Chapter 26

Grand Knight Alcides didn't mind me skipping his class.

In fact, he seemed glad to see me leave, but not before making me run five laps with the rest of the class.

They didn't even bother waiting for me to finish, and started the class with out me. I simply slipped away, wet with perspiration, and headed for the infirmary.

"Neophytes who wish to join the medical corps, please come this way!"called a tall senior wearing glasses so thick they looked like bottle bottoms. "Write your name in the roster under the position you want, and wait for your name to be called."

I was surprised to see that there were quite a few applicants from the other year levels as well. More than half of them were quite fit and bulky, like the aids who brought Arman to the infirmary last week, while a handful looked slim and scrawny like myself. In fact, I saw two of my fellow neophytes from the Charlie brigade, there were a fewfrom the beta and alpha brigadesas well.

My fellow Charlie cadets went towards me when they saw me.

"Patrick! So, you decided to join the medical corps, too!?" asked a classmate with pasty looking skin and oily blonde hair tucked behind his ears. Beside him was a bespectacled lad with big green eyes and hair as red as the freckles on his pointy face.

"I see you two decided to come here as well?"

"That's right, we didn't want to join Grand KnightAlcides' classanymore," replied the blonde with a weak laugh as he looked at the perspiration dripping off my chin.

"I guess I should have gone straight here as well," I answered awkwardly.

"Ah, I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves..." he suddenly said, reaching out a clammy hand to me. "My name is Elmer, and thisis Norman."

"I-it is a pleasure to meet you, y-your Lordship!" Norman said nervously, bowing his head so abruptly, that his glasses almost slipped off his protruding ears.

"Please, just call me Pat," I said with a smile. "So, have you already registered?"

"A while ago, yes," replied Elmer.

"Then, may I ask what the seniormeant about positions?"

"Ah, that was Senior Triste," answered Elmer. "They seem to have several positions available in the infirmary. There's the highest position of 'physician' for the 4th to 6th year seniors gifted with the healing ability from the goddess, 'medical aid' for third years who are interested in medicine, 'apothecary' for those knowledgeable with herbs and potions, and 'medic' for those who are buff enough to help out in the field."

"The only positions available for neophytes like us, though, are apothecary and medic," said Norman, raising his glasses with his index finger.

"We plan to join the apothecary team, since it's easier, all we need to do is help prepare medicine in the infirmary," continued Elmer. "Medics are usually strong able students that can carry patients back to the infirmary."

"Is that so? I guess I'll sign under the apothecary position as well..."

I went to the front with my two new companions and looked at the roster.

It seems the apothecary was not a very popular choice, as there were only five names beneath it.

"I-I wonder what kind of test we would be taking..." Norman asked as we waited for our names to be called.

"I heard apothecary candidates are asked to name several herbs and potions," Elmer said confidently. "I come from a family of doctors, you see, a cousin of mine used to be part of the medical corps as well."

"I'm pretty familiar with potions, too," Norman said with a shy smile, "m-my family trades medicine with nearby countries, so I'm confident that I could pass."

"I guess you two won't find the exam difficult, then," I said with a smile.

"What about you, Lord Patrick?" asked Elmer.

"I also have an interest in medicine, thus, I am familiar with them as well," I replied, "although, all my knowledge comes from books... so I am not as confident as you two are..."

"Well, perhaps it would be a written exam," Norman tried cheering me up.

"Let's wish each other luck, then!" I told them. "I hope that we would never need to attend Grand Knight Alcides' class ever again!"

It was about an hour later that we were finally called.

"Kon, Norman, Elmer, Tom, and Patrick, please follow me," read a senior from the roster we signed.

"It seems that they are testing all 5 of us at the same time," Elmer told us.

"Please, let it be a written exam..." Norman mumbled.

I watched as the senior led us to an empty room. There were two other seniors with us whose grade level I was not aware of. We filed inside the room and found that it was mostly bare, except for a long table in front with several herbs and different colored bottles on top.

"Are these the only ones joining the apothecary class?" called Senior Triste from behind us. He entered the room and stared at us from head to toe.

"You and you," he pointed at one of the seniors and at Norman. "Go to room 107 for the medical aid position."

"E-excuse me?" asked Norman. "B-but, I'm a neophyte..."

"I'm sensitive to manna, and I sense potential in you," Senior Triste said flatly. "It's good to train early before you reach your4th year."

Norman's ears quickly turned pink.

"R-really, senior?" he asked happily before looking at Elmer and I. "I-I guess I'll see you later, then!"

"Good luck, and congratulations!" I called out to Norman as he left with the other candidate.

"Lucky him!" Elmer said with a pout. "I guess that means I've got no talent for medicine!"

"It means that your talent lies somewhere else," I corrected him with a smile. "Besides, you can still be a doctor even if you're not gifted with the Goddess' Healing Hands."

"You have a point there..." he smiled at me.

"Now, you three, come closer to the table," Senior Triste called to us. "You may not have the potential for divine healing, but might be a talented alchemist or apothecary instead. As you can see, there are several herbs and potions spread on this table," he continued, "I would like you to name as many as you can when I call your name."

And so, the exam began.

Luckily, I was able to name all the herbs, but wasn't able to identify half of the potions.

