T/N: Don't vote on chapters.
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Christine spoke with a bitter look on her face.
"My healing power is B+. I am an advanced healer, but many patients cannot be cured even with this healing. A... No, I want to go beyond 'Double A', 'Triple A', 'S Class', and even 'SSS Class' to become the best healer on the continent and treat all my patients."
Raymond looked surprised.
The best healer on the continent!
Such was his goal.
Of course, their reasons were quite different, though.
'Well, I want to enjoy wealth and prosperity.'
"And there's another reason, too."
"What is it?"
"I also want to work with healers who care about their patients now."
She raised her eyes and looked straight at Raymond.
Her eyes were clear and deep as if she could see everything in the world.
"After I cleared up the misunderstanding, I had questions. Why do your patients love you so much? Why do your disciples have such deep respect for you? It is all because you care so deeply about your patients."
"..."
Raymond kept his mouth shut.
So what if only her eyes were clear and deep? She was not a good judge of people at all.
"... didn't you consider the art of medicine strange?"
"I don't mind if it's strange. If it only helps the patient.
Raymond looked puzzled.
It was an admirable cause, but still, it was difficult to make her an apprentice.
"Our Penin treatment center is not financially able to afford a healer as fine as the Princess."
Raymond then nailed it.
"I can hardly give you a salary even if you come in!"
No pay! It meant not to come, but it was a story that wouldn't work for Christine.
"I don't care about money."
"..."
Raymond fell quiet.
As expected, the princess of a rich family was strong.
'What's an excuse to kick her out?'
At that point, Christine said.
"If money is an issue, I can pay for my education."
"... education fee?'
"Yes, can I just pay 500 a month according to the professor's personal training fee?'
"...!"
Raymond's eyes got bigger.
Five hundred pence a month!
It was too much money to turn down unnecessarily.
Moreover, if he took on another healer as an apprentice, he would have to pay 500 pence a month, even if the market rate was minimal, but he could use her without paying her.
He would get almost 1,000 pence a month!
'Come to think of it, being a princess, she's not showing off her status, and the duke allows her to do so, so it's okay, isn't it? The patients who originally saw her will follow her, so it will be good for sales.'
Was it the power of money?
Various positive thoughts came to mind.
"I'm not necessarily in it for the money..."
"Six hundred pence if it's not enough."
"...!"
Raymond was silent. Misinterpreting his silence, Christine waved her hand.
"I'm sorry if I offended you. I just thought it might be useful. Let's pretend that there was no educational expense..."
"Seven hundred pence."
"... pardon?"
"Seven hundred pence... is that all right?"
"... ah, yes."
It was a puzzling moment.
Raymond squeezed her hand.
"Welcome to the family of Penin Therapy, gullib... No, disciple. Today we will have a beef dinner that is good for your immune system."
In that way, Christine became Raymond's "valuable disciple."
After all, money was best.
***
At that time, there were other characters talking about Raymond.
A magnificent castle.
The two highest figures in the kingdom of Houston were King Odin and Chancellor Galman.
"We caught the tail of those who spread the plague in the Bay Area. As expected, Baronet Penin was right."
Prime Minister Galman said gravely.
"I suspect it is the work of those in the Droton Kingdom."
The Kingdom of Droton!
The sworn enemy of the Kingdom of Houston.
They were, after all, responsible for the past epidemic.
It was highly likely that they were also responsible for the assassination attempt on Odin.
'If it wasn't for Raymond, I don't know how big of a challenge we would have gone through.'
"What do you want me to do with Droton?"
"We haven't secured enough evidence yet, so just fill in the blanks. Don't make it sound like we noticed."
Odin just said.
"If we stay put, they will move again. When they do, we'll have enough evidence to put Verad in the gutter."
Grand Duke Verad, a behind-the-scenes manipulator of the kingdom of Droton on behalf of the little king of Droton.
This conspiracy was also led by him.
''I'm worried about what's to come.'
Galman sighed in his chest.
This incident was unusual, as was the movement of the Droton Kingdom. Tensions on the border are rising.
'We have to prepare for the worst. Worst-case scenario meaning war.'
Of course, Galman sincerely hoped that such a thing would not happen.
"Anyway, thanks to Baronet Penin, we have confirmed that it was the Droton Kingdom. Would you like to pass down an additional award?"
"The situation is not over yet. It is too early to pass an award down."
It wasn't wrong, so Galman nodded. But Odin said something surprising.
"But we could at least give him an unofficial award. This merit isn't small enough this time to go without an award."
"So what then?"
Odin looked out the window.
Northwest of the capital was where the Penin Treatment Center was located.
"I'll be stopping by the Penin Treatment Center soon."
"...!"
Galman looked surprised. This was the first time Odin had suggested that he visit Raymond's clinic.
