The healer, it turned out, had not arrived alone. Along with an elderly, short old man, Izuna also entered the room.
"Healer Shiro," the heir scanned the room with an irritated look before turning his gaze to Stas, whom they had lifted off the floor and laid on a futon. "My brother's actions are inexcusable. Those warmasters who stoop to drinking alcohol rarely climb out of the pit of meaningless existence. I'll make sure those who allowed it to happen are duly punished."
"Master?" The elderly medic looked questioningly at the prince.
"Yes, yes, Hideo-san, you may begin," the prince's respectful address to the old man didn't escape Stas's attention.
'Curious, who is this person?'
"Well, young man, what happened here?" the old man kindly asked, examining Stas's wounds. The healer's eyes were slightly moist, and he blinked often. It was clear that the man standing before Ordyntsev was very old. An important detail of his appearance was his long white mustache and goatee, which reached down to his neck. His gray hair was tied at the back into a tail.
"The radial bone in the left arm and the tibia in the left leg are broken, the eighth and ninth false ribs on the right side are damaged," Stas reported clearly. In this world, medicine had advanced to the point of naming all human bones, so Stas knew what they were called in this language.
"Oh, young man, I see you're not averse to medicine?" the healer was pleasantly surprised. "But I will check myself." In the next second, his palms flared with steady green light.
Stas forgot about the pain, watching with wide eyes the first demonstration of healing techniques in this world. In all these months, none of his enemies or "friends" possessed this art.
How Ordyntsev wanted to master it!
The glow emanating from the old man's hands was mesmerizing. Even a fleeting glance was enough to understand that this was no ordinary light. It most resembled microscopic particles of glowing green dust, which, separating from the hands, lingered near the warmaster's hands.
Some of them moved even further; otherwise, how would Stas have seen them?
Hideo leaned over and, folding his hands as if he was about to push something away, began to run them along Stas's leg.
"Hmm, you were right," he nodded to his thoughts. "A fracture, a simple, clean break." Next was the arm, and again Ordyntsev felt a slight, barely perceptible influence of foreign prana.
If Stas understood the principle correctly, the old man's energy was sinking into his body, then returning, conveying the necessary information. And this process repeated again and again at a very high speed. Like thousands of needles in sewing machines darning fabric.
And if the earthling was right, this opened up incredible prospects. Clearly, prana was capable of carrying information.
Ordyntsev was not an engineer and, frankly, had only a vague idea of how complex information networks worked. But his knowledge was enough to understand that people had to go through incredible complications to transmit electrical current through cables. And how many efforts have been made to optimize the transmission, reception, and processing of this current?
Here, however, was a ready-made technology! Albeit biological and focused on one person, but the fact remained.
However, further observations of the old man heightened Stas's alertness.
The healer was clearly frowning as he examined his body. The fiery hands spread apart, and he now scanned Stas's entire body, moving from one area to another.
"I don't understand," Hideo muttered to himself. "This shouldn't be... The prana channels react completely differently. The age doesn't…"
The last words made Ordyntsev break out in a cold sweat.
The earthling had completely forgotten the fact that his prana channels corresponded more to a child than to a rather mature youth of eighteen.
And Stas didn't want this information to reach the heir standing next to him!
But the prince himself prevented the irreparable.
Izuna, who had been closely watching Stas's face all this time, nodded in satisfaction. He was not mistaken about the goals of this bizarre stranger. The latter did indeed want to become a healer. And why would Izuna object? There was always a shortage of healers, and while there were warriors of every kind, who would tend to such a crowd of people?
"Hideo-san," the heir drew the bewildered healer's attention. "Besides the fact that Shiro is your patient today, I originally wanted to introduce him to you."
"Really?" The old man looked at Stas in surprise. "Is it related to his medical knowledge, isn't it?"
"Your mind is as sharp as ever. Yes, Shiro is a member of the destroyed healer clan, who had some control over prana. He recently expressed a desire to join our clan. He has some promising ideas about combining healing prana techniques with traditional medicine."
"And in what area of medicine have you achieved great success, young man?" The healer turned a demanding gaze on Ordyntsev.
"In surgery, Hideo-sensei," Stas managed a bow despite the pain.
If he had understood the character of the old man before him correctly, then...
"Not so fast, sprightly young man!" the old healer chortled, wagging his dry finger at him. "The right to call me sensei is something many do not earn in their lifetime. But I like your enthusiasm. Consider today's treatment your first lesson."
Suddenly, Hideo shook his head.
