Chapter 43 — Priestess

Chapter 43: Priestess.

It’s not like I don’t understand what made Eris want to improve her healing magic ability.

The fact that she couldn’t come along with the Krankheit Turtle subjugation unit. The fact that she couldn’t handle the crowd of customers that showed up at the hospital after the invasion of the poison mist.

Certainly, there’s been a demand lately for high healing magic proficiency. What’s more, the fact that I came back to the hospital immediately afterwards covered in blood made her worry. And on top of that, I ended up showing her that my healing magic could cover the entire city.

…Perhaps it was inevitable that Eris would be distraught.

However, going to study in the royal capital for who knows how many years just because of that is still not alright. I want to hold her back somehow, but to keep her here it’s necessary to improve her healing magic ability.

And, as for what I can do in order to improve her proficiency with healing magic…

I can teach Eris the anatomical knowledge that I possess from studying in Japan.

「Alright, Eris, let’s begin our lesson on the structure of the human body.」

In other words, health and physical education lessons. With great attention to detail, one-on-one physical education lessons.

I wonder how much I should teach her? Just how far should I instruct the blonde, buxom, trim, diligent Eris? Eris, who just earlier was thoroughly teased by Aria and is surely a bit conscious of me now. What manner of health and physical education lessons should I give her in that state? Various ideas come to mind.

「Master, I haven’t learned about the structure of the human body. This is fun!」

Nope, it’s impossible.

Before I know it, Yuel sits down across from Eris with a pleasant grin on her face. This isn’t one-on-one. Oh yeah, Yuel got back just a moment ago.

I was thinking of using weird methods, but Yuel’s voice cools me down a bit. Eris is currently agonizing over her healing magic, that’s exactly why she’s making a choice that could drastically change her life. Her expression isn’t just serious, there’s also some sorrow and anxiety mixed in. Such an expression tells me that she’s truly worried about her ability with healing magic.

If I get carried away by earthly desires and sexually harass her in this situation, it could end in a lot worse than scorn.

「The structure of the human body. You…? Despite how it seems, I did complete my schooling at a church at one point…」

Besides, Eris is someone who received a proper education at a church. If I don’t go about this seriously, I probably won’t be able to teach her anything.

「Well, hear me out. I’m sure you’re aware of my proficiency with healing magic, right? From now on, I’m going to show you one of the reasons for that.」

「Master, I want to hear it too!」

And Yuel is also watching. It can’t be helped. I’ll have to play the part of the intellectual Master and calmly, sincerely impart my knowledge onto Eris.

「…I’m sorry, I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.」

The result was, it’s hopeless.

「Even if you suddenly tell me about cells and what platelets are, I can’t picture it at all.」

As for what’s hopeless, it’s the difference in our fundamental knowledge.

「Besides, even if you just tell me that such things exist… precisely what they are and how they heal wounds, if you don’t properly explain from the beginning, I won’t understand…」

Incidentally, I don’t have the necessary knowledge to fill that gap.

「This is just a feeling, but… perhaps you don’t understand it very well yourself? I know this from having tutored younger kids at the church in the past, but teaching is difficult if you don’t have a firm grasp on the material.」

Besides, human anatomy is complicated in the first place, so teaching about it is impossible when I only have a smattering of knowledge myself.

…Unlike me who received an education in Japan, Eris is an inhabitant of another world. I thought I’d teach her a Japanese level of knowledge, but it might be necessary to start the discussion from the beginning, just like following along in a textbook. And yet, I don’t have a single bit of reference material. This world doesn’t have the things you’d find in a textbook like easily-understood color illustrations or microscopic images.

「Besides, this is completely different from what I was taught at the church… as far as what you said about being able to form a proper image at the time you cast healing magic, I think that it would be really difficult for me.」

This is no good.

Now that I’ve tried it, I understand for the first time. Teaching someone else my knowledge of the human body is beyond my ability. I might’ve been able to pull something off if I at least had a single Japanese reference book to work with, but there’s no way for me to obtain something like that.

Even Yuel, who was having so much fun, is currently nodding off next to Eris, swaying in her chair as if she’s on a boat. She occasionally snaps awake and shakes her head forcefully to stimulate her senses. But then after a few seconds, her eyelids fall and her head gives way to the swaying of the waves again. She’s probably tuckered out from working at the tavern as well, but most likely she found my lessons too tedious and they put her to sleep.

It’s probably just as Eris says. I can’t say a word in denial.

