CHAPTER 20

Medical Fee Claim (2)

[Skill Name: Medical Fee Claim Lv.1]

[This skill activates automatically when you successfully complete a medical treatment for a patient. You will receive an extended lifespan proportional to the amount by which your treatment increases the patient's expected lifespan. The ratio of this calculation will increase as the skill level rises. (The bonus lifespan is not deducted from the patient's lifespan but is granted separately as a reward.)]

[Current Calculation Ratio = 2000:1]

"Huh?"

Lachiel's eyes widened.

A sudden flood of messages appeared before him, containing completely unexpected information—something he had never even imagined.

"What… is this?"

As he processed the messages, additional notifications continued to appear.

[The skill "Medical Fee Claim (Lv.1)" has been activated.]

[Patient 'Theodor Palermo Magentano' has gained an additional 0.5 days of expected lifespan due to your hangover treatment. Accordingly, you will receive a bonus lifespan equivalent to 1/2000 of 0.5 days.]

[The calculated lifespan unit is too small.]

[The minimum unit of lifespan that can be granted is 1 day.]

"..."

After reading the messages, Lachiel roughly understood.

Though he still felt dazed.

He suddenly grasped what these messages were telling him.

"I can claim lifespan? By treating patients? The more I extend a patient's expected lifespan through my medical treatment, the more my own lifespan increases in proportion?"

And it wasn't even deducted from the patient's own lifespan—it was an additional bonus granted separately.

"Then… I don't have to struggle with self-treatment anymore?"

A realization slowly dawned on him.

A realization carrying immense significance.

Lachiel's lips trembled slightly without him realizing it.

"Nice. Seriously, this is nice. I was running out of options since the effects of the 'Demon Emperor's Rejuvenation Decoction' were wearing off. I had been agonizing over new prescriptions, uncertain whether I could even extend my lifespan any further."

To be honest, he had been terrified.

His body, as the Crown Prince Lachiel, truly felt cursed. His expected lifespan was only a few months. He was constantly exhausted, his body wrecked beyond repair, and no matter how many times he diagnosed himself, he couldn't determine the cause.

It felt as though his entire body—every organ—was beyond saving. As if he had been deliberately born to die young.

"No matter how much I treated myself… it felt like throwing money into a bottomless pit."

Even with the 'Demon Emperor's Rejuvenation Decoction' in his circle slot supplying his body, and despite regular acupuncture treatments, it was all just temporary relief. Worse, his body seemed to have adapted to the medicinal components over time, making them less effective.

It was a dilemma.

Could he really continue extending his lifespan? How long could he last using his current methods? Was it even possible to survive beyond the events of the novel?

His doubts grew, and his fears loomed larger. Perhaps, to forget the terror those doubts and fears brought, he had immersed himself in preparations for this duel.

"But… this resolves my worries."

No longer did he need to obsess over treating his own failing body.

All he had to do was treat others.

Heal the sick.

Care for the wounded.

By doing so…

"The more their lifespan increases, the more bonus lifespan I receive."

Lachiel clenched his fist.

A new path forward had emerged. Flames of hope ignited within him. And that wasn't the only promising realization.

"Medical Fee Claim… I remember seeing it before when I first chose a skill to unlock."

Yes, he was certain.

It was during his first skill unlock. Among the available skills, "Medical Fee Claim" had been one of them. But back then, he had chosen the "Pulse Diagnosis" skill instead.

For a simple reason.

"I thought 'Medical Fee Claim' would be nothing special."

Honestly, he had assumed it was just a skill that allowed him to charge money for medical services. He hadn't even given it a second glance.

After all, he was the Crown Prince.

He had more money than he could ever spend.

Why would he need a skill to collect medical fees from others? It seemed utterly pointless.

"But it turns out, the 'fee' isn't money."

He never would have guessed that it granted bonus lifespan. He hadn't even imagined it would be such a god-tier skill—one that delivered exactly what he needed most on a silver platter.

"Then what about the other skills?"

Lachiel recalled the other skill options he had seen back then.

"The ones I saw… Pulse Diagnosis, Acupuncture, Cupping, Moxibustion, Herbal Decoction Preparation, Ingredient Identification, Herb Gathering, Medicinal Brewing, Medical Fee Claim, and Asrahan Breathing Technique…"

So far, he had unlocked Pulse Diagnosis, Medical Fee Claim, and Asrahan Breathing Technique.

Which meant the rest…?

"They're probably not just ordinary acupuncture, cupping, or decoction-making. If Medical Fee Claim is anything to go by, then the others likely have unexpected, overpowered effects too."

It seemed highly probable.

"I should unlock them one by one whenever I get the chance."

Lachiel made a mental note of his plan for the future. He reaffirmed his determination to make the most of this opportunity.

At that moment—

"Why do you not answer?"

A weighty, authoritative voice stabbed into his eardrums. Snapping out of his thoughts, Lachiel raised his head.

And there, he saw the face of the Emperor.

A slightly raised chin, stern and sharp eyes cast downward. Those eyes seemed to be probing him with countless unspoken questions.

"I shall ask again. In your duel just now, did you use the Asrahan Breathing Technique?"

"…Yes, I did."

Lachiel swiftly answered the Emperor's question. The Emperor's expression hardened further.

"How?"

"I do not know."

"You do not know?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He improvised an answer.

There was no other choice.

Sometimes, excessive honesty could be dangerous.

He couldn't very well say, "I stabbed myself with acupuncture needles and downed a medicinal decoction, and suddenly my organs rewarded me with skill unlock points."

Lachiel glanced around subtly.

"The crowd's gone."

Earlier, during the duel, the Roy-Havi Bridge had been packed with people.

Spectators had filled the grand bridge, crowded both sides of the main road along the river, and even leaned out from the windows and rooftops of the buildings lining the riverbanks.

But now?

Not a single person remained.

Not just near the bridge—there was no one in sight along the river road either. Every window in the surrounding buildings was shut, and the rooftops were completely empty.

"As expected, the Emperor's authority is absolute. He cleared out that massive crowd in an instant."

That left only the Emperor and Lachiel standing on the bridge.

Even the royal guards and attendants had been ordered to stand at a distance.

"So, he has something to say to me."

Lachiel swallowed dryly.

Thankfully, the wait was short.

The Emperor's lips parted.

"…Indeed. On the day of your birth, I personally engraved the Asrahan Breathing Technique onto your heart."

His piercing gaze bore into Lachiel.

In it, a faint emotion flickered.

Was it regret? Or satisfaction?

It was impossible to tell—his face remained unreadable as ever.

The Emperor continued.

"And yet, despite possessing it all this time, you only now bring it forth—to disrupt my plans and disturb my expectations."

"..."

This didn't sound friendly.

Lachiel silently awaited the Emperor's next words.