Explanation
2900 Words
“That girl is?”
“She’s the new disciple we got this time. What’s wrong, Sir Julius?”
“No….she looks so similar to a young lady that I know….”
“Really?”
“Yes, very similar. I was surprised.”
“Whose family is she the lady of? Sir?”
But Julius shook his head.
“It’s not. Well, I guess they just look alike. Since that lady would never be a disciple.”
Julius thought of the fancy Lady Catarina that was called the flower of the ball. ‘She can’t be. There’s no way she would be working as a disciple in this Therese Institute of Engineering.’ She was different from Lady Catarina, who emanated a mischievous aura because this girl had a soft and smooth presence.
‘But they really look similar. People who didn’t know would think they’re twins. When was the last time I saw her? I guess if she grew up nice, she might look like this now.’ The girl was beautiful, but she was dressed in simple clothes. There was no way she was the same person as the rumored Lady Catarina.
“Okay, since I’m the acting director of the Therese Institute of Engineering, may I know the reason for your coming?”
“My my...Michael, I’m surprised that you’re the acting director of the Therese Institute of Engineering. You must have improved quite a lot I must say.”
The handsome man standing beside Baron Julius said, there is some sort of tension in the air between them.
“Well well, Artem. I’ve published a lot of scientific papers in engineering journals. This may be the reason why I got promoted so fast and even hailed as a young prodigy in engineering. Now that I’ve mentioned it, how many theses have you passed?”
“I have passed five papers and I’m currently working on the other two. Why?”
“Hmm...that’s quite a lot.” Michael scoffed, he only has five papers but he is not working for another one yet, making it his defeat.
“Anyways, let’s ask why you’re here again.”
“Well, we came here because we have a reason to believe that there is a surgery that happened here in this establishment. But instead of seeing the doctor stationed here, we are seeing this young lady. Care to explain, Michael?”
Michael heaved a deep sigh, the air around him suddenly changed. It was an aura of something that will be flaunted.
“You’re looking at the lady,” Michael proudly declared, “She’s the one who performed the surgery along with the patient’s guardian and the stationed doctor here. That’s the reason why she’s here.”
The moment they heard Michael’s words, the room was instantly silent. Their eyes widened in shock, “Wait?! Are you saying that this lady performed the splenectomy? She’s the lead surgeon?”
“Your expressions are understandable.” Michael let out a chuckle, “Even I was amazed that Miss Emilia can perform surgery. Not to mention, she was exceptionally good at engineering. This is surprising.”
“Wait? Is that true…?”
A cold voice split the air. It was Artem who was now looking at Catarina with a sharp piercing gaze.
“How can an apprentice in engineering perform such a near-impossible surgery? Are you joking with us, Michael?”
“Oi, mind your voice Artem. She’s my apprentice and I can’t let you talk to her like that.”
Artem clicked his tongue. He was expecting a middle-aged man doctor but it was this young woman who performed the surgery.
“ I believe too. There’s a time to joke, and a time to be serious. Even though this guy looks like this, I’m the royal physician. But you’re making ridiculous jokes. Michael, do you want to leave the field?”
He looked like he definitely didn’t believe him. That was understandable. This tiny girl had done such a great surgery like the splenectomy. This kind of joke wasn’t even funny. But Michael spoke with a serious face again.
“It’s true. Why would I lie about this? I only watched the surgery unravels and I was amazed at how skillful she was in the surgery room. I’ll bet my pride and dignity on this to show how serious am I at my words.”
“…!”
But their faces were still filled with disbelief. Julius laughed.
“Michael, be honest. You’re saying that this girl did the splenectomy?”
Michael looked at Julius and Artem with a firm face.
“Yes, it’s the whole truth. If this is a lie, God can punish me. If you still don’t believe me, you can ask the other assistant who participated in the surgery.”
“…!”
Their faces hardened. They realized Michael wasn’t lying.
“This girl…did the splenectomy?”
Their gazes moved towards the girl who was standing still, listening to their conversation. She was pretty like a doll, but small and frail. She looked like she would faint at the sight of blood, let alone be able to do a single surgery.
“Lady…”
Catarina politely replied.
“Emilia. Please just call me Emilia.”
