Crack!
Suddenly, a wooden window broke with a loud noise!
"...?!"
"W-window?!"
Raymond and Hanson lost their souls to the lightning that struck the blue sky.
When he came to his senses, a stone the size of a fist broke the window and rolled around in the building.
"This..."
Raymond's complexion turned white.
It was an attack!
Someone threw the stone on purpose!
'Who? Why?'
Raymond was in chaos.
At that time, Hanson screamed again.
"S-senior! Look at this!"
Once outside, something even more startling happened.
The mark of the healing wand on the door had a bright red X on it.
And there was a text underneath it.
[This is not a playground for kids.]
[If you don't want to die, get lost.]
It was an eerie red phrase as if written in blood.
"..."
Raymond closed his mouth.
Something was going on unexpectedly.
***
"We have to leave this place right now, senior! It's dangerous!"
Hanson shouted urgently.
Seeing this in front of his eyes, it was a natural reaction.
Raymond also agreed that the situation was not good.
'People's reactions are much more hostile than expected. If it stays like this, there could be a dangerous situation.'
As said many times before, the slums here were beyond the reach of security forces.
There was a good chance that a dangerous situation would arise if someone with hostile intentions tried to cause harm.
A situation where, frankly, it might be wise to leave.
However, Raymond shook his head firmly.
"No. I won't leave."
"Senior?"
"It could be dangerous like you said, so Hanson, you can leave. No, I'll just be left alone, so you pack up and leave."
Hanson gave him a look of incomprehension.
Raymond sighed inwardly.
'Honestly, I'm scared, too. I want to leave.'
It was Raymond, who was far from ballsy.
After seeing the red warning sign as if it were written in blood, his heart still fluttered.
However, there was a reason why he couldn't leave even though he was so nervous.
'I took out a large loan from Healer Loans to build a treatment center. If I walk away from this, I'm screwed.'
Raymond groaned.
Penniless, what money did he have to find a building, medicinal herbs, and healing tools.
It was all financed by the Healer Loans.
'Damn, a lot of money was spent to buy and remodel the building. It's not at a level that can be filled by reselling herbs.'
Raymond bit his nails.
'Interest is still being added in real-time. I have to succeed no matter what.'
There was something funny and sad about not being able to leave for money, but the reality was that he had no choice.
Healer Loans are generous, but the interest rates are devilish.
Especially when you start to become overdue, it becomes not Healer Loans but Devil Loans.
'Healer Loans has to make the healer grind somehow and make them pay back the money. I don't know how terrible it will be, so I must succeed and pay it back.'
At that time, a message came to mind!
[In the face of difficulties, a quest is given!]
[Look back on the hearts of the poor people!]
(Medical Quest)
Precedence: Intermediate Level
Difficulty level: Medium
Quest Description: After years of being hurt by external malice, the hearts of the poor are in a hardened state. Please turn their hearts around!
Clear Condition: Gain the favor of the people in the slums
Reward: Bonus level up, 30 skill points
Raymond clenched his fist.
Even if it wasn't for the quest, he was sure he would have.
Because he couldn't let it perish!
"I can't step down just because I've been threatened once. I'll stay, so you leave, Hanson."
"..."
Why?
Hanson kept his mouth shut.
"....why are you so caring for patients in the slums?"
It was a question that seemed to misunderstand something.
"Huh? I don't think so? I have a situation where I can't leave..."
"I know you're trying to take risks by thinking of patients from poor families. I'll stay with you."
"No, that's not it. I really..."
He shook his head, but Hanson had a, "I know everything about senior's sincerity," look on his face.
... The misunderstanding seemed to have turned into a solid misunderstanding, and Raymond cleared his throat.
'Anyway, that's not what's important right now.'
Raymond stood up from his position.
"Senior?"
"I can't stay still like this. Let's move before things get any worse."
Sitting and waiting was not likely to resolve the situation.
Rather, public opinion would worsen behind them and the situation would become irreversible.
That's why they had to move preemptively in these situations.
'I will never collapse like this and fail.'
Raymond made a firm commitment.
This kind of difficulty.
He could overcome as much as he wanted for the wealth and glory he would enjoy later.
Be sure to grab the fruits of success!
***
"Where are we going?"
"Plaza in the center of the slums."
The two wore tight armor inside their clothes and left the treatment center.
"Isn't it dangerous because there are a lot of people in the plaza?"
"No, it's okay because there's a lot of people. It's much better than a deserted alley."
Raymond, who said so, was also afraid.
'The chain mail is well applied, right?'
Raymond sighed at the touch of the chain armor felt inside his clothes.
He wondered what use chain mail would be if a sudden situation actually arose, but it was still something of a relief.
'We must somehow win back the hearts of the people of the slums.'
Raymond took a breath and arrived at the square.
The slum people in the square looked at Raymond with a wary look.
"Who is it?"
