Time Healer Ceres

“Is that why they’re doing all this? Because they’re worried the shop might close?”

“Yes. They’re getting their own food and even clearing away their dishes afterward. Does that make any sense? They came here and paid for a meal, so why are they doing all these chores themselves...?”

“This is mine, right? I’ll take it.”

“Huh? N-No, I can bring it over for you...”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. What’s this? That table over there? Hey, what are you waiting for? Take it over already! And clear those empty dishes while you’re at it!”

....Good grief.

Vice Guild Leader Lot pressed a hand to his forehead. The Guild Leader Skal had somehow gotten to his feet and was now carrying food and clearing dishes more enthusiastically than anyone else.

Then again, what else had he expected? Out of everyone here, Skal was the one most terrified of this place disappearing.

“Jay, this is for table two.”

“Yes! Right awa... Huh?”

Swoosh.

“Ah, no, sir. I’ll take it.”

“It’s fine.”

Lot snatched the bowl from Jay’s hands and sighed.

“I don’t want this place closing down either.”

“Huh?”

Leaving a bewildered Jay behind, Lot threw himself into the work just as diligently as Skal.

.

.

.

Chapter 33: At the Temple

“...What’s all this?”

“These are gifts from His Excellency. He wished you a speedy recovery.”

Instead of sending gifts, he could’ve just cleared my debt.

“As you can see, I’m already perfectly fine.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. I’ll be sure to let Lord Kainel know.”

After hearing from a man named Ben that Ceres had fallen ill, Kainel had immediately wanted to come see her himself.

“Miss Ceres won’t like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because having visitors when you’re sick is a pain. If you go now, Miss Ceres is going to find you incredibly annoying.”

“...She’ll find me annoying?”

“Yes.”

“What about you?”

“I’m only dropping off the gifts, so it’s different.”

“I was only planning to drop off the gifts too.”

“Really? You won’t bother her at all?”

“......”

In the end, Kainel seemed to realize he couldn’t just drop off the gifts and leave. He backed down, then proceeded to cram the carriage with even more presents.

“If she looks seriously ill, bring her to me.”

...Along with those parting instructions.

“If you’re still feeling a little under the weather, then come with—”

“I’m completely recovered.”

Ceres shook her head before Del could finish. There was no way she was going to spend another day stuck in bed eating that awful food.

Besides, Herion had stopped by earlier after hearing she was sick.

“Ah, I see. So you’re feeling better...”

Del nodded with a faint smile that looked oddly disappointed. Under his breath, he muttered something about Lord Kainel not eating properly again lately.

“That’s a relief, then. You’re going to the temple the day after tomorrow, correct?”

Ah. I forgot about that.

A message had arrived from the Imperial Palace yesterday.

The day after tomorrow, the temple would examine the bracelet Princess Nailia owned to determine whether it was truly a Tamer Relic.

At the same time, anyone who had touched the bracelet would undergo a test to see whether they were the relic’s rightful owner.

“How do you know that? Did Kainel tell you?”

The fact that he knew she was going to the temple wasn’t surprising. Del could easily have heard that from Kainel.

The surprising part was that he even knew the exact date.

Del smiled at her question as though the answer was obvious.

“This is the Persia Grand Ducal House we’re talking about.”

“Ah...”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. With the Persia family’s information network, finding out something like this would’ve been easy enough. They didn’t even need Sky’s help.

Even so, she was impressed. From what she’d heard, the existence of the Tamer Relic was supposed to remain confidential until everything was confirmed.

“Not just us. Quite a few noble houses have figured it out by now. Everyone’s desperate to get their hands on the list of people taking the test.”

Their goal was to establish connections before the results were known.

“Of course, Her Highness is still considered the strongest candidate, but Tamer Relics are very unpredictable.”

Simply possessing a Tamer Relic for a long time didn’t automatically make someone its owner.

“I’ve heard plenty of people have signed up for the test, just in case.”

Most of the noble houses that learned of the relic’s appearance had already submitted a request to the Imperial Family and the temple. All of them hoping, however slim the chance, that they might turn out to be the relic’s chosen owner.

“Any chance I can get out of it?”

“Haha. Do you really think that’s possible?”

...Yeah. Probably not.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Ceres sincerely hoped the temple visit would pass without incident and that she could return home in peace.

***

“Welcome.”

The day of the examination finally arrived. When Ceres reached the temple at the appointed hour, a young priest stepped forward to greet her politely.

The place he led her to lay beneath the Grand Temple. Despite being underground, the sky stretched overhead while countless trees surrounded the area like a forest.

At the center of it stood a small spring. It was the Sacred Spring used to identify Tamer Relics.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.”

A short while later, the examination began with the Pope’s arrival.

The man, who appeared to be in his early sixties, stepped forward and carefully picked up the silver bracelet that was already placed on the stone ledge.

After offering a quiet prayer, he slowly lowered the bracelet into the water. Everyone watched in silence, waiting to see whether the spring would react.

Hummm.

“Oh...”

“Ah!”

A faint tremor rippled through the air, and a soft glow spread from the spring as it accepted the bracelet.

Excited murmurs broke out among the crowd.

Had it been anything other than a Tamer Relic, the spring would’ve spat it back out immediately. Instead, the spring responded just as the records described, with a gentle vibration and a pale light shimmering across the water.

“It is a Tamer Relic.”

At the Pope’s declaration, the cheers threatening to erupt were hastily swallowed back down.

All eyes turned toward Princess Nailia.

The next step was to find the relic’s owner. The first person to be tested was Princess Nailia herself.

“Princess Nailia, please come forward.”

At the Pope’s call, Princess Nailia approached the spring. With many expectant gazes fixed on her, she stepped into place and lowered her hand into the water.

If the relic responded, it would prove that she was its owner.

But...

“......”

Nothing happened. The water remained calm and unchanged. That meant the relic didn’t choose her.

“Ah...”

Five minutes passed without any reaction. Disappointed sighs rose from the crowd.

She had possessed the bracelet longer than anyone else. Naturally, she had been considered the most likely candidate.

“What a shame.”

Even Crown Prince Aseraian, who had attended as the Imperial Family’s representative, couldn’t hide his disappointment.

The emergence of a Tamer Relic was a blessing in itself. Had its owner belonged to the Imperial Family, that blessing would’ve been even greater.

After Princess Nailia, several more people stepped forward and dipped their hands into the spring.

Those were attendants and maids who had handled the bracelet on her behalf. Then, came the young nobles who had submitted applications in hopes of taking the test themselves.

“Ah...”

“Haa...”

“C-Couldn’t I keep my hand in a little longer?”

Yet no matter how many people stepped forward, the spring remained silent.

As time passed, the excitement gradually faded. One after another, the participants withdrew with disappointment written plainly across their faces.

“Next, Miss Ceres Drow.”

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