When the gentleman said he didn't have lungs, Gallon was momentarily stunned.
But from his initial examination, it really seemed like the gentleman's various discomforts were caused by pneumonia!
"Where in the world did you find this quack! To say I have a lung disease... that's no different from saying I'm a human! Are you trying to insult me?"
Alright then...
In a world where humans live at the bottom of the social ladder, being human is apparently not a good thing for these powerful figures.
A cold sweat broke out on Gallon's back, but for now, he could only compose himself.
"Please don't be alarmed. Allow me to conduct a more thorough examination."
The man suppressed his rage. "If you can't cure my illness, you can leave right now, and I won't hold you responsible. But if you dare try to deceive me, then! I will make you pay an unimaginable price!"
Lucas closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling slowly.
Gallon hastily nodded in agreement. Under the circumstances, his only recourse was his system.
System, can you provide me with any items to help diagnose his condition?
Gallon continued to examine Lucas while conversing with the system.
[Affinity can be converted into points. The Host may exchange them as they see fit.]
One point of Affinity could be converted into 10 points. From the Minotaur to Miss Lorelei today, he had accumulated 56 points.
Quickly scanning the unlocked items in the store, his eyes fell on a Beginner Skill: X-Ray Vision.
This skill had a duration of half an hour and a 24-hour cooldown. It allowed him to see the condition of various parts of a patient's body, displaying the severity of injuries and illnesses in different colors.
Gallon exchanged for the skill without hesitation. After activating it, he looked at Lucas again.
The man's physical structure was completely different from a human's. His heart took up most of his chest cavity, his blood was a light blue, and the rest of his internal organs were also arranged differently.
But Lucas did have one extra organ: a lung.
Gallon turned and shot a quick glance at Miss Lorelei. He didn't see a corresponding organ in her body.
At this thought, he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Excellency, I admit my words may have offended you, but you truly do have a lung disease. And your situation is very unusual. You only have one lung."
The room fell silent the moment he finished speaking. Gallon felt the pressure mounting. Just then, he heard Lucas curse.
"Dammit!"
"It must have been Selena!"
If this doctor had insisted he had human lungs, Lucas might have had him thrown into the Swamp Pond to feed the Fish Monsters.
But since he said he only had one lung, Lucas understood that he must have been cursed by a Black Witch.
"I was wondering how I could have just fallen into a canal for no reason, and how I could get sick from falling into the water. It was that damn bitch!"
The language was rather foul, and Gallon automatically filtered it out. He didn't understand witchcraft or magic.
"But it's a good thing the problem isn't serious. I have medicine here that can eliminate the inflammation and relieve you of your current suffering. However, I can't do anything about that extra organ you've acquired."
As he spoke, he opened his medical kit and took out the Special Anti-inflammatory Drug.
As he handed the medicine over, the system notification sounded again.
[Ding! Gained Lucas Affinity +10.]
Gallon was secretly delighted. It seemed this Mermaid Lord was much better than Sein.
After all, that miser Sein only ever gave him Affinity in five-point increments.
"I apologize for my rudeness just now. Skaf, take this gentleman's medicine. Lorelei, pay his consultation fee."
The young woman dipped her head slightly. "Doctor Tony, please come with me."
At the same time, someone suddenly appeared in Gallon's line of sight at the other end of the bed. This must be the Skaf he mentioned.
Gallon was startled, but he remained outwardly calm. He handed the medicine to Skaf and followed Lorelei out of the room.
"Please wait in the main hall." It seemed there weren't many servants in Lucas's home, or perhaps they were all like Skaf, capable of concealing their presence.
This made Gallon stand very stiffly in the hall, not daring to look around or move recklessly.
When Lorelei came out, she was carrying a coin purse bearing a Mermaid Emblem.
"Here are fifty green Magic Crystals. Thank you for treating my father. If we have need of you in the future, we will send someone to find you."
Gallon accepted the coin purse without hesitation. Magic Crystals were divided into five grades: white, green, purple, red, and gold. The Magic Crystals he'd tossed to Talia yesterday were green ones.
"Thank you for your generosity."
He bowed in gratitude and then heard another notification.
[Ding! Gained Lorelei Affinity +3.]
Looks like this young lady appreciates a gentleman who knows his place.
"My father's situation is a bit special. I hope you won't casually speak of what you saw here today."
Lorelei's eyes curved into a smile, and her voice was soft and gentle, carrying an indescribable, bewitching quality.
"I understand. I'll be sure to keep my lips sealed."
Lorelei gave him another warm smile. "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't keep you as a guest."
With that, she had the Minotaur who had been waiting outside take Gallon home.
Gallon got into the carriage with the Minotaur. Along the way, he took out three Magic Crystals from the purse and placed them in the Minotaur's hand.
"In any case, thank you and your brother for recommending me to that great personage. Consider this my treat for a round of drinks."
The Minotaur would have received a reward anyway for Gallon curing Lucas's illness. Now that Gallon was giving him Magic Crystals on top of that, he was naturally even happier.
[Ding! Gained Minotaur Affinity +10.]
These lower-level Non-Human Species gave Affinity that converted to points at a one-to-one ratio. All in all, it was better than nothing.
"My friend, I didn't expect you to be so capable! You actually managed to cure Lord Lucas! Don't worry, if there's anything like this in the future, I'll definitely recommend you again!"
The Minotaur's Affinity was secondary. What was more important to Gallon was that he needed these servants of the nobility to spread his name.
"Then I'll be counting on you. By the way, I haven't had a chance to ask your name yet."
"You can call me Yark. It looked like you hadn't eaten yet this morning. How about we go grab a bite together?"
"Won't that make you late getting back to the estate?"
"It's fine. We're just grabbing a meal, not drinking."
Gallon also happened to want to get more information from the Minotaur, so he didn't refuse. The two of them stopped in front of a restaurant.
Gallon ordered potato and chicken stew and two pieces of white bread. The Minotaur ordered a large pork chop.
"Tony, you've got such great skills and you make a decent amount of money. Why don't you open a proper clinic instead of hiding away in an alley?"