Chapter 170: Council (7)

Even after the Council ended, I stayed in the Holy City for Several days.

Because there was still work left to do in the Holy City.

Life Magic being adopted as the religious order's official healing was only just the beginning.

The world had yet to understand the Demon Disease, still feared the Curse, and regarded the medication as if it were some panacea.

'In this state, Life Magic cannot be utilized properly.'

Magic that starts from a false premise is bound to bring about a wrong Result.

This was also the reason I remained in the Holy City.

Just as a heart startled by a turtle is startled by a pot lid, if an Accident occurs due to Life Magic, people would try to ban it as if throwing a fit.

It did not matter whether that Accident was intentional or not.

Because humans are Living organisms bound to focus on the Result rather than the Intention.

'I don't even expect to prevent an Accident.'

As long as it is something done by humans, an Accident is inevitable.

Therefore, it is about making Preparation.

It is about preparing numerous Safety Measures and leaving behind a Record that we approached it as carefully as possible.

The traces of all that Effort would defend me when an Accident occurs later on.

For that reason, I stayed in the Holy City and continued to correct the Misunderstanding regarding the Demon Disease.

During the day, I held meetings related to the Steroid with the Guild Masters, and in the Afternoon, I gave a Special Lecture on the Demon Disease to the Healers.

"The medication and Life Magic I created are not, in a strict sense, an omnipotent Treatment Method that conquers all Demon Diseases. Out of the Demon Diseases I have organized, only about half can be treated. Ah, please ask your Question."

"How is a Tumor a different Disease from an Autoimmune Disease?"

"That is a good Question. By any chance, is there anyone here who has cast Healing Magic on a Tumor even once?"

Like that, I stayed in the Holy City for Several days, correcting the Misunderstanding about the Demon Disease.

In this process, there was also an unexpected gain.

It was none other than the fact that the Healers also had their own knowledge about Tumor.

"I have cast it before. The Tumor grew a little larger."

"How much did it grow?"

"Hmm...... I don't remember well, but it grew from 0.5 Inch to about 1 Inch...... Huh? Everyone, why are you looking at me with those eyes?"

Although there was a strange Ghost mixed in the middle, so we took some Time to briefly exterminate him.

Regardless, the Healers also knew something about Tumor to some extent.

'I suppose one can't help but know as long as they have eyes.'

When there's a huge Lump that doesn't seem like it should be in a person's body.

There's no way they would see that and just move on thinking, 'Ah~ This person has this kind of organ.'

Furthermore, a Technique for treating a Tumor existed in the Healers' own way.

"Excision is known as the basic Principle for a Tumorous Demon Disease. I heard that among the Patients the Lord Saint treated, there was one who developed a Tumor in her leg; did you not treat her that way as well?"

"You are speaking of osteosarcoma. Yes. I excised her leg as well."

I remembered her as one of the first Patients of the Meyer Clinic.

At the Time I was shooting a Highlight Reel with plastic surgery procedures, there was a female Student among the graduates who had a Tumor growing on her leg.

The name of that Tumor was osteosarcoma.

It is a Cancer that originates in the bone.

At that Time, she refused a leg Amputation because of her Arcane Magic, but with rotationplasty on her knee, I was able to treat the Demon Disease without her having to give up her Arcane Magic.

And here, the stark difference in how the Healers and I approached Tumor was revealed.

"We also know the Countermeasure for a Tumor, but...... due to the Success rate being too low, we tended not to attempt it. However, the Lord Saint has a high Success rate; do you have a method of your own?"

"When performing an Excision, I do not excise more of the Part than necessary. And before the Excision, I consider how to restore that organ. I will take a Stomach Tumor as an example."

Let's assume there is a Tumor the Size of 1cm in the Stomach.

The Healers knew from experience that casting Heal on the Stomach where this Tumor grew would cause the Tumor to grow.

However, they did not know how much of the Stomach to excise, nor how to restore it after the Excision.

That was why the Success rate was low.

Because there was no follow-up Treatment after cutting it out, they couldn't even dare to think of touching it.

In contrast, I am different.

