Episode 21.9-10

It was evening by the time Lecan arrived back at town of Vouka.

Eda just got home as well, she was preparing dinner.

Eda had four house calls with Norma today.

No, to be exact, she went to 12 houses and did four <Recovery> at four of those.

Norma gave her precise instructions about what was wrong with the patients and where to treat them in detail, it was a great learning experience.

"But I think I'm not cut out as a medical practitioner."

"Hou? Why?"

"Umm, you see. It's partly cuz' I don't know how to explain diseases and wounds well, but also cuz' I can't tell apart between people who want to pay for real and those who don't wanna, like Norma-san."

The house calls today were all at commoner families, the poorer ones.

Rumor about a <Recovery> user going around with Norma had spread far and wide, most of the families they visited asked for <Recovery>. Or consulted about it.

Every one of those families couldn't afford to pay one gold coin required for one casting right away, but they asked for installment of one silver coin every month or to pay for it later, Norma dealt with those people.

As a result, there were four families she accepted to get a <Recovery>.

"And then. I asked Norma-san, how'd you decline this house when you accepted the last one. Then she told me it's cause the missus this time had no intention to pay. But like, both of them promised they would pay for sure. Yet how'd she know this family is serious while that family isn't."

Since she won't be able to work as a medical practitioner if she can't do that, Eda comes to a conclusion that she's not suited to be one at all.

Wonder how Norma distinguish that.

Lecan tried to think it over.

Norma is someone who has been exposed to human malice for many years.

It's not like the marquis house detested Norma and her parents, nor were they trying to deliberately harm them. But their frantic need for Norma's mother's ability ended up splitting Norma's father and mother apart.

The noble who sent a Flat White Snake to Norma's mother in their completely egomaniacal quest for her position attempted to harm her mother. Then they came to hold an unjustified resentment after getting punished by the marquis family, and went on to hurt Norma and her father, the ones with weaker positions.

Hence, as a result, Norma ended up getting exposed to the result of malice and malice the very thing itself. Yet despite all that, Norma still chose the path of a medical practitioner.

It might be because she didn't have any other choice, but it's also probably because she wanted to take up her father's and mother's mantle. Despite her history, she must have wanted to tread on the path her father and mother originally intended to.

A path to save people as a medical practitioner, to contribute to people's livelihood through her research in medical fields.

However, her patients are flesh and blood humans.

There must be those who tried to shirk their obligation to pay Norma even after getting her treatment. As those people also have their own battle to fight in life, things like that must occur frequently.

Norma has chosen the path to love people to live among them while facing their ugly sides. That's exactly why she can distinguish between those who are trying to deceive her and those who aren't.

(Hold it.)

(Then perhaps.)

Perhaps, Norma is fully aware of the reason why Jinga is staying by her side. Lecan has no intention of divulging that matter to her, but perhaps she's already known about it all this time.

And that despite her awareness, she pretends to not notice the cold calculating eyes Jinga looks at her, and accepts the warm and gentle parts directed at her. That's probably how Jinga came to cherish Norma.

Norma is the exact opposite of Lecan. Lecan has chosen to live in dungeons in order to free himself from the malice of men. Norma has zero combative ability, but she's got the power to grasp victory as she mingles amongst men.

Norma is a real strong woman (person).

There must be something Eda can learn from her if she stays by her side.

The former Eda would have tried to keep casting <Recovery> for as long as her mana remains since it doesn't cost her money. It would definitely turn out like that had Shira and Lecan not intervened. However, that's a path that promotes the growth of malice, even if there are gratitudes that also come with it, and draws in malice.

The things Eda is learning now, the timidness in living, the way to take the right distance to other people, those are things Lecan cannot teach her.

They've been blessed with luck to have made an acquaintance with Norma.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"So all that happened, and here's the written apology. Here's the loot: a shield and a wand."

Vouka town lord, Crimus Ulban was flabbergasted.

"What have you done to get it come to this."

"I just explained to you."

"That explanation was utterly incomprehensible to me."

Crimus bent over with his hands pressing his head.

"You got a headache? Want me cast a <Recovery>?"

"You can use <Recovery> too?! Ah, ouch ow."

Lecan cast <Recovery> on Crimus since he really looked like he had a headache.

"<Recovery>."

"Ah, it doesn't hurt anymore. So you really can use <Recovery>."

Crimus read the letter of apology.

"It really is a letter of apology. And they even wrote how they did things that could have been misinterpreted as violating the Kingdom's Laws. Lecan. Do you understand the value of this letter of apology?"

"No."

"I guess that's just like you. As long as we have this, we can get Earl Golbul do some truly unreasonable stuff for us."

"Hou."

"However, I shan't resort to that."

"Fumu?"

"This letter of apology is in our hands. That's good enough. From here on, I will gradually get more traffic of people and goods going between here and Golbul. Yeah, that will do."

"So long as you're fine with that."

"Are you sure you're really going to let me have these two Grace items?"

"I don't need them."

"You have my gratitudes. Here is your honorarium for your service of visiting Golbul this time. As for your reward for presenting two Grace items, we will pass it over at a later date."

"I'll take the honorarium. Don't need the reward."

"Don't say that. I've got reputation to uphold here. At any rate, you're one too powerful a trump card. You possess an enormous amount of breakthrough potency, which is difficult to handle."

"Didn't you say you'd have lost politically if you used forces in me?"

"Not like you were dispatched as a show of force this time either. But this matter has truly opened my eyes. A sword will always be a sword no matter where you pull it out."

"Well, you got that right."

"Don't you throw out your chest there. Ah, ow ow. My poor head."

[Episode 21 Duel at Town Lord's Mansion] End/ Next [Episode 22 Magic Instructor Dorost]