The Miracle of Acupuncture
"Understood. Then, would you mind lying down here for a moment?" The blind man readily accepted Antony's request and stood up from the sofa.
Antony followed the blind man's instructions and lay down comfortably on the sofa. Fortunately, the sofa was long enough to accommodate his frame.
"H-how... how will this proceed?" Antony looked up at the blind man standing beside the sofa.
"First, I must identify where it hurts. Have you experienced any discomfort recently?"
"Recently... I haven't been sleeping well, so fatigue has built up. My body and head feel incredibly heavy. Would even something like this... be treatable?"
"Fatigue... fatigue..." The blind man knelt beside the sofa where Antony lay, reaching out to find and hold his arm. "Could you please roll up your sleeve?"
"...Of course." Antony obediently rolled up his sleeve as requested. From across the living room, the servant watched them with bated breath.
Once Antony's sleeve was rolled up, the blind man rummaged through the backpack he carried and pulled out a single acupuncture needle.
"Please rest your arm comfortably on the sofa. You must not tense your muscles."
"...Very well." Since this was purely to test the blind man, Antony complied with his instructions.
As Antony relaxed his arm, the blind man's fingers lightly traced along his skin before stopping at a specific point. Then, with his other hand holding the needle, he pierced the spot with absolute precision. The needle penetrated the skin rapidly, yet Antony felt no pain at all—not even a slight prick.
My head... it feels like it's clearing up... Not long after the needle was inserted, the throbbing ache in Antony's head began to dissipate, replaced by a refreshing clarity.
"What in the world...? Ah, forgive me. This is my first time experiencing acupuncture, and the shock simply got the better of me..." Antony stammered, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"It is an acupoint that offers temporary relief from headaches. To alleviate your physical fatigue as well, I would need to work on your back, so I have only addressed the headache for now. How do you feel?" The blind man replied with a calm smile.
He might be a benefactor sent from above. Finally... Antony's heart raced. But first, he owed him an apology.
"First... I must apologize to you, Master Acupuncturist. Since your treatment involves needles entering a child's body... I was simply overcome with worry."
"It is quite alright. It is only natural to react that way when a stranger proposes to use needles on your child," the blind man said, packing his things back into his bag before standing up. Once his bag was secured, he continued.
"Especially when it concerns a precious daughter who is the apple of your eye... I completely understand. If I can help someone in pain, then enduring such skepticism is merely part of the task."
Lying on the sofa and looking up at the blind man, Antony was so moved by his eloquent words that, for a split second, he thought he saw a divine halo radiating behind him.
A... saint... A Saintess and a Saint were apostles of the chief Goddess, and only one of each could exist at any given time. Even though the Saintess recognized by the Goddess Henerys resided in the Holy Kingdom, the word 'Saint' suddenly flashed through Antony's mind.
Of course, upon closer inspection, the radiance was merely the light from the lamp hanging on the ceiling. It had been an illusion. Antony quickly shook himself out of his daze and sat up.
"...In any case, thank you. Let us go and check on my daughter's condition now." Antony politely guided the blind man toward his daughter's room.
Still, he navigates remarkably well. Guided solely by the sound of Antony's footsteps, the blind man walked with a straight, confident posture all the way to the room.
"My servant mentioned it earlier, but I must ask—what exactly is this Qi Sensing?"
"Qi Sensing is... a secondary sense that allows me to perceive the approximate location of objects through sounds, vibrations, and the flow of air. It is a technique taught to me by the master who took me in, though it is nothing particularly grand."
"Haha..." The blind man was incredibly humble. To Antony, the ability seemed extraordinary, yet the young man spoke of it as if it were nothing special.
"This is my daughter's room," Antony said, opening the door.
Stepping inside, the blind man seemed to perceive the chair beside the bed. He lightly touched it to confirm its position and asked, "May I sit here to examine her?"
"Please, make yourself comfortable. This Qi Sensing of yours is truly a wondrous ability."
"However... it is difficult to discern her exact condition through Qi Sensing alone, so I must touch her to examine her properly. Would that be acceptable?"
"Of course." Antony stood behind the blind man, watching his movements intently.
The blind man felt for the blanket covering Emilia and gently pulled it back, then lifted her top slightly to expose her abdomen. He proceeded to palpate her stomach, pressing down gently at various points, and even leaned in close to listen to her breathing and heartbeat.
