Time Healer Ceres

The baffled looks on the Emperor’s face, along with those of Crown Prince Aseraian and Princess Nailia, made Ceres instinctively lower her head.

Ah, this is humiliating.

“If you keep interrupting, how is anyone supposed to have a conversation?”

In the end, Ceres stepped in and cut Kainel off.

“What conversation?”

“We were discussing the Tamer Relic.”

Kainel’s gaze immediately dropped to the bracelet lying in the middle of the desk.

“That’s a Tamer Relic?”

“Yes.”

“Then give it to the temple. Why are you still here?”

“I was about to suggest exactly that, but then you, Your Excellency, came barging in and made it impossible for us to finish.”

What’s his problem this time? Why’s he being such a pain?

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

Thinking she needed to get Kainel out of there as quickly as possible, Ceres bowed politely to the Emperor.

“If that truly is a Tamer Relic, you do know you’ll have to accompany us to the temple, don’t you?”

“.....”

Just as she was about to leave, Crown Prince Aseraian’s voice stopped her. She clicked her tongue silently.

So that hasn’t changed either.

When determining the owner of a Tamer Relic, everyone who had touched the relic must be present. There was always a chance that the relic had already recognized someone as its master.

“Understood. Please let me know once a date has been set.”

Ceres nodded and tugged on Kainel’s sleeve, forcing him to keep his mouth shut despite the obvious dissatisfaction written all over his face.

What are you about to say now? Let’s keep that mouth shut before I smack you, okay?

“So that’s the young lady the Grand Duke came to pick up.”

The Emperor watched the pair disappear from sight and slowly shook his head.

“Our Cheion is going to have a hard time.”

Grand Duke Persia personally came to pick someone up. Who would believe it if they heard it? The whole situation was so entertaining that the Emperor couldn’t stop smiling.

“Ceres Drow, was it?”

It seemed he would’ve to look into her properly. What was it about that young lady who had captured Grand Duke Persia’s attention?

“Nailia, you’ll need to accompany us to the temple as well.”

While the Emperor’s interest remained fixed on Ceres, Aseraian patiently explained to his younger sister why she would have to attend.

“Yes, Brother.”

As someone who had possessed the Tamer Relic for quite some time, she was also required to take part in the identification process.

Before long, all three found their eyes drawn to the silver bracelet once more.

If it truly was a Tamer Relic, they could only hope its rightful owner would step forward.

***

“My lady, you’re back?”

“Yeah.”

Having returned straight to the shop from the Imperial Palace, Ceres headed for a corner table and slumped onto it.

Haa... I’m exhausted.

Did restoring that bracelet really take so much out of her? She felt completely drained.

Then, there was the audience with the Emperor, not to mention all the effort it had taken to shake off Kainel after he’d followed her around the entire time.

“Are you tired?”

“Yeah.”

Jay set a cup of tea in front of her. Ceres slowly pushed herself upright.

Drip.

“Oh no, my lady! Your nose is bleeding!”

“D*mn...”

Not again.

Ceres pressed a handkerchief to her nose and frowned. Did she overexert herself restoring the bracelet earlier?

Well, even if that’s not it, things have been exhausting lately.

Still, thank goodness neither Kainel nor her nagging siblings were around to witness this. Otherwise, she’d end up under house arrest for the next few days.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about me and get back to wo—”

While rummaging around for another handkerchief, Ceres suddenly paused.

“.....”

“.....”

Every mercenary in the shop was staring at her.

What was with them? Why was nobody eating?

“My lady, I think your face is a little red...”

Jay carefully placed a hand against her forehead.

“Why’s your hand so cold? Were you doing the dishes?”

Jay sighed.

“My hand isn’t cold. Your forehead’s burning up.”

“Huh?”

A fever? Me?

“You need to get up. Go home and get some proper rest!”

“I think I’m fine.”

“Fine? You call this fine? You used to get so sick whenever you had a fever that you’d pass out!”

