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chapter 27
#1
Throughout the entire ride in the carriage of the Ipin family, led by Mal Suin, I was almost suffocating from the dazzling attention she was giving me.
Being siblings, Merina’s behavior was a mirror image of Rudels’.
‘How can someone pull people along at their own pace like that!’
I found the combination of white hair, being a witch, and a healer fascinating, but I didn’t think it warranted this much attention.
I avoided her gaze and looked out at the streets through the window. Unlike the streets I had seen with Rudels, this one was lined with shops that had a classic charm, and people in luxurious, expensive clothing were walking about.
“Unnie.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Is the outside fascinating? I’m a little upset that you’re looking at everything but my face.”
She sighed dramatically, pressing one hand to her face and drooping the corners of her mouth.
“It’s just that the scenery is very different from when we came here.”
“Ah. So the streets you saw when your older brother brought you were probably the ones the commoners used.”
She giggled.
“This is the street where wealthy merchants and nobles walk. What was it called again… The Street of Passion, I think?”
She glanced outside with a neutral expression, then looked at my face and raised the corners of her mouth as she asked:
“Isn’t that funny? The Street of Passion. If it were me, I’d call it the Street of Extravagance or something. Passion, really.”
She chuckled, clasping her hands together.
“Unnie. Which cake do you like? Strawberry? Or mocha?”
“Uh… well… I’m a commoner, so I don’t really get to eat expensive desserts like cake. I’m not sure.”
I blushed and smiled awkwardly. People would expect a healer to earn a lot of money, but that wasn’t the case.
Most of the patients I treated were commoners who couldn’t afford expensive medicine and had to endure their ailments.
Sadly, in the human world, while healers and pharmacists were respected as professionals, they often charged absurdly high fees.
Moreover, many preferred to work as personal doctors for wealthy families, nobles, or royalty, rather than treating those who couldn’t pay much.
‘Terrible people. The first lesson for a healer is that life has no distinction of status.’
It was natural for anyone—or any living being—to want safety, comfort, and leisure. But I felt shame when I saw healers ignore the pleas of patients they deemed unprofitable, yet rush to aid the wealthy at the slightest cough.
I was also embarrassed to be considered a healer like them.
So I would approach those beyond the reach of proper medical care and treat them, taking only a small token of gratitude.
Sometimes, I didn’t even accept any payment.
Perhaps because of that, I often lived almost penniless, surviving on the money I made by collecting herbs and making medicine to sell.
Merina looked at me with a curious expression as I smiled awkwardly.
“Why? You’re a healer. Aren’t you a professional who earns a lot?”
“I mostly treated commoners.”
“Why?”
“Well, they’re the ones who don’t get much access to medical care…?”
She crossed her arms and asked:
“Why treat people like that? Honestly, they aren’t profitable, are they?”
Her words made me a little angry, and I replied:
“True, but a healer’s job is to value life over money. You can’t just ignore someone who’s sick because they can’t pay.”
As I answered, I realized I had spoken with some emotion, so I cleared my throat and adjusted my tone.
“Wealthy people can easily get treatment and care, but for those who can’t, it’s a luxury. I just helped them maintain their health with my knowledge.”
She stared at me intently. I met her gaze, determined not to back down.
Her eyes reflected a mix of curiosity and other emotions. She blinked her dark eyes repeatedly, then let out a soft, breathy laugh, revealing a beautiful smile.
“I see.”
She said that and looked out the window. The indifferent expression she had when observing the lower classes was gone; now she looked refreshed, as if she had found an answer, and I couldn’t help but feel curious.
But it wasn’t polite to ask someone of a higher rank directly, so I quietly looked outside as well.
The people walking here were not commoners; they moved quietly through the streets. This might have been courtesy reinforced by education. But compared to the common streets I was used to, this beautiful street felt boring.
‘It doesn’t look lively.’
Contrary to the name “Street of Passion,” people walked with elegance and restraint. Occasionally, children who tried to chatter or run were scolded by their mothers and continued with sulky expressions.
‘No wonder it feels stifling.’
After observing this, I turned my attention to Merina’s changed shoes, silently hoping her athlete’s foot wouldn’t worsen before we reached our destination.
“So… this is the place that sells cakes?”
A luxurious wooden sign and ornate interior filled with expensive furniture and decor proclaimed clearly: “This is an upscale salon.”
Compared to the clothes I was wearing, the place felt outrageously high-class. I trembled slightly and looked at Merina. She shrugged, as if nothing were wrong.
“Still… this is supposed to be the place with the best cakes in the capital?”
Including other desserts as well, she added, linking arms with me.
“Shall we go try the cakes right away?”
“W-wait a minute!”
I was startled by the disparity between my humble clothing and the elegance of the place and wanted to ask her to go somewhere else. But Merina preempted me, chattering away.
“Wait a minute? If we’re late, the cakes might run out, so we have to hurry! Hehe!”
She walked lightly and happily, pulling me along. My outfit didn’t match this place at all…
I kept checking the contrast between my clothing and the salon’s atmosphere as we reached the door.
The first way to make someone feel inferior was to dominate the sense of superiority.
