The surgery was completed, and the thrombectomy was successfully done, adding another tool to handle severe cases.
Garrett was in a great mood. He turned to two of his students with a smile:
"What is it?"
"I am looking for microbes that have effects similar to Penicillium; I have made some progress so far..."
"I have some ideas about the development of a rabies vaccine..."
The students reported their progress and posed questions one by one. Garrett fulfilled his duties as the head of the Mage Tower, answering each question:
Hmm, providing topics, correcting papers, resolving doubts, recommending books, my days are indeed becoming more like those of a leading academic...
Unfortunately, neither of the studentsâ research had made decisive progress. Garrett had no choice but to send them back to continue their work, and he returned to his clinic, picking up a copy of this monthâs "Arcana":
"Magus Nordmark! Magus Nordmark!"
Garrettâs mood then was no different from that of an intern who wanted to sneak in some study time during a shift but was called away by a nurse.
However, the visitor was an acquaintance who came straight to him without considering letting anyone else treat him. Garrett could only step out from the clinic, greeting with a smile:
"Viscount Calrend, itâs been a week. How is your son? Is his bowel movement still smooth?"
He had long held an impression of the viscount as "that father of the child born without an anus."
"Itâs getting better." Viscount Calrend limped in, not daring to put weight on one foot, supported by two servants. Despite his condition, he couldnât resist gossiping:
"How did you offend Old Audie? Just now at the club, he kept saying your treatment was no good!"
Who? Garrett was puzzled. I havenât treated anyone by that name recently?
"Itâs the one who had a toothache for two days, said he was treated here twice..."
"Ah!"
Garrett suddenly remembered. The patient with angina!
"How is he?"
"Heâs very spirited! Just now at the cards table, he even won 20 gold coins from me!âBut never mind that, take a look at my ankle..."
Garrett casually dragged over a stool for him to rest his foot. Looking down, he saw the viscountâs trouser leg pulled up and his sock rolled down; indeed, the right ankle was swollen like a bun, both red and shiny: ê¦Î¬ÎÃÐÐá¹
"What happened? Did you twist your ankle?"
Speaking with a breath full of alcohol, not even noon and already drunk, falling and twisting an ankle seemed just deserts.
"Yes indeed! Last night, I was drinking with someone, walked a bit fast on my way back, and tripped down some stairs. It was late, I didnât think much of it, but now..."
Garrett had already pulled out the ãEndless Ink Penã. He circled around to confirm there was no fracture, then casually began the treatment:
"Thereâs no issue with the bones, at most a ligament sprain, a simple healing spell will do. Just wait, itâll be quick..."
Such a minor injury and you specifically came all this way? A potion of light healing, just drink it and youâd be fine, was it worth jostling through half the city in a carriage?
Are you here for treatment, or just for gossip?
While Garrett muttered to himself, he held the viscountâs toes, rotated them inwards and outwards, pressed to confirm the injured spot, then activated the healing spell, treating it spot by spot.
No such thing as healing light injuries, let alone micro injuries. He merely gathered a mass of positive energy, following the muscle directions, smoothing over them one by one:
Heal the injured ligament!
Accelerate local tissue metabolism!
Speed up the absorption of swelling!
Promote soft tissue healing!
Such a minor injury, he could have treated it back when he was still an apprentice priest, and now, it was even more effortless and enjoyableâ
This treatment method was precise, consuming less spiritual energy. Besides, he could also review the anatomical structure of the ankle.
The only downside was the slow speedâbut what of it, there werenât 300 patients outside the clinic clamoring for treatment.
As the swelling at the ankle visibly subsided, while being treated, Viscount Calrend felt the pain diminish and began to praise enthusiastically:
"I always say youâre skilled in healing! That Old Audie kept talking nonsense, claiming it was just a toothache, but insisting his heart was in troubleâ"
"Sit down! Iâm not done checking!"
Garrett barked. However, the viscount ignored him, not only stood up to walk but even jumped a bit. True to the saying, âa doctorâs advice not heeded, leads to more sufferingâ, he screamed and collapsed.
Garrett didnât bother to help
him. With a flick of his finger, he summoned a floating disk to catch him. The viscount crashed onto the floating disk, clutching his right foot, then his left:
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, owâit hurts..."
Garrett watched coldly, summoning four ãGreater Mage Handsã to help him sit properly. Looking at the viscount, his legs curled up together, feet barely touching the ground, especially the big toes, conspicuously arched up.
"â¦When did this foot start hurting?"
"Just now, after I fellâ¦"
"Really? Nothing else? You twisted your right foot, how could your left foot also hurt?"
Garrett scrutinized him. The viscount grimaced, wanted to bend down to rub his foot, but dared not touch, and inhaled sharply. After being stared down by Garrett for a while, he finally mumbled:
"Alright, itâs been hurting for several days now⦠After healing, it still hurts, it still hurts after being healedâ¦"
So why didnât you tell the truth right away? Is it to save on those two consultation fees, or to test my skills, to see if I can cure you without a detailed medical history?
â¦Why bother.
Such self-smart patients were plenty, and if the illness wasnât cured, it was still the patient who suffered...
Garrett sighed, with a flick of the Mage Hand, he pulled down the viscountâs sock. As the sock hit the floor, Garrett glanced and saw his right big toe swollen and red, just as shiny as the previous ankle.
"How many days has it been?"
"It wasnât this red yesterday! Yesterday it was just a little painfulâ¦"
"What did you eat yesterday?" No need to ask if he had drunk alcohol; since the viscount had entered, Garrett had smelled the alcohol on his breath. Sure enough, without thinking, the viscount rattled off a long list:
Trout, bass, eel, pan-seared foie gras, red wine braised oxtail...
You donât have gout, who does?
However, gout combined with an ankle sprain isnât common and is easily misdiagnosed. Only because of his extensive clinical experience, having seen such cases before, did he immediately think of gout.
Garrett stood up intending to fetch him colchicine. After a momentâs thought, he suddenly stopped:
"You have two options," he informed him seriously:
"First, choose drug treatment. It costs five gold coins, effective within 12 to 24 hours, with significant pain relief within 24 to 48 hours. Second..."
"I choose the second!"
Viscount Calrend called out impatiently.
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