Previously: Becker-sensei from the Royal Healing Institute came to the clinic.
“A Special-Grade Healer from the Royal Healing Institute…?”
Zenos stared at the face of the man who called himself Becker.
The other man replied with a gentle expression.
“Yes. Although, to be honest, I’m not very good at healing magic.”
“…Is that the Red Lung disease? It seemed a little different, but what on earth—”
“Ah, that’s—”
“Becker-sensei!”
Before Becker could answer, the door burst open.
A blue-haired girl with glasses rushed into the clinic.
“Ah, the guy I saw at the inn.”
“The healer from back then. He really was here—!”
Zenos and Umin pointed at each other.
The man on the bed waved a hand at the girl who had just entered.
“Hey, Umin.”
“It’s not ‘Hey, Umin’! You told me to follow you because you were going to be seriously injured and brought here, that’s too much!”
“But, if I didn’t do that—cough hack!”
Becker coughed violently, spitting up a large amount of blood.
“Kyaaa!”
“Waaah!”
Umin and, from the back, Lily, screamed at the same time.
“Ah, that’s not good. I thought I weakened it considerably, but it’s still quite potent.”
Becker wiped his mouth, took out some powdered medicine from his pocket, and swallowed it. He let out a sigh, as Zenos frowned and asked.
“I understand that you’re from the Royal Healing Institute. But could you please explain what’s going on here?”
“It’s simple, really. If I became seriously ill, I’d be brought here. So, I took a medicine that causes symptoms similar to Red Lung. It looks dramatic, but it’s metabolized quickly and the effect wears off, so I won’t die. I also took the antidote just in case, so I’m fine now.”
“Where would you get such a medicine?”
“I made it myself.”
“Eh?”
“It was necessary for my research to create a specific cure for Red Lung.”
“A specific cure for Red Lung? Don’t tell me you…?”
The infectious disease that once claimed many lives. Many were saved after a cure was developed. Umin, who was standing near the entrance, puffed out her chest proudly.
“That’s right. Red Lung, Thousand-Day Cough, Cherry Poison. Becker-sensei has created specific cures for numerous diseases, and because of his achievements, he was specially awarded the title of Special-Grade Healer.”
“Haha, I’m not that great. I’m terrible at healing magic.”
Becker scratched his bedhead-mussed hair and got off the bed.
“Now then, Dark Healer-kun. This doesn’t look like a clinic with a business permit, does it?”
Suddenly, the air became tense. Zonde, next to Zenos, drew the short sword at his waist.
“Sensei, I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I’ll hold them off here, so please escape!”
“It’s not your fault, Zonde. I didn’t expect this method. Besides, fighting is prohibited inside the clinic.”
“But!”
“I want to run away too, but this time, the opponent was one step ahead.”
“No way!”
Lily, who was in the back, ran out and spread her arms in front of Zenos.
“I won’t let Zenos go. Zenos is everyone’s hope here!”
“Well, well… It seems you’re quite popular.”
Behind Becker, who looked troubled, Umin hesitantly raised her hand.
“Um… Becker-sensei. I was just thinking, could we ask this person about that matter?”
“…”
Becker’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Umin. That’s an internal matter, and he’s not involved.”
“That’s precisely why. Sometimes it’s easier for an outsider to act.”
“But—”
“At first, you didn’t seem interested in the Dark Healer, but then you suddenly said you were seriously looking for him, so I thought you were thinking the same thing…”
“No. Actually, when I heard about a Special-Grade Healer wearing a black cloak, I thought it might be an old acquaintance of mine. It turned out to be someone else. And, since I’ve discovered illegal business, I have to crack down on it.”
“…Understood.”
Umin slowly lowered her hand.
“Zenos-kun, was it? Well then, I’ll take you to a nearby clinic for questioning—”
Becker’s words stopped there. His gaze was directed at Zenos’s black cloak hanging on the back wall.
“…Is that cloak yours?”
“Yeah, but it originally belonged to my master.”
“Master? What’s your master’s name?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“Yeah, he never told me his name.”
“…”
Becker approached the wall and took the black cloak in his hands. He examined it closely, and with his back turned, he spoke.
“…Very well, Umin. I’ve changed my mind a little. Let’s leave that matter to him.”
“Eh, is that okay, Becker-sensei?”
“That matter…?”
Zenos tilted his head, and Becker turned around with a smiling face.
“Zenos-kun. This is sudden, but would you like to join the Royal Healing Institute?”