immediately.
As she relaxed a bit, her rain-soaked body began to shiver.
“Doctor, the wind is blowing.”
Sharti opened her arms toward Tein. The child quickly nestled into her embrace.
Sharti pulled an extra blanket to wrap around them together, ensuring the child’s body temperature wouldn’t drop further.
“But Doctor, who is this bear man?”
<I don’t know.>
“He’s bigger than Hunter Uncle Hant. And he’s harder too.”
<Tein. You shouldn’t poke a patient’s body like that.>
“What if he’s a dangerous person? We need to treat patients, but you shouldn’t be in danger.”
Tein mumbled glumly after reading the message written on her palm.
<It’s okay for now. He won’t wake up for a while.>
“Then we should run away before this mister wakes up.”
Tein said bravely.
Sharti hugged the dependable child and glanced at the bed.
“……”
His breathing was so quiet that one might think he was dead.
He seemed to be sleeping, perhaps due to the strong effect of the painkillers.
‘What if he really is dangerous?’
She was worried because this cave was a hideout she had created over a long time.
‘Winter is coming soon.’
It would be difficult to find a better location than this.
Sharti sighed quietly, mindful of Tein.
‘Is he an imperial citizen caught up in trouble? Or…a rebel? He might be an enemy.’
Currently, the Neweiton Empire had conquered lands of various foreign countries and tribes.
Naturally, there were rebels who had risen against the Neweiton Empire.
‘…He’s not from the Kingdom of Krianet, is he?’
Anxiety sprouted, but Sharti shook her head, dismissing unnecessary suspicions.
The people of the Kingdom of Krianet, having lost all their royalty, had already declared surrender to the Neweiton Empire the day after the palace burned down five years ago.
In common terms, the kingdom’s people, having lost their head, had no hope that could form the foundation for rebellion.
‘There are traces of being caught in an explosion, and many stab wounds too. He really might be someone who barely survived a battlefield.’
Her crimson eyes sank deeply as she recalled experiences she had read about and learned from observation.
Anxiety began to sprout.
‘What if… I’ve saved a dangerous person?’
She recalled the look in the man’s eyes as he threatened her, refusing to let go of his sword until the end.
But beyond the wariness filled with killing intent, there was so much pain and injury that she couldn’t possibly ignore it.
‘…His eyes looked pained.’
She saves those who want to live.
It’s enough that she alone had experienced not being saved by anyone when facing death.
That compulsive mindset had driven her to treat the man.
‘Haah…’
Sharti shook her head repeatedly.
When she needed to live in hiding quietly, why did she keep encountering strangers of unknown identity and volunteering for hardship?
“Oh, Doctor. The rain is stopping!”
Tein, who had been listening to the outside conditions, exclaimed.
The wind still howled outside the cave, but the rain was gradually easing.
<Let’s stay here until the typhoon passes.>
“Yes!”
Virena would be worried. And Grandmother Vireta too.
Sharti glanced at the man lying on the bed and rolled her eyes.
Of course, what worried her most now was the consequence of the choice she had made.
“But Doctor, why didn’t you tear his pants?”
“……”
Sharti was momentarily speechless at Tein’s choice of words.
There was a long stab wound on his thigh as well as his abdomen.
<The large stab wound on his thigh had relatively stopped bleeding, and I applied herbs to other wounds on his lower body, so we can leave his lower garments as they are.>
The thigh wound had already passed the dangerous stage, as if the man had managed to stop the bleeding himself.
Though tattered, there was no need to remove his lower garments.
<And we need to maintain his body temperature.>
Tein nodded. The clever child raised his gaze and carefully examined the wounds of the man on the bed.
Sharti stroked the head of this admirable and fearless child.
<If that patient wakes up, you must run away. Understand?>
“Yes! But Doctor, what should we say if the patient asks about his condition?”
“……”
The sharp child looked up at her with clear eyes.
“A doctor must accurately diagnose and prescribe for the patient’s condition.”
“……”
“I want to be a doctor like you, Doctor!”
