All of this seemed uo Emily. She was in a majestic-looking church, wearing a dress she never imagined she would wear, and now, apanying Non, eared to be quite a signifit person.

  The healer signaled for them to follow her, guiding them down a silent hallway that echoed with each step.

  The atmosphere was calm, almost solemn, with dim lights ing frht iron deliers.

  The walls, adorned with tapestries depig a legends, veyed a sense of deep history, yet there was a feeling of serenity in the air, as if this space were meant for calm and healing.

  Non walked behind the healer without hesitation, and Emily followed, though she couldn't shake the feeling of being out of pbsp;

  What was she doing there?

  Her mi swirling, uo process how she had bee part of something so important.

  In the midst of her thoughts, the healer stopped in front of a dark wooden door and ope, revealing a private room.

  The room was simple but cozy. The floor was covered with thick rugs that muffled footsteps, and there was a rge window allowing natural light to filter in, creating a warm atmosphere.

  In the ter was a wooden bed with white sheets, and beside it, a small table with several gss jars, probably taining potions and salves. There were a couple of chairs in the ers and a bronze brazier that gave off a soft aroma of medial herbs.

  Non sat on the edge of the bed while the healer prepared to begireatment.

  Before she did, she turo Non, but her eyes briefly flickered toward Emily.

  "Is it necessary for the young dy to be here?" she asked, though respectfully.

  Non answered without hesitation,

  "Yes, it is necessary."

  Emily felt a warmth rise to her fabsp;

  'Am I really that important...?'

  Embarrassment washed over her as she realized she seemed to be gaining a pce of significe without having worked for it at all.

  It was hard for her to process.

  All she was doing was following Non, but for some reason, he insisted she be there.

  When the healer asked Non to lie down and remove his upper clothing, Emily held her breath.

  Non, without hesitation, began to undress, calmly removing his cloak and then his shirt.

  As she saw his torso exposed, Emily quickly averted her gaze, her face burning with embarrassment.

  'He's undressing right in front of me!' Emily thought as her heart began to rabsp;

  But even as she tried not to look, she couldn't help but steal a quice. What she saw left her even more bewildered.

  Non's torso was covered in well-defined muscles, whipletely trasted with what she expected from a mage.

  His body was sculpted, possessing a physique that could only have been fed through years of intense physical training.

  For a moment, Emily wondered if she had been mistaken in calling him a mage.

  'If he's not a mage... then what is he?' she wondered, fused.

  Moreover, if this man had su impressive physical dition, what could he possibly teach her?

  Were all mages this strong?

  As her mind wahrough these questions, the healer began to examine Non, her hands moving skillfully across his abdomen, palpating and carefully.

  Then the healer began to murmur words in a nguage Emily didn't reize, but that were clearly a spell.

  Suddenly, No out a soft groan of pain, his face t as the spell took effebsp;

  Seeing him like that, Emily felt a pang of helplessness.

  She knew she couldn't do anything to help, but she also didn't want to be a nuisance, so she stayed in one er of the room, as still as a statue, trying not to draw attention.

  'Yes, it's best not to disturb...' she thought, though her heart tio beat in time with the pain she saw reflected on Non.

  After a few mihe healer fihe spell and observed Non closely.

  "Your mana core is more unstable thaerday," she said, in her voice. Then, looking at Non seriously, she added, "Have you used magibsp;

  Non seemed to hesitate for a sed but then nodded.

  "Yes, I have."

  At that moment, Emily's thoughts raced back to the most signifit hours of her life.

  She remembered how Non had saved her from falling and how, in the blink of an eye, he had thrown that punch at the noble.

  He had done everything so quickly...

  'Did he use magic because of me?'

  Guilt washed over her as she thought that perhaps she was the reason Non was in that situation.

  "Please, do not use more magic," the healer said, her toern but worried. "Your mana core could break at any moment. This could be fatal."

  Non frowned, clearly troubled by the news.

  Emily, seeing the anguish on his face, had to resist the urge to make one of her typiervous or worried expressions, just as her grandmother always reminded her.

  'This is not the time to be childish! I must remain serious and not interfere…!' Emily told herself with all her strength.

  Finally, Non spoke, his voiewhat subdued.

  "If I stop using magic... how long will it take for my core to heal?"

  The healer shook her head slowly.

  "I 't say for certain. But you will o attend this church every day to tihe treatment if you want to recover."

  Emily noticed how helplessness reflected on Non's face, and although she couldn't fully grasp what it meant to be uo use magic, she imagihat for someone like him, that news must be devastating.

  'What must be going through his mind?' Emily wondered, looking at Non with .

  But ahing that began to worry her was what kind of work he had in store for her, someohout any magical abilities.