Merin stands at the doorway of the patient's room and watches as his patient is now conscious, leaving his clinic, supported by the fishermen. He watches as they step onto the sunlit street and disappear from his view. He puts the pouch containing their fee inside his pocket and turns to the other man present in his clinic.
He looks at the new man, his robes are finely woven, dyed with subtle hues only the wealthy could afford. Shoulder-length hair is tied behind his head in a simple, elegant knot. Grey eyes, sharp and measuring, meet Merin's calmly.
But what draws Merin's attention most isn't the man's clothing or demeanour—it's the faint, unmistakable smell drifting from him. Herbs. Ground roots. Preserved bark. A dozen rare ingredients subtly woven into the man's scent, like the lingering aroma of an apothecary after midnight.
Merin narrows his eyes slightly.
The man's posture is steady, and Merin cannot spot any sign of sickness. From his clothes, Merin assumes the man is wealthy. Most wealthy people have their private family healer, and even if they want treatment from him, they would send someone to call Merin to them or come in a carriage.
The smell of Medicines from the man means that if he is not a patient, then the man is a healer like him.
So, Merin stares at the man, then asks," I don't think you came for treatment."
The man smiles politely and bows," You are correct, Healer Kanoru. My name is Sato Ryota."
His eyes narrow when the man mentions the name that he goes by in this world. He folds his arms, thinking, 'Why did the man come to him?' " Mr. Sato, it seems you know about me. But I know nothing about you. So, can I know the reason for your visit?"
Ryota laughs softly. "That's only natural, Healer Kanoru. You are well known—you cured the Viper's Kiss afflicting Miss Mei. I, on the other hand, am just an unknown healer who came to ask for a bit of your wisdom."
Merin opens his mouth to respond, but pauses. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees someone approaching from the street—a man limping, supported by a woman. Another patient.
Ryota turns at the sound of footsteps, then looks back. "Seems I came at the wrong time."
He reaches into his robe and pulls out a small bronze token. "How about this—once you close your clinic for the day, meet me at Paradise Tower. I'll book a room for us to talk privately."
Merin nods. Meeting a healer already active in the city could open doors—connections, networks, and maybe even access to new techniques or books.
He watches Ryota leave without further words, the scent of rare herbs still lingering faintly in the air. Then, turning back, he walks toward his next patient.
----
A couple of hours before the sun completely sets, Merin walks out with Kuro, his third patient. Kuro suffers from chronic body aches and is worsened by the cold season. Now it is late autumn, and a couple of weeks later, the snow will start falling.
Kuro is also from the Yellowwind town and came here for work a decade ago. He started working as a grain transporter, and the reason for his chronic body aches.
As they step out from the elevated platform of his clinic, Merin calmly explains how to prepare the prescribed ingredients and the timing of each dose.
"Boil the leaves first, let the roots steep afterwards. Drink the medicine before bed, and make sure to wrap your joints with a warm cloth. Avoid damp places," Merin instructs.
The man listens carefully, nods gratefully, and after paying the fee, clasps Merin's hand with both of his and thanks him before heading down the street.
Merin turns, intending to return to his desk, when the sound of rolling wheels draws his attention.
An exquisite carriage glides into view and halts in front of his clinic. The horse snorts, and the coachman climbs down.
Merin watches in curiosity, thinking, did the news of his healing Mori Mei spread one, after one, wealthy people came to his clinic today. Before, Sato Ryota did not come for treatment. So, Merin wishes this one would come for treatment.
The carriage door opens, and the head of the Mori Family steps down with a composed expression. Merin straightens, recognising the man instantly.
He is disappointed inside, but on his face with a happy smile, he steps forward to greet them. At the same time, Mori Mei also steps outside of the carriage, following behind her father.
He thinks, looks like they came to visit him, not for any treatment. He looks beyond them and spots people walking on the street, and from the stores around, everyone is looking at his clinic.
