Chapter 40
"What's wrong with him?" I asked as I examined the man lying on a bed, gasping for air.
"He fell while working. He was brought for healing an hour ago. I did what I could but a few minutes ago, he started breathing erratically." Alicia hurriedly explained while I diagnosed the problem.
"He has air in his chest and it is causing his lungs to collapse. Hold him still!" I hurriedly commanded while I pulled the acupuncture set out of the inventory.
'Heal.' I applied the skill heal on the funnel needle and located the exact spot where the air was.
"He's going to feel this. Hold him still." I instructed and pushed the needle in. He gasped in pain and struggled but the clerics and Alicia held him still.
Psssttt. Soon, the air started escaping from the other end of the needle and the patient started to calm down. He was seconds away from death had we been even a little late.
The patient began to settle and I pressed his points to knock him out and finally applied 'Heal' on him as well. His condition stabilized soon.
At the same time, Alicia collapsed on the ground on the other side. I hurriedly approached her and caught her before her head could hit the floor.
[She's fine]
Allison stated even before I checked her condition. Since Allison was vouching for her, I didn't check her further and just picked her up and left.
The rest of the people of the church didn't try to stop me. They were very shocked at how I had saved someone all of them couldn't.
=====
Alicia was still out when I delivered her to her room where her grandfather had arrived as soon as we did. Since he didn't murder me on the spot, he must have already heard the full story.
"You have my gratitude." He grumpily spoke. I only nodded and began to return when he added, "But that doesn't mean your previous actions are forgiven and forgotten."
I returned without giving any sort of reply to that statement. I didn't want to overcomplicate this matter. Besides, there was one more thing bothering me.
'Why do you care so much about Alicia?' I asked Allison. Even on the day of the duel, Allison had asked me to stop because of Alicia. Even now, before I could even examine her, she had already examined her.
[You will know in due time]
I don't like cryptic and suspense bulls*it but I heavily doubt that I would be getting any answer out of Allison.
So I ignored it and focused on the problem I faced right now. Very recently, it was brought to my attention that if I want to be equal to a divine entity, my stats have to be in the fifteen hundred mark.
I was under the impression that there was a fifty-stat difference between each major rank but I was sorely mistaken.
F, E, D, and C had a fifty-stat point difference. But the stat points in B and A rank were 100. In S, SS was 200, and in SSS was 300. This would add up to, 1100 stat points until SSS rank. And for the divine rank, 1500 stat points.
This was very worrying. Of course, if we consider this world, then the stat distribution of the people of this world was focused on one point. A specialization if one might say.
Such as the emperor was a thunder aura master while the first elder was a space magician. Their stats would be focused like that as well.
Now in my case, I heavily doubted that I would be able to focus on one stat like that. Of course, I would get extra stat points every time I reached the 100-level mark and many more opportunities, but even then, raising my stats, even only one to that point would be very difficult.
[How difficult?]
'If before I had to walk, now I would have to jog.'
[That's it?]
'What do you mean, that's it? it's a very serious issue.'
[Stop being so lazy]
She had a fair point. I was being lazy. There were plenty of other ways to increase my stats except for the penta enhancement array and that would alone get me at least 800 hundred different stat points. I mean, just the first step is giving me 200 points. Then the second one would give me almost the same points but in a different stat, Endurance or Stamina in this case.
And not to forget the most important factor, Allison. With her as my support, I doubt anyone would be able to do anything to me.
[Flattery would get you nowhere]
If only she would also stop reading my thoughts.
Anyway, there is no major issue right now. What I need to do right now is prepare for tomorrow because it's going to be one hell of an awkward day.
======
Yep, awkward indeed. An old tradition of the Lux family. Whenever its young heirs would go to the academy, they would have to travel to a city known as Leadnorm together.
Together in one carriage.
That's right. Currently, me and my two brothers, my two female cousins, and Alicia are in one carriage together traveling to the academy together.
Although there was a teleportation circle in the imperial palace and the capital, we had to travel for two days straight in one carriage to another city under the imperial family's command and then teleport from there to the academy.
I think there is no reason for doing this but according to the elders, this is supposed to promote unity among the youngsters.
[King of doing the opposite, don't you think?]
Of course, it is. The boys sitting next to me are looking at me like I have turned off the water while they are fully lathered in soap.
The two golden-haired girls sitting opposite me are looking at me like I am the worst scumbag in this world.
If there is one blessing, then it would be the black-haired girl sitting next to them. At least she wasn't looking at me like garbage.
So all in all, they're untied all right. United at hating me.
[And they're wrong to do so?]
Nope. I don't care whether they're wrong to do so or justified, as long as they don't get in my way, they can treat me like garbage for all I care.
[They show potential]
They also show annoyance. I'm not allying myself with a headache. That is the sole reason why I'm hesitant to deal with Alicia. She's more of a headache than she's worth.
"Nice weather isn't it?" I asked, breaking this awkward silent scornful atmosphere.
[Shutting up would be a good plan]
Why? Can't I be nice to my family members?
[And you say they're annoying]
Fine. I am trying to have fun with them. Slightly annoying them would provide some amusement in this boring journey.
Fiona and Cassandra remained silent as if I hadn't spoken at all. Elliot and Lincoln, who weren't so united with each other, also remained quiet even though their expression was a sight to see.
As for Alicia, it looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words to speak.
[This is going to be a very long journey]
'Tell me about it.'
"Your Highnesses and Ladyships, we have set up camp here tonight." To my rescue, came a notification from a sliver knight who was escorting us. Our envoy only consisted of about a hundred people.
Most of them are servants who are to follow us to Bellator City and the rest are silver knights who are tasked with escorting us there.
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"Is there something else you would like, Your Highness?" Rose asked as I handed her my empty breakfast utensils. Rose wasn't allowed to sit with me in the carriage since it was only for royalties.
She was with the rest of the servants even though she was supposed to attend the academy with me.
"No, I'm fine." I simply replied and she went away.
"Is there something you need?" I turned to my right and asked. A figure emerged from behind my tent. A beautiful black-haired figure.
The morning sun was shining off her black hair as she sat down next to me some distance away.
"I…." She began but then went silent. she didn't say anything for a while before she again said, "I…"
"Want to thank me for what I did yesterday." I completed her sentence for her. She simply nodded once she heard me.
"Why did you collapse yesterday?" I asked, moving on from the topic.
"I must have been tired." She replied but that wasn't true.
"Tired, huh? It had nothing to do with how a man was about to die on your watch?" I further asked, making sure she faced the problems of her own.
She remained silent. She didn't know how to answer so I answered for her. "There was once a boy. A doctor. He had to operate on a woman of fifty-two, a heart patient. She died."
"Do you know what the boy did?" I asked to catch her attention. She was attentively listening and when I asked, she asked in return, "What did he do?"
"He consoled for a few minutes and then moved on. And the next day, he saved a male baby of fourteen hours born with liver dysfunction."
She was somewhat puzzled about what this story had to do with her so I clarified for her, "You had a choice to make, Alicia and you made the right choice finding me."
"But that is not the point. You will lose people one day. People who you might not be able to save. And then you would have a choice to make, whether you can wallow in that death or you can move on and save many more tomorrow."
I finished my lecture and stood up, leaving her to contemplate.
[Those were some wise words]
'Those were the words of one of my masters.'
[Was it you?]
'Who?'
[The boy]
'No. It was my master. I never failed to save someone.'
"How dare you?" My chat with Allison was oh so rudely interrupted by a shout. And I recognized who it belonged to. I also recognized the person it was directed at.
"How dare you assault my knight?" Elliot shouted at Rose, who stood with her head lowered.
======
It was the second day of traveling. The envoy of the imperial family was collecting tents and loading carriages while preparing to depart and continue to their destination, Leadnorm.
Rose, who had just been appointed as a count a few days ago, was tending to her master when a knight, not a sliver knight but a knight of the fourth imperial prince or the brother of the first crown candidate, approached her.
"You must be Rose, right? The servant of his highness, the fifth imperial prince." The knight began and asked. Rose simply nodded although she was higher in rank than the knight in every way.
She nodded and turned to walk away when the knight grabbed her wrist and said, "Wait up. Where are you going? Why don't we meet after some time to share a glass of wine?"
Rose was perplexed but she didn't want to create trouble for her master so she yanked her hand which was very easy considering her high rank strength which was almost at the peak level of C-rank.
"I have to do something for His Highness." She gave an excuse and tried to walk away when the knight again held her wrist, this time with a little more strength since he had come to know that Rose wasn't so weak after how she had yanked her hand.
This time, however, there wasn't a gentle expression on the knight's hand, there was an ugly scowl. But before he could do anything, Rose grabbed the hand that was holding her, and applied full strength and it was crushed like a walnut under a hammer.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!" A blood-curdling scream spread throughout the camp. Even those who were far away heard it and naturally, that included the golden-haired boy who was the master of the knight.
"How dare you!" He loudly yelled as he walked towards Rose. At the same time, another figure started walking towards the scene. A white-haired young handsome boy. Only the grin on his face was very terrifying.