Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Successor is You
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Four days had passed.
I gaze at the man standing before me.
A man clutching his leg, scarred with a long gash, looking up at me.
"P-Please, Your Highness...!"
"This is an emergency patient who just arrived, Your Highness. I know you're busy, but..."
"I know."
I nod to the old man, Hills.
"Stay still."
"...Understood."
I nod and extend my hand.
A white light flows from my hand once more, seeping straight into the man's leg.
Perhaps because I'm pouring out an amount of holy power incomparable to before, I can feel it draining away in no time.
But...
The flowing blood stops, and no more blood comes from the man's leg.
A leg healed cleanly, without a single scar.
"Th-Thank you, thank you...!"
I quietly watch the man bowing before my eyes, staring at his own leg.
"How can I ever repay this grace...!"
"Is there anywhere that still feels uncomfortable?"
"N-No...! None at all!"
Good.
As I think that,
"Theo!"
Someone grabs my hand and wipes it vigorously with a handkerchief.
It was Isfil.
"Your hand is covered in it..."
"Ah, thanks, Isfil."
Over the past four days, I had treated everyone at this relief center.
I healed until my holy power ran out, rested briefly until it recovered, then treated more people again.
At first, it was exhausting enough to feel like death, but as time passed, it became manageable.
Of course, there were plenty of gruesome sights...
"Theo, you're amazing. When I first saw wounds like that, I threw up and couldn't sleep."
Isfil mutters as she wipes my hand.
"I was fine."
"Because you're a guy?"
I doubt that's it, but...
"Maybe?"
I nod ambiguously in response to Isfil's words.
In truth, I'd seen scenes like this plenty of times back when I worked before.
As I think that and look at Isfil,
"Splendid work, Theo."
Mother slowly bends down and strokes my head.
Over the past four days, Mother had stayed by my side constantly, except when urgent business called her back to the palace.
And she had watched right up until I treated the last patient just now.
Honestly, I expected nagging or overprotectiveness, so her restraint was surprising.
"Such a devoted child, Theo."
"Mother."
"Thinking of the people's hearts—that's the mindset we must have."
"I hope you always recognize others' pain and live a life of understanding it."
"...Yes, Mother."
Maybe she has the makings of a wise ruler in moments like this.
That thought is interrupted as,
"For now, Theo."
"Yes, Mother."
"It's time to head back, isn't it?"
I knew this was coming.
Mother gazes at me steadily, and I meet her eyes before nodding.
"That's the plan for now."
"For now?"
Mother furrows her brow.
Cough. I clear my throat awkwardly.
From here on, it's up to me to carry it forward.
"Helping the sick this time gave me a lot to think about."
"...Think?"
"If there's something I can do... shouldn't I, Mother?"
The greater good.
Truth be told, I wasn't all that interested in grand ideals.
At some point, the thrill of my holy power growing had become too fun.
The joy of leveling up, I suppose.
Even when I felt like I was dying of exhaustion, confirming my increased holy power made the fatigue vanish.
And people expressed their gratitude to me.
It really felt rewarding.
Of course, Isfil's help was huge too.
I recall Isfil's lessons.
'Theo, that was good, but you used too much holy power.'
'Oh, really?'
'Yeah. Holy power has limits, so to treat as many people as possible, you need to know how to use it precisely where it's needed.'
As expected of a current saintess—her teaching quality was on another level.
"...Yes, I've been dreading when you'd say that."
Mother sighs deeply at my response.
"Let's go home and rest for now."
"Yes, Mother."
I had no intention of leaving right away either.
I was truly exhausted.
Exhausted to the point breathing was hard.
"Then I'll make the preparations."
Mother slowly walks out, and as I stretch,
"Master."
Clue holds out the Holy Grail, somehow already prepared.
It was filled with water—holy water, to be precise.
"I figured this would happen."
"Thanks, Clue."
Lessons from the saintess, then drinking holy water to rest and recharge before jumping back into practice.
The fastest, most efficient way to level up.
I turn my gaze outside.
The sun was already setting, and my clothes reeked of pus and blood.
"...Your Highness, how can we ever thank you for this grace..."
Hills bows to me.
"It's fine."
I reply calmly to Hills.
"At least let the relief center offer a gift..."
"It's fine."
"Pardon?"
"I've already received my gift."
Holy power training.
What else could be a better gift?
"...Your Highness...!"
Hills looks at me with deep emotion, then,
"This Hills... will never forget the sight you've shown me and live out the rest of my days accordingly...!"
