Chapter 4

※8/13 Revision: I revised the entire text based on the feedback I received. I hope it has improved somewhat from before, though it's still rough. I'll keep working hard, so please take a look if you have the time.

A gaping hole to another dimension opened in Alicia's room. Inside the hole, there was a heavy-looking door. A red light indicating "surgery in progress" was lit above the door. Cain was praying with a profound expression, as if to a god. About an hour had passed, but to Cain, it felt like several hours. Suddenly, the red light turned off, and the door opened. Out of the dimensional space came Kaoru, carrying Alicia.

"Alicia is fine. The surgery went well, so you don't need to worry anymore."

Kaoru held Alicia in both hands.

"Wh-What!? R-Really, she's okay now?"

Cain, whose face was a mess of tears, spoke in a deflated voice.

Relieved, Cain's tension snapped, and he sat down on the spot, unable to move. Kaoru laid Alicia on the bed and then sat down on it as well.

"I think the surgery didn't take as long as expected, and there shouldn't be much strain on her body. I thought it would take at least two hours for a heart transplant, but the medical magic was impressive. She should wake up soon as the anesthesia wears off. When she does, she might be a bit drowsy, so let her rest. Also, she might feel nauseous due to the side effects of the anesthesia, so keep an eye on that. By tomorrow, she should be able to eat normally."

Kaoru turned to Cain and said this.

"Thank you so much. Kaoru-sama, I don't know how to thank you..."

"Ah, we can talk about that later."

There are still things we need to observe, so we can't be sure yet. Kaoru, who had a slightly sinister look, tried to hide it. While he was doing this, Alicia woke up, her eyes half-lidded and gazing at Kaoru. He gently stroked her head and whispered, "You did great," before standing up. Alicia, still affected by the side effects, couldn't speak and soon fell asleep again. Her steady breathing could be heard.

"By the way, don't remove the stickers on Alicia's body. They send her ECG data to me, so I can detect any abnormalities. I'll be leaving now, but if anything happens, come to the Reis Clinic in the medical district. I'll probably be there until tomorrow, and I'll come to check on her again."

Kaoru walked towards the door.

"Where are you staying, Kaoru-sama? How can I contact you?"

Hearing this, Kaoru remembered Reis, his current lodging and dining place.

"Ah, right. I'm at the Reis Clinic in the medical district. If anything happens, come there. I'll probably be there until tomorrow, and I'll come to check on her again."

With that, he raised his hand, waved lightly, and left the Albis residence, heading back to the Reis Clinic.

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As the sun set, Kaoru finally arrived at the Reis Clinic and opened the door.

"Hey, I'm back~ Oh, is it broken again?"

"Again? What do you mean by 'again'! And it's not broken yet!"

"Ah, you're here, you're here. Your husband came home from work, so at least answer him."

"When did I become your wife!"

Reis, her face red, said this. Kaoru laughed heartily.

Kaoru sat in a chair, turning his head as if to say he was tired, and looked up at the sky. Reis then spoke.

"By the way, you said you were going to work. Is it over already?"

"Hmm? Ah, yeah, it's over. After that, she just needs to do some rehabilitation and take medicine for three months, and she should recover and be able to live a normal life. I need to get a good reward, so I'm looking forward to it."

Kaoru smiled wickedly. He was quite pleased with himself and asked Reis if she had any alcohol, but she said, "There's no way I have any!" He regretted not getting an advance from Cain.

"So, who did you treat? If you're getting a good reward, it must have been a serious injury, right?"

Reis poked Kaoru with a look that said, "Tell me, tell me."

"That girl I told you about, the one with the serious illness. Her name is Alicia."

Reis, looking at Kaoru with a wide-eyed expression, said, "Huh?"

Reis was shocked, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe that someone even the High Priest couldn't cure had been healed. Reis asked Kaoru, curious as they were in the same profession. When Kaoru told her about today, Reis looked at him with a blank expression, as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

"Surgery? Medical magic? Heart transplant? What's that? Explain it to me in a way I can understand!"

"I thought you'd understand. Maybe you're not as smart as I thought. How disappointing."

Reis glared at Kaoru, looking regretful.

"Fine, I'll explain it in a way that's easier to understand. Stop looking at me like that."

"Ugh, fine. But your way of speaking is annoying."

Reis puffed out her cheeks, and Kaoru said,

"That girl had a bad heart, so I replaced her failing heart with a healthy one. That's all."

"I understand what you're saying, but you can't do that with recovery magic, can you?"

"Of course not. I used medical alchemy and medical magic, which work differently from recovery magic. You probably won't understand, so that's it."

Kaoru raised his arm, saying he was tired, and checked Alicia's ECG on the status screen. Her heart was healthy, and her heartbeat was stable. Thinking that everything was fine for now, he ate the dinner Reis had made. While eating, Kaoru commented that the food was terrible, and a thick book hit his forehead, making him hold his head. After dinner, Kaoru, feeling very sleepy, borrowed a sofa and fell asleep.

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Around 9:00 AM, Kaoru left the Reis Clinic to go to Alicia's check-up.

"I'll finish this quickly. I want to relax with a drink."

While walking, he thought about how much he could get as a reward. He lit a cigarette and savored it, mindful of his dwindling supply. He walked slowly, looking tired. The noble district was quite far from the medical district. Kaoru grumbled, "I don't have much stamina, I wonder why," but eventually made it to the Albis residence.

