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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: A Dangerous Test
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“It contained only a single, short line: that the Holy Relic of Light held the power of healing. Even so, it was my only hope.”
To the point that I clung to that one line and wandered in search of the relic.
At Lute's words, I swallowed a silent groan.
The Holy Relic of Light, which had been shattered beyond repair and turned to ash, belonged not to the Sun God, but to the final villain.
But could an ancient tome with false information about the relic truly be a proper book?
“Where is that ancient tome?”
“It no longer exists in this world.”
I was about to try and take it from Lute, but his answer was unexpected.
“It doesn't exist?”
“Perhaps because it was so old, but right after I confirmed its contents, the paper crumbled into dust. It's a shame. If the book had remained intact, I could have studied it further.”
…That's strange. No matter how old it was, for an entire book to crumble to dust?
But it didn't seem like Lute was lying, either.
Knowing the relic's true nature, it was all incredibly suspicious.
“Where did you find the ancient tome?”
“In the Imperial Archives, which only the royal family can use. I was granted special permission by His Majesty the Emperor to look around.”
The Imperial Family.
Hearing this made me even more uneasy.
“…The Imperial Archives really have everything, don't they? Even a book about our holy relic.”
But I decided to stop there, fearing Lute would grow suspicious if I kept prying.
The ancient tome is gone now anyway, and it's not like I can go to the Imperial Palace right now. I'll have to ask again after we become closer.
“I'm glad the relic was actually helpful. Of course, my blessing worked hard, too.”
“That’s right. Just when I thought I wouldn't have to hire Wolfgang Schmidt, I was so surprised to hear that you, Saintess, were creating a potion combining alchemy and divine power.”
“Not a bad plan, is it?”
I shook the potion Zenric had given me.
“Yes. I'll honestly admit it.”
For once, Lute readily nodded his head.
“The Sun God may be unfamiliar, but if you say it's combined with familiar alchemy, people will be quicker to accept it.”
…Never mind. This guy is subtly dissing the Grand Temple of the Sun God.
It's like he'd grow thorns on his tongue if he didn't say something sarcastic.
“Alright, I'll give you a blessing now. Hand me the relic.”
He was annoying, but I couldn't just leave a sick person to suffer, so I held out my hand.
Thump.
“…?”
Wait, I asked for the relic. Why is your hand on mine?
“This isn't really what I want.”
“I didn't give you my pretty hand to admire. I'm asking for the potion.”
Lute gestured with his chin toward the potion in my other hand.
“Shouldn't we check the potion's effect? As it happens, I, the patient, will drink it myself and verify it for you.”
Good grief. Don't tell me you refused the blessing just for this?
“Even if it contains divine power, this won't be of much help for your condition, Your Grace.”
“Well, there's no other way, is there? Or how else were you planning to test its effects?”
At Lute's question, I instinctively glanced at my left forearm.
The very spot I'd cut with a knife when the first sample was ready.
It hurts a bit, but this method is still the most reliable.
“You're not thinking of doing something crude, like cutting your own body, are you?”
He's quick on the uptake.
I know it's crude, but what can I do? There's no more accurate way.
As I kept my mouth shut and grumbled internally, Lute let out a dry laugh.
“You were really thinking that?”
“Well, it's not like I can go around hurting other people. So doing it to myself is the best option.”
“You say that as if you've already done it, but I won't press further. I have a feeling I'll be in a worse mood if I hear more.”
Lute smiled. It was a different smile from the cheerful one he always wore, like a man with a screw loose.
Somehow, it was incredibly chilling.
“So, hand over that potion. I'll be the one to check its effects.”
Having said that, before I could stop him, Lute took off the holy artifact he was wearing.
At the same moment, his eyes hardened, and the hand I was unintentionally holding began to tremble.
“What are you doing…!”
Horrified by the black stains that swelled up as if they had been waiting, I pulled on the hand I was holding.
And hurriedly shoved the potion bottle into his mouth.
“Are you crazy?”
