ALL NOVEL Chapter 213
It was winter, just before the semester began, and new students were arriving at the Healing Academy to receive their dorm assignments.
When I visited, chaos broke out as the auditorium was cleared to gather the students for a special lecture. I hadn’t intended to stir things up.
In this academy exclusively for healers, the number of applicants was increasing every year, making the entrance exams progressively more difficult.
There were many promising talents showing interest in medicine. I could use them as interns soon. The hospital should aim to open next year.
However, among the students, there was a peculiar guy.
“Gis?”
“Te-teacher, I… committed a grave sin before.”
That was the brat who had misbehaved during the Attending Physician exam, bowing at a ninety-degree angle to greet me.
He graduated from the academy, worked as a healer, tasted medicine in the system, and then re-enrolled as a late bloomer.
“I didn’t know my place back then. If I had known about the medical society sooner, I wouldn’t have doubted your skills… I will strive harder!”
I’ve heard he was the valedictorian of his class. He was quite talented.
Hmm… I wonder if I can put him to use.
“Brother, here’s the blueprint for the hospital site. Do you like it?”
After I mentioned wanting to build a general hospital to Neria, she had planned a facility on the scale of a large stadium.
“Hold on, it’s too big. For something this size, we’d need over a thousand doctors.”
“We can expand slowly. We’ll first complete and operate a small Area A. Anyway, patients from all over the continent will flock in later, so it makes sense to design it with the future in mind.”
I was thinking of a paltry five-story building.
Maybe because she was already running a pharmaceutical factory supplying the entire continent, Neria’s vision had expanded.
“Isn’t it going to take five… ten years to build?”
“Ras! It’s done!”
Gishta had mobilized the Thunder Tribe to construct Area A in just a month.
“This actually works.”
The opening ceremony was attended by nobles from the Empire and foreign delegates who expressed their goodwill. Distributing treatment discount coupons was a big hit.
“The opening of Gothberg General Hospital!”
“And here’s our esteemed director, Lars Gothberg!”
My title had slightly changed.
Initially, the medical departments consisted of surgery, internal medicine, and ENT. We also conducted general check-ups. Seventy doctors from the Inner Palace and healers under the duke were placed to start operations.
“Doctor, my child hasn’t stopped coughing for a week now.”
“My mother can’t walk because of her knees…”
“Hey, don’t cut in line!”
To celebrate the opening, we offered free consultations for the first month, resulting in a bustling crowd. Most were locals, unfamiliar with the medical practices, so we had to explain even the basics.
“The operating costs are quite high. Doctors and healers are specialized staff, right? Equipment and supplies require professional manufacturing.”
After running a pilot operation, Neria calculated the numbers. Definitely, with this, medical costs would rise, putting a significant burden on the common folk.
“The title of the country has changed since we became a former country.”
“Ah, yes. We were already collecting from the landowners, but now it’s become an operating cost for the country. It’s seriously turned into income tax now.”
“What’s the rate?”
“Thirty percent of the harvested grain.”
“Not too much, then.”
Other noble families typically collected around fifty percent, and in some cases, even seventy percent as tax.
It seemed ridiculous, but what could we do? It was that kind of era. Thinking about it, the peninsula I lived on wasn’t much different.
“Taxes should be paid willingly. Let’s include healthcare insurance in that. Citizens who faithfully pay taxes will automatically receive treatment discounts.”
“If we charge full price to foreign citizens, it works out perfectly. That’s brilliant!”
Neria gleefully tapped her abacus.
Before long, citizens were happy paying taxes, and foreigners began to envy the cheap treatment costs of Gothberg.
Even so, hospital profits increased, making Neria a truly gifted business person.
“Brother, the loan term for the pharmaceutical factory is ending. What do you want to do?”
The costs incurred while building the factory had significant shares in both the Moonlight Palace and the duke’s family.
Reaching an agreement with the duke was easy. The duke’s territory was still focused on recovery from the previous undead attack.
Since we urgently needed cash, we agreed to sell the factory shares for cash.
Now, concerning the Moonlight Palace.
If the contract isn’t extended, it automatically gets voided according to the document.
What to do? Just then, a single document arrived.
[Annulment Agreement]
It was a document written in Acella’s handwriting.
…Hmm.
Now that I think about it, we hadn’t agreed to the annulment yet.
However, since I had asked her to finalize the contract, and with Geass in effect, it was something that would have to happen eventually.
The fact that she sent this now, months after I left the Empire, must mean Acella had sorted things out in her own way.
[No.77 Incarnation of Jealousy 1%]
The probability of this bad ending had decreased significantly, suggesting that Acella had put her feelings for me aside to focus on her succession.
