Chương 85: Job Offer

As the capital city of Luminarche, Luxanne's healthcare was top-tier. It had three massive hospitals, each of them equipped with the latest cutting-edge magi-medical technology. The healers of these hospitals were amongst the very best in the country. They had to be, considering how Luxanne was also home to the guildhall of the vaunted Healer's Guild, one of the most prestigious and respected guilds in existence.

And right now, the guildmaster of said guild was sitting before Levi, his blue eyes trying their utmost best to pierce into Levi's soul itself.

"So," said Guildmaster Abode.

"So," said Levi. They were inside the guildmaster's office at the top floor of the hospital. Though, Levi was fairly certain that the office wasn't actually Guildmaster Abode's. This was because before entering, Levi had stood to the side for several seconds and watched Guildmaster Abode pick the lock to the office's door. This was also because the nameplate on the desk was labeled 'Hospital Director: Elisa Katti.' Guildmaster Abode sat behind the walnut wood desk, his cane precariously tilted against the edge.

He was leaning forward, his fingers steepled together. Before him, Levi sat in a plush leather armchair, evenly meeting the guildmaster's stare.

"You're telling me," Guildmaster Abode said slowly, "that you managed to isolate the Proliferation growths from the rest of the body, all thirteen some million of them, and somehow kill each and every single one. Simultaneously. Without harming a single healthy cell in the process. Then, you were able to neutralize the subsequent toxins that leaked into the blood, before disintegrating the growths and replacing them with stents of raw mana." Levi nodded.

"More or less." Guildmaster Abode sat back, rubbing his face.

"Even the best healers in the world have been unable to properly isolate and eliminate the Proliferation growths – not without either irrevocably damaging the patient in the process or leaving behind trace tumors that'll eventually return in full force. You are the first person in all of history to ever cure a case of Proliferation. A late-stage case to boot. You realize that's supposed to be impossible, right? I doubt there's a single healer in existence who can replicate what you just did."

Levi hummed, considering.

"Isn't that the whole point of magic?" he asked quietly.

"Achieving the impossible?" Guildmaster Abode stared at him for a long moment. Then, he tossed his head back and laughed uproariously.

"I like you, lad. You know, half the healers in this hospital refuse to believe that you managed a cure. The other half is wondering if you're the second coming of the Great Saintess." He paused.

"You are a guy, right?" Levi cracked a smile.

"I am, yes."

"I see. Any plans to change that?" Levi snorted.

"Not at the moment."

"Pity. I would've been honored to be one of the first to recognize Your Holiness."

"That's going a little too far," Levi said.

"I did a decent job at best."

"A decent job," Guildmaster Abode echoed. His voice was deliberately measured.

"Not a good one?" Levi tilted his head.

"I wasn't able to regenerate her leg." There was a long moment of silence.

"Do you want a new job?" Guildmaster Abode asked.

"No, thank you."

"Five thousand iridium coins." Levi opened his mouth, then paused.

"Per year," Guildmaster Abode clarified.

"I'm sorry, but–""Ten thousand." Levi blinked.

"Not enough? Fine," Guildmaster Abode said.

"Just name your price. I'll pay you from my personal funds if I have to."

"I'm sorry," Levi said, "but I don't have any plans to become a healer–""One hundred," Guildmaster Abode said, laying his hands flat on the table.

"That's how many people develop Proliferation every year. Cursed with a terminal illness with no cure and barely any treatment. You can help them. You'll even become filthy rich doing so. Proliferation doesn't discriminate; poor or rich, commoner or noble, civilian or adventurer, it strikes them all. The salary I offer you will only be the base sum; if you heal even one noble, you could easily triple or quadruple that number. In this hospital alone, there are twelve long-term patients with Proliferation.

Four of them have less than two months to live. If they're lucky. I'll pay you the entire lump sum by the end of today if you heal them." Levi was silent for a long moment. Then, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I have no intentions to become a healer." Guildmaster Abode held his gaze for a long time. Then, he sighed.

"An adventurer through and through, huh? I can see it in your eyes; a hospital isn't the place for you. Very well, I suppose I can't convince you otherwise–" He blinked.

