Chapter 156 |
“Now, you need to pay the medical fee, don’t you?” Raciel’s smile shone brightly.
In this world, every action must come with a price. Labor demands fair compensation. Numerous part-time jobs must receive an appropriate hourly wage. Even plucking a white hair from Dad’s head should fetch one hundred won per strand – such is the way of the world!
But free medical treatment?
That was out of the question.
‘Especially from an elf like this one, I must definitely take payment!’ Raciel nodded vehemently to himself.
In fact, while operating the Star Palace Oriental Medicine Clinic, he had never once accepted a medical fee in the form of money. The reason was to allow anyone, regardless of wealth or status, to come and receive treatment without a burden. Indeed, he had reaped considerable benefits from this practice.
But now the situation was different.
‘From now on, I have to cough up quite a lot of money to this elf as compensation for the damage of burning the forest. But just giving that away feels like too much of a loss.’
That was the situation.
It felt like being unfairly charged. It was frustrating. He would wake up tossing and turning several times, and sometimes the pain was so severe it felt like being held down by a heavy weight. He couldn’t stand it!
‘How hard I worked for that money!’ He had earned it by diligently selling Minotaur Clear Heart Pill. It was the money he had earned after selling all the treasures of the Star Palace. He didn’t want to give away such hard-earned money so helplessly.
That was why.
“Surely not, Lady Sylvia? You didn’t think the treatment was free, did you? Right?”
“……”
Gulp.
Sylvia’s Adam’s apple moved silently. She nearly let slip the honest answer that was about to come out and had to restrain herself at the last moment.
‘Free… I thought it was.’
She had thought so.
Raciel Adria Magentano. The crown prince of the empire. She had done her own background check on the perpetrator who had burned the forest in Anbouaz. Naturally, she was well aware that the medical fees at the Star Palace Oriental Medicine Clinic he operated were free.
That’s why it was unfair.
In the end, she couldn’t hold back and retorted.
“I heard it was free?”
“Who said?”
“People?”
“What people?”
“The many who received treatment here…”
That was true. It really was. She was certain of it. Yet now, why was the crown prince saying something unexpected like asking for a medical fee? She didn’t understand.
“Then why are you trying to charge me a fee? Isn’t that unfair?”
She asked sincerely.
Raciel retorted as if spouting nonsense through beatboxing.
“Unfair? I’m making a reasonable request, aren’t I?”
“Reasonable? This is?”
“Yes.”
“What’s reasonable about it?”
“You didn’t fill out a medical registration receipt, did you, Lady Sylvia?”
“…What?”
“Didn’t you hear? The medical registration receipt. You didn’t fill it out, did you?”
“Oh, yes…”
“So you have to pay the medical fee.”
“……”
Why!
Sylvia wanted to scream. Bringing up a medical registration receipt out of nowhere, she couldn’t fathom the connection between not filling it out and having to pay a medical fee that others didn’t.
But as she listened to Raciel’s calm response, she felt like her head was being gently pounded with a mallet.
“There’s a clause on the medical registration receipt. It states that medical fees at the Star Palace Oriental Medicine Clinic are free.”
Flap!
Raciel countered, producing a piece of paper. It was the medical registration receipt for the Star Palace Oriental Medicine Clinic. He pointed to a spot at the bottom of the receipt.
“Here. You have good eyes, so you can see it, right?”
“……”
“It says ‘free,’ doesn’t it?”
“……”
“So the person who fills out this receipt can get treatment for free, you understand?”
“……”
“But you didn’t fill it out, did you?”
“……”
“So it’s not free, is it?”
“……”
Sylvia wanted to cry.
Isn’t this exploitation? Or a deception? She wanted to argue. If possible, she wanted to smack that smiling prince’s face back and forth thirty times.
But she couldn’t.
Click…
Before she knew it, she was surrounded on all sides. Demian, the man with black hair who always stayed by the Crown Prince’s side, along with the royal guards and special duty forces. And even a giant minotaur. They were all encircling her with stern looks.
In other words, this situation seemed more like a shakedown than anything else!
“…Are you saying you’ll force the money out of me?”
“Ah, tsk tsk. Why do you phrase it like that? I provided high-quality medical services, so isn’t it only fair that I receive the corresponding medical fee?”
“……”
“Don’t tell me. Were you planning to skip out on paying the medical fee? Wow, I didn’t peg you as that kind of person.”
“No, I…”
“You came to seek compensation for the forest that was burned, didn’t you? How did I react at that time? Did I resist? Did I object? No, right?”
“Well, that’s…”
“What do you mean by ‘that’s what’? I cooperatively and honestly answered all your pressing questions without any excuses. I also earnestly treated a lung parasite infection that you were unaware of. And this is the thanks I get?”
“…No, I mean, I!”
“Will you pay the medical fee?”
“How much is it?”
“100,000 magen.”
“…Absurd!”
“You don’t have that kind of money, do you?”
“Of course not!”
This is extortion. It truly is extortion.
But Raciel remained composed. Realizing the importance of the health insurance system anew, he cornered Sylvia into the trap he had set.
“So, how much do you have?”
“……”
“Don’t tell me.”
“……”
“You don’t have a single penny?”
“……”
Sylvia’s face turned beet red. As expected. The smile on Raciel’s lips turned into that of a hunter. However, he concealed his smile while pretending innocence.
“Ah, that would be a problem. You see, the sumac tree I used to feed Urus was quite expensive to import.”
“……”
“Plus, the tools and equipment used to dry, grind, and bake the minotaur dung can no longer be used for anything else. The cost of those tools and facilities is quite substantial.”
“But, but still!”
“But what?”
