Novel Bin Chapter 012: Holy Attribute Magic, The price of treatment
Chapter 012: Holy Attribute Magic, The price of treatment
Translator: Tseirp
During the 5 days of being jolted around in the horse-drawn carriage, we were attacked by monsters several times along the way but Bazzan-san and his party trampled on them easily.
Along the road we stopped by a village with an inn. As a result of successful negotiations, we were able to receive food and bedding by simply casting healing magic.
All the negotiations were done by Bazzan-san and his party.
For some reason some of the villagers worshipped me when I applied healing magic for treatment. But I was told to not worry about it because in exchange we received a sumptuous meal and clean bedding.
I was prepared for camping out during the journey. However without even camping out, we had arrived at Saint Schull’s church’s Healer’s Guild Headquarters located within the Saint Schull Holy City of the Saint Schull Allied Nations. (TL: Omg they really love that Saint Schull huh.)
When I first heard the names, I thought to myself wasn’t Schull too overused? When I asked that, apparently it was a taboo … Bazzan-san and his party warned me against speaking about it.
“Bazzan-san, Skyros-san, Basra-san, thank you for the escort.”
I bowed to the three of them while thanking them.
“Well it’s only natural that we accepted the request when not only were we nominated by the Adventurer’s Guild, you are also our lifesaver.”
Basra-san glanced at the other two and said so.
“That’s right. Both Skyros and I would have really been in danger if you didn’t detect the poison on us. Basra would have became a one man party.”
Bazzan-san affirmed and laughed with a ferocious look.
“Yeah that’s right. I was saved thanks to Luciel-kun.”
Skyros-san also smiled and affirmed in the same manner.
“No no don’t mention it. However, talking like this makes me feel a little lonely thinking that I’m going to be away from Meratoni.”
“Well Luciel would be welcomed back with a huge welcome party if you returned but work hard to memorize whatever’s inside those spell books in the Healer’s Guild Headquarters.”
“That is true. Everyone, seriously thank you for the escort.”
“Yeah. It would have been great if we could drink sake next time.”
In the end nobody drank sake for my transfer this time around.
“Yup. I will work hard so that I can treat you all next time.”
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“Don’t become like Botacyl.”
“Okay.”
After we’ve carried out our farewells, the three of them rode the horse-drawn carriage and turned back towards Meratoni.
By the way along the way during the journey, I looked through the 7 spell books I got from the Meratoni branch Healer’s Guild and repeatedly chanted and memorized the magic within the books.
Holy attribute magic support magic 「Aura coat」.
It could shut out miasma from the air for one hour, delay the progression of diseases and make it harder to fall into abnormal states. MP consumption is 10.
Holy attribute magic special magic 「Purification」.
Chanting this could expel all impurities but in actual fact it is a universal magic that can even remove dirt. MP consumption is 16.
Advanced healing magic 「High Heal」.
It boasts 10 times the recovery amount of 「Heal」 but the consumption is not small at 15 MP.
Intermediate area healing magic 「Area Middle Heal」.
An improved healing magic over the 「Area Heal」, it doesn’t change the scope of recovery area but it increased the amount of recovery by 3 times. However MP consumption is 30 MP per cast.
Advanced area healing magic 「Area High Heal」.
Intended as an improvement to the 「Area Middle Heal」, the radius increased to 3 meters but the MP used each time is said to be 75.
Abnormal state healing magic 「Recover」.
A magic that could recover poison, paralysis, charm, sleep, seal and magic-induced weakness but has no effect on petrification, curse, hallucinations and disease. MP consumption is 18.
Holy attribute magic special healing magic 「Dispel」.
Seems to be capable of curing abnormal states like petrification, curse and hallucinations. MP consumption seems to be 60 and is said to be able to have other effects.
Yeah. The ambiguously described 「Area High Heal」 and 「Dispel」 could not be triggered due to my low 「Holy Attribute Magic」 skill level. However I did properly memorize the chants.
Furthermore, 「Area Middle Heal」 and 「Recover」 cannot be lightly used because they require a ton of magic.
“Well then, here I go.”
I fired myself up and set foot into the towering large palace without hindrance.
The inside of the building had expansive marble flooring that spread throughout the hall. There was an information counter strongly reminiscent of my previous life.
“Welcome. This is the Healer’s Guild Headquarters. May I help you.”
