Chapter 57: A Considerable Challenge

Ruby entered the imperial palace once again. His frequent visits had made him a familiar face to the guards, especially since he was always seen in the company of Her Highness the Princess—it was hardly a secret anymore.

“Good day, Mr. Ruby.”

Ordinary people were, of course, forbidden from entering the Emperor’s private quarters, but as a physician, Ruby was exempt from such restrictions. Kaiske XIII was in good spirits; even while lying in bed, he could peruse the various reports brought by the nobles. Upon seeing Ruby enter, he set aside the magical parchment and greeted him with a smile.

“So you’re the one who dared to operate on my husband—and you as well, Tina!”

The Empress, who had kept vigil at the Emperor’s bedside, spoke angrily upon seeing Ruby. Even the usually bold Tina shrank back behind Ruby, hiding most of her body, while Ruby regarded the furious wife with interest.

He hadn’t had the chance to observe her closely yesterday, but now he took in her features: though she was already the mother of two children, there was no sign of age upon her. Her light brown hair and the beauty mark at the corner of her eye formed Ruby’s first impression. Yet now, faint dark circles under her eyes betrayed a sleepless night spent at the Emperor’s side.

“Terilla, didn’t we agree not to bring this up again?”

“But you know who you are! In such a vital position, there are threats to your life every day. If something were to happen to you, what would become of me?”

The Empress, disheartened by her husband’s lack of support, was filled with misgivings about the Emperor’s supposed recovery. No one else in the palace understood such surgical methods, so she could not help but worry—after all, a hole had been cut in his body, and such things could kill a man.

“That’s precisely where your judgment fails, Terilla. Mr. Ruby has never regarded me as the Emperor, but simply as a patient. With such an attitude, how could he possibly be a bad man?”

Kaiske XIII reached out to touch the beauty mark by his wife’s eye—a gesture he was particularly fond of. In this, the Emperor was quite unorthodox: unlike his predecessors with their harems, he had only ever married twice, and after Tina’s mother passed away, only this Empress remained.

The root of this lay with his own father—Kaiske XII, whose notorious lustfulness was common knowledge throughout the world. His early death was likely connected to his excesses. Upon ascending the throne, Kaiske XIII had been tormented by the task of managing his father’s many widows, and had then sworn never to repeat his father’s mistakes.

“Your Majesty, you’re recovering well. In a few more days, you’ll be completely healed.”

Under the Empress’ piercing gaze, Ruby removed the bandages to examine Kaiske XIII’s wound. Once again, the speed of recovery convinced him that the constitution of people in this world far surpassed that of those on Earth.

“Though the pain inside is gone, now the surface wound aches—it’s a very odd sensation.”

Kaiske XIII wore a peculiar expression. Each time he felt the pain in his abdomen, he marveled at his own resilience. And when he awoke yesterday to discover the ‘gift’ Ruby had left him, he couldn’t help but laugh—so much so that he pulled at his stitches and his face turned pale with pain.

The ‘gift’ was, of course, the piece of flesh that had been removed—hard to imagine how such a tiny bit of tissue had tormented him daily.

“You didn’t call me here just to talk, did you?”

“No. In fact, I have a favor to ask. Could you take a look at Ryan’s mother—using your miraculous methods?”

“His mother?”

Ruby recalled the man known as the Lion of the Sword. He’d just seen Ryan, in fact, waiting outside the imperial chamber.

“Ryan is a devoted son. His father died young, and his mother raised him alone. His character and charm are thanks in no small part to her. But now she’s afflicted with an incurable disease. I thought, if it’s you…”

At the mention of Ryan, Kaiske XIII sighed deeply. He knew this subordinate well: status and wealth meant little to Ryan; all he wanted was for his mother to live in health. But even an emperor was powerless to grant such a wish.

“So that’s why you looked at me that way. I’ll go and see her.”

Ruby nodded. After giving the Emperor some final instructions about his recovery, he left. Ryan stood motionless at his post, and Ruby addressed him directly: “Ryan, let’s go to your house.”

Ryan was stunned. In his experience, renowned healers like old Ayad always maintained an air of importance—demanding not only great sums but elaborate ceremony, such as a banquet at the capital’s finest restaurant before even considering a request.

“Thank you.”

Ryan finally found his voice, quietly thanking Ruby. No matter how his mother’s treatment turned out, he knew he’d gained a true friend.

“So this is your home?”

Ruby soon arrived at Ryan’s residence. It wasn’t in the noble quarter, but among the common folk. A modest two-story wooden house stood in a yard of comfortable size. Honestly, for someone of Ryan’s rank, Ruby was surprised to find him living here.

“My mother never liked opulence. Please, come inside.”

At the mention of his mother, Ryan’s expression grew somber. He opened the door with a trace of sorrow and led Ruby inside, down the corridor and into his mother’s room.

As soon as the door opened, Ruby caught a difficult-to-describe odor. He showed no sign of disgust, but his face grew grave—a reaction that increased Ryan’s respect for him.

Inside, his mother wasn’t alone; two women in clerical garb from the Church were present, both hired by Ryan to care for her. It was thanks to their efforts that his mother had survived this long.

“You’re back, Young Lord Ryan.”

One of the women, a middle-aged lady resting in a chair, nodded at Ryan’s return. The other was at the bedside, using healing magic on the patient. They rotated in this manner, but with little real effect.

“Mother…”

Every time Ryan saw his mother like this, his heart ached, knowing he could do little but hold her hand and quietly call to her.

“Your friend is here? Forgive me—I should have gotten up to greet you.”

Ryan’s mother was remarkably strong. Even while ravaged by illness, she managed an apologetic smile for Ruby.

“Step aside.”

Without ceremony, Ruby gently pushed Ryan aside to examine his mother. Calling her emaciated would be no exaggeration. He opened her mouth for a sniff, then took her wrist to check her pulse. Of course, the traditional pulse method couldn’t diagnose the exact illness, but it allowed him to sense just how weak her pulse had become.

“Uremia?”

Ruby’s face grew even more serious as he considered what this meant. For both himself and this other world, it would be a formidable challenge.