The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows: Volume 6 E-Book

Sakaku Hishikawa

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 245

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Thanks to Zenos and Lily’s time at an academy for noble children and the assistance of several of its students, the gang is able to successfully establish St. Carmilla Academy, the first-ever school in the slums. There, the shadow healer meets Roa, a young girl with big dreams of adventure and bold claims of being the daughter of a legendary swordsman—the former Sword Saint.
When Roa runs into trouble, she finds herself face-to-face with the current Sword Saint and resolves to become the woman’s apprentice. Between this fateful meeting and a little push from a certain meddling wraith, Zenos finds himself dragged back into the adventuring lifestyle for the first time in a long while...

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Prologue

Chapter 1: The Launch of St. Carmilla Academy

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Departure

Chapter 3: Night at the Camp

Chapter 4: Zagras

Chapter 5: The Elite Healer and the Shadow Healer

Chapter 6: Attack and Pursuit

Chapter 7: The Sword Saint’s Lineage

Epilogue I

Epilogue II

Side Story: Her Impression

Afterword

Color Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Table of Contents

Color Illustrations

Prologue

A young man walked down a richly decorated hallway, its polished floor tiles reflecting his handsome features. His back was straight and slender, his movements graceful and precise, and his dark gray locks swayed gently over his detached eyes. He had an air of supreme elegance about him as he made his way past the rows of first-rate paintings adorning the walls.

When he stopped before a door adorned with intricate floral patterns, the servant at his side moved to slowly push it open.

“Lord Albert Baycladd has arrived,” the servant announced.

Albert, heir to House Baycladd—one of the seven great noble houses at the pinnacle of Herzeth’s aristocracy—quietly stepped inside. He pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed his head deeply.

“Apologies for the delay,” he said. “I have come in place of my father.”

Bright sunlight poured into the white-themed room from a skylight far above, illuminating a round table in the center. Around it, six other great nobles were already seated.

As Albert took his own seat, a narrow-eyed man across from him coughed briefly, then spoke. “While I would very much like to say ‘good day’ to you, Lord Albert, I find myself unable to. You may be part of the seven great houses, but you are only the heir. What were you thinking, keeping us waiting like this?”

“My apologies, Lord Giesz,” Albert replied politely. “I was held up by an argument with my father. He’s in poor health, yet he insisted on coming. It took quite a bit of effort to persuade him otherwise.”

“Ah, yes,” Lord Giesz replied with a soft cough. “Your father’s condition. How is it?”

“He seems to be suffering from a combination of advanced age and overwork. The long years of pressure must have finally caught up to him.”

“Hopefully that’s all it is.”

“What are you implying?”

“Your family is known for its scheming,” Lord Giesz said, gazing upon Albert coolly.

“Ah ha ha! You overestimate me,” Albert replied with a cheerful smile. “I’m still a novice. I’m no match for my father.”

“I certainly hope not.” The corners of Lord Giesz’s lips lifted into a small smile. “How goes your work as the headmaster of Ledelucia Academy, by the by?”

“It’s quite the meaningful duty. I find engaging with the youth quite refreshing.”

“Truly? Even though you went to the trouble of isolating problem students in Class F? Although I did hear that class disbanded without a single expulsion taking place.”

“Well-informed as always. Thanks to our intensive education efforts, the class turned out to be quite excellent.”

“I know you. I’m certain your plan was to get the entire class expelled before the next rank review meeting.”

“Ah ha ha! Quite harsh of you, Lord Giesz. The role of an educator is to safeguard the future of young people.”

“You, an educator? Quite the amusing jest. You’re a mediator of order in noble society, nothing more.”

Albert smiled. “Lord Giesz, all of us in the great noble houses make use of power to influence others. But I have found that in this world, there are those who, even without rank or fame to support them, exert influence through sheer skill and conviction. The realization that there are things beyond my control was quite the valuable lesson. I hope you have the chance to learn this as well someday.”

Seeing the usually guarded young nobleman wear such a pleased expression, Lord Giesz furrowed his thin brows. “What are you talking about?”

“Lord Giesz,” interjected a smooth baritone voice, “perhaps we should let the subject rest.”

It belonged to Lord Fennel, who was known for being a moderate. There was a rumor that his beloved daughter Charlotte was betrothed to Albert, but the engagement was unofficial and amounted to little more than a joke making the rounds at social gatherings. After all, marriages between the seven great noble houses could affect the power balance of the entire nation. They could not be decided solely by the individuals involved.

