Episode 35.9

The following day, Norma visited two neighboring medical practitioners and asked them to take care of her longtime patients. And since her clinic is unlikely to open for one, two or perhaps even more years, she also went around other medics to explain.

She also went to the regular visitors around the neighborhood.

She was originally planning to keep doing her medic work even during the project. But she found out that the project was such a scale that she couldn't afford doing that. Hence she decided to suspend her clinic.

A huge signboard <Currently Closed> has been put in front of her clinic.

However, that didn't really help her concentrate on the writing.

To begin with, the majority of this clinic's visitors cannot read. Moreover, people in this world don't tend to go to a clinic unless it's a very serious illness or they're in a critical condition. Because they understand that it'd cost money.

Hence, oftentimes the knocks on Norma's clinic door are for emergency. In such situations, it's hard to tell them to go somewhere else because it's closed. When she dealt with them after having no choice, rumor of Norma's clinic reopening spread and regular patients would come again.

And as it's a world where information network is still undeveloped, many also would come not knowing that it's closed.

She'd let Jinga deal with them if possible but there are also times when Norma has to do it herself, which results in an influx of patients.

There was also another issue.

There was a huge commotion right after Herb Saint Entourage's departure. A frightening amount of people flooded Norma's clinic.

Messengers from House of Haddis, House of Sawajie, and House of Surusawa have come time and time again asking her to be their exclusive medic. Despite being fully aware of her tending to Goncourt House. She's refused them all, but they would still occasionally send gift-bearing messengers and ask her to make a house call at least once. This is another headache inducing issue. They're a bother, but she can't just outright decline a request from a noble. They would lose face if she didn't visit them at least once.

The temple has been trying to summon her as well. She's been putting it off saying that she's too busy, but she will have to go once one of these days. After all, this town's temple is Ceres. The big boss of medics. Yet they have been shut out in the Herb Saint Visitation, thus they have built up some strong discontent.

Shira would have been the main target were she still around, but she's not. Lecan has gone off to Dungeon Tsubolt. And since the herb saint himself has given a stern warning regarding Eda, even the temple can't be heavy handed to her. Meaning Norma is the sole target to summon. But they would undoubtedly try to pry open everything that happened in the discussion out of Norma if she went to the temple.

There's also requests from large medicine store to have their products used by her. Of course some even sent samples free of charge. They want to have Norma use their medicine and obtain the draw of, <Store Approved by the Medic who Helped with Herb Saint's Recovery>.

Merchants who found out about Norma being present during the herb saint visitation have also been coming to get information out of her or build connections. She's mostly done dealing with this town's influential individuals and merchants on month nine last year, but more and more merchants have been coming in Vouka from other towns and villages, who then came to Norma for information.

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

But the most problematic ones are the apothecaries and medics.

They would incessantly and persistently come to ask about the discussion with Herb Saint. That is inevitable, and Norma would have done the same were she in their shoes, thus she couldn't blame then. That said, the matter talked about in that discussion was not something to be made public. But they wouldn't go back down if she said nothing, and Norma herself didn't have the heart to treat them poorly. Hence she would tell them the general gist while avoiding to give out the details. Of course they weren't satisfied with only one session and kept coming back for more. Which still continues today.

Fortunately, most of them are looking for bits of Herb Saint-sama's quotes than new knowledge. He said that. He said this. He looked like this, most were satisfied with those kinds of details.

She's got to do something about this. At the rate this is going, she can never finish the writing.

Moving out would be the best option. But changing residence takes time and labor. Both of which are very precious right now. Besides, this clinic being an inheritance from her father, it's free for her to live here, but going elsewhere will means paying rents. Hence she wouldn't be able to rent a spacious residence.

On top of that, this clinic has a library where Norma's father's works were stored, but it's been transformed into Rakrus's workshop. It's a very ideal environment, I can work well here, said Rakrus. Can't just move out carelessly.

"What should I do."

As Norma was at her wit's end, Butler of Goncourt House, Kanner came visiting.

Norma was surprised. It must be something big for the butler to come here in person.

"Master Prado wishes to consult a very important matter with you. I'm sorry to impose, but could you go see him right away."

Kanner made another surprising request. We would like you to perform an examination on a dead body, if you could bring tools for identifying types of poison, it would be best, he said.