Lily's heart pounded as Alana's shrill voice echoed through the room, pointing an accusing finger at her. The shock of being called out, especially by Alana, left her momentarily speechless. She felt as though her dreams were falling apart, right in front of her eyes.
"Silence!" The envoy's command thundered through the chamber, his voice carrying a weight that seemed to vibrate with mana. His hair seemed to blaze with an inner fire, leaving no doubt about his class – a warrior user of fire mana. Everyone in the room felt the impact of his presence, a perceptible pressure that bore down on them. Lily felt her knees weaken, barely able to stand. Alana collapsed to the ground, the clerk clung to the wall for support, and even Mr. Lin staggered backward, struggling to maintain his composure. Only Master Kali remained unaffected, her gaze piercing and focused intently on Lily.
The envoy's gaze turned to Mr. Lin. "Is this your daughter? Explain her behavior!" he demanded.
Mr. Lin's face contorted with anger, his gaze flickering with hatred first at Lily, then at his daughter on the floor. With a reluctant hand, he helped Alana to her feet. She glanced venomously at Lily before addressing the envoy, her voice trembling but devoid of earlier hysteria. "Forgive me, Your Excellency," she began cautiously. "I was just surprised to see a former servant of Master Orion attempting the exam. She served at his house but was never a student under him."
Before Alana could continue her narrative, Master Kali interjected in clear sarcasm, "Oh, so now servants are ineligible for the exam? This is news to me."
Panicking, Alana scrambled for words. A flicker of realization crossed her face as she blurted out, "I'm sorry, Master Kali. I misspoke. It's just... how did she afford the exam fee? Master Orion never paid her. Oh... could it be? Did she... take his coins after his death?" Her voice was filled with feigned shock, her face contorting into an expression of exaggerated horror.
Mr. Lin's glare intensified as he turned towards Lily, his voice dripping with disdain as he addressed the envoy, "Your Excellency, please forgive my daughter. She's simply concerned that the City Watch could be misled by a deceitful thief."
Lily's heart skipped a beat at the accusation. "I didn't!" she blurted out instinctively, immediately regretting her impulsive interruption. Composing herself, she addressed the room with respect, "Your Excellency, Master Kali, I apologize for speaking out of turn. I didn't steal from Master Orion. I acquired the coins by selling my house. The buyer, Mr. Loges, can confirm this. He purchased it yesterday for 30 silver coins to convert it into a warehouse." Despite the troubling nerves, Lily's explanation was coherent and convincing.
Master Kali, unswayed by the drama, decisively announced, "Now that the matter is settled, we shall proceed with the exam, once Mr. Lin departs."
Mr. Lin, still seething with frustration, looked as though he wished to argue further, but the envoy interjected, "I will have someone verify the young lady's claim. However, I doubt she would fabricate a story so easily disproved." He gestured to the clerk to follow up on Lily's statement.
Resigned and visibly irritated, Mr. Lin had no choice but to exit the room, Alana in tow, her own expression a mix of anger and humiliation.
"Well, that was energetic. Shall we move to the treatment room?" Without waiting for an answer, Master Kali began striding towards the door.
The envoy, still processing the recent display, simply nodded and trailed behind her. Lily, eager not to fall behind, quickened her pace to keep up. They navigated through a corridor, their footsteps echoing against the walls, until they reached another room – large and spacious.
As they entered, Lily took in the scene before her. The room was already occupied by a few people, each seemingly engrossed in their own tasks or conversations. The mendicar, noticing her confusion, offered an explanation that both surprised and unsettled her. "Treatment received during the exam is free, attracting those who can't afford medical care. They often wait here, hoping for a chance at treatment, even though we see only a few prospects each month."
This revelation hit Lily hard. The number of candidates attempting the exam each month was higher than she expected, considering the known shortage of mendicars. It meant that the failure rate was alarmingly high. On the other hand, the thought of these injured or sick people waiting for days, perhaps even weeks, for a chance at free treatment was distressing. How many of them might perish in the interim? However, without these exams, even more might suffer without any hope of aid.
Trying to shake off the shock, Lily's gaze drifted around the expansive room. It was significantly larger than Master Orion's treatment space, equipped with ten beds, each separated by privacy curtains. Beside each bed stood a table, outfitted with a bowl and a water jar. Three adjoining rooms likely served for storage and medicine preparation, furnished with tables, chairs, and various medical apparatus.
