Time Healer Ceres

“Speak freely. If it’s something I can grant, I will do everything within my power to fulfill your request.”

“May I access the Imperial archives?”

“The archives?”

“Yes.”

Emperor Devrica couldn’t hide his surprise. As the name suggested, the Imperial archives was a place where documents recording every event that had taken place throughout the Empire were collected.

It was nothing particularly special, but no one was permitted to enter without the Emperor’s approval. Naturally, he found it strange that she wished to go there.

“Why?”

“May I tell you after I find what I’m looking for?”

“Hmm...”

Emperor Devrica considered it for a moment before nodding.

“It shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll make sure you are allowed to enter the archives whenever you wish.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Ceres bowed once more.

It must be somewhere.

What Ceres was looking for was a record of the epidemic she had experienced three hundred years ago.

Something about this is strange.

An epidemic of this scale should’ve prompted someone to search through old records and find a similar case. Yet, no one had mentioned anything about it.

No matter how much time had passed, an event that had affected the entire Empire should’ve been recorded and carefully preserved.

“Your Majesty, you must not forget the Saintess’s contributions.”

Someone interrupted Ceres and Emperor Devrica’s conversation. It was Marquis Merial, the Crown Prince’s maternal grandfather.

“You must do whatever it takes to raise the Saintess’s standing.”

When he recalled the words delivered by his grandson—no, by that thing wearing his grandson’s skin, he could no longer sit still.

Wasn’t the entire mood of the meeting already shifting toward giving all the credit to that Baron’s daughter?

“The Saintess also made great contributions during this epidemic—”

However, he couldn’t finish his sentence.

“T-That’s why...”

“......”

“Ahem...”

It was because of the one person who had been glaring at him since the moment he entered the meeting hall.

Duke Schweiss.

“...W-We must not forget that.”

Marquis Merial did his best not to show his fear, but his back was already damp with sweat. At this point, he almost wished the Duke would simply show his anger outright.

The silent stare was far more suffocating. The longer it continued, the drier his mouth became.

“Of course, the Saintess’s contributions are significant. Though, half the people in the villages she visited did end up dying.”

Adding to his suffering was another man who smiled pleasantly while nitpicking every word he said.

Duke Nora. His lips were smiling, but his eyes held a completely different expression.

“That only shows how extraordinary Ceres’s abilities are. After all, not a single person died in the villages she visited.”

Yet when Duke Nora looked at Ceres, his expression changed completely. His gaze was filled with such warmth and affection that it seemed to overflow.

The stark contrast between his two attitudes made Marquis Merial’s back grow even colder with sweat.

“Even so, she’s still the Saintess.”

“What is he talking about? The person who killed a child has no right to decide who deserves credit and who does not. What gives him the right?”

“.......”

Duchess Elkein was the biggest problem. Though she was clearly muttering to herself, the meaning behind her words was anything but harmless.

Damn it!

Still, he couldn’t say anything. She wasn’t looking at him, nor did she directly refer to him. That left him in an awkward position. If she had said it openly to his face, he could’ve at least protested.

“Are you saying that to me?”

“Me? No, I was just talking to myself. I happened to remember some trashy autobiography I read recently. What? Did something strike a nerve? Why are you getting so defensive?”

“......”

There was nothing else he could say when she always responded like that whenever he tried to object.

Because of those three, Marquis Merial spent the entire meeting feeling like he was sitting on a bed of thorns.

So the rumors were true...

They really did turn against the Marquis family...

The gazes of the other nobles bothered him as well. Rumors already spread that the Marquis family had been suffering because of the three Dukes.

And now, with the atmosphere in the meeting hall like this...

Marquis Merial glared sharply at the other nobles. When they flinched and quickly avoided his gaze, he pressed his lips together.

Tsk.

There was nothing to gain from saying anything more.

Before long, the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) meeting ended. Marquis Merial hurried out of the hall before anyone could stop him. All to escape Duke Schweiss’s sharp gaze that continued to follow him relentlessly.

“Darling, haven’t you been pushing yourself too hard lately?”

“Even if you travel using a teleportation scroll, there are still many places affected by the epidemic.”

The two people who had watched Marquis Merial leave as well quickly approached Ceres. They each took one of her hands, unable to hide their concern.

Seeing her travel from one epidemic-stricken area to another, they couldn’t help but worry. What if she ended up catching the disease herself?

Tap.

Duke Schweiss approached without a word and patted Ceres’s shoulder. His touch was still awkward.

“I’m fine.”

Ceres chuckled at the sight of the three of them treating her like a child they couldn’t leave alone.

“Why did you want access to the archives?”

Kainel suddenly joined the conversation. It was unlike her to act so humble, yet she had even gone out of her way to obtain permission from Emperor Devrica. Naturally, he wanted to know why.

“There’s something I need to find.”

“What is it?”

“More importantly, what were you two whispering about throughout the meeting? Are you trying to make it obvious that you’re dating?”

“...Oi.”

“Who said we’re dating?!”

At Ceres’s attempt to change the subject, Kainel and Cheion both frowned at the same time.

“Why? I saw you two even got matching couple rings.”

...And whose fault was that?

...Wow. Do you really have no conscience?

The two of them stared at Ceres, demanding an explanation. But she merely shrugged and pretended not to notice.

“Hmm, now that I think about it, the three of you have another ring.”

After teasing Kainel and Cheion, Ceres noticed the rings on the three Dukes’ fingers and tilted her head. Along with the amethyst rings she had seen before, they were now wearing another ring as well. It was a simple silver band with no design.

“This? It means we’re members of GDPCC.”

“GDPCC?”

What was that supposed to mean?

“Grand Duke Persia Criticism Club.”

“......”

Duke Nora explained it with a bright smile. Ceres turned to Kainel with an awkward look.

Seriously? Revealing the existence of a group like this right in front of him? Especially while smiling so happily...

“Ceres, do you want to join? Should I make you a ring too?”

“...I don’t really like wearing rings.”

As she watched Kainel’s lips curl into a smile, her expression grew even more awkward.

Hey, hey. Don’t put your hand on your sword!

“Me!”

“.....?”

“I-I want to join!”

At that moment, someone raised his hand high and shouted with all his might. It was Cheion.

“I want to join GDPCC!”

Watching his eyes sparkling, Ceres sighed.

Why are you doing this too?

“Lord Cheion?”

“Hmm?”

“You want to join a club that criticizes your fiancée?”

“...He’s not my fiancée!”

Listening to Cheion’s desperate denial, Ceres let out another long sigh.

***

“Why isn’t it here?”

It was already five days since Ceres began searching through the Imperial archives. Yet, she still didn’t find the records she was looking for.

“Is this really everything?”

“Yes. These are all the records of epidemics that lasted longer than a week since the early days of the Empire.”

Even after receiving help from the archive keepers, Ceres couldn’t find a single document about the epidemic she remembered among the countless outbreaks that had occurred throughout the Empire.

That can’t be.

So many people had died in that incident. There was no way it wasn’t recorded.

If only that record could be made public...

Even if it didn’t convince everyone, there would surely be people who suspect Saintess Yuness. Anyone with common sense would question it.

But even after days of searching, the records she wanted never appeared. In the end, Ceres had no choice but to give up.

“So this is where you were.”

Ceres was leaving the palace once again without finding anything when a familiar voice stopped her.

“Ersi?”

It was her disciple.

What was he doing here? What about keeping watch over the Saintess?

“Did something happen?”

The moment Ceres noticed Ersi’s unusually serious expression, she realized something was wrong.

“Someone died at the temple.”

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