Akugyaku no Black Maria c9

“O G.o.ddess of White — El Shamash Iste — Heal”

As Shizuru finished his chant, a faint light overflowed from his raised hand.

Magic power was given the wound-healing attribute by the chant, and was released from his palm in the form of light.
The magic he cast was the one with the least effect among healing magics, “Heal”.

But even so, a lower grade magic was still magic.
Injuries that would take one month to heal naturally healed within several tens of seconds.

Especially for a talented magic user like Shizuru, he would be able to set bone fractures within ten seconds.
When the light dispersed, the right foot of the first patient of the day, a middle aged man, was completely healed.

“Thank you very much doctor Shizuru! I can return to work now!”

Springing on his foot now that there was no longer a trace of his fracture, the man smiled with joy as he bowed his head to Shizuru.
He was a carpenter. If he lost the use of his leg, he would lose his living, and would have to use a cane.

“It’s nicely set so I think it’s rather stronger than the way it was. I’m just glad it wasn’t serious”
“Really, you saved me doctor! If it weren’t for you, I’d have to have myself hanged!”

Shizuru knew that he wasn’t exaggerating.

After all, this world had nothing like insurance for work-related injuries.
Once you become unable to do your work, your income inevitably becomes zero.
It’s one thing if the family had savings, but the majority of people living in the capital where prices are high didn’t have that kind of spare money.
It was not a joke, he would have to finally hang himself by the neck in the end.

“But are you sure you’ll accept just one silver for the fees? I am thankful, but …”
“No need to worry about that. If I became a physician for the money I would’ve gone to work in the palace already”

After putting away the silver into the pocket of the white robe he wore over his suit, Shizuru waved his hand to refuse.

One silver. He was doing treatments for a sum worth at best several days’ worth of living expenses.
Any other healing magic user would have asked for several tens of silver for healing a broken bone.
In fact that amount was actually the normal value, which means that Shizuru was the strange one here.

That said, Shizuru of course had his reasons.

Shizuru who had no relatives had n.o.body to protect or lend a hand to.
Or at least that was what he thought, which was why he took pains to promote his name in his own way.

The short of it is, networking.
With such a low price, there would be many people coming in to see him. Old, young, male, and female from all sorts of occupations.
Which also means a wide range of information came through. At the moment, Shizuru was becoming one node of Black Maria’s intelligence network.

With a well known name and face, he made his place in the capital, broadening contacts and deepening friendships.
Shizuru, who thought he could not live alone, became a physician not for profit, but in order to live.
And if the other party was thankful for it as well, Shizuru believed that there would be no problem.

To begin with, even getting one silver for the expense of casting a minute of healing magic was a killing.
In the extreme, even if only one patient came in during the day, it was still enough for him to eat.

Despite it still being morning, Shizuru had already dealt with five patients. As they made their ways home he took a breather by making coffee.

“Phew …”

Safety management was sloppy here compared to modern j.a.pan.
One can say it was to be expected, because the level of development itself was behind.

That was why there were many injured people.
Of course, no person would willingly get themselves injured. Anyone would be careful.
But there were lots of workers who do dangerous jobs, like the carpenter earlier.
No matter how careful they were, no human was perfect.

Not only during work, but daily life was also a mountain of danger.
People also get caught up in accidents like fire or being run over by carriages.

Safety was bad and technology was old.
Even though Shizuru had lost much of his memories of modern j.a.pan, he still clearly remembered how it was more peaceful and technologically advanced than here.
Honestly, it was not just once or twice he felt the difference between this and his former life.

“Ah”

While reminiscing over his past like that, his coffee cup was suddenly s.n.a.t.c.hed away.
It was Ludmila. Since no new patients were coming in, there was just the two of them here.

“Do you do that everyday? Do you enjoy looking kind to poor people and use healing magic on them for cheap?”
“Not every day, no. White magic is weak on Yellowdays, so I’m closed for then”

This world’s weeks consisted of eight days.
They were divided between the colors of the eight magics, each day amplifying the effects of their particular color.

But on the other hand, on the days of the color that had a bad affinity with their magic color, the effect of the magic could not be fully manifested.
White magic triumphed over black that govern darkness, but was bad against yellow that govern lightning.

“You can’t shed light on the brighter lightning. I believe the same goes for you Ludmila. Your eyes don’t work well on Reddays, do they?”
“… I suppose”

Ludmila reluctantly answered after a pause.
As a self-relying person, she didn’t like to acknowledge her power was weakened on certain days.

Finding it unpleasant, Ludmila lightly clicked her tongue.
A little afterwards, the sound of the doorbell echoed in the clinic.

“Oh, I have a patient”
“… there’s nothing to do cooped up in here, I’m heading out”
“Okay, sure. I’ll be going back to the HQ after operating hours so you should bring a key with you, and please do lock up when you go to sleep”
“Alright …”

Ludmila listlessly turned her back and waved her hand, leaving through the back door.
As if to take her place, the clinic door opened.

“— Let’s get married, doctor Shizuru”

As Shizuru turned around.
His eyes caught the sight of a bouquet of several tens of roses.

⇐ Previous | TOC | Next ⇒