「Ah…… But, I could somehow understand that you were telling me some amazing things. Look, Perhaps I’m even able to use High Heal now… High Heal!」

Eris tries to comfort me, and concentrates on invoking High Heal. But, the High Heal she casts merely emits a faint green glow and disperses. Yeah, doesn’t look like this method was effective at all.

…To think that teaching people would be such a difficult thing.

But, it can’t go on like this.

If Eris ends up going to the royal capital, just whose chest will I turn to from now on in order to heal my heart with a glance? Yuel’s? That’s even more unacceptable.

In order to prevent Eris from spending who knows how many years training in the royal capital, I need to resolve her worries. Incidentally, while she’s still conscious of me from Aria’s teasing, I’d like to brilliantly solve Eris’ problems and take things to the “So dreamy, take me!” stage.

It’s just that this time, I might have erred a little in my approach. But this isn’t the only way.

「Eris, this time was a failure, but there are still other methods. I’ll definitely raise your healing magic ability, so please wait a bit longer for me before going to the royal capital.」

「Well, I don’t mind, but… that’s…」

It seems like she’ll wait for me. Although, she’s being somewhat evasive. Is there something she wants to tell me-

「…!」

And, as I’m thinking that, Yuel fervently shakes her head beside Eris. Then she opens her eyes wide and gazes at me intensely in order to concentrate on my words. It seems she hasn’t realized that the lesson is over. But then her eyelids slowly fall, and her head droops. She must be really sleepy.

Well, let’s leave Yuel be.

The three factors that influence healing magic ability are knowledge, mana, and piety. Knowledge is impossible, so that leaves mana and piety. In some way or another, if I can lift one of those up for Eris, even she should become able to use advanced healing magic.

The next day, Yuel is again leaving energetically for her part-time job at the tavern.

As for Eris, saying that she was going to go over the details that she couldn’t understand from my lessons the previous day, she’s secluding herself in the hospital.

And as for me, I’m searching for something in particular among the city stalls by myself.

The city is showing more activity than usual, thanks in large part to the festival. The number of stalls is also much higher, compared to normal. Stalls have even started to pop up along the side streets somewhat removed from the main street.

「Oh, Onii-chan, you interested in that? That’s a magic tool that was just recently discovered in the labyrinth…」

Then, ignoring the salesman’s explanations, I activate my Appraisal skill at a stall I came across. Keeping an eye out for a few items, Appraisal, Appraisal, Appraisal.

…But, the goods that I’m aiming for don’t appear to be among them.

As for what I’m searching for, it’s a magic tool that I can use to improve Eris’ healing magic.

In this world, there are various magic tools excavated from ruins or discovered in labyrinths. Among them there might even be magical tools capable of raising your mana capacity just by wearing them on your body, or of storing mana like a battery. Magic tools are generally expensive, but at present I can mostly afford them.

The 2,500,000 Zeni reward I received the other day from the knight brigade. In Japanese currency, that’s a whopping 25 million yen. That should be enough to buy one or two magic tools and still have change left over.

If knowledge is useless then how about money. I could brute-force it with money.

Although, I’ve been looking at countless stalls for a while now, but I can’t seem to find a suitable magic tool.

「Ah, Shiki! Fancy meeting you in a place like this. Whatcha doing?」

At that time, a voice casually calls out to me from behind. An awfully pleasant, flirtatious, coaxing voice. This voice is Ruruka’s.

Immediately afterwards, I feel soft breasts pressing into my arm. These breasts are Ruruka’s.

「Looking at the stalls? …Huh, where’s Yuel-chan?」

「Yeah, I’m looking for a magic tool, but I can’t seem to find it. Also, Yuel is at the tavern today.」

Since they’re shorthanded due to the festival, the wages are apparently higher than usual. I have no idea what Yuel intends to buy, but lately she’s been working at the tavern pretty much every day.

But for me to run into Ruruka with timing like this. This might be bad.

「Izzat so… I see, I see, Yuel-chan isn’t here right now.」

An awfully pleasant voice. Ruruka’s face is all smiles.

…I can guess why she seems so pleased.

The other day, at the dinner party sponsored by the lord. Ruruka was there when I received the reward. That’s right, Ruruka is aware of the fact that my wallet is currently burning a hole in my pocket.

And the fact that as soon as she found me, she pressed her boobs against me.

…For example, if Ruruka were to say “buy this” in the current situation. No, more like “If you buy this, then later…”.

