The Empire Is a Money-Giving Machine (2)

Students sparring in the plaza blinked in confusion as they noticed their injuries had vanished without a trace.

"...Huh? Hey, hold up. Stop the spar for a second."

"Why? You think you're gonna lose?"

"Cut the crap. Where the hell did that gash on your side go?"

"Wait, what? Huh? Whoa, what is this??"

"This scar was from eight years ago??"

One of them spotted the angel statue radiating light. A brilliant halo formed above its head, pouring out an intense glow that began healing every person in the plaza.

"...!"

"Thank you, Angel-nim!"

"Angel is the absolute best!"

"A pathetic little wound like that, completely cured by holy power? How lame~"

Some offered prayers of gratitude while others... were clearly losing their minds. As the angel statue continued to shine and mend wounds, even the instructors and professors came running to receive its grace.

"Huuu... that feels amazing."

"It even fixed my arthritis. This is incredible."

"Right? But to release this much holy power... what exactly is that statue?"

"I have no idea. From what I understand, the previous headmaster bought it simply because the angel figure looked pretty..."

"Could it actually be a real angel? Kekeke, no way. All the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠angels went extinct long ago."

The instructors and professors chatted among themselves while basking in the statue's holy energy.

"This couldn't possibly be a holy relic, could it?"

"......"

".........."

"......Hehe."

"Quickly, call every other teacher and instructor! Get as much treatment as possible before the Holy Kingdom tries to take the statue away!"

"Yes!"

Before long, professors who had been in the middle of lectures and even the headmaster himself arrived, falling into a trance as they received healing. Students began skipping class to join the crowd. Nearly the entire student body packed the plaza until it was overflowing.

After another two hours passed, the halo's light gradually dimmed and finally vanished. The students, professors, and instructors slowly returned to their daily routines.

...Was the Hero Academy really going to be okay like this?

Meanwhile, Raphael watched the overflowing plaza from within the statue.

Wow. Emitting holy power actually heals old wounds too. Wait, does this mean it could regrow a severed arm?

Isn't that taking it a bit too far?

We've gathered so much faith already... maybe it's time to stop.

When Raphael ceased releasing holy power, a few worshippers left with visible disappointment on their faces.

Hmm... I should release holy power from time to time.

It's great for faith farming anyway.

Just from today's holy power treatment, I gained 280 Faith.

With the total at 350, I should be able to perform a weak manifestation.

I'll try it tonight when Ian gets here.

Ian, hurry up and come already!

Meanwhile, while everyone else had flocked to the plaza for healing, the imperial princess woke up in her dormitory bed.

"Haa... haa... What a horrible nightmare..."

"The empire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠collapsing... Hoo..."

"Someone! Is anyone there?!"

At that moment, Ian appeared before her.

"Yes! Dear customer! Recovery Magician Ian has arrived!"

"...Why are you here? And what do you mean, customer...?"

"Hahaha, our princess is quite shy, isn't she!"

"There's no need to hide our special relationship!"

"What kind of nonsense is that?! This body is still a virgin! Are you mocking me?!"

"Huh? That's some wild nonsense. I didn't need to know that the princess is still a virgin. Way too much TMI."

"Princess. Look at your thumb."

"...?"

The princess noticed the red mark on her thumb and froze in shock.

"Ian. What is this?"

"Aww, customer! That's proof of the trust between us!"

"What the hell are you talking about... Wait... Huh? H-huh??"

When she saw the paper Ian proudly held out, the princess began screaming.

"Y-you son of a bitch! Someone! Anyone! Kill this bastard right now!!!"

Her rage stemmed from the thumbprint stamped on the contract. Right before she had fainted, Ian had pressed her thumb onto the document. As a result, the princess was now forcibly bound to fulfill the demonic contract Ian had created.

"Hahaha, customer. I'll do my very best to treat your father!"

"You... you're a demon. The empire's demon!!!"

"Haha. Thank you for the compliment. As written in the contract, I'll go treat His Imperial Majesty tomorrow."

"Oh, and I've already received everything listed in the book through the shadows, so don't worry!"

The princess turned deathly pale as she asked, "Th-the shadows...? Don't tell me... even the Dragon's Heart...?"

"I showed the shadow the contract and seal, and it handed everything over."

"Haha. Your Dragon's Heart now belongs to me, Princess. Hahahahaha!"

"Haa~ It seems I've become someone who can't live without the Dragon's Heart anymore~ Is this what they call love?"