She wasn’t sure what to say to this future doctor.
‘Of course…I should explain his condition and prescribe medicine, but…’
What if the patient turned out to be a villain?
What if he took this clever and righteous little doctor as a hostage?
Sharti awkwardly rolled her eyes.
<If he asks, we should answer.>
Even if they weren’t in a doctor-patient relationship, it was right to answer when asked.
As if he had expected this, Tein nodded vigorously.
The anxiety was Sharti’s burden.
Still, a safety measure was necessary just in case.
<Tein. Do you know how to tie rope?>
Among the items she had prepared in the cave was a sturdy rope.
Sharti rose from her seat, releasing Tein from her embrace.
<A doctor must consider the patient’s safety.>
“That’s right!”
Sharti retrieved the rope buried near a small drawer and handed half of it to Tein.
<If the patient moves, his wounds might open, so let’s secure him for now.>
It was the best measure for everyone’s safety.
Sharti felt sorry for the man lying motionless on the bed, but she reassured herself.
Then Tein shook his head and stood in front of the man.
“Doctor, we can’t use rope!”
“…!”
“If he moves while tied with rope, his wounds will open. He could get other injuries too.”
Indeed, it seemed too harsh a measure.
Sharti felt ashamed for suggesting such an adult-like solution without adequate explanation.
“You can’t tie a large, solid rock with rope. So we must use anesthetic herbs!”
“…?”
Her crimson eyes wavered slightly.
He used a rock as a metaphor but treated him like a wild beast.
“I’ve read about many anesthetic herbs in books. I’ve read a lot about their uses!”
It was a dependable statement.
Sharti carefully nodded.
<Yes. There should be extra anesthetic herbs I collected in the cave.>
“It’s Nurain mushroom herb!”
Sharti and Tein, having somewhat regained their body warmth, searched the cave and found the Nurain mushroom herb.
‘Nurain mushroom herb has no side effects, so it should be fine.’
It was an anesthetic herb used even for patients who became violent.
As Tein said, it would be a serious problem if the man moved and reopened the wounds that had been treated with such care.
<Tein. You also know that Nurain mushroom herb shouldn’t be touched carelessly, right?>
“Yes! I must observe quietly by Doctor’s side.”
Tein crouched down and focused on Sharti’s hands as she prepared the Nurain mushroom herb.
To make it easy for Tein to remember, Sharti used a wooden stick to crush the leaves and roots of the Nurain mushroom herb in order. She transferred the powdered Nurain mushroom herb into several small pouches, each the size of Tein’s palm.
During this time, the sound of rain outside gradually decreased, and soon the rain stopped.
After waiting until the wind also calmed down, Sharti left the cave to take Tein back to the village.
‘I should bring more herbs that I need at home.’
Before reaching the village entrance, Sharti earnestly advised Tein.
<Tein. You must never climb the mountain alone. Think how worried Virena would be.>
“Yes…”
<I appreciate your help, but you must know that your safety is most important to me. Can you promise?>
“I understand. I pinky promised with Doctor.”
Tein’s small head nodded repeatedly.
Sharti stroked the head of this admirable and grateful child, then escorted Tein to his home. It was too late to meet Virena, so Sharti quietly turned away.
“……”
As she was about to leave the village, Sharti paused for a moment. She turned her head and glanced toward the village square.
The bulletin board covered with wanted posters caught her eye.
‘Surely…he’s not a criminal?’
Despite wanting to check, her footsteps couldn’t move toward the bulletin board.
Simply put, Sharti’s existence was no different from a wanted person. If someone reported her identity or her status as alive or dead, she would be taken away as a wanted person.
‘I shouldn’t report hastily.’
The man in the cave was unconscious and unable to move. If he were taken away in that state and subjected to harsh treatment, his condition might worsen.
‘…When he gets a little better, then let’s check.’
Was she feeling a sense of kinship toward this unknown man she had just met?
Sharti suppressed her wavering curiosity and turned away for now.
Under the still cloudy sky, the beginning of autumn that Sharti would face was gradually stirring.
