GDTEA Chapter 109

Child Patient 

Chelonar County—Ruled by Count Chelonar, the leader of the neutral faction, it was a massive territory with numerous academies established in various fields from the northeast onward.

Since the academies attended by nobles, especially their children, were located within the county, the House of Chelonar made every effort to maintain security.

Perhaps because of this, guards could be seen everywhere.

“……There really are more people than I heard.”

Perhaps because it was a bustling street not far from Count Chelonar’s estate, the crowds were completely different from Bibanten Street.

With the sounds of merchants calling out to customers and the voices of passersby added together, it was enough to make one’s ears ring.

“Now I understand why there are no rooms at the inn.”

The inn recommended by the coachman had no vacancies. Only after visiting five more places were they finally able to secure a single small room.

That’s how much Chelonar County was a place with more travelers and long-term guests than any other travel destination in the Great Empire of Neweiton.

“Teacher! They’re giving out books for free over there!”

Tein’s eyes sparkled as he brought back an introductory book being distributed.

Though it was a thin booklet meant as a sample, Tein stamped his feet with a face full of excitement.

He clearly wanted to hurry and explore various places.

“If we wander around recklessly, we’ll get lost.”

On the other hand, Ren made a face showing he was overwhelmed by the endless crowds pressing in from all directions.

He definitely didn’t prefer crowded places.

“As it happens, they were handing out maps at the inn, so I got one.”

Sharti unfolded a map that had been folded several times.

There were countless academies in the east as well, but the county had a total of four major academies.

They were divided into the fields of world history, diplomacy, swordsmanship, and medicine.

“Among them, District D is where the medical academy is established.”

The inn they were lucky enough to secure was also near District D.

“It would be nice to look around other places too, but it seems difficult to visit everywhere.”

Since Tein was still young, she wanted to let him experience and see various things, but there were too many people.

Even if they greedily wandered here and there, it seemed they would only accumulate the experience of being jostled by crowds.

“Let’s start by exploring District D. What do you think, Tein?”

“Sounds good!”

Tein answered vigorously and put a large bread hat on his head.

Since this was a noble territory, they had to hide Tein’s face here.

“Let’s go.”

Tein, holding Ren’s hand tightly, stepped forward energetically.

‘It might be better to have him ride on my shoulders.’

However, Tein didn’t frown even once despite being jostled here and there by people. Rather, he was busy taking even more energetic steps and sparkling with excitement.

That’s how much District D was like a vast medicinal herb field.

“Ren! Ren!”

When the herbs weren’t visible because they were blocked by people, Tein reliably hugged Ren.

Sharti also stood on her tiptoes enthusiastically to look around the street.

‘That potion has an unusual color? Hmm, this ointment is too thin. Oh? Are they showing how to process herbs in real-time over there? Oh! Is that an herb exhibition hall?’

No matter how much they walked, there were overflowing sights to see, so Sharti was overwhelmed.

“Sha—”

Ren, who was changing direction following Tein’s gesture, also carefully looked after Sharti. Even though he was holding her hand, he seemed anxious and wrapped one arm around Sharti’s waist to hold her.

Every time their bodies bumped into people and they were pushed around, unpleasant fatigue accumulated, but watching the two people cheering internally made it bearable enough.

“Ren! We have to go there!”

As they continued walking without rest, Tein let out a small exclamation and stretched out his hand.

Ren paused after checking where the child’s fingertip was pointing.

“That place is……”

“There are so many people crowding around.”

As Tein said, people were constantly going in and out under a large tent.

A sign was also hanging on the tent set up in the middle of the street.

{Free Clinic: Anyone can receive treatment, and anyone can provide treatment.}

It seemed like a makeshift tent set up for medical volunteer work.

Looking closely, everyone entering the tent appeared to have some physical discomfort.

‘That makes sense. Since the medical academy is famous, there must be many visits not for academics or employment purposes.’

The academy would also send out students for practical training, so if you were lucky, you could receive treatment even without money. Or you might catch the eye of doctors doing free volunteer work to build their skills.

