NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Saintess (1)
Illisia rubbed her eyes as she rose.
Lately, she had been going to bed late and waking up late.
At night, sleep evaded her, and in the morning, she didn’t want to rise from her dreams.
The cause of this was Ray.
She was constantly troubled and worried because of the unpleasant events that occurred when she was with him.
‘I hope he is found soon…’
She could apologize to him if she knew his location, but his whereabouts remained a mystery.
She had searched the village and even the forest, but it seemed she hadn’t found him yet.
She sighed deeply.
The guilt she felt at her young age was too overwhelming for her fourteen-year-old self.
In the Silia Kingdom at that time, there was a saintess.
After being baptized and educated in the holy kingdom, she journeyed around neighboring countries to gain experience.
Among those countries, the Silia Kingdom treated her exceptionally well.
The kingdom understood that establishing a good relationship with the saintess would be beneficial for the future.
The kingdom provided a separate annex for the saintess and her entourage.
In the annex, Iriel, the saintess, lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling.
Her day consisted of meeting nobles and attending classes about divine power, all of which she found extremely tedious.
Her eyes were not those of a revered saintess.
Comparatively, she resembled a penguin that had collapsed from heat on a hot day.
Iriel swept her hair off her forehead.
She was weary of her daily routine.
Traveling from the holy kingdom to the Silia Kingdom, and then to another kingdom was tiring, and she found no joy in it.
Usually, when young people faced tough times, they tended to throw tantrums.
But the people surrounding her were not the kind of people one could throw tantrums at.
Iriel understood this.
All she could do was roll around in her room or pester the priests.
But recently, something had caught her interest.
It was the emergence of a new saint.
In her dull and routine life, the idea of a saint was like a beacon of hope for her.
At last, there was someone who could comprehend her role as a saintess.
The news acted as a lifeline for her, and she desired to be the first to receive it.
Thus, she requested, almost begged, to be the first to know if any news arrived.
They couldn’t deny the saintess, who was regarded as God’s representative.
Her delight was evident when they agreed with a nod.
All she needed to do now was wait for the saint to emerge.
“So that’s why a mana circle isn’t necessary… If the mana density is high, as you claim, it’s because it employs pure mana without the use of a circle.”
Ray agreed with Eil’s statement with a nod.
Eil and Saen mostly grasped what he was conveying.
The thing was, such an event had never occurred in reality, and most who attempted it had failed.
They were amazed but started to believe when Ray dissipated Sain’s magical power to validate his argument.
Ray continued his explanation.
“That’s why my healing magic didn’t work.”
“Healing? But it was successful just a moment ago.”
Eil looked puzzled, and Ray clarified.
“Actually, my magic didn’t fail. The deer died because it couldn’t withstand the density of my mana.”
Then Sein understood, as if she just realized it, and slammed her fist on the table.
“Ah! So the deer died because it didn’t possess a Mana Rod.”
“You’re partially correct and partially incorrect, mom.”
“Huh?”
Sein looked perplexed again, and Ray provided further explanation.
“Even if you possess a Mana Rod, if you can’t manage it, the mana can reverse flow and kill you. Therefore, my healing magic needs to withstand that density.”
“So, does that imply a regular person would die without a Mana Rod that can endure your mana’s density?”
“I believe so.”
Hmm.
Healing magic that kills people… she had never encountered such a concept.
Sein expressed her astonishment.
“What a ridiculous magician you are.”
“I agree. Hahaha.”
Ray responded, scratching the back of his head and appearing embarrassed, while Sein sighed.
“Whoever you resemble… But thank you for sharing. There was a reason for your mysterious power…”
“I see… So, you weren’t an Aura User either?”
Aeil had sensed that Ray’s aura was unusual when their swords crossed.
At that moment, she assumed it was because he was a novice Aura User, but after hearing his story, her perspective changed.
Ray confirmed her thoughts with a nod.
“It’s like wielding a sword for the first time. Aura is formed by forcibly compacting mana. It’s different from genuine Sword Aura.”
However, Aeil was even more astonished by his statement.
‘He’s not an Aura User, yet he can generate Sword Aura? And it’s powerful enough to repel me? The mana was too dense for something forcibly compacted.’
She couldn’t fathom the level of power he would attain when his mana and learning merged, given his frightening rate of progression.
Two weeks had elapsed since Ray disclosed his power to Sein and Aeil.
His parents also deliberated on his newfound genius and their aspirations for his future.
Options like enrolling him in an academy or inviting him to be a professor at a conference were considered, but since Ray was still young, they decided to let him be for the time being.
Ray didn’t object.
In fact, he preferred it.
Without knowledge of this world’s medicine, he couldn’t identify the types of diseases present or determine the effectiveness of his medicine.
For Ray, who saw his destiny as being a doctor, this was an insurmountable issue.
‘The only solution is to learn through experience.’
Since there were no medical books at home, he would have to seek out a library in the village or travel to the city.
And at the moment, regaining his hand sensitivity through practice was more crucial than amassing knowledge.
For that, he had no choice but to return to the village.
The following day, Ray went to the village carrying a plank just like before.
But he instantly sensed that something was amiss.
