Titan Repair Shop
“Stay still. It’s going to be a little, no, quite hot. Just bear with it a little longer.”
“... Huh? What are you suddenly trying to do...!”
The mana flowing from Vivian’s hand began to seep into mine.
A warm, soothing mana started to flow through my hand and into my mana circuits.
'It feels like a high-tier healing spell.'
I thought I knew many of the spells from Pungpungpocalypse, but this was one I didn't know.
She must be a mage at the level to open a clinic in the upper layer.
'But it's not as hot as she said.'
At that moment, the mana that had entered my hand began to head toward my heart and started to heat up the area around my heart.
“Even if it hurts, don’t open your mouth. The mana is leaking out.”
Just as I was about to moan, Vivian's voice came through.
I closed my mouth tightly, remembering her words.
As the hot sensation started moving through the circuits around my heart, I felt a sharp pain in my heart.
I could see sweat dripping from Vivian's head as she held my hand in front of me.
Whatever she was doing, it seemed like she was using a mana-intensive spell.
Even though I wanted to scream from the heat, I gritted my teeth, remembering Vivian's words that opening my mouth would let the mana leak out.
... How much time had passed?
The mana around my heart gradually receded. The receding mana gathered in one place, swept through my heart once, and then returned along the circuits to my hand.
And then back to Vivian's hand, the warm mana.
Then, after a long time holding my hand, Vivian released it.
“Haa... Hoo... The procedure is complete. You've worked hard.”
I stared blankly at my chest.
Because of the Heart Mana Deficiency disadvantage, I had always lived with a vague, slightly stinging pain in the area around my heart no matter what I did.
But now, surprisingly, that vague sensation had disappeared. I could feel a small amount of mana filling my heart more than before.
Sweat was pouring down Vivian's face like rain. It seemed she had poured out an immense amount of mana and concentration, and fatigue was visible on her face.
“... May I take off my coat for a moment?”
Her tone had returned to normal. Probably because she's doing her real job.
If she's sweating like this, it's only natural.
I nodded.
“Yes. Of course.”
At my words, Vivian took off her coat. The sleeveless blouse suited her well because of her bare white skin.
“Hoo. It's not a perfect cure.”
Then, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her face, Vivian continued.
“Because the damage is so severe, even one time... No, actually, with my skill, even if I do this dozens of times now, it might not be completely healed. Still... someday... it will be.”
Vivian's blue eyes looked at me.
Inside them was a strange mix of sadness, a sense of mission, and a strange heat all swirling at once.
Strange atmosphere.
“I shouldn't assume how much pain you're in... but your body will feel a little less pain right away. It will also hurt much less when using mana.”
“No. It wasn't as painful as you think. Still, it was enough for daily life...”
“It's fine. You don't have to endure pain in front of a doctor.”
I swallowed the words I was about to say at Vivian's words.
Yeah... If the doctor says it's painful, it is painful.
“By the way, isn't this an extremely expensive spell? Gordon-senpai wouldn't have asked for this much, right?”
“Ah. It's the repayment for the mental suffering you gave me.”
Sheesh. I retreated a step on the repair fee talk at that words.
Seeing her sweat profusely while treating me in front of me, it was hard to say anything.
“... So, the prosthetic was indeed broken, huh. Amazing. Even though I used Stream of Life, my body is fine.”
Ah. So this spell's name was Stream of Life. I should remember it.
“Of course, fixing it right now is correct, but actually, it's more like it's just temporarily blocking it. You need to come here once a week for a check-up. However, I recommend changing the prosthetic sooner rather than coming to such a rundown place.”
“... I can't change the prosthetic right now. I also have to repay the startup capital borrowed from Mr. Go Jin-tae... and the building rent is more expensive than I thought.”
“Ah...”
It seems not everyone in the upper layer has money. Yeah, how much money would it take to open a good clinic? It could be tight.
But she's being too honest. Is this something I should hear?
Just as I was thinking that.
“So, can you restore the repaired part back to its original state?”
I blinked at those words.
Was this the same person who was sobbing earlier about the prosthetic being fixed?