"Hello, I'm here for the check-up."

He said this as if to say, "Open up quickly." A maid came to the door. She had black hair that reached her shoulders, straight and shiny, with a headband. Her maid uniform was simple but elegant. She greeted Kaoru with a full smile. Kaoru thought, "She's a cute type."

"I've been waiting for you, Kaoru-sama. Please come in. I apologize for not introducing myself yesterday. My name is Karin Elgard. The master and mistress are out on business and will return in the evening."

Karin greeted Kaoru with a smile that seemed to erase the dark expression she had yesterday. Kaoru said, "You're easy to understand," and smiled. They headed to Alicia's room. Kaoru entered and found Alicia eating breakfast with a smile. She blushed slightly when she noticed Kaoru. He approached her and, without asking, took a bite of the rabbit-shaped apple on her plate. The crisp sound and the rich sweetness filled his mouth.

"Yum, this is good. Last night's dinner was hell. I feel a bit better now."

Alicia looked at Kaoru, confused, and tilted her head. Kaoru explained that he had been served a meal that destroyed his taste buds and told her about it in an amusing way. Alicia laughed while listening.

"Okay, finish eating, and then I'll do the check-up. Also, chew slowly. This is hard to digest."

He pointed to the rabbit-shaped apple.

"Understood."

Alicia smiled and nodded. Kaoru watched her eat with small, animal-like bites and thought, "She's like a rabbit," under his breath. After Alicia finished her breakfast, she bowed on the bed and said, "Please."

Kaoru, thinking she was polite despite her young age, started preparing for the check-up.

"Can you take off your top? I need to check the pumping action of the transplanted heart. Sorry, but I need to apply some gel for the ultrasound. It might feel a bit cold, okay?"

"Ultrasound gel?"

Kaoru, realizing he was speaking in a way he used in Japan, explained that it was a substance used to help see the heart clearly by preventing air from getting between his hand and Alicia's skin. Alicia, blushing, took off her top and bra, revealing her pale, translucent skin. She lay down on the bed and lay on her side, with a pillow under her back to create a 45-degree angle.

"Okay, I'll apply the gel. Please bear with it for a moment. 'Medical Magic—Ultrasound Gel Vector 1.'"

A gel appeared in Kaoru's palm, which he gently applied to Alicia's chest.

"Ah..."

Alicia's body jumped slightly as the cool gel touched her skin, and a small sound escaped her lips.

"Please bear with it for a moment."

Kaoru spread the gel from the center of Alicia's chest to the left, tracing her slightly swollen chest. Alicia's face turned red, and she closed her eyes tightly. Occasionally, a sound escaped her, creating an awkward atmosphere.

(No good... This is getting weird, and I'm starting to feel uncomfortable.)

Kaoru thought, but he had to do it properly to get accurate results. After applying the gel evenly, he gently pressed the center of her chest.

"Medical Magic—Ultrasound Vector 1."

Kaoru's right hand glowed blue-white as he slowly examined Alicia's heart. (Her heart rate is high. Is it because of me?)

He thought while displaying the ultrasound image on the status screen. He confirmed that her heart was beating regularly and that blood was flowing properly. Occasionally, his hand would touch a protrusion, but he ignored it and continued. He moved his hand over her smooth skin, examining her heart from various angles. Alicia's shoulders trembled slightly, as if she was enduring something.

(If I had a female assistant, this would be easier.)

Kaoru thought this. After finishing the examination, he wiped the gel off his hands and Alicia's chest, saying, "You can get dressed now."

"Thank you. How is my heart?"

"No problems. It's functioning properly. You have a bright future ahead. Enjoy it, Alicia."

Kaoru patted her head, and Alicia blushed again, saying, "Yes." Kaoru, feeling tired from all the effort, said he would take a nap and left the room. In the hallway, he met Karin, who said,

"You look tired. If you'd like, we have a guest room available."

Kaoru accepted her offer and entered the guest room, taking off his white coat. He opened the window, took out a cigarette from his aloha shirt pocket, and lit it. He slowly returned to his usual self.

"Ah, I'm so tired. I have to teach her rehabilitation too. This is going to be a hassle, but I'll have to ask for more money. Cain said he'll be back in the evening. I'll just pass the time until then."

He slowly smoked, dropping the ash into a pocket ashtray while looking at the city. The noble district was impressive, with each house being abnormally large. Brick and stone houses lined the streets, each with a large garden filled with colorful, well-maintained flowers.

"Ah, this is really beautiful. You don't see this in the modern world. It's all high-rise buildings and exhaust fumes. I haven't seen such a blue sky in a long time... This is a different world. Not that crap world. No one knows me here. I can do as I please without any consequences. But first... I need a nap. I'm still tired from yesterday. It felt like I did the work of several people. I guess someone will wake me up eventually."

With that, Kaoru face-planted on the bed, feeling the scent of the sun, and drifted off to sleep.

The money-grabbing part will be in the next chapter.

When I logged in after finishing this chapter, the number of views was so high that I was scared for a moment. It was a whole digit higher than usual. Thank you to everyone who read, rated, and bookmarked this. I've only written three chapters, so I really appreciate it.