Chương 42: Wanted Healer

June rested a slender, porcelain chin against her hand, her gaze drifting toward the rafters of the tavern as if she were consulting a private gallery of her own memories.

"As it happens, I am acquainted with a particular individual," she mused, her posh British accent making the simple statement sound like she was revealing a state secret.

"She is a Druid by trade. Her capabilities extend far beyond simple mending; she is quite adept at restoration and a myriad of other useful parlor tricks. However, I must warn you that she comes with a rather significant caveat." I leaned against a nearby pillar that smelled faintly of spilled stout and regret, crossing my arms over my jangling gunner gear.

"Listen, at this point, as long as she isn't another egotistical maniac who thinks she's a gift to the universe, I really don't mind," I replied, giving her a pointed, deadpan look.

"I think my quota for narcissism is pretty much filled for the day." June's head snapped toward me, her icy blue eyes narrowing into two very sharp, very judgmental daggers. For a second, I thought she might actually try to test out that elemental instability on my forehead, but instead, she let out a long, dramatic sigh that sounded like the air escaping a punctured ego.

"In our previous adventuring collective, she was unceremoniously dismissed because those narrow minded peasants claimed she was far too complicated to manage," she explained, her voice dripping with a regal sort of venom.

"And then, the absolute fools had the audacity to exile me next! They claimed I was difficult to cooperate with. Can you imagine? Those pathetic simpletons. The next time our paths cross, I shall personally ensure they are reduced to a fine, smoldering pile of ash." I stared at her for a beat, processing the fact that our new teammate had basically been fired for being a nightmare and was now planning a war crime as a rebuttal.

"Okay, there is a whole lot of trauma to unpack there, but maybe we save the revenge tour for later and focus on the medic," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"What do you mean by complicated? Is she just stubborn, or are we talking about the kind of person who won't heal us unless we ask nicely in verse?" June waved a dismissive, pale hand through the air as if she were shooing away a particularly persistent fly.

"Good heavens, no," she corrected me, her posh accent sounding remarkably weary for someone who usually sounded like she was announcing her own coronation.

"On the contrary, she is actually quite lovely. She is exceedingly kind and possesses a spirit of cooperation that is, frankly, somewhat exhausting. It is rather difficult to articulate the specific nature of her predicament using mere words. It would be far more efficient for you to simply witness her for yourself so you might grasp the peculiar reality of her situation."

Dimitri, whose face had remained frozen in a state of permanent, radiant encouragement, let out a delighted hum that sounded like a bumblebee the size of a bear. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"My heart is already dancing at the prospect of meeting this new soul!" he rumbled, his thick Russian accent making the statement sound like it should be embroidered on a silk banner.

"Tell us, dear June, in which corner of this grand land does our future companion currently reside?" June hopped down from her throne-like perch on the bar counter, her reed sandals clicking against the floor with a rhythmic, regal precision.

"The last time our paths crossed, she was lingering in the city plaza," she remarked, smoothing out her faded linen tunic with a sharp, practiced tug.

"She has a rather quaint habit of wasting her time listening to the acoustic bands that perform for the masses there." Without waiting for a second invitation, Dimitri pivoted on his reinforced heels and began marching toward the tavern's exit. His heavy iron cuffs clanked with every purposeful stride, sounding like a one man construction crew heading to a job site.

"Then let us lose no time!" he declared, his voice booming with the relentless energy of a man who had never known the meaning of a midday nap.

"We shall find her there and invite her to share in the glory of our path!" I caught the look on June's face as she watched him go. She let out a long, heavy sigh that suggested she was already mentally calculating how much of her dignity she was going to lose by being seen in public with us. Despite her obvious reservations, she followed after him, her long blonde hair swaying behind her like a sheet of pure gold.

I adjusted the strap of my jacket, making sure my gunner gear was still somewhat attached to my person, and hurried after them. As I stepped out of the stale, hop-scented gloom of the tavern and back into the morning sun, I couldn't help but wonder if our new healer was going to be the missing piece of the puzzle or just another reason for me to question my life choices. ••••• We finally spilled out into the central plaza of Inizio, a place that was currently doing its best impression of a medieval music festival.

The air was thick with the scent of roasted street meats and the twang of stringed instruments coming from a small acoustic ensemble near the fountain. People were milling about everywhere, some tossing coins into the water for luck while others swayed to the rhythm of the band, looking way too relaxed for a world where a rogue goblin might try to wear your ribcage as a hat at any moment.

I came to a halt next to a stone pillar, squinting through the sunlight at the shifting sea of cloaks, tunics, and questionable headgear. I adjusted my gunner belt, which was currently digging into my hip in a way that suggested it didn't like me any more than June did.

"Alright, June, I hate to state the obvious, but this place is a bit of a zoo," I said, leaning toward her as my new gear let out a faint, metallic groan.

"How exactly are we supposed to pick one specific Druid out of this lineup? Are we looking for someone wearing a bird's nest, or does she have a giant 'Healer for Hire' sign taped to her back?" June didn't answer immediately. She stood there with her arms crossed, her icy blue eyes scanning the crowd with the cold, calculated precision of a predator looking for a very specific type of prey. She looked completely out of place in the dusty square, like a diamond dropped into a bowl of oatmeal.

After a few seconds of silent observation, a small, triumphant smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. It was the kind of expression that usually meant she had just found someone she could boss around, and she looked entirely too pleased with herself.

"There she is," she remarked, her posh British accent cutting through the noise of the lute player like a silver bell.

"I have located the girl. You two stay exactly where you are and try not to look too much like a pair of wandering vagrants. I shall handle the initial negotiations." Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and glided into the thick of the crowd, her blonde hair catching the light as she wove through the commoners with the effortless grace of a queen who had just spotted her favorite lady-in-waiting.