Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Hassan, Necromancer of the Black Star #5
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Early in the morning.
Luna and I had a simple breakfast at a nearby inn. Stale bread and bits of meat in a watery stew, along with lukewarm milk.
I couldn't tell if my appetite was off because it was morning or if the food was just that bad, but it was truly tasteless. Still, to survive the day, I had no choice but to force it down.
I wasn't the only one struggling with the meal.
Watching the other early-morning guests at the inn, they too grimaced as if enduring some great ordeal, slowly bringing spoons and forks to their mouths.
Of course, some people were different.
"Oatmeal stew. Tastes good, right?"
Luna devoured the same bland breakfast every day as if it were a delicacy. After spending quite some time with her, I'd realized her sense of taste was a bit unique.
Come to think of it, one of Luna's quirks was something like "Lover of Strange Foods"? Did that literally mean she enjoyed bizarre dishes?
Now that I thought about it, she had eaten some odd things before. Squirrels, for instance...
I watched her stuff her cheeks and chew away, wondering if slapping her face might fix that quirk too.
But there was no way I'd ever slap Luna's face, so I quickly changed my train of thought and casually remarked,
"If you finish all that, we're going to the clinic."
"Geez, I got it already."
It was the morning after a rainy day.
On this pleasantly cool summer morning, Luna and I hurriedly prepared and headed to the clinic.
"I don't even feel sick, so going to the clinic feels like a waste of money."
Luna firmly believed her body was in perfect health. She'd said the same thing even before falling into that curse-induced sleep.
The human body can seem healthy one moment and collapse irreversibly the next. That's why regular check-ups are important.
"The consultation fee's gonna be pricey."
She seemed worried about the clinic's high costs. Though our income had surged since she started her business and my adventurer work stabilized,
when I thought about the future, we were still short on cash.
I had no idea how many silvers a basic check-up would cost, but if there was nothing wrong, shelling out that much felt wasteful.
Thinking back, it was the same in 21st-century Korea.
Some people rushed to the hospital for the slightest pain, while others skipped it even in serious conditions.
I'd been brainwashed since childhood that happiness doesn't correlate with material wealth.
But in truth, the wealthy tended to be healthier, and healthy people had higher happiness levels, so maybe having money did lead to a happier life?
As I pondered this, I saw Luna scrape her stew plate clean.
"All done? Let's go."
"Yeah!"
We paid about 10 coppers for breakfast and headed toward the central street. Come to think of it, this might be our first time at a clinic since settling in the city.
We hadn't suffered any major injuries requiring one, and minor wounds were handled with simple ointments.
The clinic we arrived at had a front garden thick with roses and thorns. So many roses.
Was it run by the Venus Temple? But then I spotted peacocks with their tail feathers fanned out playing in the garden.
Coo coo.
Luna exclaimed brightly at the sight.
"Hassan, look! Tail-feather Kwang! Juno's symbol! This must be under Lady Juno's domain!"
"What's a tail-feather Kwang? Isn't that a peacock?"
"Some people call it a peacock, sure."
"I see."
Luna's idea of "Kwang" seemed pretty broad.
After admiring the peacock—or whatever it was—we entered the triangular-roofed building.
The interior felt quite comfortable and cool, with a faint, soothing scent of something indefinable that calmed the mind.
"Hassan, smells nice, huh?"
"Yeah."
Some kind of therapy?
"Welcome."
A woman in a pink silk dress greeted us. The flowing silk clung to her body, accentuating her alluring curves.
Like the Venus Temple priestesses I'd seen before, she had long, wavy golden hair, sleepy blue eyes, and a pleasantly plump face that was easy on the eyes.
She looked like a young lady from a wealthy house. Healing must be lucrative. She smiled warmly.
"I'm Therapist Plara. What brings you here so early?"
"We're here for a check-up!"
Where had her earlier reluctance about the cost gone? Luna shouted enthusiastically.
Plara, as she'd introduced herself, gave a polite, customer-service smile and led Luna away.
"This way, then—"
As Luna and I followed,
"Sir, please wait there."
The clinic had a men-forbidden rule or something. I was stopped at the entrance and ended up sitting in the lobby.
Glance, glance.
People milling about stared at me blankly in my chair. A curiously exotic Samaritan like me naturally drew looks.
I almost snapped, "What're you staring at, punk?" but they were all young women, and this was a central street clinic, not the slums, so I stayed put.
Almost all the patients were women. Plenty of visibly pregnant mothers too.
Was this clinic like an OB-GYN?
That's exactly what it seemed like.
From books I'd read at the library, Juno was the Queen of Heaven, protector of homes, communities, mothers, and women.
I'd followed Luna to a women's hospital.
Realizing that made the seat feel awkward, so I averted my gaze. No wonder the women giggled at me.
Damn, embarrassing.
My eyes fell on a leather newspaper on the table.
Sodomora Weekly.
The common local paper here: thin, beaten leather inscribed with brush-written text. Lots of pages, thanks to cheap leather.
