Today, I had seven people I moved from yesterday and an additional patient. All of them had minor issues; I took care of them ihan an hour and earned anold, two silver, and a small basket of apples. They even looked like regur apples. The innkeeper asked me what to do with the poultry and grains, and I told him to keep them; I had no use for them. In exge, he told me I had two free days, including a room, board, and bath. That was very nice of him. I expected a meal or two, but the dud the kikidas—that’s what those demi-chis were called—were all ying females, so he was delighted.

  For the rest of the day, I took out my bicycle, rode out of town with Stretch, pyed with him a little, a him explore. Then, I sat down tee. I checked my mana and had to do a double take; it was 1100/4500.

  When did I get the extra 300? Maybe because I used a lot of it?

  No, it made little sehe previous time it went up, I didn’t use it at all, and it jumped up 1200 points.

  I NEED AN INSTRUANUAL! THIS DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE!!

  This time, I wasn’t “rebuked.” Thank God for small mercies.

  By nightfall, my mana was 2860/4500, and I wasn’t tired, so I tiee. I remembered that before I met Domenid Aurustine; I was alseing and not feeling tired when I should have. Seing or breathing in mana staves off tiredness?

  I’ll o experiment.

  Stretch came back at some point and demanded food and water. I fed us both, and we slept for a few hours till dawuro town and had breakfast at the inn. I went to the carpeo collect my operating table and partitions and asked the innkeeper if he had ay room without a bed. He did, so I took it for the day and told him to send the first patient ihey arrived.

  The boy with the deviated nasal septum was the first to arrive, clutg his mother’s hand. His father followed close behind, looking both hopeful and anxious. They approached me, and his mother hesitantly asked, “Is it alright if we stay in the room with him while you heal him?” Her voice quivered slightly, betraying her nerves.

  “Of course,” I replied with a reassuring smile. “You stay by his side the eime.” I led them into the room, which was and brightly lit, aured for the boy to lie down on the operating table.

  The boy climbed up, his small body trembling a bit, but he put on a brave face. “This won’t hurt, right?” he asked, looking up at me with wide eyes.

  I k down to his level and gave him a gentle smile. “You won’t feel a thing. I’m going to do something that will make you sleep, and when you wake up, your breathing will be much better.”

  He nodded, and I pced my hands oher side of his head, eling Ahesia. His eyes slowly closed, and his body rexed into a deep sleep. “He’s asleep now,” I told his parents, who were watg anxiously from the er of the room.

  With steady hands, I made the incisions, carefully cutting and removing the deviated parts of the septum. Then I meticulously reied the pieces into their proper positions. As I worked, I expihe process to his parents in a calm, even tone. “I’m just repositioning the septum now. This will help him breathe much more easily.”

  His father nodded, looking a bit more reassured. “Will he have any scars?” he asked, his voice tense.

  “hat will be visible,” I replied. “I’m using magic to heal the cuts as I go.” I pleted the adjustments and eled healing energy into the boy, closing the incisions seamlessly. The whole procedure took less than half an hour.

  I gently roused him from the ahesia, and he woke up slowly, blinking in fusion. “It’s all done,” I said softly, helping him sit up. “How do you feel?”

  The boy rubbed his nose and took a deep breath. “It feels...different. Better, I think.”

  His mother rushed forward, hugging him tightly. “I made sure he slept well and ate extra before we came,” she said, her voice filled with relief and pride.

  “Good to know that it helps,” I replied with a nod. They handed me two gold s, but I shook my head and handed one back. “It was a quid easy procedure. o overcharge.”

  “Thank you so much,” his father said, his voice thick with gratitude. “You’ve done more for us than we ever repay.”

  I smiled and pced a hand on the boy’s shoulder, casting Fortify Life Force to give him a little extra boost. “Take care of yourself, young man. You’ll be just fine.”

  As they left, I turned back to the room, ing and purifying everythiiculously. The space was ready for the patient. Mana 3680/4500.

