Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt - Chapter 164



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Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt Chapter 164

29-2nd Trava War

“So, is it difficult to provide clean bandages, sheets, blankets, etc?”

“Why is that? Oh, long-term theory? I understand why something like that is necessary, but that’s how it is to run a country. It’s not easy to allocate a budget based on an unproven hypothesis.”

That’s true. But isn’t there a way?

“Wouldn’t it be possible to persuade His Majesty the King?”

“Who? You?”

Cato blinked and looked at Arthur, and Arthur shut his mouth. Well, it would be unreasonable to have a private meeting with the King himself, and if he asked the King, who was thirsty for victory in the war, to allocate more budget to a field hospital that had nothing to do with victory, he might have to do another Hollywood action scene.

Then what can we do? A thirsty man should dig a well. That was the way the world worked.

“Then is it possible for me to personally apply to the field hospital?”

“It’s possible. There are cases where noblewomen volunteer for field hospitals out of sympathy. There are also war bonds for this purpose. What do you think? Are you interested?”

Arthur’s eyes grew cold at Kato’s words. War bonds? How do you know that money is being used to support field hospitals?

At Arthur’s scowling gaze, Kato realized that his words had been a poor one and coughed in embarrassment.

Arthur opened his mouth.

“I guess I’ll have to go and talk to the person in charge of the field hospital. Can you tell me who it is?”

“Are you really not thinking of buying war bonds?”

“I was thinking of buying it even if it wasn’t a field hospital. But I’ll have to prepare for the field hospital separately.”

“Hmm… … Don’t say that anywhere else.”

Because some might interpret it as distrust toward the king.

Arthur expressed his gratitude for Kato’s consideration and asked him the name of the field hospital chief he had told him. Coincidentally, it was a name he already knew.

“I don’t know what’s going on.”

Cronell Smit, who has been running Smit’s Hospital for three generations, was puzzled by the invitation from the railway engineer, but when he saw Arthur Hurt there, he was even more puzzled.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Dr. Cronell. As you know, this is railway engineer Ttian Aho.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Ttian held out his hand, enjoying Arthur’s gold-plating on his face as a railroad worker, and Cronel took Ttian’s outstretched hand with a trembling expression.

After the handshake was over and everyone was seated, Arthur opened his mouth.

“I would like to thank Ttian again for arranging this event for me today.”

Arthur got straight to the point when Ttian laughed and waved his hand in greeting, bowing his head.

“I heard that the person in charge of the field hospital during this war is Dr. Cronell.”

I wondered why he hadn’t said that when we first met, but perhaps it was because of the gruesome memories of the field hospital during the last war that he had a hard time saying that he was in charge.

Anyway, Dr. Cronell blinked at Arthur’s words.

“Huh? How did you know that?”

“I heard it from an official of the Imperial Household Department.”

“It’s decided like that again.”

“… … Didn’t you know?”

“I had a hunch, but there hasn’t been an official announcement yet.”

Arthur and Ttian’s gaze crossed at Cronel’s answer. Ttian’s gaze was sharp. The official document hasn’t come out yet? Arthur tried to avoid the gaze that said, “Isn’t this different from what you heard?” and maintained a hopeful attitude.

“Is it possible that someone else will be put in charge or that you will step down from this field hospital?”

“Well… … that’s unlikely.”

When Cronel answered Arthur’s question, Ttian’s cold gaze toward Arthur disappeared, and Arthur revealed the reason he had called Cronel.

“Based on the long-term theory, we would like to provide supplies to treat the injured.”

“Um… …. You mean clean sheets and blankets, bandages, and things like that?”

“yes.”

“What about manpower?”

“Human resources… are you talking about that?”

“I appreciate your offer to provide the supplies, but we need more manpower to use them.”

Since there are no automatic cleaning robots, maintaining hygiene requires human hands. That means more manpower is needed.

Arthur asked.

“How did you originally run it?”

“I hired nurses. But I doubt they’ll do it again this time.”

Cronell’s expression darkened. And his words gave an idea of ​​how dire the conditions in the field hospitals had been during the last war.

It was a fierce war where half of the central army was blown away, so how dire must the situation have been in the hospital? It was also strange that the nurses did not suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in a situation where half of the patients died even after receiving treatment.

But Ttian did not agree with Cronel’s words.

“If the King orders, I have no choice but to go.”

“That’s… but… … .”

Cronel’s face couldn’t hide his feelings of disappointment at Ttian’s words.

It was certainly too much. But it was clearly effective, so Arthur could not completely deny or refute Ttian’s words.

Arthur intervened.

“If you only use the whip, there will be resistance, so you have to offer a carrot as well.”

“With what?”

“Anything.”

To businessman Ttian, it sounded like a message telling him to solve the problem with money.

“How much does it cost?”

“If you just give money, it costs a lot of money. It’s not cost-effective.”

“then?”

“We must give them honor.”

“Honor?”

“You are participating in the noble cause of saving soldiers’ lives.”

“Oh, shit.”

At Arthur’s words, Ttian frowned and took off his hat.

That’s what the letter said when the King wanted to swallow up his railroad company. He wanted to be honored and grateful for serving his country.