He is no ordinary man. It is said that first impressions are paramount in any relationship, and the blind man had left a profound impression on Antony. His mysterious Qi Sensing, the remarkable acupuncture skill Antony had just experienced firsthand, and the white bandages wrapped around his eyes—every single aspect of him exuded an air of profound mystery.
Feeling an extraordinary aura radiating from the blind man as he examined Emilia, Antony crossed his arms, a tense anticipation building within him. After focusing all his senses to assess Emilia's condition, the blind man finally spoke.
"...I was skeptical when I first heard the rumors, but after examining her, it seems my suspicion was correct."
"Do you know what illness she has?"
"...Have you, by any chance, ever heard of Mana Exhaustion?"
"Mana Exhaustion...?" Antony asked, his voice laced with confusion at the unfamiliar term.
"Mana is essentially a form of life force... the very foundation of life that sustains the human body."
"I am aware of that much, but..." Although Antony was neither a knight nor a mage and could not manipulate mana, he knew that every living person possessed mana within them.
"However, if this mana is drawn out and depleted, it places an immense burden on the body. This is what happens to mages, as magic inherently consumes the mana stored within themselves."
"...But my daughter is just an ordinary child who cannot even manipulate mana, let alone cast magic. How could she possibly be suffering from exhaustion?" Uncrossing his arms as his confusion grew, Antony pressed for answers.
"Normally, Mana Exhaustion is a temporary state—a phenomenon seen in those who have overexerted their mana. However, even though your daughter has not consumed any mana, it is constantly leaking out of her body directly from her core, where mana is supposed to regenerate. This is why she is trapped in a perpetual state of exhaustion."
"...Mana constantly leaking... Mana Exhaustion... Is it... is it impossible even for you to cure her, Master Acupuncturist?" At Antony's desperate plea, the blind man, who had been facing him, turned his head back toward Emilia.
"This is a rare affliction, but I believe it can normally be cured using Divine Clear, a holy spell that purifies harmful status ailments... However, I understand that your current circumstances do not allow for that."
The blind man spoke softly as he opened his backpack, retrieving a large array of needles and placing them beside the sleeping Emilia. "Therefore... I must do my best."
"Is there any risk to her life during the treatment?" Antony asked. Although he now had deep faith in the blind man's skills, he couldn't help but hesitate if there was any mortal danger involved.
"There is no danger. It is simply a procedure that demands absolute, unwavering concentration."
"I... I understand. Please, I beg of you. If my presence here distracts you, please let me know and I will step out."
"It is fine. As long as you remain still so as not to disrupt my Qi Sensing, you are welcome to watch."
With those words, the blind man gently pressed his fingers against Emilia's abdomen, locating the correct spots. Soon, he picked up a needle.
Gulp. Antony swallowed hard without realizing it. Though he had been told to stay still, his anxiety refused to quiet down.
O Goddess Henerys... Please let this man be the savior you have sent to me today. Antony prayed fervently to his Goddess in his heart.
Just as he was about to insert the first needle into Emilia's stomach, the blind man suddenly froze. Startled by his abrupt pause, Antony immediately asked,
"Has something unexpected happened?"
"No, I simply realized I must proceed with absolute certainty. The sequence of the needles is of paramount importance, so I must review it in my mind first. Please bear with me for a moment."
Antony found the blind man's words puzzling, but the young man kept his head bowed, looking for all the world as though he were meticulously retracing a complex mental map.
The sequence of the needles is crucial, indeed... I expected as much, but this is no simple task.
After a brief silence, the blind man finally raised his head. "I am ready. Let us begin." The newfound certainty in his voice was more than enough to instill absolute trust in Antony.
The first needle pierced Emilia's abdomen. Her expression didn't change. Fortunately, she seemed to feel no pain. The blind man continued to gently trace her stomach, finding the precise locations and inserting needle after needle.
O Goddess Henerys... Please grant strength to my poor Emilia... Antony offered silent prayers to the Goddess he served.
One by one, the needles were meticulously placed. By the time the count exceeded twelve, the blind man's swift, steady hands finally came to a halt. He let out a breath and spoke.
"Whew... It is finished. Now, we must wait. In cases like this, it is difficult to see the immediate effects of the acupuncture as you did earlier."
The blind man carefully packed his bag, stood up, and patted the chair he had just occupied. "Please, take a seat. When she wakes, your face is surely the first one she will want to see."
