The Angry Saintess

A crowd of people lined up at the temple.

"What is this…?"

Mako was dumbfounded, while Sei found it made a lot of sense.

"Apparently there are this many people who've been lining up since yesterday. Ah, I'll go buy something to eat."

Kukuri promptly left the line. Well, having him there wouldn't accomplish anything anyway, so that was fine.

"Healing thousands of people every day, and there's still a line…"

Sei pondered. If the Omnipotent Healing ability was as he'd heard, she could probably handle all of this in half a day.

"Unexpectedly, it might be the most useful Gift for an army."

The decline of military strength in war comes not only from the dead but also significantly from the wounded. If those wounds could be completely healed, wouldn't this be the most needed ability in the fight against the evil gods?

Of course, in that case, the risk of assassination would increase. If they sent a small elite group of demons to attack her, they could probably kill her.

When the time came, the crowd began to move.

It progressed smoothly with almost no delays. Everyone coming out of the exit had uniformly bright expressions on their faces.

Along the way, guards gave instructions. No matter how grateful you are, proceed immediately to the exit. They apparently weren't even considering the possibility of something not being healed.

"Well, that makes sense…"

Since they'd heard even divine dragons could do this much, the two weren't surprised.

Rather, he'd like them to tell him what divine dragons can't do.

The line progressed steadily, and the back of the temple came into view.

Almost mechanically, the saintess was healing the sick and injured.

"It really does heal instantly. I want that ability too."

"What are you talking about when you're already immortal?"

Mako was misunderstanding, but even if he was immortal and regenerated at high speed, what hurt still hurt.

If it could be healed instantly, that would be better. Well, it was an impossible request anyway.

The Gift from the divine dragon—immortality was probably superior to omnipotent healing. With companions, omnipotent healing would be appreciated, but he had already been taught healing magic to the point where he could heal fatal wounds as long as there was still breath.

Come to think of it, he hadn't been taught resurrection magic. Perhaps that was in consideration of too many people gathering around like with the saintess.

When he thought about it, it had been the same when they conquered the Trial Labyrinth. If not for the time lost to parades and such, those three could have been returned before the war.

But then there was also the possibility he wouldn't have met Lavi. Well, the past is the past, and he should use it going forward.

… Wait? If they used Lavi's teleportation, couldn't they significantly shortcut this journey?

He needed to confirm with Lavi. No matter how good the carriage was, traveling on unmaintained roads made his butt hurt.

While Sei was thinking about such things, their turn came.

"Next person."

"Katsuragi-san, I'm Tsubaki Mako. Do you remember me?"

The guards were saying not to speak to the saintess-sama, but Mako completely ignored them. And the saintess had an intense reaction.

"Tsubaki-san! Oh, thank goodness. What about the others…?"

"A way to return has been found, so I wanted to talk about it. How about it?"

"Huh? Yes! I'll make time this afternoon, so please come to the Premier's mansion. I'll make arrangements!"

Even while being pushed along by the guard soldiers, Mako waved her hand.

"Just a little more. Hang in there!"

They were practically thrown out of the temple, but the contact was successful.

"Now then, we just have to wait until the afternoon."

Mako felt positive about that reaction, but Sei had something bothering him.

"We should think of a way to leave the city immediately."

"Eh? Why?"

"How do you think we'll be treated when we're suspected of making the saintess disappear?"

Understanding his words, Mako visibly deflated.

"That's going to be such a pain…"

"Depending on how much we can use Lavi's teleportation, the level of trouble will differ drastically."

Let's confirm. Then they'd think of a plan, but… if it came down to it, they'd force their way through.

After restocking some supplies, it was almost noon.

Before visiting the Premier's mansion, they confirmed that Lavi's teleportation wasn't very convenient.

If it was within sight, it was almost certain. She could also teleport to places she'd been to without issue, but when teleporting by map, it could be considerably off.

Still, as a means of escape, the three of them—Sei, Mako, and Lavi—headed to the Premier's mansion.

They weren't armed. To those around them, they would appear completely unarmed. In reality, everything was stored in their two item boxes.

They thought something unexpected might happen again, but the three were normally shown to an annex of the Premier's mansion.

The maid stationed in the room kept glancing their way, but her gaze was directed at Lavi.