"Where are you going?" Levi had risen from his chair and made his way to the door. At Guildmaster Abode's words, he turned around, his hand on the doorknob.

"You mentioned twelve patients, no? Let's go. Time's a-wastin'." Guildmaster Abode blinked.

"If you're not going to do this fulltime, then I can't justify ten thousand iridium coins. The highest I can go for these twelve patients is–""Zero," Levi said.

"That's the highest I'll accept. I don't do this for the money, Guildmaster Abode." Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. With that, he pushed the door open and strode into the hallway. Behind him, Guildmaster Abode cursed as he fumbled for his cane, limping hurriedly to catch up to Levi. As they exited, a woman rounded the halls and saw them.

"Abode!" she shouted.

"Did you break into my office again–?" She paused as she seemed to register something on his face. Whatever it was, it was so surprising that it made her forget about her anger entirely.

"Abode?"

"Sorry, gotta go," Guildmaster Abode said as he passed her without a second glance.

"On our way to cure the Proliferation patients."

"Don't distract me – wait, did you just say Proliferation?" The woman, presumably Hospital Director Elisa Katti, fell in line with them, her expression confused.

"Yeah, haven't you heard?" Guildmaster Abode said.

"Where have you been all day?"

"I've been negotiating with a client," Director Katti said.

"I only just returned. What do you mean 'cure the Proliferation patients?' The disease is incurable, you of all people should be aware of that." Guildmaster Abode merely grinned.

"Oh, you're in for a treat. Katti, this is Levi Ironwood. You may have heard of him." Director Katti blinked, turning to him.

"The disinherited Ironwood kid?" Levi resisted the urge to groan. Oh, come on. Even she knew of him?

"The one and only," Guildmaster Abode confirmed. Director Katti narrowed her eyes.

"If this is your idea of a prank, then I swear to the Goddess, I will…"

"... provide a fixed annual salary of eight thousand iridium coins, with potential for bonuses," Director Katti said.

"You will also be given a monthly stipend for food and housing, plus priority VIP status for every eligible establishment in the entire country." Levi coughed lightly.

"I'm sorry, but I must decline. Also, Guildmaster Abode already offered ten thousand per year." It had taken him just a little over an hour to heal all the Proliferation patients. During that time, he'd garnered an audience; dozens of healers that trailed behind him and crowded the hall outside the rooms as he performed the magical operation.

Now, he, the director, and the guildmaster were back in the office; this time with Director Katti sitting in her rightful place behind her desk and attempting to headhunt Levi.

"Damn it, Abode!" Director Katti snapped.

"Stop undercutting me."

"How about you stop trying to poach my hires?" Guildmaster Abode grinned back from where he leaned against the wall, twirling his cane like a showman.

"But nah, don't bother wasting your time. Kid's an adventurer." That evidently meant something to Director Katti, because she visibly deflated.

"I see. Well, in any case, thank you very much, Levi Ironwood. Your help is greatly appreciated, and will not ever be forgotten." Levi nodded.

"Anytime. If there are ever any more patients, just send me a message. I'll swing by whenever I can." Then he paused.

"What do you mean by an 'adventurer'?" Guildmaster Abode and Director Katti shared a glance.

"Someone who can't stand being cooped up in a hospital all day."

"Someone who prefers being out in the field."

"Someone who needs a constant sense of excitement and novelty."

"Someone who craves risk."

"Ah. That's fair enough." He wouldn't say he disagreed with their assessment.

"I would still like to offer you a reward for your services," Director Katti said, reaching into a cabinet built into her desk and pulling out a ledger. She leafed through it, her brows furrowing.

"I can authorize a one-time lump sum payment of–""Thank you, but I'm good." Director Katti paused, glancing up sharply.

"I'm sorry?"

"I didn't heal them for the money," Levi said. She stared at him for a long moment. Then, she glanced over at Guildmaster Abode, as if to confirm she'd heard Levi correctly. Guildmaster Abode grinned and nodded.

"Yup. That's about the same reaction I had when he told me that."

"I see," Director Katti said quietly.

"Thank you, Levi Ironwood." Levi nodded.

