Chapter 99 : Chapter 99
Chapter 99 I am a Priestess.
The Priestess grabbed me. Anger and bewilderment were mixed on her face.
“You must not act as you please. Prayer is a holy ritual, I tell you.”
“Yes, so I will only watch. While feeling the holiness.”
“If you disturb the ritual, the Young Duke may be in danger. In a situation where he is already critical, if he gets worse…….”
“Hey, what could happen just by watching? Let’s go.”
I took the lead and started walking.
The Priestess followed hurriedly repeating that I shouldn’t, but I didn’t listen.
“Look here!”
Yes, yes. I don’t believe the words of a swindler.
Lucius is a god who doesn’t even have a temple so one cannot swear to him, so it is unknown how one swears and serves him.
And.
‘Without a Mana Circle, what Priestess.’
If one has a Mana Circle, just breathing moves the surrounding mana greatly. But I cannot read any flow of mana from the Priestess.
“Wouldn’t it be better to listen to the Priestess?”
Rosenberg, who followed, asked.
“You don’t have to mind.”
“Still, thanks to the Priestess, Isaac’s condition got a little better at least…….”
I looked at Rosenberg and shook my head.
In a situation where the mana circle is poisoned by something, there is no way it would get better by praying.
“Do, don’t open it!”
As soon as I grabbed the handle, the Priestess shouted.
I need to check why the swindler prevents seeing Isaac.
Clack.
“Gasp.”
Smells of various herbs mixed dizzily and wafted thickly.
The window was covered with curtains so not a bit of light entered.
What illuminated the room were candles drawing a hexagram.
“N, no. What is this?”
Rosenberg opened his eyes roundly as if absurd.
He had no choice.
Rosenberg believed the Priestess served Lucius. But what entered his eyes were a hexagram and strange herbs that had nothing to do with Lucius. Even the herbs were scattered dizzily on Isaac’s body. Among them, some were half-burnt. If someone saw this, they would ask if she was praying to a demon.
“An explanation seems needed. Priestess.”
“It is a ritual. Light…….”
“Cult.”
I cut off what she tried to excuse ramblingly Snap!.
All gods I know do not use a hexagram as a symbol.
It is a symbol of a cult religion saying a new god will come down and save the chaotic world.
“Cult? That is a remark insulting me.”
“When did Lucius use a hexagram? And why burn herbs for praying?”
“This is…… a new method to raise the effect of prayer…… so.”
“Talking nonsense.”
I tried to clear the herbs on Isaac’s body and extinguish the candles.
The Priestess shouted absolutely not and grabbed my hand holding the herbs abruptly.
But…….
“What are you?”
I looked straight into the Priestess’s eyes.
“Let, let go of this hand!”
“No, what are you. What on earth are you…… do you have a Mana Heart?”
Weren’t all Mana Hearts gone in this era? What is her identity really?
“Let go of this hand!”
The Priestess shook off the hand with all her might.
I looked at the Priestess blankly.
“I, I am an existence chosen by God. Without God’s permission, I cannot contact anyone!”
“What are you saying. Is a Priestess not a human? What’s the problem with a human touching a human. And what Mana Heart for a Priestess? What is your identity really.”
I opened my eyes wide and urged an answer.
The Priestess swallowed dry saliva with fearful eyes.
I stared at such a Priestess.
“Are you really a Priestess?”
“W, what nonsense are you saying! Impudent!”
“Impudent my foot. Did you swear to Lucius for real?”
“To doubt me now! God will be ang…….”
“Phew, what is this smell? And what is that?”
Adellian found Isaac’s room. She crumpled her face seeing the candles drawing a hexagram and dizzily scattered herbs.
“I thought it was strange from the beginning. What is this doing?”
“You will have to tell us correctly.”
Following Adellian, Rosenberg also spoke strongly. The father and daughter glared at the Priestess urging a clear answer.
“It is herb helping the flow of mana. Hexagram acts to extract mana…….”
“What connection does that have with Lucius on earth? Are you really a Priestess?”
At Rosenberg’s question, the Priestess bit her lip. She was trembling holding her fist. This wasn’t fear. It was unfairness.
‘Mana Heart, herb helping mana flow, hexagram extracting mana.’
The Priestess emphasized prayer all along.
“Do you hold hands when praying?”
Everyone’s gaze turned to me. Eyes asking why I ask a sudden question out of the blue.
“……That is so. To care with light, contact is essential for Lucius.”
“Really?”
I grabbed the Priestess’s hand once again.
The startled Priestess tried to shake off the hand saying, ‘W, what are you doing?’
But I didn’t let go. Because confirmation is needed.
I pushed a little mana into her body. Dirty mana at that.
“Let go of this!”
The Priestess with sweat beads on her forehead shook off the hand with all her might.
It’s fine. Because I obtained enough necessary information.
“With that level of Mana Heart, it’s not even close. It’s like sprinkling paint in the ocean.”
The Priestess’s eyes shook greatly.
She must have known too. Seeing the herbs and hexagram used by cults, it is certain.
She must have tried to purify the contaminated mana using her Mana Heart. Thinking if she increases speed and quantity, the mana circle would also be purified. But it is not a level she can handle.
“Then you mean she is a Priestess? Is it true she treats with prayer?”
Adellian asked looking at me and the Priestess alternately.
“Don’t know if she’s a Priestess and treatment…… it is true she attempted, but just enough to prevent getting worse.”
