Monster Integration

Chapter 4556: Patients II

I came down the stairs, and a surprise appeared on my face when I saw the number of people sitting there.

Usually, in the past week, when I woke, there was none. At most, there are one or two, but now I saw six people sitting in there, and their eyes turned toward me as they saw me.

I smiled before sitting beside my usual seat; it is the only one that is empty.

"I kept it reserved for you," said Mira as she placed the breakfast in front of me a minute later.

"It is more crowded than usual," I said as I looked at the crowd. "It is, and they are here for you," she replied with a big smile.

On the first day, I saw eleven patients. The second day, it was ten; the third, sixteen, and the fourth, twenty-one.

Yesterday, it was twenty-four.

Numbers are steadily increasing. Though its first time I saw them in an inn.

Of the six, two here are guests; I had felt their presence; the four seemed to be patients; not all four are patients; only two of them, two, seemed to be their friends and family.

Many people do not come to the clinic alone; they bring someone with them for emotional and sometimes physical support.

I ate in silence, enjoying the meal and the scenery outside. It’s not beautiful visually, but it is when one looks at the emotions of people walking by, each busy with their own thoughts and struggles.

I finished up the meal and walked out of the inn. When I reached the clinic, I saw two people already there.

I nodded at them before walking inside; there is still an hour before I take the patients. So, as usual, I looked at preparations, checking everything.

’I will need to craft a more basic solution,’ I noted. I had crafted an adequate amount of it, but I prescribed it to the patients.

Many people suffer from various ailments due to the impurities in their bodies. That solution is helpful in bringing it to a manageable level.

It is not their fault; it is because of the diet they consume.

The fish called jarul in the lake is high in energy, but also has a lot of impurities. Speciality in bones, which people make a soup of; they shouldn’t.

It is not something special to this place; every place, even in this continent, has thousands of things that contain huge impurities or other harmful things.

Eating them is not a problem; eat them in moderation and according to one’s level.

The body is an incredible thing; it could process nearly everything as long as it is not in excess. Many organisations control their young members’ diet for this very reason.

Click!

I was reading when the door opened, and Mira peeked in. "I am sending a first patient," she informed.

I nodded, and a few seconds later, the door opened again, and the old grey stoneskin man walked inside. He is ancient, nearly pushing, not far away from death.

It isn’t just his appearance, but also the feeling of decay that came with age.

"Healer," he said. "Please take a seat," I replied.

"How can I help you?" I asked. "I want to make a breakthrough into Grade II," he replied, and I have to say, I am surprised, not because of what he had said.

A few people have come to me to check on my condition for the breakthrough they are planning for me.

I am surprised by this man’s age. Usually, people don’t try to make a breakthrough at this age, unless they are very sure or want to make the last gamble.

It is very common because if they succeed, they could have decades of life ahead of them, and with them, chances to progress further.

"Please lie down on the bed," I said, and the man got up and lay down. I walked to him and placed my hand on his wrist, then on his head.

"I would advise you not to do that. Your body will not be able to bear it."

Especially the damage you had suffered in the last attempt around ago, which you were fortunate to survive," I advised, while the old man laughed.

"I have a year, two at most, before I kick the bucket. I don’t want to die, healer, there is too much life for me to live," he replied before turning to me with serious eyes.

"Can you advise me on something that will make the process safer?" he asked, and I wanted to shake my head, but seeing his expression. I know, he had made up his mind.

He would not listen to anything, I have to say.

"I would advise against it, but since you want to do it. Then I would say focus on healing the injuries you have already suffered and practice Valtor’s Exercise at least to the third level,"

"This will take your chances to 10%," I advised.

"Thank you, healer, I really appreciate it," he said, while I just sighed.

I took the medicine and gave it to him while asking him to visit a month later.

Even if he does all that, the chances of his success are very small. He would likely die in the first stage of the breakthrough. His body is too fragile to bear it, but he will still do it, as a lot of others do.

The temptation of one last chance is too great to resist.

He left, and another patient came. This one was a child whose parents brought him to check his condition and then for cleaning. Looking at his body, he is going through a cleaning once a year.

Such things benefit one a lot, but not everyone can afford them. These parents are a little well and doing it in the hope that their child will have a better future than they did.

I checked his condition and gave him an appropriate cleansing medicine before meeting another patient.