Aleister took in a deep breath of air, allowing a vanilla and lilac aroma to enter his nose. A pleasant smell, but unfortunately, the Shrine of Sera was not quite as grand as he expected. The size it occupied couldn't even be compared to a standard estate and was closer to a slightly larger inn. However, it was well maintained. The white tiles were spotless, and he doubted he would ever spot a single piece of dust, even if he spent the rest of his life at this place.

"May I be of any service to you on this orderly day, sir?" asked a tall, middle-aged human male from behind him. He pushed up his squared glasses. His stature and presence were grand and larger than life. He neatly combed his grey hair with not a single strand out of place. He wore elegant long black robes with a clerical collar. And boots shiner than the surface he stood on.

"Yes, sir. Any help you could provide would be appreciated." Aleister couldn't help but correct his posture and stand straight in front of him.

"Pray tell."

"I heard that the devout worshippers at the Shrine of Sera were among the most skilled in bodily checkups and healing injuries within Osetia."

"I don't know where you heard such a statement, but we do not dare to claim such a statement. However, our restoration divine magic is roughly on a par with the other churches within Osetia as there are no temples that worship a god specializing in a domain of restoration specifically."

"Such abilities are quite enough for me."

"Then, how may I be of service?"

"I hope it wouldn't be too much trouble to accompany me to the location in which your assistance could be used, or would you rather I bring them here?"

"Right now I can accompany you as long as the location is not too distant as I have important business to tend to soon."

"It shouldn't take more than an hour of your time, but if you wanted to make sure you aren't late, I could ask someone else. It's of no matter to me."

"Then I shall accompany you."

Aleister nodded and led the man to Luo Yun's Dojo.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

As the man stepped onto its premises, he said, "Ah, how unfortunate. Even among my peers, restoration on martial injuries is not quite my specialty, but I can try."

"I don't think it's too serious, but I'd rather be safe than sorry," Aleister said. He got a quick glance at Aluyra and Panry in the storage room, but they appeared too occupied to notice them. He slid open a door and ushered the priest in.

Malozar and Stronvun lay flat on their backs across a large mattress. Bandages were wrapped around their torsos and a wet towel was placed on their forehead to control a fever outbreak. In reality, his actions didn't help them much because, well, their injuries were internal. But he couldn't leave them tied up in chairs or else that would raise too much suspicion.

"I told them that my training might be torturous, and being willing to such enthusiastic and willing students, they were more than enthusiastic. However, I may have pushed them too far without realizing it," Aleister said in order to clarify some details. "At first I noticed nothing odd, and they didn't say or do anything in retaliation. Most likely afraid I would be disappointed in them for some reason, even though I said that there was no shame in stopping for now. Of course, I also realize the error in my ways now."

Luckily for him, the priest didn't question his statement, as it didn't matter whether he believed him. Instead, he kneeled over their bodies and gave them a brief examination. "They don't appear to show any bruising or any visible cuts."

"Yes. Let me clarify their situation even further. After hearing about my fight against a Weaver when I wasn't one, they applied and were two among the four most talented individuals. The reason my training was so rigorous was that in order to stand up against one, you have to operate at your very peak to even match up to a Weaver who has no idea what they're doing. The goal of my training was to push them to their very limits and then for them to break through. In my case, I learned that becoming one wasn't a physical limitation, but rather a mental one. However, while the other two individuals broke through, it turns out that I was incorrect."

But only partially. Becoming a Weaver is still mainly a mental block, as using arcane magic doesn't require a bloodline or anything. It just requires a deeper understanding of the world, but that's the problem. Even now, I'm not sure how I gained that connection.

The priest nodded and took off a white glove in his right hand. He placed his index on Stronvun's chest. He made striking and sharp motions as he muttered a prayer under his breath. "Only through order can that which is broken be repaired and thus I order the divine power rested within me, relegate the injuries ruining this mortal shell."

A sharp marigold light erupted from the priest's finger and enveloped his body. With a sudden flick, his finger pointed towards Malozar and the light enveloped his body as well. After a few moments, the light dulled and faded away.

"After some rest, these two shall be fine once they awake. Luckily, their injuries were but surface level."

Aleister nodded. "Thank you for your service sir, however, could you please check into another matter for me? Of course, I don't want you to believe that you've wasted your time, so I shall of course make a donation to the shrine."