Time Healer Ceres

Chapter 49: You Don’t Mess with Family

“Another one died?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are they holding an event like this?”

“The temple is keeping it quiet.”

When Ceres heard that Yuness would be holding a blessing ceremony that day, she went to the temple. She wasn’t the only one. Many people had gathered there as well.

“Tsk.”

Apparently, another priest had recently been found dead. Just like the others, he had a red flower mark on the top of his foot.

However, the temple had ordered everyone to keep quiet about it. With Yuness’s appearance restoring the temple’s prestige after so long, they clearly didn’t want word getting out that people were dead inside the temple.

I can’t even keep a proper watch on her.

She had assigned Ben, a member of the intelligence guild Sky, to keep an eye on Yuness.

However...

“There’s someone else.”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone is secretly guarding that woman. I could tell I’d be caught the moment I got too close.”

“.......”

“...What’s with that look? Hey, it’s not like I got caught because I’m incompetent! They’re just weird!”

In any case, Ben’s surveillance had failed. There was only so much her disciple could do as well. Getting anything out of Yuness was proving difficult.

I thought blocking the treatment would force her to make a move.

Instead, people had died inside the temple. It must be connected to Yuness somehow.

“Something about this bothers me.”

“Huh?”

“This event.”

The sudden decision to gather commoners for a blessing ceremony didn’t sit right with her. If that woman were a real Saintess, Ceres would’ve applauded and cheered her on.

“I don’t like it either.”

“Hmm?”

Ersi looked at Yuness and shook his head.

“Seeing someone smile so brightly with my master’s face... It’s seriously creepy.”

“Why? What’s so creepy about it? I think I used to smile like that too.”

“You did. When you were beating the crap out of people. So you can imagine how terrifying it is for me to see that face... Ha, haha.”

“......”

Can you see me smiling right now?

“...Please don’t draw your sword in the temple, Master.”

This brat. I haven’t given him a hard time lately, and now he’s getting cocky? Ceres glared at Ersi as he tried to put as much distance between them as possible.

“Next.”

“Yes!”

After briefly bickering with Ersi, Ceres turned her attention back to Yuness and the others. One after another, countless people received blessings from her and left.

“Hmm?”

Ceres watched for a while, her brow gradually furrowing.

“What is it?”

Kainel asked quietly.

“No, something just feels off.”

“What is it?”

“The people...”

Is it just my imagination? Why do they look more tired than they did before receiving the blessing?

The people who had happily received Yuness’s blessing were leaving with noticeably less energy in their steps.

Could it just be because I suspect Yuness?

“This really bothers me.”

It was getting on her nerves. But she couldn’t exactly confront someone who had officially been recognized as a Saintess without any concrete evidence.

Ceres had no grounds to stop her. She could only glare irritably at Yuness as she continued blessing people one after another.

“......”

Thud.

“......? Hey.”

Where are you going?

Kainel, who had been standing quietly beside her, suddenly walked away. When Ceres called after him, he glanced back with a faint smile.

“I can’t have you bothered by this.”

“What?”

Before she could ask what he meant, he strode off again, heading straight for Saintess Yuness.

“Next.”

“Yes!”

A child who looked to be about six stepped forward. Yuness reached out her hand.

Whoosh.

“......! Y-Your Excellency?”

Kainel had caught her hand, stopping her just as she was about to offer the child a blessing.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

“What are you doing?!”

Naturally, the High Priests and Cardinals nearby were aghast. He had just interrupted a sacred ritual! Even Grand Duke Persia couldn’t simply get away with something like this.

“You looked tired.”

“Pardon?”

“I can’t just stand by when my person looks tired.”

“—!”

Yuness stared blankly as Kainel took her hand and lightly kissed her fingertips. Everyone around them was equally speechless, not knowing what to say.

“We’re done for today.”

“W-What?”

Kainel’s sudden declaration left everyone bewildered. There were still so many people waiting for their blessing.

“Del.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

At Kainel’s quiet call, his aide Del immediately stepped forward.

“We should give those who didn’t receive a blessing a little gift to make up for it.”

“A gift...?”

“Ten thousand gold each.”

“Understood.”

Gasp!

T-Ten thousand gold!

Del merely bowed and accepted the order. Startled gasps broke out all around them.

Ten thousand gold for every citizen gathered here? The sum was so outrageous that everyone could only gape in disbelief.

“You should go get some rest.”

“Ah, yes!”

With her face flushed, Yuness was led away by Kainel. She had completely forgotten what she had originally come here to do.

“Whoa. So this is what you call throwing money around.”

Ersi watched the two of them leave in amazement.

“You really haven’t changed, Lord Kainel.”

Ersi shook his head.

“You were always like this. Whenever something bothered Master, you’d make sure it was taken care of. I have to admire that drive of yours.”

Clap, clap.

Ersi applauded as he watched the people rejoice over the unexpected gift. They had waited all this time, only to be turned away without receiving the blessing. They should’ve been angry or demanded an explanation, but everyone was smiling instead.

“Rich people really are different. Then again, he’s been holed up in the Principality for three hundred years. I suppose he hasn’t had much to spend his money on. I wonder if he’ll even manage to spend it all before he dies.”

“My disciple.”

“Yes?”

“Let me see your hands.”

“......? {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Why?”

Ceres, who had been quiet until then, took Ersi’s hands and examined them.

“I was just wondering if you joined that club that criticizes Kainel. You aren’t wearing a silver ring or something, are you?”

This punk. Did he join that thing behind my back? Why does it sound like he’s taking a subtle jab at that guy?

“Club? What club?”

“You don’t need to know. Keep it that way.”

“Huh? Wait, why’d you stop there?”

Ignoring Ersi’s protests, Ceres turned her attention back to the people leaving the temple, particularly those who had received blessings from Yuness.

***

“Did everyone enjoy their break?”

“Yes!”

...Wait, when was our break?

Back at the academy after so long, Ceres laughed wryly at her homeroom teacher’s greeting. Her precious winter break had come and gone while she was off in the Principality of Persia dealing with the epidemic.

I suppose I should be glad I didn’t get held back.

At least she’d managed to scrape together enough attendance to avoid that. But somehow, she still felt empty inside.

Where did my winter break go?

“Ugh.”

I want to drop out....

Damn that little brother of hers. Look at all the trouble he’s caused her.

Well, that’s not important right now.

So Yuness had taken Grace’s face and was staying close to Kainel because she was after the Black Egg.

“The Black Egg?”

“She kept bringing it up. Even after I told her it was already gone.”

“Why would she....?”

“I think she took that face because she’s trying to find it through me.”

“Hmm. You don’t think she could be a reincarnation?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“She smiles way too much with that face.”

“...And?”

“Every time she smiles at me, I start wondering if she’s planning to kill me.”

“...Did you two sleep together? I’m asking if you slept with my disciple. You two seem to have gotten the wrong idea. I don’t smile when I’m killing people.”

These guys, seriously....

“Tsk.”

In the end, Ceres had been worrying for nothing when she’d seen Kainel couldn’t take his eyes off Yuness. He never trusted her for a second from the start.

“What did I tell you? I said you were worrying over nothing.”

Yeah, good for you. Ceres chuckled quietly. She could almost hear the smugness in Artia’s voice.

It’s not like I was that worried, either.

It just bothered her a little. Really, just a little. Even she couldn’t help thinking it looked like Grace had come back to life.

If she took that form for a reason, then that face can’t be her real one.

Was it black magic? There was no other explanation.

So she’s looking for Sooty.

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