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Chapter 107: Clinic of the Cursed Witch (1)

Kai was at a loss for words. What an incredible level of freedom this game had. NPCs formed interracial relationships and even had children!

Still taken aback by this new disclosure, Kai asked again, "So, what about this \'cursed witch\' you mentioned?"

"People call my mother a cursed witch."

"...This sounds like a long story. How about we eat first?"

As Kai brought out a variety of food from his inventory, the girl’s mouth watered.

"A-are you sure this is okay? I\'m the child of a witch..."

"Whether you\'re the child of a witch or a demon king, people need to eat when it’s mealtime," Kai said with a pleasant smile.

***

The girl was so hungry that she ate enough for two grown men by herself. It was fortunate that Kai kept a generous supply of food in his inventory.

"Ahh.”

Kai watched the girl, who seemed to have truly enjoyed a proper meal for the first time in a while.

Is it because she’s a half-blood? She’s really cute. I\'d love to have a daughter like her someday.

With her big, round eyes, a nose that was surprisingly high for a child, her plump lips, and the perfect body balance typical of elves, she was so adorable that Kai felt an urge to buy her new clothes to replace her ragged ones.

If she were to enroll in an elementary school on Earth, it would instantly change the school\'s queen bee.

Coming to his senses, Kai cleared his throat and said, "Alright, shall we start the story now?"

"O-okay..." the girl responded softly, still seeming a bit intimidated by Kai.

Still finds me intimidating, huh? Well, then...

Having years of experience volunteering at an orphanage, Kai knew how to deal with children.

He smiled warmly and said, "By the way, we don’t know each other’s names yet. My name is Kai. I’m a cleric who believes in the Church of Solaris."

"My name is A-Ayana,” the girl replied.

"A-Ayana?"

"Oh, no, it’s just Ayana."

"So your name is Ayana, huh? Now that you mention it, my stomach feels a bit aya[1] too! Hahaha!"

Ayana stayed silent. She looked overwhelmed upon hearing Kai’s dad joke for the first time in her life. Goosebumps even appeared visibly on her delicate arms.

Seeing her pale face, Kai tilted his head. "Hm... not funny?"

"Of course not!" Ayana shouted without realizing.

At least she seems less intimidated by me now.

Though bearing the dishonor of making a dad joke was humiliating, it did help lighten the atmosphere significantly.

Satisfied, Kai watched Ayana, who cautiously opened her mouth to speak.

"Um... can I ask you something?"

"Of course.”

"M-my dad used to say that if you pray to the Solarian God with your whole heart, He will grant your wishes... Is that true?"

"Oh, if that were true, everyone in the world would be praying all the time.”

"I-it was a lie?!" Ayana gasped, visibly shaken by the shocking fact that her father lied to her.

Her long elf ears even drooped in disappointment!

"Why? Is there a wish you want to make?"

"Pardon? Oh, um... yes.”

"Then do you want to tell me what that wish is? If it\'s not a bad wish, I\'ll relay it directly to Helik for you."

"Are you close to the Solarian God?"

"Of course. He always chuckles and is pleased whenever I do something.”

"I-I see! Then..." Ayana closed her eyes tightly and clasped her hands together. "Helik, please help my mom and dad return safely.”

Kai\'s gaze changed at her wish; it was one not fitting for her age at all.

Something must have happened.

A half-elf girl guarding the clinic alone, her parents missing even though it was past lunchtime—it all pointed to something unusual.

Using his gentle voice to soothe her, Kai asked, "Can you tell me more about it?"

"Well..."

Ayana began to slowly speak. Her story was a bit jumbled and incoherent, as expected from a thirteen-year-old, but Kai listened patiently without interrupting.

"Hmm," Kai rubbed his throat thoughtfully.

As he did so, a conclusion came straight to him without even passing through his brain.

This story... It\'s like trying to swallow a steamed sweet potato—so frustrating slow!

He began to quickly piece together the details Ayana had provided.

First, Ayana\'s mother used her elven knowledge to create panaceas.

Naturally, the effects of the panaceas were far superior to those made by humans. Thanks to her, Whitehall quickly became renowned for its top-grade panaceas, and the Smile Clinic\'s reputation spread far and wide.

Her contributions alone boosted Whitehall\'s herbal medicine industry several fold.

It was an impressive achievement that was hard to believe it was accomplished by one person.

However, as with all successful ventures, it attracted unwanted attention.

But this particular attention was too significant.

The younger brother of Lord Whitehall had his eye on the medicine industry. Observing the massive profits generated by the Smile Clinic, he devised a business plan of his own.

The terms he offered the Smile Clinic were impressive, even to me.

However, he insisted on strictly controlling the quantity of panaceas to drive up their prices.

Unfortunately, this proposal was at odds with the couple’s desire to treat even the poorest individuals.

After they refused, he started his dirty tricks.

Suddenly, many people who consumed her medicine were poisoned and died.

The family requested a chance to explain that such a thing was impossible, but the noble’s power was overwhelming. Soldiers quickly surrounded the clinic, arrested the couple, and imprisoned them with the accusation of witchcraft.

