Chapter 118

The field hospital was located a fair distance away from the eastern encampment.

After crossing the border and reaching the eastern camp, I stopped to think about what to do next.

Should I head for Lindblum, even though I hadn’t planned on going there just yet?

Passing through that city would be the easiest way to reach the field hospital… but I wondered if there were still stagecoaches running.

“I really don’t like running on my own, you know.”

The most efficient way would be to cut straight through the forest and run to the field hospital myself. But I had no desire to do that.

It was better to quietly board a carriage bound for Lindblum, transfer to another, and make my way to the hospital that way.

This encampment already functioned as a sort of forward base—wagons constantly came and went.

I managed to get a ride on one, slipping aboard as it swapped out its cargo, and was told they could take me to Lindblum.

When I introduced myself as “a healer dispatched to the front,” they let me on without question. Clearly, the dire state of the field hospital was well-known.

“Driver, would it be possible to pass through Lindblum without stopping?”

“Hah! No way, Priest! We’ve got to head straight to the Guild first to load cargo, then take it north to the encampment up there. Your destination is even further north—close to the border, where the field hospital’s been set up. Want to just stay aboard?”

“I see… in that case, please do.”

It couldn’t be helped. In times like these, no carriage would travel long distances carrying only people… only those tied to military supply lines.

Rocked gently by the wagon, I was carried toward Lindblum—the crucible of faith.

By the time we reached Lindblum, the sky was already painted crimson.

As I climbed down from the wagon, young adventurers—probably the ones who had packed the crates themselves—rushed over to load them onto the guild’s wagons with practiced efficiency.

Even though the war was practically at its end… surely by now news of the Royal Capital’s devastation had reached Golda’s frontlines.

By my estimate, just about when I arrived at the field hospital… the tide of the war would begin to turn.

The war would end once this nation’s army reached Golda’s capital.

And when that woman, Remia, returned here to Lindblum alongside Golda’s upper echelon—that would be the moment when my Master’s and my schemes came to fruition.

…If possible, I’d like to see that very moment with my own eyes.

“Oi, rookie! Don’t overload that cart—this priest here’s riding in the back too!”

“What!? Seriously!? Oi, Grant, let’s unload a little!”

…Another familiar name. Ah, yes. That trio of rookies from before.

But I had more pressing concerns than them right now.

My eyes—the Guidance of God—had picked up on something odd flowing through the guild.

A power… some kind of remotely controlled spellwork? Was this a defense mechanism set up by the guild itself, or… something else?

“Excuse me. If there’s still time before departure, would it be alright if I took a look around the area?”

“Sure, no problem. First time in Lindblum, Priest?”

“Yes, indeed. My priority now is relief at the field hospital, but one day I’d like to spread the faith here as well, without fail.”

Curiosity.

I did not believe this Grand Guild to be the embodiment of pure good.

It was possible… that at its top sat someone far uglier, more self-serving—someone closer to me.

I followed that faint thread of power flowing within the guild, betting on that small possibility.

“Oh… so there’s even a desk for consultations with the Elcud Church inside the guild?”

I observed the various guild counters, studying what kinds of organizations had a presence here.

…Such a prosperous nation. Had Golda’s leadership never come here themselves, to see firsthand just how far Lendia—and Lindblum especially—had developed?

…Or perhaps, had they already prepared countermeasures strong enough to overturn even this level of disparity?

I see. I had thought them simply foolish, but perhaps Hūs-san had made far more preparations than I realized. That would explain much.

After all… the very thing supporting this nation is the Grand Guild itself.

“Ah, excuse me! The courtyard is off-limits to unauthorized personnel!”

“Oh, apologies. You see, I’m a healer, and I thought I saw people sparring in the courtyard. If anyone needed treatment…”

I had been about to follow the power’s trail into the courtyard when I was stopped by a staff member.

But it seemed the title of healer was more versatile than I expected—

---

“Really!? In that case… please wait just a moment. I’ll check with the higher-ups for permission.”

With that sudden reversal, they hurried off, and before long I was smoothly allowed entry into the courtyard.

Inside, adventurers and mercenaries appeared to be training.