“Alright, Emilia. Is this true? You led and performed a splenectomy?”
At Julius’s question, she just turned back to look at Michael.
“…”
He had his normal cold face. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. Eventually, she quietly sighed and looked back at Artem and Julius. The two were both prominent figures in the field. ‘What should I say?’ Catarina worriedly thought for a moment.
A girl who had been working at the Therese Institute of Engineering for less than a month had performed something incredulous as surgery. It was excessive even when she thought about it as well. After all, she’s an engineer. ‘There’s nothing I could’ve done. The patient would’ve lost his life if I didn’t step up.’ What should she say? She quickly made up her mind.
‘Catarina, what are you thinking? You expected something like this to happen, right?’ Yes, she knew. That she would be met with this situation someday. It was set in stone the moment she decided not to hide her skills in front of the patients. If she hid her skills to avoid suspicious eyes, it would be easily covered, but considering her personality, she could never do that. ‘And to win the bet with the Emperor, this could be better.’
The impossible bet to prove her worth as an engineer in 6 months. To win this best and avoid the marriage with the Crown Prince to live as an engineer for the rest of her life, showing these skills were necessary. Even if it's not related to her field of study in this world. But this served as another opportunity and a card to her to win the bet.
“Yes, I led the splenectomy.”
“!!!”
At her answer, their eyes widened like they couldn’t believe it.
“Y-You led the splenectomy? Really?”
“Yes, Baron.”
Catarina politely responded.
“And the person who wrote the referral?”
“Yes, I wrote it. I apologize if my referral was lacking something.”
“No, it’s not lacking. Not at all. Huhu…hu.”
Baron Julius just laughed in disbelief like it was hard to accept. On the other hand, Artem asked in a hard voice.
“I honestly don’t believe it. I heard it’s been less than a month since you started working as an apprentice in the engineering department. But you did that surgery? Does that make sense? If you really did it, explain how.”
Catarina replied.
“First, I did a midline incision, considering the location of the spleen.”
“Why a midline incision? Isn’t the spleen on the right?”
“The spleen is on the right, but it was because it was important to take care of the pancreas in the middle.
“…!”
It was a perfect answer anatomically. Catarina continued.
“After that, I wiped the blood with gauze to get a vision, and lifted the liver and rib cage up. Then after removing the pancreas tail with a tool I gained a vision, then rotated it and cut the ligament. Then…”
She calmly explained the process. It was the standard technique used on modern Earth. Listening to her explanation, Artem and Julius’s faces filled with shock. ‘Huhu, how can this be?’
It was different from when he read the referral. It was like listening to a lecture back during his academy days. ‘This girl…really did the splenectomy? What kind of…’ This kind of detailed explanation was impossible with just imagining or observing the surgery.
“You…you really did the surgery?”
…”
She closed her mouth. But her firm eyes showed the truth. It was true. This girl had really done the surgery even though she’s an engineer. It was unbelievable. But Michael, who rose to his feet and stand next to her, nodded his head.
“It’s true. There wasn’t a single lie in what she said. I can stand witness to everything since I saw it for myself.”
“Huhu…this young girl had such a big surgery?”
Julius looked at the girl. A small girl. One who looked like they would faint just by seeing blood. The fact that she was a disciple was unbelievable, but she had done the big surgery? ‘Huhu. That young genius is speaking like that, so I can’t believe it.’ The young genius Michael wouldn’t put his position on the line in front of the royal physician just to tell a joke.
So this wasn’t a lie, but the truth. Although it was hard to accept. ‘There’s also a method to ask the other assistants who participated in the surgery.’ But it seemed like the same reply would be heard from them. Since Michael's eyes showed he was telling the entire truth. Eventually, the royal physician sighed and asked.
“You…just how were you able to do such a surgery? You’re an engineer, right? Didn’t you also say it’s only been a month since you started working?”
Catarina didn’t know what to say. What should she say? That she was an engineer and CEO in another world? The girl who loves science and reads a lot of books? That would never work. Eventually, she spoke.
“Actually…this wasn’t my first time with a splenectomy.”
“It’s not your first time? What?”
“Ah, I didn’t mean that I led this surgery in the past. I mean that I have thought about this method since a while back.”