  By the time I was dohe other two patients had arrived. I took the dy first, as her procedure was quicker.

  “Please follow me,” I said, leadio the treatment room. She walked in, looking slightly nervous but determined.

  “Alright, I’m going to need you to undress and lie down oable,” I instructed, giving her a reassuring smile. She nodded, her hands trembling slightly as she plied.

  Once she was ready, I eled Ahesia. “This will help you sleep,” I expined, pg my hands gently oemples. Her eyes fluttered closed, and her breathing evened out.

  I made the initial incision with precision, cutting her abdomen open. “Now es the tricky part,” I muttered to myself, grabbing the blood and beginning the diagnosis process. My hands glowed faintly as I eled the spell, searg for the first scar tissue.

  “There you are,” I whispered, log the damaged area. With steady hands, I cut off the scar tissue and healed the pce with a gentle pulse of magic. “One down, six to go,” I murmured, repeating the process. Each time, I carefully removed the scar tissue and healed the incision, ensuring there were no plications.

  After removing and healing the seventh scar, I diagnosed her again. “Let’s make sure everything’s fine,” I said, the spell revealing a bill of health. I released the Ahesia, and she slowly woke up.

  “It’s all done,” I said softly, helping her sit up. She looked around, slightly dazed. “How do you feel?”

  “A bit tired,” she replied, her voice weak but steady. “But okay.”

  I nodded. “Did you mao eat and sleep extra before ing here?”

  “Yes, I did,” she assured me, managing a small smile. “But I still feel tired.”

  “That’s normal,” I said. It seemed the boy’s extra energy was because of his youth and resilienot some magical solution.

  She handed me two gold s. “Thank you,” she said, her gratitude clear in her eyes.

  “You’re wele,” I replied, accepting the payment this time. “Take care of yourself, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to e back.”

  As she left, I ed and purified everythiiculously, preparing for the patient. Mana 2800/4500.

  The gentleman walked in, looking slightly apprehensive. “Hello,” I greeted him, a f smile. “Please, have a seat.”

  He sat down, fidgeting nervously. “This won’t take long, right?” he asked.

  “It will take a bit of time, but you’ll be much better after,” I assured him. “I need you to take off your pants and lie down oable.”

  He plied, lying down with a deep breath. I eled the Ahesia, watg as his body rexed into a deep sleep. “Alright, let’s get started,” I murmured, making the first incision and beginning the delicate process of re-breaking and healing the bone.

  “This part is always tricky,” I muttered, fog ily on my task. I worked meticulously, ensuring that I set the bone correctly and healed it. As I tinued, I diagnosed him, notig some muscle damage and scar tissue. “Let’s take care of that too,” I said to myself, cutting away the scar tissue and healing the muscles.

  I cast three Fortify Life Force spells to help his body cope with the demanding procedure. “That should give you a good boost,” I noted, finishing up and waking him from the Ahesia.

  He blinked awake, looking around in fusion. “It’s done?” he asked, sitting up slowly.

  “Yes, it’s done,” I firmed, helping him to his feet. “How do you feel?”

  “A bit tired and hungry,” he admitted. “But I followed your instrus about food a.”

  “Good,” I said. “The tiredness will pass.” He didn’t experience as much exhaustion as most people who undergo a serious procedure. The food a helped, just not as much as with the boy.

  He handed me five gold s, his eyes shining with gratitude. “Thank you. I’ve been in pain for years after a cart wheel drove over my leg.”

  “I’m gd I could help,” I replied, trying to return two gold s, but he shook his head firmly.

  “No, keep it. You’ve done more than enough,” he insisted.

  Mana 1760/4500. I had finished for the day, feeling a sense of satisfa as I left, knowing that I had made a signifit differen their lives.

  After he left, I checked my blinking light.

