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Chapter 12
The Black Plague (7)
“Saintess! Thank goodness you’re safe!”
Mars looked greatly relieved to see me return. What followed was predictable.
I calmed his nerves and resumed treating the patients.
At first, the work had been grueling, but once I got used to it, it became bearable. By now, I’d reached a state of pure detachment.
‘I am an acting robot… just a robot…’
Ah. But there was one good thing.
[‘Analgesia’ is now active.]
[Tip: This skill cannot be turned OFF. Use with caution.]
The ‘Analgesia’ skill I’d been eyeing for so long had finally come into my hands.
Now this is what I call proper welfare!
The downside to Perfect Healing is the physical pain.
For example, when I heal someone whose limb has been severed, I experience the pain of that amputation temporarily myself.
It doesn’t actually sever my arm, of course, but for injuries beyond a certain threshold, it causes internal damage and coughing up blood. In effect, I’m sacrificing my own vitality to give life to others.
In that sense, Perfect Healing and Analgesia made a very powerful combo. They reduced the penalty to less than a quarter.
But isn’t being numb to pain dangerous?
Well… yes, it is.
If you don’t notice when you’re seriously injured, you might not get treatment in time.
‘But if I hadn’t bought this skill, I would’ve died from shock already.’
Not a joke—literally true.
Thanks to it, I could now treat around 100 patients a day, compared to just 30 before.
[Job Advancement Quest]
Be recognized as a Saintess by 100,000 people.
Current: 83,236 (Complete)
As you can see, the number on the job advancement quest had increased dramatically.
‘Still a long way to go, though.’
The Black Plague was nearly over, and I wasn’t sure how to fill in the rest of the number afterward.
…Well, that was a problem for later. First, I had to deal with the task at hand.
I asked Mars,
“Is the next one over there?”
“Yes. Max is the last patient in our village.”
The old man named Max happened to be out in the garden. He sat on a small chair, blankly staring at the sky.
I approached him and gently took his hand.
“May the blessing of the divine be with you.”
A white light burst forth, enveloping him. As he was fully healed, my status window lit up.
[Max feels gratitude toward you.]
[Good Deed Points +50]
And at that moment—
“So the rumors were true.”
A presence approached from behind. I instinctively turned my head.
“To heal someone in such critical condition in an instant… Even most high-ranking priests can barely heal a scratch.”
Purple hair. Thin, slitted eyes.
A man with that classic “hidden villain” look—what people call a “squinting character.”
And I knew exactly who this man was.
“Who are you?”
“Ah, my apologies. I should have introduced myself sooner. I am…”
The Pope of the Holy Nation Aegis.
The one who publicly announced the hero who bore the Holy Sword, and delivered God’s command to defeat the Demon King.
“I’ve come to escort the Saintess.”
None other than the fake villain—Zephyros.
Why a fake villain and not a real one?
Simple.
“He totally looks like a hidden final boss.”
“LMAO squinty-eyed pope. He’s 100% gonna betray everyone later.”
“Something feels off when he talks to Cedric. Didn’t he basically cause Cedric’s death?”
Because of his squinty-eyed appearance, readers were convinced he would betray everyone by the end.
He even had a suspicious catchphrase:
“It’s just a hunch.”
No matter what you asked, he’d dodge the answer with that phrase—sketchy as hell.
When Cedric—the protagonist’s brother-in-arms—died, the suspicion intensified.
There were hints that Zephyros had been involved in Cedric’s death.
But when the truth came out, the result was the opposite.
“Wait, it wasn’t Zephyros—it was Cedric who did the betraying?! Are you serious?!”
That’s right.
Zephyros was actually a good guy.
All the influence he wielded over neighboring nations? It was to prevent the world’s destruction. The mysterious donor constantly sending money to the protagonist’s group from afar? That was Zephyros too.
“…You don’t ask anything? You’ll just follow me?”
“Of course.”
That’s why I obediently followed Zephyros all the way to the Holy Nation.
Although Mars, seated beside me, looked very uneasy.
“Saintess, this man is suspicious. If he tries to harm you in any way—”
“Then Sir Mars will protect me, won’t you?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
At my calm response, Mars was left speechless.
I turned to Zephyros, who watched this exchange with curiosity, and added,
“Besides, Lord Zephyros is a servant of Lord Aether. He wouldn’t harm me.”
That made him blink in surprise.
“I haven’t revealed anything about myself. How did you know I was a priest?”
“Well…”
I gave a sly smile.
“I have good intuition.”
Zephyros parted his lips in surprise at hearing his own catchphrase used back at him. But the moment didn’t last long.
Because I had turned my gaze away.
‘…Fascinating.’
It’s already been three and a half years since I came to live here.
Even after all that time, the world I know is still extremely limited.
It was only natural.
Unlike modern times, transportation in this era is practically nonexistent.
On the Western Continent, they’ve at least developed steam trains, but for us in the slums, that’s just fantasy. In the Eastern Continent? There’s nothing.
Even the capital of Jik, the kingdom I’m from, still has dirt roads with horse dung everywhere.
So everywhere I go feels new. And the journey to the Holy Nation was no different.
After passing through farmlands and pastures of Jik, we crossed the border, and white-robed figures began appearing more frequently.
Eventually, the bumpy dirt road gave way to a paved brick avenue. Using my clairvoyance to glance around, I saw most people were dressed in white and carried rosaries symbolizing the Church of Aether.
And far in the distance—
‘My goodness.’
A massive temple came into view.
As intricately built as a royal palace and even larger, the structure had withstood the passage of time beautifully.
‘Amazing.’
Just like in the comic, the sight of such a majestic building filled me with awe.
“We’ve arrived. Please step down.”
Zephyros courteously offered his hand to help me down.
As I stepped off the carriage, I was nearly overwhelmed by the crowd before me.
Holy knights, priests, and high clergy in pure white uniforms were lined up in formation. They all bowed their heads in unison toward us.
“What is this…?”
Mars murmured in confusion behind me.
At that moment, my status window flashed again.
[Job Advancement Quest]
Be recognized as a Saintess by 100,000 people.
Current: 100,000 (Complete)[‘Perfect Healing’ skill mastery has increased.]
[You have acquired a new skill: Area Heal.][(New) Area Heal: Heals all living beings within a 10-meter radius, excluding yourself. Healing inflicts physical strain on your body.]
[Tip: Skill radius increases with mastery.]
While I stood there blankly, Zephyros delivered the final blow with a formal greeting.
“Welcome to the Holy Nation Aegis, Saintess.”
