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Chapter 59
So Fin was using healing magic.
From what Elizia knew, healing magic wasn’t exactly efficient. Even within the Seiros family, magicians were closer to being dealers or supporters rather than true healers. In most cases, it was more effective to attack an enemy than to heal an ally.
Elizia glanced at her HP bar. The very edge had been shaved off a little, but it was still practically full. She gave an awkward smile and spoke.
“Really, you don’t have to keep using healing magic on me.”
“What? But…”
“I won’t die, so it’s really fine!”
“…That seems like a very strange standard, my lady.”
Fin frowned, looking entirely unconvinced. After thinking it over, he added in a playful tone:
“My lady, normally people are supposed to get treated before they’re on the verge of dying.”
“Then… I’m still before the before the before the verge of dying!”
“And how far away exactly is that? At that point, you may as well just accept the treatment.”
“But it wastes your mana!”
Elizia shot back without missing a beat. But Fin didn’t back down either. She thought he’d yield easily since he was always smiling, but to her surprise, he didn’t budge an inch.
“My mana being used up is less of a problem than your health declining.”
“I’m really sturdy, so I’ll be fine!”
“Oh, yes. Coming from someone who collapsed and couldn’t get up after drinking poison… I’m very reassured.”
“I’m serious this time!”
Elizia pressed her lips together, looking wronged. Admittedly, after collapsing from poison and being bedridden, nobody was going to believe her even if she insisted she was fine.
Fine. Whatever. There’s no helping it.
Still, thanks to the healing magic, the pain had indeed subsided, so she wasn’t in a bad mood. She was only worried about Fin wasting his mana.
Elizia looked around the room. For some reason, it was just the two of them.
Maybe I can take this chance to ask him…?
Carefully, she opened her mouth.
“Um, Fin…”
“Yes. What is it this time, patient?”
“Why are you suddenly calling me a patient…? Anyway, that’s not important. Remember back in the forest? When His Highness and the Saintess were there too.”
Elizia trailed off, not sure how to phrase it. At that time, Fin had openly declared, right in front of the Crown Prince—
—that he came because he wanted to see her.
“…Why did you say that?”
“…”
Just moments ago, he had been smiling and quipping easily, but this time his silence stretched on. What was he thinking?
Was my question too vague?
Maybe she needed to quote him directly, otherwise he might not know which words she was referring to.
Perhaps it meant nothing to him. Maybe he doesn’t even remember saying it.
Still, saying something like that without meaning anything by it would be odd. Elizia was lost in thought when Fin finally spoke.
“…Because you looked troubled.”
He continued calmly.
“To be honest, when His Highness said he had made an appointment with you, your expression didn’t look very good. So I took the liberty of interfering. If it seemed like you had another prior appointment, no one would know what the real reason was.”
“…”
It was a logical, textbook explanation.
And Elizia could understand it—after all, that explanation had indeed reassured her at the time. Except for one problem.
“But… you didn’t have to do that for me.”
That was the sticking point.
He had no reason to help her. The invitation from before was different; he’d said he wasn’t going to use it anyway, so passing it on to “someone Jerome trusted” wasn’t a big deal. Like handing out a coffee coupon about to expire.
But this was different. Why step in at the risk of offending the Crown Prince? Had something happened between them? Or did he have some ulterior motive?
Or perhaps… he wanted something from her?
And though she didn’t want to put much weight on Howell’s words, he had been warning her to be careful. Both the Duke and Howell were wary of Fin, and now it didn’t seem so unreasonable. Elizia studied him quietly.
“…You’re sharp.”
Fin gave a small sigh and averted his gaze. She thought he would get flustered, but instead, he remained calm, picking up the damp cloth from her forehead and naturally replacing it as if that had been his intention all along.
And in that smooth gesture, he added in a steady voice:
“You’re right. What I said earlier was just an excuse.”
“An excuse?”
“Yes. The truth is, I did just want to see you.”
“…What?”
His voice was flat, almost casual, as if he had said, ‘The earth revolves around the sun.’ And his lips still held that mischievous smile. With that expression, it was impossible to tell whether he was serious or joking.
“Does that explanation satisfy you?”
“Not at all.”
“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate.”
Fin frowned slightly as if troubled, then added smoothly:
“I’m not very good with words, you see. Situations like this are difficult for me.”
“…Not good with words? Really?”
What nonsense.
The playful glint hidden behind his smile made it impossible to read his thoughts. For Elizia, it was frustrating—she had never met someone so hard to read before.
Just as she opened her mouth to press him further—
Bang!
The door burst open.
“Elizia! You’re awake?”
Howell came rushing in, looking between her and Fin.
