The meeting with Lyonesse Ashford takes place in the apartment rented to Jin and the others.

At a table for four, Jin and Elsa, Prince Arthur, and Lioness Ashford sit facing each other.

Lioness sits in front of Jin and Prince Arthur sits in front of Elsa.

Princess Rieschen has a separate chair and sits on the sidelines.

"First of all, thank you for accepting my selfishness. I thank you."

Lioness began in a friendly tone.

"My specialty is <>. As a scholar, I became a scholar because I want to know everything there is to know about the world.

"I see, so you are a naturalist."

Jin uttered the first word that came to his mind.

Natural history can be defined as the study of things that exist in the natural world, such as animals, plants, and minerals.

The Jin family's Toa could also be called naturalists. However, it seems that such a term is not used in this world.

"Oh, natural history?　I see. Jin-dono has an interesting way of putting it. I see. Naturalist, huh? That has a nice ring to it.

Lioness really likes the sound of .

"...... So, I'm from the neighboring Kingdom of Cerroa, and you're from the Kingdom of Shoro, is that right?"

"Yes, I am."

Erza replies.

"What I want to ask you is, among other things, about the ship.

Jin is a little impressed that she is interested in engineering as well as natural history.

He wondered inwardly if his voracious appetite for knowledge in this world was unique to the Kingdom of Celuloa with its ancient culture.

"A ship?　Certainly, the Shoro Kingdom has built various types of ships.

While Jin was lost in thought, Erza was receiving the conversation.

Erza's cousin and Jin's best friend, Reinhardt, is also a shipbuilder. Of course, so is Jin.

"...... This is a rumor, but there is a merchant who is building large ships in the southern part of our kingdom of Selroa."

Jin wondered if this might be the Eckart Tecles he had met earlier.

If so, this Lioness man was quick to listen. At this point, Jin decided to let Elsa lead the conversation and keep an eye on Lioness.

"I suppose a large ship is useful for transport, isn't it?"

"...... Yes. The Shoro Empire uses lakes, rivers, and man-made waterways to transport their cargo.

"But isn't this a good idea considering the power and expense?"

"No, but compared to horses and carts, they can carry much larger quantities of cargo, so this is offset.

"If you consider the safety of being on land and on the water, you can go to ......."

"We use wide, shallow-bottomed vessels because we're not in the ocean and we're mostly in waters with little wave action. So they are more resilient and ......"

"If you are going to the sea, even the open sea, you need to consider the rigidity of the hull. In that case, it can be used as a structural material ......."

"......, but if you use metal structural materials, I suppose weight will be an issue?"

"You have a point. Considering the specific strength per unit mass...... of metal and wood,...... unit weight."

Elsa and Lioness exchange technical information.

Jin was listening to them, but he could not grasp Liones' intention at the moment. Prince Arthur also just listened in silence.

Occasionally Jin joined in the conversation, and the conversation continued uninterrupted.

The conversation lasted for an hour, and finally came to an end when it was almost 10 o'clock.

"......No, Miss Elsa, Mr. Jin, it was a meaningful time. Thank you.

Lioness thanked him in a friendly tone to the end and returned.

"I ...... don't understand."

After Prince Arthur and Lioness left, Jin voiced his doubts.

"...... you just came here to chat?"

Erza couldn't seem to grasp what he was trying to do.

"For my part, I'm concerned about the fact that Arthur hardly opened his mouth at all.

None of the three knew what Lioness' visit was intended to do. Or perhaps they really just wanted to have a purely academic discussion, Jin thought.

* * * *

"What do you think of ......, Rio?　What do you think?

Prince Arthur asked Lioness, his teacher, when he returned to his room.

"...... are not to be underestimated. Those two know more than I do."

"What!　You've got some good friends, ...... Reese."

"...... the sick man who was operated on yesterday seems to have a good prognosis. Perhaps this afternoon, His Majesty's surgery will be performed."

"...... you think it will be successful?"

"Yes, probably."

"...... or ......"

Prince Arthur looked out the window without saying another word.

The sky was finally turning from gray to blue.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

After lunch, the Prime Minister visited Jin and the others in their room. Prince Edmond and Prince Arthur are with them.

"Erza-dono!　We have reached a conclusion. From this moment on, I would like you to treat His Majesty!"

The Prime Minister said at once: "Perform the operation!

"Miss Elsa, I beg you. I beg you to save my father the king."

Prince Arthur bowed his head.

"...... I don't know anything about the small stuff. But all three of the sick you treated yesterday are recovering. And the Prime Minister and Arthur seem to trust you. So I ask you too. Please heal my father.

Even Prince Edmond bowed his head.

"...... Of course. That's why I'm here.

"I will do my best."

Elsa and Jin promised to do their best.

The group moved to the king's bedroom.

The king's condition had not changed. Elsa again assisted Edgar in examining the king.

This is the first time Jin has seen Alois III on his sickbed, and he is surprised to see how much he has lost.

"...... Is this what happens when you have a bad liver? ......"

Once again, Jin decided to make the treatment successful for Rieschen's sake.

"...... Jin, the examination is over. What we're going to do is as we agreed.

"Okay, okay."

Jin put up a barrier that encompassed himself, Elsa, Edgar, and Alois III. It is not a half-assed barrier. It is an indestructible barrier, impervious to both physical and magical attacks.

No one complains, as it has been explained to those present.

"<><>"

Start with anesthesia.

"<><>><><>"

The inside of the barrier, the surface of Alois III's body, and the mini-artisan (Smith) in charge of the surgery are sterilized. The work is about to begin.

"...... Edgar, please look through. Mini craftsman (Smith), visual sharing."

Just as if we were operating with an endoscope or looking at an echo image.

The mini-craftsman (Smith) had a good view of the bile ducts of Alois III thanks to the visual information sent by Edgar.

"...... then we will count down...3,2,1,0."

In response to Elsa's command, a mini-craftsman (Smith) thrust his body and arm into the bile duct region of Alois III.

Princess Rieschen, who was watching from outside the barrier, lets out a small scream. The next moment, however, the mini-craftsman (Smith) has grasped the parasite.

"<><>><>>"

Elsa applied <> three times, as the bile ducts were slightly more damaged than in the last patient operated on.

The blood spurting out was minimal, and the blood on the abdomen was sterilized and cleaned up with <> magic.

The rest is ascites.

Alois III had a considerable amount of ascites fluid, which will be treated based on the previous surgery.

"<>"

Elsa, which activates the functions of the internal organs.

"...... He has also developed some cirrhosis of the liver. <>"

Two times the highest degree of healing magic of the internal medicine system has activated a considerable amount of the internal organ tissue.

"<>"

Jaundice is named after the yellowish substance bilirubin, which causes yellowing of the tissues and fluids of the body, such as the eyes and skin, due to its presence in excess.

By breaking down the excess bilirubin, the yellowish eyeballs and skin returned to their original color.

This was the first time it had been used, and was an idea that came to me after treating a patient the other day.

"......, that's it."

"Oops."

After being released from the extreme tension, Elsa felt a little light-headed due to the depletion of her body's magical energy.

But Jin, who had learned from the previous treatment, immediately supported her on behalf of Edgar.

"Thank you, brother Jin.

Here, Persica juice."

And Erza drinks Persica juice, which restores her magic power.

"The surgery was a success."

Alois III's complexion improved dramatically.