The Gate Traveler

When I came down for breakfast the following day, I had two surprises waiting for me in the common room. The first was Domenica and Aurustine eating breakfast in the inn, with the baby in a basket on a chair beside them. The innkeeper served them breakfast in the glassware I sold, and for some reason, it made me feel very pleased.

The second surprise was that the common room was packed—I didn’t think the town had that many people—and the innkeeper told me they were all waiting for me. I felt a bit intimidated, but I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, and said, “Please arrange yourselves by order of severity. Take into account that it takes … [do they have minutes here?] … ahm, it takes some time to heal a person. So if you are later in line, leave and return later. Also, I’m not sure I’ll have enough mana for everybody today, so some will have to return in two days. I will start after breakfast.”

While I ate my breakfast, they figured out the order in which I should receive them, and did it in a good-natured manner without arguments, which was nice. I finished eating and started seeing them one by one.

The first man had a broken arm—Heal Bone, and he was fine. He gave me 5 coppers, we thanked each other, and he left.

“Next!”

A lady with a burnt hand—Healing Touch, and she was fine. She gave me a duck with a strange wide beak as payment. I held it in my hands, feeling its warm, feathery body wriggle slightly. It looked at me with those beady eyes, opened its beak, and let out a loud, indignant quack. I stared at it, completely at a loss.

“What am I supposed to do with a duck?” I muttered under my breath, half expecting the duck to answer. It quacked again, louder this time, as if to say, “Figure it out yourself!”

The people in the room chuckled, and I felt my face heat. I looked around, hoping someone would give me a clue. The duck, oblivious to my distress, flapped its wings a bit, nearly slipping out of my grasp.

“Uh, does anyone need a duck?” I called out, feeling more and more ridiculous by the second. The duck quacked again, and I could swear it was mocking me now. “Anyone? Fresh duck here, very lively!”

The laughter in the room grew, and even the lady who gave me the duck had a smile tugging at her lips. I could see her trying not to laugh at my predicament. The innkeeper, bless his soul, finally came to my rescue.

“I’ll keep it for you,” he said, stepping forward and taking the duck from my hands. The duck quacked one last time, almost as if it was saying goodbye, and settled into the innkeeper’s arms.

“Thank you,” I said, relieved to be rid of the bird. “Next!”

A man with a herniated disc—I cast Healing Touch, but it did nothing. Hmm. I didn’t think Heal Muscle or Bone would help here; the disc is neither. I used Diagnose to get a better understanding of his condition.

I closed my eyes and focused on the spell, feeling the mana flow through me and into the man’s body. The image of his spine appeared in my mind, highlighting the problem area. The herniated disc was pressing against a nerve, causing inflammation and pain. The disc protrusion strained the surrounding muscles and slightly misaligned the nearby vertebrae.

Armed with this information, I got an idea: I split my mind into three and parallel cast Healing Touch, Heal Bone, and Heal Muscle. The three-way split was still hard for me, and I felt my mind “shaking” from the strain, but I persisted.

There was an improvement. The pressure on the nerve reduced slightly, and I could see the inflammation subsiding. His grimace of pain softened, and he straightened up a bit, gingerly testing his movement. I watched him closely, noting the subtle changes. His posture improved, and the tightness around his eyes and mouth eased. It wasn’t a complete transformation, but it was a start.

Encouraged, I performed another round of the triple spell. This time, he sighed in relief, flexing his back more confidently. The muscles around the affected area relaxed, and the vertebrae began to realign. He bent forward slowly, then side to side, each movement more fluid than the last. He looked at me, eyes wide with astonishment.

“It’s getting better,” he said, a mixture of disbelief and hope in his voice.

I nodded, focused on the task. One more round of the spells, and this time, he stood up straight, took a deep breath, and twisted his torso without apparent discomfort. The disc no longer pressed against the nerve, and the surrounding tissue had healed significantly.

“How does it feel now?” I asked, watching his face closely for any signs of lingering pain.

He moved his back in various directions, testing the full range of motion. “It feels…normal. No pain.” He sounded almost shocked, as if he couldn’t believe it was real. “Thank you.”

He handed me a silver coin, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d use so much mana. This is all I have.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “It’s fine. You don’t need to give me more money. Thank you.”

As he walked away, I pondered his comment. So people can sense how much mana I’m using? That’s interesting. I filed the information for later, ready to move on to the next patient.

“Next!”

An elderly lady with pancreatic cancer and cancer metastases in several locations in her body—I cast Diagnosis a second time to get a clear picture of the extent of her illness. The spell revealed tumors scattered throughout her pancreas, liver, and lymph nodes. Each was a dark, malignant mass, leeching life from her body.

