"Well…" White averted its gaze, clearly unable to meet its master's eyes. Then, with a tiny cry of guilt, it curled itself into a ball.
Black narrowed its grape-sized eyes at its companion.
"No wonder you weren't so eager to compete with me today…"
White trembled but said nothing.
Zion let out a quiet sigh. "It's fine. I won't blame you."
His voice was calm, almost gentle, which somehow made the two furballs even more nervous.
Zion rubbed his forehead and continued, "Besides, that bastard broke my forehead. A little itching powder is hardly enough punishment for what he did. I'll let him taste something much worse in a few days. Then he'll understand."
The two furballs shuddered.
Their master's gentle tone was far more frightening than any angry shout.
Zion glanced toward the broken door lying beside the room and gave a faint scoff. There was no point trying to repair it now. He simply left it where it was, closed his eyes, and resumed his rest.
***
### Seven Days Later
The Imperial City was as lively as ever.
Merchants shouted over one another from their stalls, vendors called out their wares, children ran through the crowded streets, and the constant clatter of bargaining filled the air. Yet on this particular day, the usual noise gradually gathered around a single location.
Origin Medical Hall had officially opened.
Firecrackers exploded one after another, their red paper fragments scattering across the street. The dancers Zion had hired performed in front of the newly renovated building, leaping and spinning as drums and cymbals thundered around them. The commotion quickly attracted passersby, and within minutes, a large crowd had gathered outside the medical hall.
"Origin Medical Hall?" a merchant muttered as he looked up at the new plaque.
"This used to be Dr. Simon's clinic," someone beside him explained. "He retired recently and sold the place. The new owner renamed it."
"I wonder who bought it."
The murmurs spread through the crowd. Some people were curious, others skeptical, and a few seemed genuinely hopeful.
No one knew who the new owner was.
Inside the medical hall, Eirik stood beside Zion with an expression caught somewhere between admiration and concern.
"Young Master Zion," he said, rubbing his forehead, "once everyone realizes how young you are, the entire city will start judging you. Are you certain you don't want to wear a mask or use some other disguise?"
Zion glanced at him with a faint smile. "Does age really matter that much?"
"It does to ordinary people," Eirik replied with a helpless groan. "Experts may judge you by your ability, but common folk aren't that reasonable. They see a young physician and immediately assume you lack experience. If you make even one mistake, people will remember it. Your reputation could collapse before you've even had the chance to establish it."
Zion listened without interrupting.
Eirik wasn't wrong. That was precisely why he had raised the concern.
Zion, however, had already considered the problem before deciding to open the medical hall under his real identity. If he had wanted to avoid suspicion, he could have easily concealed his appearance. Instead, he had deliberately chosen to face the problem directly.
"Don't worry, Brother Eirik," Zion said calmly. "I know what I'm doing."
The certainty in his voice made Eirik pause.
He had almost forgotten that the young man standing before him was not the useless young master described by the rumors.
Whatever Zion had experienced during the past month, something inside him had changed completely.
If he was confident enough to do this, perhaps Eirik really could afford to trust him.
Outside, the performance finally came to an end.
The crowd's attention shifted toward the entrance as the newly renovated medical hall opened its doors. The interior was clean and bright, with freshly painted white walls, neatly arranged furnishings, and several green potted plants that gave the place a welcoming appearance.
Then Zion stepped forward.
"Today marks the grand opening of Origin Medical Hall," he announced, his clear voice carrying across the street. "The first three patients will receive treatment free of charge. Every patient after that will receive treatment at half price."
The announcement immediately stirred the crowd.
Zion stood there in simple clothing, looking barely sixteen. There was nothing particularly extravagant about his appearance, yet the calm confidence he carried made it difficult for people to ignore him.
Someone finally called out, unable to hide their disbelief.
"You're the physician of Origin Medical Hall?"
Zion nodded.
"I was born into a medical family and have studied medicine since childhood. My skills are more than sufficient. Everyone may rest assured."
His tone was neither arrogant nor uncertain.
Unfortunately, his confidence had the opposite effect on some of the crowd.
People exchanged uneasy glances.
He looked far too young.
More importantly, there wasn't even a Medicine Master standing behind him.
If this young physician misdiagnosed someone and caused serious harm, who would be there to correct his mistake?
The first three treatments were free, yet no one stepped forward.
Inside the hall, Eirik's expression gradually became grim.
"This is exactly what I was worried about…"
Zion remained calm.
He had expected this.
