Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 147: The Alchemist Association (Part-4)
She stood tall, unhurried, neither changing her surname nor hiding her identity.
She had nothing to fear.
At the sound of that name, Rurik’s expression shifted.
Zora.
In the past few days, this name had spread throughout Heavenly City like wildfire. All because of one thing — the Elixir of Tranquility.
The Alchemists Association cared about many things, but none more than medicinal Potions... especially the ones they don’t have the formula for.
They had wanted to contact Zora for days, but academy rules prevented any outside organization from approaching students directly.
And now, the very person they wanted had walked into the association herself.
Cassian, however, had been in seclusion recently researching medicinal formulas. He knew nothing of the rumors surrounding Elixir of Tranquility, and naturally, the name Zora meant nothing to him.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Zora," he said slowly. "I’ll remember that name."
Cassian’s voice turned icy, a chill seeping into every syllable. The murky depths of his eyes surged with suppressed rage.
With so many people watching, he could not afford to lose face by acting rashly on the spot.
But if he wanted to deal with Zora, there were plenty of ways.
Just as the atmosphere grew taut enough to snap, a familiar voice, tinged with mild surprise, rang out.
"Zora?"
Everyone turned.
Zora slowly pivoted and saw Vice-Principal Gerrad approaching, his steps unhurried, his kindly, broad-minded face carrying a faint smile.
Gerrad’s impression of Zora was exceptionally deep. A young girl who had mastered the long-lost vibrating needle technique was enough to leave even seasoned experts stunned.
"Vice-Principal," Zora said calmly, giving a respectful salute.
The moment Cassian heard her address Gerrad, realization dawned.
"Oh?" Cassian said coldly. "She’s a student of your academy?"
Gerrad nodded with a gentle smile. "Yes. Zora is a freshman this year."
"No wonder," Cassian sneered, disdain sPotioning over. "A newborn calf that doesn’t fear the tiger."
"Cassian, that’s not quite fair," Gerrad said, lifting his hand slightly. "Zora is no ignorant junior."
Cassian snorted. "A young girl who dares to speak so arrogantly, if that isn’t a newborn calf, then what is? She simply hasn’t seen how cruel the world can be."
Gerrad’s gaze shifted between Cassian and Zora. From Cassian’s sharp tone, he could already tell there had been friction between them.
"Cassian," Gerrad said slowly, his expression turning solemn, "you may not know this, but in terms of medical skill, Zora is a true master."
The words were spoken with conviction, without the slightest hint of exaggeration.
A ripple of astonishment passed through the crowd.
In Heavenly City, Gerrad’s reputation was unquestionable. To be praised so highly by him was an honor few could attain.
"Oh?" Cassian frowned. Though his displeasure remained, a trace of doubt crept into his eyes.
He had known Gerrad for many years and understood his temperament well. Gerrad was not someone who spoke lightly or flattered without reason.
If he said this, there had to be substance behind it.
Morgana Frost clenched her fists, resentment flashing through her eyes as she stared at Zora. She truly could not understand what kind of background this woman had to be spoken of so highly again and again.
"Vice-Principal Gerrad," Cassian said, his tone probing, "what exactly do you mean?"
Gerrad smiled faintly, the calm in his expression carrying a hint of profundity.
"Zora," he said, "is a physician capable of neutralizing the Green-scaled Python’s Poison."
The moment his words fell, the entire hall seemed to freeze.
Faces changed instantly.
The Green Python’s Poison was a nightmare among spirit warriors. Once contaminated, survival was uncertain, and even high-level experts often found themselves helpless.
And now, Gerrad was saying that Zora could resolve it?
What kind of concept was that?
Cassian’s pupils shrank. He knew better than anyone how terrifying the Green Lin toxin was. Even he himself had no solution.
How could a young girl possibly possess such ability?
"That’s an exaggeration, isn’t it?" Cassian said slowly, suspicion lacing his words.
If anyone else had said it, he would have dismissed it outright.
But these words had come from Gerrad.
And that made all the difference.
"Marcus of the special enrollment class was poisoned by the Green-scaled Python," Gerrad continued calmly. "If it hadn’t been for Zora stepping in to save him, his life would not have been guaranteed."
Gerrad’s expression remained gentle, a faint smile at his lips. Though he did not know the full depth of Zora’s background, his optimism toward this young woman was unwavering. Whether it was her character or her conduct, he admired her greatly, and at this moment, he had no qualms about praising her further.
Marcus was well known among the special enrollment students. Hearing Gerrad mention his case, the crowd could no longer hide their astonishment.
If that was so, then what Gerrad said could not be false.
"I didn’t expect Marcus’s injury to be cured by Zora."
"No wonder I saw Miss Tiffany personally thanking her before."
"At such a young age, to have medical skills like that... It’s unbelievable."
Rurik’s expression was filled with shock and wonder. "I thought Marcus’s injuries would require treatment at the Origin Medical Hall in Elysia’s Imperial City. I never imagined it would be Zora who cured him."
Gerrad laughed heartily. "That Origin Medical Hall of Elysia... was founded by Zora herself. She is the divine physician of Elysia’s Imperial City."
The moment his words fell, the entire hall went silent.
Every gaze snapped toward Zora, disbelief written plainly on their faces.
Though the Origin Medical Hall was far from Heavenly City, its reputation had spread far and wide. Everyone knew it as a place capable of curing incurable ailments, and everyone had heard that its owner was young.
But no one had ever imagined that the master of the Origin Medical Hall would be Zora.
She was far too young.
"This..." Rurik stared at her in disbelief. "Did I hear correctly? The Origin Medical Hall was opened by you?"
"Heroes have always risen young," Gerrad replied lightly.
Even Cassian had heard of the Origin Medical Hall. Yet no matter how he tried, he could not reconcile that legendary place with the girl before him.
Moments ago, he had called her a newborn calf that is ignorant of the world. Now, his face burned with embarrassment.
Morgana Frost stood rigid, her mind in turmoil. She simply could not accept what she was hearing.
The master of the Origin Medical Hall was a true authority in medicine.
Zora... how could it possibly be her?
Zora merely smiled faintly, her expression calm and unperturbed. Even under such praise, there was no trace of arrogance on her face.
That composure alone made many in the crowd nod inwardly.
This was the bearing of someone truly accomplished.
Had she been like Morgana Frost, flaunting herself at every turn, she would only have drawn disdain instead.
"Hmph," Cassian said at last, unwilling to concede. "Even if Zora’s medical skills are impressive, that doesn’t mean she’s equally capable in alchemy."
To him, physicians were remarkable, but alchemists were on a higher tier altogether.
With such extraordinary medical expertise, Zora surely could not also excel in alchemy.
After all, a person’s energy was limited.
Gerrad’s eyes flickered with curiosity. "Zora, are you here today for the alchemist assessment?"
"Yes," Zora replied with a slight nod.
Now the expressions of everyone present grew even more peculiar.
Before, they only knew that Zora possessed the Elixir of Tranquility and assumed she was a alchemist.
Now, learning that she was already an accomplished physician, they found it hard to believe she could still undergo an alchemist assessment.
Whether medicine or alchemy, each path was arduous and demanding.
To have mastered medical arts to such a degree at her age was already shocking.
If she could also pass the alchemist assessment...
That would truly defy reason.
