Chapter 130
#130. Healer Jerun's Answered Prayer
"Run! The sanctuary is on fire!"
"Good heavens. Did you see his eyes? They're green! How dare such a lowly person be here!"
It had been decades, but Jerun could still see the scene vividly whenever he closed his eyes.
His homeland, Lowell, had crumbled, steeped in indulgence and greed, and people like him were just trying to save their own skins. And then there was the contempt of the nobles of The Empire, who had naturally absorbed Lowell.
The color of his eyes, which had always been a source of pride, had become an object of scorn. It was the same everywhere he went. After years of wandering, he had fled in terror to the valley.
In this deserted place, Jerun built a 'home,' however crude it may be. And he tried to find the normalcy he had lost.
When morning came, he swept the yard, and when it was time, he ate. He prayed as a habit, and then night would fall. And when he opened his eyes, it was morning again.
A remote 'home' that no one visited. He would shiver from loneliness until the day was over.
He had prayed countless times for someone in the same situation as him to come, but no one ever did.
Hope and expectation grew old. He was forgetting his prayers and his service to God as a Healer.
"I-Is anyone there?"
"Who... is it?"
The first person to visit this 'home' was a low-ranking Healer who had been with him at the sanctuary. She was pregnant and terrified, and she burst into tears as she grabbed Jerun, as if her tension had been released.
From then on, Jerun prayed again for Rowina. In the meantime, Jenia left the 'home' with the child she had given birth to. But Jerun was no longer lonely.
Starting with that woman, descendants of Lowell would occasionally visit the 'home.' It was rare, but it wasn't nonexistent.
When morning came, he swept the yard and ate with the people of the 'home.' He prayed from time to time, took care of the children, and prayed for those who did not wake up. And then night would fall.
There were many sounds filling the house. Just being with someone was a comfort to Jerun's heart.
But even with that overwhelming comfort, Jerun constantly thought of those who had passed through the 'home.'
Jerun was afraid of what was outside his safe haven. The stones that rained down so frighteningly, the gazes and words that were as sharp as daggers, all of it.
That's why he thought even more about those who had passed through the 'home.' Were they doing well outside this haven, with their bright smiles? He hoped they would smile brightly even outside.
"I'm here, Jerun."
So, after the priest miraculously appeared and returned yesterday, Jerun vaguely began a new prayer.
"We promised to have tea together, didn't we?"
He hoped that those who had gone outside would smile happily, just like the priest with that bright smile.
If that vain miracle were to come true... then what...?
"Also, I brought a surprise guest..."
"Grandpa! Healer Grandpa!"
The priest, who had brought five baskets of desserts as promised, smiled and stepped aside. A child who had been hiding as if to surprise him ran towards Jerun with a bright smile.
Jerun, who had instinctively hugged the child, muttered in disbelief.
"...Ben, is that you, Ben?"
"Grandpa, I missed you!"
There was no mistake. This child with clear, light green eyes, smiling brightly, was Ben, who had passed through this 'home' and gone outside.
Overwhelmed with joy and emotion, Jerun hugged the child. At that moment, as warm hands embraced Jerun,
he realized that his prayers had always been answered. Hot tears streamed down Jerun's wrinkled cheeks.
.
.
.
"...I showed you an unsightly side. I didn't think I'd see Ben again."
The children quickly recognized each other and were playing on the grass. Jerun, watching the children in front of the quiet lake, smiled a little, embarrassed. But his red eyes, still overwhelmed, did not subside easily.
Olivia smiled gently.
"Do you remember Ben's mother? She wanted to come with us today, but she had to go to work, so she asked me to send her regards. She said she'll definitely come next time."
"She... works...?"
"Yes. At an inn where many people come and go."
Olivia spoke emphatically at Jerun's halting voice. Jerun, as if savoring Olivia's words, stared at the children for a long time before finally exhaling deeply.
"...Good heavens. I prayed that they would do well wherever they went, but they were doing well so close by."
It was a strange thing to say. It felt as if Jerun didn't know that Ben was in Territory of Vikander.
"According to Ben, Jerun recommended going to Territory of Vikander."
At Olivia's words, Jerun shook his head as if it were absurd.
"Me? I never said anything like that... Ben!"
At Jerun's call, Ben and the children who were playing ran over.
"Did I ever talk to you about Vikander?"
"Not Healer Grandpa."
Ben shook his head without hesitation and pointed to a certain place.
"White-haired Grandpa!"
The 'home.' To be exact, it was the room of the white-haired man who had never woken up.
"That can't be. He's been asleep the whole time."
It wasn't Ben who shook his head at Jerun's words, but another child.
"No, I heard White-haired Grandpa say Vikander last time too."
It was TV.
Jerun, looking at the serious faces of the children, jumped up and ran to the 'home.'
Olivia did the same. Her heart was pounding as if it would burst.
.
.
.
"...I don't feel any particular improvement."
Only after examining the man for a long time did Jerun shake his head. The hope that the man's condition might have improved without his knowledge had faded.
"Still, seeing how he's maintained his life for eleven years, it seemed like he was definitely meant to live."
"E-Eleven years?"
Olivia, who had been disappointed together after hearing about the man's condition, repeated Jerun's words. Eleven years... Coincidentally, it coincided with the time when the Late Vikander Grand Duke died.
