Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: New Skill
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The Goddess of Earth and Healing, Gaia.
Her temple's main sources of income are several.
Receiving donations from devout believers.
Providing treatment or blessings to those wishing to express gratitude to the Goddess.
Selling divine power-infused items to adventurers.
The representative item sold is holy water.
Holy water is more effective than the potions made by mages using troll blood.
It heals wounds without side effects like pain, making it very popular.
Yuseong once immersed himself in holy water production to raise his temple contribution points.
He had made it countless times, so he could be sick of it, but now he welcomed this skill.
[Holy Water Production]
Even though it was low-grade holy water, it was an item that would help Yuseong's future endeavors.
“I need to make holy water whenever divine power is left over.”
Divine power recovers gradually.
During his shifts at the medical hall, if he couldn't use it all up, it felt like a waste, but now he had a proper use for excess divine power.
If he made and stockpiled holy water little by little, he could use it usefully when his divine power ran out.
It would also help when he was away from the Murim Alliance.
“For now, let's make some.”
He prepared water first.
Pure, clean water would be most effective, but expecting that much here was unreasonable.
He used the detoxification skill on water from his well, filtered it several times, and poured it into a small cup the size of a liquor glass.
He held his hand over the water.
[Holy Water Production]
Divine power flowed out steadily.
The clear water gradually turned yellow, then finally took on a faint golden hue.
“Done.”
It was far less efficient than directly activating the healing skill.
The amount of divine power needed for ten or more healing skill uses produced only this small amount of holy water.
Yet the temple was enthusiastic about holy water production.
Adventurers couldn't always travel with priests, so it sold for a high price.
A spare life was precious to anyone.
***
Yuseong had fully moved his residence to the Murim Alliance.
The new place even had a small courtyard attached, perfect for his morning training without any hindrance.
This was possible because the Murim Alliance grounds were vast.
He had arranged for the House of Revelry to handle his old residence.
“Please come in, White-Clothed Physician. All preparations, including the servants, are complete. Allow me to guide you.”
“Thank you.”
The Medical Pavilion where he had taken the exam before.
Compared to when only the building frame was up, it now looked properly furnished.
There was a space for patients to wait, and storage inside for herbs.
There were rooms for admitting patients, and though only one was open now, multiple examination rooms prepared for when more physicians joined later.
The Medical Pavilion operations manager introduced the newly hired servants.
As he made eye contact with each one.
“Hm…?”
He spotted familiar faces.
“We meet again, White-Clothed Physician. I'm Jong Hakjin from the preliminary examination room.”
“I'll be serving you again, White-Clothed Physician. I'm Jang Chil.”
Jong Hakjin, who worked in the Luoyang Medical Hall's preliminary examination room, and Jang Chil, the attendant for Examination Room Eleven.
“I didn't know you two had applied to the Medical Pavilion.”
“We were fortunate. There was fierce competition, but our experience at the Luoyang Medical Hall helped a lot. We'll serve you from now on.”
Jong Hakjin, with his long time in the preliminary room, had excellent skills in sorting patients.
He was trustworthy.
Yuseong was satisfied with Jang Chil professionally, having worked together before.
With just one flaw: he was a bit loose-lipped.
After greeting the other servants and familiarizing himself with the facilities.
“Can I start today?”
“Of course. We'd love for the Medical Pavilion to activate as soon as possible. We'll spread the word throughout the Alliance if you say so.”
“Then I appreciate it.”
***
Murim Alliance Central Strategist's Office.
“Chief Strategist, the Medical Pavilion starts operations today.”
Jegal Yeongyeong, smoothly handling her work, lit up with interest.
“Already? Wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow?”
“The new Medical Pavilion Leader seems very eager. He'll see patients starting today.”
“I see. Thank you for letting me know.”
After her subordinate left.
She turned back to her reports.
She always carried *Comprehensive Analysis of Celestial Divination Formations* on her person but deliberately hadn't studied it today.
No headache either, so no real reason to visit the Medical Pavilion.
Thud.
She stood from her desk.
“Still, it's the first day. I should pay my respects, right?”
She took a luxurious silk-wrapped package from a drawer.
Tea procured in advance from a merchant from the distant Western Regions.
