13~
A week later...
"It is light that shatters and becomes stars. Stars that fall become hope, and strength that shines becomes hope..."
Cardea blinked, letting the words sink in.
"It's a good poem..."
Layse, sitting beside the bed, gave a small smile. "Our dad used to recite that a lot. He still does... just from afar most of the time." She paused, her hair falling over her face as if to hide something unspoken. "Good. You should be fine now. I'll patch you up with some healing magic, and then you should be able to wake up properly."
Her fingers glowed with faint green light as she whispered, "Blessing of nature, the one that forgives, the one that heals."
[Skill: Nature's Wish activated.]
[Host's body is healing.]
[Analyzing the skill...]
[Conditions met. Analyzing skill holder...]
Cardea's thoughts stirred sluggishly. 'System, if it's a skill, she shouldn't need an incantation, right?'
[Correct, Host.]
[It has been detected that the incantation is a low-level healing spell used as a cover for a high-level skill.]
[Analysis complete.]
[Displaying status.]
|Status|
Name : Layse Warshell
Age: 27
Class: Natures Emissary
Sub-class: paladin
Sub-class: High Healer
Grade: Queen
Rank: S
Combat power: B+
Strength : A
Endurance : A
Agility : S
Intelligence : S
Mana : S
Luck : B
Title: Nature's friend, Nature's Emissary, paladin with choice.
Skills:
Class skills:
-natures wish [ Grade: Queen ]
-natures friend [ Grade: Queen ]
-blessing [ Grade: Queen ]
-divine gaze [ Grade: King ]
-protection of nature [ Grade: Queen ]
-healing wind [ Grade: Rook ]
Sub-class skills:
-diagnose [ Grade: Rook ]
-heal [ Grade: Bishop ]
-First aid [ Grade: Pawn ]
-fast recovery [ Grade: Bishop ]
-mana discharge [ Grade: Bishop ]
-mana recovery [ Grade: Bishop ]
Sub-class skills:
-holy protection [ Grade: Rook ]
-judgement [ Grade: Queen ]
-purify [ Grade: Rook ]
-Banish[ Grade: Rook ]
-divine gaze[ Grade: Bishop ]
Technique:
-swift Dash [ Grade: Bishop ]
-flash[ Grade: Pawn ]
-low heal [ Grade: Pawn ]
-Cancel [ Grade: Undefined ]
-amplify [ Grade: Undefined ]
-merge [ Grade: Undefined ]
—
[Skill details are unavailable.]
Cardea stared at the status screen blankly. "..."
'...System.'
[Yes, Host?]
'If she so much as breathes in my direction, I might actually die.'
[That is possible, Host.]
Cardea internally wept. 'ToT'
Layse tilted her head. "Are you feeling better?"
Cardea hesitated. 'Whatever her reason for keeping this facade up, it's better not to ask.'
[How insightful of you, Host.]
he shot a glare at the system window before quickly turning to Layse. "Ahh! Yes, I am. Thank you. I feel good as new."
Layse nodded. "Then, will you be leaving now?"
"Yes, I'm afraid I need to prepare for the academy." Cardea stretched slightly, testing her healed body. "I'll leave this afternoon after sorting out my things."
"Fair enough." Layse smirked. "It was funny how you didn't recognize Suz, though. The look on her face was priceless."
Cardea frowned. "I still don't... but you two are supposed to be some kind of famous celebrities, right? Honestly, it doesn't matter to me."
Layse chuckled. "Even though Suz didn't save you?"
Cardea shook her head. "I don't blame her... nor should I. It wasn't her fault, and seeing how she confessed, she clearly didn't mean for it to happen."
She glanced around. "Speaking of which, where is she? I haven't seen her all week."
Layse leaned back against the chair. "She was called in for some work. Won't be back for another week."
"I see."
"It's a shame, really. She was looking forward to your recovery, but she won't say it out loud. She's cute that way." Layse stood up and stretched. "Are you staying for lunch?"
Cardea hesitated. "Ahh, yes, if you don't mind."
"You're no trouble at all. You've been here for almost a week—you're not a stranger anymore. Speak comfortably, Car."
Cardea blinked. "Thank you, Sister Layse."
Layse smiled. "Good. Let me go prepare lunch. It's almost time."
Just as she reached the door, Cardea called out, "Sister Layse!"
Layse turned. "What is it?"
"What's the second half of the poem?"
Layse's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Hope that guides becomes light, but what follows it through the dark is will."
Then she was gone.
Cardea exhaled softly. "It's a good poem..."
.
.
.
All of my injuries recovered, leaving no trace behind no scars no pain.
I tried walking and it didn't hurt, now the only thing left to do is book a taxi to the apartment.
A few days ago when it didn't hurt much I went through the things in my backpack, it had an admission letter, and other essentials, including the apartment address, room number and passkey among many other things.
I need to prepare for the academy. I have around 10 days left till the evaluation and class assignment.
The academy system here is as such.
for a total of 4 year period, where in the first year we are taught basic knowledge about monsters, space rifts, dungeons and we choose weapons which we will use from 2nd year forward.
At the end of 1st year there will be an evaluation in which ranks will be decided irrespective of the ranks given in the entrance exam.
Throughout the first year there will be continuous assessment that will decide the overall ranking and help in final ranking.
Why is the final ranking important in the first year?
Because based on the final rankings of the first year we are assigned to different schools, yes different schools where we will spend the remaining 3 years of school time.
School will decide for most of the students except top 100, top 100 ranking students get to decide which school they want to go to.
And there will be different races mixed in as peace was established around 20k years ago when all races came to a peace agreement and helped each other out as more and more space rifs and dungeons keep on forming.
But it's not like there is only one kingdom, aside from some small ones there are 14 kingdoms that are by far the strongest.
Among those, the kingdom of Nanstria, where I am, is ranked 7th.
It's not like they went before but later they became too unstable leading to loss of many and by many i mean billions of lives were lost.
But as time went on and with enough research we were about to predict and stabilise such dungeons and space riffs which lessened the number of such incidents.
What happens when a dungeon or space rift becomes unstable or overloads and explodes?
Simple, dungeons and space rifts are small gateways that connect this world to the ruined worlds where for some reason all organisms went mad and lost all sense with only desire for destruction remaining.
Although there were instances where some survivors were able to keep their rationality but these are rare cases but they still exist, in even rarer cases the whole clan or small kingdom is able to escape but not much of its details were revealed.