Most people stared at him and whispered among themselves.
“Isn’t that the kid?”
“With the white hair and youthful appearance… Seems right?”
“The lord is searching for ‘that person,’ and it’s just a kid? Judging by his attire, he doesn’t appear wealthy.”
Ray heard all these comments with his mana-enhanced hearing, whether he wanted to or not.
And there were some remarks that piqued his interest.
‘The lord is searching for me? Is he intending to thank and reward me?’
The first individual he had healed in this world.
He had resurrected the dead, so even if they had parted on bad terms, it was reasonable for the lord to feel grateful.
The prospect of a reward wasn’t shocking.
Furthermore, Ray didn’t receive an allowance from his parents.
Initially, he didn’t desire anything, so he didn’t ask for an allowance.
But the offered money was different.
In this world, as in any other, you needed money to accomplish something.
Money was necessary everywhere and at all times.
‘I should accept it as a token of gratitude, as declining might offend the other person.’
He resolved never to approach the noble’s house again.
But if it was a token of appreciation, what could he do? He was prepared to accept an apology for past incidents.
He considered himself as being mindful of others.
Walking towards the group, who were still hesitant about approaching him, he cautiously started a conversation.
“Excuse me… are you searching for me as the noble mentioned?”
Although Ray believed he approached naturally, they were startled that the person they were seeking approached them.
They quickly evaluated Ray.
He wore leather clothes that appeared to have been repaired at home, and his shoes looked worn out like those of an average villager.
He thought, ‘He doesn’t appear to have much money. So why did the noble request him?’
Being experienced in the field, he was careful with his tone, uncertain who ‘He’ referred to by the noble.
“…We don’t know the specifics, but… likely.”
Ray murmured, “Alright, then. Lead me to the noble. I want to assess the patient’s condition.”
“Patient? Does the noble have a patient?”
“There isn’t one at the moment.”
The man cocked his head in confusion at the enigmatic response.
However, Ray, uninterested in the man’s reaction, was thrilled at the prospect of the forthcoming reward and the medical books he intended to purchase with it.
Even though he could locate the noble’s residence on his own, going there alone after the recent event seemed somewhat awkward.
It was preferable to have someone accompany him.
Oblivious to Ray’s thoughts, the man was bewildered but nodded.
‘It’s regrettable that the client’s identity has been exposed against his will, but since he appears to know the noble, it should be alright.’
For information brokers, the client’s purchases and requests are confidential.
But now that the truth had been exposed by some idiots, concealing it wasn’t the best strategy.
“Hmm. Fine. I’ll guide you.”
The optimal decision was to escort the client to the noble.
The noble was preoccupied after receiving the guild’s information that the client had been located.
In anticipation, he had instructed the servants to wait in the garden and had opened the garden gate wide as if preparing for a feast.
Gaid, the Viscount, observed the bustling scene and addressed the butler.
“Porton, do you genuinely believe this will placate the Saint?”
A hint of skepticism lingered in his voice.
A noble’s daughter had audaciously wished for the Saint’s death.
Even if the Saint and the holy country pardoned her, God might be incensed.
The audacity to blaspheme against God’s envoy was tantamount to blasphemy.
That’s why the Viscount was preparing to welcome the Saint with such magnificence.
Of course, the Viscount wasn’t certain if the Saint was a genuine saint.
“Wow… What is all this?”
Ray was astounded at the sight of the many people lined up on either side of him.
Upon reaching the noble’s garden, the sight of people bowing to him took his breath away.
Gaid, the Viscount, quickly rushed over and knelt on one knee.
“Welcome, Saint.”
Ray was taken aback as he watched the Viscount, a nobleman, offer him the highest form of respect in his greeting.
Ray quickly grabbed the Viscount’s shoulder and helped him to his feet.
“No, why are you doing this? Even if I agreed to treat you, I am just a commoner…”
The Viscount shook his head.
“It is not shameful to pay respect to the Saint.”
“Saint? What do you mean by that?”
Gaid, the Viscount, swallowed hard as Ray, genuinely confused, widened his eyes and asked.
‘I need to choose my words carefully from now on.’
“I apologize. Please do not be upset. We did not know back then, but now we understand that you are the Saint. We are prepared to face our sins and obey any command you give.”
The Viscount bowed his head and trembled as he spoke, but Ray was exasperated.
With a heavy heart, he pounded his chest with a small fist and said,
“I am not a Saint. So, you don’t need to behave like this towards me.”
Even though Ray spoke sincerely, the Viscount did not raise his head and continued to bow.
“How can you say you are not a Saint when you directly saved my life?”
“That’s just…!”
Ray, trying to argue, eventually closed his mouth tightly.
Resurrecting the dead with the power of medicine? That was nonsensical.
It’s not that there was no such thing as ‘medicine’ in this world.
But, just like in modern times, medicine was a study for the living, and there was no way to bring back the dead.
Ray knew that fact, and so he couldn’t think of anything else.
To the people of this world, he was a Saint who had resurrected the dead.
Unaware that God had declared him a Saint through an oracle, Ray returned to the village to regain his modern senses, only to discover that he had become a Saint at some point.