Chapter 55 Healing Magic
Evelyn's POV
As I pushed open the door to Vicky's classroom, I was met by a delicate scent of herbs blended with the odor of antiseptic.
This space was entirely unlike the antagonistic environment of the Shapeshifting 101 room. The ambiance here was both tranquil and exacting.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Gray."
Vicky stood at the podium, organizing a bunch of bottles and jars.
"Good afternoon, Professor."
I took a deep breath and left all the unpleasantness from Shapeshifting 101 behind.
The session today covered a recap of human anatomy and introductory healing spells. While that might seem dull to some, I still found great joy in it.
When Vicky talked about human skeletal structure and muscle tissue, a three-dimensional anatomical diagram seemed to automatically appear in my mind. Those complex blood vessels and nerves were no longer obscure knowledge to me, but as clear as a map.
I liked this feeling of being in control. At least I wouldn't be the waste of space that others talked about.
"Ms. Gray, kindly show us how to use 'Complete Healing' to treat bruising in soft tissue."
Vicky pointed to an injury on a classmate's hand. I closed my eyes and imagined the damaged cells rearranging themselves, the torn fibers reconnecting.
"Complete Healing."
The classmate's originally purple bruise faded at a visible speed, and the skin regained its natural glow.
"Very good."
Vicky gave a nod of approval. "The precision of your magical control is excellent, Ms. Gray. Your grasp of human anatomy is more advanced than that of many upper-level students."
Hearing this, warmth flooded through me.
The frustration of feeling like "I'm useless" from Shapeshifting 101 was slowly being soothed here.
So I wasn't bad at everything.
So there were professors who taught without prejudice.
I wasn't just a burden hiding behind Kane.
Once I had gone over the earlier material, I excitedly turned forward to a fresh chapter focused on "Bone Resetting and Nerve Restoration."
Even though we hadn't covered it in class yet, I was already feeling quite eager. I made up my mind to learn it all thoroughly during the extra tutoring sessions after school.
The bell rang, and students gradually started packing up to leave.
Out of habit, I glanced at the doorway, hoping to see a well-known form step through. Yet that recognizable figure failed to make an appearance.
Kane didn't come.
Even though he promised to come get me, I figured he might have assumed Vicky would be providing one-on-one instruction, and therefore stayed away to avoid interrupting me?
"He must be busy."
I comforted myself, though I still felt a little disappointed.
I slowly packed my things. After the classroom was empty, Vicky walked over.
"Didn't wait for Kane? Worried?"
Vicky looked at me, smiled, and asked in a somewhat gossipy tone.
"Don't worry, nothing happened to him."
As Vicky arranged her lesson materials, she remarked in a nonchalant tone, "You may not have heard, but he's become quite the famous figure on campus these days."
"Celebrity?" I was a bit confused, not knowing what Vicky meant.
"You don't know?"
Vicky lifted an eyebrow and said, "The incident involving you and Kane during Ambrose's lesson has already circulated among the teaching staff."
"Bad news really does travel fast."
I shrugged. I didn't really care about it anymore.
"It's not necessarily a bad thing, and you don't need to take everyone's words to heart."
Although Vicky's words were simple, I understood what she was trying to say.
"Thank you."
She walked up to me and gently patted my shoulder. "Not being able to shapeshift doesn't mean you're a failure. The world of magic is vast, and you have a long road ahead."
"But... everyone else can do it."
I lowered my head, looking at my toes, thinking about how others easily transformed into their forms in class, while I didn't even know what kind of shapeshifter I was.
"Everyone has their own time zone." Vicky's voice was gentle yet firm.
"And today in class, you healed your classmate's bruise in just one try, didn't you?"
She shifted the topic, and her eyes landed on the part of my wrist that was visible just beyond my sleeve.
It was a bruise I'd just gotten when I left the classroom earlier, moving too roughly out of anger.
"Now, cast the healing spell you just used on it." Vicky said.
I skillfully raised my wand. "Complete Healing."
Once again, it was an interesting performance.
In just the blink of an eye.
The purplish contusion faded away as if wiped clean by an eraser, leaving no sign behind.Even the capillaries under the skin returned to their normal color, as if they had never been injured.
"Now we're going to start learning new content!"
Vicky looked at me, speaking somewhat teasingly.
Hearing this, my previously low mood was instantly ignited.
"That's great, Professor!"
I lifted my head abruptly, my eyes gleaming as I gazed at her, nearly leaping from my seat in sheer enthusiasm.
My thoughts were now consumed with fresh incantations, innovative methods, and the satisfying sense of mastery over my own magical abilities.
At least in areas I was interested in and good at, I could study happily.
I was too restless to remain seated, clutching my wand firmly in both hands, anxiously anticipating the professor's instruction.
"Don't rush, Ms. Gray."
Vicky looked at my eager appearance and couldn't help but laugh.
"Rushing leads to mistakes. Above everything else, healing magic calls for a calm and tranquil mind."
Her tone carried indulgence as she said with a smile.
"Since you're so enthusiastic, we can combine theory and practice and learn them simultaneously. Of course, you'll also need to solidify your understanding of the theoretical knowledge when you go back. You can't slack off just because it's boring."
"Okay, I understand, Professor."
"But before you start, you must first understand a core concept."
Vicky's face turned solemn all at once. She took a piece of chalk and sketched a basic figure of a person on the board, then added numerous intricate lines across it.
"A lot of students believe that healing magic is just about 'turning back time' or 'speeding up growth,' yet that represents only the most basic level of comprehension."
She turned around and tapped the lines on the blackboard with the chalk.
"True healing is about 'guiding' and 'reconstructing' life force. You need to imagine magic as a water flow, and the human body's blood vessels as riverbeds. If your water flow is too strong, it will break the dam; if it's too slow, it won't wash away the silt."
"Are you following everything up to this point? Should I reduce the pace?" Vicky inquired considerately.