Chapter 52

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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This will probably be a story about an appraisal cheat, right? I guess.

Also, this is the 50th chapter of the main story.

Thank you all for your support.

I'll keep working hard!

"Hey, Kuure, what's that over there?"

On their way back after buying ingredients, Yūri asked curiously. Kuuresh, who was carrying the groceries (though the ingredients were all in a magic bag, so they were practically weightless), looked in the direction Yūri was pointing and tilted his head. Kuuresh knew what was there, but the situation he saw was enough to make him tilt his head in confusion.

"That's a clinic, but... why is there such a crowd?"

"It's a clinic? It seems pretty lively for a clinic..."

"Yeah, right?"

Yūri and Kuuresh looked at each other, tilting their heads in confusion. To them, a clinic was a place where sick or injured people went, and while a calm atmosphere was acceptable, the bustling crowd in front of them seemed off. It wasn't like there was a commotion due to a severely injured person; rather, the crowd was mostly made up of young men.

Curious, the two headed towards the clinic. The closer they got, the more they realized something was off about the crowd. Everyone there looked incredibly energetic, clearly not people who needed to be at a clinic.

"Isn't a clinic supposed to be a place where injured or sick people gather? Is it different here?"

"No, it's usually like that. But what's with this crowd...?"

Yūri, tilting his head in confusion, was beside Kuuresh, who was scanning the area and listening carefully to gather information. Despite his usual demeanor, Kuuresh had received training as a scout in the "Scarlet Lynx." He had the ability to pick out necessary information from the noisy surroundings. When he discovered the reason, Kuuresh sighed, feeling a bit tired. It was a very trivial reason for the commotion.

"Kuure?"

"The reason is clear. The doctor used to be an old man, but he's moving somewhere else, and his disciple, a young woman, has taken over."

"A young woman... Oh, is she young, beautiful, and kind?"

"Exactly."

Yūri's guess, made with a smile, was met with a nod from Kuuresh. That explained the scene in front of them. Clearly, the crowd was there to see the young, beautiful female doctor, not because they were sick or injured. It was quite a nuisance.

As Yūri observed the lively clinic, he let out a small "Ah." Kuuresh followed Yūri's gaze and saw a pale boy and girl standing in line, sandwiched between the noisy men. Unlike the obviously healthy men, the two looked very unwell. It was clear they had a legitimate reason to be at the clinic, but the noisy crowd seemed oblivious.

"Hey, Kuure."

"Yeah?"

"If there's a commotion with that group, would it be a problem for you?"

"...Hmm, that group, huh?"

Yūri's usual expression made Kuuresh scratch his chin and tilt his head. He narrowed his eyes and observed the crowd, maintaining the same light-hearted expression he had when joking with Yūri, but his narrowed eyes were analyzing the situation calmly, as a trained scout would.

"I'm not as good at physical combat as Rerai, and the knives I carry are mainly for disarming traps, so they're not much use as weapons."

"Okay."

"Also, my weapons are mostly for throwing chemicals, so in a situation where there are civilians in the middle of a city, I'd be severely limited."

"Okay."

"...But, the adventurer's guild is nearby, so if there's a commotion, someone will likely go to get help. I think I can manage to hold out until then. Not many people are armed, anyway."

"Got it. Thanks."

Kuuresh, who was explaining each point with a serious face, and Yūri, who was nodding earnestly, made for a heartwarming scene, but the content of their conversation was far from peaceful. Kuuresh, with a smile, assured Yūri it would be fine, and Yūri, with his usual smile, thanked him. It was a surprisingly relaxed exchange for someone about to cause a commotion.

With Kuuresh's answer, Yūri seemed to have made up his mind and walked towards the crowd. He approached the pale boy and girl and, standing in front of the healthy-looking men, politely said, "Excuse me."

"Excuse me."

"Huh? What is it, kid? Keep the line in order."

"Yes, that's very important. But, I have a request."

"Huh?"

Yūri, smiling, and the puzzled men. Kuuresh, standing beside Yūri, was smiling at the boy and girl behind them, while also carefully observing the men's reactions, a skill honed through training.

