To Hell with Being a Saint, I’m a Doctor

Saein’s expression as she observed him was far from ordinary.

A thesis that had been a topic of discussion in the academic society for over 200 years had just been shattered.

And it was accomplished by a young child who had just turned one.

She didn’t understand how he achieved it, but if magic could be cast with a flow of mana that she couldn’t sense, then even a sorcerer of a higher circle than her could be attacked.

It was a secret technique, or rather, a mysterious technique that everyone feared and revered.

Therefore, Saein couldn’t casually disclose this fact.

Because it was a fact that could incite a storm in a kingdom.

Regardless of whether Ray was aware of this reality or not, he simply clapped his hands with a bright smile.

“Wow, it worked!”

Saein’s expression grew even more complex as she observed Ray.

She couldn’t determine whether she should be purely happy or sad about this.

“Thinking of it as atoms makes it easier to understand. Hmm… And once the particles start to form a composite with mana, the shape is maintained even without injecting mana, right? How long will it last?”

He had been tirelessly researching even in the modern world.

That habit didn’t vanish just because the world he lived in had changed.

Saein sighed as she watched Ray muttering words she didn’t comprehend.

‘My son being too brilliant is not necessarily a good thing… What should I do with my son… If he attracts the attention of the academic society, a bloody battle will ensue… What should my son do, being caught in the middle?’

Her concerns were not exaggerated.

In fact, they were underestimated in some aspects.

If Ray’s unique method of mana manipulation was revealed, the kingdom and the academic society would acquire immense power.

Ray himself was fully aware of this fact.

Since the power of the country and organizations had increased, a war would inevitably follow.

There is no nation that doesn’t engage in war if it possesses excessive power.

The term “world peace” had always been a weapon and justification for powerful countries, and the sole shield for weaker ones.

Thus, Ray had to conceal his unique method of mana operation, a blend of his mana road and atomic theory, or in other words, his “Mana Road.”

Naturally, it would have been preferable to keep it from his mother if possible. However, the reason he revealed it to his mother without any concealment was simple.

‘I don’t know how long I can keep it a secret, but if it gets exposed, it’s better to reveal it myself.’

Ray asked as if he was oblivious.

“Mom, is something wrong?”

“Uh, no? I was just a bit surprised that you’re already using magic.”

As expected, Saein didn’t disclose everything to him. Ray gave a slight nod.

No matter how intelligent he was, he was only three years old. It wasn’t the age to discuss kingdoms, sorcerers, and academic societies. Parents wouldn’t want to involve their children in matters that smelled of blood.

Aware of this, he smiled and said,

“I guess I’m a genius, haha.”

Indeed, he was a foolish genius.

---

That night, he overheard his parents conversing.

They waited until he was asleep to have a discussion, which seemed to be confidential.

“What should we do? He’ll be pulled into the academic society at such a young age.”

“Well, that’s only if the academic society finds out. We just need to stay silent, right?”

“But… The academic society is so ruthless. I, as a magician, know that all too well. If he catches their attention even once, there will be no stopping what comes next.”

“Then we’ll just have to flee. I don’t want my child to go there and have his blood drained.”

“What do you mean have his blood drained! Do you think that the academic society is a nest of vampires?!”

“…That’s not what I meant……”

Ignoring Eil’s flustered voice, Ray closed his eyes.

‘They’re discussing the possibility of being dragged into the academic society.’

He sighed deeply and opened his eyes.

“Then the most necessary thing is strength.”

The moment of resolution arrived swiftly.

The magic he had acquired through research became a source of power.

---

He focused on magic, conducting various studies and experiments, and his understanding of mana increased rapidly.

Then he turned fifteen.

There was a noticeable change in his appearance.

His blonde hair began to show white strands and soon started to turn completely white from the age of fifteen.

His parents were initially perplexed by this phenomenon, but they were soon reassured when they saw that he exhibited no particular abnormalities.

The reason his hair turned white was due to mana.

After removing all impurities and waste, mana also eliminated unnecessary elements in his hair.

The reason “color” exists in hair is partly because, during evolution, color was used to block sunlight, and it also served as a protective color for ancient humans.

Back then, when there was a lot of dirt and trees, the adopted protective color was one that could efficiently hide the body.

Ray’s hair began turning white from the age of fifteen.

That’s because mana deemed it as “unnecessary.”

The protective color had evolved for survival in nature.

But now that he had gained strength, the protective color was just an unnecessary element.

At first, he suspected the absence of melanin pigment, but since the color of his eyes didn’t change, it seemed not to be the case he was concerned about.

If melanin was absent, his skin would have turned black due to the inability to block ultraviolet rays.

Ray stretched out extensively.

“Shall I go outside for a bit? I haven’t been outside in the past year.”

He hadn’t gone outside because he was focused on researching magic.

Magic was fascinating, and he needed strength, so there was no time to waste.

And there was something he needed to verify outside.

“I have to see how much of the medicine I’ve learned so far applies here.”

From what he observed with mana, the physical structure of this other world was not different from the modern world.

But nothing could be exactly the same.

Since he couldn’t experiment on his own body, he had to venture outside to gather information.

Ray picked up a large wooden board and headed out.

---

Once outside, the refreshing wind he had experienced before came rushing back.

“It’s truly an unbelievable tale. I, who used to live in the operating room, am now existing in another world.”

He held no regrets. He had spent his last moments saving lives, in line with his beliefs.

And he was content with his current life.

It was a world where even a simple walk outside could be thrilling.

If the air had a taste, would it be like this? He felt happier with each breath he took.

