Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 4

4

‘My first Elf…’

Beomseok stared at the silver-haired Elf lying on the emergency bed. She looked to be around twenty years old, with a height of at least 175cm (approximately 5’9″). Her soft features, slender waistline, and the distinct curves of her figure were a perfect contrast to the human form, an aesthetic ideal seemingly unattainable by humans.

Normally, such a sight might have stirred other urges, but given the gravity of the situation, he managed to maintain his composure. Her bluish lips and pale white face, coupled with her labored breathing, made her look incredibly vulnerable and pitiful.

With a look of concern, Beomseok accessed her information window.

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Name: None.

Race: Elf (3 years).

Affiliation: None.

Fame: 2.

Notoriety: 0.

H Experience: No.

Stamina: 851/9400 (Critical Injury).

Social Skills: 22, Strength: 71, Constitution: 94.

Agility: 68, Balance: 63, Intelligence: 66.

Mental Strength: 91. Judgment: 62, Skill: 34.

Luck: 36.

Current Potential/Potential Ability: 607/936.

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Special Trait: Venus’s Illusion.

Special Notes: Sold at the Elf Market and immediately thrust into underground arena battles. Currently on the verge of death due to severe injuries.

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Beomseok couldn’t help but be amazed. Her incredible potential ability of 936 was astonishing, but her Constitution of 94 and Mental Strength of 91 were truly exceptional. These were rare stats, the kind you’d only see once in a blue moon. If he nurtured her potential, she would become a significant asset in his future endeavors.

‘Wow, amazing. So that’s why she’s still alive.’

He understood the reason for the silver-haired Elf’s tenacity. Constitution directly influenced Stamina, which was crucial for survival, and Mental Strength mitigated the rate at which Stamina depleted. Without these exceptionally high stats, the Elf would have likely succumbed to her injuries long ago.

‘Still, it’s very dangerous. Her Stamina is critically low. She could die if this continues.’

Her current Stamina was at 851. If that number reached 0 while she was injured, she would die, making it a precarious situation.

Beomseok quickly glanced around for a clock. He recalled that the silver-haired Elf’s special trait, ‘Venus’s Illusion,’ granted a +10 bonus to all stats between 3 PM and 9 PM. This meant her Stamina would increase by 1000 at 3 PM, significantly improving her chances of survival.

“Wait, what time is it?”

The Elf paramedic checked the watch on her wrist and replied,

“It’s 1:50 PM now.”

That meant there was less than an hour to go. It was a very close call. He looked at the paramedic with a worried expression.

“Listen, do everything you can to keep this Elf alive. We just need to buy her about an hour.”

“We’ve already exhausted all available emergency treatments. There’s nothing more I can do.”

“So, you’re saying we just have to stand by and hope for the best?”

The Elf paramedic shook her head at his words.

“No. I’m just saying that my part is done. Now it’s your turn, Beomseok, as her prospective owner.”

“Me? What do I have to do?”

“Just hold her hand, speak her name, and encourage her to live. Elves have an inherent loyalty to their owners, and that alone will bolster her will to survive.”

Beomseok found her suggestion plausible. Given the deep bond Elves formed with their owners, it was reasonable to assume they would draw strength from their owner’s presence and support. The only issue was that he hadn’t yet received the ownership certificate, meaning he wasn’t officially her owner, and the Elf’s name in the information window was still listed as ‘None.’

“But how can I do that? I’m not this Elf’s owner yet. I don’t have the certificate. And she doesn’t even have a name.”

“That doesn’t matter. You’re not her owner yet, but you will be soon. Even the dimmest Elf can grasp that concept. And you can simply give her any name you like.”

Beomseok nodded. He reasoned that attempting something, even if it felt contrived, was preferable to passively waiting. Without overthinking it, he decided to name the silver-haired Elf Venus. He remembered that her special trait was ‘Venus’s Illusion,’ and Venus was also the name of the goddess associated with the planet Venus.

Beomseok approached Venus and gently held her cold, trembling hand.

“Your name is Venus. And I, who will soon be your owner, am asking you this. Venus, please hold on and survive.”

At those words, Venus twitched slightly, and the trembling in her body seemed to lessen. While it was difficult to claim her condition had significantly improved, it was a moment that offered a glimmer of hope.

And the flying ambulance was gradually slowing down and descending. It was a welcome sign, indicating they were nearing the Elf hospital.

“We’re here.”

As the ambulance touched down, the back door opened, revealing a three-story white building. The surrounding area resembled a meticulously maintained garden, filled with vibrant flowers and lush trees. A fountain in the center sent clear streams of water cascading high into the air. Small statues lined the red brick path leading to the building’s entrance, which was adorned with a light-colored wooden door. At first glance, it resembled a luxurious villa more than a medical facility.

