Raymond had ascended to the status of a feudal lord!
With this achievement, he earned the distinguished title of Lord of the Manor of Luin.
Additionally, he was entrusted with the temporary oversight of the estates of Kunka and Boyle, both of which had lost their owners.
To his surprise, he was officially granted ownership of both estates.
Consequently, Raymond found himself in direct possession of a vast estate befitting a marquis.
'To think that I have achieved so much! It was all worth it.'
Reflecting on his time in the crystal mine, Raymond found that his memories were hazy.
'I lost my memory under the onslaught of mana... What happened?'
He scrutinized his body.
'Where did all that mana go? It's all gone.'
Upon inspection, he found no trace of the mana within him.
'It's not entirely gone. My mana stats have increased by 30.'
Raymond opened the status window and was astounded. His mana had surged by an impressive 30.
'My healing abilities have also leveled up.'
Raymond tested his healing capabilities to confirm the enhancement.
A dazzling light erupted with a resounding boom.
This wasn't just a B-grade heal; it was an elevated B+ grade.
'I can use B-grade heals.'
Raymond stood in awe.
A B-grade heal belonged to the high-grade category.
'Well, that's beneficial. Heals have formidable power.'
Raymond acknowledged the use of healing abilities.
In skilled hands, they could prove highly effective.
'Especially when coupled with medicine.'
For instance, a trauma patient in shock would experience enhanced recovery when subjected to both healing and surgical procedures, as opposed to either treatment in isolation.
Numerous conditions could benefit from the synergistic effects of both treatments.
'Anyway, this is fantastic! I'm now a feudal lord, marking the beginning of wealth and glory!'
Of course, Raymond knew there were still many mountains to climb.
'I need to develop the estate to reap the rewards, as the prosperity of the estate directly correlates with the wealth I can amass.'
However, that wasn't the sole challenge.
'I must address the threat from Kairen and Remerton.'
Raymond was well aware that the two princes viewed him with caution.
'Being of royal blood, I'm likely an eyesore to them.'
Raymond furrowed his brow.
He had never benefited from being the king's son.
Instead, he found himself subjected to unnecessary penalties and persecutions.
'Damn it. I wish I could rid myself of this royal blood.'
He sighed, but nothing changed.
He recalled Sophia's earlier advice.
'Be strong enough to live your life as you see fit. Be strong.'
'Yes. I need to be strong, strong enough that even two princes can't do anything about it.'
There were two ways for him to attain strength.
Ironically, both involved excelling as a healer.
'First, I must develop the province of Rafalde as much as I can, as I thought earlier.'
The more Rafalde flourished, the more powerful he would become.
Serving his people as a Healer Lord and embodying the principles of a Great Physician would amplify his strength.
'The second way is to be a healer and treat the patient as best I can.'
This revelation was unexpected.
Healing patients and being powerful were related?
They were unexpectedly closely related, because he was a healer.
Though he had ascended to the status of a feudal lord, his fundamental nature remained unchanged.
All his renown was built upon his identity as a healer, and his most esteemed supporters were also people he healed.
'The better I heal my patients, the more my reputation will grow, and the more people I can aid.'
Ultimately, nothing had changed: he would continue being the best healer he could be, wielding a power that set him apart.
He aimed to amass wealth and live life on his terms.
'First, I'd like some beef. Why hasn't Hanson shown up yet?'
Hanson had gone to prepare a steak to restore his strength, but there was no word yet.
Just as he was rising to leave, an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Your Excellency, are you feeling better?"
"...."
There was a knock at the door, and a figure entered. A noble lady adorned in a vibrant red robe.
"I, Laina, have brought a steak for Your Excellency on behalf of Lord Hanson."
Laina beamed, presenting a plate of steak oozing with juices.
"It's a pleasure to see you."
***
Raymond's expression soured.
Archmage Laina.
The Lady of Red Blood.
'Her real name is the Crazy Lady.'
After the incident with the spirit stone, Raymond had investigated her and learned a few facts.
An archmage holding the 103rd rank in the Magic Tower.
A personality that, despite her elegant attire, could be described as radical(?).
An obsessive nature typical of archmages, unwilling to turn away once fixated.
Also, an Inquisitor.
'Inquisitor of heresy.'
Raymond gulped.
Inquisitors.
Those entrusted with executing the enemies of the Magic Tower.
'The Magic Tower has as many enemies as it has power.'
Here in the Kingdom of Houston, foes of the Magic Tower were scarce on the western edge of the continent.
However, towards the center of the continent, numerous secret societies existed, and most were antagonistic towards the Magic Tower.
The Crazy Lady in front of him was the Inquisitor of such enemies.
'Wearing a red dress and being stained with blood is not enough, huh?'
Raymond shuddered.
This woman was even more formidable than Duke Leif.
What was even more unsettling was the fact that such an intimidating lady had taken an interest in him.
An interest that bordered on the obsessive and terrifying.
"My heart trembles to see you again like this."
Her voice was soft, but her eyes emitted an eerie light.
