The First Legendary Beast Healer

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The nurse looked Elias over again, her mouth twisting as though his request had offended her. As she leaned across the counter, his eyes caught the name on her badge, Tiffin.

“Do you want to infect them with your poverty and get them killed?” she asked. “Or do you just want to make them as miserable as you are?”

Elias kept his hands resting on the counter.

“If you’ve run out of tactics, you’d better start walking away,” she continued. “Nobody here has time for whatever you’re trying to do.”

She turned towards the nurse beside her, expecting him to leave, but Elias remained where he was.

When she looked back, her eyes narrowed.

“Are you actually serious?”

“Yes, I believe I can heal their beast.”

Tiffine stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. The other nurse covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she turned towards a member of staff passing behind the counter.

“Did you hear that? He says he can heal the beast.”

The man stopped and looked at Elias.

“You must really be out of your mind.”

“Healing their beast?” Tiffine repeated, leaning back in her chair. “Do you realize nobody has been able to do that? Or have you suddenly become a god?”

Their laughter drew the attention of others nearby. Elias could feel people looking at him, waiting to hear what he would say.

“He can’t even settle his brother’s bill,” the other nurse said. “Perhaps he thinks they’ll pay him just for offering.”

Elias’s fingers curled against the counter, but he kept his voice even.

“You can tell them what I said and let them decide.”

That only made Tiffine laugh harder.

“Listen to the way you’re speaking. You really think you can walk in here and make demands?”

“I asked you to pass on a message.”

“And I’ve already given you an answer.”

She pushed Daniel’s file aside and looked directly at him.

“I understand that the fear of losing your brother is taking a toll on you,” she said. “But if you need my advice, take poison and die. That would do a lot of good for society.”

The other nurse let out a laugh, then lowered her head over the counter.

Elias looked at Tiffine without speaking. Her smile lingered as she waited for a reaction, but he stayed where he was.

Gradually, the amusement left her face.

“Let me give you one warning,” she said, lowering her voice. “Don’t try to mess with the Brent family. They’re the top beast-taming family in this city, and spreading lies about being able to heal their beast will cost you more than you can afford.”

She pointed towards the entrance.

“Now get out of my sight.”

Elias remained at the counter.

Tiffine’s eyes moved from his face to his hands, still resting beside the unsigned form. She pushed her chair back and turned towards the guards near the entrance.

“Security, come and get this man out of here.”

Two guards approached, and she pointed at Elias before either could ask what had happened.

“He’s been told to leave, but he thinks he can stand here wasting everyone’s time. Take him outside.”

One guard reached for Elias’s arm while the other moved behind him.

“Come with us, sir.”

“I’m waiting to speak to someone.”

“You can do that somewhere else.”

The guard tightened his grip and pulled him away from the counter. Elias caught the edge with his free hand, looking towards Tiffine, who had already reached for Daniel’s file again.

“Don’t make this difficult,” the second guard warned, taking hold of his other arm.

They were about to drag him towards the entrance when movement in the rear corridor made the first guard hesitate.

A woman walked into the reception area in a fitted black dress, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. She was stunning, and the staff near the doorway moved aside as she approached.

Behind her, the shadow of an enormous beast stretched across the wall, its head rising above hers. Its outline shifted with her steps, and the guard’s grip loosened around Elias’s arm.

“I heard someone here claiming they can heal beasts,” she said, her gaze fixed on Tiffine.