"Unfortunately, I was called here immediately after a complex operation, so I have little prana left. I'll just set your fractures right and bind them a bit. After that, I want Shiro to be moved to the second ward; I'll finish treating him there later."
"As you say, Hideo-san," Izuna nodded to Stas and, after saying goodbye to the healer, finally left, closing the door. The heir was clearly bored with the old warmaster's incomprehensible chatter.
Incidentally, the local way of building meant that broken parts could be replaced very quickly. So, a new door had been installed right before his eyes.
The bathroom door, unlike the usual paper ones, was made of solid wood, which is why Leviathan could not escape from there and come to help her master. Stas didn't want Jishin to harm his pet.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
But in the ensuing silence, the sound of someone trying to gnaw it was heard very well.
"What's that?" the healer asked, finishing work on Stas's sternum. The treated leg and arm were now only slightly sore, and the chest pain was diminishing by the second.
"My snake. A pet."
"I take it an unusual pet," the old man peered at Stas with a sly look from under his white eyebrows. "As unusual as you, young man?"
Stas glanced sideways, but Hideo waved it off.
"Don't insult me, young man, with distrust. I may be old and falling apart, but I can still ensure we're not overheard."
"So what do you mean, Hideo-sama?" Stas inquired carefully.
"Want to play?" chuckled the healer. "Fine, I'll tell you what I mean. Your muscles, skin, and bones are too active. Regeneration for someone without lineage is excessively high. I've seen something like this for the first... not for the first time, but there was definitely something else there..."
"Could it be that I do have some lineage after all?"
"Impossible," the old man decisively rejected that notion. "I would have felt it. But why am I even saying this! Just take your prana channels, for example! They belong to anyone but an adult! A child of four or five years old should be in your place! Therefore, I want to know who you are and why you're pretending to be an ignorant healer?"
"Sorry, Hideo-sama," Stas began cautiously, as if dealing with a lunatic. "But if I were some kind of spy in disguise, wouldn't that mean it would be dangerous to be around me?"
"Oh, don't make me laugh," snorted the old man, sitting on the edge of the futon. "Your channels may have great potential, but they're in a nascent state. And even if you could kill me, you clearly wouldn't, as you don't want to reveal yourself."
"Let's assume," Stas drew out, not knowing how to react. "But what's the point for you to talk to me and not hand me over to your clan?"
"Oh, young man, although if I'm right, you might be as old as I am," the old man's eyes sparkled with feverish light. "I've lived a long life, and I've only seen something like your state a few times. And almost all of those cases were associated with the use of various forbidden techniques..." The old man held his breath. "Forbidden life extension techniques!"
Stas leaned back on the pillow, digesting the information. Across from him, the healer smiled smugly.
Ordyntsev quickly weighed different options, then nodded. It could work.
"Hideo-sama, I take it you're interested in the method by which I could achieve such an effect?"
"You're absolutely right, Shiro," the old man nodded, pleased with Stas's perceptiveness. "I'm old, and even with all my knowledge and skills, I can only slow down the aging process. And it gets harder every day."
"But what would you say if I told you that I know absolutely nothing about forbidden techniques?" Stas clarified and continued immediately, seeing that his interlocutor wanted to say something. "And that would be the pure truth, as the effect you're interested in was not at all dependent on forbidden techniques!"
"An ancient artifact?" After a brief silence, the old healer continued guessing. "Or something related to magical beasts? Some elixir? Has someone really advanced in the art of seals to such an extent?"
"Hideo-sama," Stas politely interrupted the old master's muttering. "I have a proposal for you. I have new channels and great prospects in becoming a warmaster. It would be a great honor for me to learn the art of healing with prana from you. In return, I will share the knowledge my clan has gathered. And, what will be much more interesting for you, I will tell you how I managed to gain that rejuvenating effect."
The healer frowned, considering the earthling's proposal.
"But I must warn you," Stas was concerned that the old man, feeling cheated, might heal something on him improperly. "That effect was most likely unique, and I can't even imagine how to achieve it again. It's unlikely you'll be able to either. And I know almost nothing about it."
Suddenly, the healer chuckled softly, then took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes, which had teared up from laughter.
"Forgive an old man, Shiro," Hideo calmed Stas. "As soon as I saw your prana channels and altered flesh, I lost my head. I thought - that is the solution! It came to me. But unfortunately, life is rarely like that. As for your offer... Why not? An adult with a child's channels is a dream for any sensei. But I must ask," the old man lost all his mirth. "Do you harbor any ill will against the Sumada clan?"
"No," Stas replied instantly, without hesitation. "On the contrary, I want the Sumada clan to thrive, as I plan to work here a lot and for a long time."
