From a certain perspective, the medical pursuit was blind to families.
The world of healing and medicine was a family unto itself, a community of practitioners who shared a bond forged through their dedication to the craft.
Four times in a solar cycle, at the conclusion of every festival, the masters would lead their apprentices to grand gatherings. These gatherings were not only a stage for young apprentices to showcase their skills but also a vibrant social setting where knowledge flowed as freely as the wine in their cups.
While it might seem like a trivial matter for rumors to circulate through the Brightsteel medicinal circles, the implications could be far-reaching. Whispers of a promising apprentice or the fraudulence of a medicine man could sway opinions and alter fates.
Who knew when a true expert, like an Alchemist, might visit Brightsteel Town?
What if he was searching for a disciple? In such a circumstance, the first impression the Alchemist formed could be pivotal.
If Song Kiro was a laughingstock within the tight-knit circles of Brightsteel Town, and if certain damaging rumors were to reach the ears of the Alchemist, then it would no longer matter whether those rumors held any truth.
Such a first impression could seal his fate.
Song Horo nodded to himself, as he watched Song Kiro take out a bag from his side and remove a few tools.
He had felt a moment of dissatisfaction with the medicine man's words, but it had quickly passed. After all, Song Kiro was an outstanding practitioner of medicine. Those with expertise in the family often praised him, saying that he was an inheritance shy of becoming an Alchemist.
If Song Kiro was a more ambitious man, it was speculated that he would have already left the Song Manor in search of just that inheritance.
After all, out of the hundreds of medicinal experts in the Song Family, Song Kiro had managed to stand apart ever since he was old enough to mix medicine and memorize recipes. It was rumored that he had fully memorized the corpus of medicinal texts in the Song Repository by the time he turned thirty.
Song Horo found it plausible that there was a different world where Song Kiro could look down on the entire Song Manor. His talent and diligence were just that high.
But it would not be this world.
The manager wondered if this was a demonstration of the fairness of the heavens.
When they had given Song Kiro the outsized portions of talent and diligence, it seemed they had taken away corresponding portions from his courage. Unfortunately, this meant that he was destined to only ever be a servant with a slightly higher ranking.
"Is this really necessary?" Mo Seris asked, breaking Song Horo's concentration.
"Is what necessary?"
"The time of the Mo Family should not be wasted so easily. You and your wife are also important people of the Song Family. This procedure, it is really too much."
"It is natural that the talent is tested before any deals are arranged."
"Many things are natural, but not necessary."
"What are you trying to say?"
While the pair spoke, Song Kiro was busy refitting a few restraining tools to make them suitable for use on an infant. This would allow him to fasten the testing instrument properly no matter how much the baby resisted. With the cushioning on the tools, there also wouldn't be any excess pain.
Naro watched the entire spectacle with wide eyes.
A mother behind him, a doctor with strange instruments, two middle-aged men who were arguing, and another who was just quietly standing to the side.
At first, Naro had been preoccupied with the pain caused by his old mind adjusting to his new body. He had not been capable of giving any attention to the people in the room.
Afterward, he had been enthralled by the system.
Now, after a few minutes of breathing and kicking had passed, some of the novelty had worn off. He turned his focus to the conversation, only to realize that the language they were speaking was not one he was familiar with.
The words sounded garbled and meaningless, but he could not stop listening.
How could he stop?