Chapter 17

"You placed it that way on purpose."

"What?"

A sharp-looking middle-aged man spoke up from the head of the room.

"I've seen the material on Sir Raymond. He's treated a number of difficult patients using ancient arcane techniques, and I've decided that to properly evaluate him, he can't be a normal patient."

"But... seems to be too difficult a patient."

"That's right."

The examiners said in unison.

"If we assign you this patient, you're going to fail, without even taking the test."

"I'll definitely fail."

Fail!

The dreaded word popped out.

"He's obviously not going to be able to cure him, and we'll have no choice but to fail him by regulation."

The promotion test is divided into two stages.

First, the healer's strength is assessed, and then he is tested on treating a patient of the appropriate grade.

If he fails to treat a graded patient, he's deemed inexperienced with the heel and fails.

"If that happens, I have no choice but to fail you."

"The Count?"

The examiners' eyes narrowed at the sarcastic voice.

A middle-aged man.

One of the top officials of the Houston Kingdom branch of the Tower of Healing, with considerable influence in political circles, Count Garrison said as if he would not allow any further objections.

"In any case, proceed with that knowledge."

With that, the examiners had no choice but to nod and retreat.

Left alone, Count Garrinson muttered to himself.

"Funny, you filthy bastard."

There was contempt in his voice.

There was a reason he held Raymond in such contempt.

It was because of his cousin, the Fourth Queen.

She was also the biological mother of Prince Seitil, and she was notoriously speculative, and she despised and hated Raymond for being born out of wedlock.

"She asked me to make sure that the wretch failed the test this time.

The Earl of Garrinson thought nonchalantly.

'It's no big deal to fail him, though Count August is a little peeved.

The Earl of Garrison knows that the great southern nobleman August has become Raymond's patron.

'Still, I suppose I can't blame him. The Healer's Test is the sole domain of the Tower of Healing.

In the Tower of Healing, Count Garrison's authority was absolute, even if it wasn't in other areas.

Even Count August had no authority over what went on inside the Healing Tower.

"There's nothing wrong with making a test 'somewhat' harder.

Count Garlinson laughed sardonically.

'As long as this body is in the Tower of Healing, Raymond, you will never be a healer.'

* * *

Meanwhile, the other examiners who had left the room were shaking their heads.

"Count Garrison must have made a mistake, assigning such a difficult patient to a promotion exam."

"And you know why, don't you?"

"Let's pretend we don't. We don't want the likes of us to get involved in the affairs of the higher-ups."

The examiners agreed to play dumb.

"Anyway, I feel sorry for Sir Raymond, but from the stories I've heard of his rescue of the Princess, it sounds like he's a healer who cares about his patients."

"He's been an apprentice for what, five years? After waiting that long, I'll never pass."

They clicked their tongues.

Then one of the examiners, deep in thought, asked a question.

"What happens if Sir Raymond cures the patient?"

"Huh?"

"I'm trying to figure out how to grade this."

The examiners fell silent.

A healer's rating is based on a combination of the strength of the heel and the ability to actually heal a patient.

Normally, there's not much of a difference, so they're often graded similarly to the strength of the heel, but in this case?

"I've been told that the healing power is no higher than an F, but if... cures a patient that even a B+ healer couldn't, what grade should I give him?"

The other examiner smirked.

"You're worrying too much, aren't you; there's no way you'll be able to cure 'that patient'?"

"If you have time to worry about that, you should be thinking about what you're having for lunch today."

"Of course... can't cure 'that patient'."

The first examiner nodded, realizing he'd been thinking too much.

"Let's go eat."

Time passed, and the test day arrived.

* * *

There were two towers on the continent.

The Magic Tower, the headquarters of the mages, and the Healing Tower, home to the hearts of the healers.

It was a different story in the far-off Free Cities Union, the Iron Empire, and the Holy Land, but all healers in the Crusader Empire belonged to the Healing Tower.

Therefore, it was only natural that the promotion examination would be held at the Kingdom branch of the Tower of Healing.

Raymond sat in the waiting room, waiting for his turn with the other apprentices.

"Is that the famous person?

The one who saved the princess?

"The Shadow Prince?

Raymond was famous in many ways.

The illegitimate son of the king's concubine.

A perennial flunkie with healing powers that weren't even F-rated.

And yet he had somehow managed to save the life of a princess.