  Level up

  +3 intelligence, +3 wisdom, +2 vitality, +3 free points

  Css: Healer Level 10

  Stat points: 9

  I thought about it st night and added the stats to stitution. I also remembered something about getting new spells.

  ht! That’s where Fortify Life Force came from, level five.

  I checked the healer spell list:

  Heal Muscle - 14Diagnose - 10Stop Bleeding - 3Heal Bone - 7trol Blood - 11Healing Touch - 20ralize Poison - 1Purify - 9 - 13Ahesia - 7Regrow Flesh - 1Fortify Life Force - 5se

  I checked the se description:

  se

  se is a versatile spell desige impurities, toxins, and harmful substances from ay or an object. By systematically eliminating inants, se ehat it purifies the target.

  There are two ways to cast it:

  As a cast spell: When you cast se in this manner, it affects the specific area on which you direct it. This method is ideal for targeting localized impurities or ination on surfaces or within a fined space.As a eled spell: You also el se, enabling it to harmful substances from an anism in stages. The lohe eling, the deeper the se pees, reag and purging more profound levels of toxins and impurities. By repeating this method multiple times, you achieve a thh purification. A deep se of the anism removes all adverse effects and diseases resulting from harmful substances, leading to a state of plete internal liness ah.

  Not bad, not bad at all.

  The descriptioioned an object, so I checked something. Some sidered food c harmful, so I took out a donut with a pink gze and cast se on it.

  Ugh, I eat that?

  There was an oily, disgusting blob on top of my donut that smelled like burnt oil and some other nasty stuff. At least it looked cheerful; all the pink color from the gze was in the oily blob. The donut looked a bit shriveled.

  I think I’ll take a break from donuts for a while.

  Taking ara day in town, I rexed and regeed before tinuing my jouro learn how to remove pelts correctly, I still o find a hunter or a tanner. I bid the innkeeper and his family goodbye and gave him a silver as thanks for serving as the town’s ic. Took out my bike, ected the trailer, Stretch hopped in, and we were on our way.

  After riding for about six hours, we stopped for lunch. After eating, Stretch ran away to explore, and I decided he had the right idea. Moving fast on the bike was nice, but I loved the beautiful wilderness. I checked the map and saw that the road curved around the mountains at some point, and the own was oher side of the mountains. I stored the bike, called for Stretch, a out on foot.

  We walked the whole day, enjoying the quiet. In the evening, I set up camp in a lovely meadow with tall grass and got an idea. I checked my mana, and it was full. I had beehing it in all day. Starting with lying on my back, I pced my hand on my head and eled the se spell. Initially, I took it slow just in case, but once I didn’t feel any adverse effects, I ramped up the eling iy. I felt the maer my body a “absorbed,” but felt nothing else. I tinued until I felt the lightheadedhat signifies low mana. Mana 80/4500. I stopped and just y there, waiting for something to happen.

  After a few minutes, I felt like my whole body was cramping slightly. It wasn’t painful, just unpleasant, and I started feeling thirsty. I drank a bottle of water, but it wasn’t enough. Only after drinking five bottles of water, I stopped feeling parched.

  Now what?

  I just y there. I could feel that something was happening in my body—all over my body—but when I tried to diagnose myself, I felt resista felt like the spell couldn’t pass through the mana that saturated my body, and I sehat my body was indeed saturated. After another five minutes, my stomad iiarted gurgling ominously. I ran to the bushes and expelled A LOT of filth from my body.

  Ugh!

  It smelled awful. Stretch ran as far away as he could. I started breaking camp fast to get away from the stench. After we walked away for fifteen minutes, I felt parched again. I took out more water and drank it.

  The gurgling started again.

  Seriously? Again?

  I ran to another bush and expelled more yuck.

  This is getting ridiculous.

  Thirsty again.

  More water.

  Please let this end soon.

  Visit a bush.

  Run away from the stench.

  How it be this bad?

  More water.

  Not again.

  Bush.

  Run away.

  I hope Stretch hasn’t abandoned me.

  Thirsty.

