[Third Person's PoV]
"Excuse me?" Stephen was completely taken aback by the sudden question. His eyes widened slightly, unsure how to respond to such an unexpected proposal.
Aurelia's smile deepened as she leaned forward, resting her chin on the back of her hand, her gaze fixed on Stephen. "So?"
"I—uh..." Stephen fumbled for words, clearly rattled. "Noelle is doing fine, I suppose? She's a hard worker, always pushing herself to get stronger." He gave a hesitant nod, still unsure of where this conversation was headed.
Aurelia nodded with a knowing look. "As I expected. That little girl can be too hard on herself sometimes. It's nice to hear she's doing well."
"Yeah..." Stephen responded awkwardly, feeling the weight of the silence between them. He glanced towards the Wizard King and the others, silently pleading for help, but they only gave him an encouraging thumbs-up in return.
Before he could figure out what to say next, Aurelia's smile turned mischievous, her eyes glinting with a playful edge. "Now, about my daughter," she began. "There's no doubt in my mind she'll become an exceptional healing mage, and I believe you two would get along splendidly."
Stephen blinked, taken aback by the bold statement. "Uh, aren't I a commoner? Why are you offering your daughter's hand in marriage... to me?" His confusion was clear as he tilted his head.
Aurelia waved away his concern, dismissing it as if it were a trivial matter. "Don't worry about such little details. Once you pass this exam, you'll be granted a noble title. Besides, you're both talented—exceptionally strong and smart. And although you may try to hide it, we can sense the vast amount of mana within you. You have far more than any commoner should, even more than most nobles. That's why I want to secure this opportunity for my daughter while I can."
Stephen felt his face flush slightly but quickly composed himself, bowing politely. "I am deeply flattered by your proposal and the confidence you place in me. But I must decline. First, I don't even know your daughter, and second, she doesn't know anything about this arrangement. It would be unfair to her if such an important decision were made without her knowledge or input. This is a decision she deserves to have a say in."
Stephen carefully chose his words, wanting to remain respectful despite his refusal. However, it had the opposite effect of what he intended.
Aurelia's eyes sparkled as she clasped his hands tightly in her own, stars practically twinkling in her gaze. "You're already thinking about what's best for my daughter and respecting her wishes. I couldn't ask for a better son-in-law! Please, reconsider!"
Stephen turned desperately to the Wizard King, his eyes pleading for rescue. 'Help me, please!' his expression screamed.
But the Wizard King casually put his hands behind his back, whistling while looking away, as if he hadn't noticed the tension.
'You traitor!' Stephen inwardly fumed. 'I helped you out, didn't I!?'
Just when Stephen thought there was no escape, Owen, the healer, stepped in. "Uh, Lady Aurelia, I believe it would be best to allow Stephen to continue with the rest of his test. After all, that's why he's here." Owen's weary smile was Stephen's lifeline.
'Owen, you're a lifesaver!' Stephen thought with relief.
Owen, however, added with a nod, "You can revisit your proposal once the testing is complete, if you still wish."
Stephen's heart sank. 'I was wrong! Why would you throw me back to the wolves like that!?'
Meanwhile, Nero, who had been watching quietly, narrowed her eyes at Aurelia's proposal. 'Why is this bothering me so much?' She mused, though he couldn't pinpoint the reason.
Aurelia smiled and nodded, seemingly satisfied. "You're right, of course. Let's move on to the second test, then. As you can see, with my approval, he's passed the first test. His medical knowledge is more than sufficient, truly impressive. He has my seal of approval."
Stephen handed her a booklet, which caused a flicker of confusion to cross Aurelia's face. She opened it, finding that all the questions had been answered. "What? When did you... how?"
Stephen smirked and waved his hand in front of himself, creating a dazzling rainbow illusion. "Magic," he said with a playful tone.
The Wizard King's eyes lit up with excitement. "What kind of magic is that!? What even is your magic? I've seen you use fire, space, time, and healing! Your magic must be incredible!"
Stephen chuckled lightly, keeping his explanation simple. "My magic allows me to use various attributes. What you saw just now was an illusion spell."
"That's amazing!" the Wizard King exclaimed, practically bouncing with enthusiasm.
Stephen turned to Aurelia, continuing, "I changed the trick questions into real ones and answered them. Now, you have proof that I passed the first stage of the exam."
Aurelia nodded in approval as she placed the booklet atop a stack of papers. "Impressive. Now, shall we proceed?"
With mutual agreement, the group motioned for Stephen to follow as they led him to his next testing site. They descended a long, winding staircase that opened into the main hall of the Healing Tower.
Owen gestured to a row of doors lining the hall. "Behind these doors are patients currently recuperating. They have all given their consent to participate in your test. The second stage will evaluate multiple factors: your ability to diagnose a patient, the range and potency of your healing spells, and how you interact with the patients themselves."
His expression grew more serious as he looked at Stephen. "We can begin whenever you're ready."
Stephen squared his shoulders and met Owen's gaze with newfound determination. "I'm ready."
"Then you can begin by heading towards that door," Owen said, motioning to a nearby wooden door with a soft gesture.
Stephen took a deep breath and nodded, pushing the door open. Inside, he found a small, dimly lit room where a little boy sat on a bed, clutching his stomach. His mother was seated beside him, her face creased with worry. Before seeing the Wizard King enter, the Wizard King discreetly transformed his appearance, ensuring they wouldn't recognize him.
The mother stood up immediately and bowed to Stephen and the others. "Thank you so much for looking after my boy," she said, her voice thick with concern. "He's been complaining about a terrible stomachache, but we haven't been able to figure out what's wrong."
Stephen offered her a reassuring nod, his voice calm and confident. "Don't worry. You can leave his care to me."
He approached the boy, kneeling to his level, and offered a warm smile. "Hey there, little man. Ready to find out what's going on so we can get you back home feeling better?"
The boy nodded slowly, still hunched over in discomfort. "My tummy really hurts…" he groaned, his face scrunched in pain.
Stephen nodded, his expression softening. He raised his hand, forming an intricate symbol with his fingers. The air around him shimmered for a moment as he invoked a diagnostic spell, the arcane energy flowing out in a gentle wave that enveloped the boy. The magical scan was subtle, yet thorough, tracing over the boy's body to pinpoint the source of the pain. The room grew quiet as everyone watched, a few eyebrows raised at the unusual technique Stephen was using.
Suddenly, Stephen froze, his expression shifting to one of awkwardness. He hesitated for a second, unsure of how to phrase what he had just discovered.
The boy's mother noticed the change in his demeanor and stepped forward, her worry intensifying. "Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice trembling as she looked anxiously between Stephen and her son.
Stephen straightened up, turning to face her while trying to maintain a professional expression, though the situation made it difficult. "Ma'am, I've discovered the reason your son's stomach is hurting."
Her eyes widened. "What is it?" she asked, bracing herself for the worst.
Stephen cleared his throat and, with as much composure as he could muster, said, "Your son... has swallowed a rock."
For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, and then both the mother and the boy, along with everyone else in the room, blinked in disbelief.
"Eh?" they all exclaimed in unison, their voices overlapping in sheer confusion.
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