[You're gaining experience!]
[You're gaining experience!]
[You're leveling up!]
[You're leveling up!]
Amidst this surge of leveling up, Raymond was so engrossed in tending to his patients that he didn't even notice the messages.
How many days passed by?
Then, the flow of patients abruptly ceased.
The heavy rain outside showed no signs of relenting.
Swwaaa.
"It seems the rain won't be letting up anytime soon. It appears there will be a temporary lull in the fighting."
Raymond sighed at Rao's words.
'At least that's a relief. I can catch my breath.'
As usual, it didn't feel good to see soldiers dying.
He'd never gotten used to seeing patients die.
It always made him feel the worst.
'If only I was better, I could have saved them.'
He kept thinking.
'One day, I'll reach the ultimate in medicine and be the best, so I won't have to feel this way as much.'
Raymond clenched his fists.
He knew it was a hard dream, but he would do his best.
After making this promise to himself, he relaxed for a moment, watching the rain fall, when suddenly there was a commotion outside.
"No! Get back!"
"P-please! I beg of you!"
It was a little girl's voice!
To his horror, he went outside and saw a little girl crying and clinging to the soldiers standing guard!
"My mother is dying, please heal her!"
"No! We can't heal the people of Droton."
The soldiers pushed the girl away with troubled faces.
Poor thing, being asking to heal someone from an enemy nation. It was ridiculous.
Just then, the girl spotted Raymond and fell to her knees.
"Y-you're a healer, aren't you? My mom is dying, please help her!"
'The people of Droton?'
Raymond looked confused.
'It's not as if there is a legal prohibition against treating individuals from enemy nations during times of war.'
In the laws of the Twelve Kingdoms, no provision explicitly forbids healers from extending their aid to those hailing from adversary lands.
The Tower of Healing, a transnational organization, plays a pivotal role in this matter.
Its Code of Conduct emphasized the obligation of healers to provide treatment without discriminating based on nationality.
However, in practice, very few healers would venture to treat individuals from enemy countries during wartime.
The fear of potential repercussions and accusations looms over them.
'In the worst-case scenario, I could be accused of colluding with the enemy.'
This apprehension held merit, as historical accounts bear witness to healers being accused of collaborating with adversaries during conflicts.
'What should I do?'
From a selfish standpoint, it would be prudent to remain silent.
Yet, having witnessed the loss of countless lives, such a choice becomes increasingly challenging to make.
Raymond hesitated momentarily, and the young girl emitted a soft sob.
"H-Heuk. Heuk. Please! Please save my mother. Please...!"
Her plea was laden with desperation.
The atmosphere among the surrounding soldiers turned solemn.
Raymond's face grew heavy.
As a child, Raymond had experienced the loss of his own mother, seeking aid from a healer and receiving nothing more than a reprimand.
The more he thought about it, the harder it was to turn away.
'What options do I have? How can I provide treatment without facing consequences?'
That was the moment.
A quest was born.
[Unleash the Spirit of Philanthropy!]
(Medicine Quest)
[Advancement: Middle Doctor
Difficulty : Medium
Quest Description: A civilian from the enemy seeks humanitarian aid! You are both a soldier and a doctor! Let compassion guide your actions!
Conditions: Treat a patient from an enemy country
Reward: Bonus level up x2, 40 skill points
Perks: Respect from the people of the enemy country. An unexpectedly large reward.]
'An unexpectedly large reward? What is this?'
Raymond shook his head.
'Regardless, it's far from a simple matter. If anything goes wrong, I won't be able to bear the responsibility.'
He kept getting the feeling, this system.
It asks too much too often.
'I genuinely wish to heal her, but it's far from simple, and there's a high likelihood of someone discovering my actions.'
He was well aware of his situation.
Despite the good he had done, it had also stirred jealousy among certain individuals who would eagerly seize any opportunity to use it against him.
'There has to be some sort of justification. A reason to heal an enemy and not be criticized.'
No, it would be nice to have a good excuse, not just to deflect blame, but to package his treatment better.
Raymond thought hard.
'Couldn't I come up with a good reason? Something that would make me look good for treating the people of an enemy nation.'
That was it for the moment.
An idea popped into his head.
'There's one! And it's this one!'
Raymond thought to himself.
'I can claim that by treating the people of the enemy nation, I'm working towards stabilizing public opinion and fostering goodwill!'
Not only would he not be criticized, but he would be able to say that he was doing it for the good of Houston's army!
Indeed, stabilizing the population of a captured castle was of utmost importance, directly linked to the castle's defense.
A rebellion within the castle or even the slightest hint of collaboration with external enemies could spell its downfall in an instant.
While resorting to violence and instilling fear might temporarily subdue the people, it was akin to carrying a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment.
'The castle might even go as far as exterminating its own inhabitants out of self-preservation.'
