Episode 050: I'm the One Who's Hurt.
I'm the one who's hurt, but somehow Lily was the desperate one. With tears welling up as she held out the vial, it felt like she was saying, "My world's about to collapse today." No way I could turn her down.
...Though if it really meant that, taking it would be a burden too.
Screw it. In half-resigned defeat, I snatched the vial and dumped it down my throat.
The moment the smooth, refreshing liquid slid past my throat...
"...!"
A miracle happened.
A cool, invigorating energy started in my stomach and spread through my whole body. I could feel torn muscles knitting back together in real time beneath my skin, twisted organs shifting back into place. It was leagues beyond the motion sickness pill Lucius had given me earlier. What was it? Like being reborn.
Screaming joints softened, shredded muscles across my body calmed. My heart, pounding like it was about to burst, settled into peace.
I stared blankly at my palm.
"...Huh."
My body was spotless. Stamina bar at 100%.
"Thank goodness..."
Lily let out a sigh of relief and slumped down.
"I thought it was really bad."
"Bad enough to be a big deal?"
"... "
Lily just stared at me, eyes brimming with tears, silent. Was I really in that rough shape?
Whatever. I survived. I shook the empty vial and asked,
"What the hell is this? From Lucius? That guy's potions are insane."
"...!"
What? Lily flinched and averted her gaze. Her eyes darted around, lost.
Suspicious. My instincts kicked in.
"Hold up."
I grabbed both her shoulders firmly.
"This isn't from Lucius, is it?"
Thinking about it, yeah. Lily doesn't even know Lucius. I'd delivered the motion sickness pill myself. And during the village tour, she'd bolted straight to prep food—no contact.
"Then where'd you get this..."
I started to ask, then froze in horror, staring at my hand.
"...What the fuck."
My hand was glowing. And it wasn't just my hand. Golden sparkles like glittering dust were pouring from my entire body.
Shwooo.
Did she feed me concentrated radiation or some shit? Is this why I'm mutating like a goddamn glowstick?
No way, bullshit.
This felt bad. Like I'd just swallowed something I absolutely shouldn't have.
"Spit it out. What did you just give me?"
"Well..."
"Tell me straight! I'm glowing right now! I turned into a human firefly!"
"...It's a potion."
"What? A potion?"
Not from an alchemist, obviously. Something emitting holy light like this? Only one answer.
"Church potion?"
"...Yes."
"From which church? Not some cheap vending machine crap, right?"
Lily bit her lip hard, then confessed in a tiny voice.
"...A Saint Grade Potion."
"...Saint Grade?"
That explains the heavy vibe. Saint Grade, huh? The church wouldn't throw that term around lightly.
"You mean the highest-grade potion?"
"...Yes."
Fuck. My jaw dropped.
"That's the kind of shit that gets you in deep trouble if you touch it!!!"
I'd vaguely heard rumors somewhere—"They've got this legendary thing." Divine power super-concentrated, revives the dying. Miracle drug.
The problem? Rarity.
"The one the Pope and archbishops personally manage stock for, only super-limited shipments to the imperial family—the legendary item?!"
"Yes..."
With such tight ledgers, even one missing bottle brings inquisitors down like hellhounds!
Yeah, that's the one!
"Why the hell do you have it?!"
She didn't have this in the original story, right? Fuck, I can't remember the plot for shit anymore!
"Around when I entered the academy... the archbishop gave me just one."
Lily mumbled, face crumpling.
"He said never to use it unless it's truly life-or-death. If my life hangs by a thread, use it to survive and come back..."
"... "
Insane. She fed that—her literal lifeline—to me? For some muscle aches and nausea?
"I'm so sorryyy..."
"It's not about sorry!"
Ugh! I frantically opened my mouth and jammed my fingers deep down my throat.
Urk! Bleeech! I prayed for the sound of retching.
I had to puke it up. If it digests, I'm fucked. If the archbishop finds out, he'll scream, "You dared waste the saintess's lifeline?" and burn me as a heretic. That old bastard starves his idol trainee—no doubt.
But too late.
"Guhk."
Not even dry heaves. My condition was newborn-baby pristine. My stomach was blissfully calm, greedily sucking up the holy energy.
"This is nuts. How perfect does your body have to be for your gag reflex to get buffed too? Haha!"
Done for. I'd swallowed the "backlash guaranteed" item perfectly.
No wonder it tasted so good.
*
Staring blankly at the sky in despair, someone tugged lightly at my clothes.
"What."
"B-But still..."
Lily looked up at me, eyes misty.
"You're not hurting anymore. That's a relief."
"Haa."
Reality finally sank in. Yeah. She's under the archbishop's thumb too—would she hand this over lightly? This girl, haunted by past-life trauma and clinging to her life, used her sole lifeline on me.