Charlotte herself didn’t seem to take the engagement seriously, but no one knew what Albert truly thought.

Lord Fennel looked around the round table as he spoke. “I hear we have matters of grave importance to discuss this month. We must present a united front, Lord Giesz.”

“I’ve always advocated for such myself,” Lord Giesz replied after a pause. He closed his eyes, leaning back into his chair.

With tensions momentarily settled, a state official who’d been waiting in a corner of the room nervously stepped forward. “Now then. Everyone, if we’re ready, I’d like to begin this session of the Council of the Seven.”

The Council of the Seven was a gathering of the highest-ranked nobles of the Kingdom of Herzeth to discuss the country’s policies. Lord Fennel had interrupted the exchange between Lords Giesz and Albert because even small talk at a meeting of this caliber could influence the tides of national governance.

“Today, we have a proposal from Lady Minerva,” the official continued.

Minerva, a noblewoman wearing a veiled hat, spoke in a soft and sensual tone. “The saintess has blessed us with a prophecy for the first time in a long while. ‘Rot is upon us,’ she says.”

Lord Giesz’s spine straightened at Lady Minerva’s words. “Is that true?”

“Oh? Are you accusing me of lying now?”

“I only wish to confirm the veracity of this very serious claim. How severe is the rot?”

“Most severe.”

In an instant, the room’s atmosphere turned tense.

“Most severe?” Lord Giesz repeated, stopping himself from folding his arms. “Surely you jest. It’s rare for rot to be severe at all, let alone most severe.”

“The saintess’s words are absolute, Lord Giesz. Surely you have not forgotten our nation’s history of prosperity?”

“I have not,” Lord Giesz muttered after a pause, huffing. “The saintess’s prophecies are always accurate. The issue with them is that the details, such as what exactly they’re about and when such an event will occur, are always vague.”

“That’s why we’re here today, Lord Giesz,” Lord Fennel interjected. “We have access to a wealth of information, both domestic and foreign. And we’ve used that information and our authority to confront national crises in the past, have we not?”

“Well, some things even we cannot fully grasp,” Albert remarked quietly with a daring smile. His words seemed to go unnoticed.

Lady Minerva, maintaining her dignified demeanor, directed her veiled gaze toward the others. “Does anyone have any ideas what this ‘rot’ might be? In the past, when severe rot was prophesied, we had an epidemic turn a district into ruins, or a natural disaster wipe out an entire town. Has anyone noticed any signs that point at this most severe rot?”

“One thing does concern me,” said one of the nobles seated at the table. “The Empire’s recent movements.”

The neighboring Malavaar Empire, which had grown rapidly in strength in recent years, had been engaging in border skirmishes with the Kingdom of Herzeth.

“If we focus too much on external threats, we risk overlooking internal dangers,” another noble said. “Should we not prioritize quashing the seeds of rebellion within our own nation?”

The Kingdom of Herzeth had a strict class system, and it was a well-known fact that the existence of the poor was meant to divert the dissatisfaction of the citizenry away from the government. Various conflicting factions like demi-humans, criminals, and ethnic minorities had been deliberately allowed to proliferate to keep the poor from uniting. At one point, there had been whispers of someone going by “the Mediator” trying to unite these groups. But an investigation by the Royal Guard had resulted in the dismissal of the possibility of such a leader existing, and that fact had since faded from the minds of the upper echelons.

As the nobles’ opinions grew more divergent, Lord Fennel turned his gaze to Albert. “And you? What do you think?”

Albert looked around the table, then turned his gaze back to Lord Fennel. “Are you aware that magical beasts and monsters have been more active as of late?”

“No. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“Understandably so. The increase in activity has been gradual, making it easy to miss. However, an analysis of quests and extermination records from various Adventurers’ Guilds shows a clear upward trend, especially in the Zagras region.”

“Zagras, you say?”

The nobles around the table all seemed somewhat unsettled. Located southwest of the royal capital, Zagras was a rugged, mountainous frontier. Though remote, it was rich in precious minerals, making it a region the kingdom could not afford to neglect.

“As I recall, about ten years ago there were rumors of an S Rank, catastrophe-level magical beast appearing there.”

The details regarding said beast remained unclear, as information was fragmented and the damage hadn’t been extensive enough for it to be a widely remembered event.

Albert scanned the room and continued, “If we can get an agreement from the Council of the Seven, we shall formally commission the Adventurers’ Guild to investigate.”

“You waste no time, do you? Truly, you are the future Lord Baycladd,” Lord Fennel remarked with an admiring nod.