I might just end up buying it. Strung along by the momentary pleasant feeling, I might end up buying Ruruka expensive jewels, magic items and whatever else she wants.

Well, assuming she feels somewhat remorseful and I receive appropriate compensation later, then it’s alright.

…But right now I’m supposed to be using this money on a magic tool for Eris. Right now, and only now, the timing is bad.

「Oh yeah, what kind of magic tool are you looking for? Want me to help you look for it?」

「Ahh, something to raise mana capacity…」

「Hmmm, so it’s like that… oh right, recently a large magic tool shop opened, but I haven’t checked it out yet. It’s a pretty huge store even for this city so you might be able to find the magic tool you’re looking for? Let’s go take a look together!」

Saying that, Ruruka inserts my arm between those soft breasts and tugs me along. Inserting it between those breasts and forcefully tugging.

…Let’s think about it from the opposite point of view. I only have to endure the temptation.

Ruruka is an adventurer. There was the previous matter with that earring too; she’s likely more familiar with magic tools than I am. If I let her guide me, I might be able to find the magic tool I’m looking for sooner.

It’s not particularly because the sensation of her breasts hitting my arm feels good and I don’t want her to let go or anything. Not because her unprotected breasts feel so soft through a single layer of shirt or anything. I just need to have a strong will and keep my wallet strings tied tight.

With that decided, let’s get going!

「Uwah, what is this skewer, it’s so delicious! Marbled beef from the royal capital is incredible, it’s my first time eating it, but it’s melting in my mouth! Thanks for buying it, Shiki! I knew it! You’re so cool!」

While I’m feeling the sensation of her breasts melting against my arm, we slip through the currents of people on our way to the magic tool shop.

「Yeah, don’t worry about it… woah, you’re gonna run into someone. Why don’t you come a little closer?」

「Sheesh, I-I guess it can’t be helped!」

I’ve only been walking along the streets with Ruruka for a short while, but I’ve already spent thousands of Zeni. What I’ve obtained are the incredibly soft feeling on my arm, a bunch of forced compliments, and Ruruka’s spirited guidance.

Well, the price was expensive, but it was a cheap price to pay for such quality food. A single skewer is cheaper than a single Heal. If I think of it as the cost of being guided to the magic tool shop, it’s not high. Well, maybe it’s high, but not if you include the sensation of these breasts that keep hitting my arm.

「Ah, take that street over there and go north.」

「Gotcha.」

With a truly pleased expression, Ruruka stuffs her face with premium skewers. Looking at her, and how she got me to think “I guess it’s fine to treat her just a little bit”, I can’t help but be impressed by Ruruka’s high skill.

Although, until I buy a magic tool for Eris’ sake, no matter what, I can’t buy any luxury decorative goods. Magic tools are fundamentally expensive. I’m pretty sure I have enough, but I can’t let it turn into a scenario where I don’t have enough money left to buy a magic tool by the time I get to the magic tool shop.

While I’m thinking that, as soon as we leave the main street,

「…We can’t get through this way, huh.」

We run into a huge crowd that’s filling the street. The magic tool shop that Ruruka mentioned is apparently on the north side of town, a little further off. We should be able to head north through here, but there’s no way to get through this crowd.

「Hmmm, what should we do?」

Then, taking a look at the crowd, in the middle of it there’s a familiar flat-chested, black-haired woman wearing an ornately-decorated habit. I saw her yesterday too; it’s that Church of Medine priestess.

「Ah, looks like she’s giving out free treatment again, that Church of Medine priestess. She was doing it the day before yesterday too.」

It seems Ruruka has seen her as well.

But there’s something bothering me a little about that priestess. Maybe it’s because she’s as flat-chested as Fran? I wonder if it’s easier for those to draw attention because an AAA-cup woman is rarer than a D-cup woman?

…No, probably because it was the first time I saw a healer capable of using EX Heal.

Though it drained her mana in one shot yesterday, she was even using EX Heal. Among all of the healers that I’ve seen so far, her ability is no doubt the best. At present she seems to be using High Heal to treat patients with missing limbs. Treating patients with a constant smile using High Heal, enveloping their hands in a gentle handshake, then waving to the surrounding onlookers.

…What’s with this spectacle?

It feels so showy, as if she’s an idol doing volunteer work. Aria was saying that it’s a performance in order to collect donations for the religious organization, so that might just be the way it is. That priestess looks to be around 17 years old, and on top of that, other than her breast size she’s rather well-featured.