Catarina continued.
“From some time ago, I read several books before working. Nearly most of them are engineering and mathematics books. But I thought to myself, what if I read some medical books? I was curious back then and so I read it. From Graham’s studies to theories...I studied many books.”
It was a complete lie. Catarina didn’t even read romance novels, let alone medical books. All she had read were the books she crammed in a week before working at Therese Institute of Engineering.
“And I thought. Wouldn’t it be better to treat it this way than how it’s written in the book? Then it could be totally treated. I had those kinds of thoughts.”
“…”
It was hard to believe.
A 16-year-old, no, since it was a while back, and even younger girl had read medical books and found new methods of treatment, let alone being able to understand it?
‘…I guess they don’t believe me.’ Catarina inwardly sighed. She knew that her lie didn’t make sense either. If she chooses to become a doctor, maybe it’ll make some sense. But she couldn’t think of a good lie that did. She was an engineer, not a skilled liar. So she added on.
“Splenectomy is one of those methods of treatment. I thought that even if it’s a bad injury if the spleen itself is removed and the blood pathways are tied, wouldn’t that work? It could cause problems with the immune system, but the patient’s life comes first.”
“Yes, that’s a good theory. But it’s completely different from actually performing it. How were you able to do this difficult surgery?”
Catarina answered Julius' question. It was obviously another lie.
“I continued thinking about it in my head. How I should approach removing the spleen. I continued to think about it, and I performed the surgery according to how I thought.”
“!!!”
Catarina shut her mouth after finishing her explanation. Everyone looked at her in surprise and was left speechless. ‘That’s impossible. That can’t be.’ Baron Julius muttered to himself. It was unbelievable. She had thought of the splenectomy just by reading a book and even thought about how to specifically go through with it?
But…
They looked at the girl standing politely there. The surgeon herself said that…so what was there they could say? ‘Haaaa. Is this girl a genius like Count Graham or Fleming? Really?’ What she said meant one thing.
But…
They looked at the girl standing politely there. The surgeon herself said that…so what was there they could say? ‘Haaaa. Is this girl a genius like Count Graham or Fleming? Really?’ What she said meant one thing.
Genius. It meant that she wasn’t just an outstanding intellectual, but someone who wasn’t able to be understood with logic. And it wasn’t like there weren’t any geniuses in the past.
The ‘establisher’ Count Graham. And the Great Alchemist, Fleming.
Michael, who had been silently listening, opened his mouth to speak.
“What this child said is probably true.”
“…?!”
“It hasn’t been too long, but from what I’ve seen as her teacher, she isn’t someone to lie. And also…I believe that that is completely possible considering her talents. She has the most knowledge and skills of any doctors I’ve met.”
“…!”
Baron Julius' eyes shook. The prideful Michael never complimented anyone. But he was giving her this high praise?
“She entered as my disciple, but this child has nothing to learn from me. In fact, she’s beating me in the field of engineering and mathematics.”
And Michael paused. Bitterness swept past his face, and he opened his mouth again.
“She’s already surpassed me.”
“…!”
Artem and Baron Julius were surprised for the nth time today. Michael was an outstanding young engineer receiving the praise of the engineering field. But this young girl surpassed him?
“Hu hu…”
Baron Julius let out laughs in disbelief. And how much time had passed. He drank a sip of the tea on the table. The cooled down red tea calmed his confused state of mind.
The royal physician looked at the girl. That girl was a genius?
She was so small and frail! ‘Amazing, it’s amazing.’ Since Michael said that, it probably wasn’t a lie. That girl really was a genius. Beyond the natural order of things!
“Did you say, Lady Emilia?”
“Yes, please address me comfortably.”
“Alright, Emilia.”
The physician warmly smiled and said unexpected words.
“Now that I believe everything. Do you mind coming to work at the Royal Cross Hospital?”
“…?!”
“I mean engineering is a respected profession but being a doctor that saves lives matters the most. We would greatly need your skills and knowledge in the medical field.”
Catarina looked at him with surprised eyes. The Royal Cross Hospital! It was the highest medical facility where only the acknowledged doctors could work. And he wanted her to work there?
“
- Writer
