Chapter 190: Holy Attribute Magic saves the heart

Translator: Tseirp

Making stew is the best when there’s a need to think about things.

I recalled someone telling me that in the past so I placed monster meat that I had thoroughly pre-treated into a stockpot and stewed it together with vegetables.

I was making the so-called bouillon.

It was something that would not fail even if I don’t monitor it so it was perfect for thinking.

Well obviously, that won’t fill my empty stomach so I took out ready-made food from my magic bag and ate though …

I patiently extracted the lye, intently let it simmer without letting it boil and waited for the flavor to condense until the bouillon in the stockpot was complete.

Memories of the Adventurer’s Guild guildmaster at the Holy Capital, Granz getting angry at me when he taught me for not being able to differentiate lye and flavor components well resurfaced.

“To ask an amateur to ascertain lye and flavor components, thinking back it certainly feels like it was quite spartan.”

I chuckled on my own as I thought about what to do next.

The information Elinas-san told me is, as expected, not at the level that can be ignored.

If the rumor has been going around other countries, then the entirety of the Saint Schull Allied Nations must know of it too.

If that’s the case, isn’t there a risk of me getting chased by an inquisition?

If by chance that happens, won’t the corrupt healers I crushed retaliate by further abolis.h.i.+ng the guidelines I was involved in?

To begin with, if they pursue the reason why I lost my Holy Attribute Magic, won’t the lives of s.h.i.+sho and Lionel who I saved after much effort be in danger?

… I’ll be at a loss if this was dealt with poorly.

Wait a minute, Pope-sama told me to not contact her because there are eavesdroppers right?

Then can’t I just use that against them?

I immediately took out a magic communication bead from my magic bag and contacted Pope-sama.

When I did that, Pope-sama instantly replied.

《Luciel, what happened? I’ve told you that there’s a danger that this would be intercepted when you are at Nelldal.》

It felt rare for Pope-sama to speak in a slightly angry tone but I replied to lead the conversation.

“Pope-sama, that’s not important right now. It seems like there’s a rumor going around about me with jumbled up true and strange facts. Moreover, it’s happening in other countries.”

《 … What do you mean?》

“I happened upon it by chance when I was speaking with the researchers here about a rumor that I lost my Healer job and that it was because of G.o.d’s punishment. Not only that, there’s also a rumor that I can’t even use Holy Attribute Magic and I thought that maybe that rumor is widespread even in the Holy Capital so I quickly contacted you.”

《 … If it’s even in the other countries …》

I realized that the rumor was already going around in the Holy Capital from Pope-sama’s mutterings.

“Pope-sama, regarding my job, I think it might be better if we disclose that I had promoted from Healer to Sage. And that the reason why I came to Nelldal was to acquire other magic attributes apart from Holy Attribute, if we don’t dispel the rumors as mere rumors, disturbing elements might make their move.”

《 … Do you have results?》

“Yes. Well, it should dismiss the rumors. Leaving that aside, it seems like there are movements from the Demon race but no matter how kind Pope-sama is, I doubted my ears when I heard that Pope-sama did not contact me when the church was in danger.”

I spoke in as clear a voice as possible for it to reach the other side.

《 … Luciel, then will you be returning immediately?》

Unlike the previous voice, I could feel overflowing happiness from Pope-sama’s voice.

“Understood. I will report this incident to the Magic Guild guildmaster Orford-san and return promptly.”

《Take care.》

“Yes!”

I cut the communication there.

Just when I cut the communication, Nadia and Lydia came out from the Hermit’s Coffin.

“It looks like you two have awakened.”

“Luciel-sama, you’re alright?”

“I smell something nice.”

Nadia’s spirit was stretched thin from meeting the Twin Dragons while Lydia was crushed by various items after I defeated the Twin Dragons but it seems like they were both alright.

“I’d love to listen to your questions but before that, I wish to inform you two of my decision.”

The two of them nodded and I talked about the exchange I had just now.

“And so, we will have to postpone the leisurely stroll through the streets of Nelldal to the next opportunity but I will definitely create an opportunity to bring you two here once again so please bear with it.”

“There’s no helping it if that’s the circ.u.mstance.”

“Well if Luciel-sama will bring us back here, I’ll bear with it this time. More importantly, Luciel-sama … I’m hungry.”

I felt myself naturally smile when Lydia said that with an embarra.s.sed expression as I prepared a meal for all of us.

I stored the pot I was in the process of cooking with into my magic bag and replaced it with ready-made dishes.

Then, I listened to the two of them.

True to her Dragon G.o.d Priestess t.i.tle, Nadia met with the Dragon G.o.d and can apparently make dragons her kin and Dragon Magician was added to her job.

And as if to not put the Spirit King’s Blessing to shame, Lydia learned to summon Greater Spirits.

“However, I will have to fight the dragons and make them yield.”

“Both my magical power and skill level are insufficient to use Greater Spirit Summoning.”

” … n.o.body would have to go through hards.h.i.+p if you can use new powers so easily. Well, we all obtained new powers so let’s work hard to make them our own.”

“”Yes!””

After we finished our meals, we headed to the guildmaster’s room.

As Lydia and I have received the Spirit’s Blessings, we could go anywhere without hindrance like we were holding onto the Magic Guild free pa.s.s.

Nadia tried to climb the stairs behind the reception but she was blocked by an invisible wall. However, by connecting hands with Lydia, she could climb the stairs.

We arrived in front of the guildmaster’s room and a voice called out when I knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Luciel, is it alright if I have a bit of your time?”

” … Please enter.”

“Please excuse me.”

I opened the door because I received permission to enter but it seems like there was already a guest present.

“What’s wrong?”

I was confused as to whether it was the Wind Spirit or Orford-san present but more importantly, I hesitated from speaking about the main topic when the previous guest was not someone I knew.

