Chapter 76: Fallen Bet
Outside the infirmary, stood an elderly man, peering inside the room with a curious look on his face. He glanced at Master Godric before saying, "Is that why you called me in a hurry?"
Master Godric shifted his head slightly such that he could look at his dear friend. He said to him with a charming smile, "Did you not say that you wanted to delve deeper into the world of medicine and healing?"
"I called you to witness the start of a new era in the field of healing and medicine. Are you not happy, Gavin?"
Master Gavin once worked as a healer in the Imperial Army but retired the very day when Emiliano took over the throne.
He didn't care what others had to say, Gavin was certain that the death of the late Emperor had something to do with Emiliano and not Damien.
That man had neither the courage nor the wits to do such a thing.
And Master Godric respected his friend for that very reason.
Gavin snorted. He said to Master Godric, "Don't make it sound like you did it for me. I am sure you have something that you want me to do in exchange, you sly bastard."
Master Godric simply smiled upon hearing his words. He neither agreed nor denied the implications that were hidden in Gavin's words.
"Thalia, while I connect the vessels continue pressing this spot," Gavin who had parted his lips turned and glanced inside the infirmary completely forgetting the taunt that he wished to throw at Master Godric.
"Here?" Thalia asked while pressing the spot that Damien had asked her to press.
"That's right," Damien picked up the thin needle. "We need to tighten the skin a little for the needle to pass through swiftly," he explained to her.
And the next moment, he started sewing Sigurd's skin and vessels together as if he were mending clothes.
"He is repairing the blood vessels with the help of a thread and needle?" Gavin exclaimed in an awed voice, he had never seen a skill such as this one before.
Gavin watched him sew the skin back together and his eyes widened. He felt shocked and thrilled at the new technique that Damien had displayed in front of him.
Was there such a technique in healing and medical arts? Gavin knew that there was none. There was not a single book on medical and healing practice that he had not read and not one book told him about such an innovative approach to deal a wound.
And the anti-venom!
It was truly a miraculous discovery.
"Well?" Master Godric asked with a satisfied expression. "What do you think?"
Gavin glanced at him while stroking his long white beard. He muttered with a pondering expression, "Wait for a while, the man is still unconscious. We will discuss the matter when that man wakes up."
"Then you might as well think of what you want to do as quickly as possible," Master Godric remarked. "Look at Azriel. He seems like he wants to make Damien disappear— he knows and understands what kind of changes Damien's skills and abilities can bring."
"Is that so? I on the other hand think that he is about to run for his Mama," scoffed Master Gavin. He had never liked Azriel, the man was too arrogant and eager to butter up the higher-ups.
In the past, he used to behave like a lapdog in front of him but the second he realised that Gavin could not help him with what he wanted, he turned his back on him.
These days his haughtiness was simply unparalleled in front of Master Gavin.
He glanced at Master Godric before speaking snappishly, "Of all people, you just had to choose him."
"Well he was the only one eager to work for a fallen beastman like me," Master Godric chuckled as he brought the thick cigar to his lips and took a swig.
Inside the infirmary, Damien finished patching Sigurd up. As he snipped the thread after the final stitch, he turned to look at Adikus and said to him, "For the next few days, just eat something light and clean the wound every morning and evening with alcohol."
"I will take the stitches out after three weeks."
Adikus felt relieved, it was as if the weight on his shoulders had finally lifted. "Thank you! Thank you, Lord Damien," he paused and lowered his head in a bow before saying, "And I am sorry for being rude to you in the afternoon. I was too worked up over the safety of my friend and ended up saying some rude things to you."
Martha nodded alongside Adikus with teary eyes.
"Lord Damien is really great! He is the greatest of all! The greatest! That's right," Maui, who had stayed quiet throughout the surgery, finally spoke up. He looked proud and happy if others didn't know better they would have thought that it was this stead who succeeded in treating Sigurd.
Gina giggled upon hearing the stead's words, even Xavier cracked a little smile when he looked at him flying over their heads.
Everyone was filled with relief except a certain man who was staring at the crowd that was cheering for Damien with a twisted expression.
Seeing them cheer for Damien, he found it hard to breathe.
Azriel was worried about this very thing. In the past, he had followed Master Godric because back then he was young and filled with foolish ideas that reached beyond his capabilities.
And with the passing of every year he had gotten more and more used to being in power and truly adored the respect and reverie that he received from the guild.
With the sudden appearance of Damien, Azriel couldn't help but feel threatened.
If this goes on, would he not lose the position that he held dear to him? Azriel thought to himself and panicked.
No.
He couldn't allow Damien to take over. If he did then what would happen to him?
The cogs in his head turned as his gaze fell on the unconscious man on the bed. A sudden idea flashed in his head and Azriel turned to look at Damien with a smug look on his face.
He raised his hands and started clapping, "Bravo! Bravo! Lord Damien, you have really opened my eyes today by healing someone without using magic."
Damien turned and looked at Azriel, having worked with a bunch of superficial hypocrites, he knew that this praise wasn't free from sarcasm.