Chapter 102
“I apologize for the late hour. I’ve been injured… If it’s alright, could you take a look?”
Blood was flowing between the fingers pressing firmly against his side.
“Let’s go to the medical tent.”
We moved to the tent right next to us and lit a candle. In the bright light, it looked like a sword wound. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t too deep, but it was still bleeding.
“How did you get injured?”
After seating the man on the bed, I brought the necessary tools and medicine.
“I think I dropped my dagger when I went out to work this morning. Unfortunately, it got stuck upside down on the corner of the bed, and I didn’t see it when I lay down…”
“Didn’t you put it in its sheath?”
“Ugh. Ah, yes. Daggers with sheaths are expensive…”
The man apologized for bothering me at such a late hour due to his stupid injury. I smiled and told him it was fine, then carefully stitched up the wound.
After finishing the treatment and sending the man back, I collected the bloodstained sheets and cleaned the floor. The Skitters’ den was deeper and more complex than expected, so the extermination wasn’t over yet. Worried that monsters might reach the camp if left alone all night, I didn’t hesitate to take the sheets and leave the tent.
Thanks to the torches placed here and there, it wasn’t too dark. But being alone made me feel a bit scared.
Then.
Rustle-
On the way to the valley. I was startled by a sudden noise and looked around.
Frozen with tension, I soon relaxed when I saw knights on night patrol a short distance away.
‘That scared me.’
It seemed I was startled by the sound of leaves rustling in the wind. Wondering if I had always been this timid, I let out a small laugh and continued walking.
* * *
Early in the morning, a knight in shining armor hurriedly came to the medical tent. He was there to inform us of a schedule change.
Originally, the monster extermination was supposed to end tomorrow, but the Skitters were the problem. Traces of their leader had been found, but it was hiding well, so they would stay until it was eliminated. After explaining the situation, the knight asked about the remaining medicine and herb quantities.
“We brought plenty, but if we continue treating patients at this rate, four days is the limit,” Marco answered promptly, being the diligent person he was, without needing to check the inventory separately.
“Are there any types that can be procured nearby?”
“There should be herbs with pain-relieving effects. But herbs for stopping bleeding grow in swamps, so they probably won’t be nearby.”
I also told him about other herbs or potions that could be secured, and the knight asked a few more questions before leaving, seemingly satisfied with the information. He left with instructions not to treat anyone until he returned.
Thanks to this, we had an unexpected break. I wanted to rush off to see Luwen, but since we were on standby, I had no choice but to sit around idly. That’s when Marco said,
“We should be able to return in time for the start of classes, so don’t worry.”
I hadn’t been too concerned about the academy, as missing a few days of lectures wouldn’t matter much, but I was a bit surprised that Marco thought to mention it first.
“What happens if the schedule gets significantly delayed?” I asked cautiously, as if that had been my main concern.
“They’ll send you and your friend back first. In that case, the vice-commander will be in charge of the escort, so don’t worry and just keep doing what you’ve been doing. You’ve been a great help.”
“Has this happened before?”
Curious about his detailed answer, I asked, and Marco nodded.
“I haven’t experienced it myself, but I heard from the vice-commander. Apparently, a student who came then has now joined the knights.”
“I see.”
I let out a short sigh of relief, placing my hand on my chest. Seeing me relax, Marco’s lips curved slightly in a faint smile. He seemed satisfied with my reaction.
Later, a group of mercenaries trying to feign illness came, but Marco sent them all away.
When it was starting to get boring with only a few people actually needing treatment, the knight from the morning returned. As I was feeling bored, my ears perked up at their conversation.
“We’re planning to send a reconnaissance team to procure the missing herbs. We need to leave immediately, so please select one medical staff member to accompany us.”
The knight also asked us to prepare samples of the herbs to be collected before leaving. The situation seemed to be unfolding more urgently than expected.
“Norman.”
“Yes?”
“Even with an escort, the front lines are dangerous, so you should stay here.”
It was a sobering statement, as I had been slightly tempted by the thought that I might be able to see Cromwell in action.
But thinking about it, it didn’t seem likely that they’d let us leisurely observe the monster extermination while being accompanied by escort knights. Moreover, since the mercenaries would be collecting the herbs, even with samples, a fair number would likely be weeds. I could clearly envision a future of crouching down and examining each one.
“Alright, I will.”
After considering it, I had no reason to object to Marco’s decision and agreed readily. Then Marco continued,
“I’ll go to the front lines alone. While I’m gone, I’ll leave Norman in charge as the leader, so I hope everyone will follow his lead.”
“…!”
It was quite a bold personnel decision to make a countryside first-year academy student like Norman the leader.
Naturally, there was some opposition. Especially Onin, who had been Marco’s assistant for a long time, glared at me with a disgruntled expression.
“For those who are uncomfortable with Norman’s status as a student, I suggest you carefully consider whether your skills surpass his.”
Marco, having noticed this, spoke in a stern tone. I was worried that this wouldn’t be enough to quell the unrest, but the murmuring around us quickly died down. Perhaps it was due to the vertical structure of the extermination team, or maybe Marco’s reputation was high. The resistance subsided faster than I expected.
Nodding his head lightly, he looked at me with an even more serious expression and added,
“I’ve chosen you as the leader because I’ve been observing your treatment attitude and methods. As a result, I believe your skills are trustworthy enough to rely on. So, I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
“Yes. I will do my best with a sense of responsibility.”
Marco nodded once more, satisfied with my earnest response. The man who had glared at me still seemed displeased but didn’t step forward to claim he could do better.
I followed Marco out of the tent and helped him prepare samples of herbs that grow in swamps. As he shouldered the bag containing the samples, Marco marveled at the fact that I was still a first-year student. He pointed out that this level couldn’t possibly be achieved through self-study alone.
‘Did I try too hard….’
Feeling as if a secret had been exposed, I laughed nervously and quickly moved on.
But suddenly, Marco stopped and tilted his head, staring intently at something. I followed his gaze, but with so many people bustling about, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was looking at.
“Marco?”
“Ah, sorry. But Norman.”
“Yes?”
“Wasn’t there only one student participating in the extermination team from each department?”
“That’s right.”
“I must have seen wrong…”
Marco muttered. Feeling somewhat uneasy, I looked again in the direction he had been staring.
However, I couldn’t find anything different from usual. I was about to ask Marco what he thought he had seen wrong, but unfortunately, I missed the chance.
“Teacher, are you ready?”
“Yes. I’ve prepared the herb samples.”
“Let’s depart immediately.”
“Norman, I’m counting on you.”
“Ah, yes. Take care.”
After seeing him off, I was about to return to the medical tent when I hesitated and changed direction. I was bothered by Marco’s reaction earlier.
One student per department. A student. Someone Marco knows.
‘Putting it all together, it could only be Alteo, but…’
However, there’s no way he could be here. That’s probably why Marco thought he had made a mistake and let it go, but… remembering that Nadian had said he would come as a laborer, I felt uneasy.
Even if he was actually here, with so many people around, what could I do? Still, it never hurts to be careful, so I was looking around the area where the laborers gathered when:
“Teacher, what brings you here?”
It was the laborer I had treated a few days ago at dawn, greeting me cheerfully.
“I thought I saw someone I know.”
I described Chairman Alteo’s features to him and asked if he had seen anyone like that.
“Hmm. There is a young man in our tent with similar hair color and height, but I wouldn’t say he’s thin…”
“I see.”
“Shall I look into it and let you know when I come to clean later tonight?”
