Oh, that's like a sage of old.

I returned Aishia's throat, which I'd tuned to sound like a hoarse old man, back to normal.

I'd copied just her vocal cords into a separate space for safekeeping, so adjustments were quick and easy.

"Master, it went great! To think we could earn so many gold coins so easily! As expected of you, Master!"

"You hit all your marks perfectly too, Aishia! Especially the spell chant! Great job!"

"I'm a bard, after all. I'm good at memorizing words."

Oh. Come to think of it, I got so giddy over the five gold coins that I forgot to ask for the additional referral fee.

Next time I go, I need to bill him… No, he was trembling at a five-gold-coin invoice; maybe I should play dumb and let him off? Hmm. But he did say he'd pay it in the first place, so it should be fine to take it, right? Okay, I'll be sure to ask. If I remember.

"I think that amount is just about right to tack onto a slave's price."

"Yes, just as you say, Master! Everyone will surely be grateful to you!"

"Hey now, that's where the 'Healer' you're playing should take all the credit — and the blame."

"Y-yes! I humbly accept the honor!"

Ghh, this unconditional praise is addictive!

Why do I keep seeing dog ears and a tail on Aishia even though she isn't a beastkin… Maybe I should make her a dog-ear headband and a tail next time. They'd absolutely suit her.

"Wow, Onee-san, you made that many gold coins?"

"That's right! Master earned a lot!"

"Heh heh, and now we have a steady stream of income. We won't have to worry about living expenses anymore!"

"You'll keep it separate from your income as a merchant, right? So what did you set the treatment fee at?"

"A flat five gold coins per person."

"… Does that mean even a case like Aishia's is five gold coins?"

"Yeah. If you think of it as an add-on to the slave's original price, that's about the upper limit."

Even something like a missing finger will still be a flat five gold coins.

Even the easy fixes get priced the same as serious injuries — I'll squeeze them for all they're worth. Fufufu.

"I see! As expected of Karina-oneesan! So respectable!"

Dea-kun looked up at me with sparkling eyes, beaming with pride as he said that.

Look at me, earning respect. Hehehe. I'm a natural at this business stuff.

"So then, Dea-kun, I'll pay back the one gold coin I owed you."

"Yes. I'll take it."

"And the Healer's earnings will go toward everyone's living expenses! We'll buy a new bed, too!"

"As expected of Master! Amaaaazing!"

Aishia looked like she only understood about half of what was happening! That's fine though!

 

*

 

As for Aishia, since she'll be hiding her face and body when acting as the Healer, it might be good to have her work as a bard in her free time.

The tips she earns that way can be her pocket money to spend however she likes.

"By the way, Aishia, what kind of barding did you do?"

"I performed singing with accompaniment at the Adventurers' Guild and taverns. I mainly play the lute, but I can use just about any instrument."

A lute, huh. Basically an old-timey guitar.

So they have the same thing in this world… or maybe it's something a reincarnator brought in? Like the bathhouse.

"You can play any instrument? That's amazing."

"As long as the same motion makes the same sound, I can play the rest by feel. I'm a bard, after all."

Bards are amazing. My fingers would get all tangled up… Wait, is there a Bard skill for this? Probably. Right, this is another world. Maybe I could learn to play instruments with a skill too?

If I could play piano, I could even sing and play that one song about "if I could play piano," couldn't I?

Crap, now I want an instrument.

"I can play the flute too, but with a flute I can't sing. Did you know that?"

"Yeah, that's normal. Your mouth is occupied."

"You knew that? Master, you're so wise! Oh, like a sage of old～"

Is Aishia actually an airhead? Or is she pretending to be one just to flatter me?

"Oh, right. By the way, are your hands doing okay? You seem to be moving them normally."

"Yes! I'm perfectly fine now! Master's treatment was flawless!"

I'd thought she might need a few months of rehab, but she's apparently fine already.

Her muscles weren't atrophied, her nerves weren't severed, her skin wasn't tight, and her brain hadn't forgotten how to move her hands.

Everything had slotted into place like puzzle pieces, so of course she could move normally… If I do say so myself, that was some quality work.

"Ha! That's right. I can't just be lounging around like this. I must compose a song to praise Master! May I go back to my room?"

"Ah, yeah… No, I don't need a song that praises me, okay? If you make one that praises the 'Healer' instead, that'd be fine."

"Then I'll praise the Healer while seeing him as Master!! Ooooh, such divine works—"

And with that, Aishia dashed off to her room.

"Phew. Dea-kun, what do you think about Aishia? Is she just putting on an act of adoring me?"

"No, that's sincere. I'm certain."

If Dea-kun says so, then it probably isn't a problem for now… I guess?