The day after I mindlessly asked Ignis to heal a street beggar.
Simon, Iako, and I were staying at a nearby inn.
Simon peeked through the curtains, looking down at the street outside.
“Whoa, Teacher. The area around the inn is packed. It seems the word got out about what happened yesterday!”
Right? I just helped one beggar off the ground, so why is this making such a splash in a small town?
“If it’s the Teacher, then it must have been an intentional act to gather people! Truly remarkable, Teacher!”
No, I wasn’t thinking that way.
I guess I didn’t fully understand how the common folk viewed paralysis in this world.
I had been too complacent before.
I shouldn’t have done something unnecessary in such an open space.
What on earth was I thinking, doing this for some extra and not my favorite character or companions…!
Knock, knock.
“Teacher! Should I open it?”
“Go ahead….”
Creeeak.
The door opened, revealing a rugged, muscular bald man – the innkeeper. He looked like someone who retired from mercenary life to run an inn. With a scary guy like him managing the inn, it’s no wonder people have trouble coming and going freely.
“Uh…guest. It seems there are people outside looking for you. I’ve held them back for now as they’re disturbing the other guests, but what should I do…”
He looks intimidating, yet is strangely polite. I thought he was just a terrifying fellow who wouldn’t let them in.
“Teacher! Let me go out and…!”
“I understand. I’ll go welcome them.”
“Thank you, Teacher! Really, thank you!”
After the innkeeper left, Iako commented, “That innkeeper… heard from other guests that he’s very violent and scary… But he’s oddly respectful toward you. Could it be that he recognizes your true identity…?!”
What would he recognize? I’m just an ordinary human, to begin with. There’s nothing to uncover.
But did the innkeeper normally act so kindly? If so, why to me? Could it be due to that incident with the beggar?
Maybe what I did yesterday was more significant than I thought.
Creeeak.
With Simon and Iako in tow, I descended to the first floor, opened the door, and stepped outside. And then…
“I’ve been waiting, Teacher! Please, my arm!”
“I’ve been waiting all night! I don’t want to die! Please save me!”
“Teacher! Me too!”
A crowd of dozens of people was waiting.
How on earth did the word spread? There shouldn’t be any evidence that I healed that beggar, so how did they know to come here?
Oh, wait. Perhaps they came in a desperate hope, clinging to any straw they could find.
A man with an arm completely stiffened and twisted horrifically from paralysis.
A beggar whose legs had entirely stiffened, carried here by others on a stretcher.
A person whose eyes are so stiffened they can’t see straight, bouncing around in search of me.
These are the beggars who suffer from paralysis but have not received treatment. They are merely waiting for death… the destitute.
This may be the first time I’ve truly faced the lives of those without anything.
Even after ten years since coming to this world, I lived a lavish life as a member of the Pulsreino family.
Even when I went out, I always had Hans with me, enjoying safe adventures.
I’ve snuck out for a little escapism now and then, but nothing out of the ordinary in the Pulsreino domain.
Since my father runs the territory, I’ve never seen the miserable plight of people like this.
Even in [Deus Ex Machina], such scenes were hardly shown.
Up till now, I had no interest in these extras…
But now that they’re seeking me out, it feels weird.
I don’t benefit from healing them, as we’ve never met before.
In fact, the longer this rumor spreads, the more it might negatively affect my plans.
But,
I want to heal them.
I want to pull them from despair.
I want to ‘save’ them.
“Stroke… right?”
“Yes, that’s right, Teacher!”
“My hand has stiffened due to stroke!”
“Please save me, Teacher! You are our last hope!”
“I’ll give you all my savings! So please, help my mother! Waaaah!”
At the front was a man carrying an elder woman on his back, sheepishly handing me a handful of coins.
Dirty, tarnished coins.
With his circumstances, this must be all he had saved up his whole life for. To treat his mother, he had to scrape together everything he could.
Despite knowing it would be impossible, it was heartbreaking.
I am their last hope.
