Chapter 600: Whispers Beneath the Healer’s Roof

His voice stopped her immediately. She looked up, startled at the call.

Rafe wasted no time. He removed his gloves and set them aside on a nearby table, pausing his current task. With no emergency cases at hand, he allowed himself that brief moment of distraction.

The healer crossed the space quickly and reached her.

Before she could lower herself further, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and guided her upright.

"Don’t bend like that," he said firmly. "It’s not good for you."

Without hesitation, Rafe crouched in her place, picking up the fallen instrument himself. The forceps, now contaminated, were set aside in the basin of used tools before he rose again.

"You must be exhausted. Take a rest," he urged.

The brief exchange did not go unnoticed.

Several of the patients, mostly Mederians, glanced over, their attention drawn to the scene.

Whispers followed, sparked by the healer’s attentiveness and the unmistakable care in his actions towards her.

"I’m all right, Rafe," Elis replied softly. "I only lost focus for a moment. Please forgive me."

"No," he said at once. "It’s not your fault."

His gaze lowered unconsciously, drawn to the gentle curve of her stomach, now more pronounced as time passed by.

A trace of guilt surfaced in his expression.

"I’m the one who should apologise for putting you to work like this," he continued. "With your condition, you should be resting."

Elis smiled, warmth spreading across her features.

"I would feel far more restless lying upstairs, doing nothing, knowing how busy you are down here," she said.

Her words carried a subtle stubbornness that was familiar to him.

"I thought as much," Rafe replied with a faint smile. He knew well enough that there was little to stop her once she had decided.

Still, his tone softened.

"Just... take care of yourself and don’t overdo it, all right?"

Elis nodded. "I will. And don’t worry—I’ll let you know if I need to stop," she said.

From a corner of the room, a pair of eyes watched them closely, tinged with quiet discontent.

They belonged to a woman who had been staying at the premises since its first day of operation, one of the earlier patients who had already received treatment.

Now that she had recovered enough to move around, she stayed for a while as they prepared for her discharge.

The partition curtain near her had been drawn aside and tied, giving her an unobstructed view of the room. And her attention rarely strayed.

More often than not, it settled on Rafe.

Each time she caught sight of him, her expression would soften, a subtle brightness flickering across her face. But that light dimmed just as quickly whenever Elis came into view, replaced by something quieter, less pleasant.

Around her, whispers began to circulate among the other female patients as well.

In just a matter of days, Rafe, under the name ’Joseph’, had become a figure of quiet fascination.

A healer from the continent, skilled despite lacking magic, and possessed of a calm, attentive manner that drew people in.

Word spread quickly, and with it came curiosity, especially from the women who found themselves lingering a little longer than necessary.

Some made excuses to return. Others simply watched. But none managed to get close.

Each attempt was swiftly cut short by the presence of the so-called captain of the Blue Mantle Company: Kyren.

He stood watch like an unyielding wall—silent, but impossible to go unnoticed.

His features were obscured beneath thick, untrimmed facial hair and long, untamed locks, leaving little of his true appearance visible.

Yet, despite the concealment, there was something about him that unsettled those who approached.

The Mederians were not easily intimidated. As a people accustomed to wielding magic, they rarely felt threatened by outsiders from the continent.

And yet, before Kyren—they hesitated.

There was something about the mercenary captain, something they could neither name nor ignore. No spell was cast, no force displayed, and still—his mere presence, coupled with that cold, unwavering gaze, was enough to keep them at bay.

"Rafe’s right. You should rest. Take a break."

The voice came from the entrance.

Not only did Elis and Rafe turn, but everyone within the room did. Conversations stilled, movements paused, all drawn instinctively to Kyren’s commanding tone.

Eli, Armel, and Athillia, who had been busy assisting, froze at once.

A flicker of concern crossed their faces, worried that they might have neglected their primary duty of attending to the princess consort by concentrating on the operation of the Healer’s House.

But Kyren caught the look in their eyes.

"Carry on," he said simply.

Relief washed over them at the simple remark. They bowed slightly and returned to their tasks without delay.

"I’m not tired, Captain Ky," Elis replied.

"You may not be," Kyren said, his gaze shifting briefly to her belly, "but the child is."

Rafe let out a soft chuckle.

"See? Even our captain is concerned. If you don’t listen, I might be the one getting scolded," he said lightly.

A faint smirk etched on Kyren’s lips—subtle, almost hidden beneath his unkempt beard and heavy sideburns.

"Recruits have arrived," he said, turning his head slightly as he gestured towards the entrance.

The group brought in by Drystan and Alex stepped forward.

