"Her. She's the one" there was an awkward silence in the air where everyone looked at each other. No one knew what to say and the atmosphere was getting tense due to the misunderstanding.
"T-There must be a mistake here. T-This person here is a genuine healer, not a fake. L-Look, she even treated my p-partner" the elder lady pointed to the still recovering but no longer ill patent.
The healer of the commission had a sour face as she took in the formerly-ill patent.
"Let me have a look first to confirm your words" the healer of the commission clearly did not believe the other at face value.
Or rather, she did not want to believe the other at face value.
"And you miss. Do you not have anything to say for yourself? If this gentleman here is to be believed, then you did break a rule. As such, I would need to arrest you for pretending to be a healer" Grand Officer Rachael had her whole focus on Iris now.
This was really getting bad and Iris needed an out now.
"I am an official healer though, just not one with the council or the commission. I was not aware that the commission was my keeper" Iris's voice came out as frosted.
She could feel an anomaly in her body as she spoke. Clearly, Iris had a grudge with the other batch.
"Whether you are really a healer or a fraud will be decided once Rose finishes her examination. The commission might not be your keeper but you will need to come back with us for now" the knight replied.
The inn owner let out a small giggle behind the knight, clearly thinking that she had won.
"The person really is healed, but there is something wrong here as well. There is no residue of the poison inside the body left. It should not be possible for anyone" Rose exclaimed, her voice full of wonder.
Iris wanted to snort at that. Of course, there was no residue left after she was finished.
Unlike normal doctors, Iris was far above their level, and completely purging the poison was all but childe's play for her.
"Is that so. Well then miss, looks like you are coming with us after all" Grand Officer Rachael exclaimed in a calm voice.
Her voice left no room for negotiation and it conveyed to Iris that she should comply with it.
'Should I make a run for it? Will I be able to outrun her?' as soon as the thought ran through her mind, it was purged away as well.
Iris might have been able to run away but there was no way Michael would be able to.
Not from someone like Grand Officer Rachael who was hailed as one of the strongest in the commission.
'New mission unlocked - the fall of the city.
Mission parameters: Get captured by Grand Officer Rachael and be detained in the commission guild for three days.
Take away the main Holy Jade of the settlement and cause its downfall.
Warning: the mission must be completed before the end of the week'
What was that? It had never happened before? A mission? Iris was not aware of what this was about?
'System, what is this about? Can't you see that I'm a little busy here?' Iris had no time to fool around after all.
Her silence and inactivity were already making Grand Officer Rachael suspicious.
"Is there any problem you would like to discuss? You can share it with us in our guild building" the female knight was getting impatient now.
"No, it's nothing. I would be delighted to accompany you to the commission guild office" Iris got weird looks for her words.
Darn it, she had lost her train of thoughts because of the system's intervention and likely had made a fool of herself.
"Rightttt. You will be free to go once you tell us how you did this miracle. How much money can we make if we have something like this in our hands? I can't even begin to imagine the height of fame I *cough* we would gain once we learn it" Rose sounded excited.
"S-So, do I get a reward as well? I did point out the offender to you" the inn owner asked, her eyes shining.
Her excitement was apparent as well and it was likely that she had missed what most of the exchange had been about.
"Right, you are also here. What would you get a reward for? This person is a real healer, unlike your claims. You ought to be punished for misleading us. But since your information did help us out, we will let you go today" Rose's face looked sinister.
There was magical pressure in the air which caused the inn owner as well as the couple inside to lose their breath.
It was not a lot of pressure.
Actually, it could hardly even be felt by Iris but it must have been too much for a normal person to bear. It took hardly any time for the inn owner to collapse.
"Let's go now. I don't want to miss tea time" Rose skipped out of the situation while Iris was forced to follow along.
Grand Officer Rachael took the back, likely to keep an eye on Iris but that had to be expected. Iris was an unknown variable after all.
"T-Thank you. I will repay you somehow for this favor" her benefitted cried out at the last second and suddenly, Iris had an idea.
"I will tell you once I think of something suitable" She would need a little help to get out of this situation and having an ally was never a bad idea.
If Grand Officer Rachael thought anything of this interaction, well, it was not a pressing matter for now.
"You can see it from here, the commission building. Magnificent, isn't it?" Rose asked, skipping back to the duo.
Iris had done her best to not go into the inner districts of the town, mainly to avoid the commission but looked like her attempts failed anyway.
The commission building was a work of art, a centerpiece of the town. It was more likely that the town had been built keeping the commission as the centerpiece, a protective array they could sacrifice in case things got difficult.
Commission was not to be trusted but it could have been worse as well.
"Master Risa, we're back and we have a guest. Can you ready the special guest room for us?" all the eyes were on Rachael and her when they entered but it had to be expected.
It was not every day that the 'Grand Officer Rachael' brought anyone over.
"Sure brat. Give me a few seconds and then explain to me this whole thing. God knows I'm too old for this kind of work" the old lady from behind the desk called out, her gaze sharp.
Iris had never felt naked while being clothed before but at that moment, she felt like the other could see beyond her skin and right into her soul.