So Raymond decided to treat the girl's mother.
***
Outside Bioton Castle, atop the mountain overlooking its premises, a group of figures engaged in conversation.
"The rainfall is quite heavy."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
In the center of the group stood a scholarly figure.
Marquis Durak inquired,
"How are things progressing?"
"It's challenging, Your Excellency. The castle is fortified, and the Houstonian army is outnumbered, making it difficult to regain control."
Upon delivering his report, the general's voice resonated with trust and confidence.
But Marquis Durak remained silent, his gaze fixated on the castle with a burdened expression.
"Your Excellency?"
"Raymond, the prodigious mind of Houston, has aligned himself with the forces of Castle Bioton."
"Ah..."
The Marquis Durak pulled a cigarette out of the rain.
It was a cigar from the League of Free Cities.
"Well, given the reputation of his genius, it's only natural that he recognizes the strategic significance of Castle Bioton. With him on board, it won't be a walk in the park."
Hwareureuk.
Durak employed fire magic to ignite his cigarette.
To everyone's surprise, Durak possessed magical abilities.
"If you were leading the Houston Kingdom Army, how would you prepare?"
"I would prioritize defense, such as fortifying the castle walls and equipping for water-based warfare."
"Aye, that's the conventional approach."
Durak exhaled a plume of smoke from his cigarette.
The smoke mingled with the rain, creating a hazy atmosphere.
"But we shall take a different path."
"...What do you mean?"
"If we launch a direct assault on the stronghold, we'll only inflict damage. Instead, we'll infiltrate from within."
"...!"
Archduke Berard's eyes widened as he comprehended General Durak's intention.
"Bioton Castle was once a stronghold of the Droton Kingdom. It still houses Drotonian civilians. I will mobilize the inhabitants and dismantle the castle from the inside."
'Raymond, despite your brilliance, you won't be able to thwart this plan.'
Durak's confidence in the strategy was well-founded.
Even the most exceptional genius couldn't swiftly reverse public opinion in a matter of days.
"The moment the rain ceases, I will coordinate with the inhabitants to seize the castle. Prepare yourself."
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
Durak flicked his cigarette to the ground and extinguished it with a firm stomp.
The lives of his two children rested upon his shoulders.
Failure was not an option.
***
Raymond left the healing center late in the evening, when everyone else was asleep.
'There's no point in making a scene.'
He sneaked out, and Elmud followed.
"I, I'll come with you, Master!"
"Is that all right?"
'How did he know to come along? Hasn't he been asleep all night, guarding the treatment center?'
Raymond frowned.
He'd asked Elmud to guard the treatment center.
It was a casual assignment, but Elmud followed Raymond's orders with the dedication of a crusading paladin.
'You don't have to work so hard. I'm still better off going alone.'
It would be less conspicuous to move alone than two.
"It's okay, I'm just going for some air, I'll go by myself."
"Y-you can't do that, you don't know what dangers there might be, I'll keep an eye on you!"
'No, I really don't need you, why can't you understand me, you sweet potato!'
He sighed. This guy really was a sweet potato.
"Actually, I have something to do in secret. It's more conspicuous if there are two of us."
"Oh, if that's a problem!"
Elmud flushed.
Paat!
Elmud was gone. He'd pulled off a stealth move!
"..."
-Aris's secret weapon for safeguarding his lord from the unseen, the Silver Screen!
"...Alright, let's do it your way."
-Thank you!
Elmud responded cheerfully.
He nodded his head like an eager puppy who had discovered a way to be by his master's side.
Raymond then accompanied Elmud to the residence on Merrison Street where the girl was staying.
'Not a house, but a hall?'
Her home had been destroyed during the battle, and it seemed she had sought refuge in a communal gathering space or similar facility.
"H-Healer!"
It was the same girl as before, anxiously waiting and greeting Raymond with teary eyes. But she wasn't alone.
As expected of a makeshift shelter, there were numerous individuals seeking refuge there.
"Who is it?"
"It's the healer I told you about earlier! He's here to treat my mother!"
"From the Kingdom of Houston?"
Tension and fear flickered across the faces of the shelter's occupants.
It was only natural for them to be cautious around enemy soldiers, especially while under occupation.
'Hmm. There's no need for them to be afraid.'
He felt the need to break the tension.
"I'm not here as a member of the Houston Kingdom Army. I'm a healer here in private to treat a patient."
"..."
Still, they didn't let their guard down easily.
Everyone was suspicious that Raymond was up to no good.
The sort of thing an occupier would do. Assault, looting, that sort of thing.
At that time, Raymond took off the hood that he was wearing. Then someone who recognized Raymond's face asked in a trembling voice.
"Regal looks. Emerald eyes. D-do you happen to be Mr. Raymond?"
"Do you know me? Yes, I am Raymond."
"Huuk! The light of the Houston Kingdom!"