Abandoned in the mountains, I was adopted by a lizard ~I mastered magic and surpassed my parents, but I didn't know they were legendary ancient dragons~

Chapter 20 Healer’s license and the saint

After healing the cluster headache, the rest of the day went smoothly, and the workday concluded without any further incidents.

Once the workday ended, everyone was gathered in one place to receive their compensation for the day’s work.

First, the people from the administrative course received their compensation and were dismissed, leaving only me and my classmate. After she received her compensation, it was my turn.

“And now… Hadar-kun. Regarding your compensation, I have a proposal.”

Before handing me my compensation, the staff member made this preamble. He continued,

“I’d like you to consider taking the National Healer License Exam.”

Why did it come to this?

As I wondered, the staff member explained the reason.

“Your performance today was clearly beyond that of a typical intern. Specifically, it even surpassed that of our regular healers. However, according to national regulations, only those with a healer license are permitted to receive compensation for advanced healing actions beyond Category 3. As it stands, we can’t pay you more than a standard intern’s compensation.”

So basically, they’re suggesting I get a healer’s license to resolve this. I don’t mind unconventional ideas, but this is quite a bold request.

“I’ve heard you scored perfect marks on the written exam for the Zelgius Royal Magic Academy. Typically, even top students have about a 10% chance of failing, but you might have a shot at passing it with just a night’s study.”

And the exam is tomorrow!?

“I think so too!”

To my surprise, my classmate, eyes sparkling, chimed in enthusiastically. I wondered how the staff member knew about my exam scores—turns out, she must have told him. I remember them having a lively conversation during our second break.

“Even if you fail, you can retake it next year, and once you pass, we’ll pay you the additional compensation retroactively. Here are the textbooks and past exam questions. Why not give it a try?”

Since they insisted so much, I might as well give it a shot, even if it’s a long shot. I took the two books and headed back to the inn, reading them both thoroughly.

◇

The next day.

To cut to the chase… the healer exam was a breeze.

The reason was simple.

Though it was said to be a difficult exam, its difficulty lay in the sheer volume of material to be memorized, rather than the complexity of the problems themselves.

Difficult exams can vary: some are hard because the average passing score might be around 50 out of 100, while others are tough because they require near-perfection, with a passing score set at 95 out of 100. This exam fell into the latter category.

However, exams of this type can be managed with a certain level of magical ability. Even if I couldn’t instantly recall the content of a book I’d skimmed through within the last 24 hours, I could use a concentrated version of Perfect Heal on my hippocampus to jog my memory. Since the exam regulations didn’t prohibit the use of Perfect Heal, this wasn’t considered cheating.

As a result, I managed to complete all the questions in about half the allotted time. Given the importance of accuracy, I reviewed my answers multiple times and didn’t find a single mistake.

The results would be announced later, so after the exam ended, I prepared to head home. Just then, the staff member from yesterday spotted me and called out.

“Hadar-kun, do you have a moment?”

“What’s this about?”

“Actually, the Saintess is here for her regular visit to our church today. When I mentioned you, she expressed a keen interest in meeting you.”

The Saintess… oh, the one who takes an hour to cast Absolute Heal. What could this be about?

“I’m available.”

Since I had no other plans, I agreed.

“Great, follow me.”

Following the staff member’s directions, I was led to another room.

◇

The staff member led me to a room where a dignified girl, who looked around 18, was waiting.

“Nice to meet you. I am Mordena Astra Zeneca, serving as the Saintess of this country,” she introduced herself promptly.

“And you are Hadar, the one who administered Absolute Heal to a colleague experiencing a sudden attack, correct?”