Chapter 41
“What the…?”
The healer rubbed his head, his face contorted in pain. Something had flown and struck his head.
Looking around hurriedly, he couldn’t find anything that could explain the culprit.
There were far too many people around to pinpoint who might have done it.
“Damn it! Here I am, coming out to treat these people, and this is what I get? Ugh, commoners are always…”
Muttering a string of curses under his breath, he continued rubbing his head, grimacing at the lingering pain.
“…Ceres?”
“What?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Chaian let out an awkward laugh, glancing at Ceres, who stood calmly with her hands behind her back as if nothing had happened.
‘You’re the one who threw that rock.’
He had clearly seen her casually kick a small stone lying on the ground, sending it flying with impeccable precision to hit the healer’s head.
Watching it unfold in real time, Chaian had been left stunned, his mouth agape.
While Chaian was marveling at her audacious accuracy, Ceres’s smirk stretched higher, almost to the sky.
“Only four of them?”
And two of them were obviously novices.
Ceres’s sharp eyes landed on the silver rings adorning the hands of the healers, instantly recognizing their rank.
If the system hadn’t changed since her time, those silver rings marked them as beginners—those who had been training for less than three years. After three years, the rings’ color and patterns would change.
The ranking system served a simple purpose: during emergencies with large numbers of patients, it made assigning tasks easier. Each healer’s role was determined by their skill and experience.
You wouldn’t assign a critically ill patient to someone just learning the ropes, after all.
‘But…’
In this critical situation overflowing with severely injured patients, the Ellsia family had only sent four healers. And two of them were rookies wearing silver rings.
‘Ah, there is one more.’
Ceres’s gaze landed on a woman managing the queue of patients, likely brought along as a helper.
She appeared to be in her late twenties and wore a gold ring on her finger.
A gold ring meant she’d been with the family for at least ten years.
‘But why is she doing such menial work?’
Instead of treating patients, she was running around assisting the novice healers, handling their leftovers.
“Hmm.”
There could only be two reasons.
One, she was utterly incompetent.
Even after over ten years, if her skills were worse than those of the novices, she’d naturally be relegated to such tasks.
‘Or…’
Two, she had stepped on the wrong toes.
If she had offended someone higher up, she might find herself stuck doing work beneath her abilities.
Ceres leaned toward the latter explanation.
And why?
“Here, take this.”
“Huh?”
The woman hurriedly approached a man struggling to support his elderly mother and handed him something. It was an herb known for neutralizing Bakura venom.
“She seems to be struggling to breathe because of exposure to Bakura venom.”
“Venom?”
“She’s not in immediate danger, but if left untreated, it could become serious. Brew this herb into tea once a day and make sure she drinks it.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
The man bowed repeatedly in gratitude while the woman quickly slipped away, casting furtive glances toward the other healers.
Her next actions piqued Ceres’s curiosity further.
She quietly approached the father of the child the other healer had deemed hopeless and handed him a small piece of paper with a prescription.
“Don’t give up. The hand is badly injured, but I don’t think the nerves are completely dead. With proper treatment, it might recover.”
“Really?”
“Of course, it’ll take a long time… but don’t lose hope.”
The woman even asked where the patient lived, promising to visit soon.
‘At least one decent person is here.’
Ceres kept her eyes on the woman, who tirelessly moved back and forth.
Time and again, the woman discreetly corrected the poor or neglectful treatments of the other healers, offering accurate solutions and guidance to patients.
“Herion! What do you think you’re doing?”
“Oh, sorry. I just felt bad sending patients away like that…”
“Stop wasting time on useless distractions and organize this mess. We’re swamped here. Ugh.”
“Okay, got it.”
Caught by another healer, the woman—Herion—quickly retreated and began organizing the scattered medical tools.
Ceres’s lips curled into a radiant smile as she watched.
“This place is a madhouse.”
“…What are you doing, Ceres?”
Chaian glanced nervously at Ceres, who had suddenly bent down to scan the ground.
“Looking for a rock.”
“Huh?”
“A rock.”
Might as well find a bigger one this time. Something heavy enough to really make someone’s head spin!
“Ceres! Stop! Stop it!”
Chaian quickly intervened, alarmed. If she threw another rock, this time, she’d surely get caught!
Suddenly, the four healers all rose from their spots and hurried toward someone approaching from the distance.
Both Ceres and Chaian turned to look.
“Lord Creel, you’ve arrived.”
A man in his early thirties, thin and pale, entered the scene. The healers immediately bowed their heads, murmuring greetings of respect.
“Is that…?”
“Yes, it’s him. The head of the Ellsia family.”
“Ah…”
The patients in line also turned their eyes toward him, their gazes filled with awe and hope that he might notice them.
“You’ve all been working hard.”
“It’s our duty, Lord Creel.”
“Indeed, all of this experience will help you grow stronger.”
Creel Ellsia smiled warmly, patting each healer’s shoulder as he offered words of encouragement.
But he didn’t spare even a glance for Herion, who was busy tidying up supplies and assisting the novices.
“I wish I could send more staff here, but there are still so many patients flooding into the Ellsia estate. The other healers are working tirelessly there as well, so I hope you’ll all do your best.”
Creel’s words made everything suddenly click for Ceres.
‘So that’s why they sent such an inexperienced group to this public clinic.’
The nobles injured in the Black Forest incident must have flocked to the Ellsia estate, leaving the family short-staffed.
Naturally, the estate was in a state of emergency, and this clinic received a hastily assembled team of healers.
“Lord Chaian! Is that you?!”
Moments later, Creel spotted Chaian and couldn’t hide his surprise.
Recognizing him, Creel quickly closed the distance, greeting him warmly.
“What brings you here?”
“Oh, just passing through.”
“I should’ve come sooner. We could’ve shared some tea.”
“Haha, please don’t say such terrifying things.”
“Terrifying?”
“Everyone knows how busy the head of Ellsia is. I couldn’t possibly impose.”
“You’re too kind. No matter how busy I am, I’ll always have time for you.”
Chaian took a step back, laughing politely as Creel inched closer.
“Well then, how about some tea now…”
“I’m busy.”
“Ah, I see…”
Though he kept smiling, Chaian firmly drew a line.
Ceres, observing quietly, found his behavior intriguing.
Having only seen him mingling effortlessly with mercenaries and strangers alike, it was surprising to see him so deliberately put up a wall.
“And who is this young lady with you?”
“Just someone I met through work.”
“Ah, I see.”
Creel’s interest in Ceres evaporated immediately. Her shabby clothing made it clear that she wasn’t someone worth his attention.
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