The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 19.
There are always limits to a game’s story.
This is especially true for gacha games where numerous characters appear randomly.
Realistically, it’s impossible to give each character a deep, meaningful story.
So game companies inevitably use clichés for individual character stories, and Rutger Rosenberg was that type of character.
A father with a sickly daughter. A typical cliché.
His daughter, Estelle Rosenberg, was famous for her beauty in the territory until she was 10 years old. She was praised as someone who would become the representative beauty of the Alvard Kingdom when she grew up.
However, that beauty was ruined by hideous boils that suddenly appeared all over her body.
Rutger called in renowned doctors to find out the cause of the disease, but no one could figure it out.
Meanwhile, a terrible plague broke out in his territory.
-That’s the cause! That’s what’s spreading the disease!
-This monster!
The people of the territory cursed Estelle, pointing to her as the cause of the epidemic.
They used to praise her endlessly, but now they started throwing stones, treating her like a monster.
Greatly disappointed in his people, Rutger gave up his territory and title, and started wandering the continent with only his close subordinates, searching for the cause of the disease.
The protagonist and Ars, who had raised an army, later went to subjugate Rutger’s group, which had degenerated into a band of mountain bandits, and decided to help after learning of this situation.
At that time, Ars, who had been dispatched to the northeastern part of the continent, accidentally discovered the cause of the disease.
Ars went to where Rutger was with the cure, but Estelle, who didn’t want to be a burden to her father, had already taken her own life.
Rutger, while wailing in grief over losing his daughter, was deeply moved by the protagonist’s group, especially Ars, who had made every effort to help, and this was the story of how Rutger came under their command.
“But… It seems the person in charge is not here.”
Rutger was nowhere to be seen. In response to my question, Ings, the polite man who was guiding us, scratched his cheek.
“You noticed. Yes, as you guessed, our lord has gone south to obtain rare herbs.”
“That lord being?”
Ings hesitated for a moment before saying, “Rutger Rosenberg. Also known as Jade Rosenberg. Do you know of him?”
“I’ve heard of him.”
A famous general who was once the 2nd General of Alvard and known as the right-hand man of Kaien the Strategist. That was Rosenberg.
‘Tch, did we just miss him?’
From what I heard, it would take at least two weeks for Rutger to return. We couldn’t wait that long, so meeting Rutger would have to wait for another day.
The place Ings guided us to was a mountain lodge located in a corner of the mountainous area. As we approached the lodge, a foul smell began to permeate the air.
“I ask this of you in advance, but please do not scream or anything like that. It would distress the young lady.”
Saying this, Ings opened the door.
There was a monstrosity that could only be described as grotesque.
Even the always calm Yumir took a sharp breath. If Ings hadn’t warned us in advance, we might have screamed.
‘This is worse than I thought.’
In the game, it was just described as an unsightly appearance, so I couldn’t have known, but this was truly severe.
I once accidentally saw a photo of a drowned corpse, and Estelle’s current appearance was even worse than that.
I could understand why the people of the territory thought Estelle was the cause of the plague.
The boils all over her body were swollen and filled with pus, looking like they would burst at any moment, and the pus that had already burst emitted a terrible stench.
“Ings…? Is that you?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Father…”
“As I mentioned, it will take some time for Lord Rutger to return.”
The swollen boils covered her eyes, making her unable to see. She didn’t know where to look while talking.
But soon, as if instinctively sensing my presence, she flinched and shrank back.
“Is there… Someone else here?”
“Yes, someone to check on your condition, miss.”
“…”
Estelle, now showing a gloomy expression as if she no longer had any expectations from doctors.
Ings looked at me expectantly, and I shrugged my shoulders and said, “I’ll do what I can.”
“Oh…! Do you have an idea about the illness?”
“I can’t be certain.”
After all, it was just a story from the game.
Besides, they hadn’t had the chance to use the herb that Ars supposedly brought. Estelle had taken her own life before that.
This is a miscalculation.’
I didn’t expect it to be this severe. Therefore, I thought the medicinal ingredients I had brought might not be enough.
“That’s enough. We were completely at a loss. Please, I beg you.”
“Then let’s prepare.”
But that’s when it happened.
“…I don’t want to be treated.”
It was Estelle speaking.
“What are you saying, miss!”
“…”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get better. She just couldn’t believe it.
She knew how dozens, hundreds of doctors who had come to see her had made grand promises and deceived her and her father.
Ings gritted his teeth and said to me, “Please prepare. I will persuade the young lady.”
“Well, alright then.”
I left the cabin and prepared the tools with Yumir’s help. First, I had to lance the abscess, so I sterilized a medical knife and ground the medicinal ingredients I had brought, mixing them with a special oil to make an ointment.
I had this kind of pharmaceutical knowledge.
It wasn’t modern knowledge. It was just that there was nothing else to study in this world.
Because of Rutger’s situation, and thinking it might be useful in the future, I had been reading pharmaceutical books in my spare time. With my master’s help, I had also learned emergency treatment skills and had a certain level of medical expertise.
“Yumir, do you have any idea about this disease?”
I asked just in case, but Yumir shook her head.
“It’s a symptom I’ve never seen before. More importantly, young master, it would be better if you don’t get too close to that patient. I’ll do the necessary treatment.”
“Why, afraid it might be contagious? It’s okay. If it were, everyone else would be dead by now.”