Under normal circumstances, I recalled, this would be where recruitment tests were held. But in these times, veterans were instead loosening their bodies and warming up.

I even spotted a few familiar faces—though I couldn’t recall their names. Members of the subjugation force I had once fought alongside, under my Master as Silent.

“Everyone, a healer has kindly come to see you. If anyone still suffers from lingering ailments or injuries, please step forward. Ah, and one more thing—”

The guild staffer turned toward me and whispered softly:

“Um, about the payment… Things are so hectic right now that we can’t pay you immediately. Could we perhaps ask you to return at a calmer time, for proper compensation?”

“It’s fine, no payment is necessary. To lend a hand to warriors rising up for the people, heading into battlefields… that alone is reward enough.”

“Wh-what generosity…! You said your name was Still, correct? On a journey to spread the faith, if I recall… I’ll make sure to report your goodwill to the higher-ups.”

“Oh my, I’m humbled.”

How convenient. If I recall correctly, Remiya herself oversaw this branch’s upper echelon.

If a suspicious man was making his name known even to the guild’s leadership, their wariness would naturally rise.

…And that was exactly what I wanted.

“Now then, those of you with injuries, please line up. I’ll see to your treatment.”

Yes—time to fulfill a priest’s duty. To extend a saving hand to the suffering.

With hands imbued with Holy-Evil Reversal, I brushed lightly across each patient’s wounds—sometimes flicking with a finger, sometimes pressing with the palm.

No grand spells to heal everyone at once. This was no performance. This was service.

Each and every patient… needed to be faced individually.

“Next person, please.”

“Nice to meet you!”

The next to appear was a young woman I recognized.
…She used a bow… her name was… if I recall correctly…

“Hmm, your name?”
“Nemuri!”

That’s right, Nemuri. Despite her name, the Master had thought of her as a lively person.

“Hmm… damage has accumulated in both shoulders, making them prone to inflammation… I won’t deny your tireless efforts, but sometimes you need to devote yourself to recovery. You’ve also built up some fatigue. I’ll do a thorough treatment.”

While pressing with his fingers at the border of the shoulders and collarbone, he probed for where his fingers sank in deepest, then struck that point.
In truth, the strike was inverted into healing effects, accompanied by acupressure.

“Nn! Nngh… ah!”
“Please don’t make such suggestive sounds. Even as a devout priest, I’m still a man of age, you know.”
“Ah! Um… sorry!”
“I’m joking. Just remember, there are people waiting behind you.”

He couldn’t help but tease her—girls like this were amusing.

…Still, healers and doctors were surely valuable.
Perhaps because of the war, or perhaps because the skill was rare to begin with.
It might be worth investigating further.

“A-amazing! My shoulders feel so light…! The fatigue is gone too!”
“Yes, next please.”

And so, one after another, patients were treated. Eventually, when he had finished them all—

“Um… actually, there’s one more patient I’d like you to see, but… the person is a criminal.”
“Oh… I don’t mind. The guild has permitted it, hasn’t it? Everyone commits sins, large or small, to survive. I do not withhold healing on that basis.”
“Oh… how generous of you… then please, follow me.”

…Of all the scenarios I had expected, this was the most convenient.

Because all the flows of power running through this guild… led straight to the underground prison.

From a corner of the courtyard, they descended underground—the very place the Master had once gone as Silent.
And surely, the culprit of that attack… must be connected to the mastermind.
What was the name again? It feels like such a distant memory.

“What sort of injuries does this prisoner have?”
“To be honest, even with medicines and the efforts of other healers, they can barely move. The truth is… healers and apothecaries refuse to treat this prisoner. And simply giving them medicine yields only the faintest recovery.”
“Oh… such a grave criminal then.”
“Yes. In fact, they were almost sentenced to death. But they were kept alive in order to extract information.”

Hmm… so that attacker was left unable to even speak properly.
The Master had roughed them up back when he was still unaccustomed to Silent’s power—perhaps misjudging his strength.
No… if I recall, the Master hadn’t even given them medicine back then, had he?
If he only kept them alive at the bare minimum… that’s just like him. He truly understands how to break people. What is most admirable is his decisiveness.

