The Second Return (2)
"Don't think of me as I was before. I'll just lend a hand and then head off to rest. Even that much should make things far easier for you."
Of course, even if I said I was going to rest, I still had that promise to the child to keep, so I wouldn't exactly be lounging around.
"What exactly are you planning to do…?"
"Send any patients who look difficult to treat my way."
"You already have more than enough on your plate with the easy cases!"
"You don't trust me?"
"!!"
The chick priest's beak, which had been chirping away, snapped shut as if shocked by my question.
"This isn't difficult for me."
"…When you say it like that, it sounds so cool."
I couldn't help but laugh at the sudden compliment.
"Anyway, please pass the word along quickly. You can see the patients waiting, right?"
"Yes, sir."
Patients were already lined up, waiting to enter the temple clinic, so there was no time for lengthy deliberation.
"Let's see, why don't you tell me where it hurts?"
"Ugh… yes."
"You'll be fine. Don't worry. Hmm… you've got some spasms in your body."
Just like inside the Labyrinth, I lightly circulated my divine power to check his condition and focused treatment on the areas where it was being consumed the most.
"Your stomach must have been hurting quite a bit."
"Yes. I was so thirsty in the Labyrinth that I melted some snow to drink. I never imagined it would make my body hurt this much."
"Oh dear, why would you melt snow to drink?"
Anyone could see that was something you shouldn't do.
"We ran out of water."
Unlike our group, which managed supplies systematically, it seemed many teams operated in a haphazard manner.
"I checked it against my skin and tongue to make sure it wasn't poisonous before drinking, and at first it was fine. But then red spots started appearing all over my body… huh?"
When someone acknowledges your pain, it's natural to feel emotional and start spilling everything. Without even being asked why he was hurting, the patient began rattling off the whole story on his own.
"Next time you go in, make sure to bring proper water. A person can only last three or four days without drinking water."
"What? Only that long?"
"That's how important water is."
"I'll be sure to bring plenty next time. Actually, we brought just enough, but the kids wasted it, and this is what happened. Those little brats… ugh…"
Perhaps because the divine power was spreading through his body, the patient's tongue loosened and his voice grew quieter. It was a common reaction as a dying body regained vitality. Reactions varied from person to person, and while most showed a strong response, this man didn't seem to be one of them.
"I'm purifying the poison that's spread through your body. You might feel your strength draining and your body growing heavy. It's part of the recovery process, so there's no need to panic."
"Th-that… th-th-that…"
"Don't try to speak. Your startled body will settle down and return to normal."
The patient, who didn't seem to listen well, kept squirming as if he hadn't heard me. I placed my hand lightly on his chest and pressed down gently, and only then did he stop struggling.
"A nap will help with your recovery. Do you have any plans later?"
"Ugh… ugh…"
"Understood. I'll wake you in an hour. By then, your body should be back to normal."
The patient closed his eyes, and soon loud snoring filled the room. I installed a snoring-prevention device to help him stop and moved on to the next patient. Word must have gotten around, because patients were slowly gathering, so I needed to hurry.
* * *
In the end, treating patients left me no time to make other preparations. If it hadn't been for the errand runner who came as a patient, I would have been in real trouble. I gave him money and asked him to buy plenty of food for the temple members and Sister Melody's group, as well as to rent a suitable place.
When he said he could do it for free since it was a priest's request, I told him to accept the money instead and choose a really good place with care. I explained that we were planning to gather with very important and precious people, so I trusted he would put in the effort.
"Your skills seem to have improved even more."
"Right? Even I think I've grown a lot."
"They say you grow fast in the Labyrinth. Is that why?"
"I can't deny it. But I don't think that's the only reason."
"Oh?"
"I think I was just lucky."
It wasn't something just anyone could do. I said it because I worried that if someone got greedy after seeing my growth and entered the Labyrinth only to fall short of their expectations, they'd be disappointed.
"Come on~ How could I ever copy you, Priest? Of course I know that much."
When I explained why I'd said I was lucky, the chick priest burst into laughter as if I'd stated the obvious.
"You really do worry a lot, Priest. It's because you're so kind, but this time it was kind of funny."
"Oh, right, is the work all finished?"
