Paper Hearts (Nozel x OC)

34. The entrance exam

Summary:

Spoilers for Black Clover episodes 73 - 83

It is finally the time for the Royal Knights Entrance Exam.
Helena is charge of taking care of the wounded, sent by Doctor Owen from the Exam site to the Healer's tower (the Magic Knights' hospital).

Warnings: The illustration for this chapter is graphic!
Blood, a bit of gore, swearing.

Chapter Text

Helena was sitting on the couch in the lounge room, which was on the first floor of the Healer's tower. The Royal Knight's entrance exam probably had just began, so no wounded were sent their way yet. There were a couple other healer's around. They wore long white cloaks and hoods, that covered their faces. She was their supervisor and the highest ranked healer. Doctor Owen himself placed the responsibility upon her. He knew how good, she had gotten over the past months.

Helena made herself look completely unbothered and bored, leaning heavily on the arm rest. She was wearing her classical hospital attire, made up of an unsymmetrical white blazer, with light blue trimmings and comfortable, matching joggers. Her dark chocolate hair was let loose and fell down in waves over her shoulders. Her brows were furrowed and deep brown eyes narrowed.

The emotions from the last two days, had not settled down. There was still a storm in her heart, but the pain and hurt, began giving birth to a new feeling. They launched it and fuelled it to grow stronger. It was anger. Fury created by betrayal and lies. However it was a motivating kind. The one that propelled her forward. Helena was not going to let Nozel ruin her. She was strong, or at least wanted to be.

That was why she decided to not let go of her responsibilities. If she had focused on work, self improvement and helping others, time would pass by quicker. She hoped, that with the passing days, the pain she felt would weaken. She did her best to push it down and not let it get to her, but Helena knew that she was walking on thin ice.

Luckily she had not seen Nozel since their hurtful exchange of words. He had left earlier in the morning, so she only got to meet Nebra and Solid. She had wished the younger Silva brother good luck on the exam. Helena wondered, whether they had felt the tension, that was just radiating off her.

She clenched her jaw. The consequences of her and Nozel's breakup would definitely get noticed by the siblings. She wondered how would she explain, their sudden cold change of attitude. She twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger, but then she stopped.

She was not going to let it be her problem. Nozel could be the one to explain himself. Just thinking about him, made her shattered heart, stab her soul with its broken pieces. Pain. She needed to cover it with anger. It was easier this way.

"Helena-sama!" A healer, whose face she could not discern, because of his white hooded cloak, called her name.

She sharply stood up and turned towards him.

"We have a first wounded," he explained and Helena nodded.

"Lead the way," she approached him.

Her work began and she needed to fully focus on it. Her goal was to help people.

They made their way upstairs and into one of the chambers, prepared for the patients. He opened the door for her and let Helena in.

Four healers were carrying a stretcher. They placed the man who lied on it on the couch. They made some space for Helena, when she approached the patient. He was an older-looking magic knight. He wore the Silver Eagle's feathery squad mantle. He had a broad chin and big nose. His eyes were dark purple. The man's hair was grey and spiky on the outside. It had some black parts closer to his forehead. He had a black, small moustache and thick eyebrows in the same color. She had met him during her practices with Nozel's squad.