“I want to go too!”

Though the day was clear, Tein, whose nose had quickly turned red as befitting winter, smiled innocently.

However, Ren shook his head and objected after hearing the groans coming from between the tents.

“Wouldn’t it be better to finish sightseeing first and come back later?”

Even at a glance, the tent was packed full of patients.

Once they went in, there was a high possibility they’d be stuck there until the sun set.

“Besides, if it’s a free clinic, there won’t be proper medicine either. The doctor would have to prepare medicine separately, and aren’t our travel expenses already tight?”

It was a sharp point.

Tein became sullen, wrinkling his reddened nose, and Sharti pondered.

‘Ren’s words are right, but……’

Sharti read the sign above the tent once more.

The phrase ‘anyone can provide treatment’ must have made Tein’s heart flutter.

“Hmm, then let’s do it this way.”

Sharti pulled Tein’s hat down deeper and warmly cupped his plump cheeks with both hands.

Looking at his round eyes, Sharti smiled brightly.

“Try going in by yourself, Tein.”

“What?”

“If the patients inside there think of Tein as a doctor and ask to be treated, I’ll help too.”

“……!”

Tein’s eyes widened.

Surprised by the full support, Tein covered his mouth and bounced up and down in Ren’s arms.

Ren frowned slightly, but since Tein was expressing joy with his whole body, he couldn’t openly object.

“But Ren is right. We don’t have much money……”

Tein peeked at Ren and hung his head low.

Ren’s lips twitched as he felt a pang of conscience, but Sharti shook her head first.

“Teacher can earn the money. But right now, you can gain experience more precious than money, can’t you?”

Most patients visiting the free clinic also had no money.

If they were truly desperate, if they were patients who came to receive treatment literally for free, they wouldn’t refuse treatment no matter how young the doctor was a child.

In other words, it was also the only opportunity for Tein to prove his skills without prejudice.

‘Not because I’m vouching for him, but because they’ll judge based on Tein’s skills alone.’

Since it was a free clinic anyway, there would be no need to treat major injuries or use expensive medicine.

For headaches, colds, and stomachaches, the cost of herbs was relatively cheap, so it wasn’t burdensome.

“You remember the soldier uncles Tein treated, right? Even without me, Tein disinfected by yourself, made medicine, and applied ointment. Right?”

“……Yes.”

Tein pursed his lips and nodded.

“Tein will do well. I believe in you. Ren believes too, right?”

When Sharti asked with a smile in her eyes, Tein glanced at Ren.

Ren glanced at her and set Tein down from his arms. Then he crouched in front of the child to meet eye level and patted the top of his hat with his large hand.

“Everyone might be so amazed by my doctor’s skills that they won’t let you go.”

“……!”

Tein smiled broadly and stretched out his arms to hug Ren tightly.

Ren lifted the corners of his mouth slightly and advised.

“Listen carefully. Even if they ignore you for being young or oppose you, you must never avoid their eyes. Be confident, there’s no need to avoid or back down. Sha and I are behind you.”

“Yes! Teacher is smart, and Ren is strong! I won’t lose!”

Having received full encouragement, Tein gripped his bag strap and walked confidently toward the free clinic.

Just in case, Ren and Sharti also followed and watched Tein’s first challenge from the entrance.

Entering the clinic bravely, Tein went on his own to an empty partition and shouted toward the patients.

“Child patients come here!”

“Hm? What?”

“What’s with the little kid?”

Ignoring the patients’ puzzled reactions, Tein neatly folded a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth and took out herbs from his bag.

“Child patients will be seen by a child doctor!”

Then he sat down vigorously in a chair and waited for patients.

Sharti burst into giggles at clever Tein’s strategy.

The patients who had been watching blankly at the sudden appearance of a child pretending to be a doctor naturally sneered and no one moved.

But the guardians who brought children were different.

“Waaaaahhh~!!!”

“E-excuse me. Could you possibly tell why our baby is crying?”

Guardians who couldn’t wait in the long line because they were worried about their babies crying as if they couldn’t breathe sought out Tein.