"Yes! Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, we finished early. The difference when you're here versus when you're not is huge."
"Hearing that makes it all worthwhile. But shouldn't everyone eat dinner now?"
It seemed necessary to let everyone know that seats had been prepared.
"Oh my! Look at me, completely forgetting. You must be hungry. I wonder what the menu is today. Yesterday's food was so bad that I just grabbed something outside after eating."
"I'll ask them to pay more attention to the menu."
It wasn't my responsibility, but I felt guilty hearing that the food was so unappetizing people had to buy meals outside.
"That's not what I meant when I said it."
"I know. I understand completely. I've been away for a long time, and there's something I need to tell everyone. Could you spare a moment?"
"Of course. I'll gather everyone."
I called together the resting priests and calmly explained what had happened in the Labyrinth.
"So there are people like that, too."
"No matter how many you get rid of, more keep appearing. That's just how those kinds of people are."
"Sister Melody said she'll bring them, so I'd like us to hold a welcome party. They'll probably have a hard time adjusting… Actually, I don't need to say this. You all know that already."
"Of course~ We know without being told."
"But where should we hold the welcome party? We'll need to secure a venue right away."
"I've already arranged one. Don't worry."
Everyone looked startled at my words.
"What? When?!"
"I thought it would be better than doing it myself, so I hired someone. I'm looking forward to it too. Oh, by the way, where are Priest Ando and Priest Chillan?"
"They're finishing up work over there."
"I haven't even properly greeted them yet. Could you wait a moment?"
"Sure~"
Since the errand runner I sent to find a venue hadn't returned yet, I went to greet Priest Chillan and Priest Ando and explained the situation.
"As much as I'd like to attend the welcome party, it looks like I'll have to stay here and handle some work."
"If there are a little over ten people, we'll need to prepare accommodations, so I suppose that's how it has to be."
"No, this is my responsibility."
Not wanting to lose to Ando, Chillan spoke up.
"We can't let that happen. We heard you worked without resting after coming back from a grueling task. Even when told to rest, you wouldn't listen, right?"
"It wasn't difficult."
"Wasn't difficult, my foot! Anyone could see it was exhausting! Don't worry about us. Just go, and if there's leftover food, bring some back. That would be enough."
Chillan clearly wanted to come with us, but he didn't seem willing to leave Ando behind. Before I left, the two had gotten along fairly well, but today their rivalry seemed to have intensified.
'They must have been checking each other a lot while I was gone.'
The longer they stayed here and the deeper their affection grew, the more often this kind of scene would appear. It was only natural to become possessive of what was precious. Still, I didn't want them fighting over their desires and ending up in an irreparable relationship.
"Why don't you both attend the welcome party? A few days won't hurt."
"Still, we need to prepare rooms for them to stay as soon as possible."
"As the representatives of the temple, you two should meet them and see what kind of people they are."
"Ahem, me?"
"The junior priest is the representative. We're just…"
"Come on, why are you backing out? When I was away, you two were the temple representatives, weren't you? Rather than me, who'll be gone for months at a time, you two are better suited to be the representatives."
"Oh, for heaven's sake!"
"I made the decision to take them in on my own because I couldn't just leave them, but I thought I should ask for your opinions. I can't tell you how relieved I was when you both approved."
Everyone's mood visibly improved at my words.
"If you two hadn't been here, how could I have left? So, to personally confirm and make the final decision on whether to accept them, I think you should come to the welcome party with me."
"Well…"
"If he's going this far, it might be better to attend. Don't you think?"
"It does seem that way."
Chillan and Ando seemed to have changed their minds and decided to accept my request.
"We'll be seeing each other every day from now on. We can't disappoint them by not showing up to the welcome party."
"Of course. They'll feel more at ease meeting the temple representatives in person and talking with them, won't they? I'm sure they'll be happy."
We couldn't leave the temple completely empty, so after excluding the newly arrived priests who barely knew me, we followed the errand runner's guidance to the venue as soon as he arrived. I had told the other priests to look forward to it, but since the welcome party was prepared in a rush, no matter how hard the errand runner tried, it wouldn't be anything grand. Still, the important thing was gathering together with our new members and sharing a meal face-to-face, wasn't it? It was nice to feel like we were all eating out together after a long time.