「But maaaan, being able to use healing magic to that degree at such a young age. Even though Eris was saying that just to use High Heal, she’d have to train for years.」

「Hmmm, but isn’t it the same with you, Shiki-san? Being able to use High Heal at that age.」

No, I can even use EX Heal. I haven’t told Ruruka that though.

But I’m a special case. On top of being able to use a modest healing effect by nature, thanks to the fact that I came here from Earth where there was no mana, I have a unique constitution capable of storing enormous amounts of it.

Well, leaving me aside, there aren’t many people in this world capable of using EX Heal. The fact that she can use EX Heal at such a young age, you might call her a rather special existence even for this world. And there’s no way she came here from another world like I did.

…Is there?

The reason that priestess caught my interest. It might not just be over the matter of EX Heal.

Her black hair. That priestess has pure black hair, not very common in this world. There are quite a few with dark gray or brown mixed with black, but genuine black hair is uncommon. By some possibility… such thoughts cross my mind.

-Suddenly, I make eye contact with the priestess as she’s waving to the onlookers. For just a moment. It’s not like she was looking over this way; her gaze just happened to pass by.

But, I saw them.

Clear blue irises. Not black, but blue.

Never mind. She’s not a Japanese person, at least.

…Or rather I should say that if she had come from Japan like me, then yesterday that EX Heal wouldn’t have used up all of her mana at once.

Although, in that case she must really be a uniquely gifted person. If I told Eris, she’d probably lose confidence and become even further depressed. I don’t know whether her mana capacity is amazing, or her knowledge is incredible, or else if she’s drawing on the power of faith in the existence of the god called Medine or whatever from a great number of devout believers.

As I’m pondering while I gaze at the priestess,

「Wow! My hand is moving, it’s moving, Okaa-san!」

「Saint-sama, thank you so much, I’ll never forget this favor for the rest of my life!」

My eyes fall upon a young girl accompanied by someone who appears to be her mother, giving their thanks and deeply bowing as if prostrating themselves before the priestess. Looks like the young girl was the one who just received treatment.

「Please, do not concern yourselves. Providing succor to such an adorable child brings me great joy as well. Come now, pray lift your heads.」

The priestess says to the mother with a smile. Then, unconcerned about dirtying her clothes, she kneels with one knee on the ground and extends her hand in order to get the mother to stand. When the mother sees this, she’s deeply moved and starts to cry. With the free treatment just now, she healed a child who was surely too poor to receive medical treatment with High Heal. It’s an emotional scene, as if right out of a drama.

「Thank you so much, thank you so much!」

「Onee-chan, thank you!」

The mother and daughter give countless thanks to the priestess as they depart. Cheers and applause ring out from the surrounding onlookers.

「That’s great, that’s so great, she treated that girl…」

Ruruka too seems a little touched, seeing the exuberant mother and daughter.

「…」

But what was with that scene? Something feels off. I can’t say exactly what was strange about it, but something was strange.

Then all of a sudden, I remember a certain experience from Japan. I see, so that’s where that sense of incongruity came from…

Slightly uneasy, I observe the state of the onlookers immediately following the priestess’ next treatment. I realize that the first people to loudly applaud and cheer are equally spaced among the audience. After the next treatment too, the same people as before applaud and raise a cheer as if they’re trying to stir up the place.

…Those. Those are… shills.

The source of my sense of incongruity was: déjà vu. That’s right, this modus operandi closely resembles that of a new religious movement. In the type of new religious movement where the founder is the object of faith, they use children to create emotional experiences, and shills to profess the founder’s greatness using mob psychology, using those as a source of faith. I’ve seen it myself several times.

Although, if this is simple volunteer work by a religious organization in order to improve their image and solicit donations, like Aria claimed, why would they be using audience plants…

And then I realize.

「Now I get it.」

「What do you mean by get it, Shiki? …Ah, we should get going, it’s no use even if we keep watching.」

Piety. That’s it, piety.

Perhaps that priestess, is gathering faith in herself, just like I did. If I think about it like that, her conduct finally makes sense.

The excessively showy atmosphere. That service-oriented attitude of waving to the audience while she provides treatment. Despite being a priestess, those ornately decorated garments. She’s almost like an idol or something.

And what settles it is the existence of shills and the fact that she can use EX Heal at such a young age.

In that way, by turning herself into a symbol and feigning greatness, she must be gathering faith in herself.