"If there is a small Tumor at the bottom of the Stomach, I cut out only the bottom half and connect it to the Small Intestine. If it is in the middle or at the top, I cut out the entire Stomach and connect the Esophagus to the Small Intestine."

At this Time, the method of connection is also important.

You cannot just simply attach the Small Intestine and the Esophagus as if connecting two pipes.

I drew a simple diagram of the Esophagus and Stomach on the Chalkboard and explained it to the Healers.

"To connect the Esophagus with the Small Intestine at this Time, you must bypass the intestine and attach it to the middle of the Small Intestine, not the end."

First, the Small Intestine and Esophagus have different thicknesses, so they do not fit together well.

If you forcefully connect them like connecting pipe to pipe at this Time, problems will occur.

Here, one Detail is added.

"You can fold the Small Intestine into two layers like this to make a pouch like a Stomach. Then, it will be able to handle Digestion of food to some extent, replacing the lost Stomach."

Depending on the Location of the connection, the Side Effect after Surgery also varies.

Some Reconstructive surgery often result in a Side Effect called dumping syndrome, while others often result in a Side Effect called Ring syndrome.

Therefore, there was a need to do the Reconstruction while carefully considering such things.

At that Time, a Healer carefully raised his hand.

"Can't we excise the intestine entirely and recover it with Regeneration?"

"It cannot be done because of Transfer to other organs and lymph node Transfer. I found there were many cases where a Tumor was excised and Heal was cast, only for a Tumor to grow in another Part."

The Demon Disease worsens in response to powerful Healing Magic.

Even if casting Refresh ends with just a slight Pain, casting Greater Heal could cause them to croak and pass away on the spot.

How much more so for Regeneration?

'I don't really want to imagine it, but you might see the Tumor grow in real-time and rupture the Patient's Abdominal cavity.'

A Miracle that causes even a lost arm to grow back in an instant.

How would a Tumor harboring that Miracle grow?

......I really didn't want to imagine it.

"While we are on the subject, everyone. You remember that the religious order's official Treatment Method Guideline changes Next year, right?"

"Do you mean the Guideline that dictates we start with Refresh for any Patient in Preparation against the Demon Disease, and slowly raise the Divine Magic step by step?"

"That is correct."

The Healers who participated in the Special Lecture nodded in unison.

Perhaps it was because it was a Special Lecture gathering only the most renowned experts within the religious order.

Everyone seemed well-versed in the latest Guideline.

"Returning to the story, a Tumorous Demon Disease and an Autoimmune Demon Disease have distinctly different Treatment Methods."

"In other words, you mean that we should not try to treat all Demon Diseases with Life Magic."

"That is right."

The public is praising the Steroid as if it's some sort of panacea, but that is wrong.

This medication, roughly estimated, can only treat about half of all Demon Diseases.

The remaining Demon Diseases have completely different Treatment Methods.

"As such, the Demon Disease is very complex. It is too far of a journey to solve with simply Life Magic alone."

I have yet to conquer the Demon Disease.

However,

"Because the Time I can stay in the Holy City is not long, in future Lectures, rather than covering the Treatment Methods of the Demon Disease in Detail, I plan to focus on explaining the Triage of the Demon Disease."

At the very least, I had triaged the Demon Diseases I knew as much as possible.

There are still some Diseases left that make me wonder, 'What is this?', but.

Still, it would not be an exaggeration to say I had triaged quite a lot.

With this much, wouldn't there be no way my name gets left out of the History Book?

'Thanks to mobilizing even the Library of Memory, I was able to triage quite a lot.'

Like that, I briefly explained my Masterpiece, 『General Treatise on Demon Disease』 (578p), which I had been writing for the past Ten years, to the Healers.

Ah, for reference, besides the General treatise, there is also the Specific Treatise.

If combined, wouldn't it be roughly around 1,800 pages?

When I told this to the Healers, some of them were measuring the angle for a Desertion.

Other Healers restrained them, so it ended as an attempt.

They were probably trying to prevent their colleagues from blowing away an Opportunity for Learning due to a momentary impulse.

It definitely wouldn't be because the amount they had to study would increase if one person initiated a Desertion.