  Why does this keep happening?

  Bush.

  I’m starting to hate bushes.

  Run away.

  This is never-ending.

  Water.

  I don’t know how much more I take.

  Another bush. My bones hurt—like I was experieng growing pains again.

  This ’t be good.

  More water.

  Please make it stop.

  A poor bush.

  I really feel bad for these bushes.

  This time, I also threw up.

  They say variety is good for you.

  I ran far, far away—I couldn’t see Stretymore; I thought he gave up on me.

  ’t bme him.

  More water.

  How much longer this go on?

  Another bush painted from both ends.

  This is beyond disgusting.

  Run further away.

  I hope this is the st time.

  Parched again. More water.

  Another bush.

  This is never going to end.

  Run away.

  I think Stretch has officially disowned me.

  Thirsty.

  Please, just let this stop.

  More water.

  Bush.

  Run away.

  This is absolute torture.

  More water.

  Another poor bush.

  How much more my body take?

  Run further away.

  Bush.

  More water.

  This has to end.

  Another bush.

  I’m going to need so much therapy after this.

  Run away.

  More water.

  Another bush.

  I’m so over this.

  I felt parched and feared I would run out of toilet paper if this tinued.

  Please, no more.

  I drank another four bottles of water and waited for the gurgling, but it didn’t e. I was walking and holding my pants with one hand; they kept falling off me. I lifted my shirt and looked at myself; I looked like a PO survivor, not just emaciated but made of skin and bones with nothing iween.

  Another mild gurgle, another poor bush, more water, but now I was also starving a like I might faint from hunger.

  Just in case the wind ged dire, I walked for another five minutes, but then I couldn’t walk anymore. My body demanded food NOW! I felt like my body was stomping its foot and shouting FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!

  Once I determined I was far enough, I sat down and begaing. sidering my dition, takeaway was the only option for me, as I couldn’t cook. I ate for over an hour, just oakeaway box after another. After eating three to four weeks of food, I slowed down with the food, but was thirsty again—seven bottles of water. Ahh, I was feeling human again.

  This is so nice.

  Murgling.

  Oh, e on! Not again!

  Another poor bush.

  Run away.

  I o escape this nightmare.

  Hungry again.

  How I still be hungry?

  More food. My stomach felt like a bottomless pit.

  Water.

  Another bush.

  I ’t believe I still have more to expel.

  Run away.

  Just keep moving.

  More water.

  Please let this be the end.

  So far, so good.

  Maybe it’s finally over.

  Nling.

  Thank heavens.

  I ate another week’s supply of food and drank more water—nling, and my body was filling out like it was building its flesh yers. I fell on my bad just y there, exhausted. That was a nasty and smelly experience. I y on my back, looking at the big moon, breathing in mana, and recuperating.

  I felt an intense cramp in my abdomen.

  Not again!

  But it subsided, and I felt a refreshing and invigorating ass through my body.

  Does it mean that this is over?

  I woke up from the “tongue arm,” pushed Stretch away, and saw it was su.

  Did I sleep the whole day?

  I didn’t remember falling asleep.

  How did I sleep with the sun high in the sky in my face?

  When I ied my body, it felt great. I diagnosed my body, and it was eveer. I thought I was healthy before, but I was wrong; NOW I was healthy. I checked my mana 1390/6300.

  What the hell?

  I shouted at the sky, “You be angry with me as much as you like; I don’t care. How does any of this make sense? I healed a ton of people and nothing. But I had the shits for half a night, lost all my body weight, and I got mana? Where is the logic? Or are you just enjoying seeing us flounder, and it’s all arbitrary? THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!”

  I didn’t get a reply or any kind of rea.

  Figures.

  I set up camp, started a fire, took out pots and pans, and started cooking. During the st day, I seriously depleted my ready food supplies.

  Stretch finally came back, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and reproach. “Sorry, buddy, rough night,” I said, patting his head. He seemed tive me once I handed him some food.