Kael and his father found themselves in a waiting room. Upon entering, they were met with a sparsely furnished space adorned with a generous number of chairs and two doors on the wall opposite their entry point. The walls were pristine white, and a series of glass orbs dangled from the ceiling, each containing a surprisingly luminous candle. Kael's father suggested they wait for the healer. Kael did his best not to squirm, as he was a bundle of excitement and trepidation now that he was so near his goal. After an agonizing 15 minutes of waiting, a pair of individuals emerged from the door on the left.

"I've never seen someone so inept with animals before. If you persist with this, I'm going to start doubling the cost of your treatment each time you visit. Just because you have access to a healer doesn't mean you can go around engaging in reckless antics," a petite, aged, and wrinkled lady scolded. She had short gray hair that ceased just below her ears, and she leaned forward slightly as she ambled, relying on a walking stick for support. Beside her stood a young man who appeared rather abashed.

"I'll keep that in mind, haha… thanks again… I see there are others waiting, so I'll be going now," he stammered as he hastened out.

"I swear," she muttered, shaking her head. Then, she directed her gaze toward Kael and his father. "So, what foolish thing did this one do? Well, at least he has youth as an excuse for his folly. People never cease to amaze me."

"Umm…" Thomas hesitated, scratching his head. Kael couldn't fault him; after all, the healer was far from what he had envisioned. "Well, he had a rather nasty fall from a tree and injured his back quite bad…"

"Alright, come with me."

They trailed her into the same room she had just exited with the other man. The chamber contained several chairs, an elongated table, and a counter replete with numerous cabinets.

"Are there any other issues besides pain and tenderness? I presume there's bruising as well."

"Ah. Yes. There's bruising. And it sometimes affects his legs…" Kael's father appeared visibly nervous and agitated, a stark contrast to his usual stern and resolute demeanor.

"Okay. Remove his shirt and have him lie face down on the table," she instructed matter-of-factly. Kael's father promptly complied. She shuffled over to the side of the table, and Kael's father positioned himself beside her.

"I don't know what you think you're going to accomplish here, but I don't need you quivering and huffing all over me. Go sit down; I'll tend to your son." Her voice dripped with annoyance. All Kael could think was that this woman was far from affable. Thomas simply nodded and retreated to one of the chairs lining the wall.

"Well now, that certainly appears ghastly. Let's delve deeper," the healer remarked. Kael couldn't quite twist his body to observe her, but he sensed an unfamiliar mana seeping into his being. It always felt peculiar when mana that wasn't his own entered his body. It occurred solely when he received healing. Typically, as soon as mana entered his body, it would start to convert into his aura. However, since the mana was currently under the control of a mage, they could prevent this process by maintaining their dominion over it.

"Remarkable, young one. You truly possess fortitude. There's even internal bruising. Most children would be inconsolable with this degree of pain. A fall from a tree, you say? It appears more like you were struck by a tree wielded by a giant. There doesn't seem to be any damage to the nervous system… it looks like you've already experienced significant healing as well." She prattled on about his condition. At the very least, Kael was confident in her exceptional healing abilities. Gleaning such intricate information from mana sense was indeed an impressive skill.

"Alright, there shouldn't be any complications with the healing process. It's going to feel peculiar, warm, and itchy. I'm starting now, so try your best to remain still."

The moment she finished speaking, Kael experienced a surge of heat on his back. He could sense a subtle, squirming motion as his body initiated the process of restoration. It felt as if thousands of tiny insects were crawling beneath his skin. While the sensation was disconcerting, it was preferable to remaining injured. The peculiar feeling persisted for what seemed like an eternity, but after approximately fifteen minutes, it finally ceased.

"Alright, that should do it. Care to take a look, Mr. Father? Good as new. Now, if you're satisfied, I need to speak with the patient privately for a moment. Kindly step outside."

Thomas appeared taken aback. "What? Why wou-"

"It doesn't matter why. As the healer, I make the decisions in this clinic. Now, please step outside. We won't be long."

She ushered him out of the room as she spoke, and he eventually complied. A few seconds after the door clicked shut, the elderly woman swiveled towards Kael, who was now sitting upright on the table, and scrutinized him with a discerning gaze. "Well then. Is there something you'd like to say?"

Kael was bewildered by the abrupt turn of events. Why would he have anything to say to her? True, he had questions and thoughts, but how could she possibly know that? Was she able to read his mind? Was such a thing even feasible?

"What do you mean?" He eventually opted to feign ignorance and seek further information.

"I mean, you're not an ordinary child."

Kael couldn't help but feel a surge of panic. To the best of his knowledge, he hadn't done anything yet. He had certainly wanted to impress her enough to persuade her to accept him as an apprentice, but he hadn't initiated his plan. "What do you mean?" He inquired anxiously.

"What's the deal with your body? It's fortified to the level of a warrior who has been wielding aura for five years. You can understand why that might be disconcerting when the body in question belongs to a young child. Are you truly a child?"

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Dread washed over him. Kael hadn't even considered the possibility that a healer could detect his aura cultivation. He had concocted some excuses and stories for his magical prowess but none for his skills and strength as a warrior.

"Oh, uh... You see. Th- there's…" Kael stammered. "There's this, uh, substance within my body that I can utilize to become stronger?" He sounded incredibly uncertain as he concluded his statement. He hastily attempted to steer the conversation to his advantage. "And, uh, there's a similar substance outside my body that I can manipulate. It felt akin to what occurred when you were healing me."

Kael scrutinized the woman as he spoke, but her expression remained unchanged throughout their exchange. She was utterly inscrutable. An uneasy silence lingered for a moment before she finally spoke up. "Show me."