I cast Healing Touch on one metastasis, but it didn’t work. The cancer was too aggressive for a simple healing spell. I needed to be more strategic. I combined my spells: One part Healing Touch, one Purify, and one Fortify Life Force.

Immediately, I saw an improvement. The malignant cells in the targeted metastasis broke apart, and the healthy cells around it rejuvenated and pushed out the cancerous ones. Encouraged, I moved to the next metastasis, repeating the process. The tumors shrank under the combined assault of the three spells, healthy tissue regenerating in their place.

I worked on the metastases one by one, meticulously eradicating each malignant growth. Her breathing became steadier, and her skin, which had been pale and sallow, took on a healthier hue. The most challenging part was the primary tumor in her pancreas. It was deeply embedded and more resistant.

I focused all my energy, splitting my mind into three distinct channels: Healing Touch to mend the damaged tissues, Purify to cleanse the malignant cells, and Fortify Life Force to bolster her body’s natural defenses. Gradually, the tumor shrank, and healthy pancreatic cells regenerated.

During the entire healing process, tears streamed down my cheeks. I could feel the strain on my mana reserves, but more profoundly, I felt the emotional weight of my actions. Memories of Sophie flooded my mind, and the tears flowed freely.

When I was done, I cast repeated Fortify Life Force until her cells looked healthy and vibrant. I wasn’t sure if I had healed the cancer for good, but for now, I had healed her. I wiped my tears and told her softly, “You’re healed.”

She looked at me with wide, watery eyes. “Why are you crying, dear?”

I took a shaky breath. “My wife died from the disease I healed in you. It happened before I got my healing ability, so I couldn’t help her. I am happy I could help you, but it’s sad to heal somebody else from the disease that killed her.”

She hugged me gently, her frail arms surprisingly strong. “I lost my husband five years ago,” she whispered. “It does get better and easier with time, I promise.”

She gave me a gold coin, her hand lingering on mine momentarily. “Thank you,” she said, her voice full of gratitude.

I nodded, unable to speak, and watched as she left, her steps lighter than when she arrived. I took a minute to recover, drank some water, and dried my face.

“Next!” I called, ready to continue.

A toddler with a stomach bug was next. The little boy was pale, clinging to his mother’s skirt, his eyes dull and tired. His mother, looking equally worried, approached me.

“Can you heal him?” she asked, desperation in her voice.

I crouched down to the toddler’s level, giving him a reassuring smile before looking up at his mother. “I could heal him,” I said gently, “but it would be much better for his immune system if he rode it out.”

She frowned, clearly confused. “What do you mean?”

I stood up and looked around. Everyone nearby had the same puzzled expression. I realized I needed to explain in simpler terms. Clearing my throat, I addressed the mother and the crowd.

“Think of a virus like a tiny invader,” I began, miming a little creature with my fingers. “When it gets into the body, the body has soldiers called the immune system. These soldiers fight the invader and learn how to defeat it.”

The mother still looked unsure, so I continued, “If I heal him now, his body won’t learn how to fight this invader on its own. It’s like if someone else always fights your battles for you. Your soldiers never get stronger or smarter.”

The mother’s eyes widened in understanding. Some onlookers nodded, looking thoughtful.

“But if you let his body fight the virus,” I said, “his immune system – those soldiers – will learn and get stronger. Next time a similar invader comes, his body will know how to beat it faster and better.”

She looked down at her son, then back at me. “So it’s good for him to be sick?”

I smiled softly. “In a way, yes. It’s hard to see him like this, but letting his body fight the virus will help him become stronger.”

The mother nodded slowly, understanding dawning in her eyes. She thanked me, and with a final grateful look, left with her son. The surrounding crowd seemed impressed, some murmuring amongst themselves, clearly having learned something new.

“Next!” I called out, ready for the next patient.

A man with crutches hobbled up to me next. His leg was clearly in terrible shape and moved with difficulty.

I frowned in concern, casting Diagnose to get a clearer picture. “Your leg,” I began, “it broke in five places and healed wrong.”

He nodded, grimacing. “Yeah, it’s been like this for a while.”

I took a deep breath, preparing to explain. “I can fix it, but I’ll need to operate on it. This means I’ll have to re-break the bone and set it properly.”

His eyes widened in alarm. “Re-break it? That sounds… painful.”

I nodded sympathetically. “It will be, but I have a spell for that. I will make you fall asleep to ensure you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. Once the bone is set correctly, I’ll use healing spells to speed up the recovery.”

He looked thoughtful, then nodded. “Okay, I understand.”

I continued, “I’ll do the operation in two days. Until then, I need you to eat and drink as much as possible. Your body needs a good reserve of nutrients to help with the healing process.”

He gave a small, determined smile. “Got it. I’ll do that.”

I clapped him on the shoulder, giving him an encouraging look. “You’re doing the right thing. We’ll get you fixed up soon.”

