Previously: The Royal Infirmary is searching for Zenos.
“The Royal Infirmary…?”
Zenos furrowed his brow.
“Seriously…? Does the crackdown on unauthorized practice extend to some unknown healer in the slums?”
The demi-humans exchanged uneasy glances.
“I thought this day might come eventually…”
“Ringa thinks Zenos-dono’s healing magic is too conspicuous.”
“Indeed. So, he’s finally been found out.”
Lily clasped her hands together, her expression filled with worry.
“Zenos, what are you going to do?”
“Hmm…”
Zenos groaned softly and crossed his arms.
“Who’s the one snooping around about me?”
“My subordinates told me it’s a blue-haired woman wearing glasses. Apparently, she’s been going around the slums asking if anyone knows a healer named Zenos.”
Zofia answered. For some reason, his name was even known.
“A blue-haired woman with glasses…?”
Zenos suddenly looked up. He felt like he had seen someone with that appearance somewhere before…
“Ah, could it be that person from the hot springs resort, Flamme…?”
He had treated the innkeeper there for burns, and thinking back, he recalled a woman with that description nearby.
“…So she was a Royal Infirmary employee. It’s not like I charged the patient back then, so just leave me alone!”
Zenos held his head in his hands and sighed deeply.
Ringa, who was standing near the entrance, raised her right hand vigorously.
“Ringa has a good idea. Since it seems like only one person is searching for now, let’s just kidnap her and threaten her to stay away from the slums.”
“Let’s not do that, okay?”
“But… Ringa is worried about Zenos-dono.”
“Sensei doesn’t like that kind of thing, so stop it, Ringa. Besides, if we act rashly, it’s like admitting that Sensei is here.”
“…I understand.”
Zofia’s warning caused Ringa’s beast ears to droop. Reve, standing behind them, spoke up.
“There’s no need to worry too much. I doubt the people of the slums who owe Zenos would talk, and the Royal Infirmary shouldn’t resort to the kind of recklessness The Guide did with the golems. If we keep denying it, they should give up eventually.”
“Ringa was just thinking the same thing.”
“Who was it that just suggested kidnapping and threatening…?”
Zenos leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh.
“I guess there’s no choice… We’ll have to lie low for a while and see how things play out.”
Meanwhile, at the Royal Infirmary.
In a room cluttered with books and test tubes for experiments, Umin was reporting the situation to her superior.
“Becker-sensei, it’s no use. I’ve been going to the slums every day like you said, but everyone I ask insists they don’t know anyone like that.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“I’m starting to wonder if this healer even exists…”
Umin continued, her voice lacking confidence.
“Sensei, why are we limiting our inquiries to the slums in the first place?”
“Because if he were operating illegally in the city districts, someone would have reported him immediately. Besides, if he’s responsible for the lack of injuries during the monster incident in the slums, I believe he has a strong connection to the area.”
“But, it seems like nobody knows him.”
“Then, maybe he isn’t there.”
“Oh…Is that it?..”
Umin deflated.
“How long has Umin been going to the slums?”
“It’s been 10 days now.”
“I see. Then, it’s time to stop the questioning. You have other work to do, and I can’t ask you to keep pushing yourself.”
“But…what about asking for support from above?”
“Unfortunately, the information isn’t reliable enough to report to our superiors.”
“I see…but, is it really okay to stop?”
Umin asked skeptically, to which Becker replied with a continued smile.
“Yes, we’ve learned one important fact.”
“Eh, what is it?”
“The fact that after 10 days of searching, we haven’t found a single lead.”
“Oh, come on…”
Umin’s shoulders slumped. This is why this teacher is called eccentric.
Another 10 days passed.
At the quiet clinic, Lily looked at Zenos with hopeful eyes.
“Zenos, do you think the person from the Royal Infirmary has given up?”
“I hope so.”
For the past 10 days, the woman with glasses hadn’t been seen in the slums at all. He had been trying to keep a low profile, limiting his patients to those with serious injuries or sudden illnesses, and all he could do was hope they would leave him alone.
Then, during that peaceful afternoon, they had a rare visitor.
“Sensei, sorry. We have a seriously injured person.”
It was Zonde who showed his face. He was carrying a dirty-looking man who looked like a vagrant on his shoulder. The man was coughing violently, and there was blood caked around his mouth.
“A patient?”
“He’s a collapsed vagrant. He was coughing up a lot of blood, so I brought him here… Was that okay?”
“It’s a wise decision since leaving him could cause an epidemic. Lay him on the bed.”
Zenos cast the <Diagnostic Scan> spell.
“His lungs are quite dirty… Especially the upper parts of both…”
He stopped mid-sentence, his expression suddenly changing.
“Lily, Zonde, get back for a bit!”
“What is it, Zenos?”
Lily, who had quickly stepped back, asked, while Zenos kept his eyes fixed on the patient.
“No way… Red Lung…?”
“What’s ‘Red Lung’?”
“Remember when I told you about that epidemic that killed a lot of people a while ago? It’s similar to that.”
“What?!”
“But, a specific medicine was developed for Red Lung, and it was supposed to be eradicated. Why is it appearing now…?”
Zenos furrowed his brow again as he slowly cast <Diagnostic Scan> once more.
“No…it’s different? It’s similar to Red Lung, but something’s off…”
“That’s quite an impressive diagnostic ability.”
A calm voice suddenly spoke. To their surprise, the voice came from the person lying in front of them.
In front of the astonished group, the vagrant slowly sat up.
“…If we can’t find him after 10 days of searching, it means either that person doesn’t exist…or everyone is united in hiding him. If it’s the latter, it means he’s incredibly trusted by the people of the slums. I figured that if someone in the slums became seriously ill, someone would inevitably bring them here.”
Then, he smoothly extended his right hand.
“Nice to meet you, dark healer of the ruined district. I’m Ernard Becker, a Special Grade Healer from the Royal Infirmary.”
The man smiled gently.