"Hah...... It truly is complex. However, I have a Question, Lord Saint."

"Please ask your Question."

"Regarding this Kawasaki Disease shown here. What is the etymology of this Name of a disease?"

As soon as I heard that Question, I immediately brought out the excuse I had prepared.

"......A dream gave me Inspiration."

Lately, when I used expressions like Inspiration or Intuition, the Clerics would understand and accept it on their own.

Though I didn't quite know the reason.

"Ah...... As expected......!"

The Healer, who accepted it and backed down at the single word Inspiration.

The other Healers also looked as if they no longer harbored any Doubt.

Well, for me, a convenient excuse had emerged, so the reason for it didn't really matter.

'I should just gloss over things with this from now on.'

It was something I learned when triaging the Demon Disease, but the Names of a disease with people's names attached were the problem.

I considered just using the Names of a disease from my Previous life as they were.

However, I felt like I would have to explain the reason why such names were attached.

So I tried explaining the Disease without using a person's name.

When I did, a name like Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis was created.

So I thought I would rather attach my name in this world......

'I had to dismiss it because I felt like I would get cursed at to death.'

There wasn't just one or two Diseases that would need my name attached.

Schnabel's Arteritis. Schnabel's Disease. Schnabel's Syndrome. Schnabel's Purpura......

If I had put this into practice, all jokes aside, I felt like I would suffer a Posthumous Execution from my Junior Healers a hundred years from now, so I dismissed it.

So after some thought, I decided to push through shamelessly.

Since they all seemed to accept it when I said it was a name I saw in a dream.

"Then, I will continue the Lecture."

Even after that, I stayed in the Holy City and continued to teach about the Demon Disease.

By the time a week had passed before I knew it.

One night, after a continuous series of an incredibly busy Schedule.

"In the end, you have chosen this side."

I encountered the Demonkin in the old attic inside my head.

---

One night, when my fatigue had reached its peak.

In the Archive I had entered for the first Time in a while, I encountered the Demonkin sipping tea.

That Demonkin offered a Teacup to me.

"Since I came today with the Intention of having a conversation, I prepared a tea that you can drink. Drink to your heart's content."

"......Then I will drink it with Gratitude."

I gently swirled the Teacup right under my nose.

Even though it was a space inside my Mental Image, the aroma of Coffee tickled my nose.

Come to think of it, it was natural.

The Magic that became the prototype for this Library of Memory is a Magic that extracts memories from a space where the five senses are materialized.

If a scent could not be felt, it meant that this space wouldn't have even reached Completion in the first place.

"......It's Coffee."

"It was made with Coffee Beans that have soaked up the Sunlight of the Holy City. You don't need to worry about the caffeine. It merely replicated the aroma, it isn't real Coffee, after all."

"You can replicate something like that with your memory in this space?"

"When I am boldly settled here like this, what reason would there be that I couldn't?"

I had no choice but to nod reluctantly.

My Status as a Wizard is not particularly high.

Furthermore, there would be nothing as Inefficient as nitpicking the Principle of a Magic that is not my Major.

Sip.

"It is delicious. Have you ever visited the Holy City?"

"I have. Not only did I visit, but I also frequented it."

The Teacup tilted toward the bizarre head where a galaxy swirled.

The Demonkin, who let the Coffee flow beyond the swirl, opened his mouth again.

"You chose the direction of respecting their Faith."

"What do you mean by that?"

Babel, who tossed out what he had to say without Context, as always.

He suddenly threw out a topic without even waiting for my reaction.

"I know how fragile a human's Faith is. Humans, strictly speaking, do not believe in the gods themselves."

"Even so, The gods exist."

"I know. The gods exist, and humans also know this. However, humans do not see The gods. They believe in the logic that will explain the visible Miracle."

Babel placed his empty Chalice down on the Desk.

"Because of that, it is very easy to distort a human's Faith. Even more so for those who blindly worship the shallow specialness that a Miracle possesses."

Babel tapped on the Study's Desk and asked me.

"You have witnessed enough of the religious order's festering corruption and evils. And yet, you chose Coexistence without cutting them down?"

