Chapter 244: Jalpa’s Injuries
Talga knocked on the door and spoke in a low voice.
“It is Talga. I have brought Baron Van. Please excuse us.”
When he opened the door, the room looked exactly like a battlefield. Several people were standing around the bed, working feverishly, while others ran around carrying water containers and fresh cloth.
“Stop the bleeding more effectively!”
“Bring the water quickly!”
Amidst the shouts and chaos, I stared intently at the figure lying on the bed.
Looking at my father’s ashen face, I couldn’t think of anything. Bandages were wrapped around his shoulder, arm, and abdomen, but the worst was his leg. His right leg was missing from the knee down. The bed was completely stained red, and although they were trying to stop the blood loss by tightly binding his thigh, the staunching was clearly not going well.
“I-I will help too!” Till cried, her voice trembling, and rushed forward, offering to assist with the first aid.
Watching her, I walked toward the bed.
As I approached, I realized Jalpa’s condition was worse than I had imagined. He was unconscious, and his breathing was shallow and rapid. His complexion was almost completely white.
“…Lord Van.”
When my name was called, I turned around and saw Arte grasping my hand, her eyes teary. She didn’t say anything, but I could feel that Arte was trying to encourage me in her own way. Arte’s kindness made my eyes feel hot, but I held back my tears and merely nodded.
I looked at Talga, who stood beside me, gazing down at Jalpa with a grim expression.
“…Lord Van. Though it is hard to say, I believe you should prepare for the worst.”
When Talga said this, I saw Stradale, who was standing behind him, twist his expression in anguish. To me, Stradale was like a samurai: taciturn, dedicated to his sword and battle, and utterly loyal to the master he chose to serve. Seeing such a man stare silently at Jalpa lying motionless on the bed made me feel like crying again.
Khamsin and Law were not looking at Jalpa’s face, but at me with worried expressions. I know I am causing them concern, but I couldn’t offer any response.
Meanwhile, Till, despite being yelled at by the knights, desperately wiped the sweat from Jalpa’s face and brought in new water. Everyone in the room was earnestly trying to help, but by all appearances, things were not heading in a good direction.
As despair began to fill the room, Panamera, who had been watching the situation intently with her arms crossed, sighed.
“…Hah. I really didn’t want to be hated for this.”
I turned to her, wondering what she was muttering under her breath. Then, Panamera’s eyes, sharp as blades, met mine.
Panamera brought her palm up to her face and spoke.
“…I don’t know if he will live or die, but I can perform the necessary procedure to stop the bleeding. However, in his current state, you should assume the survival rate is less than ten percent.”
Muttering this, Panamera whispered something softly. Immediately after, her wrist glowed with a red light. Fire enveloped her palm.
“…Are you going to cauterize him?” I asked.
Panamera shrugged and looked at Jalpa.
“The bleeding is slightly controlled, but if it continues, even slowly, the Marquis will undoubtedly die. Cauterizing will stop the bleeding… However, in my experience, many people also die from the process itself. If that happens, will you hate me, boy?”
“…I won’t hate you. Please proceed.” I replied with strong resolve to Panamera’s words.
Panamera smiled sadly and walked toward Jalpa.
“…A family member’s death is not something that can be easily rationalized. Well, I suppose I would be hated even if I simply watched him die without acting. This is a thankless job, truly.”
Panamera said this sadly, then stood right next to Jalpa. The knights and Till stopped moving when they heard Panamera’s words.
“You there. Remove the cloth from the Marquis’s foot. But do not untie the bandage that is staunching the flow, alright?”
“Y-yes, ma’am…!”
Ordered by Panamera, one of the knights removed the cloth wrapped around his foot. Once the blood-soaked fabric was taken away, the raw, dark-red cross-section of his leg was exposed. It was truly impossible to stare at.
“…!”
Arte gripped my hand tighter. I looked sideways, meeting Arte’s eye, and saw her shoulders trembling. Panamera, meanwhile, remained completely unmoved, slowly bringing her flame-covered hand closer to the exposed section of the leg.
The sound of flesh sizzling, and the sound of gasping breaths. Then, Jalpa’s muffled groan from the burnt flesh could be heard.
“Hick…!”
Arte gasped at the scene, which was too gruesome even for the cruelty of a battlefield. I saw that Till was also staring at Jalpa, her face completely pale. Clenching her hands tightly near her thigh and with trembling lips, she refused to look away from Jalpa, like a nun offering a fervent prayer.