Her attention was particularly drawn to a cabinet with a glass cover, showcasing dozens of vials within. Another room, partially visible to her, was lined with a variety of herbs – some dried, others soaking in water, and a few on an enchanted stand designed to keep them fresh. To Lily, who had seen Master Orion's treatment room as a playground of learning, this place was nothing short of paradise. She imagined the countless hours she could spend exploring and learning from every item, every herb, and every vial. The room held the promise of untapped experiences.
"Finished admiring?" Master Kali's voice held a note of amusement as she watched Lily's awestruck gaze wander around the expansive treatment room.
Flushing slightly, Lily quickly averted her gaze from the intriguing equipment in the room. "Apologies, Master," she responded, embarrassed but also unmistakably excited.
Master Kali's expression softened, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "No need to apologize, dear. It's heartening to see such genuine interest in healing. Now, let me outline the structure of the examination," she said, settling comfortably into her chair.
The master mendicar proceeded with a calm, commanding tone, "A patient will be called in shortly. Your task is to conduct a thorough examination and arrive at a diagnosis. Remember, it's crucial to be honest in your assessment. If you're unsure about a patient's condition, it’s expected of a mendicar to acknowledge it rather than endanger a life. Based on your diagnosis, you should then decide whether to proceed with treatment."
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Lily listened intently as Master Kali outlined the procedure for the examination and treatment, her nerves tightening with each word. How could she confidently decide when to proceed with treatment or to step back, knowing that each decision could significantly impact her score – and more importantly, the patient's health?
Despite the apprehension, Lily knew there was no room for hesitation. This was the moment to demonstrate her capability and commitment to healing. With a deep breath, she steadied herself, her nod conveying a readiness she hoped was much more convincing on the outside than within.
Master Kali's approving smile was a small comfort, a brief moment of encouragement before the real test began. As an assistant was instructed to bring in the first patient, Lily braced herself. The presence of the imposing envoy, silent and watchful, added an extra layer of pressure.
The patient, a middle-aged man with a pronounced limp, entered the room. His right hand was carefully wrapped, hinting at the injury concealed beneath. Lily immediately activated her 'health sense,' allowing her to perceive the details of his condition.
Through the enhanced vision, she detected the life mana flowing erratically around his hand, the light red, almost orange, indicating a serious but not life-threatening condition. Her eyes briefly flicked to his ankle, where a milder disturbance in the life mana, depicted in yellow, suggested a healed fracture that hadn't set correctly.
With a calm demeanor masking her inner turmoil, Lily approached the patient. Every step was measured, her mind racing to formulate a plan of action based on the vivid colors that only she could see.
Gently, she coaxed the patient to take a seat, her touch light as she unwrapped his hand to assess the damage. At the sight of the injury, a sharp intake of breath from the patient prompted her to swiftly rewrap the hand, mindful of the bleeding.
"Partial fingertip amputation with an irregular laceration, no signs of poisoning. Minor vitality loss from bleeding, and an improperly healed ankle fracture, though it's not the priority here," Lily articulated, her voice steady. Master Kali's approving nod, noted on her clipboard, bolstered her confidence slightly.
"For treatment: disinfection and suturing of the wound, and external application of a 'minor healing' balm. 'Minor pain relief' and 'minor vitality' concoctions aren't necessary," Lily proposed, her gaze flicking to Master Kali for any sign of disapproval.
"However, a vivacia green infusion could address the blood loss, boosting the treatment, and a superficial application of ground hanera flower bud could mitigate the pain, minimizing patient movement during suturing," Lily suggested, drawing from Healer Elane’s teachings.
Master Kali's interested expression encouraged Lily as she was gestured to proceed. With a deep breath, Lily excused herself to the adjacent preparation room. Alone, but under the mendicar's watchful eye, she methodically began preparing the treatments.
She navigated the preparation room with precision, her eyes darting over the shelves lined with jars of herbs and neatly arranged medical tools. She first verified the water situation, relieved to find a pot simmering gently over the fire and another filled with cooled, boiled water for immediate use. With meticulous care, she sterilized her hands in the cooler water, then laid out the necessary cloths, bowls, and instruments, dipping them into the hot water for disinfection.
