“The matter of compensation will be addressed later. For now, I humbly request your help with the treatment.”
“Quite a convenient plea, isn’t it?”
“My deepest apologies…”
“Liars are untrustworthy and insincere.”
“Pal, don’t be so harsh on him.”
“You’re far too lenient, Young Master.”
“True. But since there’s a patient waiting for me…”

Pal fumed, visibly displeased, but I calmed her down and entered the mansion.

The building was large, yet it lacked the bustling presence of servants. We were guided to a particular room deep within the mansion.

“This way, please,” the butler said, gesturing toward the door.

A maid standing by opened it.

The room was dimly lit by a soft lamp glow. Two maids stood vigil on either side of a canopy bed. As I approached, the figure of the patient became visible.

Her complexion was a sickly, parched shade of brown, her face gaunt and lifeless. Judging by her stature, she seemed to be about 16 or 17 years old, but her ashen, dry skin made her appear much older.

Her breathing was faint, her life force almost imperceptible. Her once-lustrous, green hair now looked dry and brittle, devoid of vitality.

“How long has she been in this state?”
“She suddenly collapsed 10 days ago, and has remained bedridden ever since.”

A mere glance confirmed that she wouldn’t last much longer. But could her condition deteriorate this drastically in just 10 days?

“I’ll begin my diagnosis. Remove the blanket, please.”

At the butler’s nod, the maids gently pulled back the blanket.

Though much of her hair was gone, her form indicated she was female. Her arms and legs, too, bore the same parched, earthy tone. Her entire body had succumbed to this condition.

Analyze.

A band of light enveloped her body.

“Mana Deficiency Syndrome.”

That was the diagnosis.

However, something was off. She appeared to have been poisoned with a substance that induced symptoms identical to Mana Deficiency Syndrome. Such a toxin was unheard of.

“Doctor, what exactly is Mana Deficiency Syndrome?”
“Do not interrupt the treatment.”

Pal rebuked the butler sharply.

“M-my apologies…”

Mana Deficiency Syndrome occurs when the body suffers from a severe lack of mana.

In her case, the toxin caused her to exhibit the symptoms of Mana Deficiency Syndrome. Essentially, her body had become unnaturally incapable of retaining any mana at all.

When mages overuse magic, their mana reserves deplete, leading to feelings of fatigue and eventual unconsciousness. Normally, mana naturally regenerates, allowing the mage to recover after some rest.

But with Mana Deficiency Syndrome, mana doesn’t regenerate. Instead, the body continuously leaks it.

Every person possesses mana to some degree. The amount varies: mages generally have more, while non-mages have less. Judging by her condition, she must have originally had a high mana reserve. Yet in just 10 days, it had been entirely drained—a testament to the potency of this poison.

“Did anything unusual happen before she collapsed?”

Typically, Mana Deficiency Syndrome progresses gradually. Sudden onset is rare. While I couldn’t be certain due to the poison’s unknown nature, it was clear that the toxin caused her condition to accelerate.

“She attended a tea party hosted by Earl Tucker’s household.”
“Mana Deficiency Syndrome is rare and progresses slowly. However, this condition was induced by poison.”
“P-poison?! Are you suggesting something happened at the tea party?”
“I cannot say for certain. But the possibility cannot be dismissed.”
“Can she be treated?”

Her body’s natural mana recovery function had been disrupted. To cure her, that function needed to be restored. Even if the damage was caused by poison, I could heal it.

“I’ll do my best.”

Detox

First, I neutralized the toxin in her body.

When mana is depleted, the immune system overreacts, releasing harmful substances. I suppressed this adverse reaction.

Cure

Next, I purified the abnormal cells affected by the toxin. Leaving these cells untreated could lead to a relapse.

Regeneration

Finally, I stimulated the regeneration of healthy cells.

Her body had been deeply damaged by the toxin, and healing required substantial mana.

“Phew. The treatment is complete.”

The earthy tone of her skin gave way to a healthy white, her cheeks faintly flushed with life.

Her breathing had normalized, and her heartbeat was steady.

While her lost hair would take time to grow back, her body would now heal naturally.

“Oh, Princess!”
““Princess!””

The butler and maids gathered around her bedside.

“She should wake once her mana regenerates. Feed her easily digestible soups to aid her recovery.”
“Doctor, words cannot express our gratitude. We shall never forget this kindness.”

I hoped they wouldn’t forget—after all, I didn’t usually make house calls. I smiled faintly, a hint of suggestion in my expression.