From the moment he decided to open Origin Medical Hall without hiding his identity, he had known the first day would be difficult. The problem wasn't that he lacked confidence in his medical abilities. It was that the people outside had no reason to possess confidence in him.
A few minutes passed.
The three free treatment slots remained untouched.
Eventually, another man pushed his way through the crowd and looked around in confusion.
"Why is no one going inside? The treatment is free."
A nearby man lowered his voice.
"Because the physician is just a teenage boy."
The man beside him frowned. "A boy?"
"Look at him. He can't be more than sixteen. There isn't even an elder guiding him. What if he makes a mistake and kills someone?"
Another person immediately scoffed.
"I bet he's some wealthy young master playing physician because he has nothing better to do."
"Forget it. Let's go."
Despite saying that, however, neither man actually left immediately.
Neither did most of the others.
They were curious.
Everyone wanted to know what would happen next.
For the moment, Origin Medical Hall had become the most interesting place on the entire street.
Zion simply stood at the entrance and waited.
Eventually, curiosity began to lose its strength.
One by one, people started leaving.
The lively crowd that had gathered for the grand opening gradually thinned until only scattered groups remained. The excitement faded into disappointment, and the free treatments that had seemed like an attractive offer moments earlier couldn't tempt anyone to risk their health under the care of a physician who looked barely sixteen.
No matter how impressive the opening ceremony had been, most people simply weren't willing to gamble with their lives.
Inside the medical hall, Zion remained completely composed.
Unlike what he had told Eirik, ordinary patients had never been the true purpose behind opening Origin Medical Hall.
He wasn't trying to become a wandering physician who traveled from place to place treating everyone he encountered. He had neither the time nor the patience for that.
His actual targets were the wealthy and powerful.
Those people had money to spend, and more importantly, they often possessed illnesses that ordinary physicians struggled to treat. If Zion could establish himself among that circle, he could earn far more than he ever could by relying on common patients.
Origin Medical Hall had only one real purpose.
It was a means to accelerate his cultivation.
As long as he could attract the right patients, whether ordinary people came through his doors was largely irrelevant.
Still, not everyone in the crowd left.
A man near the edge of the street suddenly stopped.
His eyes remained fixed on Zion.
He studied the young physician's face for several moments, and then recognition flashed across his expression.
Without saying a word, he turned around and hurried away.
***
### Princess Callista's Manor
"You said Zion opened a medical hall?"
Callista Moonstone leaned back in his chair, calmly sipping her tea.
Alder stood nearby and nodded.
"Yes, Milady. Origin Medical Hall opened today. Unfortunately, because of Zion's young age, no one seems willing to seek treatment from him."
Callista gave a quiet chuckle.
"That was to be expected."
She lowered her teacup.
"And how did he react?"
Alder hesitated briefly before answering.
"He remained calm. He seemed almost indifferent to the lack of patients, as though it didn't bother him."
A strange glimmer appeared in Callista Moonstone's deep blue-violet eyes.
"Zion…"
She repeated the name thoughtfully.
"He has changed considerably from the person described in the rumors. Find out what happened to him during the past few years."
Alder considered the matter before speaking.
"According to what I gathered, the change happened after his suicide attempt. Before that, he was timid and withdrawn. Afterward…"
He paused.
"It was almost as though he had become a completely different person."
Callista's fingers tapped lightly against the stone table.
"A near-death experience can certainly change someone's personality."
Her gaze narrowed slightly.
"But something about this still feels wrong."
She fell silent for a moment before continuing.
"And all of it began after his marriage contract with Vanessa was canceled."
Alder's expression changed.
He immediately understood what Callista was implying.
"You mean… he may have deliberately acted timid all along because he wanted to escape the marriage?"
Callista's lips curved faintly.
"That was my first thought as well."
Alder's jaw tightened in surprise.
Vanessa had always despised the engagement.
But if Callista's suspicion was correct, Zion might have hated that arrangement even more than Vanessa did.
Callista rose from her seat and straightened her golden robes.
"Alder, come with me."
"Where?"
"Origin Medical Hall."
Alder blinked.
"For what?"
Callista's lips curved into a slow smile.
"To see how my darling is doing."
Alder nearly choked.
He stared at his usually composed young miss as though he had suddenly met an entirely different person.
Callista had always possessed a flirtatious side and had never been particularly restrained when teasing women and men alike in public. That was the image she developed so that no one would take her seriously. Still, Alder had never expected her to casually speak that way even in private.
As Callista walked away, Alder remained where he was for a moment, watching her back.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
Perhaps his young miss really had fallen for the boy who had saved her.