The infirmary, located right beside the guild entrance, was neat and well kept. A desk and chair had been set aside for the healer, while three beds stood ready for patients. Another twenty or so were arranged in an adjoining room, and nearly half of them were already occupied. Quiet groans drifted through the air from time to time.
"How is the treatment for those people going?"
When I asked the guild staffer overseeing the infirmary, they responded with a troubled expression.
"My predecessor wasn't very skilled with detoxification magic..."
In other words, the patients had never been fully cured.
"Oh my... Then, how is the payment handled in that case?"
"We assess it ourselves. Since they are far from fully recovered, we only pay a small amount this time. That annoyed the last one, and they just quit on the spot..."
So that was why they had been desperately searching for a new healer. Since the Adventurer's Guild charged fees on the promise of keeping a healer of a certain standard on call, expectations were naturally high.
Most people considered reaching C-rank proof that an adventurer had cleared plenty of dungeons. My predecessor had also been C-rank, yet their actual skill as a healer seemed fairly lacking. Sometimes a party's success raised everyone's evaluation, even when one member's personal ability failed to keep pace.
(I wish they'd told me that sooner.)
The poison did not sound life-threatening, but leaving people to suffer for so long still felt cruel.
"Alright, I'll take care of the treatment."
In the blink of an eye, all ten patients had fully recovered. The guild staffer stared in astonishment at the speed of it all, clearly delighted that someone so capable had finally arrived.
"I've never seen anyone treat this many people so quickly!"
"Oh, no, it's nothing~"
"I thought it would take days to get them handled, two or three at a time... I never expected you to heal them all instantly..."
"No, no, really, it's nothing~!"
Tricia's smile grew increasingly awkward as the praise kept coming. After going so long without hearing genuine appreciation, she honestly did not know how to respond. Back in her former party, those two had long since stopped thanking her and treated her abilities as nothing more than the bare minimum.
"No! I've been in charge of this place for a long time! Even an A-rank healer wouldn't go this far!"
"There's an A-rank healer here!?"
Tricia froze in surprise. She had always assumed healers topped out at B-rank, since conventional wisdom claimed that anything higher became a guaranteed burden in combat.
"Yes. They trained heavily in defensive magic, so they protected themselves. They've retired now, though."
"I see~"
Before the conversation could continue, hurried footsteps echoed through the infirmary.
"Sorry! We have six more coming! Are you alright!?"
"Wait, what!? She just treated ten people a moment ago..."
The concern would have been reasonable for most healers, but it meant little to Tricia.
"I'm fine! Bring them over, quickly."
The grim expression on the staffer escorting the patients made it clear that these injuries were serious.
Naturally, Tricia treated all six without the slightest problem. Not a single scar remained behind, and the female adventurers in particular were overjoyed by the result.
"Wow, that's truly amazing! It's like they were never even injured! And you still look like you have plenty of energy left?"
"Oh, well~ I guess I just have a lot of mana, is all~... I'm completely hopeless with other magic, though."
This was the (setting) Tricia and Luke had agreed upon.
The truth was rather different. Her mana capacity was actually quite average, but she had trained her healing magic specifically to hide her real skill level. Although she could achieve results like these when necessary, she normally avoided showing the full extent of her ability. Since using mana left her exhausted, Tricia did not particularly enjoy relying on magic in the first place.
"Luke! I'm treating you to dinner tonight, no arguments!"
The pay for her first day had been excellent. It was no longer pocket money; it was enough to support herself as a proper profession.
"What's this? You're in high spirits."
"I really like this town! I made a killing on the first day~!"
It had been a long time since she had felt so happy that she wanted to skip down the street. Seeing the bright smile on her face, Luke's expression softened with relief.
A meal always tasted better after a hard day's work, and the tavern Luke recommended turned out to be excellent as well. By the end of the evening, Tricia had taken her first steps in Edinbia under remarkably fortunate circumstances.
Summary:
Tricia arrives at the Adventurer's Guild infirmary and quickly resolves a backlog of detoxification cases that had been mishandled by her predecessor. Her unexpected efficiency surprises the staff, leading them to believe she is significantly more powerful than the C-rank she is assumed to be. She celebrates this successful, lucrative start to her new life in Edinbia with a dinner treat for Luke.
Trivia:
The guild's payment system for healing is performance-based, explaining why poor healers are quickly cycled out.
Tricia's 'setting' includes claiming that her only talent is high mana capacity to mask her true skill.
Tricia personally dislikes using magic because it causes fatigue.
Notes:
• Tricia - The protagonist of the series. A pragmatic and resilient C-Rank healer who was recently cast out of her former party. Though she presents herself as an average adventurer, she secretly possesses exceptional healing expertise and the rare skill Reset, which can reverse physical damage. An orphan with dark hair and obsidian eyes, she carefully conceals her true abilities to avoid exploitation. Guided by memories of a past life, she has a deep appreciation for modern comforts and values her independence, privacy, and stability. Rather than dwelling on her dismissal, she is quietly relieved by it and now focuses her intelligence and planning skills on building a reliable source of passive income in Edimbia.
• Luke - A companion to Trisha who supports her efforts to build a passive income empire. He acts as a confidant and manager for her public persona. A highly skilled adventurer who acts as a mentor and companion to Trishia. He is observant, somewhat mischievous, and possesses financial independence that allows him to offer support, though he is mindful of her pride. An S-Rank adventurer and magic swordsman known for his overwhelming combat power and handsome appearance. He is a childhood friend of Tricia and acts as her protector and benefactor. An S-rank adventurer with silver hair and deep blue eyes who is an old acquaintance of Trisha. He is known for his combat prowess and his tendency to act carefree.