I only made an exception for Merratoni and the Holy City’s Adventurer’s Guilds, as I owed the people there a debt of gratitude. I’d even gotten the pope’s permission to hold healing sessions on certain days, which the adventurers had dubbed “Saint Weirdo’s Day.” However, from now on, I probably shouldn’t heal anyone other than the people I knew. I made a mental note to bring it up with the pope next time.
But that wasn’t the reason I’d denied Bazack’s request.
“Bazack, you’ve underestimated Mister Luciel,” Lionel interjected. “You shouldn’t have tried to manipulate his emotions like that instead of telling the truth.”
“Lion...the people I want him to heal cannot be saved by this town’s healers. The guild tried to appeal to the headquarters to dispatch the S-rank healer to our town, but we received no response, so we gave up.”
Well...yeah. Things had gotten a bit messy at HQ because of the rumors about me. But were those people who needed saving still alive?
“Master, is it possible for healing magic not to work, either partially or at all, on someone?” I asked Brod.
“It’s not impossible. Healing magic won’t work if someone has been hit by a dark magic spell or a curse from a high-level monster, or wounded by a cursed sword, for example.”
“I see.”
“Don’t overthink it, Luciel. You’re fine the way you are. And if anything or anyone tries to harm you, I’ll stop them and protect you, got it?”
Ugh, you can’t say that, master! It’s not fair!
But my spirit always felt lighter thanks to him. The fact that I had even noticed that in the first place might mean that my heart had become much more tired and strained than I’d thought, though.
I let out a sigh. “Where are the patients?”
“Will you examine them?!” Bazack asked expectantly.
“I want to take a look at them before making my decision. Oh, and I’ll make sure the Healer’s Guild’s story lines up with yours—and I’ll only heal the people the guild has given up on.”
I actually wished I could heal all the injured, but I’d meant it when I said that I didn’t want to steal the healers’ jobs. Unless the clinics here were corrupt, it might be a good idea to try to give them some support.
A look of relief appeared on Bazack’s face, and he raised a hand. It must’ve been a signal, as people from all around the town began gathering in the square. There were so many that my friends immediately assumed fighting stances and Lionel went to stand behind Bazack.
“Are you saying these are all patients?” Lionel asked.
“No. Well, yes, they are, and we would be grateful if you healed them, but the guild can handle most cases here. There are ten people I wish for you to heal, Sage Luciel.”
I thought idly that Bazack must’ve been quite a person of character to have so many people looking up to him. However, something was bothering me: I felt intense gazes coming from certain faces in the crowd. Perhaps they were Bazack’s guards, or perhaps they were the protectors of this town’s true ruler. There was no way so many people would’ve gathered to watch me heal a handful of people otherwise. Surely Bazack must’ve understood by now that if this was a strategy to intimidate me into healing the ten people he’d mentioned, it would have the opposite effect.
“I don’t like being stared at so intensely right before I’m about to heal someone, so can anyone who isn’t a patient leave?” I asked.
My comrades all drew their weapons at my words. Was that what people called telepathy?
“They are not your enemies,” Bazack told me with a shake of his head. “They are just very worried about those ten people—two of them in particular, in fact—so they have come to see what’s happening.”
It didn’t look to me like he was lying. So was I right about who those people were? For a while, we just stood there in silence, but soon, people carried the wounded over.
It wasn’t me or Bazack who broke the silence, but Lionel. “Wha—?! Prince Albert! And Melphina?!”
I was surprised to see him so uncharacteristically flustered, but what shocked me the most was that he had called one of the people who’d been brought over “prince.” That must’ve meant that one of them was a prince of Illumasia. I finally understood: The man Bazack wanted me to save was his lifeline—his master.
A question formed in my mind. Would the residents of Ebiza be so desperate to save former Illumasian soldiers turned bandits? No, surely they wouldn’t. If so many people wished for their recovery, it could only mean...
“Lionel, who are these people?” I asked.
My voice brought him back to reality. “The first two are Illumasia’s first prince, Albert, and Melphina, the holy oracle,” he explained.
Perhaps this was the bad feeling I’d been having since before we left. “Can you explain?” I asked Bazack.
“We are the resistance, a faction that opposes the empire’s military strategies. Former prince Albert is our leader,” he said. But that was nowhere near enough information.
“Former prince?” I repeated. “And do all of these people want to save a prince of Illumasia?”
“I shall give you a more detailed explanation once you have proceeded with the healing. Please save him.”
The people carrying the makeshift stretcher on which the prince was lying lowered it before me, and I immediately understood what was wrong with him. Why? Because there was miasma leaking out of his body.
“Lionel, tell me if I should save him or not,” I said.
“Please help him, sir,” Lionel replied without a hint of hesitation. “You agree with me, Whirlwind?”
Brod nodded. “Do it, Luciel.”
Why had Lionel asked Brod for his opinion? Feeling a little confused, I nodded and gave directions to my companions. “I’ll heal him. But before I do, I want you all to grab your weapons and stand ready to fight. If you see anyone among the townsfolk looking like they’re in pain, apprehend them immediately.”
“What?!” Bazack exclaimed.
But I paid him no mind and chanted, “O holy hand of healing. O birthing breath of the land. Wash away these demonic impurities and engulf them in a cleansing sea. Purification Wave!”
As I used my new purification spell, the one I’d used at the Church’s HQ, a bluish-white light rippled from me in waves. I decided to let my friends deal with any potential demons that might be hiding among the townsfolk and began healing the prince, the holy oracle, and the other eight people, who were all in pain due to my spell.
But I had barely opened my mouth when a dagger was thrown at me, and blood splattered into the air.