“Is this really an Elf treatment center? Did we come to the wrong place?”

The Elf paramedic, who was already unloading the bed cart with Venus on it, replied,

“This is the Mikhail Treatment Center. It’s the closest to the police station we just left and has a solid reputation, so we came here.”

“Hmm. So, this is it…”

Beomseok, who had been hesitant, jumped out and took charge of the bed cart. There was no way they could have made a mistake, especially given her confident assertion. He quickly grabbed the handle of the bed cart, which floated slightly above the ground, and hurried toward the hospital door.

“Emergency patient!”

As if they had been alerted in advance, the medical staff rushed out to meet them. Among them was a woman who appeared to be a doctor, with distinct East Asian features, and several Elves who seemed to be nurses. Beomseok briefly assessed the female doctor. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a height of about 160cm (approximately 5’3″). Her skin had the yellowish-brown tone typical of East Asians and was remarkably smooth, and her figure was slender. While not as ethereally beautiful as an Elf, she was quite striking for a human.

Beomseok subtly opened her information window. Since she was likely to be Venus’s primary physician, he needed to understand her capabilities.

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Name: Susan Lee.

Race: Human (23 years).

Affiliation: Mikhail Treatment Center.

Fame: 330.

Notoriety: 0.

Favorability: 34.

H Experience: No.

Stamina: 981/1000.

Social Skills: 57, Strength: 9, Constitution: 10.

Agility: 12, Balance: 11, Intelligence: 72.

Mental Strength: 54. Judgment: 89, Skill: 74.

Luck: 71.

Current Potential/Potential Ability: 459/513.

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Special Trait: Benevolent Medicine.

Special Notes: A surgeon at the Mikhail Treatment Center. She takes pride in her profession. She is considering a job change because of the treatment center director, who prioritizes profit over patient care.

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‘She’s qualified enough to entrust her with the treatment.’

The most crucial attributes for a doctor were Judgment, Intelligence, and Skill. She possessed all of these qualities, particularly excelling in Judgment, the most vital of the three, with a high score of 89. Furthermore, Susan’s special trait, ‘Benevolent Medicine,’ increased the success rate of treatments by 50% during procedures. It seemed unlikely he could find someone more specialized in this type of care.

It was worth noting that her Strength, Constitution, Agility, and Balance were exceptionally low, but considering that ordinary humans rarely had physical ability stats exceeding 20, it wasn’t a particularly poor showing.

“Oh, how…”

Susan, upon seeing the rebar protruding from Venus’s chest, quickly brought the pistol-shaped MRI diagnostic device she was holding to the wound. She pressed the trigger-shaped button, and the MRI image revealed in 3D that the rebar had pierced the area directly adjacent to the right atrium of her heart. While the worst-case scenario of directly damaging the heart had been avoided, the pressure could still cause it to stop if left untreated. Sensing the urgency, she attached the terminals of the vital checker brought by the Elf nurses to Venus’s body. After observing the declining numbers, she glared at Beomseok. The readings indicated decreased Constitution, blood pressure, and pulse, suggesting she had been neglected for an extended period.

“Why didn’t you bring her to the treatment center sooner, given the severity of her condition! It was obvious at a glance that she had a serious injury! You’re not fit to be an owner. I’ll be contacting the police and relevant civic organizations after the procedure, so be prepared.”

“Well, that’s…”

Beomseok stammered, seemingly taken aback by Susan’s sudden hostility. Seeing this, the Elf paramedic glared at Susan, as if she was being presumptuous.

“The place we just came from is the police station. We would have preferred to bring her to a treatment center sooner, but all the facilities, including yours, refused, citing concerns about covering the treatment costs. We were left with no choice but to go to the police station, where this person happened to see her and decided to pay for her treatment out of his own pocket. You’re not in a position to criticize him.”

Susan was rendered speechless. If that was the truth, she had no grounds for complaint. While the decision to refuse treatment was made by the administration department, she was still a member of this treatment center and couldn’t claim to be entirely blameless.

“I, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware of the circumstances.”

Beomseok, upon receiving the apology, wore an annoyed expression. What he desired now wasn’t an apology, but the sight of Venus recovering and regaining her health.

“Geez. Save the apologies for later. Just treat her quickly. Time is of the essence.”

“Ah. I understand. Then I’ll prepare for surgery immediately, please wait here.”

Soon, Susan, along with Beomseok, wheeled the bed cart carrying Venus to the elevator. They ascended to the operating room on the second floor, where they prepared and activated all the necessary surgical equipment.

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To be continued.