Lord Giesz, meanwhile, seemed displeased. “Hmph. And I assume you’ve already selected the personnel? Sending in just anyone would only bloat the costs.”

Albert smiled and nodded. “We plan to limit participation to competent parties of Bronze Class and above.”

“Such a vague standard,” Lord Giesz scoffed. “Hardly convincing.”

“Worry not. I’ve already contacted the Silver Wolf.”

“What?”

“Not someone who easily accepts such requests, mind you, but indeed. We’ve secured the Silver Wolf’s agreement in advance for this one.”

Lord Giesz pressed his lips together in silence.

“A fabulous choice,” Lord Fennel said with a cheerful smile. “The Silver Wolf will no doubt uncover the source of the rot.”

“So we hope.”

“Hmph. Not bad at all, but can you provide adequate support for the Silver Wolf?” Lord Giesz asked, continuing to find fault.

“What might you mean by that, Lord Giesz?”

“A healer, for instance. Can you arrange for the finest healer available? This is, after all, a most severe rot. Even one as capable as the Silver Wolf may struggle alone.”

“We’ve already petitioned the Royal Institute of Healing for assistance. Lord Shalbart, the current director, will surely select the most suitable candidate.”

“Very well, then.” Lord Giesz folded his arms, falling silent.

Albert gave the nobleman a polite smile, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The finest healer. Though he had, indeed, already reached out to the Royal Institute, there was a certain individual who came to Albert’s mind as a potential candidate. He chose not to mention said individual, however, as he didn’t want to reveal the man’s existence at this gathering just yet.

A man with no status or possessions, but with the skills to foil even the plans of a member of one of the seven great noble houses. If there were anyone capable of excising the rot festering in the nation, it would be someone like him—unbound by the constraints of the system.

Albert knew this wasn’t someone he could simply order to act, but he’d nevertheless laid some groundwork in advance. A minor gamble. Fate allowing, the man would willingly become involved in this endeavor. And, should that thread of fate grow stronger, their paths would surely cross again in the future.

Would he win or lose? Albert had never enjoyed gambling—he always won, after all.

Who knew one day I’d find myself placing my bets on another, he thought uncharacteristically with a small, self-deprecating laugh.

Chapter 1: The Launch of St. Carmilla Academy

At the heart of the royal capital of the Kingdom of Herzeth was the royal palace, home to the nation’s ultimate authority. Around it was a special district where the country’s nobility resided. Beyond that was the town district, where the capital’s citizens found their rest and leisure. Between the city and the towering trees of the untouched forests outside the capital, acting as a barrier between the two zones, lay the forgotten slums, home to the poor.

And separating the city and the slums was a strip of ruins—the remains of a district once ravaged by a plague.

Today, a number of people of different races from the slums had gathered in one particular building located within those ruins. A man clad in a jet-black cloak, urged forward by a group pushing his back, stood at the front of the crowd.

“Whoa. It’s actually finished,” marveled Zenos, an unlicensed but brilliant practitioner of healing magic, nicknamed the shadow healer. He was breathing heavily—having just finished treating a patient—as he slowly lifted his gaze.

“Yep. All done, doc,” said the leader of the lizardmen, Zophia, with a smile.

“I could cry,” remarked Lynga, boss of the werewolves, as her wolfish ears twitched in delight.

“Indeed. It’s finally finished,” noted Loewe, chieftain of the orcs, crossing her muscular arms.

Everyone was staring up at the brand-new, wood-built school building, bathed in the morning sunlight. The project for a school for poor children had been made possible through repurposing an abandoned building in the ruined city, with help from those affiliated with Zenos’s clinic.

“It is finally finished,” Zenos echoed.

Meeting his mentor had changed Zenos’s life. This would be the place for him to pay that kindness forward to the next generation. That was why he’d gone so far as to take on the role of temporary teacher at a school attended by noble children. Through that job, he’d learned the basics of education from one of the students and managed to obtain a large supply of textbooks, thanks to the goodwill of a noble girl from one of the seven great noble houses.

“I’m so excited,” murmured Lily, a young elven girl, her eyes sparkling with wonder as she looked up at the school. Then, as if realizing something, she brought a finger to her cheek. “Oh, by the way, what will the school be called?”

The demi-humans tilted their heads.

“Huh? A school’s a school,” Zophia replied.

“Yeah. It’s just a school, I think,” Lynga agreed.

“Indeed. What else could it be but a school?” Loewe asked.