And then, as if waiting for this moment, he set up his own clinic.

It was officially recognized by the lord as the only legitimate clinic in Whitehall, and it even boasted the latest facilities and renowned herbalists invited from the capital.

They were praised for curing residents who had been poisoned and were awaiting death.

Everything followed his script perfectly until this point.

The problem was that his plan started to take a turn afterward. He thought that once the Smile Clinic was shut down, he could monopolize its revenue, but without the panaceas made by the elf, there was no money to be made.

It’s like he killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. He would feel frustrated by now.

With the elf’s panaceas no longer being sold, the medicine industry in Whitehall shrank dramatically as merchants and nobles from other cities weren’t foolish enough to pay extra for panaceas they could obtain from their own towns.

That man with the goatee from earlier was the lord’s younger brother, right? He’s probably after the Smile Clinic’s recipes.

Of course, Ayana knew nothing about the panacea recipes. Though the man with the goatee seemed to think otherwise.

I’ve got the gist of the story now...

Kai asked Ayana, who was wearing a sad expression, “Ayana, can I ask what you were planning to do if Helik doesn’t grant your wish?”

“Well... I-I would work hard to gather and sell herbs... and in the next experiment, I would surely recreate the medicine my mother made.”

“And then?”

“A-and then... I would sell them, revive the clinic, and...”

Her voice, which had been passionately proclaiming her plan with clenched fists, gradually lost strength. The plan was so poorly thought out it was full of holes like old cheese. It was clearly a long shot and seeing how her eyes reddened with tears, she knew it as well.

Kai bit his lower lip.

Despite everything, that child only has...

That flimsy plan to rely on.

She’s on a terribly misguided voyage.

A voyage wasn’t about knowing the destination. Without a compass, a ship on the open sea was destined to sink.

Kai gently stroked her bowed head.

Even if Ayana creates a panacea based on her own recipe, it won’t solve everything.

The man with the goatee would be overjoyed. If he told Ayana that he would release her parents if she gave him the recipe, would a thirteen-year-old girl be able to resist such sweet words?

She wouldn’t be able to. Especially a girl who cares so much about her parents.

What she needed for her voyage was a compass, something to guide her straight to her destination without losing her way on the vast sea.

In that case... I’ll have to be her compass here.

There was no room for hesitation in that decision.

Tap, tap.

A little later, Kai was planting a sign in the ground at the entrance of the clinic.

"Are you really going to do this?" Ayana, who was watching him, couldn\'t hide her anxious expression and asked the same question repeatedly.

"I am. We can\'t just sit back and take it."

Pushing the sign firmly into the ground, Kai lightly stretched.

Whew. It\'s been a long time since I\'ve done this.

What he was about to do was quick, accurate, and free treatment!

Just like he did in Frica Village, he planned to treat the residents.

First, let\'s gather some people.

If a cleric of the Church of Solaris was offering treatment, people were sure to gather. It was a proven fact in Frica. However, even after an hour, then two, no one came.

Why...?

As Kai racked his brain in frustration, Ayana, seemingly looking guilty, apologized, "I-I\'m sorry. You\'re going through so much trouble because of me... but this place isn\'t on a busy path, so..."

"Not on a busy path...?"

A sudden realization struck Kai, and he understood his mistake.

I’m so stupid! How could I miss such a simple fact?

The reason he had managed to draw so many residents in Frica Village was not because of his level, fame, or high skill level.

It was because I set up right in front of their residential area.

Residents preferred visiting Kai, who was close by, rather than traveling to a far-off clinic or temple.

But the situation now is the exact opposite.

The goatee-bearded man\'s clinic was centrally located in the city, making it much easier to visit. In contrast, the Smile Clinic was located on the outskirts of the city, so people had no reason to pass by unless they were specifically visiting the clinic.

"This won\'t do..."

After pondering for a moment, Kai stood up and pulled the sign out of the ground.

"Oh... I-it\'s not going to work after all, is it...?"

Ayana\'s face clearly displayed all her thoughts—she really couldn\'t conceal her feelings.

Just as the small flicker of hope in her heart was about to be extinguished, Kai placed his hand on her head and gently stroked it.

Sunlight’s Warmth.

The divine power that seeped through her crown calmed her heart.

"Don\'t worry. I\'m a man who doesn\'t know how to give up."

"Th-then what are you going to do now?" Ayana\'s eyes widened in curiosity.

Kai, looking at her, grinned and put his two fists out in front of him. "Okay, think of my left fist as a tender, high-quality steak and my right fist as a plain chicken soup."

"I want to eat both!"

"R-right, they both sound delicious, don\'t they? But if you could only choose one, which would it be?"

"Well..." Without hesitation, Ayana grabbed Kai\'s left fist. "The high-quality steak!"

"Exactly. But here\'s the thing. This amazing high-quality steak offers home delivery, while the chicken soup can only be eaten at the restaurant. Which would you choose then?"

"Well, then of course... it should really be the high-quality steak," Ayana looked puzzled, not understanding why he was asking such a question.

Then, Kai beat his chest with his left fist and said, "I\'m that high-quality steak."

1. Korean term used toward children to indicate pain. ☜