"...Thank you."
"But we cannot be certain yet. We must continue to monitor her condition."
With a tense, anxious expression, Antony sat down and stared at Emilia, whose tiny stomach was dotted with twelve needles. Looking at his daughter, his heart ached as thoughts of his late wife, who had passed away before them, flooded his mind.
It was hard... but watching over you was the only thing that kept me going... Emilia, if you leave me too, how am I supposed to survive? Antony clasped his hands together, resting them on the edge of the bed as he prayed desperately to the Goddess. Behind him, the blind man stood in silence, watching his broad, trembling back.
How much time had passed? As Antony kept his head bowed in prayer, a faint voice brushed against his ears. It was the voice he had yearned to hear more than anything in the world. The voice of the one person he desperately longed for.
"D-Daddy...?" It was Emilia, her eyes fluttering open. Still half-asleep and disoriented, she called him 'Daddy'. Daddy. It was a word Antony had not heard in a very long time. Ever since his wife had passed, Emilia had chosen to address him as 'Father' rather than 'Daddy' as she grew.
"Emilia...? You're awake...!"
"Y-yes..."
"Emilia... *sob*... *hic*..." Emilia didn't understand why tears were streaming so heavily down her beloved father's face. Yet, looking at him, she offered a warm, gentle smile. She felt as though she simply had to.
"Hehe..." Seeing her smile, which looked so much like his late wife's, Antony's tears only fell faster. "I missed you so much... my sweet, precious daughter..."
"Are you truly certain that seven hundred gold is enough?! I made it known that I would pay two thousand gold to anyone who cured my daughter..."
"It is fine. With this amount, you will not have to worry about any further burden, will you?"
"Even so... No, I understand. You must have your reasons, Master Acupuncturist, so I shall respect your wishes. Thank you so, so much." Antony bowed deeply to me.
If I take all two thousand gold, it will delay you becoming the Saintess's financial supporter... If that happened, the Saintess's story arc would start to get tangled up in subtle ways, so I took as little as possible. I even refused his offer of one thousand gold. Only when I suggested seven hundred did Antony finally accept it.
He really is a remarkably good-natured man. Clinging to one of Antony's legs, his daughter Emilia waved her tiny hand at me. She seemed a bit shy around me, still finding me unfamiliar.
"Emilia, since his eyes are uncomfortable, it would be better to greet him out loud with your voice," Antony said, crouching down to match her eye level and gently patting her head.
I had to spend both of my remaining skill points, but with the 'Blindfold' equipped, I don't have to worry about experience points... and I kept some saved up just in case something like this happened. Before attempting the acupuncture on Emilia, I realized there was no way a level 1 skill would suffice, so I had used my two remaining skill points to raise it to level 3. Fortunately, the result was a resounding success. And right on cue, that very success spoke to me in a tiny, sweet voice.
"Thank you, Master Acupuncturist... See you again next time...!" I smiled at Emilia's shy farewell.
"I do not know if the opportunity will arise, but I will repay this debt of gratitude tenfold one day, Master Acupuncturist."
"Haha. The amount I have already received is more than enough. I shall take my leave now."
"Please travel safely." The servant standing beside them also bowed deeply to me. With those final farewells, I set off on my way.
I feel like my lying skills are improving by the day. It wasn't as if I could just take off my blindfold, but giving up on everything was out of the question when the futures of these good people rested in my hands. Since Antony was destined to become the Saintess's financial supporter, his connection with her would only deepen from here on out.
In the game, completing this quest allowed you to start with the Saintess's favorability slightly raised... Her appearance at the academy was still a long way off. I had intentionally given them a vague alias. It was better to leave things mysterious. She was the type to be drawn to enigmatic figures, so keeping my true identity hidden would likely work in my favor later on.
As I stepped out of Antony's estate, the sun was slowly beginning to peek over the horizon. My backpack felt heavy. Having received a whopping seven hundred gold, the five-hundred-gold requirement was officially taken care of. All that remained was to acquire an item containing a soul's memory. Since I already knew the location, that part of the process wouldn't be difficult. Once you joined a club, you couldn't change it for a while, so this was an investment that cost me a passive skill that increased swordsmanship attack power and two skill points.
Still, this is the fastest way. The Demon Blade was finally within arm's reach.
I'd better move quickly so I'm not late.