It bore the greedy stare of a predator fixating on its prey.
'T-that's unsettling.'
Raymond swallowed hard.
'Innate mage, that's not what I am.'
But he couldn't avoid it forever.
For once, he had to navigate this precarious situation.
"For the record, I am not an innate mage."
"Hmm."
"What occurred then was merely a miraculous act of the mind for the sake of the patient."
In truth, Raymond had never concealed his talent.
Instead, he had utilized it as a publicity stunt.
But this time was different.
'An innate mage, that's too much.'
Even if he wasn't, there were rumors that he might be dim-witted because of Duke Leif.
Adding the label of an innate mage would be excessive.
It would have more negative consequences than positive.
A significant uproar would ensue.
Moreover, there was an even more dire issue.
'Throughout history, most Innate Mages have ascended to the position of magic lords, whether they desired it or not.'
Magic Lords, the rulers of all mages.
It was a position akin to that of an emperor.
'O-of course, becoming a Magic Lord would bring immense wealth, but I'm not an innate mage.'
Most importantly, he was not an innate mage.
It's just a skill.
Unfortunately, Laina didn't seem to believe him.
"Hmph. I see. A simple genius."
She smiled with dignity.
"If Your Excellency is a simple genius, then all the mages in the world, including me, would fall into the category of idiots."
"..."
Raymond clenched his fists.
He had anticipated a reaction like that.
He needed to assert himself.
"Ms. Laina, look at me. Do I appear to be an innate mage to you?"
"Of course, you do..."
"No, think about it. Don't you find me somewhat different from the typical portrayal of innate mages?"
Laina frowned.
'Come to think of it...'
For some reason, innate mages were always depicted as selfish and greedy.
But what about Raymond?
He looked so virtuous, so innocent.
A man of greatness who could be considered a light, leading a life of service to others.
He certainly didn't fit the stereotype of an innate mage.
'Not selfish, but sublimely good.'
Raymond sighed as Laina hesitated.
'...Though, truth be told, I do have my greedy moments.'
Concealing that aspect, he continued unabashedly.
"I don't harbor any greed; my only desire is to serve the patients and the people of the estate."
"But the abilities you displayed don't align with those of an innate mage..."
"It was merely a miracle created by my heart for the sake of my patients."
Even though he asserted it strongly, unfortunately, Laina remained unconvinced.
She contemplated deeply and then shook her head resolutely.
"Your honorable disposition, while admirable, is not conclusive proof that you are not an innate mage. Character traits can be acquired."
"..."
"Your Excellency's denial may stem from a desire to avoid drawing attention to yourself while diligently serving the people. Nevertheless, it is indeed remarkable. Having an innate mage with such a noble character is a blessing bestowed by the Magic Tower."
An archmage through and through.
She wasn't easily swayed and had a penchant for articulate discourse.
Raymond wore a troubled expression.
'What should I do?'
It seemed that Laina had already made up her mind, which was understandable given what she had witnessed.
'...Should I make a pushover of her?'
Raymond pondered.
If he couldn't dispel the misunderstanding, he contemplated the possibility of embracing the illusion and molding it entirely in his favor.
It wasn't an unattainable feat, especially considering the covetous glint in her eyes.
'As long as the knowledge that I'm an innate mage doesn't spread.'
Raymond clenched his fists.
Upon reflection, this was a golden opportunity.
Turning an archmage into a pushover!
He couldn't afford to let it slip away.
'Let's seize this chance. She's a Heresy Inquisitor, and if I can make a pushover of her, she'll play an important role in helping me apprehend those responsible for the entire Magic Stone Mine predicament.'
Fortunately, a message appeared.
[You wish to create a p... a comrade to work with patients!]
[Skill, 'Heart of Steel' is unlocked!]
[Skill, 'Silver Tongue' is unlocked!]
And that wasn't all.
[Opponent is a 'Jerk'!]
[Opponent's Jerk Power is 'Low'!]
[Special Skill, "Sneaky Provocation" is activated!]
For some reason, she had been labeled as overbearing.
A skill that could assist him activated.
"But why are you so insistent on me being an Innate Mage?"
"That's because an Innate Mage is a magnificent being capable of leading the Magic Tower's resurgence!"
Laina exclaimed with enthusiasm.
"To stumble upon such an extraordinary innate mage for the first time! I aspire to guide such an outstanding genius like you and contribute to the advancement of magic in humanity."
In essence, she coveted his talent and hoped to mentor him.
It was to be expected.
Raymond no longer refuted the claim that he wasn't an innate mage; he let her form her own conclusions.
Instead, he responded with something like this:
"I appreciate the esteem you hold for me, Lady Laina. Unfortunately, I can't be your student."
Raymond emphasized the word "unfortunately."
Certainly, Raymond had no intention of accepting Laina as his mentor.
He planned to turn her into a pawn in a different manner.
Blinded by greed, Laina was oblivious to Raymond's black heart, and a spark of impatience flared in her eyes.