If that’s her dream…
Acella wouldn’t turn into a crazed tyrant anymore, so there was no reason to interfere.
It would be best to remove any unnecessary complications in advance.
“Let’s finish the contract with the Moonlight Palace. Calculate the amount for the sold shares, including interest.”
“Okay, I’ll prepare everything properly.”
In that moment, another connection to Acella vanished.
While taking a walk, I looked around the spot where the teleport gate used to be.
The gate had been dismantled well before the declaration of independence of the former country, leaving only the base behind.
It was hard to believe that I could cross that spot and reach where Acella was in an instant.
“Well, that’s that.”
Now, the teleport gate should be installed in the Demon Realm. The next meeting of the allied forces was scheduled soon.
Next month, it seemed the Empire officially announced Gothberg’s independence, as they had sorted out their internal issues. This meant my father had become the Duke. Neria was the chief diplomat.
Being a feudal state, they hadn’t dramatically restructured the system, so Gishta’s protectorate didn’t change its name.
I didn’t want to stand out more, so I didn’t take on a title. Being the hospital director was enough.
“Ras, is this sufficient?”
“Mm, perfect.”
Gishta plopped down a basketful of rock flower petals that she had picked.
She had subtly improved and successfully cultivated a variety of the flower we received as a prize at the martial arts conference.
Skillfully applying [Compression], [Synthesis], and [Enhancement].
Gorgeous, sparkling honey candy was created.
I had no idea how many times this had been enhanced already.
As I popped it into my mouth, the health decrease was offset.
“There are limits to candy. One day, I have to make an elixir.”
Soon, my debuffs would reach the maximum level, and as experienced before, they’d erode my lifespan.
“I still don’t know what the last ingredient is. I need to raise my alchemy rank more to find out.”
I took out a branch from the World Tree. I had carefully sealed and packaged it.
The second ingredient, the Dragon Scale from an ancient dragon, I planned to ask the Heavenly Dragon to help me retrieve it.
Once the hospital and the former country stabilize, I’d need to embark on a little journey.
“Gishta, do you still want to go on an adventure?”
“Why the sudden desire for adventure?”
“I think I’ll have to visit the Heavenly Dragon soon.”
Before I even finished my sentence, Gishta had jumped up onto my lap, clearly excited as she huffed.
“Adventure! To the Middle World?”
“Yeah.”
“Just the two of us…?”
“Isn’t it too dangerous to go just the two of us? I was thinking of organizing the Protectorate and the Knights to go on an expedition together.”
“Ah, right. It’s a dangerous land.”
Gishta, slightly disappointed, averted her gaze. After pondering with her arms crossed, she nodded as if she had made up her mind.
“Leave it to me, Ras. I will surely protect you from those other ruffians who dare not approach you.”
“Hmm… does ‘ruffians’ also mean ‘to kill’?”
“There have been men who died from a crushed pelvis. I guess that’s included.”
“Yikes.”
“Don’t misunderstand. That was their wishful thinking.”
And so, we made a rough plan.
The Gothberg General Hospital quickly flourished and expanded. Thanks to my name being well-known from the martial arts conference, word spread across the continent.
Perhaps as a result, Gothberg became a major supplier of medical supplies for the next allied forces conference.
This time, it was hosted by the Empire, the mightiest power in the alliance, occupying the central region of the continent.
If I happened to run into Acella there, it could turn out a little awkward.
“The Moonlight Palace isn’t on the participant list.”
“Really?”
Neria mentioned this. If any trouble arose, Heike would surely act as a buffer.
I headed with Neria to the allied meeting hall.
*
“Your Royal Highness, the letter.”
The secretary knocked on Acella’s bedroom door while holding a pile of envelopes.
Once again, there was no response.
Acella had been holed up in her room for months. Rumors spread among the palace staff that she had abandoned her succession.
The secretary sighed, pondering where the sharp-minded, fiery lady had gone, now only a reckless teenage girl remained. While she and her retainers had been doing the work, there were limitations.
“Your Highness, we received a reply from the Gothberg former country as well…”
Bang!
Before he finished speaking, the door swung open.
Acella, with disheveled hair and a fierce look, swiped the bundle of letters.
It was an opportunity. The secretary asked.
“The allied forces conference will be held soon. Your Highness, you must participate.”
Acella quickly skimmed the letter.
The spark in her eyes faded, turning quickly back to a dull golden hue.
Her parched eyes no longer had the strength to shed tears.
“…You’ve broken it off.”
“Your Highness?”
“The factory contract… you don’t want to be involved with me anymore. That’s only natural, it is.”
Like a mad person, Acella muttered incessantly.
“Your Highness, at the conference…”
“I’m not going.”
She replied firmly.
“…How can I face him?”
Thud, the cold bedroom door shut.