"Let's visit in person to run the treatment center and see if there's anything he needs help with. Baronet Penin would want a prize for his patients more than any other prize."
***
Meanwhile, Maple Healing Center.
Baron Canton was galling with anger.
"Shit! Shit!"
Since the last incident, patients had been flocking to the Penin Treatment Center.
If before they had only been a concern and not a real threat, now they were enough to deal a blow to the Maple Treatment Center.
In particular, Princess Christine's decision to transfer was a fatal blow.
"P-princess! Please reconsider!"
He tried desperately to stop her but to no avail.
Because Christine did not have any affection for the Maple Treatment Center in the first place.
It was a place that she felt disillusioned with, not affection, so she left without any hesitation.
"That fraud! He's such a fraud, misleading people with his bullshit tricks! Go get Pierre!"
"Yes, sir!"
After the attendants rushed in, Baron Canton murmured with bright red eyes.
"We can't leave it like this. Never."
Pierre entered immediately.
"Call the Actor."
"The Actor?"
Pierre was startled.
The Actor.
He was a figure from the underworld, the one they used when they wanted to pull off their most dastardly tricks.
"Are you going to use the plan?"
"Yes."
Pierre thought to himself.
'Never before has the Actor failed, and this time it will be the end.'
Baron Canton's plan.
It was the most despicable ploy of all, the one that had ruined any healer.
Baron Canton muttered grimly.
"Raymond, this is the last time you can be cheerful. Soon you will be crying tears of blood."
***
By this time, Raymond was having a full and rewarding time, unlike the grizzled Baron Canton.
For now, patients flooded in.
'Huhu! I'm about to get rich! Rich!'
The smile never left Raymond's face, and his apprentices shook their heads.
"You must be tired with all the patients, but you always have a smile on your face, Master. When will I have a heart like that?"
It was Lyndon. Hanson said comfortingly.
"It's hard to be like the Master, he's different from us, but if you always try to imitate him and work tirelessly, you'll be able to follow in his footsteps."
"Yes, Senior Hanson, I'll try without giving up!"
Meanwhile, Christine wondered.
'How can he be so happy to see patients all the time?'
She bit her lip; after a few days of experience, she realized that medicine was a healing art with endless potential.
She decided to take it seriously, but there was a problem.
The sight of Raymond had shaken her pride.
Her compassion for her patients was second to none.
But when she saw Raymond, she realized that maybe her heart wasn't so great after all.
Raymond wasn't just caring for his patients, he was happy to see them.
'I can't lose.'
She was a proud woman.
She had asked to be his apprentice in order to experience medicine, but she did not recognize him as her true master in her heart.
Rather, she saw him as 'competition'.
Just as she had surpassed every teacher she had ever had, she would do so again.
'I'll never be second best, even if they're 'masters.''
She wanted to be the best, both in skill and in caring for her patients.
And so, with a deadly determination, Christine looked at her patients with more care, and finally, Rao.
'... Why do I think he likes making money?'
He fiddled with his one-eyed glasses, confused.
The keen intuition of the former head of the academy was nagging at him.
He wondered if everyone was being fooled.
'Here we go again, Rao, after all that introspection, you're looking at him badly out of jealousy! It seems a little strange that he's smiling so much when he's dealing with patients, but that's because you're mistaken! Wake up!'
Rao felt ashamed that he was jealous of his esteemed elder brother again, but that wasn't the only good thing that happened.
[You're gaining experience!]
[You're gaining experience!]
[You're leveling up!]
[You're leveling up!]
Experience points exploded as patients flocked to him!
Raymond had leveled up quite a bit.
[Player Status]
[Name: Raymond
Class: Surgeon (SSS)
Job Grade: Senior Resident
Level: 50
Experience: 120/400
Skill Points: 260р
Title: Filthy Bastard, Savior of the Poor
Auxiliary Occupation: Not active]
[Stats]
[Stamina: 22
Senses: 23
Intellect: 23
Mana: 7.5
Extra Stat Points: 0]
He was already level 50! His stats had increased dramatically from before.
'I got them all pretty close, but if I have 22 health, 23 senses, and 23 intellect, what level am I at?'
He couldn't tell because there was no one around to compare it to.
What he did know was that he was much less tired than before, his surgical senses were sharper, and his brain was smarter.
'I'm smarter, but only academically.'
You can learn the same math formula, but the application is different, just like you can learn the same management knowledge, but the application is different.
Intellect was the ability to learn about those subjects.
'So when does that filthy bastard title go away?'
[Filthy Bastard]
[Description: A derogatory title given to bastards.
Title rank: Kingdom
Additional Effects:
-Causes people to look at you with serious prejudice!
-Requires greater fame to remove!]