With nothing else to do while waiting for Luna, I flipped through it casually. The first thing that caught my eye was this headline.
"Rising Women's Amulet Earrings: How to Steal That Man's Heart—"
A women's magazine, huh. Detailed drawing of earrings with strange droplet patterns.
It even listed the trading company selling them—probably sponsored by them for the ad.
Interesting.
A newspaper.
Might have more info than expected. Actually, for an adventurer, this weekly rag could be more useful than outdated encyclopedias.
As I'd said before, adventurers must stay attuned to the world's changes.
I decided to check for more content.
"How to Tell If He's Cheating: 10 Signs of a Philanderer."
What the hell.
Some intriguing articles drew my eyes.
One: Suddenly cares more about appearance.
Two: Goes out a lot.
Three: Comes home with unfamiliar scents.
Four: Affection surges—or drops—suddenly.
Five: Keeps more secrets—
Damn.
Rip.
Knowing damaging others' property was a crime, I tore out the page anyway so Luna couldn't read it and stuffed it in my pocket.
But worried she'd find it, I chewed and swallowed it to destroy the evidence.
Close call.
I flipped through for other dangerous bits.
Flutter, flutter—
"Thieves' Guild—Hydra: Truly Annihilated? Signs of Lingering Corruption. Public Calls It a Sham—"
"Heresy War Aftermath Weeks Later: Has Pluto's Influence Waned?—"
"Count's Only Daughter, Enya Sardici: Health in Critical Condition—"
Besides girly info for young women, it covered rumors swirling in Sodomora well.
Maybe...
Anything about me?
I'm a rising rookie adventurer these days. Curious, I skimmed for mentions.
Nothing.
Damn, I was kinda hoping. Guess I'm not newspaper-worthy yet.
There were pieces on Hippolyte and Antiope, though. Something about "Mars's Perfect Sisters."
Articles on those delusional chicks but none on me, who's busted my ass for the city lately? Kinda pisses me off.
Who writes these?
To become Gold Tier, you need not just levels but fame. Shouldn't Golds be in the papers daily?
"Damn."
In that moment, a life goal crystallized.
Make the front page.
More achievable than Gold Tier dreams—chip away at it, and the big ones might follow.
I flipped pages, pondering how to get my name plastered huge.
Then a big headline:
"Village Near Sodomora Hit by Beasts Again!! Swelling Goblin Numbers!! No Solution!? Mars Guild and Minerva Guild Helpless!! City Council Reviews Causes and Fixes—"
Lots of exclamation points.
Swelling goblins, huh.
Yeah, goblins had been proliferating around the city.
Normally, only rogue goblins stray near villages or cities; packs don't.
Like the hordes I'd sensed at the ruined sanctuary site.
Speaking of, didn't that Iron adventurer party hunt a Goblin King or something?
Grab that Goblin King, parade its head?
Damn, front-page guaranteed.
Genius.
My idea, but it sounded solid.
"Hassan, whatcha reading?"
Right then, Luna emerged from the exam room, padding over from afar.
She looked unchanged.
"What'd they say? Check-up good?"
"No issues! Said I'm super healthy!"
"Good."
Only then, with professional confirmation, did I relax a bit.
The curse that once clung to her was definitely gone. As I basked in that relief, Luna peeked over to see what I was reading.
"Hassan, you can read newspapers?"
"Yep."
"The more I see, the less you fit my barbarian image. Weren't you some tribe chief's son in Samaria?"
"Nope."
"You look smart, Hassan!"
Did reading make me seem intellectual? Knowing letters alone made you a scholar here.
On the way back, I resolved to subscribe to the weekly. We stepped out together.
* * *
Back home, someone was in the yard.
Peddlers had been annoying since we made the yard, but this was Paranoya.
She was playing by squashing ants.
"Lord Hassan, Lady Luna! Where've you been...? I was waiting...!"
She brushed her palms and stood. Luna hugged the ditch water nymph's waist like it was perfect timing.
"Great! Lotsa potions to make today. Need to extract secret ingredients!"
"Th-that again...?"
"Why? Don't wanna?"
"Not that, but..."
Clutched tight at the waist, Paranoya glanced at me pleadingly.
Dunno exactly, but it was like, "Lord Hassan, take me with you today?"
Didn't want Luna extracting her "secret ingredient" or whatever.
But I had plans, so no dice.
Afternoon lesson with Hippolyte, then meet Antiope for Pluto heretic intel.
Bring Paranoya?
She'd no doubt freak out, "Holy Warrior Antiope! You're my minion now!" blow it up, get caught by Hippolyte, and we'd both lose heads—make the papers wrong way.
Not how I want newspaper fame.
"Paranoya, I'll be gentle today, no pain!"
"Eeek—!"
Dragged inside by Luna, I wondered what her "secret ingredient" was.
Nymph extract for special potions, huh.
Super curious, but she'd said, "Sometimes it's better if you don't know the ingredients!" So I didn't ask.