“I am Luciel. Affiliated healer to the Meratoni branch of the Saint Schull’s church Healer’s Guild. I have a letter of appointment to transfer to the headquarters but how should I go about doing it?”
“Please wait a moment.”
The receptionist-san held a crystal-looking item and closed her eyes.
[Is that a magic tool?] When I was thinking of such a thing, she began talking towards the crystal.
“Looks like a telepathy assist tool?”
When I murmured, the other receptionists seemingly heard it and nodded to confirm my deduction.
“That’s right. Luciel-sama is knowledgeable.”
I conversed back while feeling surprised.
“No. I don’t know the mechanism of how it works, I’ve only seen a similar magic tool in the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“I see. Oh, welcome Granhart-sama.”
I looked back after hearing that. Instead of a man with gentle features, I saw a man of around 40 years old clothed in a giant white robe looking like an adventurer.
“Are you Luciel-dono? My name is Granhart. I work as a priest here and I was the one who called you over. I will help you with your transfer so please come with me.”
He placed a hand on the wall past the reception and the wall parted open.
“Come on, go inside.”
It seems like there is a elevator in this world. I was hit by the nostalgic feeling of having not ridden in lift after so long.
“This is a magic elevator. It operates by recognizing magic power.”
Is this to prevent escape? We…well it’s not like I’m going to get killed … I might have to think of means to escape.
“This is it.”
A voice was directed at me as I followed the guide.
“Oh? You were the one I inducted into Meratoni city’s Healer’s Guild … Louis-kun right?”
The owner of the voice was Lumina-san.
“Oh, long time no see. Lumina-sama. And my name is Luciel. Even though my physique has changed, it’s pretty amazing that you immediately knew it was me?”
“Because the waves of your magical power was clear, I remembered it.”
Magical power can be seen? No, that’s not what I want to say.
“Thank you for your help in Meratoni. Somehow I became able to perform some novice treatment after this two years.”
“I see I see. I don’t have time now so please come to my room later.”
“Granhart-dono, please get somebody to guide him to my room later.”
” … Yes.”
I felt that Granhart-san’s expression or rather his atmosphere became stiff.
Lumina-san left after hearing those words.
Later, Granhart-san, in silence the entire way, guided me to the room in accordance to her will and I entered.
It was a dimly lit room that you wouldn’t think to find in the same headquarters and there were whips and saws placed in the room completely reminiscent of torture rooms.
While keeping my fear in check thinking that it was a prank, I summoned what little courage I had and spoke.
“This room looks just like a torture room? What is the meaning of this?”
I decided to express my discomfort.
Maybe Granhart-san already expected that the question, he maintained his aloof attitude.
“Don’t worry, this is merely a warehouse. It’s a shortcut to pass through here.”
After he said so, the next room we passed through into was an interrogation room that looked like it came out from a drama.
Since there wasn’t any dangerous feeling, I decided to enter.
“Sit down.” Granhart said after he sat down and took out a letter.
“I was surprised when the Meratoni branch Healer’s Guild sent me this letter. You harmed the interest of other healers and made the revenue of the Meratoni branch fall. That’s what was written in the letter. So I want to confirm the facts.”
Oh~ So it’s like that. I can excel in these kind of business talks where I can speak logically and don’t need to pack all the information together.
I remembered those working days from up until two years ago.
I recalled all the memories up until right before my promotion.
I stopped recalling, opened my eyes and began to talk.
” … The contents in the letters are in a way the facts.”
“Ho. Are you pleading guilty?”
A surprised look floated on Granhart’s face as he didn’t expect me to admit to it.
“What am I guilty of? Just after I became a healer two years ago, I received 「Taijutsu」 training at the Adventurer’s Guild in exchange for carrying out treatment within the Adventurer’s Guild. Is this a crime?”
“No it isn’t.”
“Moreover at that time I could only use 「Heal」 but they not only provided me with three meals, bedding and clothes, they even paid me salary. Is this a crime?”
“Nope.”
“This was my action status for a whole year since registration. From the second year, I was dispatched to the Adventurer’s Guild as a temporary staff. Thanks to the hard work from my first year, I raised my Holy attribute magic skill level and memorized some magic. Is this illegal?”
” … No, these were all legitimate behaviors for healers.”
He is a little bit confused.
“In the second year, I was grateful for the salary and equipment from the Adventurer’s Guild and adventurers that was even more than the first year.”