The moment Lute's throat swallowed the potion, I cursed at him.
I was so shocked that my words didn't come out nicely.
“How could you know what side effects would occur if the black stains, held back by divine power, suddenly ran rampant!”
Indeed, as soon as the obstacle was gone, I could see the black stains joyfully growing in intensity.
Their momentum was terrifying enough to send a chill down my spine.
A single misstep and Lute could have died from shock.
“You're just as crude, you know.”
I set down the half-empty potion and sighed.
It would have been better to just cut myself. At least I wouldn't die from something like that.
“We're both the same, so let's not blame each other.”
How annoying he was, wiping the potion from his lips with a smile.
If he weren't sick, I would have hit him.
“Still, we've obtained meaningful results.”
A finger stained with the orange liquid tapped the potion bottle.
“Perhaps because it contains divine power, the pain has lessened slightly. Though it's nothing compared to wearing the blessed relic.”
“…”
“In terms of numbers, would it be about one-tenth or less? It's not a dramatic improvement, but considering the unique nature of my illness, it's quite an effective potion.”
“You have the presence of mind to analyze all that right now?”
Still, it's a relief we gained something from it.
But something about the situation kept me from celebrating with an easy heart.
“Ah, were you that worried about me?”
Is that even a question?
Lute may not know it, but he is someone whose future fate I twisted with my own hands.
He was the first character I made deviate from the original story's flow, so of course I wanted him to continue living a healthy life.
“It's just that I was dumbfounded by your foolish stunt.”
But I couldn't explain all that, so I had to let it go.
Clicking my tongue, I gripped the potion instead of slapping Lute's annoying, grinning mouth.
It was an unexpected situation, but since it's come to this, I might as well make the most of it.
[Activating Skill 'Blessing'.]
My golden divine power melted into the potion.
Just like last time, a red hue began to suffuse the orange potion.
But this time, perhaps because the potion's original color was darker, the reddish tint created a color like a blazing flame.
Brilliant, beautiful, and powerful.
It was a color that captivated the eye on sight alone.
“The color…”
“It's a potion infused with my blessing.”
I handed the half-full potion back to Lute.
“Try drinking it.”
Lute, who had been admiring the potion that looked like a sunset or a flame, drank it obediently without refusal.
Then, his eyes widened in surprise.
“The effect is good. It's gotten even better.”
“How is it compared to when you were wearing the relic?”
“It's not as effective as the relic after its blessing has faded.”
That's a given. The artifact Lute wears is specialized for healing, after all.
“Still, compared to the potion before the blessing, its effect seems to be at least three to four times stronger.”
“That's good.”
It should sell very well then. As expected, deciding to imbue the potions with a blessing was the right choice.
Now that the experiment was over, I cast a blessing on the holy artifact Lute had thrown off.
“Here, I've placed a new blessing on it. Come back again in a month.”
This time, Lute obediently put the holy artifact around his neck.
The black stains, which had been faltering since the moment he drank the potion, went limp like a machine that had lost power.
Confirming that his complexion had improved markedly, I said,
“From now on, don't do anything foolish. Just come get your blessing regularly before the month is up.”
“Yeees.”
“If something urgent comes up and you can't make it, drink a potion like you did today. However, I'll set aside potions for your use, Your Grace, so don't go swiping the ones sold on the market.”
Lute's eyes immediately drooped at the corners.
“What do you take me for? Do you really think I'd do something so petty?”
“It's not that, it's just that we're a bit sensitive about embezzlement. We caught a few embezzlers just last month.”
The embezzlers, including Kento, are still locked in the underground prison.
This is because crimes that occur in the Grand Temple can be punished according to the temple's own regulations, not imperial law.
Even Count Kiris isn't asking for them to be handed over, likely not wanting to stir up trouble.
“The underground prison has become the embezzlers' new home.”
If you cause trouble, we'll prepare a room for you, too.
“…Don't worry. If I need one urgently, I'll purchase it at full price.”
As if he understood my meaning perfectly, Lute raised his hand and swore an oath.
