Year 3988, 20th Day of the 8th Moon
Ember Isle, Fliamma Kingdom, Continent of Humana

ELISE HAD not stepped foot at the library or the MedicineChamber over the past few days. She and Erkhan had been practicing every day from morning till sunset.

Apart from that, she had been constantly avoiding Aricson. This time around, it was not because she felt vexed but for the fact that she was afraid of falling for him.

She was not dense with her own feelings and she was aware sooner or later something was bound to happen if she kept on meeting him. She had enough heartbreaks and she had no plans of starting a relationship.

In this world, she could not afford to deepen her connection with anyone, especially someone who was igniting her interest. She had no other option but to put distance between them. It was just as they had said, prevention was always better than cure.

"Let's take a break. I'm always hungry every time I'm with you. How can you continue with no energy?" Erkhan grumbled, retreating back his weapon.

The sun was high up but she was not bothered by the blistering heat. Thanks to Erkhan who did some magic — a translucent layer, formed in the shape of a dome, shading the majority of the courtyard.

"A learned habit. I do get carried away when I'm concentrating that I forget my hunger most of the time," she explained and sheathed her sword as well.

"You're just like Eldest Brother. You should always eat at the proper time or you'll get really skinny," Erkhan advised while they walked to the table prepared for them.

"Why is he mentioned every time we talk?" she asked after they sat down. She almost drooled at the sight of food, realizing how famished she was.

"Because..." He dragged his words as he grabbed a piece of bread. "I'm rooting for you two. It is high time he should get married or even have a lover. I didn't know how he survived without a woman on his side."

"I don't know how you survived, either. Faylinn said you dated a lot of women. How come nobody is aiming for your neck?"

"It's because I treat them well. Everyone should be respected like a queen."

"Then, I guess, the number of queens you have encountered is enough to make towns become queendoms at this point, right?" she stated after filling her plate. "Just how often do you play around with women?"

"I don't play with them. I am sincere to all my lovers in the past but it didn't last long. I realized women are always in need of companionship so it's better to accommodate them all at once," he reasoned.

Her brow arched when she understood what he implied. She could not even hide the sense of distaste when she spoke, "So, you resorted to dating several of them at the same time? Wow, what a gentleman."

She had seen a lot of playboys, be it during her student days or when she started working. They were the kind of human viruses that spread like wildfire and they simply grew worse and worse most of the time.

Unfortunately, she was sitting with one in front of her. Even magical worlds could not stop the growth of these species. Worst, he was one of the most severe cases. How could he date multiple women at the same time?

A regretful sigh made a way out of her lips. Finding a loyal guy was harder than finding a needle in a haystack these days.

"It's not what you think. I just don't want to see another woman sad while I'm in a relationship," he justified.

"God. You sound like a piece of trash that started to talk. I guess you have never fallen in love right?" Her words were not even filtered at that moment but her insult could not penetrate Erkhan's thick skin.

Not that she was an expert on love but he was really making her view of men go downhill. To add, her respect for him was degrading at a fast rate.

"Of course, I have. It's just that it easily fades away."

Her eyes fixed on him, blank with expression. She was dithering whether to be upset or sympathize with him. He was spewing garbage with such a sincere face. In the end, she settled with pity. A thought, then, came across her.

"What about Sapphire? She's pretty and she likes you."

Erkhan choked on his food and coughed like he was dying. This guy absolutely enjoyed overdramatizing.

"Urgh! Even just hearing her name makes me lose my appetite."

"Why are you so against her? I thought all women should be queens," she returned back his words.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "What was the technique you used when I pulled behind you again?"

Elise let it pass and answered him even if it was a sorry excuse for an attempt to change the topic. Besides even if they talked about love, she didn't have a fountain of experience either. They continued their chat as they ate.

RIGHT AFTER they were done, Aricson approached them. On his side was a man who wore clothes she had seen before.

It was similar to what Daniel had worn when they met. a black tailored outfit overlaid with a black tunic that had red trimmings on the sleeves. It was tied together by a wide leather belt on the waist. There was a huge red insignia shaped like a bird in the center but all she could see was how muscular the man was.

He reminded her of a goon that always starred in action movies. His presence was enough to intimidate her. He was the kind of person that she would run away from as far as she could when she saw him in the streets.

"Uncle! You're back!"

Erkhan ran to them and hugged the other guy.

He was an unbecoming sight as he clung to the man and acted like a child. He was gushing over the older man with adoration in his eyes. Erkhan and Aricson were already considered tall with a height estimated near six feet but the other man was towering over them. In fact, I have never seen such heights in person until now. Coupled with that kind of physique, they appeared like kids beside him.

"Wait. It's too early for your vacation to end, am I right? Erkhan asked.

"I'm just a week early. My mind won't rest thinking about all of you. I heard what happened to Hadrien."

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about that. He's okay now and studying at the Academy. It was your first vacation for twenty years so you should go back and enjoy it, Uncle."

"I doubt I could leave this place without fearing what will happen to the Guardian knights and you, siblings," the man uttered and patted Erkhan's head.

"No need to be so anxious, Uncle. We've got Elise to heal us and she was the one who healed Hadrien."

"Elise?"

"This is her." Erkhan pulled her beside him. "Elise, this is Lord Orin Flamion, he's a distant relative."

"Hello." She extended her hand and the man accepted it with a small smile.

"Thank you for saving our young lord," the man said and gave a slight bow. "I can't express my regret for neglecting my duties. I should have stayed no matter what happened as their sole family member."

The politeness in his words was rubbed away by the roughness of his voice and sounded like a typical austere tone. 

"It was fine, really." 

