Doctor Player

Chapter 9

That couldn’t possibly be...? Maybe it’s someone else? He seemed so different from the Raymond of the past that they couldn’t help but second-guess themselves, since the useless bastard prince they knew had always been cowed and hunched in on himself. But no matter how they looked at it, he was unmistakably the wretched bastard they knew, only with a demeanor so drastically changed as to make onlookers gape incredulously at him.

Under their scrutiny, Raymond only thought, Wow, <Heart of Steel> really is incredible. I should definitely upgrade its proficiency to A later. Even he found his current state of calm astonishing. So many people were staring at him. If he had remained his old timid self, he would’ve been intimidated just by the feeling of their eyes on him, but he felt nothing of the sort now.

Why should I feel bad when I’ve done nothing wrong? With that thought, a sense of boldness flowed through him. He had always been handsome, and combined with this newfound confidence, he now looked resplendent. Anyone with eyes could see that the current Raymond was stunning and self-assured.

Being handsome is the one thing I’ve always known I had going for me. As he savored his moment of self-absorption, he locked eyes with someone unexpected. Sophia?

A doll-like beauty in her late teens was squinting at him with an expression that seemed to be asking, Vermin?

Sophia… Raymond’s heart sank. Princess and daughter to the late first queen, Sophia was one of those who had mistreated him during his time in the palace. But at least Princess Sophia wasn’t as bad as the princes. When Raymond left the palace, she’d still been in her early teens, so she couldn’t torment Raymond as brutally as the princes had. Her attempts were more like the childish bullying of a bratty kid, and honestly, they’d almost been a little cute.

She doesn’t seem in great health. Maybe it was because of her mother, the first queen, but Princess Sophia was never very healthy. She’d always been coming down with one thing or another, and even now, her complexion was pale.

At that moment, an unpleasant voice stabbed at his ears. “What? Who’s this? If it isn’t our rotten little Almond!”

It was a voice Raymond knew well, and one he could never forget. Turning his head, he found a young man with a jovial face looking at him with gleeful malice. This was the fourth prince, Cetil—Raymond’s half brother, younger than him by one year, and the one who had tormented him the most viciously.

“Long time no see, Almond.”

Raymond’s entire body stiffened as old nightmares returned to him.

“A baseborn worm like you isn’t even worthy of living.”

“You still won’t die? Let’s see how much more you can take, heh heh.”

Cetil had physically abused Raymond in the cruelest ways, beating him brutally again and again as if he didn’t care if his bastard brother died—or rather, as if Cetil wanted him dead. Fractures were an everyday occurrence for Raymond back then, and he’d even been critically injured several times. Even now, underneath his clothes were hidden a mess of grotesque scars Cetil had left on him.

Raymond was frozen in place like a mouse cornered by a snake, unable to move but for the slight trembling of his fingers.

“Why aren’t you answering? You dare ignore a royal? You, the dirty piece of filth that you are?”

Fear gripped him like a brand, making him swallow hard.

[<Heart of Steel> skill activated!]

[Overcoming unjust fear!]

[Gaining steadfast courage!]

Calm settled over him, allowing Raymond to look back at Cetil with composure, free from his past trauma. But that wasn’t all.

[Rude person encountered!]

[Warning! Opponent’s level of rudeness is very high!]

[<Dealing with Rudeness> skill activated!]

After those messages popped up, Raymond was able to easily open his mouth. “My greetings to His Highness, the esteemed fourth prince of the Kingdom of Huston.”

“You—”

Just as Cetil was about to start an argument with a scowl, Raymond cut him off. “What happens to be ailing you?”

“What…?”

“This is the healers’ area. Are you not here because you’re feeling unwell?” he asked calmly.

Cetil was momentarily at a loss for words. “I’m fine.”

Raymond courteously bowed his head. “I am truly relieved to hear that. If there’s nothing we can help you with, the main hall is that way. Please enjoy the banquet.”

It was a gentle and polite dismissal. Cetil’s face turned a deep shade of red. “How dare…!”

Compared to the other princes, Cetil was simple-minded with poor self-control. The moment he was about to explode with anger, Raymond acted first, hurrying over to an elderly nobleman who was resting in the corner after a spell of dizziness. “Oh dear, are you all right, Your Excellency?”

“Uh, hm?”

“If you’re still feeling dizzy, it’s best to rest. It could be dangerous if you were to go into the banquet hall right now. Please rest as long as necessary.”

Cetil snapped his jaw shut, realizing he’d been on the verge of being made out as a foolish ass disrupting the patients’ rest. You bastard…!

Feigning innocence, Raymond said to him, “Oh, you’re still here. Are you in any discomfort, Your Highness?”

