Overpowered Reincarnation Perks! - Chapter 10.1 - 10. False Comfort
Arvan was running a small clinic at the end of District 12.
‘I never imagined his occupation would be a doctor.’
Excluding dark mages or assassins, I had narrowed down the possibilities to agile acrobats or smooth-talking medicine peddlers, so a professional like a doctor was unexpected.
However, in this world, doctors don’t seem to be a highly regarded profession, as their income and social status are quite ordinary.
‘Despising skilled trades, no wonder the state of this world is in such a mess.’
When I first heard he ran a clinic, I thought being a doctor was just a cover and he was doing something else behind the scenes. But even after being here for a few days, Arvan continued to only take care of patients at the clinic.
“Be careful not to get the wound wet for two days, and don’t touch it even if it itches or stings.”
“Thank you.”
The patient bowed and left with the medicine.
They seemed to trust Arvan quite a bit, as there were no troublesome patients complaining about high treatment costs or demanding to be cured faster.
Even in a world where doctors don’t have a high social status, people seem to instinctively know who’s taking care of their bodies.
“Ju-in. Could you organize those medicine bottles? Make sure to wear gloves to avoid getting anything on your hands.”
“Ah, sure.”
I had somehow become something like Arvan’s assistant. At first, I was worried about doing this kind of work without any medical knowledge, but while the village clinic was busy with many visitors, the work wasn’t difficult.
Most cases were bruises from falls or collisions or burns from cooking, so I quickly got used to handling them after dealing with them several times.
“Phew. Shall we take a break?”
As the last patient left, Arvan got up from his seat and rolled his shoulders as if stretching.
“Ju-in. Would you like something to drink?”
“I’m fine. But why don’t you take off your glasses?”
“I guess I will. We’re closed now.”
Arvan took off his glasses and placed them on the table, then pressed his fingertips to his brow as if a bit tired. Maybe it’s because his wrists are thin and his fingers long, but even the way he touches his brow is somehow sexy.
At first, I couldn’t understand why Arvan insisted on wearing illegally distributed magic stone glasses while working, but now I get it.
Excessive beauty can sometimes throw society into chaos. There’s a reason for the old saying about beauty that can topple a nation.
If people noticed that beauty, it would only be a matter of time before a proposal competition broke out at the clinic. For smooth social interactions and the mental stability of patients, he had no choice but to wear magic stone glasses that blur his impression.
‘But why does he keep working all the time?’
He brought me here saying he needed an intruder, but he hasn’t investigated my background or demanded any information. He hasn’t introduced me to any ‘colleagues’ either.
When we wake up in the morning, we have a simple breakfast, clean up, then open the clinic to take care of patients. In the evening when work is done, we return home, have dinner, wash up, and sleep. This extremely ordinary routine kept repeating.
This can’t be what Arvan had planned.
“Arvan. Don’t you have any tasks for me?”
“Ah, come to think of it, there’s some mail that needs to go to the Poppe farm that came here. Would you mind delivering it, Ju-in?”
Arvan took out a bundle of letters from a drawer and held them out. I stared blankly at the rough envelopes held in his delicate hands.
“If you’re tired, you can go in first. I can go instead.”
“Ah, no.”
I had asked how he intended to use me, an intruder, but Arvan naturally changed the subject.
Given how perceptive he is, there’s no way he didn’t understand, so he must not be telling me because he doesn’t trust me enough.
‘Does this mean I’m still not good enough?’
Recalling the quest content, I silently took the bundle of letters and left.
***
“Oh? Rain?”
As I was coming out after putting the envelopes in the mailbox because the farm owner was absent, raindrops started falling from the sky, plop, plop.
‘This feels strange.’
My relationship with Arvan is just like today’s weather. Rain suddenly falls on a clear day. Usually brushed off lightly, but the more you think about it, the more unsettling it becomes.
He brought me here saying he needed my help, but in reality, he’s only been helping me. The clothes I’m wearing, my shoes, even my hair tie, they’re all things Arvan bought for me. He gave me a home, meals, and a job. Anyone looking would think he’s the giving tree.
‘So why doesn’t he ask anything of me?’
The raindrops on my shoulders grew colder. The water stains on the ground increased.
My vision blurred. I only realized it was because of water droplets on my glasses when I raised my hand to rub my eyes.
‘Should I take off the glasses?’
There’s no one around here anyway. Just as I grabbed the arm of the glasses, I heard someone calling me from afar.
“Ju-in!”
It was Arvan’s voice. As I tried to turn towards the sound, my vision was filled with water droplets, and I couldn’t see. He approached me as I looked around and covered my head with a white gown.
“I’m sorry. It started raining on the way, so I couldn’t bring an umbrella.”
“……”
“Shall we run? It’s not far to the house, so we won’t get too wet.”
I felt his hand wrap around my shoulder over the clothes. My dull and blurry senses became clear again.
“Okay, let’s run.”
“Good.”
We ran together through the rain. The raindrops had gotten heavier than before, but they weren’t cold or unpleasant.
The distance to the house wasn’t far. As we opened the gate, passed through the rain-soaked green garden, and reached the entrance, a rush of warmth and a familiar sight greeted us.
“Arvan. The entrance has gotten dirty.”
“It’s okay. We can clean it later.”
He smiled at me as he shook his wet hair. I wasn’t sure if it was positivity, composure, or just consideration. As I tried to take off my glasses that had already slid down to the tip of my nose, my hand slipped.
“Eek.”
Arvan caught the glasses I almost dropped. Long, delicate fingers holding the water-stained glasses. I usually just thought they were pretty, but they were clearly a man’s hands, with prominent knuckles.
My gaze traveled up from his flat palm to his protruding wrist bone. I wasn’t very wet because of the gown covering me, but Arvan’s shirt was soaked through.
He usually smelled slightly of antiseptic, but now he smelled of warm rain.
Wasn’t the rain we were caught in cold?
“Why did you come?”
“Huh?”
“It was raining.”
If it started raining on the way, why didn’t he turn back? Then he wouldn’t have gotten this wet.
“You’re right. It would have been better to stop by the house and grab an umbrella. I didn’t think of that.”
“……”
“I guess my judgment was clouded because I was in a hurry.”
My heart fluttered strangely at his sheepish smile.
‘So he can make expressions like this too.’
It was different from his usual, merely kind smile. It felt like I had caught a glimpse of Arvan’s true emotions.
“Do you usually treat everyone this well?”
“You’re not just ‘anyone’.”
A water droplet fell from the tip of his wet hair with a plop.
“Then tell me. What do you want from me?”
I asked impulsively.
“Ju-in. We’re very wet, so let’s wash up first.”
“It’s been over two weeks since I came here.”
At first, it was a rescue with a contract, then an assistant and housemate, then a friend. And now…