He bows deeply.
And so, my four days of training ended.
The moment we returned to the palace...
"Theo!"
"Theo...!"
Waiting for me were my two sisters.
"Wait, sisters...!"
Before I could stop them, they rushed over and hugged me.
"Ugh, what is that smell...?"
Lily wrinkled her nose sharply,
"Isn't that the smell I sometimes get at the training grounds...?"
Ravire looked at me in bewilderment too.
"...I'll go wash up first."
Too young to hear it's the smell of pus and blood.
After that, my routine stayed almost the same for the next few months.
Resting at the palace, practicing magic and swordsmanship, then visiting relief centers to treat people.
My goal: treat everyone at every relief center near the palace.
And while I couldn't surpass Isfil, to reach her level of holy power.
I worked tirelessly toward that.
How much time passed like that? Someone must have spread rumors, because more and more places welcomed me warmly, and eventually,
"Wow!!"
"It's Prince Theodor!"
People even came running out barefoot to greet me.
But that also brought plenty of downsides.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, Prince Theodor. I'm from that remote outpost..."
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, I cut my hand recently..."
"Clue."
"Yes, Master."
"H-Hey, Your Highness...! Wait...! How does this kid have such strength...!"
"Here, some bandages for your thanks."
People started showing up to curry favor.
What do they expect from a kid about to turn ten? But seeing who they were, I couldn't help thinking that's just how it is.
Anyone could tell they looked like idiots.
"Good thing fools like that aren't in important positions."
"His Majesty has a keen eye for people."
Clue responds calmly to my mutter.
How do you know that?
As I think that, I pour out the last of my holy power, and the man's rotting, festering body returns to normal before my eyes.
"Th-Thank you...! Prince Theodor!"
The man tears up looking at me.
I accept his gratitude and turn to Clue, who nods.
"Ten done."
"...Good."
I clench my fist at Clue's words.
Half a year.
In half a year, I'd visited every relief center near the palace.
I thought it would go faster originally.
"I didn't expect people from far away to come see you after hearing about Master."
"Me neither."
Starting from the third one, maybe?
My name must have spread, because people began making expeditions from afar for treatment.
It took longer than expected because of that...
"Doesn't matter."
My goal was increasing holy power anyway.
With that thought, I snap my fingers.
Holy power now blooms much more brilliantly from my hand.
"This should be enough."
"Then..."
"Time to prepare."
I, Theodor Castina.
Was about to take my first step into politics.
"..."
Recently, the high officials of the Holy Kingdom were all in foul moods.
"Even the Empire's spouting nonsense."
A cardinal mutters irritably, slamming his fist down.
"A saint, of all things."
The rumor circulating in the Empire lately.
That a saint had appeared in the Empire.
If it were just a rumor, it might be fine—but it wasn't ending there, and that's the problem.
"...Prince Theodor."
One cardinal sighs deeply.
The Empire's first prince, Theodor.
About half a year ago, he began performing miracles for countless people.
If it were just rumors...
"His holy power really is impressive."
"They say his control over it is exceptional too."
The cardinals murmur.
Direct investigations in the Holy Kingdom confirmed it wasn't mere rumor—it was fact.
"We should have taken him back then."
A cardinal sighs, then grits his teeth.
"Because of that bastard Cardinal Luis, we even lost the saintess...!"
We told him to handle it properly, but he committed a diplomatic blunder and got the saintess confined in the Empire for five years.
Cardinal Luis was excommunicated, and
If we'd gone public and found some pretext, maybe—but the Empire's intelligence was no slouch, sending letters with each cardinal's dirty secrets, forcing them all to silence.
The infuriated Pope excommunicated Empress Milla Castina, but watching her ignore it and carry on only blackened the cardinals' hearts further.
Thus, the Holy Kingdom had spent five years without a saintess.
"But that's about to end."
A cardinal grins as he speaks.
"The saintess is coming back soon."
"...Right."
"Once she's back, we can use her to bring Prince Theodor to our side."
"Exactly. Then..."
The Holy Kingdom would gain legitimacy.
With the Star's Blessing, he'd have to visit anyway.
Then, they could tie him down by any means.
The cardinals smile at the thought.
All they had to do was wait.
They'd waited five years.
A little longer was nothing.
And a few weeks later.
The saintess announced her resignation and named her successor.
The next saint to stabilize and guide the continent to a better future.
Her chosen successor: Prince Theodor.
The Holy Kingdom was turned upside down.