“This is the door. You’ll need to go inside, but…”
“Understood. From here, I’ll need to use somewhat special methods. Please step away a little. These are secret arts—if they were seen or overheard, it would affect my position.”
“Y-yes! Even secret arts… amazing, Lord Still!”

There are some things I want to ask. I’ll need this person to dance properly for me.

Stepping inside alone, it was immediately clear the prisoner had been left in a terrible state.
Amid a stench, a woman was tossed about like garbage.
I instantly decided to purify the entire space.

『Daichimushibamhi』
“Transforms a wide frontal area into a swamp of deadly poison, inflicting Poison and Curse on enemies within range.”
“The poisonous swamp remains on the field, inflicting the same effect on those who touch it.”
“Duration depends on user level (max radius 5m).”

Truthfully, I didn’t want to use such a massive spell—it would surely bring back that crushing fatigue.
But this environment was intolerable. I couldn’t stand being here.

By combining it with ‘Holy-Evil Reversal’, the entire space was purified.
The stench, the filth—everything vanished.
The woman’s grime disappeared too, and her body was imbued with continuous healing.

Without delay, I kept ‘Holy-Evil Reversal’ active while drinking a liquid known as ‘Demon King’s Mixed Blood’.

『Demon King’s Mixed Blood』
“A deadly potion mixed with the blood of the Demon King.”
“For certain classes, raises all stats by 70%. For others, it is poison.”
“Inflicts continuous damage of 5% HP and MP per second. Duration: 10h.”

If it’s me, I can draw out the best effect from this potion. It’s a rare item, but fortunately, it’s something I can make myself.

…The Master will probably need the skills of an apothecary eventually. At some point, I’d like the Master to acquire more varied powers.

As expected, the crushing fatigue that should have struck me is greatly reduced.

This is useful, but… will my power also be passed on to the Master?

To be honest, the abilities of us “Three Strong” are difficult to handle.

After all, it essentially puts us in a state where “any enemy we strike will always die.”

Without Holy–Evil Reversal alongside it, it would severely interfere with everyday life.

In this world, which is not fabricated… my power is far too dangerous.

“Mm… ugh… ah…”

“Oh? Looks like you’re finally able to speak?”

“Who… are you…?”

“Just a passing healer. I couldn’t possibly leave someone in your condition to suffer.”

“…No way… but it’s true…”

“You were in terrible shape. It’s almost as if ‘whoever was treating you never intended to heal you properly from the start.’”

“…!”

“You’ll be fully healed soon. Once you are… you’ll be able to escape this place, won’t you? Someone on the outside is supposed to help you, isn’t that so? You weren’t treated on purpose, because they couldn’t risk you talking… but now you’ve been healed.”

This room is remotely controlled. Even the heavy iron door has a mechanism for being unlocked from afar.

My eyes can clearly see that effect.

At some point, the plan was for this woman to be healed and let go.

And the one arranging it was someone inside the Guild itself.

“Who… are you really?”

“Hmm… a friend of Hūs-san’s, perhaps?”

“!? No way—you’re one of them!?”

Oh? I only meant to test her with a bluff, but it seems I hit the mark.

Still, she’s probably just a disposable pawn in all this.

“Well, who knows. Anyway, now that the treatment’s done, I should take my leave. Ah, right… one last thing—I’ll leave you a parting gift.”

I hand her a newly opened tin of candies.

This batch is a little special, so she should be sure to take it with her.

To prove it’s not poisoned, I pluck one out and pop it into her mouth.

“Uh… candy?”

“They’re delicious. They’re my favorite. Please, if you don’t mind, share some with Hūs-san as well.”

“…Got it. Thanks for the treatment.”

“Of course. You’re very welcome.”

“Crunch! …These really are good.”

It seems the mastermind’s pawns have infiltrated even within the Guild.

Now then… who’s going to arrange for this girl’s escape? I’m looking forward to finding out.

Well, I won’t be able to observe it myself—I have to head to the field hospital, after all.

And so, I leave Lindblum behind.

What a truly fascinating world this is.

…It almost makes me reluctant to return this body to the Master…

…And really, is it normal in this world for everyone to bite down on candy? The proper way is to savor it with tea, letting it melt slowly on the tongue…

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