"She's currently a house guest since her memories were lost and I've been teaching her sword skills," Erkhan shared after she spoke.

Orin faced Aricson who was quiet up until now. "You approved of this?"

"Yes. For the favor, I'm asking you, this was it. I would like to implore you to teach her about medicine."

The middle-aged man's forehead already had deep lines but they became further pronounced as his stare shifted between her and Aricson.

"She saved Erkhan so she must already be knowledgeable, correct?"

"She had lost her memories so she still needs some guidance," Aricson replied.

"Actually, there's no need for it. I don't want to hassle anyone," she butted in.

She initially thought he had forgotten about it since he hadn't mentioned anything.

"You're going to get the test, remember? You need an instructor to guide you. He is the Healer here and it is best if you learn from him as he has trained exceptional Healers in the past."

Her eyes scanned the tall brawny guy in front of her. With his dark red hair, toned arms, and gruff features, she couldn't believe that he was one. From what she had pictured, Healers had kind features like Arllian or gentle old men with long beards that were a staple in a fantasy setting.

"He is also the Captain of the Vermilion Guardian knights and had been our master before we entered the academy," Aricson added.

That clearly explained his buff stature but she could still not imagine him as a Healer. Those muscled arms could not possibly pound herbs without breaking the mortar.

"You can stop your training today. Uncle Orin will accompany you somewhere. I'm sure you will like it."

Aricson was being cryptic, if not for her observing him thoroughly, she would not see the small tilt on the corner of his lips. She tried so hard to ignore him but even when he also talked a few times, her attention was wholly on him. 

"...okay?"

His voice brought her back and she mentally slapped herself. She was yet again distracted by him. She only nodded to hide her shameful act of being lured by his appearance. Besides, she knew by now objections didn't work on him.

"Allow me to lead you away, Miss Elise," Orin uttered with a pleasing smile on his face and they left the two men.

ELISE DID not expect to be comfortable around Orin. Plainly because of one single reason. They both had a mutual interest in medicine which had been the only subject they talked about as he toured her around.

Both of them beamed with enthusiasm as they exchanged their theories and eventually reached the farther end of the corridor without noticing.

Along the way, Orin also told her about the whole place after he knew she never wandered around except for the library and Hadrien's room.

From what he had said, all the private chambers were located in the East Wing while most rooms for activities were in the West Wing. Then, the rest of the palace was open to the public, particularly the Central Wing where they were currently.

Orin opened the huge double-swing door with no effort. The fragrance of freshly picked herbs combined with old stocks welcomed her in an instant.

"This is the residence's Medical Hall," he presented and opened the door wider.

She entered and gawked at how huge it was. It was almost five times as large as the Medicine Chamber. The wall cabinets were from floor to ceiling and several open shelves exhibited natural herbs. Potted plants decorated the tables and the bay windows. There was also a small corner that had a patch of soil with several stems sprouting on it.

She scanned the labeled drawers and was in complete awe, her eyes shining with obvious delight.

"Almost all the herbs in the books are here!" she exclaimed.

"That's right. This is the only room in the palace that is suitable to store first-class herbs and keep their fresh state."

"This is amazing. We could have used this room when Hadrien was poisoned."

"Just like how our Rei doesn't want anyone in his room, no one steps into this room either, unless they're my apprentice. I didn't expect Hadrien would be poisoned. I knew it was a bad choice the moment the siblings were frozen. I shouldn't have left. "

He kept mumbling and his eyes were full of bitterness. Despite his boorish looks, he was actually as anxious as a mother hen. Nevertheless, Elise couldn't help to notice that the people here liked to blame themselves.

"How many apprentices do you have?" she asked, casting aside the sudden slump of mood.

"I had a number of them but for now there is only you. It was a blessing that a Healer was with them when we were gone. I actually planned to designate some of my students before but they were quite busy at the mainland due to the scarcity of Healers there."

Aricson had insinuated a couple of times how significant Healers were in this world but she did not know the fact they were sparse.

"Are Healers really rare?" 

"Yes, but it's not that they are uncommon because they are special. It is simply the reality that those who had the ability to become one didn't care. Healers require vast knowledge and a lot of liability. The people who had magic tended to focus more on strength rather than health. That is purely based on the fact that a mage team could be sent into quests without a Healer but never without the Attacker."

With what he said, Elise gathered how cruel this place was on how they prioritized fighting. It was opposite to what she was used to. Doctors were revered and prioritized in her world over soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their countries.

"Then, what about those without magic? Can they become a Healer?"

Seeing that she had none yet Aricson kept on pursuing the matter made her question it.

"Of course. Just how do you think the Mundrans would survive with just a small number of Healers? Only ten percent of the current population had magic in Humana. Let's say two to three percent had light magic which is needed in most healing spells. Then, assume from that percentage how many would want to be a Healer. In conclusion, it didn't even reach a percent. The Medical City had no choice but to arrange a solution for that by accepting Mundran Healers. Regardless, not everyone can become a Healer even if they have magic or not."

He explained without pause and they continued discussing until an orb appeared and a voice echoed. 

"The knights are summoned, my lord."

The orb vanished as soon as the voice faded. Orin faced her with a warm smile on his lips, appearing gentle despite the contrast of his build.

"Well, it seems like I need to go and this may take me for a while. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Let's go."

"Can't I stay here?" she almost pleaded.

Orin gently shook his head. "As I've told you, I don't like anyone touching this room without my supervision. Having an eager student is a good one but there is time for that."

A sigh left her lips before she nodded. Her eyes longingly drifted toward the medicine cabinet but it was too bad she could not stay longer. Orin guided her out and they exited the room with the sound of a click.