“I find no problem with your actions. But the problem seems to be that the cost of your treatments was too cheap. What do you have to say regarding that?”
” … What do Granhart-sama think regarding the current situation? I did not say that it is bad to obtain money for recovery magic or rather I think it is legitimate to charge for treatment as it was my work.”
“Yup. The Healer’s Guild is such an entity.”
“The person who sent you that letter, I do not intend to pry to find out who it was … But I heard that the Meratoni healer clinic uses 「High Heal」 to treat wounds that can be treated with 「Heal」 and 「Middle Heal」. Due to the exorbitant prices charged by the clinic and practitioners, the patients fall into debt and become debt slaves … I heard that there were such cowardly clinics. Comparatively isn’t this act more of a problem? I even heard that they said that it was cumbersome to display their fees in advance and sometimes they even charged additional fees. How does the Healer’s Guild manage clinics that do not do such obvious things?”
“Are you lashing out against the Saint Schull’s church Healer’s Guild Headquarters?”
“I would like it if you do not switch my words. Instead of ranting, I am asking if Granhart-dono thinks that there is negligence in the teaching of ignorant healers like me of what should be done.”
“Such as the ideals of the Healer’s Guild?”
“Yes. At the time when the Healer’s Guild was founded, I heard that the fee was not determined by lofty people. As time passed the healers began to ask for money. So far there’s no problem.”
Granhart-san folded his arm and closed his eyes.
“Continue.”
“I’ll return to the story. How do you price magic? One copper coin? One silver coin? One gold coin? A hundred gold coins? I think that what’s expensive and what’s cheap varies from person to person. As long as the guild does not specify a rough pricing, don’t you think the rest is up to the marketing efforts of the healer?”
Currently there’s no fixed price so it won’t become a problem no matter how high or low the price is.
” … Then the healers would determine the price range depending on the various kinds of magic. Is that what you are saying?”
“That’s also slightly wrong. There is a difference in the recovery amount of a novice who had just memorized 「Heal」 and a veteran healer. Obviously the veteran would heal more.”
“I don’t understand what you are trying to say. Say it briefly.”
“This time the problem written in the letter is a problem born from the ambiguous pricing.”
“Okay.”
“You must first look at the degree of injury then present an appropriate fee. If the charges were presented beforehand then there would be no problem. Well of course this can’t be done if the injury is a life-threatening one.”
“Yup.”
“The healers belong to the Saint Schull’s church Healer’s Guild. Paying a donation, we are allowed to memorize Holy attribute magic and exercise the magic. Is the Healer’s Guild selling the spell books just for the money? No right?”
“But of course. It is used to develop new talents and pay for the Healer’s Guild maintenance cost.”
“That’s right. That’s why, by making a guideline for the prices and presenting the price beforehand, the healer profession would get more respect and people will think that it is honest work.”
It’s because there’s no insurance in this world.
“Hmm. But in the end that is just your own thoughts?”
Oh, this guy is the stubborn type.
“Just for an example, Granhart-san is going out to get food. Price wasn’t stated but you thought that according to the food’s taste, amount and materials it would cost 10 copper coins but you were billed for 10 gold coins. What would Granhart-san do?”
“Naturally I would complain.”
“At that time, “It is expensive because plenty of premium materials were used. You will become a slave if you do not pay for the portion you ate.”, is said. If Granhart-san only had 9 gold coins at that moment, then you will fall into slavery. What do you think about this?”
“Even if it’s objectionable I can only say “Yes.””
“You would ask “Why me”. It was because you didn’t know the price in advance. Not only for restaurants, if the price is presented in advance such problems would not occur.”
” … ”
“Even in Meratoni, only healers in a few stores display their charges in advance. If people knew how much it would cost in advance, I think more people would surely visit the clinics.”
” … ”
“But, if the situation remains as it is now, it is possible for the healers to collude with slave dealers to mass produce slaves. Now, was my healing magic too expensive? Too cheap? I do not know. But I paid for the donation each month.”
” … ”
“So just who will decide on the prices?”
” Nu~ … Understood. I will look into this together with the other priests and bishop-samas.”
Granhart-san was already tired.
“So what should I do?”
“For starters I’ll call somebody to guide you to Lumina-dono’s room.”
Thereafter, Granhart-san weakly returned to the corridor. The guide was worried about Granhart-san’s haggard appearance but still guided me to Lumina-san’s room.