Completely white hair and red eyes were rare even in this world.

And transcending such novelty, a statuesque expressionless beauty.

(Divine dragons really are beauties, aren't they?)

While looking at Lavi past Mako, Sei thought about such unrelated things.

Ria had been a beauty in her own way too, and when he first came to this world, the divine dragons he saw were all beautiful—except for Ouma, who had been dressed scruffily. But Ouma was also a diamond in the rough.

(Then Carla-sensei must be far and away the most beautiful among humans.)

Even after hearing the poem of the Dragon-Slaying Saintess, Sei's evaluation of Carla hadn't changed.

She was what you'd call a perfect beauty.

"She's late."

"Well, this is normally the time she'd be treating nobles and such, right? We can wait at our leisure."

Just as he said that, multiple footsteps echoed from the hallway.

When the maid opened the door, the saintess came rushing in.

Behind her were four guards. When he quickly appraised them, they were level 70.

"Tsubaki-san, I'm so glad we could meet. Now, about the way to return—"

"Let's speak in Japanese from here on."

Stopping the saintess's momentum, Sei said.

What they were about to discuss concerned the saintess's disappearance. It would be bad if the guards around them heard.

Therefore, they needed to speak in Japanese. After all, regions where Japanese was understood were few.

"Tsubaki-san, who is this person?"

"It's a long story, but he was asked by Earth's god to come and return you all."

At Sei's words, the saintess's face lit up with joy, and she urged him to continue.

First, he explained that the existence of heroes was harmful to both worlds.

The saintess was shocked but seemed to understand.

After confirming once more, the saintess's intention to return was certain.

"It was still okay when I was healing people in a corner of the guild back then."

The saintess began venting her frustrations.

She offered cheap healing. This had caused friction with civilian healers, but by healing a famous adventurer afflicted with a curse, she had secured her safety.

"It's been the worst since I was brought here. Dignity befitting a saintess, they say—I'm just an ordinary person, for crying out loud!"

Apparently her standard of living had improved, but her freedom of action was restricted.

"I can't even go out into the city, and guards follow me around all the time. Half the day is spent healing idiot nobles. Those self-inflicted lifestyle disease fatsos can just drop dead for all I care."

Hmm, that was a relatable opinion.

"Well, healing common folk and being thanked is nice, but there's no end to it. When I thought about whether I'd spend my entire life living as a saintess here, I even felt like dying."

With exaggerated gestures, she continued saying how she'd had no freedom.

"I mean, making me work every day is outrageous! Does this world not have the concept of days off? Even black companies would be better than this!"

In reality, she wasn't exactly working. She just had to hold out her hands and things would get healed.

"I'm like a convenient tool. And when I ask for something, they tell me it's not befitting of a saintess. Well, I thought it would be bad to make enemies recklessly, so I put up with it."

At that point, the saintess's eyes turned extremely cold.

"And you know, my food was poisoned about three times."

It was probably related to politics. By healing nobles afflicted with fatal illnesses, she had earned the resentment of their political rivals.

"Of course, I could detoxify myself just fine, but the suffering before I realized it was painful."

The saintess let out a sigh.

"Anyway, that's my story. I've been spending every day as a healing machine, but how have things been for you?"

The story began with how Mako had been rescued on the brink of starvation.

"That sounds rough. You'd die if you skipped a meal, right?"

"I wouldn't go so far as dying, but I'd be almost unable to move after one day."

From there, they had set out on a journey to find the other heroes, but at the story of the boy who had become a bandit, she frowned.

"… You killed him?"

"If I were to make an excuse, he had killed multiple people as a bandit, so he was killed."

"What a terrible story. To be thrown into this world where you can't rely on anyone and have no choice but to fall into banditry."

From the saintess's perspective too, Sei's group was apparently at fault. But she wasn't blaming them either. If you kill someone, you have to consider that you might be killed too.

Besides, considering his duplication ability, there should have been various options without turning to crime.

They also talked about the hero caught up in the war after coming to the City-State Region.

"Ahh, so you do get caught up in war. If the situation changed slightly, I might be dragged out to war too."

"No, I don't think that would happen."

At Sei's words, the saintess blinked in surprise.

"There's no way they'd send the saintess who can reliably cure their illnesses to the front lines."

