WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: LilGuyBlastoise
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Plague Doctor in a Peaceful World ◈
Chapter 18: Christmas Special
──────
I had planned to treat any suitable [Contagious Disease Patient] I found.
But when I actually looked, they were hard to spot.
And even when I found one, it was someone I did not want to get close to, like that drunk earlier.
Whine.
I stroked Arong in my arms.
“Hmm, I ended up all the way here.”
The animal hospital was dark, its Christmas tree lights twinkling. A faint light shone from inside, as though someone was still there.
“Should we just check that place and head home, Arong?”
Maybe an animal [Contagious Disease Patient] was hospitalized there, like before.
If not, I could treat some weird drunk on the way home...
A system window with a silver-glowing border suddenly appeared.
[The Christmas Event has begun.]
“...?”
[System]
-The Christmas Event has begun.
-For 24 hours, skill MP costs are reduced by 50%.
-For 24 hours, experience gain is doubled.
“Oh?”
I checked the time. It was midnight.
It was Christmas.
A disbelieving laugh escaped me.
These beings, whether they were aliens or something else. They had not even finished implementing the system, yet they had made sure the Christmas Event worked.
What the hell were they?
“Anyway, it would be rude to ignore an experience event. Right, Arong?”
Arong looked at me strangely, then licked my chin.
Lick, lick.
“Right. Let’s treat someone sick before we go.”
I entered the alley between the animal hospital and the bakery.
Before long, I stopped walking.
[Contagious Disease Patient]
“...”
My smile faded on its own.
The excitement I had felt about leveling up Plague Treatment also disappeared.
The words were bright red.
It was a color I had seen only very rarely while I was hospitalized, and now it was inside the animal hospital’s inpatient ward.
I moved closer.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 320)]
“...320?!”
It was the highest number I had seen since gaining this ability.
What kind of disease did it have?
No.
Whether it was a cold or the flu, the MP needed for treatment varied depending on the person and their condition. Even with the same flu, Kang Nara had required 130 MP, while Grandma Park Bokseon had required 180.
How severe was its condition...?
Still, since an expected MP cost had appeared, treatment probably was not impossible.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 323)]
“Uh...”
The expected MP cost had risen within seconds.
I hurriedly put my hand against the wall.
It would have been nice to have my beaked mask, but I had a feeling that it would be far too late if I went back for it.
I did not know whether it was a dog or a cat, but how sad would its owner be if it died on Christmas?
“Treatment, yes.”
Maybe it was also the Christmas Event’s effect.
The warm-colored haze that flowed from my hand whenever I used Plague Treatment sparkled more brightly than usual today.
[System]
-You used ‘Plague Treatment’.
-Christmas Event: Skill MP costs reduced by 50%.
-A Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk activates at random.
-Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk: ‘Christmas Miracle’
-‘Plague Treatment’ Proficiency +4
-The skill ‘Plague Treatment’ has leveled up!
-Experience +32.5%
-Skill level-up bonus experience +30%
-You leveled up!
[MP 125/125]
I froze for a moment with my hand still against the wall.
What was with this log? It was as lavish as a bundle of presents.
And where had the bright red [Contagious Disease Patient] beyond the wall gone?
I looked over the log again.
“Christmas Miracle?”
Even with skill MP costs reduced by 50% for the Christmas Event, it was still more than I could treat with my MP in one go.
Could it be?
Had it been treated in one go because of the Christmas Perk that had just appeared?
Like an actual miracle?
Lick, lick.
Arong licked my chin again as if asking what I was doing.
That brought me back to my senses.
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go, Arong.”
After looking at the animal hospital wall, where the words had disappeared, I started walking again.
Then a more realistic concern came to mind.
“Will it be okay?”
I had used the skill just so it could get past the dangerous point, since leaving it alone might have led to something terrible...
But I had completely cured it.
I wonder if the director of that animal hospital will become famous as a skilled veterinarian because of me.
A little later.
I left Arong at home and went back out alone.
“Khh, just as I thought.”
It was late, but since it was Christmas, the busy area lined with bars was full of people.
And where there were lots of people, there were always [Contagious Disease Patients] mixed in among them.
I would cure every one of those annoying couples who had dragged themselves out sick just because it was Christmas.
I pulled a black mask and hat low over my face.
As I passed a [Contagious Disease Patient], I pretended to adjust my hat.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 50)]
I muttered amid the loud music and chatter.
“Treatment, yes.”
[System]
-You used ‘Plague Treatment’.
-Christmas Event: Skill MP costs reduced by 50%.
-‘Plague Treatment’ Proficiency +1
-Experience +3.28%
[MP 100/125]
The next person.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 60)]
“Treatment, yes.”
[System]
-You used ‘Plague Treatment’.
-Christmas Event: Skill MP costs reduced by 50%.
-‘Plague Treatment’ Proficiency +1
-Experience +3.94%
[MP 70/125]
What a shame.
If I had worn the beaked mask, I might have saved even more MP.
But it was not Halloween. If I wandered through the crowd wearing such an obvious mask, someone might report me as suspicious.
What if people mistook me for a pickpocket?
Someone might even film me and upload it to social media. At times like this, it was best to disguise myself as just another ordinary passerby.
Even if it cost me a little more MP.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 50)]
“Treatment, yes.”
[System]
-You used ‘Plague Treatment’.
-Christmas Event: Skill MP costs reduced by 50%.