“Sir Ende… I mean, Sir Ende is here. I wasn’t sure how you were doing after what happened in the forest with the poison. How are you now?”
…Did he just almost call him a quack? No, surely not… right?
She remembered hearing something about Howell muttering about quacks earlier. Surely, he hadn’t said it out loud.
He couldn’t have… right?
Calling a healing mage a quack was far too harsh. Either way, Howell’s mood was grave—almost frightening. Fin answered calmly.
“Her lost stamina is recovering, but…”
“But what about the detoxification?”
“It’s a type I haven’t encountered before, so immediate detoxification is difficult—”
“So you mean you can’t cure it right now?”
Howell cut him off before he finished, stamping his foot in frustration and sighing deeply.
“Hah…”
“Brother, don’t worry. I’m not going to die.”
“You…! How can you keep saying you’re fine when you have no medical knowledge whatsoever? If you don’t know, be quiet.”
As if he knows any better, Elizia thought.
Still, seeing him clutching the back of his neck in frustration made her feel a little guilty.
I didn’t expect him to get this worked up.
She had been planning to undo the poison soon enough. But with everyone fussing, she couldn’t find the right timing.
Maybe I should just say Fin cured me with his magic and then dispel the poison myself…?
It might seem odd, but she could insist Fin’s skills were more impressive than expected.
She was just about to clench her fist and do it when Howell spoke again.
“Well, nothing else for it. Another qu—cough, I mean, the Saintess is on her way. Maybe she can do something.”
“…What did you say?”
Elizia blinked in surprise at the unexpected word.
And then—thud, thud, thud—hurried footsteps pounded up the stairs.
“This way? Lady Semperion?”
A clear, beautiful voice rang out. A girl with shining golden hair came rushing toward them—Frillien, the beloved Saintess, adored by gods and the world alike.
The moment she entered the room, she cried out sorrowfully:
“I’m so sorry, my lady! Last time, I should have realized immediately! When I examined your body, I sensed something strange, but I didn’t recognize it as poison! I call myself a Saintess, yet I failed to notice…”
Her eyes brimmed with tears, her voice trembling with genuine remorse. Everyone’s attention turned to her as she stood there glowing.
Even Elizia was at a loss for words, staring.
Wow… what do I even say? She really does feel like the protagonist.
The temple must have been treating her well, because she looked even more beautiful than before—bright, shining eyes, a holy white dress made of airy fabric, a crystal hairpiece that glittered faintly.
She practically radiated a divine aura.
Frillien walked slowly to Elizia’s bedside, clasped her hand tightly, and spoke with a tearful expression.
“Still, thank you for giving me this chance to repay you in some small way. If I can be of any help at all…”
She sniffled softly and looked at her with deep concern.
“My lady, have you been in much pain?”
“…Thanks to Fin’s magic, not really.”
At her answer, Frillien nodded firmly and murmured with determination.
“Then let me try as well!”
A bright light immediately began gathering around her hand. Just from that preliminary motion, Elizia knew instantly—
That’s a high-level healer skill, isn’t it?
Surprised, she asked,
“You’ve already improved this much?”
“Ah… the temple taught me a little more…”
Frillien smiled sheepishly. After diagnosing with her skill, she continued.
“It does seem like poison. Do you remember what you ate before this happened?”
“It was tea cakes and scones.”
“May I examine them?”
At her request, Howell gestured. The servants brought over the food in question—plates of neatly arranged cakes and scones.
Without hesitation, Frillien reached for them. Elizia cried out in alarm.
“You can’t eat that!”
But just as she was about to take a bite, Frillien smiled reassuringly at her.
“Don’t worry, my lady.”
Then, confidently, she added:
“My healing abilities will protect me even if I ingest poison. In fact, eating it is the best way to analyze it.”
“…Is that so? Still—”
Once again, Elizia marveled at how strong the protagonist’s plot armor was. Reluctantly, she watched.
Frillien took a bite of the cake.
“This is delicious…!”
Her eyes sparkled as she savored the taste. Seeing her perfectly fine, everyone sighed in relief.
Even Elizia found herself staring in awe. Maybe the cake hadn’t been poisoned after all? Or maybe Frillien was simply immune because she was the heroine?
Just as she was marveling—
“Then let me try the scone next—ugh?”
Frillien, who had swallowed the cake without issue, reached for a scone. But suddenly she clutched her mouth.
“Kh—cough, hack! Kkh!”
“What?!”
“Saintess?”
She began coughing violently, blood spraying from her lips. Her body shook as she clutched her chest in agony.
“W-why is this… aaaaaagh!”
Her scream echoed as she writhed in pain, leaving everyone frozen in shock.
