Chapter 131 - 131 The new home

131 The new home

“I hope you had a pleasant journey?” Asked the senior healer, Nathan, to Anne.

Anne just gave him a slight smile and then said, “Yes, although so exhausted, three days’ journey by horse. The small village was a bit far from the capital.”

“Ah, I see, the kind of village where they don’t have general stores and healers, am I right?” Teased Nathan to her.

“Yes, that’s why I was staying there for almost three months,” Anne told Nathan, while she remembered the village, where she will always be reminded of her own, the Viora that was already gone, even from the glassmap.

Went quiet after Anne answered his questions, and Nathan opt to just walk together to the healer’s barrack. He knew exactly what was going on inside Anne’s mind. Everyone already knows what happened to Viora village two years ago. Everyone once had a rumor about Anne, the poor silver pass recipient who get a one-star certification and also lost her hometown almost at the exact moment.

The barrack is three blocks from the main hospital. It will take ten minutes by walking to reach the main hospital, a very good location for every healer with a below rank of chief. When Anne saw the barrack for the first time, she was in awe already.

“Oh wow, I imagined it being a very huge building, but this… this is massive!” Her eyes say it all, sparkles of admiration towards the four-level building with a rooftop garden for everyone to enjoy a bit of gardening of their own.

“Not as tall as alchemia tower, but still much more convenient for us.” Said Nathan proudly, he turn to Anne and grinned, “We have the lift now, so it will be easier to go everywhere.”

“Oh good, I remember when I was staying at the alchemia tower. If it wasn’t for their lift, I probably have a good muscle calf by now.” Anne was chuckling, imagining her time on the alchemia tower.

.....

The two of them were inside the first floor of the healer’s barrack when Anne revealed about her memory on the alchemia tower. Unbeknownst to Anne, Nathan was looking at her with some kind of admiration.

“Oh, you had been on the alchemia tower? So exciting! Did you know it was so hard to gain permission to enter the tower?”

“Err… right, I’ve actually accompanied my friend there for a while.” She was sweating bullets, and Anne was forgotten about how strict the alchemia tower was.

“Huh? Guess I need to befriend some alchemists, then. I really love to see the tower up close.” Muttered the senior healer.

Anne could see a glint of excitement on his face whenever he was talking about the alchemia tower. She will try to ask chief Amaris about this.

“Alright, this is the first floor. We have four barrack matrons, and also chefs for our canteen, and cleaning staff that will keep every room on this barrack spick and span.” Nathan said with a gleeful smile, “Our canteen for us to eat breakfast, lunch, and also dinner, and also the lounge area when you’re having guests, all located on the first floor.”

“Nathan, dear, what are you doing here?”

A woman’s voice came from behind them, and when they turned around, Anne saw an elderly woman with a very kind smile looking at them. Nathan goes to the elder lady with wide arms.

“Ah, Emma, you’re here, I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the main hospital, junior healer, miss River Anne.” Nathan holds the kind elder lady and introduces her to Anne, our heroine could see, how fond Nathan is towards the elder.

The elder lady extended her arm, which Anne took immediately. The elder lady then introduces herself. “My name is Emma. I am one of the four matrons here. Nice to meet you, miss River Anne.”

“The pleasure was all mine, matron Emma.” Said Anne, warmly smiling at the elderly matron.

Matron Emma nodded her head and turned her attention back to Nathan. “Are you going to escort her to her room?”

“Yes, I want her to know some element of this building because this is her first time being inside the healer’s barrack,” Nathan confirmed to the matron.

“Alright, just be careful upstairs, the cleaning staff were in the middle of sweeping the second floor.” Matron Emma gave the two of them a warning.

Nathan let out a sigh. “Did someone fail to clean their shoes again?”

Smiling at Nathan, matron Emma unexpectedly patted his back, “Oh dear, don’t you go mad at all the junior healers, they were not used to the cleaner yet.”

“The cleaner?” Asked Anne to Nathan. She never heard the name before.

Both Nathan and matron Emma pointed at the peculiar items on the corner of the stairs, a box-like, with a swirling wind inside the box. Anne walk closer to the box and could see three wind orbs attached to the box.

“What’s the purpose of this item?” Asked Anne to Nathan.