Doing as Arthur said was like luring an ignorant young man into battle, handing him a spear and sending him out, telling him that there would be victory and glory. The reality that the nurses who thought it was an honorable and noble job would face in the field hospital would be akin to hell.

Arthur responded to Ttian’s insults.

“I’m not a piece of shit either, so stop looking at me like I’m trash.”

But Ttian was displeased with Arthur’s proposal.

“Let’s stop this.”

“Then what about the wounded who are about to die?”

“… … .”

Arthur spoke with a calm expression to Ttian, who had his mouth shut.

“I know it’s hypocrisy, but it’s better to be hypocritical than to pretend to be noble and do nothing.”

“Why?”

“Because even hypocrisy can make the world a better place, even if only a little.”

If you do nothing, nothing will change in the end.

Ttian refuted.

“You don’t seem to know how much harm hypocrites can do.”

But Arthur was firm.

“Incompetence is better than inaction, and lies and hypocrisy are better than incompetence.”

What is the realistic difference between incompetence and doing nothing and being a bystander?

It doesn’t bring about any change anyway. There is a psychological difference. The former can feel a sense of inferiority about his incompetence, while the latter can feel a mental victory by saying that he didn’t act hypocritically.

However, incompetence is better than inaction in that a sense of guilt can lead to self-reflection and efforts to solve problems. Although there is a condition that one must realize that incompetence, a sin committed knowingly is greater than a sin committed out of ignorance.

“Ugh.”

Ttian groaned and crossed his arms. It seemed like he was going to do as Arthur said.

Arthur, who had convinced Ttian, turned his gaze to Dr. Cronell.

“We will prepare the personnel and support materials here. I would like you, Doctor, to review the operation plan for the field hospital based on the theory of 瘴氣.”

“… …Why are you doing this?”

“My brother is in battle. I want to increase my chances of survival even just a little.”

Arthur’s words made Cronell look dumbfounded and then he laughed. At first, he was shocked by the thought that it was such a personal purpose, but when he revealed it so honestly, instead of criticizing him, he laughed.

Dr. Cronell, who had just heard the conversation between Ttian and Arthur, remembered Arthur’s logic that incompetence is better than inaction, and hypocrisy is better than incompetence. It was not difficult to make up his mind.

“Okay, I understand. I’ll adjust the field hospital operation plan accordingly.”

He nodded and took Arthur’s outstretched hand.

* * *

I met the head of the field hospital, but honestly, this was just the beginning. I needed some readers to help me pay for treatment and hygiene supplies, and the cost of hiring nurses. Arthur’s fortune was not small, but if a full-scale battle broke out and the field hospital was put into operation, it would quickly run out.

Isn’t it the way of life that profits are privatized and losses are publicized? Arthur followed that principle and went to his rich acquaintances to ask for help.

“If you do it… … . Thanks to you, I made a lot of money.”

Samuel accepted Arthur’s offer, feeling uneasy but not particularly bad, and Zarran nodded without adding any additional remarks.

“Haha! It’s a good cause, so of course I should help. I’ll tell the members of Mato Trading Company myself.”

“If they say they don’t want to, don’t force them. It’s just a donation.”

Arthur smiled and bowed his head at her concern, but Arthur was a little worried.

Already, the status of Jaran within the Mato Trading Company was truly untouchable. If Jaran felt resentful and tried to leave the Mato Trading Company, he would cling to his trouser legs and hang on. Is this similar to the relationship between Arthur and the Tsuraz Craft Guild?

Arthur, who had already started fundraising, moved to meet with high-ranking officials. The first person he met was Count Stan, a member of the neutral faction. He expressed interest in Arthur’s request to help raise funds and promote the field hospital.

“Why?”

“To be honest, it’s to increase the chances of my brother coming back alive.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to ask them to move to the rear?”

“well.”

Arthur laughed bitterly. As Count Stan had said, there was a way to take Hans to the rear. However, Arthur did not think that would be a good idea for Hans or for himself.

Putting aside the perspective that there is no point in living a life where you just breathe, is it possible to move to the rear?

Arthur was not alone in wanting to send his family to the rear, and the hard-nosed soldier, Lieutenant-General Flavan, was aware of Hans’ presence.

If he had withdrawn to the rear in an attempt to save Hans, and the Plavan faction had found out, not only would Hans’ path to success have been greatly hindered, but Arthur would have also been exposed as an individual.

In addition, it was also a problem that someone was assigned to the front instead of Hans being moved to the rear.

If those who lost their families in battle learn of this, they will surely think that Arthur withdrew to the rear to save his brother, and that their fathers, brothers, and children were killed. After all, humans are animals that seek out objects of resentment.

Count Stan didn’t ask Arthur any more questions because he was being quiet. He only asked how he could support the field hospital.

Count Stan nodded and readily agreed to cooperate when Arthur explained that the event would not only raise donations but also draw public attention to the field hospital and discover potential nursing volunteers.

“That’s good. But who is in charge?”

“Are you the host?”

“This is a kind of charity event, and charity events traditionally have a political meaning of shining a light on someone’s wealth and fame.”

It was a delicate matter, but one that could be dangerous enough. Fortunately, Arthur was willing to make concessions on it.