Ch. 5 - The Healer’s Shop

The first customers Abby brought me were a pair of female adventurers.

One was sharp-featured, with pointed ears; the other tall and muscular, her build solid and imposing.

Choosing women as the first clients was probably Abby’s strategy. Adventurers, without exception, were cunning and hot-tempered. She must have thought another woman would be safer. It didn’t take long to see through that naïve reasoning.

“Five thousand sheep. Not a coin more. If it doesn’t work… You understand, don’t you?” the elf-like girl said.

“Y-yeah, I got it.”

Abby’s voice wavered—she looked terrified. And no wonder.

The elf carried a bow on her shoulder, knives lined her belt, and the big one had a sword almost as tall as herself strapped to her back. If it came to a fight, we’d be finished.

Abby looked like she was about to cry as she turned to me.

“D-Di, I’m counting on you.”

The look on her face was so unlike the brave front she put on for the kids that I almost burst out laughing.

I stifled it. Beside me, Cat-girl bristled with killing intent, though she held her tongue.

I gave a small nod and opened with a bluff.

“Five thousand for now is fine. But if it works, you’ll pay ten thousand next time.”

I didn’t know the exact value of money in this world, but I recognized I was being lowballed.

“Fine. If you’re a real healer, that much is fair.”

The elf gave a curt glance over the children, then signaled the big woman forward.

“This one. Can you fix it?”

She rolled up her right sleeve, revealing a half-circle of puncture wounds, as if a beast had sunk its fangs into her arm. Turning it over, the same marks lined the underside.

“Bitten, huh?”

“Dire wolf,” she replied.

“An undead dire wolf, then. The bleeding’s stopped… Abby, do you have water?”

“Eh?”

Abby blinked, confused, a big question mark on her face.

“A filthy mutt bit her. First thing is to wash the wound.”

“Ah. Uh…”

As Abby fumbled, the big woman let out a sigh.

“I’ve got some. Use it.”

“Much obliged.”

She handed me a leather flask, and I washed out the bite marks.

“This’ll sting. Brace yourself.”

“Do it.”

Gripping her arm, I wrung it like a wet rag.

“Tsk—!”

She gritted her teeth as blood welled from the wounds—then something small and white popped out. A broken wolf fang rolled onto the ground.

“Good job. You held out well.”

“Don’t patronize me, you brat.”

Right. I am a brat. I’d forgotten.

I shrugged.

“Sorry for being rough. The next part won’t hurt.”

The woman’s expression shifted strangely, caught between annoyance and something softer.

Then I summoned the “serpent.”

The elf’s eyes widened as a green snake coiled around my arm.

“No way! You’ve got one on both arms?”

Tracing the wound with my hand, a pale emerald glow lit up the alley.

The woman watched silently as her wounds closed without a scar, relief softening her face.

“It’s done. Pay Abby.”

“If you were a fraud, I was going to teach you a lesson. But… not bad.”

The big woman said it carelessly, then shoved five copper coins into Abby’s hands.

“Th-thank you very much!”

Abby bowed, and the children followed her lead.

The woman bared her teeth in a wolfish grin.

“Not bad, kid. I don’t like that mouth of yours, but you’ve got experience. Where’d you learn it?”

“Dragged around by bandits for two years. That’s all.”

The words slipped out, but they weren’t mine. They belonged to Dietrich Becker. His memories. Never anything good.

I shrugged, and she leaned down, checking her healed arm before peering into my face.

“The name’s Alexandra. Most call me Alex.”

“Okay, Alex.”

She grinned wider, never taking her eyes off me—not even glancing at Abby, who was clearly the leader here.

That grin was all mine.

“If you need anything, come to me. I’ll look after you.”

“…That’s terrifying.”

I waved her off like a bothersome fly. She turned, still grinning like a predator.

“I’ll be back.”

As they left, the elf threw me a wink. Looks like I’d pulled it off.

“Thanks for your business.”

Dizziness washed over me. My legs gave out, and I slumped to the ground. Abby and Zoë rushed over, alarmed.

“Di, you did great!”

Sweat poured down my forehead; my chest thumped painfully. My divine power was nearly spent. Still…

“Abby. Let me rest a bit, but… I can take two more like that today. Will it be enough?”

The merger between me and Dietrich Becker wasn’t complete, which meant I could still push further. His divine reserves weren’t empty yet.

“Y-yeah, more than enough! Oh, Di, you really did it!”

“Next time, push for ten thousand. Don’t settle lower.”

“Got it! I promise!”

She practically skipped with joy, running back toward the dungeon to fetch more clients.

After that, we treated two more adventurers—minor injuries, calm temperaments. Abby had a knack for choosing safe clients.

No trouble. We earned twenty-five thousand sheep—two silver, five copper coins.

Abby looked proud, smiling ear to ear. I felt exhausted.

“Di, you did so well. Here, this is your share.”

She offered me a silver coin, but her eyes were tinged with a hint of sadness.

I shook my head.

“Keep it. You handle the money.”

“Eh? B-but…”

Wealth brings ruin. A silver might mean nothing to adventurers, but to Abby and the kids, it was a fortune. And I’d vowed poverty.

“What I want is a private room. Cheap’s fine. Just somewhere quiet.”

That cost less than a silver anyway, and Abby nodded eagerly.

“Of course! You earned it. Leave it to me.”

“And make sure it comes with food. And… someone to take care of me. I don’t want to move a finger.”

“Sure, sure! Say no more!”

She was in high spirits. To adventurers, it might have been petty coin; to her, it was life-changing.

“How about tomorrow, Di? Think you can manage?”

“Count on me. Five patients in the morning. Three more in the afternoon, if I’ve got the strength. Plan for that.”

Abby’s smile deepened. She tucked the coins into her pouch like precious treasure, then glanced at the children. Oni-girl stepped forward with a nod.

“C-climb on…”

I settled onto a crate, exhaling. Oni-girl crouched, offering her back.

“…”

Zoë and Cat-girl frowned as if they’d swallowed poison, but I didn’t care.

I hated being carried by Oni-girl, but exhaustion left me no choice. I leaned against her back.

Adventurers, huh…

Did it really pay that well? Perhaps Abby and the kids should become adventurers themselves.

Yes.

If our lives were so cheap, we might as well burn them to ash in the dungeon.

The thought drifted unbidden.

Someday, inevitably…

I’ll step into the dungeon myself.

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