Chapter 7

"You said earlier you know of a way to get rid of my scar. Is that true?" Serena questioned.

Before Cassian could reply, Eric spoke up first. "Don't listen to his nonsense, Ms. Landon. Madiora enchantments are nothing more than old superstitious beliefs. Those things can't be used to help you get rid of your scar."

Looking at Eric, Serena asked curtly, "Are you Cassian York?"

"You must be kidding, Ms. Landon. How could I possibly be Cassian York?" Eric said with a laugh.

"Since you're not him, what gives you the right to reply when I'm asking him a question?" Serena asked loftily, her presence commanding and her gaze sharp.

Instantly, Eric broke out in a cold sweat, while Cassian looked at her in shock. He realized that she and Vera gave off similar airs, though she seemed to have a more volatile temper. He couldn't help but wonder who she was.

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Eric apologized, "I'm so sorry, Ms. Landon. I—"

Ignoring Eric, Serena eyed Cassian curiously and asked, "What are these Madiora enchantments you mentioned earlier?"

In stark contrast to her earlier expression, she now had a faint smile on her face.

Cassian replied, "Madiora enchantments are a set of mystic arts that are extremely profound. They can be used to achieve all kinds of wondrous results. People who are unfamiliar with them may think of them as old superstitions, but those with a true understanding consider them miracle cures."

"Can it really be used to remove my scar completely?" Serena checked.

"It can," Cassian answered with conviction.

One of the charms listed in the Compendium of Madiora Charms and Spells was the Scar Removal Charm. Once used, it would be able to remove all types of scars in next to no time, restoring the skin to perfection.

"How long will it take to remove my scar?" Serena asked.

She wouldn't mind if it took a year or so, but if it took more than three years, wouldn't that mean she couldn't wear anything that revealed her legs for the same amount of time?

After thinking about it, Cassian replied, "It'll take about ten minutes."

"What did you say?"

Serena stared at Cassian in shock.

Mistaking her reaction as displeasure over how long it took, Cassian said, "Well, if I try my best, maybe it'll only take five minutes."

Serena was stupefied. She couldn't believe it.

Meanwhile, the interns behind Eric started mocking Cassian.

"Who are you trying to fool, Cassian?"

"You say you can remove the scar completely in just five minutes? Do you think we know nothing about medicine, or do you actually believe you're some kind of god?"

"It looks to me that you're just talking out of your ass! Dr. Watkins is a medical expert, and even he can't do anything about it. How can a mere nursing assistant like you do it?"

"Madiora enchantments, huh? You might as well say that you're familiar with the hidden arts of the Tigris Order, as well."

"I do know a thing or two about the hidden arts of the Tigris Order, but they can't be used to get rid of scars," Cassian remarked in all seriousness.

The hidden arts of the Tigris Order were among the many mysterious areas of knowledge in the legacy left to him by his York family ancestor.

That intern who mentioned that howled with laughter. "I'm dying here! Had I asked if you were well-versed in geomancy, were you going to say you knew a thing or two about that, too?"

Nodding, Cassian replied, "I know a bit of geomancy as well."

"Since you're so incredible, why did you plagiarize the patient's medical record that Dr. Goff Jr. wrote then?"

"I didn't plagiarize anything," Cassian fired back as he glared at the intern.

"Why would you get demoted to a nursing assistant if you didn't plagiarize his work?" the intern retorted with a sneer.

Cassian couldn't defend himself. Turning red, he declared, "Whatever it is, I didn't plagiarize anything. Dr. Goff Jr. is the one who set me up—"

"That's enough!" Eric snapped impatiently and glared at Cassian. "You're not needed here anymore. Get out."

"Hold it," Serena called out. Fixing her eyes on Cassian, she asked, "Can I trust you?"

Hearing that, Cassian knew his opportunity had come. He looked Serena straight in the eyes and said earnestly, "You can trust me. I won't let you down."

"When can you conduct the treatment for me?"

"Anytime."

"Do it now, then," Serena said. "If you get rid of the scar for me, I'll reward you handsomely."

Eric quickly tried to talk Serena out of it. "Ms. Landon, you can't joke around with your treatment. Cassian here is just a nursing assistant. He doesn't know anything."

"Will I be harmed in any way if the treatment fails?" Serena asked Cassian.

"Even if it fails, nothing will happen to you," he replied.

Serena turned to Eric. "You heard him. Since it won't cause any damage to my body, what's the harm in trying?"

"But—"

"But what? Do you have any other solution?"

Eric shut up at once.

"Since you can't think of anything, why are you trying to stop Cassian from treating me? Is it simply because he's a nursing assistant, or is it because you have some other ulterior motive?"

As Serena spoke, her voice slowly turned to ice. She began glaring fiercely at Eric.

Alarmed, he quickly said, "Please don't get the wrong idea, Ms. Landon! I was just worried that Cassian wouldn't be able to treat you. I don't mean anything else by it."

"That better be the case, or else, I won't go easy on you."

Turning back to Cassian, Serena said with a seductive smile and a sweet voice, "Come on, cutie. Remove the scar for me!"

It was amazing to see how quickly she could change her tone and mood.

"Okay," Cassian replied with a nod.

Considering how volatile Serena's temper was, he secretly warned himself not to offend her in any way. Otherwise, he would surely suffer.

First, he got a bowl of water. Then, using his right index finger and middle finger, he began making strokes across the surface of the water, almost as if he were writing something. He was also murmuring under his breath. Everyone else only caught a few words here and there that sounded like gibberish incantations.

"What a charlatan!"

An intern behind Eric scoffed, and the others also had scornful expressions. In their eyes, a patient could only be saved through conventional medical techniques such as medication and surgery. Madiora enchantments were just tricks used by scammers.

Three minutes later, Cassian withdrew his arm and gently applied the water from the bowl onto Serena's wound, saying, "Just wait another two minutes, and the scar should disappear."

One of the interns couldn't resist snorting. "I never realized just how good of an actor you are, Cassian. You should just quit your job as a nursing assistant and join the entertainment industry instead. With your acting skills, I bet you can make it big someday."

Another intern piped up, "You're telling me that with just a few drops of water, you're able to do something that the entire medical industry is incapable of doing? Only an idiot would believe you!"

Eric didn't think it could happen either. In all his years as a doctor, he had never heard of any Madiora enchantments that were capable of curing illnesses. If that were possible, why would anyone need a doctor?

Time continued ticking by. Soon, the two minutes were almost over.

All of a sudden, Serena exclaimed, "The scar's fading away!"

Eric raised his eyebrows. Even though he didn't believe it, he instinctively looked at Serena's calf anyway. Immediately, his eyes widened in shock. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

Even the interns behind him were dumbstruck.

"H-How is this possible?"