"Did you wish for me to act differently?"

"That isn't it. I do not have the slightest Intention of manipulating your actions. The fact that I only appeared after an important juncture ended is Evidence of that, is it not?"

Babel raised his hands, appealing his harmlessness.

"I am merely curious. If you had spared that man called The Saint of Radiance, you could have used him quite 'usefully' on your journey ahead, couldn't you? Don't you know this well too?"

"......"

I felt like I knew what he meant.

"Because there is no pawn as easy to handle to one's Appetite as a young Child who believes they are incredibly special."

At the same Time, they were Words that made my brow furrow on their own.

The fact that he was a Demonkin felt real once again.

"It is not something an Adult should do."

"I agree with that part. But isn't an Adult simultaneously such a being as well?"

"I want to be an Adult who maintains my Dignity. Do you not feel Shame?"

At my scolding, Babel suddenly let out a low snicker.

"Shame, you say. I have already stopped growing a very long time ago, in my childhood. Since I am a Child in a strict sense, it should be fine to be a little shameless."

I let out a deep Sigh internally.

The very foundation of his thinking Circuit is different.

As expected, my Teacher's Words that one cannot associate with a Demonkin were right.

"However, your human choice touched my heart in its own way."

Clap, clap, clap.

Babel brought his two hands together and clapped.

"I got a good look at your choice. There was a choice you could make because you were human."

"......I am asking just in case, but if it were you, what choice would you have made?"

"Do you know how to tame a bird?"

"Yes?"

Suddenly a bird?

"There are those who break a bird's wings to tame it. However, you cannot tame it like that. There is an order to everything. First, you prepare a perch, and prepare the food. The bird believes it has chosen with its own free will, considers that perch its Nest, and is slowly tamed."

"What is that......"

"It meant there is no need to know. Because I have no Intention of taming you."

Why did he have to beat around the bush so much to say he didn't want to tell me?

I nodded reluctantly.

'This is why I gain nothing from conversing with Babel, I'm telling you.'

Because he always spouted such vague Metaphors.

This was the reason I was certain there was no knowledge to be Learned from this human.

Sip.

Before I knew it, my Coffee cup was empty.

"It is Time to return. Wrap up today's Schedule well."

Babel, crossing his legs, waved his hand at me.

Not wanting to be forced out as if suddenly fainting like usual, I walked toward the door on my own two feet.

---

Inside the room Yulian had left.

Babel quietly looked at the door through which he had disappeared.

Soon, in a space where no one was listening, he muttered.

"......Once the bird begins to sit on the perch, from then on, you only need to open the window when a storm hits. Then, from some point on, the bird won't leave the perch even on clear days."

Babel had no Intention of taming Yulian.

Nor could he tame him.

The birds he was taming were someone else.

Babel stood up from his seat, pulled out a certain 'story' from a Bookshelf invisible to Yulian's eyes, and opened it.

— The Saint of Radiance learned just how terrible of a place the outside of the Holy City was, thanks to a gentleman he met by chance at a Coffee house.

— The gentleman nevertheless advised him to step outside the Birdcage and broaden his horizons.

— The Saint mustered his courage as advised and left the Birdcage. And there, he witnessed the atrocities of the world firsthand.

— After several instances of freedom spent together with the gentleman, the Saint became certain. That the world is a Mud Puddle, Disease is the Price for Crime, and treatment is Charity.

— The Saint made a Decision not to leave the Birdcage. For there was no longer any reason for a noble Saint to go out of his way to pay Interest to Sinners.

— After that day, his Nanny and the gentleman became his entire world.

— One day, the gentleman provided Proof of his 'specialness' by treating his Nanny's Demon Disease. At the same Time, the Nanny, who was the Saint's sole Compass, was grasped in the gentleman's hands.

— It was from then on that the unidentified gentleman became The Saint of Radiance's world and Compass.

— From some point on, the most radiant sun of the Holy City began to listen to only one person's Words.

"Did the Title, The Darkest Radiance, perhaps start attaching to him around this Time......"

Babel snickered and placed the Book back on the Bookshelf.