...How would I know? I don’t remember any of that.

“But we’ve got a group reservation today.”

“I’ll take care of it. Stop worrying and go home.”

In the end, Ceres was practically pushed out of the shop and sent back home.

And then...

“...Haa.”

Jay was absolutely right. As soon as Ceres sat down after getting home, her vision swam. Before she knew it, she’d collapsed on the spot.

Her fever spiked so suddenly that she could barely keep her thoughts straight. She somehow managed to take some medicine, but it didn’t seem to be doing much.

This is ridiculous. Artia, you told me you found someone with the exact same constitution as mine.

Then why is this body so weak? How does restoring one bracelet turn into a fever like this?

Though...

The past few weeks had been busy.

She got herself kidnapped, even if it were intentional. She took over as acting head of the family. She even had a serious talk with the Knight Captain. Looking back, something seemed to happen every other day.

Even so, shouldn’t this body be able to handle that much?

How is this supposed to be a perfect match for me? It copied the part where I keel over after one glass of wine, but not the useful parts?

For the first time in a while, Ceres complained about Artia to her heart’s content.

Flap, flap.

Thud.

“.....?”

Half-conscious, Ceres slowly opened her eyes at the cool sensation against her forehead.

[Bbu! Bbu!]

Sooty was flapping around in front of her face.

“Ceres? Can you see me?”

Julia was standing beside the bed.

“...Didn’t I tell you to go get some rest?”

She could have sworn she’d sent the girl away not long ago. Why was she back already?

“Um...”

Julia was probably too worried to focus on anything else and ended up coming back.

Geez, why did a little kid like her worry so much?

Flap, flap.

[Bbu!]

Sooty picked up the damp cloth from her forehead and carried it over to Julia. After wringing it out with her small hands, Julia handed it back. The tiny dragon immediately flew over and dropped it onto Ceres’s forehead again.

...Are you two taking care of me?

The pair of them were doing their best.

[Bbu? Bbu?]

Sooty chirped as though asking if she was alright. Ceres gently stroked the little dragon’s head, though even that quickly proved too much for her exhausted body.

“Go get some rest.”

“Alright.”

Julia answered obediently, but she clearly had no intention of leaving.

Letting out a long sigh, Ceres gave up. She didn’t have the energy to argue anymore and simply let the girl tuck the blanket around her.

Flap, flap.

The last thing she saw was Sooty flying off with the damp cloth in his mouth once more before her eyes slowly drifted shut.

Still... I wonder how the group reservation went.

***

“What’s gotten into them?”

Skal, the leader of the Black Guild, looked around with a puzzled expression as he waited for his stew.

“Hey, get some water over here.”

“Who left this bowl sitting around? Put it away already!”

“Where’s my stew?”

Smack!

“You punk! Do your hands not work? Go get it yourself!”

What was all this? From fetching water to clearing empty dishes, the mercenaries were handling everything themselves.

Skal could only stare at the bizarre sight in confusion.

“The owner’s sick.”

“Huh?”

“Apparently, she collapsed after getting a nosebleed.”

The explanation came from Lot, the vice guild master sitting across from him.

“The owner collapsed?”

“The ones who saw it have been feeling guilty ever since.”

“...Do you think she’s been working too hard?”

“We’re always rushing her for food. That sort of thing wears people down.”

“What if she decides she’s had enough and closes the shop?”

“No way. We can’t let that happen!”

“Says the guy who shows up at dawn looking half-dead and demanding breakfast!”

“Look who’s talking!”

“Then what do we do?”

“Anybody got a solution?”

“What’s there to think about? From now on, if it’s something simple, handle it yourselves. Stop making the young owner do everything!”

“In all my years, I’ve never seen them discuss anything this seriously.”

Most of them couldn’t be bothered to pay attention during an actual guild meeting. Some didn’t even show up.

Yet, a nosebleed from the young owner had them holding the most earnest discussion of their lives.

Anyone watching would think it was their own little sister collapsing.

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