“Ah… thank you, Saint…”
The knight, who was wrapped in bandages, expressed his gratitude towards me.
“[It’s alright. May you always have the blessing of the divine!]”
I smiled back at him and replied cheerfully.
Most people didn’t seem very pleased to receive my treatment, but this one was genuinely thankful, perhaps feeling good about having received my care.
‘It’s strange…’
The people of the Order mostly regarded my healing as a disgrace. Those who were gravely injured had no choice but to receive my treatment, but in cases where their lives weren’t in immediate danger, most tried to avoid being treated by me in any way.
Yet this one didn’t just accept my treatment; he was sincerely thanking me. How could I not question this?
‘Is he a newcomer?’
No matter how good my memory was, I couldn’t recall every member of the Order. So, it wouldn’t be unusual for him to have this sort of reaction…
‘Well, good is good.’
Up until now, most of the Paladins I’d treated had been a hassle, trying to avoid my healing in any way they could.
It was much better for someone to accept my treatment and thank me afterward like this.
I could feel bored but also a slight happiness, while the one treated would no longer suffer and be happy…
It was a mutually beneficial situation.
Sighing internally, I figured I had seen enough of the Order for now and thought about heading to the slums.
Just because it was called Valkran didn’t mean there were no slums.
This was still a place where people lived, with some living in wealth while many struggled to get by day to day.
Unfortunately, a world where everyone could live equally doesn’t exist.
This world is no different.
Well… I was here to help those in need in some way.
As I thought about where to go first, someone approached me.
Curious, I concentrated a little more on my divine power.
“[D-Dannes?!]”
“I was wondering where you were, but here you are, Saint…”
Dannes sighed deeply as he looked at me.
“It’s been a while since you returned to the Holy Kingdom, and yet you’re treating people right away…”
He had a tone that suggested he was somewhat miffed.
It was as if he was tired of seeing me heal people instead of greeting him upon my arrival.
Well, it wasn’t like I had many options here. Politics wasn’t my kind of thing.
Rather than stressing over such matters, I’d much prefer to heal others and experience their pain.
“I understand that you’ve returned, but wouldn’t it be better to spend today enjoying time with your friends instead of treating others?”
“[Umm… I guess…]”
“I’ll speak to that child separately, so you can go back.”
“[Is, is that so…]”
Oh no.
This seems problematic.
I turned to the young knight, who looked like he didn’t fully grasp the situation.
‘I’m sorry.’
I may have sown the seeds, but it looks like you’ll be the one to reap the consequences…
Of course, I believed he would endure the pain since I had taken on some of his wounds while healing him.
“[Then I’ll be going… Ah.]”
Speaking of which, there was something I needed to tell Dannes before leaving.
I stopped in my tracks and turned back towards him.
Dannes was looking at me with a puzzled expression, as if to ask if something was wrong.
Something is indeed wrong…
“[C-Could you keep my presence here a secret?]”
I hoped he would keep my being here secret.
Dannes looked at me with an expression of confusion, as if asking what I meant, but it was a very important matter to me.
‘What if he gets mad about me doing this right after coming to the Holy Kingdom…’
I wasn’t just here for Evan’s trial and to retrieve holy relics; it was practically a leisure trip, and if he found out I was still healing others during such a visit, who knows what might happen?
He might just keep me locked up and not let me go anywhere during this journey.
I didn’t want that to happen…
Fortunately, Dannes said he would turn a blind eye this time and urged me to hurry back.
‘What a waste…’
It’s disappointing, but I had to retreat for now.
If Dannes noticed, the others might soon realize I had disappeared too.
It was unfortunate, but it seemed like I had to end it here for today.
‘Next time, I’ll have to come out again when I have the chance.’
After all… I needed to increase my divine power as quickly as possible.
If I continued to lounge around like this, it would be difficult to put safeguards in place for what might happen in the future.
In any case, I couldn’t stay in the capital for long.
‘Since I’ve just arrived, I can’t just bring it up right away…’
I would have to bring it up tomorrow or the day after.
‘I need to get back quickly…’
What if they’ve already noticed that I’m missing…
I felt a slight worry, but I would have to make some excuse at that time.
As long as they didn’t find out I slipped out to heal, that was all that mattered.
*
Dannes, watching Aria’s retreating figure with a sympathetic expression, let out a deep sigh and turned to the boy next to him.
The boy looked somewhat bewildered, as if he couldn’t comprehend the current situation.
“Hey.”
“Yes, yes?! D-Dannes Commander…!”
“Are you alright?”
When Dannes asked, the boy, sweating profusely, replied that he was fine thanks to the Saint’s grace.
Upon hearing that response, Dannes’ expression grew more solemn.
“Why is the Saint… sigh…”
‘This is bad…’
It wasn’t intended.
He was aware of the rumors about the Saint.
However, he didn’t refuse treatment because the pain he felt was too great, and he wasn’t quite sure if the rumors were true or false.
Moreover, during treatment, he hadn’t displayed any signs of injury, so he thought it might just be a false rumor and was content.
Not only that, but if he did feel pain, his expression would have contorted in agony or at least he would have flinched.
He could only think of it as a baseless rumor about the Saint.
However, if the commander was showing such a reaction…
‘Could the rumors be true?’
Of course, if it weren’t a severe wound, he wouldn’t have asked for treatment.
In training, one could get injured easily, and most injuries were not life-threatening.
This time, he had simply sustained a fracture in his right arm and injured his knee during a sparring match.
While it was excruciating, it wasn’t life-threatening, yet he ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of treatment.
During treatment, there weren’t any visible signs of injury nor did he appear to be in pain, which could have reassured him on some level.
But…
What if that weren’t the case?
What if each time he received treatment, he indeed felt the pain, and the injuries were being transferred to her?
At that moment, he’d failed to make a proper judgement due to the extreme pain; but looking back now, it was clear that the injuries he had sustained were not visible on the outside.
Confirming whether the rumors were true was nearly impossible unless the Saint groaned in pain.
The boy’s complexion turned pale as he realized this.
“Um… um…”
“You don’t need to say anything. It’s not your fault.”
“Ah, no. I should have endured more… Honestly, when I received treatment, she didn’t show any signs at all, and I thought it was a false rumor…”
“…”
Dannes couldn’t respond to the boy’s words at all.
Right, it was an invisible injury, and it wasn’t serious enough to be visible.
Having seen Aria continue to treat others while sustaining multiple injuries, he understood.
“The Saint… she simply endures.”
“…”
“If you understand, treat her body with the utmost care as if it were your own. The Saint… is someone who won’t stop healing just because you ask her to.”
The boy could only look on in silence.
He stood there, gazing at Dannes’ retreating figure filled with a sense of helplessness and guilt.