It is because the Mori Family is one of the top forces in this city, their business is mostly real estate and the farmlands around the city. From the woman at the Paradise Tower, he learn the Mori Family used to have a High-Ranking Samurai.
Now, there is no one but still no forces in the city, with High-Ranking Samurai challenging the Mori Family because of their connection with the Jade Buddha Temple on the other side of Oouchi River.
So, Merin knows if he tries and win the heart of Mori Mei, who is now looking at him with a shine in her eyes and a shy smile. But Merin doesn't want to know, as there is no immediate cause for him to use Mei to get his hands on a High-level Samurai Technique.
Only a week passed, and he advanced to the Middle-level Samurai. So, he is in no hurry to get a High-level Samurai Technique, and if in a month he doesn't get High-level Samurai Techniques here, he will leave this city for his next location.
Merin, after greeting them, shows them around his clinic and his resting place upstairs. As there is no room in the building to receive guests after the tour of his house, he led them back and seated them in the front office.
He then asks," Do you want to drink tea or water?"
The Head of the Mori Family says," Nothing needed. We came here because Mei wants to say thank you."
At that moment, Mei stands up and steps back, turning toward Merin, she bows deeply to 90 degrees and says loudly that people outside now gather into a crowd, peeking inside can hear," Thank you, Mr. Matsuda, for healing me."
Merin shows a shy smile and says," You're welcome, Miss Mei. I'm just glad I could help."
He gestures to take her seat again. The crowd outside murmurs at the display of a Mori Family member bowing to a healer. Some of them recognise Mei's identity as for whom the Mori Family at the city's official square call out for a healer.
They heard the rumour of her being healed, but many didn't believe, as many respected healers from their city were unable to heal. But now it looks like the rumour is true, an outsider, not even 20 years of age, heals her.
Among those who knew why Mori Mei was unconscious, eyes flickered with something hidden. They know what it means by a treatment from the influence of the Viper's kiss, as it does not kill those under the poison immediately, but puts them in a coma, and slowly kills them.
Viper Gang use the poison to blackmail the closed ones of those they have poisoned with the Viper's kiss.
The head of the Mori Family glanced at the crowd outside," From tomorrow, your clinic will be busy."
Merin kept his face calm," It is all thanks to you."
The head of the Mori Family gazed at Merin," But will you be able to handle it alone?"
Merin frowned, pondering the unspoken message from the head of the Mori Family. " I am thinking about what to do about it. I decided to send a letter to my Family tomorrow, but before they send help, I would have to handle it alone."
The head of the Mori Family looks at Merin's eyes with seriousness. " Mr. Matsuda, I have a proposition for you." His eyes then shifted to the crowd outside as he added, " But it would be better if we took the discussion to a private place."
Merin raises his eyebrow, thinking about what he wants to say, but decides to hear it and stands." Please, follow me." He guided the head of the Mori Family to another room within the clinic, closing the door to ensure their privacy.
With a soft creak, the inner room door crept open after some time. First, Merin walks out with the head of the Mori Family following behind him. The man simply nods at Merin, as all he has to say to Merin has already been said inside the room. He says to his daughter," Let's go, Mei."
Mei, who was waiting for them, still sitting in the chair with poise and grace, stands up, and a brilliant smile breaks out on her calm face. And facing Merin. " Thank you again, and please visit us before you leave the city."
She then followed her father, the gentle rhythm of her footsteps fading as they walked. Outside, the clamour of the street had subsided, but they still remained at a distance; the curious crowd, having seen the Mori patriarch emerge from the clinic, had long since dispersed, understanding their moment of spectacle was over.
Mei climbed into the waiting carriage after her father. As the driver pulls the reins of the carriage, the horses, without making any noise, start to walk. The window at the side of the carriage facing Merin, the cover flap open and Mei waves and smiles at Merin.