“No, no, that’s not what I mean,” Lily interjected. “Look, that school for nobles is called Ledelucia Academy, right? So I was thinking, it’d be nice to give this one a proper name.”

“A name,” Zenos repeated idly.

Zophia raised her right hand. “How about Zenos Academy?”

“No, no, no. I’m not so great that you should be naming a school after me.” He’d only been the idea guy, and having the entire school named after him would be a bit embarrassing.

“I agree,” Lynga said. “It’s not a good idea to have Zenos’s name stand out like that.”

Loewe clapped her hands together. “I’ve got it! Since we’re operating from the shadows, how about Darkness Academy?”

“Um, I don’t think I’d want to attend a school with that kind of name,” Lily pointed out.

As everyone pitched different ideas, an ominous chuckle echoed from Lily’s staff.

“Hee hee hee... There is no need to debate the name, for it has already been decided,” said Carmilla the wraith.

“Has it?”

“Take a gander at the side of the building.”

As the group walked around to the side of the school as instructed, they found a misshapen sign nailed to the wooden wall, with large letters painted in red.

“St. Carmilla Academy...?” Zenos asked.

The apex undead burst into laughter. “Well?! Does it not simply overflow with elegance and wisdom?! I even stayed up all night handcrafting the sign myself!”

“Do you have nothing better to do?” Zenos cast the laughing staff a sidelong glance. Seriously, were other wraiths this prone to afterlife flippancy? “Well, fine. It’s better to have a name than not, I suppose.”

“Truly?”

The demi-humans began to voice their agreement one after the other.

“Yeah, I don’t have any objections either,” said Zophia.

“Wait, wait,” protested the voice from the staff.

“Me neither,” interrupted Lynga. “If the government comes knocking to ask about the school, it’s better to have it named after someone who doesn’t really exist.”

“I exist, though.”

“Mm-hmm,” said Loewe. “It feels like the school’s protected by a guardian spirit.”

“Who are you calling a guardian spirit?!” the staff yelled, disappointed for some reason.

The others didn’t interject at all, leaving the wraith to let out an unsatisfied sound at the lack of reaction.

“I think it’s a good name,” Lily piped up. “It feels like it’ll bring us good luck.”

“Hello? Have you all forgotten that I am an apex undead?” Carmilla grumbled.

Everyone, displeased wraith included, went inside St. Carmilla Academy. The building had three stories: The first floor housed the classrooms; the second floor had a library, a multipurpose room, and a cafeteria; and the third floor featured an auditorium.

A group of children from the slums who’d expressed interest in going to class were already gathered in the auditorium when the group walked inside.

“All right, doc,” Zophia said. “A few words?”

“I was gonna suggest the same,” Lynga added.

“Yeah, we can’t start without a few words from Zenos,” Loewe agreed.

“Not really my thing, but fine...” Zenos muttered.

He recalled he’d also been asked to give the opening speech at the night festival they’d held in the slums a while back. But in this case, he was the one who’d first pitched the idea, so he couldn’t very well remain silent. Urged by Zophia and the others, he scratched his head as he stepped in front of the children, who all looked at him with serious expressions.

“Dreams...can come true,” he began.

The children in the auditorium were of various ages and races, including demi-humans and humans, boys and girls. But they had one thing in common—their position at the bottom of Herzeth’s society.

Zenos looked over the group of future students and continued, “But I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything. This country’s really harsh on the poor, and for people like us with no citizenship, even going abroad isn’t an option. We’d be treated as nothing more than trash. And I know many of you are probably more worried about what you’re gonna eat tomorrow than chasing your dreams.”

Some of the children gave resigned laughs, while others nodded sadly, acknowledging the truth of his words.

“That’s why we need to carve out a place for ourselves. And to do that, we need wisdom. We need knowledge. Skill. And friends. I hope this place will help with all of that.” Zenos thought back on his mentor’s smiling face. “I hope someday, when I tell you guys that dreams can come true, nobody has to laugh or feel sad.”

“Zenos...” Lily whispered.

Zenos pointed at the group. “Anyway, that was the nice part of the speech. Now for the rest. Tuition for you kids is free for the time being, but we expect you to pay us back once you succeed. So study hard, make it big, and repay us tenfold, all right? I’m not working for free, you hear me? I mean it!”

After a brief silence, the auditorium erupted into thunderous applause.

Surprised by the unexpected reaction, Zenos blinked two, three times, then scratched his cheek awkwardly and stepped back.

“Thus began the proud history of St. Carmilla Academy—a legendary private school that would go on to produce a great number of illustrious alumni.”

“What’s with the commentary?”

