Marnie tiptoed and craned her neck out to peer out the window. In the alleyway between Burrow's Diner and the deli shop next door, two large dumpsters lined an old brick wall, but there was nothing else of interest. It was, however, a good view of the pathway into the rear entrance of the building. Marnie had been impatiently looking out for the past hour. In mid-afternoon, she spotted her target, a tall young man with a large backpack strolling past the window. Marnie abandoned dishwashing midway and dashed toward the stairwell like a woman on a mission. A heavy-set man on the other side of the mid-size commercial kitchen also stopped, casting his tongs to the side and calling for his daughter-in-law, Carla, to take over.
"Ian, what is going on!?" Marnie demanded as she intercepted her son at the doorway, waving a jagged-edged envelope from the Law Office of Marget and Chambs in front of his face.
Ian also wondered the same. Margaret and Chambs was one of the top law firms in Worchest and they had little connections to him. He took the envelope from the angry petit woman and scanned through the letter.
Dear Mister Zimmer,
The Worchest Medical Association has been notified of your unauthorized actions to practice medical procedures without a proper medical license under section 4901 of the Tallus Federation Law. They are formally requesting that you cease and desist practicing all forms of medicine.
Failure to comply will result in immediate legal actions.You are liable for fines up to 500,000 Federation dollars and 5 years of prison sentence. Furthermore, if we do not receive affirmation that you will comply within 14 calendar days, we will take all legal actions to rectify this matter.
-Sincerely,
Abigail Marget, Esq.
Marnie rubbed both sides of her forehead. "This is a terrible mess," she cried out with a nagging voice.
Ian's eyebrows knitted in annoyance and exhaustion. His parents didn't even give him a chance to set down his backpack. "Mom, why are you going through my letters?"
"It's addressed to my house, so I can do whatever I want with the letters that are sent here," Marnie replied.
"It's technically Logan's house."
"We told you not to enter the otherworld realm," his father, Hogan, chimed. When Ian tried to squeeze himself up the stairs, Hogan blocked his way. Hogan's large figure, whose tight dirty apron accentuated his one-pack figure, provided no opening for Ian to escape upstairs. "Now look at this mess you're in. Your mom and I both think you should stop this research of yours and find a real job."
"Post-doctoral research is a real job and shouldn't you two be working!?" Ian asked. There were customers inside the ground floor. Most were simply minding their own business and talking amongst themselves.
"They already have their orders," said Marnie. The lunch crowd had mostly settled down. "They aren't going to sue us for not pouring them more water. But how are you going to deal with the lawsuit?"
"It's not a lawsuit, just a request. Besides, the medical association doesn't have jurisdiction over the otherworld realm."
"Even so, do you have the money to deal with a potential lawsuit?" His father jabbed at Ian's weak point. Ian was always short of cash.
"I want to see the medical association try," Ian doubted that the Medical Association was willing to risk offending the ORA by suing him. It was one of the reasons why he chose the wording very carefully when he applied as a porter and doctor. He held a Doctorate in Otherworld Realm Biology, and he wasn't going to let four years of study go to waste.
A bell signaling the completion of a meal diverted Hogan and Marnie's attention, providing Ian the opportunity to slip away upstairs. While he appreciated his parents' worry, Ian had no desire for yet another lecture. Unlike his siblings, Ian lacked the mana ability to defend himself in the otherworld realm. His parents preferred him to stay in the safe zone and secure a steady job. With his brothers already venturing into the perilous otherworld realms, Ian, the vulnerable son, was expected to stay close to them.
Inside the bedroom, Ian sat down by a small computer desk, the only available surface in the room. All other surfaces, including the two beds, were filled with laboratory equipment and boxes all over the two beds and the floor. He shared the room with his younger brother Kane. Since Kane graduated, he hadn't been home to visit the family. If Kane returned home, he would have yelled at Ian for storing all the laboratory equipment on his bed.
Ian typed out a response to the Medical Association. After drafting the letter, Ian went over it one more time before sending it off.
Dear Madam Abigail Marget,
Section 4901 clearly allows voluntary emergency assistance. If it is within my ability to help an injured adventurer, should I remain there and do nothing? I do not call myself a physician nor is it written in my contract with the ORA. I am simply a Doctor of Otherworld Realm Biology.