Tein nodded and carefully examined the baby.

“I understand. It’s because of this ointment applied to the baby’s stomach. Jadoo herb is made into ointment for adults. It stings babies.”

“T-then what ointment should we apply?”

“It’s simple! Use boiled and cooled Alra herb!”

Sharti watched Tein’s admirable performance and then left the tent with Ren.

“Isn’t Tein so amazing? He’s even singing to the babies younger than him to stop crying.”

Ren smiled along with Sharti’s smile.

“We should hurry and get herbs to use on the children.”

“I understand the hurried feeling, but wouldn’t it be okay to be a bit more relaxed?”

Ren naturally took Sharti’s hand.

When Sharti hesitated at the hand gripping hers firmly, the curve of Ren’s mouth deepened.

“We finally get to go around just the two of us.”

“……Huh?”

“We should also follow the example of our little doctor and gain experience.”

“What kind of experience?”

The corners of Ren’s eyes curved playfully.

“The experience of spending time alone together.”

“W-why would we need such experience……”

“Do you know how much your hand flinches every time I hold your hand like this, even now, Sha?”

When Sharti tried to pull her hand away in embarrassment, Ren interlocked their fingers completely.

“We need to at least get used to holding hands so it’ll be comfortable going forward.”

“……”

Since those were words she couldn’t deny, Sharti quietly closed her mouth.

Ren laughed loudly once and went out for proper sightseeing with Sharti.

They had to let go of hands because they bought a lot of herbs for Tein to use, but Ren insisted on carrying everything with one hand until the end and didn’t let go of her hand.

“……If Ren keeps carrying everything by yourself like that, people will misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand?”

“That I’m a wicked master who’s overworking my porter too much.”

“Is that so?”

Ren, who had been making an indifferent expression, seemed to think about something for a moment, then looked at Sharti with serious eyes.

Sharti, who became tense at that gaze, stopped walking.

“If they don’t misunderstand, what kind of relationship should we appear to be?”

“Well……”

“If we’re misunderstood even though we’re wearing matching rings, it can’t be helped.”

“Are y-you trying to kiss me again?”

When Sharti quickly covered her mouth with the back of her hand, Ren burst into a short laugh.

When Sharti frowned as her face heated up, Ren bent down as is and kissed her palm.

The moment she felt the surrounding gazes at the kiss that touched and separated in an instant, Ren smiled with his eyes.

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“……Huh?”

“But it seemed like you were expecting it, Sha.”

“Y-you……!”

Unable to deny it, Sharti just swatted his hand away. Then she huffed and snatched his load and ran away.

Ren ignored the surroundings watching with interest and chased after Sharti.

It was fortunate that thanks to the facial recognition-interfering magical device, he could monopolize Sharti’s blushing, embarrassed expression.

Having finished their short date and returned, Sharti pushed aside the regret her pounding heart was expressing and entered the tent.

“……Tein?”

However, Tein, who should have been inside the tent, was nowhere to be seen.

When Sharti looked around the tent in confusion, Ren also urgently asked the patients.

“Did you see the little doctor who was treating children here?”

“Ah, you mean that little doctor with orange hair?”

Fortunately, the patients who had been waiting in the long line nodded, saying they knew.

“A guard took him away.”

“……!”

Sharti’s face turned deathly pale.

****

The plump peddler who entered Count Chelonar’s estate repeatedly steadied his breathing.

‘Finally! I can meet Count Chelonar, the leader of the neutral faction!’

The peddler laughed silently, his cheek fat jiggling, thinking he could make incomparably more money than before.

The peddler examined his bundle in the reception room where he was guided.

Fortunately, all kinds of antidotes he had bought from the doctor hiding in the mountains still remained.

‘The antidotes made by that young lady have excellent effects after all.’

When he was sitting there wiggling his bottom with a face full of anticipation.

Creak—. The reception room door opened slightly and some little kid snuck in through the gap.

“We have to be quiet.”

The little kid with orange hair quickly hid his body behind the sofa where the peddler was sitting.