Doctor Player

Chapter 17

“That’s how you arranged it on purpose.”

“What?”

A middle-aged man with a sharp impression opened his mouth from the top of the conference room.

“I have seen the data on Lord Raymond. He used ancient techniques to treat a number of difficult patients. I thought it wouldn’t be possible to have an ordinary patient to properly evaluate him.”

“Still…… I think he’s a very difficult patient.”

“That’s right.”

The examiners spoke in unison.

“If you assign this patient, he will fail without having to take the test.”

“The dropout is clear.”

Out!

A terrible word popped out.

“I’m sure he won’t be able to treat it. Then we have no choice but to reject him due to regulations.” The promotion test is conducted in two stages.

The strength of the heal is evaluated first, and then the treatment of patients is tested to identify their grade.

If the healers fail to treat the patient in that specified matching grade level, it is judged that he/she is still immature and is rejected.

“If that happens, I can’t help it. I have no choice but to fail him.”

“Count?”

The examiners opened their eyes wide at the cynical voice.

A middle-aged man.

Count Garrinson, one of the top executives in the Kingdom of Houston- the branch of the Tower of Healing, and has a significant influence in politics, said as if he would not allow further objections.

“Anyway, keep that in mind and proceed.”

Count Garrinson said so, the examiners were forced to nod and retreat.

Count Garrinson, who was left alone, murmured softly.

“That’s ridiculous. We were on the subject of a dirty illegitimate child.”

It was a scornful voice.

There was a reason why he showed such contempt for Raymond.

It was because of his cousin, the fourth Queen.

She, who was also the biological mother of the 4th prince Seitil, was particularly speculative and despised and disliked Raymond, who was born out of wedlock.

‘This time I must have asked him to fail the exam.’ Count Garrinson thought little of it.

‘It is nothing to get that guy eliminated.’

‘Although Duke August chewed a little more than he expected.’

Count Garrinson also knows that Duke August, a southern noble, became Raymond’s patron. 

‘Still, he can’t say anything. Because the healer test is only in the realm of the healing tower.’ In other fields, Count Garrinson’s authority here in the healing tower was absolute.

No matter how Duke August was, he doesn’t have the authority about what’s going on inside the healing tower.

“It’s not wrong to make the test ‘somewhat’ difficult” said Count Garrinson with a wry smile.

‘As long as this body of mine is in the healing tower, Raymond, you’ll never be a healer.’

***

Meanwhile, other examiners who left the conference room shook their heads.

“Count Garrinson must have made up his mind already. To assign such a difficult patient to a promotion examination.”

“Don’t you know why?”

“Let’s pretend we don’t know. It’s not good for us to get caught up in the affairs of high-ranking people.” The examiners decided to turn a blind eye.

“I pity Sir Raymond. Since I heard his anecdote after saving princess Sophia, I could not help but think that he is a therapist who cares about his patients.”

“He had been an apprentice for as long as five years, haven’t he? He has been waiting for so long, but he’ll never be able to pass.” They clicked their tongues.

However, a tester who was lost in thought asked the wrong question.

“What happens if Lord Raymond manages to treat the patient?”

“What?”

“I was wondering how to rate it.”

To that question, the examiners were silent.

The rating of the healer is determined by comprehensively considering the strength of the heal and the ability to treat the actual patient.

Usually, there is no significant difference, so it is often rated similar to the strength of the heal. But in this case, how can they fathom doing so?

“I heard that his healing power is below grade F…What if he manages to treat the patient that requires a B+ therapist healer? What grade should I give him?”

Another examiner smirked.

“You’re worrying too much. There’s no way he can treat the patient, is there? If you have time to worry about that, think about what to eat for lunch today.” 

“Well…… There’s no way he can treat that patient.”

The tester, who first raised the question, also nodded, thinking that he had thought of nothing.

“Let’s go eat.”

So time passed, and the day of the examination came.

***

There were two towers on the continent.

It was the “Magic Tower” the headquarters of wizards, and the “Tower of Healing,” the hometown of healers.

Although, it is different in the case of the Free City Union, the Iron Empire, and the Holy Kingdom in faraway places. Healers in the Cross League Empire were all members of the healing tower.

Therefore, the place for the promotion test was, of course, the branch of the healing tower kingdom.

Raymond sat in the waiting room and waited his turn with the other apprentices.

“Is that the famous person?”

“He was the one who saved princess Sophia?”

“The Shadow Prince?”

Raymond was a famous figure in many ways.

An illegitimate son of a king.

A late-year-old failing student with healing power that is less than grade F.

But he was the one who saved the princess’ life.

Most therapists dismissed what he had done that day as a mysterious event of luck and refused to acknowledge Raymond’s ability, but he gained fame anyway.

The apprentices glanced at Raymond because they couldn’t help but pay attention.

“But anyway…… he doesn’t look like much. How could he have done it?”

