"Where's Sister Anna?"
Nana Pine heard the thumping of footsteps from the stairs and hurriedly ran to the door to peek out, only to be disappointed to find that it was His Highness the Prince.
"She's still working. She'll probably come over later."
"Working?" Nana Pine had been hearing this word from the Prince recently. "Do you mean burning those gray mud powders?"
"For the time being, yes."
Nana Pine pouted and returned to the table. I have work too, she thought, guarding this place and healing those who were injured defending the town.
"What, Anna's not here, and you're bored?" Roland smiled, pulled out a chair, and sat down by the fireplace.
"Mm," Nana Pine said honestly, propping up her chin. It wasn't that she didn't want to heal the injured, but… it was just too scary.
She still remembered the scene when she first treated Brian. The man was soaked in blood as if he'd been submerged in it, and clumps of brownish-red blood had congealed on his chest. His mouth was like a dehydrated fish, opening and closing as he spat out reddish-white foam. And then… she had fainted.
So utterly embarrassing.
Nana Pine looked up and secretly glanced at Roland, only to find that he had already leaned back in his chair and started snoring. It seems the Prince is tired too, she thought. Building walls, training soldiers, and protecting this town from the invasion of evil beasts—these are his jobs, too, right?
When he asked her to come here, she had hesitated for a long time, but in the end, she couldn't refuse.
"You will also encounter things that make you want to live, even if it means struggling to live." Nana Pine didn't quite understand the meaning of these words, but when she closed her eyes, the image of Anna would appear in her mind—those azure blue eyes were like a lake, slowly enveloping her. This was also the reason she had agreed to Roland.
She wanted to become as strong as Sister Anna.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rose again from downstairs. Nana Pine jumped off the chair, wanting to see if Anna had returned this time, but she was stopped by an invisible hand.
"Wait a moment. There's more than one person."
Nana Pine patted her chest, disgruntled. "You scared me, Nightingale."
The door was quickly pushed open. It was Brian, who was responsible for guarding the first floor. "Pine xiaojie, please come downstairs. Someone's been burned."
Is it… time to work?
Nana Pine took a deep breath. "I understand."
She walked downstairs. Two guards were busy carrying a person who was constantly groaning in agony upstairs. A small figure stood beside them, their face full of anxiety. Brian stepped forward and skillfully tied the injured person's hands and feet to the side of the bed. The guards then led the small figure out of the room, also pulling the curtain used as a partition.
"What happened?" Roland asked, rubbing his eyes as he walked downstairs.
"Your Highness, the North Slope mine sent an injured person. It looks like they were burned by something."
The Prince walked over and glanced at him. "Steam burns. The Primary shouldn't be having problems, right? Where's the person who brought him here?"
"In the foyer," Brian pointed towards the door.
"I'll go ask about the situation. I'll leave this to you," Roland said, heading towards the exit.
Nana Pine slowly shuffled next to the man and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His facial features were all blurred together. What should have been red skin was a pale, dehydrated white, hanging on his face in tattered shreds. His neck was covered in bubbles as big as bowls, some of which had already burst, and the oozing fluid mixed with blood had soaked a patch of the pillow. Illuminated by the flickering fire, his appearance was even more terrifying than the demons in nightmares.
She took two steps back, closed her eyes, and opened them again. Her father was looking at her with concern.
"Are you alright?"
Nana Pine nodded, thinking of what Roland had told her—"Just treat the injured like you're treating little animals." She walked back to the bed and stretched out her hands.
An incredible feeling welled up from within her body, gathering in her palms. She saw a wisp of liquid emitting a pale green fluorescence flowing out from her palm, dripping onto the injured man's face.
Although the fluorescence was so obvious, everyone else seemed oblivious to it. Then the wound changed. The burned skin kept peeling off, and new skin grew at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The injured man's painful groans gradually stopped, and his breathing became steady, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.
Nana Pine exhaled. Her performance this time should be a lot better than last time, right?
"Heavens, is this the healing power His Highness spoke of? This is my first time seeing it," Tigu Pine exclaimed. "Good daughter, you're amazing!"
"It's simply the power of a god," Brian also said with emotion. "Was it Nana Pine xiaojie who helped me when I was injured? Thank you so much."
Ah, this idiot. Nana Pine covered her face. Doesn't he know that Nightingale snuck her out that day?
"When was that?" Tigu asked strangely. "How come I don't know about it?"
"Ahem… Her power has nothing to do with gods. It only belongs to the witch herself," Roland opened the curtain and returned to the room, clearing his throat to change the subject. "How is the person who was sent here doing now?"
"Basically healed," Brian said excitedly. "It's as if he was never injured at all! Your Highness, with Nana Pine xiaojie's help, everyone will have a chance to survive in the battle during the Months of Demons!"
"As long as they don't die on the spot, keeping them alive shouldn't be a problem," the Prince nodded, signaling Brian to wake the man up. "You're called Tie Tou, right?"
The man called Tie Tou sat up, looking confused. "Am I… am I dreaming?"
"No," Roland said. "You're alive."
"You are…! I've seen you in the square before!" The man seemed to suddenly realize what was happening. He rolled off the bed and knelt on the ground. "Fourth Prince Your Highness, did you save me?"
"It was this Pine family's xiaojie who saved you. She's a witch with healing abilities."
Nana Pine's heart tightened. Is it alright to say that she's a witch so directly? Sure enough, the look in the other person's eyes changed. "A… witch? Your Highness, aren't they demons…?"
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Tigu stood out, grumbling with dissatisfaction. "My daughter has nothing to do with demons. She's the one who saved your life. Do you think a demon would extend a helping hand to you?"
"No, no! Please forgive my rudeness," Tie Tou immediately lowered his head deeply. "Thank you for saving my life, Pine xiaojie."
Nana Pine suddenly felt inexplicably uncomfortable. She really wanted to rush out of this room right now, but a voice kept reminding her in her heart, "Be strong."
After Tie Tou was sent away, Tigu asked worriedly, "Is this really alright, Your Highness? If this continues, my daughter might not be able to live a normal life."
"Think of the good side, Mr. Pine," the Prince comforted him. "Only by breaking the deadlock during this period will Nana Pine be able to obtain true ziyou in the future. Otherwise, as she grows older, she will eventually be exposed, and then she will probably have to live a life of seclusion."
True… ziyou? Nana Pine didn't know. She felt very ziyou now, but if what His Highness said could be realized, then Sister Anna could also leave the castle like her and return to Teacher Karl's academy, right?