Water Mage in the Flame Realm

Orleans suddenly found that he could no longer hear the cicadas chirping outside the window.

In its place was the sacred and solemn sound of blessings, and a voice akin to rituals, prayers, and benedictions that seemed more distant and ethereal, unknown from where it originated.

Vivacious Flame Elves swirled around Orleans.

After all, Orleans was one of the few Tier Four demon-level figures of the younger generation. Staring at those Flame Elves, he faintly felt: besides the Flame Elves, was there another kind of Magic Elf that he couldn't see, yet seemed to indeed exist?

The scorching heat had somehow completely dissipated.

The atmosphere turned cool and refreshing.

Amidst the coolness was a warmth and reassurance akin to returning to the womb.

No one in this world knows what it feels like or remembers being in the womb.

But now, Orleans felt: perhaps this was exactly how he felt now!

Of course, as a Tier Four Crimson Knight, Orleans possessed unparalleled talent and wisdom.

He wouldn't be easily shaken.

Even in that recent battle against Capella, Orleans didn't show the slightest change of expression.

Not even when he was severely wounded by Capella at the last moment, almost on the brink of death. At that time, he knew he might die, but he still responded with absolute calmness and rationality, making the right decision and judgment, which was pivotal in saving his life.

Now, Orleans' expression was frozen, not just because Andrew's healing methods were entirely beyond his expectations.

More importantly——

Orleans saw a different version of himself appear in front of him.

That "Orleans" had a scarlet earring on his right ear, which seemed particularly bright and captivating. "He" looked calmly at Orleans, saying, "What kind of person you like can entirely be decided by you."

With a thunderous sound!

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck inside Orleans' heart!

The "Orleans" across from him vanished instantly; it was merely an illusion, yet it truly existed in the deepest part of Orleans' heart.

That was his biggest secret, a voice buried deep within his heart!

"How could this happen? Could it be because... Andrew's treatment was so effective, even providing me with a tremendous sense of security reminiscent of the womb, that the voice from the deepest part of my heart surfaced involuntarily?"

Orleans' expression finally changed truthfully.

As he regained his senses, he realized: not only Andrew's Healing Magic was taking effect. The earlier, higher-tier Fire God's Blessing Magic that Captain Linda had already cast on him seemed to be strongly activated, exhibiting even more astonishing efficacy.

"Andrew's healing methods can further activate and enhance all the healing magic I previously cast on you." The words of Captain Linda from before seemed to again echo in Orleans' ear.

Orleans hadn't anticipated: the so-called "activation" and "enhancement" would be... to this extent.

The wounds across his body, filled with Capella's Earth-Fire Power, began a frantic counterattack.

The healing power and Capella's power, with Andrew's involvement, immediately lost their previous balance and started a mad confrontation, a mutual slaughter.

Strangely, Orleans, being the battlefield of the two forces' confrontation, only felt mild pain.

"What is this...?" Orleans' eyes quietly turned scarlet as blood, his pupils transformed into upright, sharp spears, subtly activating a special combat technique of the Crimson Knight for observation and insight: Blood Spear Vertical Pupil.

With the Insight from the "Blood Spear Vertical Pupil," Orleans quickly discovered that he did not feel much pain. In fact, he felt even more relieved than before Andrew's treatment. It seemed that Andrew, while assisting him in resisting Capella's power, prioritized protecting his wounds.

The technique was so exquisitely delicate that Orleans himself felt a strange sensation as if looking at the situation of his wounds from an outsider's perspective.

Even though Orleans himself didn't quite understand Healing Magic, he was well aware: Andrew was not just "knowing a bit about healing" as he claimed earlier but was an extremely professional healing expert!

"..." Orleans was momentarily unsure of what to feel.

He raised his eyes again to look at Andrew.

Only to see Andrew, unbeknownst to himself, now had sweat on his forehead at the edge of the sickbed.

Andrew's face was slightly pale: "Is this... the strength and power of peers who entered the Tier Four Domain earlier than me?"

On the surface, it looked like healing; in reality, Andrew was virtually preemptively dueling Capella before the court negotiation, using Orleans' body as a battleground.

Before feeling Capella's might, Andrew actually first sensed Orleans' formidable strength.

What Orleans himself didn't know was, at the moment he saw his deepest inner thought, he instinctively erupted a powerful, fierce, and acutely sharp Flame Fighting Qi with his body as the center! The fighting qi was like countless small and dense Flame Battle Spears!

That was entirely Orleans' instinctive reaction.

Andrew, caught off guard, had his breath momentarily halted, nearly being knocked over outright!

"Damn! What's this winged man up to?" At that moment, Andrew couldn't help but feel annoyed, almost wanting to curse, yet thankfully the other party quickly restrained his power again, presumably without intention. Hence, Andrew reluctantly chose not to pursue it for now, displaying great professionalism by continuing the treatment first.

However, the momentarily burst and subsequent restraint of power from the other party still allowed Andrew to distinctly feel Orleans' prowess!

This seemingly quiet but verbally fierce guy was strong, incredibly strong!

Compared to the so-called outstanding youths Andrew had encountered before, like Sabye, Rose, Fleur, or even earlier Cook and Pete... they simply didn't measure up.

Andrew even thought that comparing Barbara to Orleans, in terms of combat power, might be at least a notch lower.

"After all, both Barbara and I just recently broke through to Tier Four ourselves. Barbara was a bit earlier than me, but not by much." Andrew thought to himself, "As for myself... I was previously majoring in areas not related to combat, but in business cooperation, territory management, things more inclined towards 'farming'."

Observing in detail, Andrew personally felt Orleans' formidable strength.

Yet, such a mightily gifted Orleans, astonishingly, was defeated under the hands of the Magic Guild's Saintess, Capella?

And utterly defeated?

Then how monstrous must that Capella be!?

"This is the opponent Barbara and I are going to face in the Royal Court."

Andrew couldn't help but feel a sense of pressure in his heart, "Perhaps, after healing this Orleans, we should let him go to the Royal Court...?"

Of course, this was just a fleeting thought, not serious.

But Andrew now really realized one thing, that this trip to the Royal Court to participate in negotiations and competitions, both he and Barbara, were quite likely to lose!

This wasn't about dampening one's own spirit and boosting others', but facing reality that needed to be confronted head-on.

The thought of facing head-on immediately brought a chance for confrontation.

"Hmm?"

Andrew hesitated.

He saw the remaining Capella's power on Orleans' upper body wound, possessing seemingly spiritual intelligence; sensing its eventual defeat, it surprisingly executed a tactical attack transfer.

It suddenly abandoned Orleans' body, turning to pounce on... Andrew by the bedside.

Seeing the power, following along the Healing Magic continuously applied on Orleans, reverse its course all the way up towards him, Andrew momentarily froze: "...Oh?"