She asked if I wanted the best, or the best woman, and I gave a long rambling speech about not being a womaniser which was brought to an awkward end as Karla informed me she meant for Fala's comfort. After which I gave up trying to be useful in the task, taking a step back and letting Valo take the lead, leaving with an open offer for Klara to be welcome at our table for any meal.
Whilst the women handled the business, I sat in the corner reading like a child told to stay out of trouble, until Klara disappeared only to return with an older gentleman.
"I am Bilth, and I understand you are looking for someone to tutor a young would-be healer." The man was, for lack of a nice thing to say about him, a pompous arse. One so scared of the world proving him wrong, he had taken up permanent residence in the depths of the library's archives, evidenced by the pale complexion of decades of reclusiveness.
I chuckled politely, my internal dialogue running rampant with insults I was eager to throw at him, as I introduced myself, before apologising for any offence but insisted he needed to answer a few questions before he was accepted for the role, putting a hand on Valo's shoulder to silence her before she spoke.
"How many chambers in a human heart? How does one determine the root cause of ailment? How does one determine dosage?" My rapid fire questioning bringing him immediate and intolerable discomfort.
He gave the answers I expected from a man of advanced years and set ways to give. "Chambers in a man's heart? I would expect you to know that. The cause of ailment is either magical, divine or impurities developed through injuries. The dosage of magic required to heal depends on the injury or condition." And with that, I bowed in apology for wasting his time.
"Apologies, I would rather you not invest your 'knowledge' in my apprentices study." I then invited him to come and witness true healing some time, then asked him to bring me his least favourite student.
"Was that really necessary and why his least favourite student?" They snapped at me, as they argued my thinking.
I told them a current master's least favourite student was often a pathfinder to future breakthroughs, and a more interesting individual. Followed by my smuggest of grins upon seeing how my point was proven immediately.
The pompous arse returned a short moment later with a skinny, melancholic man in his mid-twenties, a rudimentary piercing in his left ear.I confused everyone, including the young man, by asking how his headaches had been lately then apologised and introduced myself.
He returned my introduction, then asked how I knew about the headaches.
"You have a distended jugular vein, which can be a symptom of dehydration, common in people who suffer from migraines. You also pierced your ear in a point which can bring relief to people suffering. My best guess would be you noticed rubbing that spot helped, and pierced it thinking the continuous pressure would help."
Everyone's confusion turned to shock, I then guessed that the old man scolded him for it, that it hadn't helped much and finally that he had been self harming.
He turned to leave, the anticipated rejection evident in his whole demeanour as he assumed The Arse, as he will be known henceforth, brought him simply as a means to embarrass and demoralise him further.
The Arse asked if I truly intended to employ the "deviant" and earned a blood chilling glare. I may have briefly misjudged how much animosity I was emitting as the chief receptionist and well trained Valo took a step back and slid into a subtle defensive stance.
I had a soft spot for people suffering with the ailment, remembering the misery it caused me in my original form, and people making light of it easily drew out that life's animosity. Though in my case being a genocidal psychopath that was tirelessly formulating plans to turn the world to ash one continent at a time was probably the root cause.
I then told him that whilst knowing his position was a good start, I'd rather have his name since it would certainly be more useful than the last I had heard, then waited for The Arse to storm off before informing Klara he was an abusive instructor and should be watched carefully.
The young man then introduced himself as Kadri, whose face threatened to erode from tears when I promised I would help him manage the migraines more effectively. I patted him on the head reassuringly, as I contemplated what an appropriate means of consolement was for a man his age who was crying. He seemed a tender sort however, so I thought my instinctive response of brutal banter might be misinterpreted.
After it had gone on long enough to make me fear Eve's wrath at our dallying, I abruptly said goodbye to Klara, and clapped loudly as I told my two new employees that we needed to move. As we speed walked toward the clinic Valo asked if I was going to share my memories with him and I said that I wouldn't until I had gotten the migraines under control.
As we rounded the last corner, I told him to just go with the flow until then, warning him that we were an eccentric group.
Valo said that was an understatement, but added that the food and pay would make it, smiling warmly when he said my promise to help him with the pain his own body subjected him to was enough.
As we entered I heard a small girl shout "Duck!" and heeded the warning as a blade of light suddenly made the door above the height of my neck swing independently, and I shouted a reminder that I had companions.
Eve opened the door and asked the aforementioned what bout of psychosis made them agree to work for me, and I earned everyone a visceral lesson on why we speak nicely. "You start the day by trying to tell me about your ex's and now you want to call me the mad one."