Elmer almost got a perfect score, while the second year senior, Kon, who was with us, was only able to identify a few.

"Elmer and Patrick passes, Kon, better luck next time," said Senior Triste who was busy jotting things down notes on a pad of paper. "Congratulations to you both," he told us as soon as Senior Kon left the room. "From now on, you are to attend training classes every morning for 3 hours, instead of joining Grand Knight Alcides' class."

Elmer and I couldn't help but sigh with relief, which caused Senior Triste's face to wrinkle up in a big grin.

"You can leave early for your other classes. I'll see you again on Monday."

"I guess that means Senior Triste would be the one training us?" I asked myself.

"That's right," Elmer answered beside me. "Senior Triste is the head apothecary, as well as one of the physicians who can use the Goddess' Healing Hands. He's already in his 6th year, and they say that he's training someone who would take his place once he graduates. Senior André, on the other hand, is head of the White Knights Medics team," he continued, "he's actually training them to be holy knights. Some even joke that he started it to create his own private army," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, no wonder the medics all look so intimidating," I said, eyebrows raised.

"You got that right, in fact, he commissioned some paladins from the Holy Order in the capital to help train his medics team. That's why a lot of alpha and beta neophytes from our class prefer to apply in the infirmary instead of joining Grand Knight Alcides' class," he added with in a whisper.

I looked around the infirmary as Elmer told me more information about the place.

Sure enough, a lot of able bodied students were gathered in an open room where André was giving an orientation.

I recognized one of them as Basil, one of the three third year students who received the blessing of the Purple Flame.

I'm glad he decided to come here, instead of joining the first prince's vassals.

Later, we entered Prof. Laurel Novil's room for the next lecture.

"Pat! Over here!"

I made my way towards my friends who saved a seat for me near the center of the room.

"So, how was applications?" asked Eliot.

"It was fun! I made it in the apothecary class with Elmer and Norman," I turned to look at our two fellow neophytes who shyly smiled at me.

"We never doubted you once!" Arman said proudly.

"Perhaps you would like to try it out, too, I'm sure you'll be able to pass with flying colors!"

"What colors?" Cat asked, his head tilted.

"I mean, he's sure to pass with no problems," I explained with a smile.

"Hmm... sounds interesting, it's definitely much better than sweating my pants off in Grand Knight Alcides' class. I'll just end up with unnecessary bulky muscles if I stay there!" Arman said thoughtfully. "I'll try applying next week."

We spent the rest of the day in diligent study.

Come lunch time, we went back to our room to eat with Darius, and made more plans for when he challenges the first crown prince on Monday.

"By the way, did you get to tell Senior André about the challenge?" Elliot asked.

"Not really," I replied. "I still have Monday morning, anyway. How about Prof. Noville?"

Elliot grinned and showed me a thumb's up sign.

"I sure hope Senior André shows up!" said Cat. "I really like him a lot! When I find Lycan, I'll ask him to be a White Knight medic with me!"

"How about Senior Nigellus?" I asked. "Did you find out where he usually is at 5 in the afternoon?"

"We did," Elliot replied with a grin. "One of our classmates has an older cousin in his class, he sent us Senior Nigellus' schedule."

"Then all we have to do now is wait." I looked at Darius who has been quiet for a while. "Are you okay, Darius?"

"Truth be told, I feel strangely calm. As if I'm ready to accept any outcome come what may..."

"Idiot! The only outcome that will come is a favorable one!" Arman said with a snort. "I'm sure you're gonna win this challenge!"

"That's right, Daruis! We believe in you!" said Cat, raising his balled fists.

Darius looked at us once more and gently smiled.

"That's right, I know I can win this," he said. "I'll finally be able to join you in classes next week once this challenge is through."

"But before that..."

I rose from my seat and took my tome from its hiding place. Raising my hand over Darius, I chanted the spell of reverting time upon him.

"Just to make sure that no one gets hurt," I explained as I said the same spell on my three other friends, seeping my mana dry for about five days.

"Woo! Tingly!" said Arman with a shiver.

"I guess you're a bit sensitive to mana," I smiled as I plopped on my bed due to spell casting fatigue.

"What was that spell for?" asked Elliot.

"It's a reverting spell," I explained with a sigh. "It can instantly return your condition to what it is today, in case you get injured."

"That's great! I feel wonderful today!" declared Cat with a jump.

"What an interesting spell..." Darius said thoughtfully. "And I couldn't even feel the mana you used just now..."

"That's due to the spell of concealment that I'm using."

"You're really full of amazing tricks!" Elliot said with a laugh.

"Thank you, Pat," said Darius, his sharp lilac eyes serious. "I shall never forget what you all have done for me."

"Stop talking like this is the last time you'll be thanking us!" Arman told him with a frown.

"Think nothing of it, this is good practice after all," I replied with a tired smile, "You can thank us again once this ordeal is over."

"And now it's time for dessert!" Cat said happily while Elliot pulled out new dishes out of his pouch.

They handed me the first slice of Aunt May's peach pecan pie to help relieve my fatigue.

At least I know I can now save my friends, and the reward of constant practice is a new mana ring.

Soon I will be able to use the remake spell as well.