Anyway, my condition was wrecked with aftereffects, but I'd taken it and bitched too much.
I scratched my head roughly.
"Thanks for looking out, but don't throw favors around like that."
"... "
"Especially ones you can't back up yourself. What if you get hurt later?"
"Yes. I'll remember."
Lily nodded. But something lingered, unsatisfied.
"Spit it out if you've got more to say. Don't stew."
"But..."
She looked up. Her light green eyes fixed on me steadily.
"It wasn't thrown around carelessly."
"Huh?"
"Lord Kasian... you looked really bad."
Eh? Weird.
"The princess—er, Her Highness—was here earlier too, but she just left. Thought you were just resting."
Evelyn had just said "Good work" and bounced. If I looked deathly, she'd have snarked, "What the hell happened to you?"
But Lily's expression shifted oddly.
"...She saw your state and still?"
"...??"
What? Why's she like that? Suddenly her face turned scary. Not her usual fluffy puppy vibe—something cold, obsessive... tsundere-yandere-whatever, that deadly dere glare?
"Her Highness didn't notice? Even seeing you like that?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"How could she..."
Lily muttered low. Goosebumps everywhere. Scary as shit.
"H-Hey, bad thoughts, stop."
I hurriedly changed the subject before she cursed the princess or something.
"Anyway, it worked out thanks to you, so no need for extra worries."
"...Yes. Got it."
Lily reverted to her gentle lamb face. I'd glimpsed a terrifying side. Why's everyone around here so unhinged?
Then.
Crunch.
Light footsteps on dirt. I turned—a boy approached, barefoot and filthy, grimy all over.
...What?
No one on the road all day. I scared 'em off most, and now one shows?
"Ah."
Then I remembered the saintess next to me. In this tiny village, word of Lily asking the chief for water sources, hauling pots without a grimace? Spread like wildfire in an hour.
I leaned to whisper in Lily's ear.
"Treat the kid nice, don't spook him. He's here out of curiosity about you."
"Not you, Lord Kasian?"
"Why would he eye a scary wizard uncle who bulldozed the path? Adults don't impress kids that way."
"... "
Even Lily, who usually counters my self-deprecation, paused.
Right? To a kid, a sister munching and prepping food beats dirt play. Angel vibes.
But.
The boy's gaze slid right to...
"Over there."
"...Huh?"
No mistake. He was looking at me, not Lily.
Eh. I pointed at my chest.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Unexpected.
"Yeah. Why?"
He swallowed hard, then asked carefully.
"Are you... an angel, by any chance?"
"...What?"
*
My ears playing tricks? No way this sparkling-eyed kid was roundabout calling me a bastard.
Sudden what.
"Angel?"
"Yes!"
"Why not see me as some evil wizard or dark mage? I just flipped the whole ground upside down."
"I saw! You did something amazing, then got hurt all over! Drank what the saintess gave you, your whole body glowed! And now you're fine!"
Ah. Right. Firefly mode still on.
He pointed at the sparkles from my body, jumping excitedly.
"That's from overdoing miracles, right? You were heading to heaven but came back to life!"
"... "
His eyes shone with burdensome sparkle.
...Fuck.
What to say? One wrong word, and I'm chatting with inquisitors for blasphemy?
Hmm. Good thing the real saintess is here to vouch. Plus Professor Wilhelm for the good deed, and the princess's public thanks. Fuck, her "good work" saved my ass. Without it, guillotine nightmares every night.
Parents not dragging him off? Usually it's "Kid! Don't bother the noble!" and snatch 'n' dash.
I glanced behind him—his parents watched with weird hopeful eyes too.
Even folks from this shithole hold onto innocence, huh.
Ten.
Fair. I'd think "holy shit, angel?" seeing a self-glowing human sprinkling gold dust for the first time.
Lies won't fly here.
"Not an angel. Magic shovel, wizard."
"Wizard!"
His eyes widened more—not disappointed, but thrilled. He stepped closer, staring up point-blank.
"If I become a wizard, can I do miracles like you, angel?"
"Not an angel."
"You did miracles, so angel."
Tricky comeback. Ignorance and kids, huh? Like debating a zen master.
Anyway, point is: Can I grind and get OP like you?
Hero tales or fairy books? "Sure! Dream big!"
But.
"Nope."
"...Huh?"
"Can't. Even as a wizard, no dice on this."
I nipped it clean. Lily gasped beside me; I turned—she gawked like "How could you."
What? Lie and say yes?
"Why wanna be a wizard?"
"To make Mom, Dad, lil' sib live good."
Parents seem decent. Advice okay then.
"Then don't bother with wizard."
"Why?"
"Just is."
Won't tell ya.
Lily looked more flustered, but I breezed past.
What, lecture a kid that living well's admin and econ, not magic or miracles?
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Answers quick, huh. Well dug by now?