The gleaming sunlight merged with the grass leaves, creating a vibrant green hue that enveloped the area.

“Ah. This is why I venture outside. Maybe I should visit the village today?”

Ray’s house was situated a distance away from the village.

Judging by the noise from the village, it didn’t seem too far away, but it was closer to the forest than the village.

He strolled leisurely, observing various flowers and resting on the grass.

There wasn’t a clear boundary line that marked the village.

There were just houses and fences that gradually formed a village.

It was quite a large village, even boasting a square.

“Hmm. It’s a bit large? This should suffice.”

He generated a small heat in his hand and began to write on the wooden board he had brought.

Swoosh- Swoosh-

The finished writing read as follows:

“I’ll treat the sick people.”

“Anyone with a sick person, bring them here. If you can’t bring them, I’ll come to them.”

Most people laughed and walked past as he shouted loudly, waving his hand.

“Treat sick people? You look like you’re barely fifteen years old.”

“Tsk. If you want to play priest, do it at home, kid.”

“It’s not right to joke about sick people.”

“But you did write the sign beautifully, hahaha.”

Little did they know, they were making a colossal mistake.

The boy they had laughed at and passed by was, in fact, a modern-day god of medicine, a doctor who could even resurrect the dead.

As time went by, he grew bored.

“Are there no patients here? Why isn’t anyone coming?”

He never conceded that it was due to his untrustworthy age.

Eventually, he started to take down his signboard, preparing to return home when a small child peeked around the corner.

Only their face was visible from the alley, but it seemed they had business with him.

Since he had no other plans if he wasn’t busy, Ray collected his signboard and walked towards the child.

Although he referred to them as a child, they appeared to be around his age.

The child had striking red hair and was a cute little girl. Interestingly, her eye color matched her hair.

Ray approached the cute child and asked,

“Kid, do you have something to say to me?”

“…Kid?”

“…What’s your name?”

“……”

Perhaps because a child called another child a child, the girl pouted and replied,

“Illisia. Illisia von Gaid.”

Ray regretted asking as soon as she responded.

Having a family name meant she was a noble.

He didn’t know her title, but considering the size of the village, she was at least a baronet.

Speaking informally to a noble’s daughter could lead to trouble.

He slightly bowed his head.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Ray. I apologize for my rudeness, not knowing you were a noble young lady. Please forgive me.”

Illisia’s eyes narrowed at his sudden change of attitude.

“The kid called me a kid.”

“……”

“And you’re a kid too.”

“……”

“Plus, you’re a commoner.”

“…That’s not wrong, but……”

“Hmm?”

“Being born a commoner is not wrong. It’s just proof of one’s social status, not a crime as long as one doesn’t commit any.”

“…Hmm….”

Ray said this as a gentle reprimand to prevent the girl from being too absorbed in noble ideals.

Of course, if this led to any annoyance, he was ready to bear it.

He had the strength to do so.

Illisia paused for a moment, then gently lifted the hem of her small dress and gave a slight bow.

“I misspoke. I apologize, I retract my statement.”

Ray’s jaw fell open.

Of all the children he had encountered in his life, she was the most courteous and dignified in her actions.

Seeing her display such politeness, he knew he should reciprocate.

Ray slightly bowed his head.

“I have the impression you’ve been observing me for some time. Is there something you require?”

“Ah….”

Illisia appeared to hesitate for a moment but soon shook her head.

“No. This isn’t a problem children like us can resolve.”

The fleeting sorrow in her eyes and her profound sigh made her appear even more pitiful.

“It’s preferable to voice a problem and attempt to solve it rather than remain silent and not try at all.”

“…Is that so?”

Illisia smiled faintly and then revealed the reason for her concern.

Listening to her tale, Rey felt both astonished and puzzled.

“So you’re saying that someone you know is ill and there’s no cure?”

“…Yes.”

Rey took a moment to ponder.

Even though they were on the outskirts, considering the influence of the noble family, it might be a bit of a stretch, but he conceived a potential solution.

“But isn’t there a Holy Maiden in the kingdom at present? Why don’t you seek her assistance?”

At Rey’s suggestion, Illisia’s face looked as if she was on the verge of bursting into tears.

“The Holy Maiden is still a child. She can’t go around healing people. Even the grand chamberlain couldn’t cure the illness, so it’s likely incurable… I overheard this.”

“…Hmm, may I inquire about the symptoms they are experiencing?”

“I don’t know much… Their skin turns red and inflates like a balloon.”

Rey felt like something connected, but he wasn’t entirely certain, so he shook his head.

‘Based on the description, it sounds like a malignant tumor… It would be more beneficial to examine the patient directly.’

Rey cautiously broached the topic.

“May I examine him?”

“What? …They likely won’t approve.”

Indeed, the idea was ludicrous.

Bringing a common boy, who played at being a priest on the streets, to possibly treat a noble… Even he found the notion preposterous.

Yet, he might be capable of healing them.

He might be able to restore the smile to the worried girl’s face, drawing from his past life’s experience as a doctor.

“I might be able to heal them. Please, take me to them.”

Touched by Rey’s earnest plea, Illisia bowed her head in contemplation.

The name of Viscount Gaid was too significant a responsibility to entrust to a child she had just encountered on the streets.

However, the boy’s eyes, pleading for her trust and claiming he might be able to cure the illness, seemed sincere to her.

It could be a false hope or a deception, but she couldn’t bear to watch her father’s suffering any longer.

She seemed to have reached a decision as she raised her head.

“Alright. Let’s go together.”

“We must hurry if the illness is severe.”

“…Yes!”