This development was promising. "Show you what?" He asked, endeavoring to maintain a facade of childlike innocence.

She sighed at his query. "The things you claimed you can do. Hurry up and demonstrate."

"Oh, alright!" He responded. Focusing on the mana before him, he proceeded as he had in practice: isolating a small portion of mana, igniting the air, and continually channeling mana into the area while ensuring the flame didn't spread. "Look! It's like magic!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. There was no need for pretense; he genuinely took pride in his achievement.

The woman merely scoffed. "Naturally, fire magic. Is that how you sustained your injuries? It's extremely dangerous. It was foolish to experiment with it. Well, is that all?" She asked, her face displaying a hint of sarcasm. Kael wasn't prepared for that reaction. He felt a flicker of panic. What did she mean by "is that all"? His accomplishment was extraordinary, yet she demanded more? What an annoying and hard to please woman!

Fearful of losing his opportunity, he resorted to the only other technique he had mastered. He carefully introduced an extra amount of gas that fed the fire, along with the mana he was supplying to the flame, causing it to turn blue. At the sight of the transformed flame, the woman gasped.

"Who taught you about oxygen? Well? Speak up, boy!" She demanded in a hurried tone.

Kael was utterly clueless about what she was referring to, but her tone unnerved him. The shock disrupted his concentration on the flame, causing it to extinguish. "I- I don't know what you're talking about?" He admitted sheepishly.

"Oxygen. The substance you used to turn the flame blue. It's conceivable, albeit reckless and hazardous, that one could learn to create a flame independently. But I find it implausible that you discovered oxygen and its connection to fire all by yourself."

Kael remained puzzled, but at least he now had a better grasp of the subject. He surmised that the gas people inhaled was called oxygen. He was already learning. Now, he needed to determine how to explain the situation to her without being too suspicious.

"Oh. I wasn't really taught. But, uh, I overheard a man discussing how fires breathe just like people do and use the same type of air. So, I endeavored to identify the air we breathed, and once I did, I tried putting it into the fire."

This account was reasonably accurate, save for the fact that he had omitted being a grown adult when he first received the explanation. Moreover, he had completely forgotten that he was a child and should be speaking as one. This oversight could exacerbate her already growing suspicions, potentially leading to a precarious situation.

"I see," She responded simply. "So?" she inquired.

The elderly woman's conversational approach was pushing Kael to the brink of exasperation. Why did she communicate in such a convoluted and indirect manner? This was precisely why he had difficulties with mages.

"So?" he echoed.

"What else? I don't believe your sole purpose for coming here was to receive healing," She declared, a hint of acrimony in her voice.

"Oh. Umm... I was hoping you could teach me how to heal people," Kael admitted hesitantly. The entire interaction had gone off the rails almost immediately, and his confidence in his original plan had dwindled.

"So, you assume I'll accept an incredibly dubious 'child' as my apprentice just because he asked?"

"Well... it's the most effective way to keep tabs on me," Kael responded, bereft of any other ideas.

"You know, that's not a terrible point. I don't trust you. Your eyes don't resemble those of a child. It's as if you're almost admitting it. Here's my proposal: I'll take you on as an apprentice if you reveal the whole truth about yourself."

At that moment, a fierce internal debate erupted within Kael.

Should I disclose everything? It would be refreshing to have someone to confide in... How would she react? I doubt she'd try to hurt me. She couldn't leverage the information either, as the story is too preposterous for blackmail. Wait, it is absurd – would she even believe me? Well, there's only one way to find out, and I can't risk squandering my sole opportunity to secure a magic teacher in the foreseeable future.

"Well? What are you merely sitting there lost in thought for? Either disclose what's going on with you or leave my clinic immediately," she demanded.

Kael made his decision.

"Alright. Let me begin. My name is Kael. An army invaded Alveria and murdered my family. The situation deteriorated relentlessly, and Alveria was on the verge of collapse. I devoted every waking moment to becoming the most formidable warrior I could be in order to exact revenge. Eventually, I fell on the battlefield. Yet, instead of dying, I awoke, seemingly transported back in time, within my five-year-old body."

The two exchanged a silent, intense gaze for a few moments.

Her face contorted in contemplation before she finally blurted out, "That's utter nonsense." Another pause ensued. "However, it does make sense... Well, it wouldn't account for your lack of common sense, but it would explain your physically enhanced body and your disconcerting stare." Her expression remained skeptical, but a flicker of curiosity laced her voice. Mages were, after all, notoriously inquisitive.

"Hey!" Kael retorted. "I spent my time honing my skills to stab people, not sequestered away perusing books. Not everyone can be a reclusive bibliophile."

"When I called you stupid, I wasn't referring to general knowledge. I meant practical wisdom. You're sent back in time, and the first thing you think of doing is 'Oh, let's toy with mystical fire that I know nothing about,' and then you blow yourself up. You don't need to read a book to recognize that's foolish."

Her derision stung his pride, but she raised a valid point. He could attribute his impulsive actions to his drive to become stronger for the future, but even then, it was excessive. He averted his gaze, unable to meet her eyes.

"Well, I'm not certain if you're being truthful. But I can ascertain that over time. If you attempt anything suspicious, though, I won't hesitate to end your life. Do you understand?" she warned.

"Wait, so you'll actually teach me?" Kael asked, his excitement barely contained.

"Boy, you truly are dense. Are your ears just for decoration? I already told you that I would."

Kael's enthusiasm waned considerably as he realized he would have to endure this woman's abrasive attitude for a long time.