The next day.
I managed to sort out Eris misunderstanding, and now Im teaching Yuel healing magic. When I teach her how to handle mana, she immediately tries to invoke healing magic. And-
It failed even though Master went to great pains to teach me i-it failed
feeling regret, Yuel mutters in a frail voice. Shes just hanging her head and trembling, unable to show her master her face.
Dont worry about it, Yuel. You didnt invoke healing magic itself, but your palms glowed a tiny bit. Just being able to do that from the beginning is plenty.
I guess even for Yuel, succeeding on the first try is impossible. But the study of healing magic usually takes on the order of several years, so being able to produce light like that on the first try is rather amazing. She might be a prodigy. My little Yuel-chan just might be a genius.
She can fight at medium distance with knives, has fine-tuned senses, and can see at night. If she ends up being a natural talent at healing magic as well, the meaning of my existence will be under threat soon. And I already feel like even though Im her guardian, Im the one being protected.
If she can use healing magic, she could likely even learn to use attack magic. On top of her mana capacity continuing to rise just by being together with me, dark elves are said to be a long-lived race. She has plenty of time to study. Yuel-sans potential is frightening.
Well, handling mana isnt all there is to healing magic. Faith and knowledge are also involved. If you practice those areas, youll be able to use it soon.
Faith and knowledge, is it?
As I comfort the disheartened Yuel, I think about it. Not about Yuel, but about yesterday. The saints purpose, which I heard from Ruruka.
When I heard the term purge I immediately considered running away at night, but I got the feeling it was in no way related to me. Besides, even if I decide to run, Eris is here at this hospital too, and she wouldnt so easily leave this place that holds so much emotional attachment for her.
I cant tell her to abandon it just because of some vague uneasy feeling.
Which is why I want to do a little more intelligence gathering regarding the saint. Deciding what to do from now on will depend on that.
As Im absent-mindedly considering such things, I notice Yuel looking at me. When I meet her eyes, she nervously opens her mouth.
Umm, Master. If you dont mind, could you read the Bible for me? I cant read very well
Oh yeah, Eris was saying that just reading the Bible seems to deepen your piety. Reading a well-defined episode dealing with god is useful for believing in the existence of god? Perhaps its something along those lines.
The Bible? Ahh, Yuel, about how many characters can you read?
By the way, I can read this worlds writing. I dont know why, but I had a perfect understanding of this worlds words and characters as soon as I arrived here. Teaching Yuel should be easy enough.
I havent the slightest clue as to why I can read the characters or understand the words of this world in the first place, though. To begin with, the second I thought I died I was here in this world, and I dont understand my current situation itself one bit.
Well, no matter how much I think about it, it wont change anything.
Perhaps theres some reason for it, but I dont have nearly enough material to consider. Theres no way I can reach a conclusion by continuing to rack my brain about it. Itd be more productive to try and come up with a way to look at Eris breasts without getting noticed.
I learned to read to a certain degree at the orphanage. But there are many difficult words in the Bible, so I cant understand very well
I see, got it. In that case, leave it to me.
Thank you very much, Master! Umm, well then, please start from the middle of chapter three!
Yuel says with delight.
Although, the Bible, huh. I havent honestly read the Bible of the Church of Medine before. I dont know the contents in detail, either.
Though I do know that in this country where the Church of Medine is the state religion, the Bible is regarded as historical fact, and in general it covers how the Church of Medine seals the evil god and its apostles.
Lets see, chapter three chapter three
As I flip through the pages in search of chapter 3, theres an illustration of some dashing cane-wielding man facing off against a great host of monsters. I wonder if the illustration is there for use in childrens education?
Slightly intrigued, I briefly scan the words, and it appears to be a scene of the churchs saint fighting an army of monsters led by the succubus apostle of the evil god.
Succubus, huh
Master, the succubus, what happened with the succubus?
When I quietly mutter a word that caught my interest, Yuel immediately reacts.
No, nothing at all, Yuel.
The succubus must never, ever be brought back. I guess thats an apostle of the evil god for you; her methods are way too nasty. Daring to increase the enemys population, causing conflict over food distribution, and letting them weaken each other, huh.
I was expecting a more, yknow, succubus-like double peaceful sort of development. This is no good.
I guess thats the difference between manga and reality? No doubt about it, this succubus is the kind that comes to kill people.
All of the excitement Ive been building up instantly subsides.
Alright, Im good now, Yuel. From chapter three, you said?
Yes, from around where the succubus characteristics are written, please.
That was chapter three!?
I take a look into Yuels eyes. She looks puzzled. Is it because my agitation came across?
But she seems okay. Her ears arent red, nor is she fidgeting. Shes making an earnest face, like shes simply eager to learn the contents of the Bible. She doesnt seem to have an ulterior motive.
In that case shes not going to ask me stuff like What does passions mean? or What is sexual intercourse? or anything.
Earlier, Yuel was saying there were difficult words in the Bible, so I cant understand very well, wasnt she?
If youre going to ask those things, please dont ask them to me. You should ask Eris, and let me watch her bashfully struggle to explain.
Master, is something wrong?
Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Yuel asks me with those pure eyes.
Since that matter with Ruruka, theres been a side of Yuel that I cant quite figure out. Shes had a precariousness to her, like she might suddenly cross a line.
Frankly, I really dont want to read aloud a story where a succubus drives young girls into wild child-making debauchery. Should I just honestly tell Yuel parts of it are unsuitable for your age, so I cant read it to you?
Thats hopeless. Her eyes are full of the drive to learn healing magic so she can be useful to her master. The chance that shell respond with anything besides I can handle it is close to nil. Well, Ill try saying it anyway.
Yuel, thats, well, chapter three might have a bit of a bad influence on-
I-Im fine! I can handle it!
She talked right over me. She even replied twice.
I take a look into Yuels eyes again. Somehow, theyre telling me that shes fully determined. Theyre extremely serious. All I can see is an earnest desire to learn healing magic.
There really doesnt seem to be any ulterior motive.
Now that I think about it, Ive lost consciousness before, back when I fell into the river.
And whats more, at the time Yuel was terribly worried about my body. Precisely because she had that experience, she must be thinking that she wants the power to heal me when Im unable to use healing magic myself. Yuel is an ambitious girl. Something tells me that the chances of that are high.
Do I have any other option but to resolve myself? Any other option, other than resolving myself to read aloud a succubus-driven babymaking fantasy to Yuel, a still-young slave girl? To this pure-eyed girl?
This young girl whos likely to ask me Whats sexual intercourse? five seconds after I start reading?
Theres no way I can do that.
Ill mislead Yuel as though sorry, something came up so I cant read it and stroll around outside to kill some time.
Ah, but thats no good. Yuel will most likely follow behind me. If she comes with me shell find out that I dont actually have anything to do. And just leaving her behind is somehow pathetic in its own way.
Or rather, since there was that monster raid incident at the beauty contest, I get the feeling that Yuel wont leave my side anyway. And she hasnt been going to the tavern lately either.
Ahhh, Yuel, sorry but its a little, well, now is
As Im trying to come up with an excuse for Yuel, abruptly a knocking sound rings out through the hospital. This is surely the sound of my rescue. Looks like a customer came at just the right time.
Unfortunately, thats all for the special healing magic training today. You should come help Eris with the cooking, Yuel. I gotta go deal with the visitor!
I cant stay in this room. I hastily pass the Bible back to Yuel and make my escape.
Alright, now who might that visitor be?