Rafe’s eyes lit up the moment he saw them.

"Thank goodness! You brought quite the number, Captain! This will keep us from collapsing before the day ends!" Rafe exclaimed, relief evident in his tone.

"I wouldn’t want that to happen," Kyren replied evenly. "Not to you, or to anyone here."

"Thank you. I’m eager to see what they can do," Rafe said, his expression bright with anticipation. "Having capable assistants is a blessing. Not only can we share the workload, but we can also exchange knowledge, refine techniques, and improve our methods together. Ah... if only Ayden were here, he would have been thrilled to be part of this."

"Mr Halven said they are reliable," Kyren said. "But I’ll leave them to your judgement. For now, have the manager brief them on the rules and workflow," he added, glancing towards Armel.

The teenager nodded at once and stepped forward.

Kyren turned to the group of healers and ordered, "Follow him. You’ll be briefed before being assigned."

His tone became a little more assertive and clearer.

"You will be assessed thoroughly. If you are found unfit for the role, you will be dismissed immediately without compensation, as stated in the agreement."

The men nodded in compliance.

With that, Armel led them towards a meeting room in the adjoining unit, preparing to go over the procedures and expectations.

Kyren, meanwhile, turned back to Elis.

"You’re coming with me," he said, leaving little room for refusal.

Before she could protest, his hand came to rest gently against her belly, his expression calmed just slightly.

"Let’s get some air. I want to check on the little one as well."

"That would be good. Go on, Elis," said Rafe, before returning to his work.

The princess consort hesitated momentarily before allowing herself to be guided outside.

Inside, the business continued, but not without eyes watching.

The same group of women, especially the one who had been observing earlier, now looked on with growing confusion as they saw the way both men treated Elis.

Kyren and Rafe were gentle and attentive, almost protective of her. Their closeness was so pronounced that it seemed she was in a relationship with both men, leaving the women feeling unsettled in a way they couldn’t fully grasp.

The woman who had been watching Rafe finally stepped forward, unable to hold back her curiosity.

"Mr Joseph..." she called softly.

The healer glanced up briefly from his work. "Yes?"

"Are you... married?" she asked.

Rafe answered without hesitation, taking it as nothing more than casual conversation.

"Yes, I am."

The woman’s expression fell into frustration at once.

After a brief pause, she lifted her dejected face and asked again.

"So... that woman is carrying your child, huh?"

Rafe’s lips curved into a small smile. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Oh, that’s not my child."

The woman drew her brow together.

"Then... who is the father?" she asked, curious.

Rafe’s smile lingered, calm and unreadable.

"That is a secret."

The response caught not only the woman but the others nearby off guard.

Yet the healer paid it no mind, already moving towards another patient further down the line, as though nothing had been said.

Behind him, whispers spread almost instantly among the women.

Their gazes shifted toward the entrance where Elis and Kyren had left, then back to Rafe, now some distance away.

One of them leaned closer, lowering her voice.

"Is that lady... married to both of them? The Captain and Mr Joseph?"

Another gasped softly.

"Don’t say such things! That’s improper! Is that even allowed?"

"Who knows," a third woman muttered with a shrug. "They’re from the continent. Their customs may be different from ours."

The others exchanged uneasy glances, curiosity mingling with discomfort.

Having lived their entire lives on the island, the ways of the continent remained distant and unfamiliar to them. And the notion of a woman being involved with two men at once was not only forbidden but deeply frowned upon in their society.

The first woman lowered her gaze.

"If I had a man like Mr Joseph... I would devote myself entirely to him and wouldn’t even glance at another."

A second woman nodded in agreement.

"He’s gentle and attentive. Did you see the way he handled that child earlier? So patient... not a hint of irritation."

"Cute and skilled too," another added. "Even without magic, his techniques work well. He has a natural charm with his appearance and skills."

"Not to mention," one chimed in softly, "he listens. Most healers here barely spare you a glance once they know you can’t pay."

Their admiration lingered, quiet but unanimous—centred on Rafe.

Yet, once he admitted he was married, a faint wave of surprise and disappointment swept through them. Their hope of getting closer to him now seemed distant.

Simultaneously, the uncertain idea that he and the captain were sharing a wife only heightened their unease, leaving them conflicted and disapproving.

Then—

"Who do you think you are?!"

A shout rang out from the compound beyond, sharp and sudden.

The women flinched. Conversation halted at once. Movements stilled as heads turned towards the source of the disturbance.

Voices followed—louder now, bold and tense.

Rafe paused mid-motion, his brows drawing together as he straightened and turned his head to the entrance.

"...What now?"