To Hell with Being a Saint, I’m a Doctor

Chapter 138: A Successor To Entrust (2)

Ray, with some spare time, chatted with Aira about various topics.

As they conversed, the topic of Proxia arose.

When Ray mentioned that their base was in the Grensia Mountains, Aira fell into deep thought.

“Grensia…”

She frowned slightly, as if she held some knowledge about the place.

Her murmuring voice seemed to hint, “Why there, of all places?”

Ray inquired, “Is there something there?”

His casual question received a startling reply.

“That place is a village governed by another High Elf, not me.”

Ray quickly inferred that the village Aira referred to was an Elf village.

He furrowed his brow as he took a sip of his tea.

What could this mean?

He had already begun ‘nurturing’ Zik due to military issues, and now there was a village under the control of another High Elf!

If this High Elf was as mighty as Aira, the situation wasn’t just concerning; it was alarming.

A confrontation might result in other countries being caught in the fallout.

Ray clasped his throbbing head.

Asking more questions seemed futile.

After all, the presence of a High Elf in an Elf village was entirely possible.

Though High Elves are exceedingly rare, they are not unheard of.

Famous mountain ranges and Elf villages often have High Elves in residence.

Aira placed her small hands on Ray’s head, gently massaging it, and said, “Hmm… I don’t think he’s a bad person, though…”

“Though?”

“He’s definitely not foolish. Nobody would welcome someone arriving at their village with the intent to fight.”

“That’s problematic.”

“Well, as long as you don’t do anything too conspicuous, you should be fine… he usually doesn’t get involved.”

Ray’s expression remained grim at her words.

He intended to make a significant move – to completely obliterate Proxia.

But if such an act took place in their territory, even a non-interfering High Elf couldn’t simply stand by idly.

In the worst case, he might have had to face Proxia, Elves, and even Dwarves together.

Moreover, a forest governed by a High Elf wasn’t just about confronting that village.

A High Elf stood above all other elves.

If he attacked such a village, the other Elves nearby wouldn’t just sit by idly.

‘I don’t want to make enemies of the Elves… especially since Aira is one…’

Ray asked her, “Is that High Elf as strong as you?”

“All High Elves are exceptionally strong, in a different league compared to other Elves.”

Aira replied to Ray without hesitation, looking him straight in the eyes.

Ray was shocked by her next words.

“But I’m different. I serve as the guardian of these High Elves.”

“Pfft!”

Ray, who was quietly drinking tea, choked on it.

“Cough! Cough!”

Aira gently patted his back.

“Pfft. Is it that surprising?”

“Cough! Of course, it is!”

Ray was surprised to learn that High Elves had a role known as ‘Guardian.’

Wasn’t guardianship usually undertaken by the elves of the village?

Reading his thoughts, Aira covered her mouth and laughed.

“There is a role of guardian among High Elves. It’s not a role that involves much work, but when something happens to another High Elf, the guardian must investigate and resolve it.”

Hearing this, Ray had to revise his thoughts.

Attacking the Elves was not an option.

If that happened, a battle with the High Elves would be inevitable, and he might even end up fighting Aira if things went wrong.

It would be an extremely cruel situation.

He must annihilate Proxia’s army without harming the Elves.

The army included a large number of Sword Masters, 6th Circle Magicians, and a presumed 7th Circle Grand Magician.

Even if Ray engaged with all his might, it seemed impossible to avoid harming the Elves.

Deep in thought about what to do next, Aira stood up.

“It’s time for me to go. I’m relieved to see you awake.”

“Thank you for worrying about me. I appreciate you coming often, even though it must be hard to find the time.”

Aira shook her head in response.

“Didn’t you take care of me the same way? I’m the one who should be thankful.”

Unlike her sullen arrival, she left with a smile.josei

Aira waved her hand slightly.

“Take care. I’ll come again.”

With that, she wove a magic circle in the air and disappeared through the gate.

It was always high-level magic.

Left alone in the library, Ray sighed heavily.

Proxia’s choice of location had been a stroke of genius.

How had they settled in such an optimal place?

In a neutral area of the mountains where no one visited, Dwarves and Elves were too busy fighting each other.

