Alex thought about setting up shop, but before that, he needed to figure out the logistics.
Or in simple words—reputation.
While desperation in the slums would make people flock to healers naturally, it didn't mean they would flock to him.
There should be countless others people could head to.
And Alex's biggest rival? The Church.
Or in this world, the Church of Erdun. The goddess of humanity, Erdun, was one of the patron gods of the human race, just like the name suggested.
A goddess who bestowed her followers with natural healing magic, a unique and divine power in this world.
Magic here wasn't just based on mana; it was also based on faith, with two completely different ways of spellcasting, each having its own path.
Alex had innate mana, something clearly implied by his status screen. But it was useless for now, since he didn't know a single spell to channel it with.
'I wonder… is my power from Ophiuchus faith-based?'
'It certainly isn't mana-based, since I didn't feel anything being drained from me.'
While walking back toward his shack, his train of thought was interrupted by a strange scene.
An exorcism was being performed.
Right out in the open, for the public to see.
A person was tied to a chair, foaming at the mouth, body twitching violently, with various other people surrounding the area. Some of them wore disgusted faces, others whispered prayers, and some even clasped their hands together desperately, begging Erdun to save them.
The exorcist himself stood out even more. Instead of looking priestly or humble, he was opulent.
He wore a sharp, shining suit embroidered with the goddess' symbol—a sphere with a flame above it, conveying that Erdun's love was like a fire that kept the world warm.
'I should check it out. Knowing about ghosts could help, just in case I meet some.'
Alex muttered to himself. This was a fantasy world, after all. Ghosts could very well exist here.
And if they did, they were probably as lethal as the ones he had seen in horror movies.
He pushed through the huge crowd, eventually managing to get front-row seats to the exorcism. It was being performed right by the sides of a few buildings in a small, cleared-out space.
"Leave this body, demon!" the exorcist yelled, raising his voice dramatically as he performed elaborate movements while holding the holy symbol.
Alex narrowed his eyes.
'Excessive salivation, aggressive tendencies, vomiting…'
He paused for a bit as he saw the exorcist sprinkle water onto the possessed man.
The man went wild, his body jerking violently as he tumbled the chair over while still tied down, all while the exorcist continued shouting louder.
"Feel the fire of the water of Erdun!"
Alex squinted.
'…And fear of water.'
[Eye of Ophiuchus: Ability]
[Completing Diagnosis…]
[Detected: Rabies]
Alex frowned deeply. This was a scam.
'I can't help either way. It's already showing symptoms… guaranteed death. And even if I point it out, I can't exactly discredit the man in front of everyone.'
'It's his word against mine.'
Alex began to walk away, but suddenly a sharp spark of pain shot through his head, making him wince.
"Gh—!"
'What is it this time?'
[Mission: Save the Rabid Man]
[Rewards: +2 on all stats, Common-Tier Equipment]
Alex froze, staring at the message before looking back at the exorcism.
'It's already the late stages of rabies…'
He bit his nails nervously. Was it worth it?
His question answered itself the moment his eyes activated again.
[Eye of Ophiuchus: Ability]
This time, he spotted something different.
A little girl was watching the scene from the side of the crowd, hugging a basket of flowers tightly. She was selling them to people for a few coins.
But in Alex's eyes, the bag glowed green.
Not normal flowers.
Medicine.
[Wolfthyme]
[Calms overactive nerves and reduces spasms caused by viral aggression in the nervous system.]
[Moonbane]
[Accelerates tissue regeneration and restores damage to the nervous system.]
[Fire Flower]
[Enhances WBC to strengthen the immune system.]
[New Feature Unlocked]
[Portable Crafter]
Alex's eyes widened slightly. Then his lips curled into a thin smile.
'I'm not dense… I know what this "Ophiuchus" wants from me. And honestly… I agree with it.'
Moving quickly, Alex slipped out of the front row and crouched beside the girl.
"I hope he'll be okay…" the girl murmured, looking at the terrifying scene with worried eyes.
"Hey," Alex spoke suddenly.
"Aah!" The girl squeaked, almost dropping her basket in surprise.
"It's okay," Alex said in a calm, steady tone—the same practiced voice he had used countless times back in medical school. Calming patients was part of the job, even for a pharmacologist.
"You want Mister there to be okay, right?"
The girl hesitated, but eventually nodded. Alex's voice had a strange effect, putting her at ease.
"Can you let me borrow some of your flowers? I need them to help."
"B-but… I need to sell them…" she whispered nervously.
But when her eyes drifted back toward the exorcism, toward the man tied to the chair, she found her voice.
"O-okay, but… please don't waste them."
"I won't," Alex reassured her immediately.
He grabbed the three glowing herbs, fingers tightening around them.
[Portable Crafter]
[Insert Ingredients]
A digital green pot suddenly appeared right in front of him. Unlike the status screen, this one was completely visible to anyone with eyes.
The crowd gasped in shock.
"Huh!?"
"The hell is that!?"
People instinctively stepped back, parting to give Alex space. The so-called exorcist stopped mid-ritual, his expression freezing in shock.
Right there in the middle of the slums, Alex had summoned a green, transparent cauldron. Magic that shouldn't have belonged to someone like him.
He dropped the herbs inside.
[Mixing…]
A giant glowing ladle stirred the mixture before vanishing in a flash of light. What remained was the shining image of a staff with a snake coiling around it—the sacred symbol of Ophiuchus.
[Using Improvised Vial]
The flask on Alex's waist rattled before glowing, the liquid transferring inside as the cauldron vanished.
[Rabies Cure (Placeholder Name)]
[Cures said infection]
Alex's grip tightened around the vial. He didn't waste time. He unhooked it from his belt and walked straight toward the tied man.
"Don't get closer! The demon will—" the false exorcist shouted in panic.
"Oh, shut up!" Alex cut him off, laughing coldly as he shoved the man aside.
The crowd stirred.
"Demon Advocate! He's trying to strengthen the possession!" the false exorcist yelled, voice cracking as he tried to regain control of the situation.
Alex ignored him completely. He straightened the fallen chair, forced the sick man's mouth open, and poured the potion in.
[Eye of Ophiuchus: Passive]
[Medicinal Effectiveness: 200% (+100% due to Handmade Potion) = 300%]
The crowd's whispers fell silent. Everyone was watching.
Alex smirked inwardly. He wasn't blind to the importance of reputation. If this succeeded, his name would spread like wildfire through the slums.
"Let me show you all how to really remove a demon from a mortal body!" Alex declared loudly, his voice booming over the silence.
"Behold!"
The potion surged through the rabid man's system. It wasn't smooth—the disease was violent, clawing back with everything it had. The man convulsed, his body jerking, before finally slumping as his breathing steadied. His eyes closed, his body limp, but alive.
Not possessed. Not cursed. Just cured.
Alex clipped the flask back onto his makeshift belt and turned to the stunned crowd.
"Once this man wakes up, he will be back to normal," Alex announced clearly. Then his eyes slid toward the fake exorcist, sharp and merciless. "And no thanks to him."
A spiteful look burned in his gaze.
Alex was neither good nor evil. But one thing he could never stand was medical idiocy.
No matter how ignorant this world was.