Tended Injuries

There was a young man sitting near the entrance that seemed caught by my arrival. “Excuse me, could you ask one of the attendants if they minded seeing me when they had a free moment? I don’t think they’d take kindly to my buddy’s company here.” They started to hurry off, but I called out. “They don’t need to rush. Get to me when it’s my turn.”

I nudged the boar over to the outside and sat down. Once I saw the young man reach the front desk, I waved over to hopefully help give them a face. A nod came from the woman and he darted back to me. “She’ll be right over!”

“I didn’t need to make a big deal about it. I’m not trying to cut ahead.”

Though before I could protest more the woman was already standing before me. She looked a little puzzled and panicked. What did he tell her? “Sir Hero! What happened to you?”

“I found myself in a bit of trouble.” I pointed over to the creature. She leaned around going a little wide eyed by the sight.

“You slewed an Ungaust?! How?”

“With the grace of a toddler walking,” I answered with a grimace. She got a good view of the bloodied leathers I had. The attendant went to turn around, but I stopped her. “I took a potion, so I’m looking worse than I feel…most of the time. But I had a couple of questions. If I may?”

“Yes, what can I help with?” There was some bluntness to her voice, while still maintaining that business smile.

“I’m new here, so I don’t know how any of this works. I hoped you’d be able to walk me through what I can do with my drunk buddy at my side.”

“We don’t personally handle the harvesting and sale of material. But we act as an intermediary. There are many craftsmen that would be interested in an Ungaust.”

“Oh great, this beast is rare or something?”

She gave me a light shrug. “An Ungaust is an uncommon creature, but still rather weak by comparison. Though for you to be newly summoned?” I nodded vigorously to emphasize the point. “It’s surprising, especially alone. The tailor and smith would appreciate most of the beast and alchemists and potion makers could use the bones, venom pouch and mana organs.”

“Also, I think I have some broken things inside, do you have some sort of magic that I can use this…Ungaust to pay for those services?”

“Of course, sir! We have a registered healer that can tend to your body.”

“That enough to cover my medical bill?”

“Most likely, we won’t know the exact amount until it is cleaned and harvested, but the Hall can confirm an advanced payment to cover your need.”

“Great! I’m in your hands.”

The attendant motioned to a couple of women behind the counter. They looked tall and surprisingly broad in trousers and a shirt. In a single effortless lift, one of them nearly palmed the monster. She put it under her arm as the two marched over to a nearby shop. Both disappeared quickly behind hanging rugs. ‘All humans that strong or they special?’

But in my distraction, the attendant lowered a hand down for me. I politely accepted and limped inside, with eyes still following me where I went. It felt like some of them were judging me or maybe sizing me up. There wasn’t a lot I was getting from just the stares.

She took me to a side room off of the primary chamber of the Hall. A couple of short words looked to be exchanged between her and the healer. He nodded and turned to me. “Evening, sir. Your payment’s been covered by the Hall I’m told. So what did you need?”

I pointed down to the soaked section of my newbie armor. “I sprung a leak.” He gave me a bit of a raised eyebrow. “Bad run in with a, Ungaust? It charged me, knocking me down. Pretty sure something is broken or multiple. I took a potion that recovered me some.”

“Explains why you’re still standing. Please disrobe and lie on the table. I’ll get you back into fighting shape.” There wasn’t more I could ask for in the situation. I stripped down and carefully placed myself down. The prickly feeling still poked my insides, but I found a position that didn’t make that happen.

The useful healer began to work their magic on me. I had expected a staff, though after getting two balls perhaps I should have changed my assumptions. They carried a box or container that they laid on the table. It honestly just looked like they were a regular doctor.

There was a knife and bottles that did something I didn’t follow. Each tool glowed with a green emerald radiance as though it was channeling magic like I did when casting the ‘Lunar Ray’. Though there was no flash and spectacle with it. The man just worked in a very practical way digging through my guts.

It immediately terrified me what he was doing, medieval medicine being in my head. But I didn’t feel any of it. He numbed the areas he worked on I guess. There wasn’t really an explanation that he provided, just silently working. There wasn’t even some shock or confusion at my injuries. I guess he’d seen it all. They were being paid by the Hall to patch people up, so they must have a lot of work.

I just laid still on the table after my anxiety faded. Which left me with a lot of time to think. Now that I was thinking straight, I recalled a level up message from the system. If I wasn’t concerned about moving unnecessary for the doctor, I would have looked at it. But I didn’t want more trouble than I probably already was for the man. ‘Did I get anything useful?’

The Queen did say the past Astral Priest lived short lives, but I assumed they got a few levels or more. So I doubted that anything I got this early would be a healing spell or else they would haven’t been as bothered. It did make me wonder how far anyone had gotten before.

“Finished. You’re safe now.”

They were already starting to put away their tools. Remembering the pain I had before when I moved my leg, I cautiously lifted it. Safe. I sat up slowly. There wasn’t even a numbness that I’d expect after some sort of surgery. It was like everything just was normal. I blinked with some surprise. “Thank you! There anything I should be aware of or careful about?”

“Aside from recklessly going up against an Ungaust unprepared?”

“Yeah, I didn’t learn my lesson the first time. I’ll be charging straight in.”

“Wear stronger protection.” We exchanged a light smirk and they nodded. “No, you’re all patched up. Apart from resting for the night, you’re free to go back to killing yourself tomorrow.”

“Great, I don’t like having a long life!”

“If you still got your sense of humor then you should be fine. Just try to not go alone again.”

I just gave him an awkward smile. Flashes of the royal court and the call with my former raid group slammed me suddenly. Giving him a nod, they started to depart. It would be better this way. It always was.

Being this terrible healer, I wasn’t going to find myself anyone that would have to join me anyway. So that would work out for me, I guess. I sighed.

Before I returned to the main chambers, I immediately wanted to sate my curiosity. A quick check to my stat screen showed that I was now a level 2 Astral Priest for all that trouble. But to my surprise, there was a second level separate from it. “Level 5, what is this?”