Merin watches them leave from the edge of his clinic front. The moment the carriage rolls away from his vision, Merin turns around and frowns; the smile on his face disappears. " Why did he heal her? Even after knowing she was poisoned. Why didn't he think who could poison the one and only daughter of the Mori patriarch would not be messed with? And they would after him after he spoiled their plan."
These thoughts started appearing in his mind when he learned the story behind Mei's poisoning. Mei was poisoned by the poison of the Viper Gang- Viper's kiss. The Viper gang used this poison to blackmail the Family or close ones who are poisoned by the Viper's kiss. The poison makes those who are under it fall into a coma in a couple of hours.
Then the Family and close ones of the victim watched their loved one slowly step into the abyss of death, slowly. Some may consider Viper's Kiss not a deadly poison, as it takes around a month to kill its victim.
But it is no means less dangerous than the poisons that kill their victims slowly. Without the antidote, the Family and close ones watch their loved one's life slip away slowly. And they are unable to do anything as they would have to agree with the demand of the Viper Gang and fulfil their demand before can get the antidote.
And most of their demands are outside of the law. So, even if they cure their loved ones after that, they are unable to do anything to the Viper Gang. As their handle is in the hands of the Viper Gang after they fulfil their demand. Even sometimes Viper Gang continue their blackmail as they have records of their crime.
And they stepped inside the thief ship of the Viper Gang without any choice, and some even joined the Viper Gang. But for the Mori Family, the Viper Gang is nothing can be destroyed at any moment, and they would have been destroyed after Mei was poisoned.
If the Seiko Family is not behind the Viper Gang. Seiko Family is a new top force in this city, and only three decades have passed. And they do not match in overall strength with the Mori Family, who were present even before the city was founded and was still a town.
The only thing now that the Mori Family fall behind the Seiko Family is that the Seiko Family has a High-Ranking Samurai, and the Mori's do not. The Mori Family, with their numerical advantage of Middle-Ranking Samurai, can defeat one High-Ranking Samurai, but they would not be able to kill them.
And it would be dangerous later, as the High-Ranking Samurai, with nothing to constrain them, they can pick their enemy one by one. So, because of the Seiko Family, the Mori Family can act against the Viper Gang.
But, it wouldn't mean the Mori Family would leave them alone. According to Mori's patriarch, he is certain that the Seiko family betrayed the kingdom. But they do not have complete proof.
So, the Mori Family created a plan to obtain the proof. Mori Family plans the outcome if success is to use the hand of the court to remove the Seiko Family, and they would remove the Viper Gang. And Meri is a cog that will help them complete the plan.
Seiko Family controls half of the city's herbs and clinics. So, many small forces and lone Samurai are under them, as the Samurai training needs healing. Fighting and even training, they can be injured. And the Seiko family's clinic also sells body refining powder that is only effective for the low-ranking Samurai.
Still, Merin made a mental note to buy it. He knew he could discern the ingredients needed to make the body refining powder and then create an advanced version for his own use. Initially, he'd keep it for himself, but once he gained more power and could handle the inevitable trouble, he might sell it.
After this, Merin's thoughts returned to why he had healed her. But after much thought, while he closed his clinic, he realised that even if he had known of the trouble he would be involved in after healing her, he still would have healed her.
This was also an opportunity, as he had joined the Mori family's plan against the Seiko family. The Mori family would reward him with two middle-level fighting techniques tomorrow, and after he asked, they would give him their family's high-level samurai technique once the plan succeeded. Finally, this building would also be under his name tomorrow.
So, Merin agreed to join their plan, and the other reason was an opportunity for his family to occupy some market share in this city.
But for that, he needed to write a letter and call his father to come here quickly, alone. They would then discuss the family matter, where his father's decision would be final. Joining the plan meant Merin had to stay here for more than a month.
So, as Merin closed his store, he climbed the stairs to write the letter and then meet up with Ryota, whom he had learned was the healer of the viper gang.
"It would be an interesting meeting," he thought as he stepped onto the upper floor.