Her next steps took her to the cabinet where she gathered the disinfectant, an assortment of herbs, and various other essentials. She methodically began her work, setting some herbs to steep in boiling water while crushing others with a mortar and pestle. Despite her outward composure, her hands quivered slightly – a visible crack in her otherwise calm demeanor. The realization that her nervousness might compromise her performance urged her into action, prompting her to discreetly draw upon her magic.
Concealing her movements as best she could, Lily channeled mana to her fingertips, tracing the delicate pattern of clarity and muttering an incantation under her breath. “Clear”. The rush of green mana that followed was invisible to all but her, sharpening her focus and steadying her hands.
In recent days, Lily had honed the art of casting spells under the radar. She practiced manipulating the unseen life mana, integrating subtle gestures into the pattern drawing, and whispering the incantation as if in prayer – her secret weapon for maintaining focus and composure.
With newfound steadiness, Lily proceeded with confidence, grinding the herbs with ease and expertly combining the ingredients. She prepared the healing balm, ensuring the consistency was perfect with the addition of beeswax. The disinfectant concoction was next, a simple but effective mixture enhanced with a few potent drops of the concentrated solution. Finally, she addressed the alternatives for pain relief and vitality restoration, crafting each with careful consideration of their specific applications.
Next, Lily meticulously prepared the vivacia green infusion, aware of its powerful but gentle properties. The plant, both rare and valued for its vitality-enhancing effects, was briefly soaked in a warm liquid, its essence designed to boost the patient's vitality without overwhelming his system. As she mixed the numbing salve, the ground hanera flower buds blended smoothly with the disinfectant, forming a concoction for localized pain relief.
With everything in place beside the patient's bed, Lily approached the next phase apprehensively. She administered the vivacia green infusion, observing through her 'health sense' the subtle enhancement of the man's life mana. The plant wouldn’t increase life mana, not to a significant level at least, but it would invigorate its natural rhythm, an important step that would improve the effects of the treatment.
Unwrapping the injured hand, she was met with the immediate challenge of managing the wound under the patient's pained reactions. The infusion's effect, while beneficial for recovery, momentarily accelerated the bleeding, demanding swift action on her part. Cleaning and disinfecting the wound tested her resolve, each hiss from the patient a reminder of how inexperienced she was.
Applying the numbing concoction, she watched for the telltale signs of its efficacy, a brief moment that stretched into an eternity before the patient's hand stilled. Assured of its effectiveness, she proceeded with a meticulous examination for debris, grateful for the absence of complications but burdened by the weight of expectation from the observing mendicar.
The hand tremors as she reached for the suturing tools were an unwelcome development. The awareness of Master Kali's scrutinizing gaze only added to her anxiety, translating to minor but critical shakes in her hands. At this point, she could only use the brief pause of changing tools as an opportunity to recalibrate her focus, silently casting the 'clear' spell once more.
Steadier, she proceeded to clean the wound's interior with the disinfectant concoction. Despite the man's numbed state, he couldn't help but moan in discomfort, instinctively trying to withdraw his hand. Lily, with a reassuring grip, held him firm, wiping away the excess fluid with a clean rag before beginning the delicate task of suturing. Her movements were cautious and too slow, revealing her inexperience, but she persisted.
After closing the wound with four careful stitches, she liberally applied the healing balm, its soothing properties meant to promote recovery. Wrapping the wound, she then shared post-care instructions, emphasizing actions to avoid for optimal healing. Handing the man the remainder of the balm for subsequent applications, Lily concluded her treatment.
Master Kali, maintaining her silence, gestured for the next patient to enter. A young man with a rough and weary appearance limped in. His attire, once perhaps a representation of a hunter's armor, now bore the marks of time and neglect. His eyes, though, held a spark – the unmistakable determination of a novice hunter from a modest background, embarking on dangerous quests with limited protection.
The fresh scratches adorning his face, neck, and shoulders were superficial compared to the grave injuries concealed beneath the grimy cloth wrapping his left leg and abdomen. Lily's 'health sense' unveiled the extent of his wounds: a fractured bone and two lacerations. The smaller cut on the broken leg was minor, but the deep gash on his side described a dire encounter with a monster, evidenced by the poison coursing through the wounds.
Lily's heart sank at the sight. This patient embodied her deepest fears: severe injuries aggravated by poison – a challenge that would test the limits of her untried healing abilities.