"Hey, hey, hey, as far as I know I've been single since birth, I was only saying women have got possessive after expressing their feelings before." As I braced for the impact of the incoming retaliatory attack, I felt the impact of something else as Fala made herself a shield to stop Eve.
Though it brought our quarrel to an end for the time being, we sat her down and gave her the most hypocritical lecture on reckless behaviour that has ever been given, earning ourselves a lecture from Valo, which got more than a little personal between Eve and her.
Finally Kriel, Doran and Kadri, the only sensible and uninvolved adults stepped in to bring the antics to an end as I laughed and declared that the clinic was going to be fun.
With a loud clap I garnered everyone's attention and gave them all a tour and run through of operating procedures for the clinic, from maintaining cleanliness and readiness, to filling out patient files and storing them.
I then had Valo and Fala run through with Kadri as a patient, who I told to act as though he were here only for his migraine treatment.
I was proud of how confidently Fala spoke, using the explanation sheet to answer his questions as to why certain bits of information were needed, though my pride was greater still when he pretended to be unwilling to divulge a certain piece of information.
"If you don't want treatment, please leave so we don't waste time burying you, we could use it to help others who want it." Those, words, from, Fala. That pride, that pride damn near brought a tear to my eye.
The synchronised punches I received from Eve and Valo, are what drew it out ultimately though.
Valo lectured me on corrupting her precious Fala.
Eve lectured me on infecting others with my cynicism.
Kriel and Doran took bets on who would kill me in the end.
Kadri, well, he bottled the difficult act and became a star patient. His opinion of Fala going from, "I will do my best to teach her" to, "I will shut up and do what I'm told, this girl scares the crap out of me."
After Fala finished and showed him to a bed, I asked if he had a migraine at the time, which he denied as I measured his pulse and checked for pupil reactiveness.
I then talked Fala through the observations I made earlier, whilst she took notes as best she could, though in spite of her general illiteracy she had made notes she was capable of following even if the rest of us couldn't.
"Kadri, your first task is to teach her to read and write properly, unless we get patients to come in she will be your full time student."
Kadri nodded before outlining his intentions, whilst I finished evaluating his condition, then yelped as I grabbed his arm.
I rolled his sleeve up and the signs of bloodletting were obvious, luckily there was no sign of infection but I spoke Fala through cleaning it up and dressing it properly.
When my exam was finished I showed him the filtered water, telling him to drink at least one cup every two hours, then gave him an ampule to take if he ever got a really bad one.
With that I set to work on rectifying the piercing, explaining that it isn't a guaranteed preventative, but has been observed to reduce severity and frequency. As I removed the original piercing, and had Eve restore the ear to how it was originally, he told me he had heard rumours of me and asked where I learned it.
"Less where and more when, by my time about a hundred lifetimes ago, give or take but don't think too hard about it yet."
As he sat in awe and ignorance, I conjured a selection of piercings for him and asked which he wanted to have first, saying he could have all that he liked but would need to leave the first in until I said.
He picked one that resembled a snake, which when locked ate its own tail, stating snakes were a symbol of healing and that he loved them.
Growing self conscious when the others groaned and I turned away from him, unaware they were anticipating my inevitable trip with him to visit Askel before we left on our expedition and my imminent rambling about how cute my familiar was.
The rambling I mentioned was brought to what seemed an almost immediate halt as Valo mentioned it was well past noon and I had contractual obligations to feed them.
Fala asked if she could come with me but I said that she was going to start her studies, then placed a warning hand on Kadri and asked if he knew that discipling was not to be done in line with The Arse's standards.
He met my gaze out of habit, but he regretted the decision immediately as he felt the full weight of the hand upon him whilst ensuring me he knew better.
I told Kriel to join the lessons since he seemed to struggle with human literacy, then told Kadri he could discipline the demon who princess carried me however he saw fit, before adding that I would have preferred being carried like a sack of potatoes over the indignity he subjected me to.
As I turned to leave Eve attempted to jump into my arms so I could carry her as Kriel had done to me, however, I made no attempt to catch her and she hit the floor as I reminded her how she stated she'd not attempt to alter my treatment of her.
As I stepped over her though she jumped on my back, and I sighed before continuing, the last thing I heard as we left was Fala's surprise as Valo filled her in.
It was unfortunate that the trip was so short.
Whilst I didn't feel the same kind of love for either Eve or Ever, I felt it to the same degree, and having her arms wrapped around me as her head rested on my shoulder and she hummed in my ear.