“Huh? Why are you doing this?”
“I'm going to sue. Because there was a defect in the mega corp's product.”
At those words, I let out an "Ah!" exclamation.
Right. This is not Pungpungpocalypse yet, but a society that is still rolling in 300 years ago.
“So, please restore it to the original state and create a document that organizes the defective part.”
“Huh? What document?”
“I need a brief Technical Opinion Letter about this defective product that has disabled Arcana Tech's standard inspection. The legally effective opinion should be obtained from the upper layer's repair shop, but... there's a possibility that even there they won't discover the breakdown.”
“As you can see, there's nothing like that here.”
At my words, Vivian took out a tablet-like device from the coat she had left behind and handed it to me.
Nothing difficult. Not like she's saying something hard.
I wrote the opinion letter as per Vivian's words and handed it over. A skilled technician in the upper layer would immediately understand what I meant.
Vivian, who had received the tablet back, placed her finger on her wrist and swept it toward me.
“This is the cost for the advice I gave you.”
Vivian has transferred 200,000 Credit. Do you accept?
Oh. I thought I wouldn't receive the repair fee, but I got the consulting fee instead.
Receiving cash or credit card and then account deposit is refreshing. As expected, upper class is different.
Thinking that, I accepted the money.
“Of course, this isn't the end. If the lawsuit is won, I'll give you additional compensation.”
Oh. Additional pay if I win the case? Thanks.
I first restored what I had repaired to its original state.
“And for the next year, once a week, I will visit here to continuously monitor your physical condition. Of course, I won't charge for the check-up. This is the compensation for relieving the burden on my mind.”
“Huh? No need for that.”
“No. The patient needs care for their body. And continuously.”
“Ah... I see.”
Since the doctor said so, I have to accept it. Yeah, with this weakened body, living in the lowest layer of Ground Zero, I'll definitely get sick someday.
When that happens, it would be much better to know a doctor like Vivian in the upper layer than to look for one around here.
“So... um... Could I get your name and contact information?”
Ah, right. We haven't exchanged names yet.
“Ah. My name is Dex. The contact is...”
Then Vivian reached out her hand toward me.
I grabbed Vivian's outstretched hand and shook it.
Vivian's contact has been registered.
Then, through the electronic circuit on her wrist, our contacts were automatically registered.
Um. Convenient in many ways.
“Then, I'll contact you in advance for the next visit schedule.”
I nodded at those words.
“Yes. Thank you. You've worked hard.”
After seeing Vivian off, I realized that night was coming to this city.
“A day has already passed.”
I need to finish the tasks I have to do before night falls.
Recently, the area around here is ominous, so gunshots are heard enormously every night. At night, I have to lock the door.
“And... now... it seems the end is in sight.”
The internal cleaning of the building I've been doing for days is starting to show signs of completion.
I separated the junk and trash inside, threw away what to discard, and organized usable items for their respective uses.
First, I fixed the crushed iron work desk stuck in the corner of the warehouse and set it up. I reattached the tilted legs and used Precision Telekinesis to flatten the crushed parts as much as possible.
On the wall above the work desk, I attached perforated steel plates with holes.
And on top of that, I hung old manual tools like wrenches, pliers, and vice pliers.
Actually, I probably won't use these manual tools much, but they were for interior mood decoration.
Even in games, decorating the interior had a subtle but significant impact on trust.
I also set up the fallen shelf and filled it inside. Copper wire, nut bolts, spring, insulation tubes, etc., decorated the inside of the shelf.
'Not bad.'
In front of the entrance door, I made and set up another business door for when customers come.
The entrance door was so heavy and sturdy that it was hard for customers to come and go.
During business hours, leave the business door open, and after business, close the entrance door.
And finally, I took out the neon sign that said "Titan Repair Shop" from the corner and stuck it on the building wall.
“Titan Repair Shop. It's a name that reminds me of Gordon-senpai.”
Because the key is really as big as titanium.
Just as I was thinking that.
“Hey, rookie. What are you doing?”
From behind my back, Gordon-senpai's voice really came.