"Yes. It was eleven years ago. I suddenly felt a strange wave and rushed out, and the boy was lying next to the lake."
"......"
"I'm a Healer, but I've never felt such an earnest desire to save someone as I did then. I put the power of healing into him through prayer, but unfortunately, he hasn't woken up yet."
"......"
"I thought he would wake up this time."
"Jerun."
"Yes, Priest."
Jerun answered, raising his voice, which had sunk with disappointment. The priest, who was about to say something, looked at Jerun for a moment.
Jerun slowly blinked his eyes at the desperation that flashed across his green eyes.
"...Was he white-haired from the beginning? He didn't have black hair, or red eyes, did he?"
If, just if. His hair might have turned white during the eleven years.
Olivia waited for Jerun's answer, even though she knew her assumption was absurd. Her lips were dry, and her palms, clutching the shawl, were sweaty.
As if noticing the strangely earnest atmosphere, Jerun chose his words carefully, with a serious face.
"I don't know about his eyes because they were so badly damaged that I never even lifted the lids, but his hair color was white from the beginning, that is, from eleven years ago."
* * *
After leaving the Valley of Senua, the carriage slowly headed towards the castle walls. It was because of Olivia's order to go in and see the White Crystal Mine.
Olivia looked at the dim outside and recalled the story she had heard from Jerun earlier.
"You heard the myth. We can start there. The first King of the Lowell Kingdom had green eyes like an angel as a sign that he was chosen by Rowina."
"......"
"In the sanctuary where I was, the priests played the role of the angels in the myth. There was a rational King and a priest who maintained gentleness and stood by the King's side. All of us, including the priests and the lower-ranking Healers, were selected based on our eye color."
Olivia smiled faintly and looked out the window. Every time she saw her reflection, Olivia quietly looked into her own eyes.
The more vivid the green color of the eyes, the more qualified they were to be a high-ranking priest. Suddenly, Jerun's words that he could ignite his wishes with song came to mind.
"While the royal family can only ignite certain abilities, the priests have no limitations on their abilities. But because they were born as beings who receive the selfless love of God, they can only make wishes for others, not for themselves."
"......"
"...But as the country gradually leaned towards indulgence, the noble families who should have chosen priests to assist them did not, and eventually the priest I served was deprived of that Magic stone necklace, called the key, by the royal family because he could not find a child to pass on the priesthood to."
"This necklace?"
"Yes. As far as I know, there were two necklaces like the one the priest is wearing now, one for the royal family and one for the priests."
Then where is the other one?
There were too many unanswered questions.
Wanting to get some fresh air, Olivia got out of the carriage, saying she would walk for a while.
"...No matter what you say, you cannot enter."
A quarrel could be heard in the distance. Olivia could see the iron-walled castle gate at a glance.
"What's going on? Did an uninvited guest come..."
Dian, who was guarding her side, paused for a moment and stopped speaking, and Olivia held her breath.
It was dark, but she could recognize it at a glance. Standing in front of the castle gate was a carriage with the Madeleine Dukedom crest. And,
"Ah..."
Olivia covered her mouth. Duke Madeleine. He was one of only two Dukes in The Empire, and he was trying to enter the castle gate while being treated like an uninvited guest.
Why, for what reason?
Her mind was instantly tangled. Olivia hurriedly turned around.
"Let's go back, Dian. It's getting too late,"
"Oliv, ia?"
Olivia's body stiffened at the faint voice. There was no way. There was no way that person would call her so affectionately.
"...late."
Once she made a proper judgment, there was nothing difficult. Olivia shrugged at Dian, who was looking at her with concern.
And she said to herself as if casting a spell.
The Duke didn't come. What she saw a little while ago might have been her illusion.
* * *
"One fun piece of news, three interesting pieces of news, and one question. Which one do you want to hear first?"
In the drawing room after dinner.
When Olivia suddenly spoke after giving up her turn in the card game, Edwin's eyes sparkled and he put down his cards and asked.
"I want to hear them in order. What's the fun news?"
"It turned out as Edwin said. Jerun wants to leave the Valley of Senua and come to Vikander."
"Oho." Edwin looked a little surprised.
"What about the others?"
"All together."
"That's not fun news, that's happy news. What's the interesting news?"
"News from The Empire. Princess's seclusion, the marriage of Marquis Etel's daughter, and Duke Elkin's reclusion have spread widely."
Edwin didn't look very surprised.
"Did you know?"
"Roughly. Only up to the point that Duke Elkin's reason for reclusion was the guilt of not stopping Marquis Etel."
"My informant missed one. But rumors really aren't reliable. Someone who personally visited Vikander of his own volition is said to be in reclusion."
Olivia said nonchalantly. The end of her voice trembled with tension. And this perceptive man seemed to realize that the last words were the main point.
"Then there's only one left. What's the one question?"
Olivia moved her lips several times at the gaze that was looking at her seriously. And she slowly asked the question.
"...I heard that Duke Madeleine arrived in Territory of Vikander."
"......"
"...Didn't he?"
The end of her voice trembled a little. It wasn't intentional, but it was enough to reveal Olivia's inner thoughts, which hoped he would say no.
If Edwin said no, that word would become a fact for her.
Whether Edwin secretly sent Duke Madeleine back, or whether the tired Duke went back on his own. Everything she saw and heard would become an illusion.
But Edwin nodded all too easily.
"Yes. I heard he arrived."