He thanked me and moved aside, his hope renewed. I turned back to the crowd.

“Next!” I called out, ready for the next patient.

A man with a bad liver—two Healing Touch, and he was okay. I told him, “You are healed for now, but if you continue drinking, the problem will return.”

His wife slapped the back of his head and said, “I told you not to drink so much.”

“But I need to check the mead before I sell it!”

“You can check with one cup, not one barrel.”

He paid me with a small barrel of mead—no surprises there—and left grumpy.

“Next!”

It continued like this for a few hours until my mana was 260/4200. I had to tell seven people to return the next day and reschedule three people for operations. The man with the crushed leg. A woman with a lot of scar tissues in the intestines after a knife wound I’d need to remove to heal her. And a boy with a Deviated Nasal Septum. Despite my tiredness, I was feeling good. I enjoyed helping people, and it felt like I balanced the karmic scale for the bandit I killed. I didn’t feel torn about it. He was a killer. But I was still from Earth—the justice system and all that.

In this healing session, I made 9 gold, 4 silver, three coppers, a duck, two birds very similar to chickens, a bag of some unfamiliar grain, a small barrel of mead, two sheets of tanned leather, a hammer, and a bucket of milk. The lady said the milk was the payment, but I needed to return the bucket. Stretch laid claim to the milk, and I told him to enjoy. The red light started blinking during the day, but I ignored it until I was done. Now I had time to check.

 

Level up +3 intelligence, +3 wisdom, +2 vitality, +3 free points Class: Healer Level 8 Stat points: 3 Level up +3 intelligence, +3 wisdom, +2 vitality, +3 free points Class: Healer Level 9 Stat points: 6

 

I did not know what to do with the spare stat points, so I banked them for now.

That evening, Aurustine invited me to join them for dinner. We sat at a large wooden table, the warm glow of the fire casting flickering shadows on the walls. We ate and chatted, enjoying the hearty meal. As we finished our main course, Aurustine looked at me curiously.

“How does a healer decide to become a merchant?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I paused, a fork halfway to my mouth. “How did you know I’m also a merchant?”

He gave me a strange look and said, “You have the Inventory Blessing.”

I blinked in surprise. That’s why nobody reacted! Good to know.

I quickly recovered and bluffed, setting my fork down. “Oh, right! You saw me take things out of my inventory; I forgot about that.”

Aurustine nodded, satisfied. “So, how did you decide to become a merchant?”

Taking a deep breath, I tried to keep my story straight. “I’m from a merchant family from the islands in the south and got the class as a family tradition. After my wife died, I decided to go traveling to overcome my grief. In my travels, I met people who were hurt and tried to help them as much as I could. At some point, the Blessed Spirits also blessed me with the healer class. So I’m a merchant that became a healer, not vice versa.” I hoped it sounded logical.

“Yes, that makes sense,” Aurustine said, nodding thoughtfully. “It is the only way to get the healer class, to heal people with pure intention without expectations. That is why this class is so rare.”

Phew! I’m nailing this “hide you are a Traveler” business!

Aurustine leaned forward, intrigued. “Did you bring your family’s wares to sell?”

“Yes,” I replied, taking a sip of my drink.

“Can you show us?” Domenica asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.

I summoned a couple of ornate vases, a beautiful china tea set I found in a thrift store, and a few Chinese ceramic figurines. They admired them one by one, their faces lighting up with delight. Domenica picked up a delicate figurine, turning it over in her hands with awe.

“These are exquisite,” she murmured.

I smiled and continued to show them the “high-end” products I had from glass and porcelain. They admired all of them, exclaiming about their beauty and artistry. When there was no more space on the table, they whispered between themselves for a moment.

Aurustine looked up at me, apologetic. “We want to buy everything, but we have only 750 gold left and need some for our journey. Tell us what we can get for 700 gold, and come visit us in Mara to sell my wife’s family more beautiful creations, or visit us in Somer the next season, and I will buy more for us.”

I thought for a minute, tapping my chin. I decided that I really liked them and didn’t want to fleece them too badly. “You can have all this and one more thing for 500 gold.” I took out a delicate gold chain with a sapphire teardrop pendant and handed it to Domenica. She looked at it with hearts in her eyes.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she gasped, holding it to the light. I knew she would; whenever I saw her, she wore blue, so I chose it.

They tried to refuse, but their hearts weren’t in it; they really wanted the stuff. I was okay with this price; everything cost me about $200, and the pendant and chain were a “gift” from my mother-in-law.

Looting for the win!

Domenica looked up at me, a soft smile on her face. “What was your wife’s name?”

“Sophia, but I called her Sophie,” I replied, my voice softening with the memory.