“Ah, I forgot. You’re going to resume duty in two days. This is for all the wood ashes that stick on our shoes after our shifts.” Nathan explained to her, which actually makes Anne give him more questions.

“I am sorry, wood ashes?”

Scratching his head, he winces at Anne, “Ah, yes, another thing, we use Gaaram wood ashes and cover the mask, the gloves, and our shoes with gaaram wood ashes.”

“Gaaram is the cure for bacterial infection, after all.” Muttered Anne. She tapped her chin, thinking about the other efficacy of gaaram.

“Come on, Anne, let’s go to the fifth floor already,” Nathan called her from the stairs. He was already on the upper staircase, looking at her.

“Wait for me!” Anne rushed to follow Nathan. “What about the second floor?”

“The captain’s room and the captain’s lounge. Unlike the other barracks, the healer’s barrack doesn’t separate the captain and the other lower-rank healers.” Nathan explained while the two of them ascended to the second floor.

When they arrived at the third floor, Nathan tells Anne that the third floor is for the junior healer’s second rank, the one that will go into the exam to become the senior healer or the captain soon. The fourth floor is for the junior healer’s first rank, Anne’s rank. But, somehow, Nathan goes straight to the fifth floor, which is the rooftop.

Anne clamped into Nathan’s clothes, almost making the senior healer fall. “Wait, where’s my room?”

“Gods! Anne, your room is upstairs. Come on, follow me.”

Embarrassed by her own silly act, Anne goes to follow Nathan to the fifth floor. As soon as he opens the rooftop door, the sweet smell of fruits and flowers teases their sense of smell. Anne’s eyes got a treat of the beautiful view of the garden.

“Oh, my God! This is beautiful.” She look in awe everywhere, “So, where’s my room?”

“Err… it was there.” Nathan pointed at a small shack on the corner of the rooftop.

Looking back at Nathan, she was flabbergasted by the revelation of her new room, “But… but that’s the tool shed!”

Meanwhile, in the other part of the kingdom, Henry was going to the palace, where he need to get his reassignment approval and finally his badge. Fifty minutes later, prince Jason was laughing looking at Henry’s looks.

“Oh, Gods! Henry, what happened to you after two years, I am sorry but… where’s the charming fourth prince aura that you ooze way back then?!” He was chuckling, while the reassigning captain just took a seat on the sofa drinking the expensive drink. The oldest prince stared at Henry. He knew about his problem after the Viora’s destruction, but he never knew it was so severe, he almost couldn’t recognize him. “Where’s your grandfather?” Asked Jason to Henry.

Henry pointed at the door. “He saw Bernard on the way to your study. Seems the old farts are going to have a drink in the pub.”

“God, two years on the road, you’re already speaking like commoners.” A voice of a man came from the door. Henry and Jason look at the source of the voice and their smile bloomed.

“Xavier! Good to meet you, brother!” Henry immediately run into him and gave him a tight hug.

“Ouch, careful. I just got back from my forest duty. Those snaillogs really gave us a lot of trouble. One of them injured my body.” Xavier said to Henry, and the latter could see the obvious wound on his chest area.

“Damn! Even the snaillog could injure you this much? Seems like someone has become so dull after two years.” Teased Henry.

Those words gave Henry a punch into his stomach. He winced while Xavier’s grinned when his hand was not actually landed on Henry’s stomach because Henry’s hand already hold the punch.

“It seems someone finally learns something after two years.” Said Xavier with a grin.

Afterward, the three of them were having a drink in the breakfast room. Every prince has their own favorite room. For prince Jason, the breakfast room is the perfect place for him. Henry pointed at Xavier’s wound once again.

“So, tell me, why in God you could get hurt by a mere snaillog?”

Xavier’s rolled his eyes. “Snaillogs. There were like fifty of them. Someone cuts too many of the gaaram plant.” Grunted Xavier while he traces his wound.

“You should go to the main hospital to complain. The healers were the culprit.” Prince Jason handed the huntsman captain permission to over-cut the gaaram plant.

Xavier put the document, and then cursed, “F*ck, then I need to go there to ask for this.”

“Be careful, though. Anne was already here.” Henry warned his friend immediately.

There were no words coming from Xavier’s mouth, only a grunt that makes him cower and go back to his seat. Jason was curious. How come one girl could make the four of them cower like this?