Just in case any germs clinging to the bathroom door might transfer to my hands, I pushed it open with my shoulder. At that exact moment Richard appeared, holding a bottle of liquor.
The label was written in this world’s script: vodka. Yes, that strength would do nicely.
“May I take a look at the wound for a moment?”
I asked Jin carefully. He regarded me with an expression of open curiosity, as though I were some rare specimen.
He gave the slightest nod—permission granted.
I unwound the bandage with painstaking gentleness, praying fervently the whole time: Please, please don’t let there be burns.
Fortunately, his previous physician hadn’t resorted to pouring boiling oil or pressing heated iron against the skin. There was only a clean, straight cut from a sharp blade.
“It might sting a little. Bear with it.”
I poured the vodka over the wound where dried blood had crusted thick and dark. The instant the liquid touched raw flesh, Jin’s brows furrowed faintly in pain.
…Even with his face twisted like that, he was still devastatingly handsome. Hadn’t they said something similar about Xi Shi in ancient times? That her beauty was so overwhelming that even when she frowned in discomfort, people imitated the expression because it looked beautiful on her.
No—focus. Concentrate on the treatment. If I kept staring like an idiot, Jin would read my thoughts again and tease me for it.
“Hey, Doctor. Stop staring at my face and focus on the treatment. I know I’m beautiful, but still.”
Exactly like that.
God. He caught it again in the span of a single heartbeat. I really needed to stop thinking so loudly. Maybe I should start wearing a mask over my entire face…
“…Please bring a clean new bandage. Oh—and Richard, wash your hands first.”
From now on, everyone who entered this room would have to undergo near-sterile precautions. I couldn’t just stand by and let a man who was already teetering on the edge of death slip away because of preventable infection.
Richard’s expression soured slightly at the order, as though it offended him. I understood. This era had no concept of germs or viruses. Still—please, at least wash your hands.
How could I explain it to him? That failing to wash hands could literally put Jin’s life—his irreplaceable friend’s life—in danger?
Would he understand if I talked about immunity? Did they even have a word for it here?
“Do as she says, Richard. It seems she has her reasons.”
Jin spoke quietly.
Yes—smart Jin really was on another level.
While Richard went to wash his hands, I continued disinfecting the wound with careful, repeated pours of vodka.
A short while later Richard returned, hands scrubbed clean and carrying fresh bandages. As I looked at the wound again, one of Astrid’s memories surfaced: the ointment she used to make. It would have been perfect right now.
Rose oil, turpentine, egg yolk, blended with healing herbs to promote recovery. If only I still had some. Sadly, the imperial soldiers had confiscated everything when they arrested her.
I wrapped the bandage snugly but not too tightly. When I finished, the wound looked far cleaner and more orderly than before. Luckily, the real me had plenty of practice bandaging wounds—my younger brother had come home scraped and bleeding on a near-weekly basis when we were kids. Should I call that fortunate?
“From now on, everyone who enters this room must wash their hands thoroughly. And it would be best if they wore masks as well.”
I stated firmly. In a modern ICU a patient in this condition would be isolated behind glass with staff in full sterile gear. Since that wasn’t possible here, we would have to improvise.
“…Everyone? Without exception?”
Richard asked, visibly thrown.
“Yes. Without exception.”
When I answered with iron resolve, Rodant tugged at my sleeve.
“Teacher… me too?”
Those bright, earnest turquoise eyes looking up at me—god, he was unbearably cute. I had been so dazzled by Jin’s face for a minute that I’d completely forgotten our precious Rodant was even here.
“Yes, Rodant. You too.”
In the original story, Jin would always test new children who joined the rebels—gauge their potential—and if he saw promise, he would personally take them under his wing.
Our male protagonist Rodant was, of course, exceptionally bright. Which meant he would soon receive Jin’s personal tutoring.
Part of me wanted to forbid it—Jin’s body was far too fragile to be handling the stress of teaching—but stress itself was poison to him. The thought of how much agitation this workaholic would suffer if I tried to bench him entirely… No. Letting him teach Rodant was probably the lesser evil.
“Ah, and one more thing… You need to drink a lot of water. At least two liters a day, if possible. Preferably lukewarm.”
A patient who coughed up blood at the slightest provocation obviously needed aggressive hydration. If I could, I’d start an IV with normal saline right this second—but this era made so many things impossible.
“The new doctor has quite a lot of demands. Interesting.”
Jin watched me rattle off instructions and broke into a soft, genuine smile. The man who had been expressionless or grimacing in pain all this time was suddenly grinning like that… The destructive power was unreal. My heart couldn’t take it.
“You’re staring at my face again. Completely enchanted.”
God. Seriously. The second I let myself think he’s handsome, he picks it up. What was I supposed to do—wear a literal blindfold?
At that moment Richard spoke.
“Is there anything else you need, Teacher Obert?”
Hm… Obviously the list was endless. Room hygiene protocols, meal planning, preparing proper topical ointments…
“Who manages the patient’s meals? I’d like to meet them. The person in charge of cleaning the room too. Oh—and the alchemist who developed that cleanser—I’d like to speak with them as well—”
As I rattled off the list without pause, Richard’s expression turned faintly stunned. Why the surprise?
“…You really don’t seem like the same person who refused to come at first. If you were going to work this hard, why refuse in the beginning?”
…Ouch. That hit right in the solar plexus. Easy, big brother. Go easy on me.
Of course I had initially planned to run for my life the moment I got the chance. But now that I was here—why not do my absolute best? It wasn’t a bad thing.
Absolutely, positively not because Jin’s beauty was too precious to let him die in three months. I was doing this to survive. If Jin dies, I die. That’s the deal.
“Richard, why don’t you show the doctor to her quarters? Introduce her to the relevant people as well.”
Jin spoke up. Richard, who had been eyeing me with open suspicion, obeyed without a word.
As we left Jin’s room together, the breathtaking vista of the underground city opened before me once more. The golden city really was magnificent.
“Finn.”
At Richard’s call, a boy who looked to be in his late teens came running.
Finn… Why did that name feel so familiar? He didn’t seem like a major character in the original novel…
“Huh? Teacher Obert!”
The boy with tousled brown hair and a generous scattering of freckles across his face shouted in surprise when he saw me. Apparently he and Astrid were already acquainted.
Finn… Oh! Right. In the early days after Astrid inherited the hospital, this was the boy she had rescued from the streets.
