第１７５６堀：外交とはなにか？ (Part1)
Chapter 1756: What is Diplomacy?
What is diplomacy?
Side: Eris
"Lady Eris, Lady Kagura, this way."
"Yes."
"Understood."
For some reason, we who are currently stationed in Ohe are not engaged in diplomatic negotiations, but rather...
"More injured people have been brought in today."
Yes, we are being guided to the infirmary in the royal capital.
Since monsters have been moving northward and infiltrating the forests, battles against them have intensified even in the vicinity of the capital. Soldiers and sturdy adventurers are fighting day and night to protect the city.
In the first place, with farming becoming impossible in the northern and southern towns and the food situation worsening, an increase in monsters—which effectively means an increase in food—should be a good thing, provided one can actually defeat them.
And so...
"Ugh..."
"Damn it, it hurts..."
"Gah... my leg..."
When they are repelled and left gasping for their last breath, it becomes a problem far greater than the issue of securing food.
Before we arrived, the situation here was even worse. There were even people lying on the floor.
It made me realize why they had made the decision to summon people from other worlds.
But since we arrived...
"There are quite a few today as well. Is it just this room?"
"Yes! We have the injured here, and patients with illnesses waiting behind that door over there."
Ah, that’s right. It’s not just the injured. It’s no surprise that there are sick people as well, but...
"The treatment for the sick is a bit different from that for the injured, you know?"
"I am aware, but with supplies stalled due to this war, the number of sick has been increasing..."
The soldier, who is acting as both our guard and guide, says this apologetically.
It’s the sad reality of being a servant of the crown, I suppose.
"I haven't heard anything about this. Is King Ohe aware?"
If I were ordered, I would have no choice but to comply, but if this is being done behind the scenes, it becomes a significant problem.
Kagura and I are here as diplomats for Weed.
While we have been helping with simple medical procedures, this is highly irregular.
Moreover, we aren't doctors, so we cannot treat the sick.
If it’s an injury, I can heal it with recovery magic, but with illness, unless you know the root cause, you’re just restoring stamina without solving the fundamental problem.
Therefore, if we truly want to provide treatment, we need to call for the doctors in Weed.
That would involve the movement of people, which complicates the procedures.
And since it involves entry and exit from Weed, the higher-ups in Weed—well, that includes me, so we could manage it—but the permission from the Ohe side is a different matter.
That is why I asked.
"No, Lady Eris, Lady Kagura, this is a request from the head of this infirmary, asking if you might be able to examine them..."
"I see. So it hasn't gone through the proper channels."
"Yes. Since it is the same infirmary..."
To those who don't understand medicine, the injured and the sick must look the same.
Honestly, from our perspective, the sick are more troublesome because of the possibility of contagion.
There were many cases in the literature from Earth where people would easily ask for help, and then the doctors would fall ill themselves.
Nevertheless, there were also those who, having resolved to find a cure, continued their research even while consumed by fever.
It’s bizarre to think of someone facing down a plague with nothing but the knowledge they’ve acquired and the pride of being a doctor, possessing neither magic nor superior physical abilities.
But, putting that aside.
"Understood. We will make house calls. However, as I said before, we only possess magic effective for injuries; the sick truly require a specialist. After the examination, we will compile the information and, if necessary, submit a request to King Ohe and others. Is that acceptable?"
"I would certainly appreciate that, but may I confirm this with the head of the infirmary first?"
"That is fine. It is only natural."
"Then I shall go confirm immediately."
With those words, the soldier walks away. Watching his back...
"What do you think, Kagura?"
"There is no doubt that the soldier didn't know anything. Still, what is the head of the infirmary thinking? No, it’s frightening because they probably think we can just heal anything without knowing a thing."
"True. That in itself is far too troublesome."
If there were some ulterior motive for asking us to treat the sick, we could prepare countermeasures. But if this is just a request based on the assumption that we can heal them, it means the head of the infirmary is running the place without basic knowledge.
In other words, our explanations won't get through to them.
Chinau-dono, the personal physician to Queen Dana, accepted us because she knew of Rurua's capabilities and possessed inherent courtesy, but it is optimistic to assume the head here is the same.
"For now, shall we begin the treatment here? I can handle it alone, so Eris, could you watch?"
"Yes, please."
Our method of recovery—or rather, treatment—is not particularly difficult.
If you ask Yuki-san, he’d call it a brute-force method.
Specifically, it involves using the area-of-effect recovery magic, *Area Heal*, to restore them all at once.
Incidentally, this cannot heal missing limbs, but since we have also become capable of using *Extra Heal* at a minimum, it’s not that we can't heal them, but...
That is the job of Rurua, Lady Lilishe, and Yuki-san.
If we didn't draw that line, we would be asked endlessly and wouldn't be able to do our actual work.
While I was thinking about that, Kagura’s *Area Heal* activated, and the groans of pain faded away.
"How is it?"
"It’s working. As for the rest... could you check?"
When I called out, the people working at the infirmary—the so-called nurses—replied as they always do.
"Yes!"
They began checking on the injured.
After that, we wait for their reports and treat them individually.
"Kagura, are you not very accustomed to recovery magic?"
The reason Kagura asked me to watch is that recovery magic is not her specialty.
Originally, for me as well, this recovery magic was granted through the blessing of Lady Lilishe and Yuki-san’s ability as a Dungeon Master; it is different from magic learned through one's own efforts.
It’s as if I know how to do it, but my proficiency hasn't caught up...
It’s a case of my senses not keeping pace with the magic I’ve memorized.
In reality, the recovery amount of recovery magic—the range of treatment or the degree of injury—can be handled more efficiently and quickly the more medical knowledge one has, but that still doesn't reach the level of Rurua, Lady Lilishe, or Yuki-san.
Still, even though I know more than an amateur, the number of times I use recovery magic is overwhelmingly lower compared to Rurua and the others, so I can't help but lack confidence.
"Yes, originally my specialty was offensive magic. I was taught by Enora, but there was also the expert of recovery magic herself present."
"Then you wouldn't use it."
Even if she was taught, the one who moves first in an emergency is clearly Enora, and Kagura only recently joined up with Enora and came to Weed. Using recovery magic probably only happens during combat training.
While we were talking about that, the infirmary assistants returned.