Raising a vial high in the air for all to see, I announced, “Look, everyone! This is the panacea I just mentioned—the one that can cure this disease!”
I gulped the medicine down. It felt a bit wasteful to drink it when I was in perfect health, but sometimes, a small sacrifice was necessary. Besides, I still had plenty in stock.
“Now do you see that this medicine isn’t harmful?” I puffed out my chest with confidence. How’s that?!
For some reason, my declaration was only met with confusion.
Huh? Was that not good enough?
As I hung my head, feeling useless, Lord Felix came up next to me and gently laid his hand on my back. I knew he trusted me, and his warmth gave me courage.
That’s right. Even if they accept the panacea isn’t poisonous, I can’t prove its effectiveness by drinking it as a healthy person. I need to get someone—anyone—to try it. Then they’ll see that it really works!
I looked back up. The people’s expressions had changed.
“Her body...is glowing?”
“How is it even possible for medicine to make someone glow? It must be suspicious, after all.”
“She wouldn’t drink it herself if that were the case, no?”
It seemed like they were whispering among themselves, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
As I was wondering what the fuss was about, a small boy sitting at the back of the hall stood up, coughed a few times, and said, “Miss...are you...an angel? Is that why...you’re giving off...light?”
“H-Hey!” Someone—perhaps the boy’s mother—hurriedly stopped him from saying anything further.
At the same time, a cat jumped out from beside the boy.
“Ah!” the boy exclaimed.
Ignoring his reaction, the cat ran up to me, meowing sweetly and rubbing its body against my leg.
Aww, an adorable cat is just what I need in this trying time! I can already feel myself calming down.
“Meow! Mreooow! Myaaaaa!”
“Oh my,” I replied. “I know you want chin rubs and to tell me your story, but one thing at a time, okay? I’ll be here for a while.”
“Meeeow!”
“Huh? That boy has been sick for a long time?”
“Mreow!”
“I see... Well, he’ll be fine now!” I said, cradling the cat in my arms.
Suddenly, I became aware of the surprised looks on the faces of those watching, including Lord Felix’s.
“You really can communicate with cats...” he remarked.
“It’s because this one is very chatty!”
“That...probably isn’t what matters here.”
The people around us began to murmur among themselves again.
“Sh-She’s talking to a cat!”
“A long time ago, I read in a book that saints can talk to animals...”
“I-Is she a saint, then? Is that why she glowed?”
Look, even I don’t know why the medicine makes people glow, okay? It never happened when Conrad made it.
One of the steps in creating the panacea involved imbuing it with mana. When doing so, I would recite a little good luck charm: “May the person who drinks this get well soon!” Perhaps that was what made it cause such a strange reaction? They were just well-wishes, though...
Well, the medicine works without any side effects, so a little glowing isn’t a problem, right?
The hall was still abuzz, but as I focused on the cat’s constant chattering, the other voices faded away. Apparently the cat really wanted to save that boy because he was its beloved friend...but that didn’t stop it from wanting to play with me.
“That boy is sick! He’s suffering a lot! Come on, let’s play! You can pet me in this spot! He has a really painful bruise! Poor boy! Hey, play with me! Can you pick me up again?! Ahhh, please cure his disease! A cute and gentle boy like him deserves better! Well, I’m cuter, though! I love you—what’s your name?! I can’t believe that bad guy made that boy sick when he was already suffering! How dare he?! I love you so much! Play with meeeee!”
While the cat rambled on and on, it rolled wildly from side to side, jumped to its feet, slammed into my body, stood up on its hind legs, and meowed excitedly.
Tee hee, so smol and cute! But wow, that’s a lot of words!
Wait a second... Wasn’t there a very important piece of information in there?
The boy’s painful bruise was one concern, of course, regardless of whether it had been caused by the disease or not. But the cat had mentioned something even more critical just now.
“Meow? U-Um, who is that ‘bad guy’ you were talking about?” I asked.
“Meooow!”
Hmm, well, that’s unfortunate.
I was dying to know more, but the cat didn’t know anything about him other than that the disease had begun to spread after his visit to this town. I wished I had a few more details to work with.
The many stares of the people finally drew my attention.
Oh dear. I was so engrossed in the cat’s cuteness and this unexpected new finding that I didn’t realize everyone was looking at me in surprise.
“Sh-She really is talking to the cat...” the presumed noblewoman from earlier murmured.
Her remark confused me. See, I’d lived as Lilybell the beloved white cat for many, many years, and there was one thing I knew very well: Humans talked to cats all the time. So what was so shocking about me doing it now?
Recently, I’d been getting the feeling that as Lucille, I’d grown up with quite a narrow worldview. I sometimes wondered if my human sensibilities differed from the rest of the population’s. It seemed like there were so many things I didn’t know despite having received a princess’s education.
I tilted my head. Oh well! Even if people think I’m a weirdo lacking common sense, it isn’t a problem as long as I’m not hurting anyone, right?
My self-worth wouldn’t change no matter what others thought of me. Besides, I couldn’t tell you how many times I’d thought, You really are an oddball! about any of my beloved owners.
Anyway, I need to help that boy now.
I gave the cat a quick pat, silently asking it to wait where it was for a minute. Then, I glanced at Lord Felix, who was standing by my side to provide emotional support, before approaching the boy.
No one tried to stop me.
The boy coughed as he sought comfort in his mother’s embrace. While she appeared a little bewildered by my approach, the boy looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“Miss, are you really an angel after all? Were you talking to my friend?”
“Sorry, but I’m human, just like you,” I replied.
People called me angelic in my Lilybell days, though!
“Your cute little friend keeps asking me to help you, though, and I’d like to grant its wish,” I continued. “Will you let me?”
“You’ll save me?” The boy’s eyes widened.
His mother gulped.
“Meooow!” the cat cried.
The boy’s face suddenly scrunched up, like he was holding back tears. He’d been putting up a strong front, but his small body was surely suffering.
“O-Okay...please save me, Miss Angel.”
I’m no angel, but if you want to think of me as one, then sure! This angelic lady will save you!
I handed him a vial of medicine, and his mother helped him drink it, her hand trembling.
All of a sudden, the mother flipped the boy’s shirt up in surprise. “Th-The bruise is disappearing!”
Indeed, the discolored mark on his skin was rapidly fading.
“Yummy,” the boy murmured.
The pale glow of the child illuminated the church hall. No suspicions remained about the panacea after that.