She bought two boxes, tried it, loved the aroma, and prepared it to give when the Medical Pavilion started operations.
“He won't mind if I visit when I'm not sick, right?”
She might feel slighted otherwise.
She headed to the Medical Pavilion.
Her steps light.
Moments later.
Jegal Yeongyeong arrived at the Medical Pavilion and was startled by the long line already formed.
There was waiting space inside and outside, yet people filled the outdoor area too.
Seeing this, she thought they had done well to build the Medical Pavilion, and another thought crossed her mind.
‘Did I come for nothing? I'm not sick… Should I turn back now?’
Reluctant for some reason, she hesitated to leave.
Then she saw a servant bustling around, asking something of the newly queued warriors.
‘That person…?’
The servant's face looked very familiar.
“Warrior, where are you feeling unwell?”
“I'm just…”
The questioned warrior hemmed and hawed.
Jong Hakjin had already handled dozens like this and responded adeptly.
“No particular discomfort, but you'd like an examination anyway?”
“Ahem, yes. Heard you're skilled… Might find something I don't know about.”
“Then please wait a moment. Depending on other patients' conditions, you might be pushed back a bit.”
“Of course.”
Jong Hakjin marked ‘None’ in the severity section for that warrior and turned.
“Hm?”
Jong Hakjin's eyes met Jegal Yeongyeong's.
“Chief Strategist, you're here too. Same reason as always?”
“Ah… yes, yes. That's right.”
She blurted it out and slightly furrowed her brow.
She usually winced a bit from the throbbing headache when visiting the Luoyang Medical Hall each morning.
“Oh dear, that must hurt. I'll escort you forward. Fortunately, no serious cases right now.”
“Is that okay?”
“Of course. It's my job. Follow me.”
Caught off guard, Jegal Yeongyeong cut in front of several warriors with her lie.
‘Sorry…’
After skipping nearly twenty, leaving only three ahead, Jong Hakjin stopped her there.
“Wait here.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I'll go.”
She received greetings from surrounding warriors while maintaining her awkward wince.
The warrior right behind thumped his chest impatiently, pricking her conscience more.
‘I'm really sorry. Just this once… I came this far, so I'll give this and go…’
Of those ahead, some went to inpatient rooms, others left relieved.
Her turn approached soon.
Wincing forcibly wasn't comfortable, and as her brow relaxed slightly.
She faced another familiar face.
A servant bowed slightly in greeting.
‘The attendant from White-Clothed Physician's room at Luoyang Medical Hall. He came here too.’
Yuseong's words suddenly came to mind.
-Rumors spread faster in the medical hall than expected. Seems there are some loose-lipped folks.
The prime suspect, Jang Chil, was looking at her.
Jegal Yeongyeong furrowed her brow deeper.
***
Back at the Luoyang Medical Hall, Yuseong had been the youngest among the physicians.
Youngest in age and shortest in experience.
Even assigned the last room, Examination Room Eleven.
Even after gaining recognition over time, he suffered small disadvantages.
When admitting his patients, inpatient rooms full, so finding another empty one.
Or supplies delayed by merchant issues, so Yuseong got slightly less allocation.
But at the Murim Alliance Medical Pavilion, he was top of the hierarchy.
The only physician, and highest chance to become official Pavilion Leader soon.
All servants working solely for him was very satisfying.
And.
Divine power.
‘Definitely more efficient than Luoyang Medical Hall.’
Even the first patient, with a minor ailment treated and gone.
Serious cases went without saying.
Absorbed in enthusiastic treatment, Jegal Yeongyeong arrived.
Her familiar morning expression.
“Chief Strategist? You said no studying today… Headache?”
“Actually… I didn't study. Wanted to give you this, but ended up saying I was sick on impulse. Sorry.”
She handed over the prepared luxury tea box.
“What's this?”
“Tea from the Western Regions. Great aroma.”
Amid his busyness, she worried he'd be angry at her for lying, but Jegal Yeongyeong couldn't lie to Yuseong too.
‘He might think I'm weird… Shouldn't have come?’
She regretted briefly.
“Thank you. I'll enjoy it. And you came at the perfect time. I was going to, well, give you this.”
Yuseong held out a small gourd bottle.
“You said headaches come when studying. Want to try this then?”