Furthermore, under section 11200 of Tallas Federation Law, all injuries or ailments resulting from otherworld events may be treated without a medical license. If the Worchest Medical Association continues to see this as an issue, I will contact the Otherworld Realm Association for assistance in the matter as a potential lawsuit will set a terrible precedent that will harm the future of otherworld realm exploration.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ian Zimmer, Ph.d in Otherworld Realm Biology, Abbin College
Ian removed Abbin College at the last minute before sending the email.
****
On the day of Neuman's appointment time, Ian and Mitch arrived at the entrance an hour early. They saw five male students, one female student and two adults. The oldest person in the party was a man in his early forties while the others looked like high school kids. The porter carrying their equipment looked like someone with a military background.
"Who's the leader?" Mitch asked.
The oldest member with a spear raised his hand. "I'm Erik from Worchest District 4 Military High School." Erik sized up Mitch. From Mitch's demeanor, it was easy to assume that Mitch was an experienced tank. The leader wasn't always the one with the highest spiritual power, but the one most capable of protecting the party. "I can pass the leader role over to you."
Mitch shook his head and waved his hand. "You can keep the role."
Erik looked at Ian. "You must be Ian." Worchest was a small town, so it wasn't difficult for Erik to identify the infamous doctor. Along with Mitch, they formed an infamous duo in Worchest known as Mitian. "Glad to have another support."
There was no limit to the number of party members as long as the overall SP was less than 400. Non-rankers were individuals with less than 10 SP. Most parties limited the amount of support because it was more difficult for the tank to protect everyone and more costly.
The maximum spiritual power of a team to enter most rank E otherworld realm was around 400, making it difficult for a B-ranker to enter a Rank E otherworld realm. Scholars hypothesized that the restriction was similar to how the field had kept powerful creatures from entering the safe zone. Likewise, it also kept powerful ranked humans from entering weaker otherworld realms.
"Are you conducting an exam?" Ian asked.
Erik nodded. "For the EAA."
The Examination for Academy Associations regularly tested the students' ability to handle the otherworld realm. Since the appearance of the otherworld realm, military schools had been recruiting high school children. It was highly controversial, but the high demand from the students themselves made it possible for high school military school to exist. After the exam, students could sign up for a ORA ranker license. Without a license, they needed supervision from a licensed trainer or educator.
Erik introduced the students. They looked nervous, but excited. As a group, they didn't appear cohesive with a mix of personality, but they had trained together for a while in school. To them, passing the test was more important.
With the introduction out of the way, everyone rented their equipment and geared up. They discussed the basic strategy and attack plans. Once everyone agreed, they signed the contract through the app. The checkpoint officers scanned the QR code from Erik's phone.
[Party of seven with two supports confirmed. Access is granted.]
The checkpoint guards confirmed the access and opened the gate. Beyond the gate was a dark woodland with red and orange oak trees. A line created from Neuman's orange autumn field and Worchest's light grassy blades delineated the realm from the real world.
When the fields first appeared, many people had stumbled and died within the otherworld realm, not knowing they had entered a place warped by an otherworldly energy. Overtime, the mana from the otherworld realm drastically changed the conditions within the field, making it easy to see the borderline between the otherworld and the real world.
Inside the field, a cool breeze rustled the trees and fluttered through the autumn field, a stark contrast to the warm spring breeze in Worchest. Mitch led the party toward the center of the field. Up ahead was the center of the field, a clearing with low deep violet shrubbery. Had this been five years ago, there would have been twelve monsters roaming near the center. Presently, everything appeared peaceful.
"Action plan, enjoy the scenery and hope a monster shows up," said Ian as he unrolled a plastic sheet and began setting up a mini laboratory.
"Teacher, what is he doing?" asked one of the students. "Shouldn't we be on alert for any potential traps and monster spawn?"
"Uh… Yes," replied Erik. It was important to show the students the basic survival skills in the otherworld realm, but Neuman was considered one of the easiest otherworld realms. Monster spawns with more than one monster were rare and most injuries were from negligence rather than from monsters. As a porter, there weren't any expectations from Ian other than to collect the carcass and carry the equipment. "Mr. Zimmer is an experienced individual, I am sure he has countermeasures to protect himself. I suggest all of you keep a defensive position. Remember the strategy we have discussed. As soon as a monster spawn, be prepared to attack."
The students waited with their grip steady on their weapons.