The staff propped against the wall quivered. “Hee hee hee... A wraith’s premonitions are always correct.”

***

“Now then, let’s start our first lesson,” announced Zophia, ushering the thirty or so inaugural students of St. Carmilla Academy forward to the first-floor classroom.

For now, the school would operate with one weekly morning class followed by lunch, then dismissal. The idea was to get the children accustomed to sitting through lessons, and for the schedule to gradually change based on the students’ progress.

Zenos and the demi-human leaders watched from the back as the sounds of firm footsteps echoed outside. The classroom door swung open, and the teacher for the first-ever lesson made her entrance, wearing a handmade black suit that contrasted with her flowing blonde hair.

“Hee hee! You may call me Miss Lily!” declared the bespectacled young elf.

“Why the glasses...?” Hadn’t Zenos seen this somewhere before? Glasses-wearing teachers?

“Good morning, everyone!” Lily chirped.

“Good morning, Miss Lily!” everyone replied energetically, making Lily beam with pride.

At the noble academy, Lily had taken elementary education lessons under Ilya, a former commoner girl who had sort of acted as the elf’s tutor. Lily, in turn, had diligently studied on her own during the day while Zenos busied himself with his own teaching duties. She had now fully grasped the basics of the kingdom’s elementary education, it seemed.

Lily cleared her throat, then glanced around the classroom. “Now, before we begin, allow me to introduce the assistant teacher.”

A lizardman, dressed in a black suit not unlike Lily’s, stepped into the room. “You kids better study hard, yeah?” he said roughly.

“To think my little brother would become a teacher,” Zophia said with a sentimental look as she watched her brother Zonde at work.

Zenos often needed to answer sudden medical calls, and couldn’t always attend lessons. Lily, meanwhile, was younger than some of the students, so there were doubts about whether she’d be able to manage the entire class by herself. Thus, during the building’s renovation into a school, a selection process for an assistant teacher had been conducted.

During a study session using the textbooks, Zonde had displayed surprisingly great results. His experience running the band of thieves alongside Zophia, managing the group’s operations and finances, had seemingly paid off.

“Bah ha ha! I’ll make you do so much math you’ll see numbers in your nightmares!” Despite the villainous declaration, he was entirely serious...or maybe he wasn’t? It was getting a bit hard to tell.

Oh, and he was also wearing glasses.

“Now then, please open your textbooks,” Lily instructed.

With that, the first math lesson began. Lily started by explaining how to read and write numbers, using the textbook as a guide.

For now, Lily and Zonde would teach the children reading, writing, and math. Zenos would occasionally cover subjects like history, geography, and healing magic. When necessary, the demi-human leaders would teach practical knowledge and survival skills.

After a simple explanation about numerals, Lily adjusted her glasses. “All right, everyone seems to be doing great! Now let’s move on to addition.”

On the blackboard, purchased from the black market, Lily wrote simple equations such as “1+1” and explained them.

“Okay, does anyone know the answer?”

Several children eagerly raised their hands, shouting, “Me!” “Me!”

“Well, look at that! Nicely done, runt! You wanna join our band?” Zonde joked as he watched a boy using fingers to count.

The first lesson carried on with a lighthearted atmosphere until suddenly a voice came from the back of the classroom.

“Ugh. Boring,” said a girl with dark skin, leaning lazily on one elbow at her desk. She seemed to be in her mid-teens, and had vibrant green hair tied back in a ponytail. Her lean, nimble physique and sharp gaze were unusual for a child and gave off a wild, untamed vibe.

“Hmm.” Zonde pushed up the bridge of his glasses with his middle finger. “You’ve got some nerve shit-talking our class, Roa.”

“Look, I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade here. Just, all this number and math stuff? Eh. I wanna be a swordsman. An adventurer. Teach me something useful, Zonde.”

“Uh...” Zenos looked between Zonde and the girl. He didn’t recognize her; she wasn’t anyone who’d come to the clinic before, at least.

“The girl is from the Kumil tribe,” Zophia explained with a sigh. “She ended up in the slums a couple years ago. She has no family, so we’ve been feeding her and helping her out now and then.”

The Kumil tribe, if Zenos remembered correctly, was a small group of mountain-dwelling hunters.

Zophia crossed her arms and turned to the girl. “Roa, the poor can’t become adventurers. Don’t ask for the impossible.”

“But...” The girl pouted and turned her eyes, green as her hair, toward Zenos. “You’re Dr. Zenos, right? Didn’t you used to be an adventurer?”

