Time Healer Ceres

“...Huh?”

Ceres could feel Yuness flinch. She gave Yuness’s hand a gentle squeeze and smiled.

“I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Hadn’t she said it before? This epidemic always followed a pattern.

The Saintess visits a few days after an epidemic breaks out.

Then she heals the people with her divine power. But even after the Saintess arrives, there are always people in the village who die from the epidemic. At least a third of the villagers lose their lives, and in the worst cases, as many as half of them perish.

Even so, the people praise the Saintess, saying that everyone in the village would’ve died if not for her. With no cure for the disease, it was only natural for them to see it that way.

So, what I chose to do here was...

Get one step ahead of the Saintess. Ceres chose to reach the villages before Yuness and heal the people first.

It wasn’t difficult to keep track of her movements, especially with Eris always by her side.

In short, I’m going to interfere with whatever she’s trying to do for now.

If Ceres kept getting in her way like this, Yuness was bound to react eventually, right? Since she had no idea what she’s really after, this seemed like the best way to find out.

“Th-that... is certainly something to be grateful for.”

Seeing Yuness force a bright smile, Ceres gave her an even warmer smile in return.

***

“F*ck...”

Yuness gritted her teeth while cursing under her breath.

“How many times has this happened now?”

She had come back empty-handed again today. Every time she visited a village ravaged by the epidemic, she found that someone had already been there and treated the people first.

That b*tch.

Ceres had reached the village before Yuness and healed everyone with the power of the Tamer Relic.

“This is driving me crazy!”

“I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Those words already made her uneasy, but she never imagined Ceres would go this far.

“Why the hell is she everywhere I go?!”

Seeing Ceres heal the people before her every single time was driving Yuness to the brink of madness.

“Is she spying on me?”

How else could this keep happening every time?

“Haa...”

After letting out a long sigh, she slumped down and bit her lip. It was a habit she had whenever she was anxious.

“This can’t happen.”

Fear flashed across Yuness’s eyes as she stared at the bracelet around her wrist.

“If you don’t fill it completely, your own life force will have to take its place.”

She shuddered at the memory of Veilks’s cold gaze.

Life force. That was what she needed to fill the bracelet with.

This is what I used to heal people...

The bracelet Veilks had given her was the reason she could heal people despite not being a true Saintess. It could store human life force, and when that stored life force was transferred to someone else, it had a healing effect.

There’s only one way to obtain life force...

From other people. The epidemic gave her plenty of opportunities to gather life force. All she had to do was collect it from those who were dying from the disease.

And use some of it to heal the others.

That was why so many people struck by the epidemic had died. She let some die and saved others, gaining the people’s admiration while filling the bracelet with life force in the process.

“I’m sorry... Sob.”

“S-Saintess.”

“It’s already too late for me to do anything for this person.”

“Ah...”

Even so, the people were ecstatic. After all, she had saved at least half of those who were on the verge of death.

Without even realizing that this bracelet was what spread the plague.

Both the epidemic in the Principality of Persia and the one now sweeping through the Empire had originated from this bracelet.

All she needed to do was use the plague to collect the life force of those who were dying, use some of it to heal others, and continue playing the role of the Saintess.

“That was all before that b*tch got in my way.”

Everything had gone smoothly for a while, but things started to go wrong after Ceres returned from the Principality of Persia. Her plans were thrown completely off ever since Ceres started visiting the villages afflicted by the plague before her.

“I can’t keep using the life force in the bracelet forever.”

There were still plenty of people seeking her healing powers. But once she used up all the life force she had stored, she would no longer be able to heal anyone.

She needed to replenish more than she used, but she couldn’t do that anymore. She had to make the most of the plague while she could...

“Haa.”

Another long sigh escaped her.

Knock, knock.

Just then, a young priest entered the room.

“Saintess.”

The young priest bowed deeply before Yuness.

“His Holiness wishes to see you.”

“All right.”

Why does that old man keep asking to see me? Does he want me to show off my divine power again?

Lately, the Pope had been making her heal people in front of large crowds whenever he got the chance. Yuness had been cursing him inwardly the whole time.

“Thank you.”

Of course, she kept her irritation hidden and gave the young priest a bright smile. Seemingly moved by it, he bowed even deeper.

“Then I’ll be going.”

The young priest bowed once more and turned to leave.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

He was just about to open the door when Yuness called him back, making him turn around in a hurry.

The young priest flinched when he realized Yuness was standing right behind him.

“That hand...”

“Yes?”

“You have a wound on your hand.”

“Ah...”

His face reddened slightly. He quickly hid his left hand behind his back.

“I accidentally burned my hand yesterday.”

“Oh dear... That must hurt.”

Yuness gently brought his hand out and examined the burn with concern.

“What’s your name?”

“Pardon? R-Roina.”

“Priest Roina, would you like me to say a prayer of blessing for you?”

“W-What?!”

The young priest’s eyes widened. A prayer of blessing was something high-ranking priests offered only to special individuals.

If a high-ranking noble or member of the imperial family requested one, usually after making a substantial donation, a cardinal or even the Pope would personally offer the prayer.

She’s going to do that for me?!

And she was the Saintess, no less!

Roina could barely get the words out, too stunned to answer properly.

“I’m busy right now, but would it be all right if I came to see you tonight, Priest Roina?”

“Y-yes!”

With a benevolent smile, Yuness squeezed his hand a little tighter. Roina found himself nodding over and over without realizing it.

Right. Why should I limit myself to plague victims?

Yuness’s lips curled upward as she watched Roina bow once more before leaving the room.

I’m such an idiot. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

“There are plenty of prey here, too.”

Yuness barely managed to hold back her laughter.

***

“Ceres, I hear you’ve done a great deal for the Empire.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. As the owner of the Tamer Relic, I only did what I was supposed to.”

“Haha, how modest. It seems I can still judge people well. I took a liking to you from the moment I first saw you.”

Emperor Devrika smiled warmly at Ceres. Ever since the epidemic broke out, she had been making a name for herself by traveling from village to village and treating the infected. By now, there was hardly anyone who didn’t know of her.

“.......”

Meanwhile, Cheion could barely hide his disbelief as he watched Ceres speak so modestly before the Emperor.

“Haa, damn... Why am I doing this again? Seriously, why?”

“Ceres?”

“Why do I have to keep seeing patients nonstop? Am I still a healer or what?”

“I-if you’re tired, maybe take a break...”

Whoosh.

Flinch!

“Could you stop interrupting me while I’m muttering to myself?!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

...Her glare was terrifying.

Cheion could still vividly remember Ceres muttering complaints every time they visited a village struck by the epidemic.

He couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying, but it was obvious enough that she was thoroughly sick of treating patients herself.

“I really enjoyed treating the patients. After all, I was saving lives.”

...Seriously?

“And I didn’t do it all on my own. So many people helped me.”

“Why are you two so useless? Huh? I told you not to use it like that!”

“...Sorry.”

...Where did her conscience go?

Cheion and Kainel had followed Ceres to help treat the victims, only to get an earful whenever they ended up being no help at all.

“Was she always like this?”

“No.”

Kainel shook his head at Cheion’s whisper. He was just as puzzled by Ceres’s behavior. She wasn’t the type to put on an act just because she was standing before the Emperor.

“But Your Majesty, I do have a request.”

As if to answer Kainel’s question, Ceres finally revealed why she had been so eager to please Emperor Devrika.

Of course, she must have wanted something from him.

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