NOVEL NEXT Chapter 205: Hayden
Van just noticed that the lead physician was actually keeping an eye on him… It was so subtle that not even his heightened senses or his Ocularis Lens took notice…
However, after realizing that she was noticed by Van, instead of busting him immediately, she just continued observing him…
This surprised Van for a moment. It seemed that this physician also had a plan in her mind and didn't want to complicate things.
But there was no time to think about that.
For a moment, Van turned his attention to the town properly. Fallowmere Town was small but organized. The palisade walls were built from sharpened logs and stones, and the houses were made of sun-dried bricks.
So far, Van could see no signs of official Magician emblems—no towers, no magical guards.
Still, his Lens confirmed that the town was still part of the Phyrexian Kingdom.
It means that Aura Users like him still had a high risk of enslavement.
He then quietly drifted toward a gap between two buildings, intending to slip away once the medics were preoccupied.
But just as he reached the alley—
"You there! Apprentice—help me with this stretcher!"
Van froze.
A female voice called out, and he turned slowly.
It was the lead physician who had noticed his behavior...
The woman was glaring at him. Then, she started motioning toward a bloodied man slumped over a plank.
Van's mind raced…
He was sure that this woman knew that he wasn't really a physician.
However, at this time, refusing would be suspicious as more medics might notice that something was off. Furthermore, running would be worse.
"On it," he said calmly as he also realized that the woman had no ill intent at all.
He moved to help, lifting the back of the stretcher and carrying it into the tent.
The physician watched him closely for a moment but said nothing more.
Inside the tent, the wounded were arranged in neat rows.
There were groans echoing within the tent and the smell of blood and herbs filled the air.
Van laid the man down, nodded, and turned to leave—but she spoke again.
"You're not one of mine. I don't recognize you. I don't know why you're here, but it's better if you continue working for me if you want to leave this place."
Van was shocked, but this also confirmed that she wasn't an enemy… yet.
Van thought for a moment and nodded.
"Good… Tell me your name." She asked.
"I'm Hayden." He replied. He already planned to leave his slave name behind…
"Hayden… Is it a name you just thought?" She muttered. "Well, it's not important… If you're also thinking of crossing the border, it's better if you stay with my group. The fortress at the border is no joke…"
The woman said, and this confused Hayden even more. He couldn't understand how she knew what he wanted to do.
"Why are you helping me?" He asked.
Then, surprisingly, she shrugged.
"Hmph. I can at least tell you're an Aura User. Did you escape from your master? However, I can't feel any Slave Mark on you… Are you escaping from your Slave Traders?" She muttered.
This time, Hayden realized that this woman was a lot more impressive than he thought. He initially thought that she was just a normal medical practitioner, but it seemed that she was also hiding her strength.
She might be a higher-level Aura User or perhaps a high-level Mage!
"Alright… Don't answer me… Let's just deal with these people…"
She then turned and moved to the next patient.
Hayden exhaled slowly… It seemed that his Aura Cloaking wasn't as perfect as he thought…
No, perhaps this woman's level was simply too high, so there was nothing he could hide from her.
For now, Hayden decided to help the injured… It was only cleaning wounds, bandaging, applying salve, and helping the injured eat… It was quite easy.
Soon, however, his Ocularis Lens detected something…
[ Mana Pulse Detected. Signature: Fourth Circle Mage. Direction: Entering Town Gates. Estimated Proximity: 180 meters. ]
[ Warning: High-Risk Entity Approaching. Detection Risk: 34% ]
Hayden gritted his teeth.
"Damn it… Fourth-Circle? That's already an Archmage…"
His instincts screamed at him to vanish immediately, but the roads were now being patrolled. The alleyway that the lens pointed to him before now had a guard moving through it.
Hayden clenched his fists behind his back as he glanced toward the exit. The aura of a Fourth-Circle Mage was undeniable, and it was inching ever closer…
It was oppressive—even from a hundred and eighty meters away, he could feel his instincts telling him to run without the Lens' warning.
But suddenly, his Ocularis Lens noticed something.
[ Mana Pulse: Stable, Non-Aggressive. No Combat Intent Detected. ]
[ Target Focus: Administrative Block – Western Barracks. Estimated Interaction: Apprentice Mages. ]
Still, a Fourth-Circle Mage was no small matter. They were powerful enough to crush low-level Aura Users with a glance…
Before Hayden could make a move, a voice spoke calmly beside him.
"Don't panic," the physician said without even turning to face him. She was tending to a child's fractured leg, wrapping the shin tightly in clean cloth soaked in a numbing salve.
"He's not here for us."
Hayden glanced down, pretending to work on a nearby patient's arm wound.
"How can you be sure?"
"I saw the message brought by the hawk earlier," she replied. "They're summoning the apprentices to the barracks for inspection. Probably to prepare for the next campaign. They won't waste time on nameless medics when soldiers and mages are their priority."
Hayden didn't completely relax, but her words helped him think clearly.
"If you start fidgeting or suddenly disappear," she added, eyeing him for just a second, "then they'll start asking questions."
Point taken.
With a steady breath, Hayden got to work.
***
Rather than retreat, he chose to work harder with this seemingly reliable lead physician.
He helped move crates of medicine, delivered water to the unconscious, and even cleaned bloodied bandages without complaint.
He looked like a true medical practitioner…
The other apprentices, overwhelmed by the sheer number of wounded, didn't question the extra pair of hands. If anything, they looked relieved.
Hayden, however, did more than just basic care.
When no one was looking, he pressed fingers along key acupuncture points in wounded soldiers.
Well, he just wanted to end his work as quickly as possible.