"I think it's the noble lord who came to set up a treatment center. Why did the noble lord come to such a dirty place?"
People's eyes turned hostile.
"Opening a treatment center? In a place like this? Why? For what reason?"
"Isn't he here to show some kind of propaganda to others? You know, like the princes who came before."
"Is this a playground?"
Sharp eyes were stuck in Raymond.
Boom. Boom.
Raymond's heart raced with tension.
His mouth didn't open easily as he faced the hostile look in their eyes.
'I have to do well. This is the only chance you have. If I miss this opportunity, they won't listen anymore.'
If he retreated here and perished completely, hr would become a slave to the devil loan and would never be able to escape from the vegetable soup again.
The thought of that gave him courage.
Raymond clenched his fists and stepped forward.
Fortunately, a message came to mind.
[You are working hard to treat the poor!]
[Skill, Heart of Steel is expressed!]
His chest calmed down.
Fear had not disappeared, but the will to overcome it had risen.
"It's been a while. I'm Raymond. How have you been?"
People's eyes widened.
Raymond.
It was a name you wouldn't recognize if you hadn't lived there long enough.
"Raymond...?"
"Is he really that little Raymond? Didn't he go to the castle?"
People looked carefully at Raymond's face. He had changed a lot, but he still looked like he did when he was a child.
In particular, his clear emerald eyes were like Raymond's trademark, so everyone clearly remembered them.
'It's okay! Fortunately, they remember me.'
Raymond breathed a sigh of relief.
Because of their memories of the past, they wouldn't try to antagonize him unnecessarily like they were doing now.
'First, let's go with the plan to reminisce!'
"It's been a while since I came to the Bay, and it's so nice as if I'm in my hometown. It feels like yesterday when I was beaten like a dog by Uncle Bob and Uncle Tom in the back alley.... Haha... ha."
He tried to talk with as many memories as possible, but unfortunately, people's reactions were not very good.
"..."
No one answered Raymond's questions.
Everyone still looked at him coldly.
At that moment, someone stepped forward and said calmly.
"Why did you come back here?"
"...!"
"Aren't you noble royalty? Then, why did you come back to this dirty place?"
The moment he heard that question, Raymond was able to grasp the cause of the hostility.
'The poor now regard me as a child of the king, not a child of familiarity.'
Come to think of it, it was natural.
It had been well over 15 years since he left the slum.
It was enough time for the familiarity in the memories to disappear.
Of course, Raymond was a bastard, not to mention noble blood, and was subjected to all kinds of pressures, but it was impossible for people in the slums who were cut off from the outside to know such complicated circumstances.
To the ignorant people of the slums, Raymond just looked like any other nobleman or royalty.
'No, I wasn't royalty, I was just bullied as a bastard. What kind of misunderstanding is this?'
Suddenly, resentment mixed with anger soared.
At that time, people said.
"I don't know what you came with in mind, but please go back. This is not a playground for a noble like you."
Raymond shook his head strongly.
He could never back down.
"I don't think of this place as a playground."
The operation to recall memories was a failure, so now there was only the standard method left.
Raymond clenched his teeth and continued his speech.
"How dare you think like that? I'm here to treat patients."
[Your "Silver Tongue" skill will be put to use as an appeal for the patient!]
[The will for the patient is placed in your Silver Tongue!]
[Synergistic effect with Heart of Steel skill!]
The will of steel was put on the tongue.
Raymond's voice became heavy, and those who were laughing at him flinched momentarily.
"You're here to treat patients?"
"Yes, that's right. I didn't come here with a light heart, I came here to treat the people here."
People were buzzing at each other.
Raymond's will in his voice was very firm to ignore him coldly.
"...Why did you come here to treat the people here?"
"Can't you treat patients in a better environment than here?"
Raymond thought to himself.
'To level up.'
But he couldn't answer that way.
The first priority was to win back the hearts of the people, so Raymond decided to speak with some truth.
"Of course, I can treat patients in a much better environment than here. If I want, I can work at the best treatment center."
"Why are you in such the slums? No healer wants to come here."
"That's the reason."
"... Pardon?"
Raymond shut up for a moment. Perhaps thanks to his speaking skills, people's eyes naturally focused on him.
"Because no healer would come. That's why I came. I want to cure everyone who is suffering from lack of proper treatment."
"...!"
"Poor people are sick the same. Isn't that so?"
"..."
"Just because you are poor! I hope there will be no one who cannot receive any treatment because of their weak and low status. That's why I came here. There's no other reason, so please don't misunderstand."
Raymond quietly glanced at the people.
'Is it okay? Did I over exaggerate?'
Fortunately, he thought it was okay.
Thanks to the help of his oratorical skills, he was able to put his heart and soul into every sentence, and no small number of people were touched by his face.
Even Hanson was moved and murmured like this.
"Senior... How can you feel that way..."