“You already had a guest?”

“Umu. But if you came all the way here, it means that you have an urgent request right?”

Nevertheless, I would prefer to speak to him without anybody else present so I intended to come back another time but Orford-san and the man facing him stood up from their chairs and turned to me before speaking.

“It seems like it’s because I am here, S-rank Healer Luciel-sama … no, you’re no longer a Healer right? Then now it is just Luciel-dono.”

The owner of the voice seemed to be a man but because his face was hidden by a mask, I could not see his appearance.

What caught my attention was the man’s tone, his att.i.tude was as if he was acquainted with me and furthermore, it felt like he was directing hatred at me.

I thought I did not do much to gain grudges but maybe it’s the Empire? I corrected my posture and tried to identify where this person was from.

“I acknowledge that my job is no longer Healer but the S-rank Healer was a t.i.tle that was placed upon me by the Healer’s Guild in the first place. More importantly, I don’t believe I have any acquaintances who wears a mask to cover their true face but who are you?”

“I am a new researcher from the Rubruk Kingdom but I wonder what’s my name?”

It looked like he was acting slightly belligerent but Orford-san played the role of calming the situation.

It seems like it’s not the Wind Spirit.

” … It’s truly cruel running into an old acquaintance. Even though you have not done anything against me, I still feel hatred towards you … I am the pathetic slave that failed to get you to buy me at Ienith.”

Said the masked man, acknowledging his own error.

“Slave at Ienith? … Ah, perhaps the one that time …”

“So you remember me even though we’ve only met once. Then once again, I am the newly appointed Baron of the Rubruk Kingdom, Maxim von Wisdom.”

” … And the reason for your hatred towards me?”

“The thought that perhaps you, once the best Healer in the world, could have treated this.”

The man … Maxim took off his mask to reveal an inflamed face as if burnt by something sharp.

However, Maxim’s injuries did not end there, he took off the robe he was wearing and miasma began to leak out.

” … That is?”

“It’s something like a Magical Engraving for a curse. In the Empire, they tamper with the body in human experiments and plant magic stones within the body. Well, I lost consciousness from the intense pain but they judged that I had died so I was in a mountain of corpses when I woke up.”

” … n.o.body in the Rubruk Kingdom was capable of treating that?”

“Yes. It’s great that they somehow pried the magic stone out but because my body leaks miasma, I’ve become an existence that resembles the demon race. There are no Healers in existence who are able to heal this. But, I clung to the thought that you, once the bearer of the greatest Holy Attribute Magic among humans …”

In addition to understanding that his resentment towards me is completely unjustified, he probably couldn’t prevent himself from las.h.i.+ng out at me as the sole person who had the possibility of treating him.

His hatred towards the Empire was most likely too strong, causing his negative feelings to break through the limit and he probably became someone who hates the world.

And that anger that has no outlet likely led to his previous att.i.tude.

Well, because I slightly understand that feeling, I decided to help him just this time.

I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable in my heart for not saving him that time either.

I believed that meeting him once again there was my fate guided by Supreme Luck-sensei …

“Fumu. It seems like Wisdom-dono has a misunderstanding, I can still utilize Holy Attribute Magic you know?”

“Ha?”

Just seconds ago his expression was mixed with sadness and insanity but that one statement caused him to freeze.

“Like I said, instead of a Healer, I’ve become a Sage so Holy Attribute Magic is no issue … but strictly speaking, it has been powered up.”

“The, then the possibility of treating this body?”

He was fl.u.s.tered in a way unimaginable from the dark and melancholic aura he wrapped around himself.

“Well, leaving aside whether I can treat you or not, if you are an Undead then you will face instant death but if you are alive, I will definitely save you.”

After I said that, he nodded firmly.

“I will pay anything as compensation. My hatred towards the Empire will not disappear for the rest of my life but I will even endure from taking my revenge. Please, please heal me.”

I wonder what happened, for him to even willingly stop himself from taking revenge even though he was so persistent on it? However, I wanted to have him make a pledge so it was perfect. Nevertheless, to think that he would suddenly use honorific language …

“Then, please make a pledge. As compensation for this treatment, to disclose all information that you know of and to never act hostile towards me for your entire lifetime.”

” … Does that even include state secrets?”

“I don’t care if it doesn’t concern the Saint Schull Allied Nations or myself but if you know of any dark secrets of the Empire then I intend to hear it all.”

“If that’s the case then I’ll make the pledge. I, Maxim von Wisdom, pledge to disclose information and never act hostile against Luciel-sama as compensation for treatment.”

When he said that, light descended onto Maxim.

“Well then, it might be slightly painful but please maintain your consciousness.”

I cast Dispel, Recover, Sanctuary Circle, Extra Heal and finally Purification in sequence.

In the beginning, Maxim looked like he was enduring the pain but it seemed like he no longer felt pain by the time I cast Sanctuary Circle.

However, the problem began there.

The moment I cast Extra Heal just to be safe, his posture collapsed and he fell over.

And then, both his arms, his left leg and an eyeball fell onto the floor one after the other.

It looked like he had prosthetic hands, limbs, and eyes.

His face was colored with shock and he began to tremble but I understood that it was not from anger.

He checked his own hands and leg countless times and tears began to flow from his now recovered eye.

Then, Purification cleaned him up and the treatment was complete.

“The treatment is over. Well done.”

He was at a loss for words and knelt to the ground before taking a praying position.

At that instant, I had a slight deja vu when memories of that time when I performed the same thing to Lionel and the others at Ienith surfaced.

“Orford-san, I wish to return to the surface but before that, would it be alright if I listen to what he has to say first?”

“Hou? Ooh of course. You can just use this room.”

Thus, before returning, another task came up.

Author’s note:

Thank you for reading.