Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt - Chapter 163



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Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt Chapter 163

29-2nd Trava War

Certainly, it was plausible, considering the situation immediately after the war. The elite royal central army was torn in half, and the absolute power was shaken, showing signs of internal division. Could this be an opportunity to all together yum yum yum the weakened kingdom of Skara?

But what happened? The Kingdom of Skara, which was expected to be shaken by economic difficulties and political turmoil, proved its industrial prowess with the new statue of Orgel, and then introduced Scalon, which actually revitalized the economy and increased productivity.

In addition, influential figures from each country have learned of the new and exciting business of copyright. Huh? Profits are generated overseas? How can that be possible? It’s so cool. But diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Skara are severed? Then what about my money?

It wasn’t just any money. It wasn’t money that was collected through bribery or embezzlement, but money that was earned legally and fairly, so it was money that could be spent luxuriantly without worrying about what anyone thought.

As a result, many countries decided to wait and see how things would turn out rather than accept the offer from the Kingdom of Jatra and join in attacking the Kingdom of Skara.

The declaration of war by the Kingdom of Jatra, which was so urgent that it could be seen as unreasonable, could also be seen as being caused by the psychological urgency resulting from such a diplomatic change.

“You are a true patriot, a patriot. That’s why I have prepared something for you.”

“What is it?”

Arthur felt uneasy about something.

“I plan to organize these matters and report them. If the war ends in victory, you may be awarded a medal or even a title of succession based on your merits.”

“Can you please not do it?”

It was the very words that came out of Arthur’s mouth. He wanted to avoid the public eye.

Medals? They’re useless. Succession titles? You have to go at least three generations to be treated as proper nobles, but considering the money and effort that goes into it, it’s a total bottomless pit.

At Arthur’s words, Balan did not show an expression that said he had difficulty understanding why he hated it. Instead, he showed an expression of pity.

“Sorry.”

“Why are you doing something you feel sorry about?”

Arthur frowned at the roundabout rejection, but Balan smiled bitterly and said,

“I mean, I knew the world was like this, but when I got involved in the social world of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was even worse than I thought.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about people who sit in positions without being qualified to do so.”

“That could be the case.”

Arthur tried hard to defend the current state of affairs, but he could not change Balan’s mind.

“Yes, that could be true. But isn’t it too much to think of it as a normal trend or something to be proud of?”

Balan’s argument sounded like something a bourgeois supporter of the popular assembly might say, and many of them were classified as republicans.

“Were you a republican?”

“No. I’m not really interested in that. But I just want to send a message to this country.”

“What message?”

“Look at this guy! Isn’t he ashamed?!”

Balan pointed at Arthur with an exaggerated gesture like an actor in a drama, and Arthur was dumbfounded.

“Without even asking the person’s opinion?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s already too late. Even if it weren’t for me, most of the people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are aware of your achievements. It’s only a matter of time before His Majesty the King hears about it. Think about it. Would it be better to let it out when His Majesty the King chooses it, or would it be better to let it out in advance when the time is right?”

“… … .”

Arthur remained silent at Balan’s words. It was certainly better for us to take the initiative rather than being dragged around by the king.

Balan, with his mouth shut, smiled playfully and said.

“And if I don’t brag about my friend, who will?”

“That’s it. Aren’t you just trying to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion?”

“I know best that if you do that, you’ll get criticized when the bubble bursts. I’ll just report exactly as it is, no more, no less.”

“You’ll do it even if I tell you not to, right?”

“If I don’t do it, someone else will. In that case, wouldn’t it be better for me to do it?”

“Can’t you just downplay it as nothing?”

“It may be possible if you earnestly ask, but would His Majesty the King be more interested in a report containing trivial achievements, or in a report containing grand achievements such as blocking two fronts with great commercial talent?”

“Was what I did that big of a deal?”

Arthur tried to humble himself, but Balan smiled and nodded, saying, “Yes.” Arthur sighed, feeling like he couldn’t stop her in the end.

Come to think of it, it would have been better to bring it up now that the war issue is brewing, as this would have diverted attention.

“Please let this pass quietly.”

“If everything went as planned, why would life be difficult?”

When Balan laid out the facts, Arthur seemed to understand why he had broken up with Catherine. Balan was a confident young man, but he was also straightforward.

* * *

The doctor Balan had introduced was running a large hospital. His name was Kronel Smith. He was a skinny, stern, and nervous man known as Dr. Kronel.

But contrary to his impression, he greeted Arthur’s visit with a smile and a friendly attitude.

“It’s an honor to have the famous discoverer of sweet addiction visit us.”

“A discoverer? I was just raising suspicions.”

“The insight that makes you feel doubtful when no one else even suspects it is worthy of being called a discoverer.”

So Arthur’s name was on the first paper that published a study on sweet addiction. Although he was not the author of the paper, Arthur’s name and the arguments that led him to suspect sweet addiction were cited in the introduction.

Dr. Cronell continued.

“So, how did the person who discovered sweet addiction come to this hospital?”

“I’m curious about the treatment methods and mortality rates for war casualties.”