I had craved such peace for far longer than some stars had shone overhead. "Would you forgive an old man for his tears?"
"For as long as you forgive a young lady's fancies."
Her arms tightened as tears of pure joy fell slowly, I never thought ill of myself for crying from sorrow, frustration, anger or laughter, but crying from peace was so alien I felt a fool. Then the moment came to an end before I knew it, and I silently mourned its passing as I prepared everyone's lunch.
When we arrived at the clinic again, Kadri was midlesson and more than a little intimidated by the frustrated demon he was trying to explain grammar to.
"The full stop is pointless! They know I have finished because I stopped talking!" I mean I couldn't argue, but I felt like he was missing the point that it was for written communication rather than verbal. "...And this apostrophe, they know a letter is missing because it isn't there."
"The full stop is purely for written communications, silence doesn't factor in. As for the apostrophe… well truth be told I agree with you, but some people aren't as smart as you." Kadri's defusing of the situation was impressive as the increasingly big-headed demon sat down.
As I told him he was getting shown up by a child though Kriel looked even more frustrated, and I thought for a moment he may actually snap and attack me. His attention seemed diverted after a mysterious and intensely bright light began to shine behind me; however it disappeared before I could confirm the source.
It was Eve, I knew it, they knew it and we all acted dumb.
Chuckling nervously, Valo… brave, brave valo… Spoke up and asked why I was dragging my heels in serving lunch.
In honour of her bravery I took a shaky step forward, flinching as the floorboard creaked beneath the weight of an ill placed heel.
(I may be over exaggerating, it was definitely enough to kill the animosity, but I blew it more and more out of proportion with every retelling I twisted my own memory of it. Sorry Eve, but it was funny.)
It was strange sitting around the table in the clinic breakroom, it was pleasant, but I sensed the distant stirring of the signature pain that came with breaking through one of the memory blocks.
I asked Eve and she said she felt the same, then Fala started getting herself pumped up to take care of us, which made us feel bad and focused on eating so she could relax.
It was concerning how disappointed she was at us being ok. Regardless of the emotional rollercoaster we experienced, we were all enjoying the time together.
When we were done, I decided to go over the work Kriel and Fala had done in our absence, it was infantile academia and I couldn't help but smirk mockingly at Kriel.
Understandably frustrated he said he would like to see how I do with demonic script, so I smirked mockingly once more, then wrote out 'Suck it. After the first thousand languages, it is easy." I was admittedly being childish, trying to goad him into picking a fight for no reason, however it had the surprising effect of making him more determined to learn.
As I sulked about my failure Eve tried to comfort me, whilst Valo asked if my goading Kriel wouldn't be the guy friend version of adultery.
"Uh huh and Halsan, Byurik and Leeson would have been so jealous, yet too embarrassed to express it and it would have ruined their entire week." The thought of their inexplicable disenchantment at the scene of feeling excluded from my goading and playful menace, brought a smile to my face. The comforting stopped after that, in fact I suddenly became invisible.
It didn't last long however, the door to the clinic opened and we heard Rein asking for assistance, of course Fala tried to run to her father but Eve grabbed her as I headed down with Valo.
When I saw that Rein wasn't the one in need I shouted back that it was safe for Fala to come down and whilst Valo and Eve checked the man in, I explained to Fala how dangerous it can be to treat someone she cares about.
Fala nodded, taking it to heart immediately and breathing deeply, she then greeted the patient when the others finished and led him to a bed.
When I saw the jetting blood I apologised to her for skipping the steps and told her to begin casting a healing spell immediately as I wrapped a constriction band to lessen blood flow. I then watched carefully, ready to take over if Fala made a single mistake.
Fala was not born blessed, her magic potential was on the low end, her education was nonexistent, but that day she showed us what ambition and heart can do. Not only did she pronounce every syllable of the long and complex spell perfectly, she did so with confidence, I looked over at Eve but she was in awe.
When Fala finally finished the spell activated, healing the man's leg completely but draining all the mana that Fala possessed, making her wobble before sinking to her knees fatigued. With the patient out of danger I focused on restoring Fala's mana, telling Rein he would need to join us upstairs when we were done.
After a couple of minutes Fala was back on her feet, at which point I recapped the observations I didn't have time to cover before, then checked where the wound was for discoloration. I explained that when you pass out while casting it was best to make sure the spell worked properly, then I set up an IV drip with a special nutrient bag to help propagate blood production.
When the patient was stable and only required a bit of rest, we headed back up, leaving Valo as a watcher.