Chapter Fifty-Five: A Valuable Experience

Kaiske XIII was in his study discussing the details of border defense with Ryan. Ever since the news of Mayuna’s imminent death spread, the Griffon Empire seemed to be stirring up trouble again. Strangely, their usual ally, the Tide Empire, remained completely silent. Left with no other choice, His Majesty dispatched his most trusted subordinate, Ryan, to fortify the frontier. The reputation of the Golden Sword Lion was formidable; the enemy nations seemed instantly pacified, but it meant Ryan had to remain at the border indefinitely.

“Ryan, you’ve worked hard. I sense your magical power has grown again—if you advance just a bit more, you’ll become the youngest Saint Magus in the empire,” Kaiske XIII said, genuinely fond of Ryan. He even poured him a glass of wine himself. Young, capable, responsible—Ryan had been sent to guard the frontier without complaint. He was also a devoted son, caring for his mother with utmost diligence.

“Your Majesty, you exaggerate. My talent really isn’t that impressive—especially compared to her,” Ryan replied, smiling bashfully. Without the Golden Sword Lion, he never would have reached such strength, but then again, so few had encountered his fortune.

“I advise you to compare yourself with ordinary people. Mayuna’s talent transcends all races,” the emperor laughed. Mayuna was only twenty years old—let alone becoming a Saint Magus, even achieving Saint status would make her the first on the Sacred Continent. Yet she had accomplished that feat at seventeen.

“Father, how can you say that about Nana?” Tina’s voice suddenly came from the doorway. The emperor turned to see three people standing at the entrance, including Mayuna herself, the Saint Magus girl he’d just called ‘inhuman,’ smiling at him without a word.

“Ahem, you could’ve at least announced yourself before coming in,” the emperor coughed, a little embarrassed—no one likes to be caught speaking ill behind someone’s back. He feigned a cough before releasing a small magic bolt, which struck Tina’s forehead as a mild punishment.

“Forget all that. I’m here to convince you to have the surgery,” Tina said, her forehead reddened. The pain was negligible to her, and she went straight to her father to get to the point.

“Sending your own father to be operated on—is there a daughter like you anywhere in the world?” If not for the guests, Kaiske XIII would have liked to put his daughter over his knee and spank her, just as he had when she broke his favorite white stone vase as a child.

“I only know that short pain is better than long pain. Rather than suffer daily, why not try something decisive? I believe in Ruby’s abilities.”

“In fact, if you hadn’t come, I would have sought you out myself. This old ailment bothers me every day; if it can truly be cured, a little risk is worth it. I don’t think my life is more precious than a Saint Magus’s. If Mayuna can accept treatment, why shouldn’t I? But I have one condition…”

Faced with his daughter’s resolute gaze, the emperor could only sigh—daughters always seem to be raised for others, and now she was ‘selling’ her father. But as emperor, he possessed remarkable courage; even being the first person in this world to undergo surgery did not frighten him.

“If anything happens to me, Mayuna, you must ensure the Sacred Empire thrives for a thousand years.”

“No problem,” Mayuna agreed without hesitation. She trusted Ruby as much as she trusted herself, and her decisiveness made the emperor feel he’d asked too little—he should have demanded several thousand years.

“Ryan, I thought you would surely try to stop me,” Kaiske XIII turned to Ryan, who had been silent. He imagined that, were the nobles present, they would all beseech him to reconsider.

“This is Your Majesty’s own decision. As your sword, I will not interfere,” Ryan replied, noticing Ruby watching him and offering a friendly smile.

“Mr. Ruby, how long will your treatment take?”

“We can begin now. You’ll likely wake up by evening. During the procedure, I’ll administer anesthesia—you won’t feel a thing,” Ruby patiently explained the details of the surgery to his patient. Kaiske XIII didn’t fully understand this kind of treatment, but Ruby’s clear logic and fluent explanations assured him that he was no charlatan, unlike what Old Ayad claimed.

With no further questions, he signaled the emperor to follow him. Upon leaving the study, they saw that the garden at the door had been taken over by a building with a metallic shell—clearly Drakon’s handiwork. Surgery required a highly specific environment; Ruby himself could not create a sterile chamber, but with Drakon’s help, all problems were easily solved.

“Can I go in?” Mayuna eyed the building eagerly. Her own treatments were entirely different; the idea of cutting open the abdomen sounded exciting!

“No, Tina, you come with me.”

“That’s not fair! Why not me?”

“Mayuna, this isn’t a game,” Ruby’s tone was less friendly. Mayuna realized she’d gone too far and pouted, stepping aside.

“M-me? May I?” Tina hadn’t expected Ruby would need her, and nervously clenched her fists.

“There’s no reason you can’t. You’re worried about your father, aren’t you?” Ruby nodded. With his guidance, the metal house opened its doors and the three entered together. Ruby had Kaiske XIII change into surgical clothing; he and Tina also donned surgical gowns, masks and caps before proceeding deeper inside.

“Father, it’ll be all right. I’ll be watching over you the whole time,” Tina said. She was stunned by the array of modern equipment inside the operating room. Kaiske XIII, already lying on the table, was also a bit nervous. Tina held tightly to her father’s hand, their warmth easing their emotions slightly—this was why Ruby brought Tina along.

“I’m counting on you, partner.”

Ruby spoke softly; he and Drakon were perfectly attuned, knowing exactly what each needed.

“Leave it to me, partner.” As the floor rose, rows of gleaming silver surgical scalpels appeared on trays, ready for Ruby’s use.

Once Ruby administered the anesthesia, Kaiske XIII fell unconscious. Tina watched nervously as Ruby picked up a scalpel. At the moment the blade descended, she couldn’t bear to look and closed her eyes, but quickly opened them again. The incision wasn’t large—she could only see a blur of flesh and blood, while Ruby’s scalpel maneuvered skillfully within, sometimes switching to forceps.

“Wipe my brow.”

“Huh? Oh!” Tina initially didn’t understand Ruby, but seeing the beads of sweat on his forehead, she grabbed a cloth and wiped them away. Afterward, she didn’t need reminders; whenever she saw sweat, she wiped it off.

For Ruby, this was a precious experience. Though countless procedures from Earth were condensed in his mind, this was his first actual surgery on a person. It didn’t hinder his performance, however, for he knew he absolutely couldn’t afford to be nervous. All he could do was focus, focus, and focus again, pouring all his attention into this small operation.

Tina noticed Ruby’s expression—she understood how fragile the human body could be, and how easily mistakes could harm other organs. Yet each of his incisions was precise and deliberate. Tina couldn’t imagine what Ruby had experienced to invent such a miraculous treatment, nor how he could wield such skilled hands at such a young age.

“It’s done.” While Tina was lost in thought, Ruby had already finished suturing the wound. Noticing the green-haired princess still in a daze, he called her back to herself.

“Huh? So soon?”

“That was actually slow.” Although appendectomy usually took about an hour, it had been performed countless times on Earth, and the accumulated experience of those surgeons had all been fused into Ruby’s mind. If it hadn’t been his first surgery, Ruby could have finished even faster.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

PS: Please bookmark and recommend.
PS: Many thanks to Kaipell for the 20,000 reward... this is an extra chapter (8/9). Where’s the promised chapter a day? Where’s the promised happiness?
Thanks to Wawu Cat, PatrickJS, Gambia Penguin, and Reader 161118235850930 for the 500 reward,
Global Cold Weather and BinGRaitei for the 200 reward,
Always Seventeen, Hidden in the Crowd for the 100 reward.