At Arthur’s words, Dr. Cronell’s expression hardened. Then, Arthur, who was in the position of asking the question, became cautious.

“Is it difficult?”

“It’s not difficult. It’s just a memory I don’t want to remember.”

Arthur held back his words as he watched his face darken. It took some time for the doctor to pull himself together.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“I was in a field hospital on the Trava front several years ago.”

“You must have had a hard time.”

He shook his head and replied.

“Ah. It would be hard to understand if you weren’t there. Half of the wounded soldiers were waiting to die. Even those who were lucky enough to survive often lost limbs.”

The two main methods of treating the wounded he described were hemostasis and amputation.

Stop the bleeding? First, check the wound. If it doesn’t seem to stop the bleeding, you’re dead. If it seems to stop the bleeding, remove the bullet, suture the wound, and wrap it with a bandage.

But most people suffer and die. Wouldn’t it be better to have your limbs amputated to have a higher survival rate?

“It’s really hard as a doctor. Do I have to cut off the limbs of soldiers who would rather die than become disabled?”

“So you’re saying the mortality rate is half?”

And among those who survived, less than half survived with their limbs intact. The remaining survival rate was filled with soldiers who had undergone amputations.

“Why do people die like that?”

“I think it’s because of lack of stamina. Most of the surviving soldiers were strong and healthy.”

Arthur blinked in dizziness. What does that mean? In the end, only those who had the stamina to overcome the germs survived.

As Viana felt when she gave birth to Charlie, it was a neighborhood with no concept of hygiene.

Arthur asked.

“Why do you think people get sick and die like that?”

“As for the cause of the disease… … miasma is the most likely.”

The hypothesis was that the disease was caused by miasma, or bad air. Arthur asked.

“Hmm… … Have you ever heard of creatures so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye?”

“A creature so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye?”

Arthur swallowed his sigh at the sight of Cronel looking bewildered.

Hmm… … Is this a world without germs? No, based on what I’ve experienced in this world so far, I don’t think there are any… … Since he wasn’t sure, Arthur held his tongue for the time being.

“What should we do if the theory of scurvy is true?”

“That is, to prevent the accumulation of waste, we periodically ventilate and provide lighting, and change the blankets, sheets, and bandages.”

“… … You knew.”

“Yes, I knew it.”

Arthur did not suggest that this might reduce the mortality rate of the wounded in this war. Didn’t the doctor in front of him try it? But even so, the fact that the mortality rate was nearly half meant that the long-term theory was either not true or there was no time to test the hypothesis. And Arthur was convinced that it was the latter, not the former.

It’s not that there weren’t any hypotheses about the cause of the high mortality rate. It’s just that there was no room to test hypotheses that could reduce it. And the reason for that must be the shitty circumstances of the higher-ups. Money, money, money.

Yes. Most of the reason was money. The world is ruled by budget, so the high-ranking officials did not go beyond that in their view of the military. They overlooked or consciously tried not to think about the fact that each soldier is a person with a family and loved ones.

It is not something that cannot be understood. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of individuals die at my command. No human being could face the weight of that enormous karma with a clear mind.

But paradoxically, only by turning a blind eye could we win the war and prevent greater damage. Sacrifice was essential in war.

That’s why Arthur hated the military. It was a test that constantly wore down his humanity. No matter how hard he tried to keep his wits about him, if he was too focused on promotion, advancement, or victory in war, he would most likely end up a well-trained commander who was an acquired sociopath.

Even the most personable commanders who normally cherish their soldiers and are concerned about their treatment are forced to be cold-blooded and calculate where on the front line they should sacrifice their beloved soldiers in order to achieve victory, because war and the military are the things that matter.

So, the expression ‘a soldier with a strong sense of philanthropy’ is a contradiction. If there is no ‘enemy’, there is no need for an ‘army’.

Arthur looked at Cronell’s face, which was filled with fatigue and regret, and asked.

“Are you going to the field hospital this time too?”

“I think so, maybe not.”

“I will try to find a way to support you.”

“… … Thank you.”

At Arthur’s words, Doctor Cronell bowed deeply.

* * *

Arthur wanted to first understand the situation in order to support the field hospital. He thought that utilizing his military connections would be the best way to learn about the field hospital, but Hans and General Flavan had already departed for the front lines.

So Arthur went on a quest to find the next person he thought might be useful.

“Arthur? What brings you here?”

It was none other than Viscount Kato Zeltny.

“I have a question for the financial officer at the Imperial Household Agency.”

Cato said with an expression of interest at Arthur’s words.

“What’s going on?”

“I want to know the reality of the field hospital.”

“The reality?”

“I’m curious about how it is operated and what kind of budget support is provided.”

“Why is that?”

“My older brother is a soldier.”

“aha.”

Cato looked regretful at Arthur’s answer.

“I convey my deepest condolences.”

“thank you.”

Anyway, let me briefly explain the state of support for the field hospital that Kato is talking about. It’s not that there is no budget, but it’s inevitable that it will be relegated to a lower priority compared to the supplies actually needed for combat?