Most healers dismissed what happened that day as a mysterious case of luck and refused to recognize Raymond's skills, but he gained fame nonetheless.

Unwilling or unable to resist, the apprentices stole glances at Raymond.

"But how come... doesn't look like much?

"Is that nervousness?

"Did he save the princess?

Raymond was handsome, to say the least.

His handsome features and mysterious emerald eyes.

But there was a lot of tension on his face.

In fact, Raymond was nervous.

Nervous. Pounding.

"Oh, heart, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it.

Raymond cursed under his breath.

But his heart wouldn't calm down.

In fact, it was to be expected.

He'd waited five years for this test, and if he failed, he'd have to start over as an apprentice.

I'm not a big person, and I don't have the strength to not tremble in this situation.

I thought, "Let's think of something else. If I get in and become a therapist, I'll make a lot of money, so I'll have to eat delicious food all the time. I'm going to eliminate vegetable soup from my diet forever.

Vegetable soup.

A staple of the apprentice diet, and Raymond's least favorite.

'A good steak. Tenderloin. Sirloin. Skirt steak. Imagine that. The flavors. And for dessert, the finest ice cream frozen with ice magic. 

Raymond let out an expletive.

Thinking about it didn't relax him at all.

'Shit, what if I actually fall?

I must pass and become a therapist.

So I can be rich, and not be looked down upon, and... and....

"I want to see patients.

Raymond panicked a little at the sudden realization.

-I want to see patients.

To be honest, he'd chosen to become a therapist because he wanted to succeed.

As a lowly bastard, it was the only way he could fulfill his potential.

There were only three paths to social success for a bastard.

A wizard.

Therapist (healer).

Mercenary.

These were the only three professions that didn't depend on birthright.

So as soon as Hill awakened, he chose to become a healer and never looked back.

'I didn't realize at the time that my Heal's talents would be so lacking.

In any case, I chose the path of a healer out of greed. Honestly, I didn't have a big heart for my patients.

But lately, a different mindset has been creeping in.

"Thank you, Dr. Baker.

"I feel better thanks to you.

I enjoyed seeing patients.

Especially when I saved the vomiting man. When I saved the princess. When I saved Clien.

The overwhelming feeling of saving a dying patient was indescribable.

I thought, "If I fail ..., it's going to be even harder to feel this way.

It was a lip-biting moment.

Suddenly, a message popped into my head.

[A heart of steel is born when you think of your patients!]

[Have a will of steel and a heart of steel!]

"...?

My eyes widened at the unexpected message.

Suddenly, my chest felt much more relaxed.

My fear became a moderate tension, and I naturally relaxed.

"So this is how the Heart of Steel manifests?

It was a new discovery.

It seemed to manifest itself in any situation involving patients, even when I wasn't treating them.

In any case, it was a relief.

It seemed like there was no way he couldn't perform well under pressure.

The other apprentices around him noticed the change in Raymond.

"Hmm?

"He suddenly changed his mood, didn't he?

It wasn't the nervousness from earlier.

There was nothing ugly about his calm, relaxed face, and it was even dignified.

Suddenly, Raymond felt less like a bastard and more like Confucius from a noble family.

"Did he manage to control his mind in the meantime?

"How can he have such control over his emotions? He was so nervous just a moment ago.

"Even if you're an illegitimate child, you still have the blood of a king?

It was time for the apprentices to marvel.

It was Raymond's turn to speak.

"Ser Raymond. Please come in."

"Yes, sir."

Raymond rose from his seat and followed the examiner.

Hiss.

The door opened, revealing a large room.

It was like a courtroom.

The examiner stood at the bottom, like a prisoner being interrogated, and the examiners looked up, like judges passing judgment.

"Raymond. Healing power, grade F or lower, is that correct?"

"Correct."

Raymond nodded.

A sneer crossed the faces of several of the judges.

They chattered in confusion.

"A grade of F or lower. I don't know how to look at this."

"That's right. Anything less than a Grade F, I'd be embarrassed to call it a healing power."

Normally, the old Raymond would have froze in his tracks at this kind of criticism.

But not now.

[Heart of Steel is manifesting!]

[A heart of steel keeps you afloat!]

I was able to pass it over without a single blow.

As Raymond stood unmoved, some of the judges' eyes lit up.

His calmness under pressure was very impressive.

'He's not nervous at all.

"Even the most eloquent of speakers get nervous in exams like this.

'It's royal blood after all.