When I returned to the clinic and told Father about what had happened at the market, he immediately decided that we would move.
“This is why I never sell the wagon.”
Father affixed a large notice reading “Closed” to the door of the healing clinic.
Since we moved often, we didn’t have much to pack.
“Hazel-san! Hazel-san!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of someone pounding on the now-closed door.
“Is there something you need?”
“Th-The closure… What does this mean?”
“We’re heading to another town to procure medicinal herbs.”
Father never said the word “move.”
“Procure… I see. Well, take care and be safe.”
“Thank you very much.”
The townsfolk, clearly relieved, were likely aware of the harassment that some among them had started directing at us.
Until we finished preparing to leave, several more people came by like that.
It was unusual for a commoner healer to even exist.
The townsfolk only seemed to recall the rarity and value of Father—both a healer and an apothecary—when he began to show signs of leaving the town.
“People are selfish creatures. Myself included.”
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the wagon, Father shared his usual thoughts.
No, this wasn’t just a conversation—it was a lesson from a healer to his future-healer daughter.
“Do you think that town will panic?”
“I don’t know. I’ve sent the same letter to the mayor. It’s all part of the agreement.”
Within three days, the magical “Closed” notice would peel off the clinic door.
A paper would appear, detailing how so-and-so blamed the healer for failing to produce a miracle cure, how another person suddenly raised vegetable prices, and how yet another hiked the cost of bread.
“Because of these actions, the healing clinic is now closed.”
That’s how the notice would conclude.
Healers are rare.
If no problems arose, Father and I could live in the mayor-provided house and continue operating the clinic.
If problems did arise, then it was goodbye.
This was the agreement in every town.
“Does this town have residents who would cause trouble?”
When Father asked this question, every town agreed to the terms.
Healers are incredibly rare.
Every town, no matter where, acknowledged this.
[The End]
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