“This is the Crown Prince’s private residence, isn’t it?”
“So?”
“Doesn’t the money come from the imperial treasury anyway?”
“Not really.”
“…What?”
“Perhaps you don’t know our Emperor well, but he is excessively interested in fostering independence in his heirs. This private residence doesn’t receive a single penny from the imperial coffers for its operation.”
“Then how does this place operate?”
“Operate? I sell medicine and do business to keep it running. But you’re trying to eat up the cost of the sumac tree and the equipment and not pay the medical fee.”
“No, it’s not that I won’t pay.”
“You said you don’t have the money.”
“Well, that’s…”
“What’s the difference between that and outright refusal?”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Isn’t there another way I can pay the medical fee without money?”
“…….”
Bingo.
Raciel barely suppressed the urge to do a backflip and drop some beatbox. Maintaining a calm expression as if it was nothing, he spoke.
“Well, there is a way, um, yes.”
“There is?”
“Yes. It’s not something dangerous, dirty, or humiliating, of course.”
“What is it?”
“Hmm, well. You know about the daily banquets being held at the Second Prince’s palace these days, right?”
“Yeah. I know.”
“Would you be able to attend one of those banquets?”
“…What?”
Sylvia blinked in surprise. To be asked to attend a banquet of the human imperial family was an unexpected request.
‘What’s this about?’
A thick broth of suspicion stewed in her gaze as she looked at Raciel. It was unexpected but not an unpleasant request, which made her suspicious. It seemed to her that the Crown Prince had some ulterior motive.
“Attend the banquet and… what do I have to do?”
“Just attending is enough.”
“Just attend?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
“There’s really no other meaning to it. Just by being present, you will benefit me greatly.”
“Benefit…?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of benefit?”
“Let’s just say that your presence will make the banquet shine even more.”
Raciel added with a polite tone.
“That’s how human banquets are.”
“…….”
Sylvia pondered for a moment. Just being present didn’t seem so bad. Standing around didn’t seem like a big deal. Although an unusual and somewhat whimsical request, it appeared to be a no-loss situation for her. In fact, it seemed to be an easier task than she thought.
‘It might feel a bit awkward and burdensome to show myself in front of so many humans… but I can handle that much. It’s far better than paying an amount I can’t afford for the medical fee.’
She had finished her calculations.
She made her decision.
“…Alright. I accept your request.”
“You’ve made a wise decision. Then, I shall send you the dress for the banquet this afternoon.”
Mission accomplished.
Raciel beamed with satisfaction.
Observing him, all the guards and special duty soldiers quietly marveled at their Crown Prince. Despite his tough and cunning demeanor earlier, he appeared quite impressive. It seemed as though he never intended to actually collect the medical fee but used it as a pretext to smoothly invite the elf to the banquet.
‘Who would have thought he could create an opportunity to get closer to an elf so seamlessly?’
‘An elf attending a human, let alone an imperial banquet? Has that ever happened before? Or has such a request ever been accepted?’
‘He’s very skilled. I’d like to learn from him.’
They all admired him.
And they were filled with anticipation.
How would the Crown Prince win over the heart of the elf he had invited to the banquet today? Perhaps the Magentano imperial family would witness the unprecedented rise of an elf empress.
While each contemplated their thoughts, the day passed by, marked by misunderstandings.
♣
Time passed swiftly.
It was now evening.
At the Second Prince’s palace, a grand banquet proceeded as usual. The 50 princesses and noble ladies invited from various countries engaged in their elegant competition, displaying their charm.
The exchange of wine glasses and smiles.
Melodious music and delectable desserts.
The ladies’ cheeks were slightly flushed from the fragrant intoxication of the evening. It was at this moment that Raciel, who had been silently observing from a corner until now, made his move. He ascended to the stage of the banquet hall. Outside the awareness of most, he subtly signaled with his eyes.
“…….”
Upon receiving his gaze, the servants of the Second Prince’s palace sprang into action. They brought in a long table and arranged it on the stage of the banquet hall. But that wasn’t all. They neatly stacked a row of luxurious boxes on the table. All these tasks were executed efficiently and without disruption.
As a result, the dancing and conversations in the banquet hall came to a halt. Soon, everyone’s attention shifted to the table with its elaborately designed boxes and then to Raciel. At that moment, Raciel addressed the assembly with composure.
“Ahem, I would like to express my gratitude in the name of Crown Prince Raciel Adria Magentano for gracing this occasion with your presence today, cough… cough! Furthermore, I have organized this special gathering to offer you a wonderful privilege and opportunity.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd…
Everyone nodded and turned their gaze toward the Crown Prince, while some internally pondered the curious intentions of the seemingly unassuming Crown Prince. Privilege and opportunity? What was the significance of the stacked boxes on the table?
Their curiosity grew.
Their interest was piqued.
A self-satisfied smile spread across Raciel’s lips.
“Therefore, I present to you, for the very first time, a groundbreaking weight management miracle, the ‘Slim’ diet elixir, which I have recently developed.”
Ba-bam!
In response to Raciel’s signal, the band blared a grand trumpet fanfare. The curtain behind the stage where Raciel stood was abruptly drawn back. Unveiled behind the parted curtain was the promotional model for the day, an elf named Sylvia, showcasing her well-proportioned figure.
All eyes were now fixed on her!
Sylvia gritted her teeth, attempting to maintain a forced smile.
‘Crown Prince… when you said to attend the banquet and stand there… is this what you had in mind?’
Thus, the intensive marketing of ‘The Slim,’ a product soon to be celebrated as a miraculous diet elixir made from concentrated Vesparos queen bee extract, took the banquet hall by surprise.
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