"Good answer," the old man smiled kindly again. "But I warn you, just as you can't tell me much about your mysterious phenomenon, I can't take you as a full-fledged apprentice. Age and another cursed war won't give me a second of free time. So I'll only help you in the early stages with those who will really teach you. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, Hideo-sama." Stas nodded gratefully. The earthling understood that it wasn't worth asking for more.
"Well, since we've resolved everything, tell me how you came by your second youth!" the old master dropped the respectful tone, having assured himself that he wasn't facing some concealed great warmaster.
"As I said, I know little about it..." Stas began to carefully recount how something had ripped him out of his home and thrown him right into the forest. However, he did not utter a word about his home being in another world.
He detailed the excruciating pain that arose immediately after the transfer and the strange mystical connection between him and the snake.
After that, it came to Leviathan.
"So the transfer turned her into a magical beast?" the old healer wondered, looking at the snake lying in Stas's arms.
She looked deeply offended at having been locked up by her master.
Stas didn't know how one could portray a sullen face without facial muscles, but Levi managed it somehow.
"It's too early to say, but I can already tell that it's associated with natural energy." Hideo was very thoughtful. "A very poorly studied topic. No wonder it's capable of that."
"Why is it poorly studied?" Stas interjected.
"Because it's easy to die," the old man shrugged. "Get a little distracted, and natural energy will kill you. Very few work with it; occasionally, there are madmen or those with nothing to lose, but they quickly disappear."
"Alright," Hideo said, clapping his hands on his knees and standing up. "You've indeed given me an interesting topic to ponder. I'll keep my word, and when you recover, I'll introduce you to your teacher."
"Thank you, Hideo-sama."
"Lie still; servants will come for you." With these words, the old man shuffled out of the room.
But Stas didn't have to be lonely for long, as footsteps were heard in the corridor again.
'How much more can one take?! Will they give me even a minute of peace today?!'
However, all these thoughts were instantly swept away by the realization of the newcomer's identity.
"Goro-sama?!" Stas's eyes bulged at the sight of the actual head of the clan, who, for some inexplicable reason, had entered his room.
"Lie down," the clan head ordered, stopping Ordyntsev's attempts to stand.
Footsteps were heard in the corridor, and then all went quiet. The head's guards stood by the entrance.
"Goro-sama, I'm glad to see you here, but may I ask..."
"Be silent," the clan head's tone contained no threats or aggression, just a mundane order.
Right before Stas's eyes, without any gestures or words, the stone floor next to one of his cabinets flowed and formed into a hand, which deftly opened the wooden door and pulled out a pillow.
It looked as if some stone man had crawled out of the ground. Then, this hand smoothly and silently glided to Goro and placed a pillow next to him, upon which he settled down.
After that, all signs of magic instantly dissolved into the stone, leaving no trace.
"Healer Shiro, I won't beat around the bush because I am a very busy man. Nevertheless, in this life, I will always find time for what is most dear to me – my sons."
Goro paused.
"The feud between Izuna and Jishin has always pained my heart, but I understood that nothing could be done about it. Our traditions were the reason, and there's no point in arguing. However, as fiercely as they fought, I always told them that nothing is worse than killing your own close relatives. Do you understand?"
"I beg your pardon, but no, Goro-sama," Stas honestly answered.
"I'll explain," the head nodded calmly. "Jishin has many flaws. Impulsiveness, excessive vindictiveness, and the inability to stop in time. But what he never had was a love for drinking. Moreover, I know my son well, and he wouldn't have allowed someone he couldn't trust so close to him. And what happened in the hall showed that he trusted you."
Stas still didn't fully understand what his interlocutor knew, but he already disliked the direction of the conversation.
"And finally," the clan head's wandering gaze settled on the lying earthling. "If he really came here for revenge, you would already be dead. Yes, for Izuna, your show was sufficient, as he is ready to believe and cling to any flaw in his brother. But that's not enough for me."
Stas remained silent, as any word from him would clearly not benefit him.
"I came here to warn you," the clan head rose unhurriedly. "If something suddenly happens to my son, Izuna. Some unexpected, unfortunate accident. Then I will consider you the first culprit."
Nearing the exit, Goro turned his head and surprisingly kindly added.
"I'm sure you'll be very useful to our clan, but always remember what I told you today. The Sumada clan knows how to be grateful, but do not confuse gratitude with weakness."
With those words, the clan head left, leaving a very tense Stas behind.
The earthling just strongly hoped that no one else, except for the porters, would bother him today!