“Well...kind of,” Zenos replied. He hadn’t been officially licensed as an adventurer, and looking back, he’d been more of an unpaid odd-job man attached to a party. Still, it was true he’d traveled to various places.

“So, doctor, adventuring is fun, right?”

“Huh? You wanna hear about my adventuring days? I mean, I don’t really have fond memories of them.”

“Really?” Roa asked, confused.

Zenos scratched his head. “Well... My bad memories are mostly of my party, really. The adventures themselves were fun. I got to see a bit of how vast the world really is.”

Golden seas of wheat shimmering in the sunlight. Brightly colored butterflies dancing in the sky above rolling hills. A massive abandoned mansion once home to an ancient noble family, now overrun with endless undead. A bottomless underground cave, said to have never been fully explored.

The world was full of mysteries and wonders.

Since the Adventurers’ Guild partnered with other guilds from allied nations, having the proper adventuring permit allowed one to travel to other countries. And, depending on their rank, adventurers could even receive permission to explore special lands.

“Wow...” Roa’s eyes sparkled in stark contrast to her earlier disinterest. She jumped to her feet. “Yeah! That’s the kinda story I wanna hear!”

Zophia let out another sigh. “Doc, please talk some sense into her. Roa’s been playing at being an adventurer lately.”

“What do you mean?” Zenos asked.

“I hear she’s been hunting magical beasts in the mountains beyond the slums.”

Unashamed, Roa puffed out her chest. “What’s wrong with that? I’m building renown. That way, the Adventurers’ Guild will have no choice but to sign me up.”

“It’s dangerous,” Zophia admonished. “You’re still a kid.”

Roa grinned confidently. “No need to worry! I’m the Sword Saint’s daughter, after all!”

“The Sword Saint’s...daughter?” Zenos asked.

“Yeah!” Roa replied with a cheerful nod. “You were an adventurer, so you must’ve heard about him, right? The Sword Saint? I’ll have you know I’m his flesh and blood!”

“There Roa goes, telling lies again,” one child said.

“Roa the liar,” another mocked.

“I’m not lying!” Roa protested.

Zenos crossed his arms as the children bickered. “I mean, I’m in no position to criticize, since I was also ‘playing at’ being an adventurer myself, but... You know, Roa, adventuring can be fun, but it’s a hard life. Magical beasts and other creatures won’t go easy on you just because you’re a kid.”

Some magical beasts specifically targeted children, even.

“Hmph. I thought this school was supposed to be a place for people to chase their dreams without getting laughed at!”

“Well, yeah, but...to be an adventurer, you also need to handle stuff like checking quests, negotiating pay, and managing budgets. So you need to be able to read, write, and do math.”

“I-I know, okay?! I can do those things! A little bit.” Roa pouted, glaring at everyone around her. “Fine. Whatever. Everyone’s gonna be singing my praises one day. Bye!”

“You wait right there, Roa!” Zophia called after the girl. But Roa ignored the lizardwoman and nimbly exited the room. “Ugh, honestly. That girl just doesn’t listen...”

“She’s a lot like you back in the day, sis,” Zonde pointed out.

“Oh, shut it, Zonde. Still... All the more reason for me not to leave her alone.”

As the lizardman siblings sighed in frustration, the staff propped against the wall gave a single shake. “I can feel it. Something is about to begin...”

***

After the first lesson and lunch ended at St. Carmilla Academy, the usual gang gathered at the clinic to reflect.

“Did we do okay?” Lily asked nervously, looking around at the others.

“The lessons were easy to understand,” Zenos praised. “And there were plenty of hands-on tasks, so I think the kids stayed engaged without getting bored.”

“Really? I’m glad! I was so nervous...” Lily sighed in relief, then exchanged a glance with Zonde. “The glasses really helped, huh?”

“Yeah,” Zonde agreed. “The glasses were lifesavers.”

“Just to get this out of the way, uh, glasses don’t really have special powers,” Zenos pointed out.

The conversation then shifted to the Kumil girl, Roa, and Zophia gave an exasperated sigh.

“Roa’s a handful. She never listens to what we grown-ups say. She’s gonna end up getting herself hurt one of these days, I swear.”

“Just like you,” Zonde repeated.

“Nobody asked you, Zonde! Although...I do agree it’s like seeing a reflection of me when I was younger.”

“Hey, Zophia, is it true that the Kumil tribe...” Lynga trailed off, a serious expression on her face.

“Yeah. It is.”

“What are you talking about?” Loewe asked, tilting her head in confusion.