Several hours later, Origin Medical Hall was still busy.
The sudden flood of patients had left Eirik struggling to keep up with the arrangements. Even after the doors closed to new patients for the day, people continued arriving with letters of recommendation, requests for appointments, and enough money to make it clear that they were no longer treating the small medical hall as an obscure clinic on the edge of the city.
Zion stood near the front of the hall, discussing the situation with Eirik.
They needed more staff. The number of patients had grown too quickly, and while Zion could handle serious cases himself, he could not personally examine everyone who came through the doors. More importantly, he had no intention of spending every waking hour treating minor illnesses.
His primary goal had never changed.
Strength.
Medicine was a means to earn the resources he needed to cultivate. It was not the destination.
As the two discussed how to reorganize the clinic, a calm voice came from the doorway.
"Mister Zion."
The voice was warm and respectful.
Zion turned and immediately recognized the old physician standing there. Rolant had arrived with a genuine smile on his face, his earlier sternness nowhere to be seen. The servant following him carried a red-wrapped bundle in both hands.
Zion's expression softened slightly.
"Mister Rolant."
Rolant stepped inside and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Because of you, Her Highness's condition has finally stabilized. Her recovery is no longer in question."
There was unmistakable relief in his voice. As one of the physicians responsible for the princess's treatment, he had watched Vanessa suffer through days of pain while the palace physicians struggled helplessly. Seeing her finally recover had lifted a great weight from his shoulders.
He gave a small gesture toward the servant.
The servant immediately stepped forward.
Rolant accepted the bundle, then handed it directly to Zion.
"I came today to deliver the promised reward."
Zion accepted it, only to discover that the bundle contained more than he expected.
A Storage Pouch.
His eyebrows rose slightly.
He had intended to purchase one himself after receiving the money. Storage treasures were extremely useful, especially for someone who traveled frequently and needed to carry medicine, cultivation resources, weapons, and other necessities.
He had not expected the Imperial Palace to give him one along with the payment.
The pouch looked ordinary enough, decorated with simple embroidery around its edges. But the moment Zion held it, he sensed the spiritual fluctuations contained within.
A miniature space had been folded into the pouch.
For ordinary cultivators, a Storage Pouch was a luxury. Even those wealthy enough to afford one would not casually carry such a treasure unless they had considerable resources behind them.
Zion's gaze returned to Rolant.
"The one hundred thousand gold coins owed by Aurelius," Rolant explained, "and the one hundred thousand gold coins granted by the Royal Family are both inside. Two hundred thousand gold coins in total."
Eirik, who had been standing nearby, went completely still.
Two hundred thousand gold coins.
Even with the recent success of Origin Medical Hall, that was an amount of wealth he could barely comprehend. A sum like that could change the fate of an entire family for generations.
And Zion had just accepted it with the same calm expression he might have shown after receiving a payment for an ordinary consultation.
Zion gave Rolant a slight bow.
"Thank you, Mister Rolant."
Rolant smiled.
"There is one more matter."
The change in his tone drew Zion's attention.
"His Majesty greatly appreciates what you have done for Her Highness. He has specifically instructed me to ask whether you would be willing to enter the Imperial Hospital as a physician."
The patients and attendants nearby immediately quieted.
The Imperial Hospital.
For physicians throughout the empire, those words carried enormous weight. It was the center of medical authority in the Imperial City, backed by the Royal Family and staffed by some of the most accomplished Physicians in the empire.
A physician who entered its ranks would gain status, connections, wealth, and access to resources that an ordinary medical hall could never provide.
Even Eirik looked at Zion with widened eyes.
Rolant continued, "If you join the Imperial Hospital, I can assure you that your work will not be unnecessarily restricted. With your abilities, you would have opportunities that few physicians ever receive."
Zion listened without interrupting.
It was certainly a tempting offer.
For someone who wanted fame and authority as a physician, perhaps it was even the best offer he could receive.
But that was precisely the problem.
Zion had no interest in building his life around medicine.
He shook his head.
"I appreciate His Majesty's regard, and I am grateful for your recommendation, Mister Rolant. But I have no intention of joining the Imperial Hospital."
Rolant blinked.
He had expected hesitation at most.
He had not expected an outright refusal.
"You refuse?"
"I do."
"May I ask why?"
Zion glanced around Origin Medical Hall before answering.
"The Imperial Hospital is still part of the palace. That means rules, obligations, and restrictions come with it. I opened this medical hall because I wanted the freedom to decide how I work. I would rather continue along the path I have already chosen."
His answer was polite, but there was little room for negotiation in it.
There were other reasons he had no intention of saying aloud.
The royal palace had already brought him enough trouble.
The emperor, Vanessa, the complicated relationships surrounding the Royal Family, and the political games hidden behind seemingly harmless requests were all things Zion preferred to keep at a distance. He had no desire to exchange the freedom of Origin Medical Hall for a position that would tie him directly to the palace.
Rolant studied him for a moment before sighing.
"With your medical ability, remaining outside the Imperial Hospital does feel like a waste."
"I understand your concern."
Zion smiled faintly.
"But I have already made my decision."
Rolant could see that there was no point trying to change his mind.
"Very well. If you ever reconsider, the doors of the Imperial Hospital will remain open to you."
"I'll remember that."
Rolant nodded before turning to leave.
Only after he had gone did Eirik finally seem to recover from his shock.
"Mister Zion..."
Zion glanced at him.
Eirik looked genuinely baffled.
"That was the Imperial Hospital. There are physicians who spend their entire lives trying to earn a position there. How could you turn it down so easily?"
Zion gave a quiet laugh.
"Brother Eirik, the medical hall is only a side business for me."
Eirik stared at him.
"A side business?"
"Of course. It gives me a way to make money."
The answer was so straightforward that Eirik found himself unable to respond immediately.
Then he asked, "If this is only a side business, what is your real goal?"
Zion answered without hesitation.
"Strengthening my body and spirit."
His expression became serious.
"I'm a fighter first."
Eirik opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
He had known that Zion was unusual. He had already witnessed enough to understand that the young man's medical knowledge was far beyond anything an ordinary physician could possess.
But this was different.
Zion possessed medical skills that could make even the most experienced physicians envious, yet he regarded medicine as little more than a convenient source of income.
Eirik rubbed his forehead.
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made.
Then again, in this world, strength ultimately determined how far a person could go. Cultivation, status, influence, wealth, and even political authority were all connected to the power one possessed.
If Zion intended to pursue that path, dividing his attention too heavily could indeed become a problem.
"Then you should be careful not to spread yourself too thin," Eirik said. "If you intend to become stronger, training will consume most of your time."
Zion smiled.
"Don't worry, Brother Eirik. I know what I'm doing."
Eirik studied him for a moment before nodding.
He had initially thought Zion was simply a young man who had suddenly gained confidence after overcoming his previous circumstances.
He no longer believed that.
There was clearly a plan behind those actions, even if Zion had no intention of explaining it to anyone.
Eirik decided not to press further.