Cetil ground his teeth. Given the situation, he couldn’t pick a fight. Somehow, it felt like he’d lost. That lowborn mongrel… He’d personally come by to “welcome” his old punching bag, only for Raymond to dare to speak to him this way. He couldn’t possibly back down like this. He quickly thought up a way to back Raymond into a corner.

“I’m also not feeling well,” he announced

Raymond’s eyebrows furrowed in genuine puzzlement. Setting aside the flush of anger dyeing his face red, Cetil looked the very picture of health. “What seems to be the problem?”

“I’ve been feeling unusually fatigued and lacking in energy lately.”

“Do you have any other symptoms?”

“No.” Cetil smirked inwardly. Healers always find vague symptoms the hardest to deal with.

Cetil was a knight trained in the sword, so he’d encountered many healers from a young age, and he therefore knew well which symptoms healers found the most difficult to address. Whenever he gave them such vague symptoms, the healers would find themselves at a loss as to how to treat him. If you can’t give a proper explanation for my symptoms, I’ll use it to destroy you.

But contrary to Cetil’s expectations, Raymond gave a clear answer right away. “Alcoholism.”

“What...?”

“It is my understanding that you drink every day. Is that correct?”

Cetil was dumbstruck. His excessive drinking was widely known even outside the palace walls. He recalled how the healers were always nagging him to reduce his alcohol intake.

“Excessive drinking can damage your bodily functions. This might be causing your fatigue, so it’d be best if you reduce your alcohol consumption.”

To be precise, it was alcoholic hepatitis.

“Reduce my drinking...?”

“Yes, that is my prescription. Please take care of your noble person, Your Highness.”

Cetil gnashed his teeth. Hearing that he should take care of himself was oddly humiliating. You—! But as it was objectively faultless advice, Cetil had no grounds to take issue with it.

“Do you have any other concerns?” Raymond asked.

“No...”

“Then enjoy the banquet. Oh, without drinking, of course.”

Cetil gritted his teeth, but he had no excuse to linger any longer. And so, he left with his tail tucked between his legs.

[Rude opponent successfully fended off!]

[You have earned 5 bonus skill points!]

[Continue to stay focused on patient care without letting rude people sway you!]

Hearing those messages, Raymond thought to himself, I can’t believe I managed to fend off that scumbag. Considering his past, it was almost inconceivable.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of pride. Though it might seem trivial to others, for Raymond this was monumental––the first time he had confronted one of the traumas that had almost shattered his spirit.

You piece of trash asshole! Don’t you dare show your face again! If you do, you’ll regret it! he shouted internally, cussing to his heart’s content. Though he was only swearing internally, each curse left him feeling freer. Noodle-brained Cetil! You have a face like a pie dropped on the floor!

A sharp voice cut through his expletive-filled high. “What are you doing?”

It was the doll-faced beauty, Princess Sophia.

Raymond quickly bowed to her in surprise. “Greetings, Your Highness.” Why is she here? His heart raced. While she was better than Cetil, Princess Sophia wasn’t exactly a welcome presence either.

But her reaction was odd. She was just silently examining Raymond’s face. “You’ve changed a lot,” she said at last. “You really seemed like such a pathetic little rat before.”

He was speechless for a moment. It sounded like an insult, but she was saying that he didn’t seem like one now, so perhaps it wasn’t one after all. The interesting thing was the absence of any particular hostility in her eyes, which were sharp and full of irritation but without any of the malevolence he’d felt from Cetil earlier.

Well, she was like this in the past too. If he had to describe it, her bullying had felt less like she was tormenting him out of hatred for him and more like she was just venting her poor temper on a convenient target. It is questionable whether you could say that makes her better than the rest. Anyway, she looks like she’s in just as bad a mood as before.

“What are you staring at so blankly?”

When Princess Sophia snapped at him, Raymond unintentionally blurted out what was on his mind. “I was just thinking that you haven’t changed much, Your Highness.”

“What did you say…?”

Oh no, that had been a huge mistake. Raymond quickly tried to cover up his blunder. “I meant to say, you are as beautiful as you’ve always been. You radiate such beauty. Ha... Ha.”

Princess Sophia gave Raymond a piercing look, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. “You really have changed.” After a moment, she continued, “Regardless, I came here to rest because I wasn’t feeling well.”

“In what way are you feeling unwell?” Returning to his role as healer, Raymond inquired about her condition, but Sophia merely answered him with a crooked sneer.

“Never you mind. What would you know? You’re not even a certified healer yet, just an apprentice. Leave me be.”

Sophia shook her head and then sat down on a couch in the corner, sighing deeply. Looking at her now, her complexion was ashen, and she genuinely didn’t seem in good shape.