"Since you're all so healthy that you don't need to be at a clinic, could you please let the seriously ill or injured people go first?"

The crowd fell silent.

The crowd was eerily quiet. Yūri, who was unaffected by the intense gaze, was standing with the boy and girl, who were frozen in place. Kuuresh was trying to calm them down, but they were clearly scared. In the midst of the focused gazes, Yūri, with a smile, spoke again. Despite the situation, Yūri was quite bold.

"So, if people who aren't really sick or have minor scratches crowd the clinic, it causes problems for those who really need treatment, right?"

"No, no! We have legitimate reasons to be here and are following the order."

"But, your reasons are to talk to the young, beautiful, and kind doctor, right?"

"..."

Yūri, who bluntly stated what everyone was thinking but couldn't say, made Kuuresh laugh in exasperation. Yūri, who was usually laid-back and could laugh off most things, could be surprisingly assertive when it came to his principles or beliefs. Kuuresh, who hadn't seen this side of Yūri in a while, muttered that it had been a while.

The crowd, feeling a mix of frustration and annoyance, started to push forward. Kuuresh, stepping forward to protect Yūri, was stopped by Yūri's hand. Yūri, still smiling, spoke again.

"If you disagree, can I make the judgment? I can separate those who need urgent treatment from those who can wait."

"Huh? Can you do that?"

"I have the ability to appraise things."

"..."

The crowd was speechless at Yūri's calm and confident statement. The men, who had been looking at Yūri as if he were a child, now had their faces twisted in realization. They knew their injuries were minor and didn't need treatment, but they had gathered here just to see the young, beautiful, and kind doctor. And now, this appraiser in front of them could see right through them.

"...Hey, Yūri."

"What is it, Kuure?"

"Don't you think this is unnecessary for me?"

"Not at all."

Really? Kuuresh, tilting his head, looked at the frozen men. He had been prepared to step in if there was a conflict, but it turned out to be unnecessary. He then remembered that Yūri had a very high luck stat, which often made things work out. Today, it seemed to be working well.

"The next patient... Where are they?"

The young, beautiful female doctor, who indeed looked like someone the young men would gather to see, appeared from the clinic. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with rabbit-like ears that twitched. Wearing small round glasses that were her charm, she looked at the frozen men and the smiling Yūri, tilting her head in confusion.

"Who's the next patient?"

"These two need urgent attention. Please see them quickly."

"But, the order—"

"These people have minor injuries and are willing to let others go first. How kind of them."

"Oh, is that so? Thank you."

The doctor smiled happily, and the men, despite their initial reluctance, nodded, trying to make a good impression on the beautiful doctor. Yūri, still smiling, pushed the boy and girl towards the clinic and stuck out his tongue at Kuuresh. Kuuresh, shrugging, said one thing.

"Yūri, you're scary."

"Really?"

"If you say that, these people might keep letting the seriously injured go first."

"But, that's normal, and it will increase the doctor's good impression, right?"

"Hmm, I guess so, but..."

Kuuresh felt a bit sorry for the men who had created minor injuries just to talk to the doctor, but only a little. He was more concerned about the seriously injured or ill people who were being blocked by the crowd. A clinic was meant for those who were sick or injured, not for those with romantic interests.

While Kuuresh was thinking this, Yūri was already taking action.

"Okay, Grandma, please come forward. Don't overexert yourself. And you, sir, please let others go first. And you, miss, don't be shy, come forward. It's not good to hold back."

"Yūri, what are you doing, organizing the line?"

"Kuure, wait a moment. I'll be done soon."

"Sure. Need any help?"

"Can you tell the people at the back that I'm organizing the line?"

"Got it."

Kuuresh waved goodbye and left, while Yūri, with a smile, continued to organize the line. Yūri was using the "Eye of God" but wasn't appraising everyone's detailed status. He could see the seriously injured or ill people in red, making his cheat ability as useful as ever.

Thanks to Yūri's efforts, the number of people unnecessarily lining up at the clinic drastically decreased the next day and beyond.

A clinic is a place for those who need medical attention, not for those without a legitimate reason. Treatment should be given to those who truly need it, and obstructing the clinic's operations is not acceptable.

I look forward to your opinions and feedback.