Episode 11.11

"What'd you say!"

"Such foolishness."

"Why would you do such a sacrilegious act!"

"Adventurer Lecan, on what authority do you dare to forbid god's grace that is the sacred act of <Recovery>."

"Because I taught Eda her <Recovery>, she's still inexperienced at it."

"Eh"

"Wha"

The room immediately fell silent.

"Adventurer Lecan. Do you mean to say that you, an adventurer, has taught adventurer Eda, the god-given art of <Recovery>?"

"That's right."

Priest Casis is glaring at Lecan with a look of contempt, priest Pajill is still shutting his eyes like usual. The other three started to discuss among themselves noisily.

The wrinkles on priest Casis's face gradually deepened before he eventually exploded.

"I've had enough with all these farces! We have identified that the young girl, Eda, may have been graciously blessed with the extreme privilege of bearing the art of <Recovery> by the great god Ceres. Prove us that, right away! That's the only thing needed done!"

Lecan responded with a quiet voice.

"Priest Casis."

"What!"

"We don't mind proving Eda's <Recovery>. But can you prove that her <Recovery> is a blessing from god Ceres?"

"W-what!"

"Eda."

"Yes."

"Have you ever visited Ceres Temple?"

"Nope, never."

"Have you ever prayed to god Ceres?"

"Nope, never."

"Did you feel the presence of god Ceres when you acquired <Recovery>?"

"Nah. Not really."

"Do you call for god Ceres's name when you cast <Recovery>?"

"I don't."

They practiced this exchange many times over before coming here.

"Did you hear that, priest Casis. God Ceres has nothing to do with Eda usage and attainment of <Recovery>."

"Fu, fufu, fufufufuu. And here I was wondering what you are going to say. God's graces are vast. Doesn't matter whether you lowly people realize it or not, the great divine spirit of great god Ceres permeates in all creations. Even if Eda herself isn't aware, the dwelling of <Recovery> in her is surely an act of god Ceres."

"I don't know what you're going on about, so let me get this straight. You're saying that all <Recovery> in this world is the blessing of god Ceres, are you not."

"Wha"

"All <Recovery> employed by every spellcasters out there is the blessing of god Ceres, <Recovery> by way of other gods' blessings do not exist in this world, is that the opinion held by Ceres Temple of Vouka Town then."

"N-nonsense. I never said that!"

"Then priest Casis, you're saying that mages who learned the use of <Recovery> without gods' blessings do not exist in this world, correct?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Then you admit that there exist <Recovery> that does not come from god Ceres' blessing."

Sounds of clenching teeth could be heard.

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

"I do."

"Well then, let's get back to about whether Eda can use <Recovery> or not. This has to be shown to be believed."

"Oh, that's it."

"We just have to see it."

"I can't believe that it could heal grave injuries instantaneously like that man said."

"But the blood sticking to his clothes didn't match the scar at all."

"It reeks of fraud, in my opinion."

"I mean, doing that without preliminary casting. There's no way that could have healed serious injuries."

"Quiet!"

Priest Casis silenced the three priests who suddenly got all excited.

"Adventurer Eda. You will show us <Recovery> now, won't you?"

"Lecan will answer that."

"Oh we'll show you, mine that is."

"What. Don't mess with me you!"

"Priest Casis. Weren't you listening to what I said?"

"W-what?"

"I taught Eda <Recovery>. She's still inexperienced. Hence I have prohibited her from using it in front of others. Of course I wouldn't let her do the thing I forbade her here."

"What. Say that again you!"

This was when Priest Pajill threw a question for the first time.

"Adventurer Lecan. Tell us. Why would you prohibit <Recovery> an art of virtue that heals people wounds, under the pretext of inexperience."

"It's for the sake of those injured and for Eda herself. She hasn't mastered the spell enough nor has her mind matured enough. She would be stunned to see blood and may even fail the casting. Were that happen, the wounded would be dispirited, it would waste time that could be used to treat the wound instead. Eda would get discouraged by that, turning it into an obstacle in her path to master <Recovery>. Hence the prohibition."

"Fumu."

After reacting ambiguously to it, priest Pajill shut his eyes once again.

"What quibbles! Whatever, just have Eda use <Recovery>!"

"And what are you gonna do if she failed?"

"Whaaat"

"By pressing her to use it here, she may fail at it due to the pressure. And then she may lose the ability to ever cast it again. Do you intend to erase one <Recovery> user off this world, priest Casis."

"W-wha"

"Also think this. What if I make her fail at it on purpose, what then?"

This time, all other priests were at a loss for word, not only priest Casis.

After a while, priest Casis spoke in an awfully low voice.

"What do you mean by that, Lecan."

"It's a common knowledge that every temple is racing to secure even one additional mid-rank or higher <Recovery> user to further authority amongst themselves. If I don't like the idea of having my pupil shackled, I could order Eda to fail. And that would be the end of it being god's blessing or something."

The priests were furious when they heard Lecan. Every one of them are looking at him like he murdered their parents.

"Lecan, just how far are you planning to vilify our great god."

"It's the other way around, priest Casis. We're here because we respect great god Ceres. I'm offering to show my <Recovery> as a master of an inexperienced pupil precisely because I don't want to disrespect great god Ceres."

Priest Casis is glaring really hard at Lecan.

"Priest Casis."

"What."

A young priest called out to him, yet priest Casis replied back with his eyes still glaring at Lecan.

"Let's let adventurer Lecan demonstrate for us for now. We can just proceed with what we have then."

Priest Casis fell silent. Then after quite some time, he squeezed out a low raspy voice.

"Do it then."

(We finally got to this point.)