Adellian and Rosenberg looked at the Priestess expressing complex feelings on their faces.
“I am a Priestess. It is real. Please believe me.”
“Okay, let’s say so. What is your name? And why do you have a Mana Heart instead of a Mana Circle when you are a Priestess?”
The Priestess started breathing roughly. Her lips dried quickly. She even trembled. This time it’s not because of unfairness.
‘What is she afraid of?’
Fear smeared out from her pupils.
“Are you not going to tell me?”
“……Benedict. Crystal Benedict.”
The surname is familiar. Don’t tell me, a descendant of Gwen Benedict? Thinking about it, her actions seem similar too…….
“Then why Mana Heart…… No. Let’s hear that later. checking the kid’s condition comes first.”
Crystal mumbled something, but I didn’t listen. Because her answer wasn’t needed.
Click.
I opened the window for ventilation. Old dust flew here and there riding the wind.
I coughed and looked at Crystal.
“Don’t you clean before praying?”
“I, I do. Must. It must be done.”
Compared to that, the dust is substantial. Dust covering the books sat down like old grime and didn’t even fly in the wind.
Swipe.
What smears on the finger is…….
‘Not simple dust?’
When the mana circle is broken, rotten mana is discharged through breath and piles up.
“Until just a while ago, there wasn’t such thing…….”
Crystal said. Seeing the flustered face, it is not a lie. Since she prevented coming in saying she was praying, to avoid a situation to be misunderstood.
Anyway, it means it became like this in less than an hour while Crystal vacated the spot. It means someone is there…….
“Let’s see.”
I cleared all the herbs on Isaac’s body. Extinguished all the dizzily burning candles.
All lights and shadows dizzling the vision disappeared. Bright sunlight shone on lying Isaac.
Like Rosenberg’s words, he had no hair and his complexion was severely pale. It is disgusting that veins protruded on his chest. His condition is worse than heard.
I held his hand and flowed mana. The path mana travels is a mess. This time I put my hand on his chest. The heartbeat is very weak. I flowed mana one more time and let it ride the heart and go up to the mana circle.
‘As expected.’
As soon as mana touched the mana circle, it was covered in murky energy. The mana circle is poisoned. Very severely at that.
“How long has it been like this?”
“It seems about 4 years.”
Enduring this state for 4 years is a miracle. On the broken mana circle, contaminated mana is full. Since it cannot digest, rotten mana will leave the mana circle and roam around the body here and there. And stick somewhere and make it rot. It wouldn’t be strange if he died already…….
“Why, why? Are you looking at me?”
It is true that Isaac could endure without dying thanks to Crystal.
Lucky. Meeting Crystal, and meeting me too. Meeting me is much better though.
“How is it? Can you treat him?”
At Rosenberg’s question, I showed a short laugh. He was lukewarm before coming here, but now desperation seems to explode. Seeing him verify personally, it seems he wants to grab even a thread-like hope.
“Is there a way? Or not?”
At Adellian’s question, I didn’t reply anything. Instead, I opened my Mana Heart and activated the talisman. And put my hand on Isaac’s chest and flowed pure mana little by little.
Although weak, vitality sprouted on Isaac’s skin.
“N, no. I, Isaac’s face color…….”
Perhaps intense emotion surged, Rosenberg reddened his eyes and trembled his hands.
“Yo, Your Highness. Can you treat our son? Can he heal cleanly and rise from the bed?”
“It will need time, but it won’t be difficult.”
“Your Highness!”
Rosenberg knelt and bowed his head.
“If you just save Isaac, I will do anything. Anything.”
“No, not to this extent…….”
It is flustering that the human who was blunt all the way here suddenly acts like this.
I turned my gaze to ask for help from Adellian but…… why is she crying.
“That, now. So…… not doing it immediately but will do after resting a bit…….”
“Sob.”
One more crying sound was heard. This time it was Crystal. I don’t know why she is crying.
Anyway, you mean you will do anything if I save him? Anything.
***
Crystal rolled her eyes with a nervous face.
There is no one around. Except for one man in front of her eyes.
“Looking at the surname, you aren’t from Poinus. When did you cross over?”
The problem is that man is Maxim.
“I don’t know. Since I was in Poinus from birth.”
Maxim looked at Crystal quietly.
‘Avoiding gaze. Voice trembling slightly too.’
“Since no one is arresting you, let’s speak honestly. It’s bad if a Priestess lies.”
Perhaps the word lie stuck in her ear, she pouted.
“……I am from Manatium. A Priestess can travel anywhere freely.”
Maxim nodded for her. He tried to retort, ‘Regardless of being a Priestess, a person can travel anywhere freely,’ but held back thinking it would just scratch her inside unnecessarily.
Instead, he chewed on the surname Benedict.
Crystal looked at such Maxim with anxious eyes.
“Don’t be anxious, because I am trying to save you right now.”
“What does that mean? Save me. I didn’t harm the Young Duke. I did it to heal him sincerely.”
“Someone other than Rosenberg will come, preventing that guy from getting you.”
Crystal frowned and tilted her head.
“If you treated Isaac again and again but the condition kept getting worse, one should suspect.”
“Suspect what exactly……”
Maxim stuck out a finger with a serious expression and signaled to be quiet.
Strange tension.
Crystal swallowed dry saliva and opened her ears wide.
“Was Gwen Benedict among your ancestors?”
At Maxim’s surprise question, Crystal’s eyes widened.