The princess said nothing. She quietly rose from the bed and spoke in a low voice.

"Fine. I'll kill you, my demon, and become a demon hunter myself."

Aura began slowly radiating from her body.

"Aura Discharge—"

"Farewell, Princess. Please continue to use our services in the future~"

Ian spoke at lightning speed, smashed through the dormitory window, and leaped from the third floor. The princess stared at his retreating figure before fainting once again. A single small tear fell from her eye as she lost consciousness.

Ian, who was gradually becoming a hero. He was getting closer to becoming a hero with truly excellent character.

That evening—on the same day the princess had her nightmare and everyone received healing—Ian stood before the plaza statue, pretending to pray as he spoke.

"Master, why were there so many people at the plaza today?"

"Was it because of the holy power from earlier?"

Yeah. The process was a bit much, but the result was good, so I'll let it slide, Ian.

And that book you gave the princess. This Raphael is truly impressed.

You're already a wonderful hero, Ian!

"Haha, right? Even I thought it was pretty cool!"

Hahahaha, Ian, you're the best!

"Heh, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Master has finally recognized my true worth!"

Today I'll even allow your nonsense. It was really well done.

But Ian. How do you plan to treat the emperor?

"Huh? Can't I just use recovery magic on him like I did with the princess?"

You'd turn into a mummy and die, Ian.

Treating someone consumes your own energy as well.

The worse the injury, the more energy it requires.

"Then what should I do? Do I have to become a mummy? I've already taken everything from the princess, so I can't back out now..."

Huh? You already received everything?

"Yes."

Raphael laughed upon hearing that.

Then it's fine.

Ian, place that heart in front of me and pray.

Whether others see or not doesn't matter, so pray quickly.

"Eh... Won't we get caught?"

The Holy Kingdom is already saying it looks like a holy relic and sending people. We need to settle this before they arrive.

"Whoa. Then won't I be separated from you, Master?"

Hey now, what do you take me for? I have a plan, so it's fine.

Ian placed the Dragon's Heart before the statue and prayed.

"Please make me strong and turn me into an insanely powerful hero."

Good grief. Look at this prayer.

Here, take it.

The fist-sized Dragon's Heart had transformed into something as small and transparent as a glass marble.

"Master, what is this?"

A specially processed Dragon's Heart.

If you eat it, you'll gain a second heart.

That heart will become one that circulates chakra.

In short, you'll be able to gather chakra more easily, faster, and in greater quantities.

"Then if I eat this, I won't turn into a mummy when treating the emperor?"

Of course not.

I can't stand to see my disciple become a dried-up mummy.

"As expected, Master is the best!!"

Hmph, you little flatterer.

!! Someone's coming!

Ian quickly resumed his praying posture. Someone approached from the side. It was a person wearing a silver pendant engraved with the symbol of the Goddess's faith. They placed flowers before the statue.

"Angel-nim... thank you. My chronic illness was cured thanks to your power."

"I may not have much to offer, but these are flowers I grew and tended myself."

"Please accept them as a token of my sincerity."

After finishing her prayer, the girl placed the flowers right in front of the statue. White light shone from the statue's eyes, and the offered flowers vanished before reappearing transformed—now infused with holy power.

"Ahh... Angel, thank you for accepting my sincerity!!"

The female student clutched the holy-power-infused flower as if it were her greatest treasure and left.

Everyone around who witnessed the scene began offering their own items. A male student offered a training sword. A female student offered a hairpin. An instructor offered his blade. A professor offered his staff. Each item briefly disappeared, then returned transformed with holy power.

Everyone stood stunned for a moment before bursting out.

"Whoa!! My sword became a glowing sword?!"

"Kyaaak, it's so pretty!!"

"Kuk, what a magnificent blade!"

"This radiant staff... it's mine?"

Seeing this, the surrounding students began offering all sorts of things to the angel statue. They even started offering bizarre items—from their own underwear to things that couldn't even be described in words. This time, instead of white light, a red glow emerged from the statue, and lightning struck from the sky.

BOOM— RUMBLE— BOOM— BOOM.

Thirteen students in total. That was the number who were struck by lightning and fainted. After seeing what they had offered, the other students decided it was divine punishment and began offering only normal items.

As more and more people offered things, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the headmaster appeared and forcibly dispersed the crowd, sending everyone back to their dormitories.

I wonder what Raphael is thinking about right now?