293-287 Promise

When they left the Adventurer's Guild, the city of Meratni was completely dark with the sun going down.

Even so, with the blessing of the dark dragon and the dark spirits, the moonlight alone was enough to ensure that they could see.

Estia and Alice hadn't uttered a single word since they left the Adventurer's Guild, and were simply walking towards their destination.

At that time, both Estia and Alice in my field of vision had hardened expressions on their faces.

The destination is currently the only orphanage in this city, a former healing center run by Botakouri.

I couldn't imagine what was going to happen now or why I was going to see Botakouri.

As I was thinking about this, Estia suddenly opened her mouth.

'Lady Luciel, I lived in a different place than Melatoni. But my body was very weak. So the idea was to get me to see a reputable healing center in Melatni.

I stuttered as my expectations of being Botacouli's daughter were suddenly off, prompting me to continue my story.

''Well that was the Botacouli Healing Institute?''

Yes. There was a girl about my age in the sanitarium and we became fast friends.

Is that Botacouli's daughter?　

'One day I had to stay at the healing center for a cure and I was talking to a girl about a bunch of stuff and I was so tired I had to sleep with her.

You must have been very close.

'Yes. But a loud voice woke me up and there was my father and mother with their swords at the ready, surrounded by a crying Director and many mercenaries. And right in front of me...

I see.

If he came to the city where his parents were killed in front of him as a child, I think I can understand why he was so upset at that time.

But still, I can't believe that Botacouli was crying.......

I'm sure that's where they started charging high prices, turning them into debt slaves and using mercenaries to take care of those who refused, and Botacouli must have started down the path of a villainous healer.

If that was the strategy of the Empire, then I'll have to have His Highness Albert and the others look into it thoroughly.

''The people who were in the healing center, including me, were taken straight to the Empire in the slavers' carriage... and in the slavers' facility, for some reason, we were reunited with Mee, with whom we were supposed to have become friends in the healing center.

...Meechan?

'Yes this is Mee who was in that underground facility. Me and Mee and a few other kids with the same symptoms we had were collected.

I didn't know what to say to Estia.

I didn't think that was Botakouri's daughter.

But Estia just continued to explain.

'After that, they gave us various medicines and so on, and our bodies became stronger and stronger as we grew up. And when we were let out of that institution, we spent a lot of time with the three of us, the three of us, with our sister Alice, who came to the slave trade at that time.

If I count backwards, you were ten years old or so when you met Alice.

'So what's Estia going to do now that she's met Botacouli?

I'll tell you if you want to hear my memories of Mitis, but I'm not going to tell you that I turned her into a demon.

Okay.

Eventually the orphanage came into view.

When I told the orphanage of my visit, Botacouli came out himself.

''This is Luciel-sama, I see you have been active in many ways. I understand that you have recently become a wise man.......but I'd appreciate it if you could refrain from visiting at short notice.

Excuse me, sir. We've come to visit you because these two have something to tell you about your daughter.

"?　We'll talk to you in my office.

Then a few orphans were staring at us, and as we reached Botacouli's private room with a wave of our hands, we began to talk.

'Is Mitis-chan the right name for your daughter?'

Yeah, yeah.

'Well before that, do you remember me?　I was friends with Mittis, but....

'As I recall, you've been here before with Master Luciel and I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met otherwise.

''I see. Now let me tell you a story. Mitis and I met at an Imperial slaver's facility. They have a collection of physically fragile children.

Little Mitis and I continued to take the food and medicine the slavers had prepared for us, and in five years we were completely strong.

Then Alice took over Esther's words.

'It was about that time I met you two. I had skills in appraisal, so after about two years of being made to do some sort of education thing for the two of them, I was made to die and go to work in an Imperial laboratory.

..........

''It was only after a while that Mitis was sent to the Imperial Institute. Mitis had so much magic that the head of the institute at the time, who decided it could be used in research, purchased it.

'Oh no... so you're still in an Imperial laboratory...'

No, Mitis-chan was an experiment to force her to become a demon and I took care of her.

Yeah, shut up! Shut up!　Master Luciel, why are you doing this?　How can a girl like this get into a lab?

'I'm sorry, but it's true. Such demonic experiments were underway in the Ilmasia Empire and Duchy Brange, as if they were in dispute. That's why we've destroyed all the Imperial laboratories today.

Today?　It doesn't matter, then, that you killed my daughter...

A tremendous look of hatred pierced my eyes.

''Luciel-sama is the only sage who can turn even a soldier who has turned into a demon race back into a human being.......I'll have Mitis-chan explain that to you.

What are you talking about?　You said Mittis was dead earlier.

Please be quiet for a moment.

When Estia blackmailed Botakouli and glared at him, Botakouli couldn't say anything.

There was no way a mere healer could withstand the intimidation of a spirit swordsman.

Then, as if he was waiting for his cue, the spirit-transformed Forenoire suddenly emerged from the spirit crystal.

And at the same time, it was as if Estia and the dark spirit had been swapped with each other.

''Now I'm going to let you hear the last words of the dead. It's only a soul, so it won't be long. If possible, I will purify them with your hands.

"Luciel, I'm going to get my magic.

Just as I thought I heard telepathic communication, a white light rose from Forenoire and a black light rose from Estia, mixing in the air.

And then an invisible girl appeared.

''Well, you don't think it's Mitis?''

"Daddy, we missed you.

The girl's crying voice echoes in her head, whether it's a telepathic tale or not.

'Mitis, oh Mitis.'

Botacouli was already crying in public.

Yeah. Yeah. Of course. I've been praying for this day to come.

''Then why didn't my dad treat you?　My mom said you're the greatest healer in the world.

When the girl cried, I felt the dark magic waver a little.

'I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.''

'I'm not the only one Dad apologizes to. To my mom, and to Estia, the little Estia that he enslaved here, and to all the people he has killed, like Estia's dad and mom.

What?

Botacouli looked at Estia with dismay.

'I know because there were so many people in the imperial slavers that Papa enslaved,' she said. Why did Papa, who was so kind, enslave his patients? I'm sure if it wasn't for Estes and sister Alice here, I would have had a much more difficult life.''

I'm not, I'm not...

''But, you know, I still loved my dad all the time, and I was happy for him. And I wanted to be with him all the time.'

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

"I'm dead now, and I need to ask you for one last favor.

....

Botacouli shook his face from side to side in small increments, but he seemed unable to speak.

'I'm so proud of you, Dad. And I want you to help a lot of people. And I want you to purify me.

'I can't, I can't act as a healer anymore. Besides, purifying Mitis...

'Dad, it's not just healers who help people. There are a lot of kids out there waiting for their daddy to come out. I want my share of kids to be proud to be their dad.

'Mitis, Mitis, I was all wrong, all wrong.

"Papa, you must continue to help a lot of people.

Yeah. Yeah. I promise.

I believe in you.

Mitis, I love you.

"Me too, Papa.

Here we go. O Holy Healing Hand, O Breath of Mother Earth, hopefully you will remove all the defilements of my beloved daughter and invite her to come to the Lord of Holiness, Purification.

"Papa, I'm so happy to see you.

The girl who was invisible would disappear with the light through Botacouli's purification.