“More than that… Is it alright not to go to Beckavia? If the day passes, you’ll have less time to stay in Beckavia.”
“Ah, that.”
That’s what I had told Yumir. It would be strange if I suddenly said I was going to meet Rutger.
“We’ll go next time.”
As I was preparing for the treatment with Yumir’s help.
That’s when it happened.
“A moment, if you please.”
It was the hot-tempered man, George.
“What is it? If you’re rushing us, we’re almost done.”
“That’s fine either way. I just have one request.”
“A request?”
George swallowed and said, “Please, end the young lady’s tragedy.”
“Oh my.”
What was written on George’s face as he asked me to kill Estelle was nothing else.
“You don’t want to rot in this remote place any longer, is that it?”
“…!”
“If that patient were gone, Rutger Rosenberg would be a free man. In that case, you too would be able to see the light of the world again, right?”
It must have hit the mark, as George clenched his fist.
“The reason doesn’t matter. The young lady’s illness is incurable! No renowned doctor has been able to do it. I’m just saying we should choose a path where everyone can be happy! You would do. Since the master doesn’t know your identity, he would resign himself to the fact that it couldn’t be helped. You needn’t worry about him seeking revenge on you.”
“Huh, can that really be called loyalty?”
“Ugh!”
“Well, let’s end this useless conversation here. Yumir, gather those things and follow me.”
And when we arrived back at the cabin, Ings was still shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Get a grip, miss! It’s because you show such an attitude that Master Rutger can’t steel his heart! Think about the position of George and me who are taking care of you! Please!”
“Sob! Sob!”
Tears flowing through the pus.
In Ings’ eyes, there was more anger and disgust than respect or admiration for Estelle.
‘This is a completely messed up family.’
I have to get rid of these guys when I bring Rutger under my command later.
“Ah… I’ve shown you an embarrassing sight. I’ve persuaded the young lady. Is the treatment prepared?”
“It is. But did you really persuade her?”
“Yes. So please proceed with the treatment quickly.”
“Hmm.”
The treatment process itself was simple.
First, the boil had to be cut open with a knife and all the pus inside squeezed out.
Since the prepared medicine was insufficient, it was impossible to squeeze out all the boils, so they decided to treat only the ones that were causing problems in daily life.
Squeak! The boil opened with a bizarre sound. Brownish pus flowed out from inside.
‘This is…’
It wasn’t normal pus. Pus is a kind of healing process where white blood cells fight bacteria.
This pus didn’t feel like that. Since it couldn’t be scientifically analyzed, it was hard to say, but it didn’t seem like the body’s healing process at all.
‘If white blood cells had worked enough to cause this many boils, there wouldn’t be much body left.’
After squeezing out the boil on the forehead, an eye became visible.
“…”
She stared at my eyes behind the mask.
Deep blue eyes. Tears were flowing from those eyes.
“Lemieux, give me the ointment.”
“Yes.”
After squeezing out the pus, ointment was applied to the scar made by the knife.
Ings then asks. “Is that the end of the treatment?”
“For now, it’s just an emergency treatment. It doesn’t treat the root cause of the disease.”
After treating the boils around the eyes, the ones on the back were treated. With that, all the prepared medicine was used up.
“With this, at least she should be able to lie down comfortably.”
“I hope so.”
Ings wasn’t optimistic about the situation.
“Some doctors have done the same treatment as you, but it recurred just a few hours later. More severely, in fact.”
“How many hours exactly?”
“About 4 to 5 hours.”
“Then let’s wait until then.”
I wasn’t certain about the treatment either.
The medicine I prepared now was what Ars had prepared in the game.
‘There was no such herb combination in the pharmacology books I’ve read in this world.’
Since I hadn’t actually used it, there was a possibility that the Ars in the game had made a mistake.
In that case, there would be a hitch in recruiting Rutger, but I had prepared other methods for that situation.
I decided to spend a day in the mountain lodge that Ings had prepared.
12 hours had passed since the treatment.
Bang bang bang! There was an urgent knocking on the lodge door.
“It’s me! Ings!”
I put on my mask and opened the door.
“Is there any improvement? Well, judging by your expression, it seems there is.”
“Yes, there is! The boils haven’t recurred!”
Good, Ars in the game wasn’t wrong. If so, I could guess the method for complete cure of the disease.
“Then my role ends here. I’ll tell you how to make the ointment, so treat it yourself from now on.”
“What? But, but you said it’s not a fundamental cure for the disease.”
“So?”
“Shouldn’t you give me the treatment for the cure?!”
“Ha, what are you talking about? I only examined the patient because you asked me to. I never said I would take charge of the treatment. To begin with, it takes a long time to cure that disease, are you asking me to make such a sacrifice for just one patient?”
“We, we’ll pay you!”
“Not necessary. It doesn’t seem like you have the ability to hire me anyway. Let’s go now. Lemieux, let’s go.”
“Wait!”
Ings seemed to want to grab onto my pants, but Yumir swatted his hand away first.
Ings then pleaded. “If it’s Rutger. When Rutger returns, he’ll be able to pay. So please, at least tell us your name before you go! I beg you!”
“Very well then. When Rutger returns, tell him this. If he wants to cure his daughter…”
With this, I can take the first step in the operation to recruit Rutger.
“Tell him to find the mercenary Wade.”
TL NOTE:
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