Eris didn’t know that, rather than just believing in god, she can improve the effectiveness of her healing magic by accumulating faith in herself. I only realized it since I was a special case, but the fact that you can improve your healing magic ability by gathering faith in yourself shouldn’t generally be well-known.

No, since the Church of Medine is also known as the official religion of healing magic, they may have realized it but are deliberately keeping it a secret between the higher-ups. Now that I think about it, Aria also regarded the free treatment as an attempt to solicit donations, so that possibility is high. If everyone and their mother were trying to collect faith in themselves, then the objects of faith would become diluted.

…This could be useful.

If I have Eris do the same kind of thing, and gather belief…

-Nah, that might be hopeless. It’s hard to imagine Eris nodding in agreement to it.

Or rather, judging by that priestess’ garments and her escorts, she’s a higher-up in the church. I mean, she was even called a saint just now. There might not be any problems if a person like that attracts a ton of attention, but if a common healer like Eris attracted that much attention, I have a feeling it could be dangerous. As a blonde beauty with an enticing body, if she acts congenially to everyone like an idol, I have no doubt that she’d be involved in an incident. And Eris has no combat ability, so that wouldn’t be good.

I thought it was a revolutionary idea that would elevate Eris’ healing magic, but… I’m gonna have to toss it out. It’s not worth going so far as exposing Eris to danger.

「…Hey Shiki, I’m talkin’ to you. It’ll be hard to pass through here, so let’s take a back alley. That’ll probably be a shortcut.」

「Yeah.」

By the time I notice her, Ruruka is pulling my hand. Oh yeah, we were on the way to buy a magic tool. In order to improve Eris’ healing magic ability, as expected, finding a magic item to raise her mana capacity and buying it is a pragmatic approach.

「Look, Shiki, this way.」

It seems Ruruka intends to give up on getting through here and use a back alley instead. Well, naturally, I also want to refrain from cutting through this crowd. Then, when I’m about to follow Ruruka, at that time.

「Ahhhhh!! What do you think you’re doing!?」

A familiar, loud voice reaches my ears. I look over in the direction of the voice, and in the middle of the crowd there’s a girl with a ponytail wearing knight armor, heading this way. The color of that ponytail is quite similar to Eris’ blonde hair.

That’s… Aria. And, when she sees my hand being grasped by Ruruka, her face becomes blatantly sullen.

「Eh, What? That girl, is that someone you know, Shiki?」

Ruruka, perhaps surprised at the sudden event, stares at me with wide eyes. As for Aria, she rapidly closes in on me with some sort of angry face.

Who would’ve thought I’d run into Aria with timing like this.

…This might be bad.

「Shiki-san, what are you doing!? Who is that person!?」

Aria is angry. Doesn’t seem like she came here to deepen her friendship with her older sister’s roommate whom she just happened to notice. I wonder what her purpose is? If it’s what I’m imagining, this doesn’t bode well.

「Aria, wait, just calm down a bit.」

「Aahhh, come on, you’re even holding hands! Just answer me, who is that person!? Your mistress!?」

This is an unpleasant development.

「Mistreesss!?」

Before I can give Aria an excuse, Ruruka cries out in a hysteric voice.

「Me…? Mistress, are you referring to me!?」

Then, trembling all over while pointing at herself, Ruruka looks back and forth between me and Aria with a confused face.

「Shiki, what does she mean by mistress!? Hey, Shiki, answer me!」

This can’t be happening. Ruruka must have really hated being called my mistress; she’s half in tears. Does she hate being seen as fickle in the manner of a mistress, or does she hate the implication that the one I’m serious about is a different woman? I’d really like to know, but I don’t have time to think about that right now. I need to give an immediate explanation.

「No, that’s a misunderstanding…」

「What exactly am I misunderstanding!? Didn’t I tell you just yesterday to take good care of Onee-chan!?」

Then Aria becomes even further enraged. Ah, this is bad.

「Now that I think about it, you were hitting on girls yesterday too! So the part about you only being dragged along by your friends against your will was a lie after all!?」

「Hitting on girls!? Shiki, you were doing something like that!?」

Aria is steadily getting heated up. This is bad. It doesn’t seem like I can get away by saying that I have things to do. I can’t dodge the question.

「Since I saw it, I won’t overlook this even for Onee-chan’s sake! Shiki-san, you’d better properly explain who that person is and what exactly your relationship is with her!」

…What do I do!