That's how nobles would normally think, Sei said.

"That makes me sick…"

Agreeing, the saintess nodded repeatedly.

"Now then, I want to return you right away, but there's a bit of a problem."

He explained that they didn't know what would happen to them when they made the saintess disappear.

"At worst, we can escape, but is there a good solution?"

"Hmm…"

The saintess thought, but she probably couldn't easily come up with a good solution. It had been the same for them.

"Well, let's set up a proper stage. I just need to press that return stone to my forehead and wish for it, right?"

"That's right, but do you have a good idea?"

"I don't think it's the best option, but I think it would be good to convey that I'm leaving of my own will."

The saintess's words made sense.

"Is His Excellency the Premier busy? I have an urgent matter."

When she called out to the guard, he immediately dashed out of the room.

Watching from the corner of her eye, the saintess told them the stage she had devised.

The saintess and the three were escorted to the Premier's office.

"My, Saintess-sama, I heard there was an urgent matter…"

Glancing at the three behind her, the Premier inquired.

He was a young and promising gentleman with his hair and mustache meticulously styled. But Sei already knew that a noble's appearance couldn't be trusted.

"The time of return has come."

In a voice completely different from before, theatrical, the saintess declared.

"I shall now return to my original world."

It was not a request or a demand, but a declaration.

The Premier's complexion changed immediately.

"What do you mean by that?"

"As I said. I am fundamentally an existence that should not be in this world. My escort has finally arrived."

The Premier stood up, feigning composure, and walked toward the saintess.

In response, the saintess raised her hand.

"That is far enough. You must not come closer. You would be caught up in it as well."

That wasn't actually the case, but the noble's self-preservation instinct stopped the Premier in his tracks.

"From a distant world, I will be watching over you."

At that, the saintess turned to Sei, and Sei pressed the return stone to her forehead.

I want to go home. With just that wish, the saintess's form vanished from that place.

"The Saintess-sama has…"

The Premier was silent, but the guards were thrown into turmoil.

The Saintess. For this nation, an existence far more precious than the Premier.

And she had vanished.

"What are you people…"

The Premier squeezed out the words. If he wanted to pursue the vanished saintess, he first needed to extract information from the entities before him who had likely caused it.

The saintess had spoken of returning, but it could also be advanced teleportation magic. He would uncover the secret from the three girls before him. By any means necessary.

After all, the saintess's existence could be used effectively as a political card.

"If asked, I shall answer. I am Laverna."

Unusually stepping forward, Lavi declared.

"Laverna, the Celestial Dragon."

"Don't be ridiculous! Where did you take the Saintess! She cannot be replaced!"

Even against the Premier's rage, the three girls showed no signs of being fazed. Rather, they looked at the Premier with exasperated expressions.

"As she said. The existence of heroes brings crisis to this world. Therefore, she was returned. She can never come back here, and even if she did, she would have lost her powers as a saintess."

Unusually speaking at length, Lavi nonetheless had the most convincing appearance.

"The Saintess is lost, you say… That can't be…"

While flustered, the Premier was desperately trying to think of something. In response, Lavi announced.

"Our business is concluded."

As the three moved toward the door, the guards reflexively blocked them.

"Lavi, teleport."

Lavi nodded and activated her magic. Naturally without incantation, the mighty teleportation spell was invoked.

Breaking through the mansion's barrier, the three instantly moved outside the city walls.

"Good, we're pretty close."

Sei checked their surroundings. A short distance from the gate, the carriage was already waiting.

When the three boarded, it departed at a reasonable speed, merging from the grassland onto the road.

"I hope no pursuers come."

"I don't think they have the luxury, but at worst we'll have Lavi teleport us again. You're okay with that, right?"

"I'm okay."

The group fled southward, and in the end, no pursuers appeared.

In the plaza of Milenes stands a bronze statue.

It is a statue of the Healing Saintess who is said to have descended from the heavens to this city long ago.

She healed all races without distinction and free of charge, then returned to her homeland together with the messengers from the heavens, or so they say.

At the word of the famous adventurer healed by the saintess, volunteers gathered funds and erected her bronze statue.

It eventually became legend, and those who visited this city to pray for their health never ceased, or so the story goes.

The saintess's personality as a human being was not passed down at all.