Wizard from The Modern

"What?!" Tuku and his companions exclaimed in shock, as if they had stumbled upon some fanciful tale. Their eyes widened as they gazed incredulously at Richard, questioning, "You mean to say, that a gaping wound in his abdomen will not lead to death, that it can… it can be sutured? How is this possible, Lord Richard?"

"To turn the impossible into the possible, my friends, is what we call science," Richard replied with a calm demeanor.

"Science? Science?!"

Ignoring the astonished faces directed at him, Richard turned aside, retrieving necessary items from the horse he had been riding before returning.

He first uncorked a vessel containing alcohol, pouring its contents over Hughes's wound for disinfection.

The alcohol's sharp sting struck at the nerve endings of the exposed flesh, prompting a cry of pain from Hughes. Unmoved by his suffering, Richard completed the task and stood over Hughes, addressing him, "You will have to share a mount with another on the return journey."

"Hmm?" The onlookers were puzzled by the statement, but Richard had already grasped a Western-style dagger and approached the horse that Hughes had been riding.

The blade in Richard's hand measured nearly three feet, its cylindrical edge tapering to a fine point at the hilt. Evidently, this weapon was designed purely for thrusting, simple yet devastating in its effect.

As Richard approached the steed, it began to whinny nervously; nevertheless, it dared not move under Richard's piercing gaze.

He soon reached the horse's side, drawing the dagger from its sheath and gently resting the blade against the beast's side.

Sensing the icy contact, the horse grew even more agitated. Richard, expressionless, contemplated his next actions.

Suturing the wound was not a difficult task, yet the challenge lay in the scarcity of necessary materials. Needles were relatively easy to find; however, the surgical sutures—crafted from animal intestines—were not as readily available.

On Earth, such sutures were typically derived from sheep or cow intestines, a process demanding careful treatment. In this realm, neither the conditions nor the time permitted such preparation. Thus, one must rely on alternative materials.

Historically, the use of sutures based on animal materials predates the advent of modern surgical methods. Reusable materials do exist, such as flax, hemp, and cotton—though harsh on the body, they are often rejected by the immune system.

Conversely, animal materials represent a more suitable option: arterial vessels, nerves, muscular fibrous tissue, and tendons.

The tendons, a form of dense connective tissue linking muscle to bone, boast excellent compatibility with the human body and are among the most effective substitutes imaginable.

Among both human and animal subjects, the longest and most manageable tendons are found along the sides of the spine...

With a swift "thud," Richard drove the dagger into the horse with a flash of unyielding determination, piercing straight through its heart. Blood issued forth, pooling in torrents along the channel of the blade.

"Thud, thud…" The wounded horse began to neigh in agony, its body convulsing as it foamed at the mouth.

With a firm grip on the dagger, Richard yanked it free and, with a swift motion, slapped the horse's back, causing it to tumble to the ground like a mountain. Tuku and the others, caught off guard, gasped in astonishment.

At that moment, the meaning of Richard's earlier remark—"you will ride back with another"—became painfully clear. They had previously assumed Hughes was too injured to ride on his own; however, that assumption proved mistaken. The main reason was apparent now: there were no sufficient horses left for Hughes to ride alone.

"Thud!"

The horse's carcass crashed heavily onto the ground, flattening nearby foliage. Richard's eyes gleamed with purpose as he promptly approached, pulling forth a small knife. In the ensuing moment, the blade descended against the horse's skull with vigor, swiftly gliding down the spine.

Within moments, the hide of the horse slipped away like a discarded garment, exposing a silver-white tendon nestled within the sinews.

With no hesitation, Richard deftly extracted the tendon, slicing it into fine strands, allowing them to dry slightly before soaking them in alcohol for disinfection.

Once all was prepared, Richard threaded the delicate strands through a specialized bone needle and approached Hughes's side. Under the watchful eyes of his companions, he commenced the act of suturing.

No anesthetics, no analgesics—Richard's expression remained impassive as he conducted the procedure with brutal efficiency, ignoring Hughes's sensations entirely.

Once, twice, thrice… twenty-one stitches, and he secured the final knot.

Exhaling a breath of exertion, Richard stood, pouring another measure of alcohol over the stitched wound in repeated disinfection. At this juncture, the agony etched on Hughes's face was palpable.

Unfazed by the suffering around him, Richard busied himself with wiping the blood from his hands, satisfied only when no trace remained.

In that moment, Hughes, as if regaining his senses, gingerly touched his wound and looked up at Richard, asking, "Lord Richard, having sewn it up like this, I truly shall not die?"

"It is premature to say such things. While you need not worry about immediate complications, there remains a significant risk of infection in the days to come. After all, this world lacks antibiotics and can only rely on alcohol for disinfection," Richard informed him.

"Nevertheless, I am alive, yes?" Hughes replied, attempting to comprehend Richard's words, his brow furrowing slightly. "Yet, I must ask, why, Lord Richard, did you have to kill the horse for my sutures? Horses are not cheap, after all, and…"

"In truth, I did contemplate using the tendon from a human spine," Richard replied, gazing meaningfully at Hughes. "There are many corpses nearby; not utilizing them would be wasteful. However, I feared such an act may trouble your conscience, prompting me to use the horse instead. Of course, were you inclined, I would not quibble at redoing the suturing with materials from the cadavers."

"Uh, well…" Hughes quivered involuntarily at Richard's proposal, quickly waving his hands to shift the topic. "No need for that! I believe this is perfectly adequate. Let's return to the castle."

Richard made no further comments, instead saddling his horse before stating, "It would be best to return swiftly. Upon our arrival, we shall assess your blood type, then procure a transfusion from another, hastening your recovery. However, I do hope you are not of blood type O, or some other rarer type."

Hughes failed to grasp the full implication of Richard's words but instinctively felt it was beneficial, kindling a firm nod. Supported by his companions, he mounted the horse, following behind Richard as they returned to the baron's castle.