“It’s a beautiful and unusual name,” she said, patting my hand gently.

“Yes, she was a beautiful and unusual woman,” I said, feeling a lump in my throat.

She patted my hand and said, “Time heals all pains.”

I guessed some sayings are universal in the broad sense of the word—with slight local variations.

We finished our dinner and said goodnight, and I took Stretch on a bike ride in the trailer. I was busy all day and didn’t spend time with him; he deserved my attention.

When we returned from the ride, the royal guards were waiting for me near the inn. Stretch trotted alongside me, his tail wagging contentedly.

“Excuse me, healer,” one guard said, stepping forward with a pained expression. He clutched his stomach, grimacing. “I’ve got a terrible belly ache.”

I nodded, motioning for him to sit on a nearby bench. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with.” I cast Diagnose, watching the spell reveal the source of his discomfort.

“It looks like you have mild food poisoning,” I said, my brow furrowing in concentration. “What did you eat today?”

He winced, thinking back. “Just some jerky from my rations.”

I cast Healing Touch, focusing on his digestive system. He sighed in relief as the pain subsided. “You should throw out that jerky,” I advised. “It’s likely spoiled.”

He nodded gratefully. “Thank you, healer.”

As he stood up, the other guards approached, and one of them said. “We heard you have some wares for sale. We want to buy some things for our wives and families.”

I smiled, nodding. “Of course. What are you looking for?”

“Nothing too fancy,” another guard said. “Just some good quality household goods and maybe a few pieces of jewelry.”

I led them over to a table and began summoning various items from my inventory. I laid out a selection of household goods: finely crafted kitchen utensils, beautiful woven baskets, and a few sturdy, hand-carved wooden bowls. The guards inspected the items, nodding appreciatively.

Next, I displayed an assortment of silver jewelry adorned with semi-precious stones. “These are lovely,” one guard said, picking up a necklace and holding it to the light. “My wife will love this.”

As they selected their purchases, I totaled up the cost, and my earnings from them were 183 gold and 2 silver.

“Thank you,” one guard said, pocketing his purchases. “These are perfect.”

I watched them leave, their faces filled with satisfaction. Curious, I looked into my storage. Despite the sales, it still didn’t even dent the amount of stuff I had. I chuckled, knowing I’d have plenty more opportunities to sell my wares.

The following day, at breakfast, I sat at a wooden table in the inn’s common room, savoring a warm bowl of porridge. Domenica and Aurustine approached, their faces beaming with joy.

“Good morning,” I greeted them, smiling.

“Good morning,” Domenica replied, her voice filled with excitement. “We wanted to tell you something.”

Aurustine nodded, placing a gentle hand on Domenica’s shoulder. “We decided to call our baby girl Sophia,” he said. “We loved the name, and wanted to thank you for saving both mother and child.”

I felt a lump form in my throat, deeply moved by their gesture. “That’s an amazing honor,” I managed to say, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

I took out a beautiful gold bracelet adorned with diamonds. “This belonged to my wife, Sophie,” I explained, handing it to Domenica. “She called it her ‘lucky bracelet.’ I feel like our meeting was guided by Luck, so I want baby Sophia to have all the Luck in the world.”

Domenica’s eyes filled with tears as she accepted the bracelet. She hugged me tightly, whispering her thanks. I returned the hug, feeling the warmth of her gratitude.

After the embrace, I cast Fortify Life Force on Domenica and the baby, ensuring their health. Then, I reached into my inventory, remembering the items I had bought for kids and babies.

“Wait, I have something else for you,” I said, pulling out a fluffy pink baby blanket with big yellow flowers. I handed it to Domenica, who smiled as she ran her fingers over the soft fabric.

Next, I took out a Pooh Bear plushie and handed it to Aurustine. “This is for baby Sophia,” I said, watching as he squeezed the bear gently.

I continued, pulling out a few onesies and explaining to Domenica how to put them on the baby. She listened attentively, nodding as I demonstrated.

Last, I took out a tinkling baby mobile with stars and clouds. “This is a mobile,” I explained, showing them how it worked. “It’s to hang above her crib.”

I put everything in a lovely white wicker basket with a handle and presented it to them. “This is my birthday gift to baby Sophia,” I said.

Domenica and Aurustine looked overwhelmed. “This is too much,” Domenica protested, trying to hand back the basket. “We can’t accept such an expensive and extravagant gift.”

I shook my head, smiling. “Please, I want you to have it. It means a lot to me.”

They finally capitulated, thanking me profusely. After breakfast, they prepared to leave, continuing their journey to Domenica’s parents. Before they left, they invited me to visit them in both kingdoms.

I felt lighter, like I had come full circle and found some closure. Something in me felt like it unclenched, and a wave of relief passed over my body. It was a really Lucky encounter.