"Of course."

"Well, I got everything I came here for," Guildmaster Abode said, pushing off the wall with his head and standing up straight. He gave his cane one more twirl before planting it into the ground.

"I'll need to be off. Oh, and Levi?"

"Hmm?"

"You did a good job. Don't tell yourself otherwise." With that, the guildmaster left the room, the door shutting behind him. Director Katti watched him go, an oddly soft look in her eyes.

"It was the one disease he couldn't solve, you know," she said.

"Abode is a genius in every sense of the word. A prodigy who put most veteran healers to shame by the time he was only twenty years old. However, no matter what he tried, he couldn't find a way to cure Proliferation. He spent decades researching the disease, traveling the whole world in search of a method, even getting kidnapped by a tribe of bandits once. For several years, it even evolved into an obsession for him; he barely slept, he barely ate, spending all his time in the research labs. It was all for naught.

The day he finally gave up and accepted Proliferation couldn't be cured was the first time I ever saw him in despair." Levi had been listening silently.

"Did he know someone with Proliferation?" Director Katti shook her head.

"No. He doesn't have many acquaintances, and even fewer friends. Liking people doesn't come easy for him."

"Then, why…"

"Why was he so obsessed?" Director Katti finished.

"Because for Healer – sorry, Guildmaster Abode, the one thing that drives him is finding the answer to a problem. Not knowing something is the worst pain he can feel. For the sake of finding a solution, he's willing to do anything. Even sacrifice himself in the process. Proliferation kept him up for many nights for years. He may not have shown it outwardly, but… when he walked out of my office after you earlier today…" She smiled.

"It was the happiest he's looked in years. For that, I thank you, Levi Ironwood." Andevar was sitting on a chair outside his mother's room when Levi returned. His form was hunched over, his elbows rested on his knees.

"Hey," Levi said. Andevar looked up.

"You're back." Levi nodded.

"How's your mother?"

"She's asleep right now. The doctors asked me to step out of the room so she could rest. Liliya already left; she said she had something to do." Levi nodded, taking a seat next to him. Neither of them looked at each other as they stared ahead at the pristine white wall of the hallway. A silence descended over them.

"Thank you," Andevar finally said.

"Truly. Thank you." Levi nodded.

"It was my pleasure."

"I don't know how I can ever repay you, but just know that I will do whatever it takes, even if I have to swear a lifetime of fealty." Levi chuckled.

"That won't be necessary. If anything, what I did just made us even." Andevar blinked.

"What?"

"Homework assignment." Andevar stared at him for a long moment. Then, he laughed.

"Thank you, Levi." Levi smiled.

"I should be the one saying that. You've saved me a lot of time and effort over the years by doing my assignments for me. Even if you did overcharge me by quite a lot." Andevar frowned.

"What?"

"Oh, I don't really mind," Levi said.

"I just thought it was amusing–""Levi, what are you talking about?" Andevar asked, cutting him off.

"You're the one who insisted on the price." Levi froze.

"What?"

"I told you that you were paying me too much, but you refused to go any lower. You said it would be shameful for the Ironwood name if it ever got out." Levi stared at Andevar for a long moment. Ah. So that was how it was. How had he not realized sooner? The former Levi Ironwood had been a regressor. He must've known about Andevar's mother's Proliferation. Andevar had been third in their entire year; perhaps in the old Levi's previous loops where he wasn't a failure, Andevar had been his teammate.

Levi Ironwood had overpaid Andevar to do his homework assignments to help him. It appeared Levi had misjudged his counterpart once more.

"I see," Levi said.

"I recall now." Andevar gave him a weird look but didn't press it. The two of them fell into a silence once more. Then, Levi had the distinct pleasure of having the butt of a cane slam into the wall next to him twice in a day.

"I'm back," Guildmaster Abode said.

"I forgot to say this earlier, but I received a message from the Adventurer's Guild, who received a message from the Institute of Ascension. Mythmaker Aldric Heimler is looking for you. Apparently, you were supposed to meet up with him several days ago. I hear he's rather furious." He grinned.

"I'd get going if I were you."