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"Was the treatment… successful?"
Lying on a soft hospital bed, Keare opened his eyes again to the sight of a pristine white ceiling and the worried gaze of a silver-haired girl.
When using 'Recovery' magic, it might have been limited by the injury.
Mental exhaustion, at most, would cause dizziness and blurred vision, but he never expected to completely black out, and still feel uncomfortable even after waking up.
As for whether the boast he made was fulfilled?
This was the question he cared about most, as it concerned his future path to earning money, but putting everything else aside, at least he had gained something in terms of ability values.
"If it failed…"
"I need to rest briefly; I can only continue the treatment after my mental power recovers."
If it were any other patient who didn't even care about their own body and was still thinking about other trivial matters, Amid would definitely be very angry.
But her gaze lingered on Keare's handsome face.
She truly couldn't bring herself to scold him, only feeling a pang of heartache: "Keare, shouldn't you be thinking about yourself first?!"
"It's just excessive mental exhaustion."
"Mainly, I boasted in front of Miss Amid, and wouldn't it be embarrassing if I couldn't deliver?" Keare's smile was shy.
He was actually thinking about such a problem!
The girl didn't know whether to be angry or to laugh out loud, but then she thought about how teenagers in puberty always try to show off in front of girls.
Amid actually found it somewhat amusing.
"You did it."
"It was very successful; the patient's legs are completely healed."
"In all my years as a Healer, I have never seen such a miraculous healing method as yours. Not to mention other Healers in Orario."
"Even if…"
"Placed throughout the entire world, this is an unprecedented miracle!"
These words came from her heart. From a Healer's perspective, Amid hoped that Keare could continue to develop and delve deeper into this path.
As for the title of 'strongest,' it was only natural for him to have it.
Because of this, many Adventurers who were physically disabled due to Dungeon exploration would be able to choose the direction of their future lives again.
But could she demand it of Keare?
Of course not.
Amid could treat all patients seriously and equally, and this was out of her own will; she couldn't impose it on Keare.
Crucially.
The price Keare had to pay when healing patients made her heart ache.
"Tell me the truth."
The girl looked at Keare's pale face, clearly not believing that the only cost was a reduction in the patient's attribute values: "Does the magic have side effects on you too?"
"It's just…"
"The entire process of the patient's injury, at the moment of healing, turns into memories that are poured into my mind."
Although he wasn't sure to what extent Amid had imagined things, Keare still truthfully explained to her the scenes he had just experienced in his mind.
The entire process of the injury would be poured into Keare's mind?
Isn't that… empathy?!
Upon receiving the accurate answer, Amid's expression became solemn. Even empathizing with a situation was difficult, let alone the pain Keare experienced.
"I'm sorry."
"This is my own choice."
Without correcting Amid's increasingly divergent thoughts, Keare struggled to get up from the hospital bed, feeling… his mental power continuously recovering.
And the empty bottle of potion on the table next to him.
It should be the Dian Cecht Familia's signature 'Panacea.' If he could endure it and save this bottle of potion used on himself.
Wouldn't that reduce costs and increase revenue?
But the healing just now was not without benefits; at least he knew that overly severe injuries could not be healed with his current mental power.
Even if he tried.
He would very likely fall into a coma due to exhaustion.
"It's just that I didn't expect the side effects to be so intense!"
"…What are your plans next… No, why would you think of displaying this magic, which is enough to drive all Familia in Orario mad, in front of me?"
As for Keare's motives.
Amid was still a little unclear.
"I don't have Miss Amid's gentle and kind personality. It's mainly about making money. The current conditions of my Familia are really bad, and relying on Dungeon exploration."
"It's truly very difficult to improve them."
"I can't possibly let Lady Hestia continue to live in the basement with me, can I?"
The charm of language lies in beautifying and processing facts, and Keare was very good at this. As long as he could achieve his goal, this was the right way.
A seemingly simple reason.
Yet it made Amid feel a resonance from her heart. When her Familia was left with only herself, her thoughts were also like this: to bear the burden of the Familia.
To support the Dian Cecht Familia to continue.
She pursed her lips, wanting to know Keare's true needs: "Then what are you going to do next…"
"Could you…?"
"Let me take on a part-time job here with Miss Amid. If there are other patients with physical disabilities, and if they are willing, I can help."
Keare's smile was exceptionally sincere.
And since his original goal was precisely this, Amid had no reason to refuse. She nodded gently and then asked, "Then why don't you do it yourself?"
"My path of development is still to choose Dungeon exploration."
"Moreover, just as Miss Amid said earlier, my magic should be of interest to those powerful Familia."
"I don't want to change Familia. If it weren't for Lady Hestia, I probably wouldn't even be able to stand before you now."
The young man hesitated to speak but expressed all his thoughts.
His personality was sincere and frank.
He harbored gratitude towards the goddess who had helped him; when he woke up, he was also concerned about whether the healing had been completed. Faced with such an excellent and handsome young man.
It was truly hard for Amid not to feel favorably towards him.
She didn't hesitate and nodded gently: "Your request is actually fine."
"It's just… how do you plan to hide it from those powerful Adventurer Familia? You know, there are no airtight walls in Orario."
"…"
Keare didn't speak, merely fixing his gaze on Amid.
The meaning was obvious.
Amid shook her head gently, a hint of helplessness in her eyes: "You're not thinking of putting the fame of healing severed limbs on me, are you?"
"Such empty fame is just a burden to me."
"No problem, I can swear by the Dian Cecht god that I will not tell anyone about the special nature of your healing magic, including other gods."
"But I can't control other people."
If it really came to that, given Keare's personality, he would definitely be unwilling to change Familia.
The girl thought carefully. If all else failed, she would use her connection with the Loki Familia to provide him with some protection. This was already the limit of what she could do.
Thinking of this.
Amid's mood greatly eased. The smile on her delicate face was incredibly sincere, even carrying an expectation for Keare's arrival.
She actively extended her slender hand:
"Welcome, Keare. From now on, you will be my outsourced personnel at the Pure White Sanatorium! I'm really looking forward to our… "
"Time together!"