-A Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk activates at random.
-Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk: ‘Christmas Miracle’
-‘Plague Treatment’ Proficiency +1
-Experience +3.28%
[MP 70/125]
The Plague Doctor Perk, Christmas Miracle, activated again.
So this was what it did. It treated them without consuming MP, while I still received all the experience.
Heh heh.
This was ridiculously good.
I searched for [Contagious Disease Patients] and treated them until my MP ran out. While doing so, I realized something.
The expected MP cost for treatment had generally gone down.
Had Plague Treatment becoming Level 2 boosted its treatment effect compared to when it was Level 1?
“Finally, the last one.”
[MP 20/125]
I would treat just one more person and go home.
I was getting sleepy.
I entered a crowded claw machine arcade.
“Ahh, so close!”
“I think we can get it if we try again!”
“Attempt number ten?”
“Go!”
A green [Contagious Disease Patient] was watching their group play the claw machine.
Maybe I should play a claw machine for the first time in a while, too.
I stood at the machine beside them, paid, and operated it one-handed while pretending to scratch my head beneath my hat.
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 40)]
Beep-beep.
Ding-a-ling.
I muttered in time with the machine sounds.
“Treatment, yes.”
Time to clock out after making the most of the double experience event!
Beep-beep.
[System]
-You used ‘Plague Treatment’.
-Christmas Event: Skill MP costs reduced by 50%.
-A Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk activates at random.
-Christmas ‘Plague Doctor’ Perk: ‘Christmas Nightmare’
-‘Plague Treatment’ Proficiency +1
-Experience +2.62%
[MP 325/125]
“...”
The perk Christmas Nightmare.
Not only was all my MP restored, it had gone over the limit.
Had they named it Nightmare because it meant I was supposed to overwork on Christmas?
Clunk.
I even managed to win a doll.
“Wow, the person next to us got one in a single try. We failed ten times in a row.”
Holding the doll I had won, I quietly left the arcade.
* * *
Hurrah Animal Hospital.
The veterinarian, who had been organizing paperwork, rose with a deep sigh.
It was time to check on Boogi in the inpatient ward.
‘We’re continuing the medication, but I don’t know how much longer Boogi can hold on...’
Boogi was a dog that had been hospitalized a week ago.
According to the owner, Boogi had slipped out through an open gate a month ago and disappeared.
When Boogi was finally found a week ago, there were injuries and a severe contagious disease. Boogi had been in critical condition.
Beside the owner, who cried and apologized to Boogi, the owner’s son had pleaded with the veterinarian.
“Please save Boogi, doctor. If something happens to Boogi... My mother will not be able to bear the guilt and loss, either.”
‘I did say today would be the critical point, but...’
The veterinarian sighed again and entered the inpatient ward.
“...Huh?”
They froze in place.
Only a few dozen minutes ago, Boogi had been sprawled limply with their tongue hanging out. Now, Boogi was tapping at the toy the owner had placed in the cage.
“Boogi...?”
Pant, pant.
Boogi’s eyes shone as they scratched at the door with a front paw.
Woof!
Boogi even barked in a lively voice.
“...”
Smack.
The veterinarian slapped their own cheek, checked the clock, then slapped their cheek again.
‘This is not a dream...?! How is this possible...?’
Then they hurried into action.
“Wait, Boogi. Just a second, let’s run some tests!”
Boogi tilted their head while gently wagging their tail.
* * *
[The Christmas Event has ended.]
I dropped onto a bench.
“It’s finally over...”
Since dawn today, I had treated and treated until my MP ran out. After sleeping at home and restoring my MP, I came back out and diligently farmed experience.
I did not know when another double experience event would happen, so I had to work hard.
“Skill window.”
I was currently on Hongdae Red Road.
Busking hours were over, but there were so many people that my voice was easily hidden.
[Kang Bongsik (Plague Doctor Lv. 9) Skills]
[Passive Skills]
-Immunity Lv. 1
[Active Skills]
-Plague Treatment Lv. 2 (44/100)
-Bloodletting Lv. 1 (5.9/100)
-Divine Punishment Lv. 1 (0.1/100)
“Ha ha...”
I laughed.
Christmas Miracle had activated several times along the way, and Christmas Nightmare had activated once more.
At the end, leveling up had filled my MP again. It felt wasteful to let that go to waste, so I had gone around treating people diligently...
And Plague Treatment’s Proficiency had reached 44.
Just one day after reaching Level 2.
“My legs hurt, too...”
After resting blankly for a while, I stood.
It was cold.
I should hurry home and sleep.
Bzzzt.
My sister was calling.
“Yeah. What is it?”
“Hey. What’s this?”
Looks like she had finally found it.
Actually, before leaving home a little while ago, I had given my parents some spending money, then tossed a gift certificate envelope onto my sister’s bed, too.
“I felt sorry for Kang Hyunseo, wandering around looking broke, so I gave her some charity.”
“...”
I heard a quiet sniff.
“Are you crying?”
“I’m not crying, you cheeky little shit.”
“Then give it back if you don’t want it.”
“I’ll definitely pay you back double.”
“Okay. I recorded that.”
“Get something to eat and come home.”
“What would I eat?”
“Didn’t you go out drinking?”
“No. I’m hanging up.”
“Yeah... Thanks.”
Click.
Damn.
I had hung up before my sister finished speaking.
I scratched my head.
“Then say it faster.”
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried