On the other side, at the main building
"Lord Theodore, you didn't have to take the trouble of coming here yourself," Gilderoy spoke to the man with a polite smile on his face. "You could have just sent someone to return the fees for treatment."
Though his voice was light, Gilderoy shrewdly studied Theodore, he knew that this man didn't just come here to return the payment their family had made for Nicholas.
"This is no trouble, Lord Wolfe," replied Theodore with a smile that matched Gilderoy in terms of politeness. "After all, it is us and the temple that have let you down, it's only right for us to make up for the mistake that we made."
His face slowly turned left as he glanced at the stitches on Nicholas's leg. A gleam of curiosity flashed in his eyes as Theodore muttered, "Ingenious. Truly ingenious, what a way of treating this injury."
"Who could have thought that cutting the skin to take the Boreal Worms out and then sewing it back would help deal with the injury?" Theodore remarked, sounding awed. "I have to say this person who dealt with Lord Nicholas's wound really does know how to think out of the box."
The wound was also healing well without showing any infection. More importantly, there was no sign of dark magic. Something Theodore had expected to see.
"Well, you can say that," Gilderoy seemed a tad bit miffed as if Theodore's praise of this healer who saved Nicholas's life was nothing less than vulgar words in Gilderoy's ears.
Theodore eyed Gilderoy before turning to look at Nicholas. He asked, "Lord Nicholas…how do you feel?" Though Nicholas was no longer as profusely bleeding as he was the last time he saw him, proceeding without caution had always been the way of fools.
Nicholas smiled and though he had yet to recover properly, he seemed to be doing better. "I am feeling fine. Though it itches a bit, all I need is a cooling potion and everything gets better."
Theodore nodded upon hearing his answer. His eyes once again skimmed over the thread which had sewn Nicholas's skin together. Such a fine thread, he didn't think that anyone could make it.
"Lord Wolfe, if you allow me to be a tad bit bold," began Theodore slowly. "Can you let me meet this ingenuous man?"
"I am afraid that it will be difficult," Gilderoy knew it was coming, the second he heard that Theodore was here to return the fee himself, he knew that the man had set his sight on Damien. "He doesn't want his identity to be disclosed. And as he had saved the life of my son, I would like to oblige to his wishes."
"Wishes? Hah! If he is a healer then it's his responsibility to serve the church and the people," Grover said hotly from behind Theodore and Wistoria scowled at him.
She said, "Because the church is doing its job a little too well?" Her voice was sarcastic.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Grover turned his attention to Wistoria. His brows were furrowed in annoyance and he was looking at her as if she had just called his mother a very rude word.
"I don't know how to break it to you..but there was another attack on Aeloria a few days ago. And not once did I see any healer or Holy guardian helping anyone," replied Wistoria with her chin raised haughtily.
"Protecting the lower grade species is not the job of the church—"
"Why is that?" Wistoria asked with a sneer playing on her lips. "Wasn't it the job of the church to protect the children of the beast god? What happened? Did you give it to someone else? They might as well note it down in the next meeting — at least people will know whom to call."
"That.."
"I think that will be enough, Grover," said Theodore as he glanced at the man. His expression was calm but his voice seemed to be speaking volumes, it must be because Grover turned a very bad shade of hummus and then lowered his head without saying a word.
Theodore then turned to look at Wistoria with a soft smile on his face, "I know that you have a lot to say to us, Lady Wistoria about the mismanagement of the church but I am afraid that I will have to take my leave now."
Wistoria seemed like she wanted to voice more than just her complaints but her father stopped her.
"Ria, send Lord Theodore and his aide off if you don't mind?" Gilderoy said to Wistoria. His expression was serene but stern as he looked at Wistoria.
"Yes Father," Wistoria glared at Grover with enough poison in her eyes to make a man die in seconds before turning to look at Lord Theodore. "Please come with me."
** *** **
Wistoria brought the two men out of the main building and guided them across the marble path before bringing them to the entrance gates.
"Have a safe trip, Lord Theodore," said Wistoria. She was about to turn on her feet and leave when she heard Theodore call her from behind.
"Lady Wistoria,"
Wistoria turned and looked at the man who stood behind her with a frown on her face. "Is there something that you want to say to me, Lord Theodore?"
"Yes," Theodore nodded with the same polite smile that he gave to everyone who came to him for their wounds to be treated and injuries to be healed. It was polite but distant. "I know that you have a lot to say about how the church functions, Lady Wistoria. But I will suggest not to make your less than cordial statement known."
"It will be less than prudent to do so."
"Is that a threat?" She asked as she turned to look at Theodore. Her claws unsheathing as she flexed her fingers.
"Oh no. Not at all," Theodore continued smiling as he replied. "I am just a healer, how could I dare to threaten a warrior?" He took a step closer to Wistoria before adding, "It is just a friendly reminder. The world is not what it was once, Lady Wistoria ."
** ** **
Fifteen minutes later, Wistoria was still fuming she marched down the marble path which led her to her manor.
"Not the same? Well a good thing he told me, or else I would have not even known about the changes," she said scathingly. Her face looked colder than usual and she was certain that she had scared off a few servants but it truly did not matter to Wistoria at that very moment.
"You seem to be in a really foul mood," a voice called to her and she turned to look at Damien who was lying on the ground, with his arms thrown under his head.
"And what do you think you are doing?" She asked the man with a frown on her face. "You are my husband—"
"In the name." He corrected her.
Wistoria rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, only in name but you are still related to me. So pray tell me why you are lying on the ground like a servant?"
Damien looked around and then faked a mock surprise look before saying, "Oh dear, I had no idea that this land was reserved for the servants. What should I do? Oh wait—I am a slave as well." He deadpanned while eyeing the woman with distaste.
"I am working on it," she said to him with a sigh. "I will have the servants of the family know that they need to show you the respect that you deserve."
Earlier today, Xavier had relayed how Damien and his family were living in the small mansion. She agreed that she had never treated this man with respect but not once did she say that it was alright for the servants to insult Damien.
Completely out of control.
Damien snorted. Clearly, he did not believe a word that she was saying.
"Why are you so testy today?" Wistoria asked, noticing that the man seemed to be even more tetchy than usual.
"I am not," he gritted out before plopping down on the ground. "You can continue with what you were doing, there is no need to bother yourself with me."
She should indeed do that but for some reason, she couldn't. Wistoria walked over to where Damien was lying. She stared down at him while the man stared up at her.
"Do you want me to take a peek under your skirt?" He asked after a very long pause. "Is this an offer? Is that why you are standing near my head?"
"Do you want me to kill you?" Instead of answering, she asked back with a snarl.
"Gosh, no one can even joke in this place without getting death threats," remarked Damien as he turned to look at the other side of the garden pointedly.
Wistoria pinched the bridge of her nose before asking, "Just tell me what you want. I will see if I can help you, there is no need for you to act like a child."
"Child? I am not acting like a child!" The word 'child' seemed to have touched a nerve because Damien snapped quite harshly. "There could only be one fool in this house and I refuse to be that very fool."