If I’m not here…
“Summon. Ignis.”
Swoosh.
Fire roared behind me, wrapping around me warmly.
-Did you call, Luke?
Can all of them do it?
-If Luke wishes it.
Then please, Ignis.
Ignis grinned and replied,
-All shall be according to Luke’s will.
*
In the Baal church Capernaum branch
Thump, thump, thump.
“Bishop~! Bishop~! We’ve got a huge problem!”
A priest who had only shaved the top of his head was banging on the door.
Thump.
Creeeak.
“What is it… I told you not to come in at this hour.”
The door opened, and the half-naked bishop hurriedly draped a robe over himself. Behind him, a similarly undressed woman frantically wrapped herself in a blanket.
“Ah! I-I’m so sorry, Bishop! I didn’t mean to interrupt your good time!”
“Never mind. What’s the issue? If it’s not important, you’re dead.”
“Oh! It’s a big deal, Bishop! There’s a strange fellow out there healing the sick in the city!”
“…What? What do you mean by that?”
“S-Someone just popped up in this city, healing beggars suffering from paralysis in the streets!”
“A priest with divine power? An unusual choice, healing in the streets. Usually, a priest wouldn’t pick the street as a treatment location – it takes time to heal.”
“But they say it was an instant healing! And more surprisingly, he didn’t even ask for a reward!”
“…What? Instantly? That would be something even a saint-level divine power would struggle with! But what? Not accepting tips? How can a priest do that? …Alright, I get it. Now I know what’s going on.”
“Huh?”
“This is a ploy by another cult trying to steal our territory. Healing for free to tarnish our reputation. The healing is probably fake, using staged patients.”
“Oh… no way!”
“In that case, it makes sense. Anyway, who is it? Some shameless person trying to steal our territory?”
“But, just now, it wasn’t just one or two people!”
“Huh?”
“At least 20 paralyzed patients were suddenly healed… and these were actually residents of this city. I asked the common folk!”
“…Does that even make sense? 20 people? That’s something no saint or saintess could accomplish. If, just if, there’s someone doing that. Then that person would be a god descended upon this land. I’ve seen the miracles of the saintess; there’s absolutely no way that could happen.”
“B-But…”
“But what! It’s all lies and acting! …Still, I need to find out who’s trying to steal our livelihood. Alright. Let’s go check it out.”
“Y-Yes, right away!”
*
The day after healing the street beggar and healing all the patients with paralysis using Ignis’s power.
The inn was surrounded by even more people.
The windows were filled, and since the people couldn’t come in, I couldn’t quite hear what they were saying.
But it must be something along the lines of wanting to be healed as well.
But wow, this place is surprisingly soundproof. It’s a good inn.
The issue is, they don’t all seem to be paralysis patients.
If they were, Ignis could handle their treatment, but if it’s any other illness, that’s beyond my ability.
I did acquire two elixirs just in case, but I can’t use them for strangers. They’re my precious insurance for my beloved characters.
But I don’t think ‘Gift’ would heal their ailments either…
In fact, there’s no need to cure those whose identities I don’t even know.
However, after my impulsive act yesterday, they’ve come with hope in their hearts, hoping maybe they could be healed too.
I remember the reactions of those paralyzed patients yesterday.
-Thank you, Teacher!
-The priests ignored and turned their backs on us!
-You are our savior, Teacher!
No matter how much of a veteran I am at [Deus Ex Machina] and the countless developments I went through over ten years, I’ve never experienced such hospitality.
I’m just an ordinary noble’s young master.
And yet, here I am, being treated like a savior.
…This is a new feeling.
A savior…
I came here to find my companions.
And now is not the time to play savior.
Huh? But maybe by gathering people like this, she might also be among the spectators?
Huh?
Bang!
Just then, Simon burst through the door.
“Te-Teacher! The priests! The priests are looking for you!”
Priests?
“They’re causing a ruckus downstairs, demanding you come down!”
What? What the heck is going on?
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