“He seemed to be too nervous.”

“Is it true that he saved the princess?”

“He looks handsome, though.”

Mysterious emerald-colored eyes with a delicate appearance.

However, there was a lot of tension on his face.

Raymond was actually very nervous.

‘My heart is pounding.’

‘Oh, my heart. Stop and still. Why are you shaking so much?’

Raymond could not help but sigh softly.

However, his heart didn’t sink easily.

It’s all natural and to be expected.

‘It’s a test that I’ve been waiting for for 5 years. If I fell from here, I had to do apprenticeship again.’

‘I originally don’t have a bold personality. Not to mention the fact that I have no talent. That is why I have every reason to be trembling in nervousness right now.’

‘Let’s think about something else. If you stick it together and become a therapist, you’ll make a fortune. You will be able to eat delicious food every day. I can finally remove the vegetable soup from my diet forever.’

Vegetable soup.

It was Raymond’s least favorite food as the main menu of his apprenticeship diet.

‘Delicious steak, tenderloin, sirloin, and chicken meat. I can already imagine the taste. The dessert will also be made by freezing it with ice magic.’

Upon thinking about these, Raymond was relieved. But only for a few minutes until he was hit again by his messy reality.

Raymond uttered a curse under his breath.

‘I couldn’t relax at all even when I am thinking about anything else.’

‘What if I really fail?’

‘I must pass and become a therapist.’

‘So I can be rich, and that others can’t just disregard me…’

‘And most of all, I want to see and treat patients too.’

Raymond was slightly embarrassed by the thought that came to his mind.

– I want to see a patient too.

To be honest, he chose to be a healer because he wanted to succeed.

This is because it was the only way for him to show his ability as a low-born illegitimate child.

There were only three ways for illegitimate children to succeed socially.

Wizard.

Healer.

Mercenary Soldier.

Only these three professions did not regard the status quo.

So as soon as he woke up, Raymond had chosen to become a healer without looking back.

‘I didn’t know at the time that my healing talent would be this lacking.’

Anyway, Raymond had chosen the path of a healer with vulgar greed. To be honest, he initially didn’t have a grand heart for the patient.

However, recently, a different mind was through his unconsciousness sprouting little by little.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You made me feel better.”

Raymond starts getting the pleasure of seeing his patients all recovered and better.

Especially when he saved a vomiting patient, when he saved the princess, and after he managed to save Cliang.

Words could not express the feeling of being overwhelmed when saving a dying patient.

‘……If you fail, it will be harder to feel this way.’ 

It was the moment when Raymond bit his lower lip.

As if on cue a message popped into his head.

[The Heart of Steel has been manifested as you think of your patients!]

[Your will has been strengthened!]

‘…what?’

Raymond’s eyes widened from the unexpected message.

Suddenly he felt much more comfortable.

Fear became a moderate tension, and he naturally relaxed.

Raymond didn’t know that Heart of Steel can be used this way.

It was a new discovery.

Even if he was not necessarily in the middle of treating a patient, all patient-related situations seemed to manifest this skill.

Anyway, it was a relief.

At this rate, Raymond thought there would be no way that he could not show his skills due to tension.

Raymond’s shift in feelings was felt by other apprentices around him as well.

“What?”

“Did the atmosphere suddenly change?”

Raymond doesn’t look like a pathetic kitten as he did earlier.

Raymond’s calm face with moderate composure did not show any traces of nervousness but rather felt elegant.

Suddenly, Raymond seemed to be not an illegitimate child, but the noble family’s prince.

“Did he control his mind?”

“How can he control his emotions like that? He looked so nervous before.”

It was time for the apprentices to admire Raymond in their minds.

It was then Raymond’s turn.

“Sir Raymond, please come in.”

“Alright.”

Raymond rose from his seat and followed the examiner.

There was a screeching sound that was given to life.

When he opened the door and entered, a large room appeared.

It was like a courtroom.

The person taking the test stood below as if he were a criminal under interrogation, and the judges looked down from above like a judge making a ruling.

“Raymond. Healing power, below grade F. Is that right?”

“That’s right.”

Raymond nodded.

Laughter flashed across the faces of some judges.

They chattered as if they were in trouble.

“Your healing power is below grade F. I don’t know how to look at this.”

“That’s right. If it’s below grade F, it’s embarrassing to call it healing power.” The original Raymond would have been frozen just by being scolded like this.

But not now.

[The Heart of Steel is being manifested!]

[Maintaining your strong will!]

Raymond was able to pass it calmly without any damage.

As Raymond stood unperturbed, some of the judges caught it with their eyes.

Despite this pressure, Raymond’s calm appearance was very impressive.

‘You’re not nervous at all.’

‘Even those who are strong can’t hide their nervousness in tests like this.’

‘As expected. Is it because of his lineage from the king?’