Healer's First Job

Even when his face was covered to his chin, the cape somehow did not restrict his vision at all.So, Xion observed everything around him as he waited and waited some more. Many people glanced at him and then at the board before turning away.Now, Xion was not stupid enough to believe that he would get success with his plan on his first day. However, looking at the people turning away still left bitterness in his heart.He was about to grow mushrooms on his body when a bald old man with long white beard limped toward his way."Young man? What are you selling?"Xion pointed to the board and repeated the words, "Cheap clinic for the sick, it says here. I am a doc- healer."Xion changed his words at the last moment. He almost forgot that in this world, Healers were the normal things."Ah! You are a healer! Why did you not say it earlier? Can you help me with my leg?"Xion was startled when one loud shout from the old man gathered a few people around him."He is a healer?""Seems to be the case... Have no idea what's written there.""That's why I did not come close to him. Didn't want to offend him, yah know,"Hearing the vague snippets from the people watching him like some special animal in a zoo, Xion finally realized his mistake.This was not his previous world where everyone was educated! In Eldoria Lunareth, only the nobles had the privilege to go to the academy and study. That, in turn, meant the citizens were mostly illiterate!Hence, in their eyes, Xion must be someone from higher status.If that was not enough, the nobles were not something these people in the bazaar could offend. There was no way these people would come to him.Xion glanced at the old man dressed in nice clothes without patches. It was obvious that his status was better than others, yet even he was unable to read.He looked at the board and felt his merit points going down the drain. He was shaken out of his thoughts when the old man lifted his pants up to his thigh.His attention was immediately taken by the dark patch on the leg, giving off the pungent stench. Xion was very familiar with tissue withering and dying disease.Unlike Gangrene, which stems from bacterial infection, Blight Rot is believed to be linked to mana corruption. Xion mused while comparing the wound to the one he was familiar with in his previous world.According to the books he had been reading in the estate library, when mana-infused injuries or untreated wounds come into contact with "Blight Spores" (a rare, toxic fungus), the infection takes root, sapping both the victim's physical strength and mana reserves.This was exactly the old man's problem. If the wound had to be left for long, the leg would start rotting and then the decay would spread to the entire body. The only way to stop it was to cut the infected limb directly.While carefully observing the infected skin near the knee, Xion secretly glanced at his surroundings. A crowd was formed all around him.Blight Rot was commonly feared, especially by adventurers who delved into dungeons and faced creatures or environments tainted by corrupted mana. This meant that this old man was no simple person.Xion was possibly going to treat the adventurer or worse, someone with a high status in the guild."Are you having fevers?" Xion asked while carefully pressing the bluish area around the wound.The old man winced in pain. "I had one last night. What do you think? Can it be treated?"Xion remained quiet for a bit. There were two ways to treat Blight rot. One was the traditional way to cut the leg directly and the other was to use mana to suppress the infection.Mana was inherently dangerous for such problems. That was why chopping the limb was preferred.However, these plans would not treat the problem from the root.While he was brainstorming, the old man sneakily looked at the faraway tent set at the cliff nearby."It can be treated, but I need your full cooperation," Xion said while pulling out his surgical tools."Of course!" The old man shouted excitedly and sat down on the blanket.At first, Berry had been confused when Master told him to approach the cloaked guy. He was asked to investigate the male and return.Never in his wildest dream, had he thought someone might claim to treat the Blight Rot, the curse for the adventurers!He was on the deathbed anyway. Cutting his leg was equivalent to cutting his livelihood. Even if he had a few decades to live, he would be a lame man.Yet now he accidentally found the treasure!No, Berry was not stupid to just trust some random person claiming to treat his leg. He had set his hopes on his master.If he managed to gather some information, the master would reward him. That reward would be enough for his kids to survive for a few years.So, Berry, disregarding his safety, sat on the blanket.The silly Xion, unaware of the hidden thoughts, pulled out disinfect and started treating the wound.He grimaced as he pressed on the hardened, discolored skin. A white pus came out as a rotten stench filled his nostrils even when he was wearing a mask.Xion felt his pulse quicken as he cut away the infected flesh. The skin around the wound was rigid, brittle under his touch, and a faint purple hue seemed to pulse along with the old man's heartbeat."Hold still," Xion said, barely masking his nervousness.He carefully removed all the infection using the modern instrument he bought in the mall.After making sure that the infectious pus was removed and the dark blood turned red, he called on mana to seal the wound edges and restore the mana balance in old man's body.Berry winced but held steady. His gaze fixed on his leg and a small smile danced on his pale quivering lips as if this risky treatment was already a victory worth gambling on.Xion continued his work among the slight yelps and winces from the old man.While doing all this, Xion bought the medicine for recovery from the system Mall. After carefully bandaging the area, Xion gave three pills to the old man.It was necessary to treat the external wound and also to take care of the fever. For the people of Eldoria Lunareth, fever was nothing less than a deadly disease equivalent to modern cancer.Xion hastily wiped the sweat running down his neck. He packed two dosages while instructing the old man to eat them after dinner and in the morning after breakfast.After giving the basic instructions to take care of the wound, Xion asked the old man to swallow the pills with water on the spot.The moment Berry ate the medicine, a notification rang in Xion's mind.He glanced at the system mall and gasped. He actually earned 1000 merit points!His gaze at the old man immediately turned respectful. If he gained that many merit points, that only meant that the old man was a good person who might have saved many people in his life. Hence, by saving him he was also contributing to the old man's good deeds."H-how much does it cost?" Berry almost stuttered from pain while asking."Ah? No need. You are my first patient, so it is free for you. But remember to meet me tomorrow. We need to check on your leg."Perhaps it was the decreasing pain he felt in his leg, or the thought of free treatment was a bit too charming, Berry deeply bowed to the healer before walking away with the help of a blonde young man with blue eyes.After the old man left with his probable son, Xion felt what it truly meant to be a healer.Due to the old man's bold actions, the crowd around him did not disappear till the sun started to sink.After accepting one copper coin per patient or some edibles, Xion gathered his things before he sat off for the same place where he got off in the morning.If his calculation had not been wrong, the wagon from the estate would arrive in a few minutes.Exhausted Xion waited before sneaking back into the wagon that took him back to the estate.All this time, there was someone who had been keeping an eye on his every action.If Xion saw the blonde boy, he might have been able to recognize him as the same person who helped the old man earlier.The moment Xion went away, Ray dashed toward the area where they had pitched the tents for the night."I need to tell master everything," Ray muttered while increasing his speed.