In the midst of this, there was a non-interfering High Elf’s forest, which meant as long as there was no harm, they didn’t care whether humans or orcs lived there.

It seemed the only way was to hasten Zik’s growth and head to the Gronsia Mountains.

---

On the morning of the exact one-week mark, Zik visited Ray’s mansion.

Ray appeared outwardly calm but was quite surprised internally.

He had mastered the mana composition of the aura in just one week?

Even for a genius, that was a task that usually took about a month.

Was this why he was the youngest Sword Master?

Unaware of Ray’s thoughts, Zik bowed his head in embarrassment.

“I’m ashamed to have come exactly on the one-week mark.”

Ray took it a step further.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone take a week just for mana mixing. Follow me.”

It was true.

There would be no one in the world who could learn that in just one week.

Saying this, he led the way to the training ground, with Zik trailing behind.

Ray drew his wooden sword and nodded at Zik, who then produced an aura blade.

Whooosh-

Mana gathered around Zik’s sword, forming a distinct aura blade.

It was incomparably more solid than his previous one.

‘This is more than sufficient.’

Ray smiled as he observed his aura.

“Practiced a lot, have you?”

A weighty response came back to his light-hearted question.

“I have practiced non-stop here since the day you taught me, my lord.”

“……”

Seen in a good light, he was a hard worker with great loyalty; in a bad light, he was a madman who knew no limits.

Despite being a genius, he never slacked off in his efforts, naturally leading to results.

Hadn’t he mastered the mana mixing of the aura blade in just a week?

Ray asked in a startled voice.

“You, you, then what about meals…?”

“To leave my place after receiving such profound teachings from you, my lord, would be unthinkable.”

Correction.

Zik was a madman.

His mind must be out of order.

Even for a Sword Master, surviving a week without proper meals or a sip of water was no small feat.

Moreover, Zik had been continuously using mana to form the aura blade.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he was extremely exhausted.

He was practically a patient!

Ray said urgently.

“I’m starving! I feel like I’m going to collapse from hunger! Zik, order a meal for the two of us right away!”

“To think the saint has suffered so much, the servants of this mansion must be out of their minds. I will handle it properly.”

As he spoke, he drew his sword.

If left unchecked, the servants who merely served meals well for a week might lose their heads.

Ray waved his hand to correct himself.

“On second thought, I’m not about to collapse! Just order the meal!”

“…Understood.”

Zik bowed and left the training ground for where the servants were.

Places like training grounds, where various secret techniques are practiced, are not places outsiders can enter casually.

That applied to the servants as well. That’s why no servants were seen around.

The thought that Zik’s sword might have swung at them had they been there sent shivers down Ray’s spine.

---

After finishing the meal and instructing Zik to rest for a day, Ray met with him again the following day.

Ray drew his wooden sword.

“We learned the mana mixing for the aura blade yesterday, but that’s just the basics of releasing aura. What we’re going to learn now are the real techniques.”

“I’ll listen carefully.”

Upon hearing Zik’s response, Ray snapped the wooden sword he was holding in half.

As Zik looked on, puzzled at the half-broken sword, Ray began infusing mana into the broken piece.

An aura blade then sprouted forth.

Interestingly, despite the wooden sword being broken, the aura blade maintained its distinct shape as if it were intact.

Ray explained.

“Mana control is very important here. You don’t need to fill the sword completely with aura; just maintaining the shape is easier. Use the mixing you’ve practiced for a week to maintain the size of this wooden sword. I’ll give you another week for this.”

“Understood.”

Ray handed the half-broken wooden sword to Zik.

Zik, cradling the sword reverently with both hands, stared down at it intently.

Ray watched and smirked.

“It probably won’t go as well as last time.”

Sustaining the aura blade for something formless is extremely difficult.

Even if it’s half-broken, how many could succeed?

Ray observed Zik attempt to release the aura several times before returning to the mansion.

He considered offering more instructions, but allowing Zik to find his own way seemed more appropriate.

Perhaps that innate ability to break through was the key to his growth.

It was better for him to fully grasp one concept than to learn many superficially.

Too many fail to master anything of significance by spreading themselves too thin.

Watching Zik grow stronger brought Ray a sense of pride.

After all, Zik was his first disciple in a way.