Princess Canaby (2)
Advising a person afflicted by a curse that the only way to survive was to immediately send people into the Labyrinth to track down and kill the monster responsible felt like a truly regrettable limitation. Still, identifying the precise method to lift it was an impressive feat on its own.
If not for the knowledge granted by Him, I wouldn’t have been able to explain the solution in such detail. I nearly humiliated myself in front of royalty from another nation.
My knowledge regarding curses was woefully insufficient. The fact that a monster could inflict one on a person made me realize I could no longer afford to be complacent. I needed to study harder.
I wonder how she ended up with such a nasty curse. Isn’t the royal family usually protected in the safest areas even inside the Labyrinth?
Royalty would never swing a sword themselves to hunt monsters. This could only be considered terrible misfortune. Of all people, why did the one who should have been most protected end up as the cursed princess?
“You must act at once. I will use my divine power to prevent the curse from spreading further, but it won’t be long before it begins affecting Your Highness again.”
“It has only been a few days, yet this curse is already utterly detestable.”
“I am sorry I cannot lift it for you.”
“No, I expected as much, so it is fine.”
A wave of frustration washed over me. If only my skills were more advanced, perhaps I could have purged even this vile curse.
“To be honest, I would like to recommend that you return to your homeland and seek treatment from a priest more knowledgeable in curses than I. Just because I cannot do it does not mean others are equally incapable.”
I was hardly an expert in curses. What confidence did I have to leave a patient untreated? The Holy Empire surely had many priests far more skilled than me.
“You speak words that could wound your own pride without hesitation.”
Princess Canaby seemed genuinely surprised that I had suggested she seek treatment from another priest.
“I do not consider my pride more important than a person’s life. What use is pride when someone’s survival is at stake?”
“…As before, you are not like the priests of this age.”
“Pardon?”
Not like the priests of this age? Did she mean I seemed old-fashioned? Princess Canaby continued before I could fully process the strange remark.
“One last question. The best solution in your opinion is to kill the monster that cast the curse rather than traveling to the Holy Empire for treatment, correct?”
“Yes. That would be the faster and cleaner resolution.”
As royalty, she would have no difficulty finding a priest well-versed in curses for treatment. Yet even then, I wasn’t certain such a priest could lift a curse like this one.
It looks incredibly potent—perhaps because it came from a monster.
That was why I had recommended killing the monster as the optimal solution.
“We shall follow the best course of action as you see it.”
“You will not go to the Holy Empire?”
“Traveling there to receive treatment would take far too long. But if we proceed as you suggest, the time required will be significantly reduced.”
Finding that creature inside the Labyrinth would not be easy, but it would still consume less time than traveling all the way to the Holy Empire.
“We cannot allow the Labyrinth expedition schedule to be disrupted on our account. However, we will need time to endure until the monster is slain. It seems impossible to manage alone.”
She had only left the Labyrinth after struggling for several days and realizing she could endure no longer. Right now, she needed help more than anyone.
“I will assist you in holding on for that duration.”
I had already shown up boldly claiming I would treat her, only to fail at lifting the curse. I couldn’t abandon her now. I wasn’t shameless or incompetent enough to do that.
Thank you so much!
On the other hand, I kept sending silent prayers of gratitude to the Sun God. Without the knowledge He had provided, I would have faced even greater humiliation. The chief healer of the Labyrinth Temple, appearing utterly incompetent before foreign royalty! Just imagining it made me dizzy.
I need to make sure everyone studies curses as well.
I decided to add curse-related material to our priests’ curriculum. For now, only Princess Canaby had arrived bearing a curse, but in time, patients carrying all manner of curses from the Labyrinth were bound to appear. Experiencing something like this once was more than enough.
Curses cast by monsters are especially vicious and will require significant effort. I should assign them to the internal medicine team to reduce the burden on surgery.
Even as I placed my hand on Her Highness’s left arm to begin treatment, my mind continued working busily. Ever since taking a managerial position, I had begun viewing everything in terms of temple operations. Sometimes I wondered why I had to think this way and felt a sudden rush of reality hitting me….
Ouch!
It was as if the curse were rebuking me for losing focus while treating it. A strong backlash made my palm sting.
Ugh!
It was vicious. I had no choice but to acknowledge the mental fortitude of Princess Canaby, who had endured this for fourteen days without treatment. As the treatment progressed, my palm grew increasingly red and swollen.
What if I possessed even greater divine power and higher purity right now? Even if I couldn’t completely free her from the curse, I could at least have made her daily life comfortable.
Until now, I had never felt my skills were lacking no matter where I went, but that mindset would have to change.
I need to grow. My current level of skill is insufficient.
The monster. If given the chance, I wanted to see with my own eyes exactly what kind of being it was. The monsters that emerged outside and those inside the Labyrinth seemed like entirely different creatures.
The patients who had entered the Labyrinth simply to earn money now seemed remarkably brave.
Weren’t they afraid?
There was a saying that humans were scarier than ghosts. Perhaps it was time to say that humans were scarier than monsters.
After finishing the treatment, Princess Canaby seemed more comfortable and turned on the lights in the room. In the brightly lit space, she radiated the same brilliant, noble beauty I had seen before. No—if anything, the addition of a delicate, fragile quality to her previous beauty made an even stronger impression than before.
She was simply sitting comfortably, yet an aura of nobility seemed to flow from her. It wasn’t merely her clothes or accessories that created her dignity. In fact, she was currently wearing a simple white garment without any jewelry.
The unique atmosphere that surrounded Princess Canaby made her appear special. Come to think of it, although she had offered me a bribe, it had been for the protection of her own citizens rather than for personal gain. If the royalty of my own country behaved that way, I would feel both grateful and proud. A royal who truly cared for their people was incredibly rare.
In that respect, Princess Canaby was not a bad person.
Actually, I’m rather envious.
How fortunate it was to have someone like her among the royal family. And yet such a person had been cursed.
While treating her, I had learned a bit more about the curse. I had hoped for good news, but unfortunately, only unfavorable information had come to light.
“How long will the treatment’s effects last?”
“It would be best if you came to see me whenever you feel discomfort. At first you will only experience pain, but as the curse deepens, hallucinations and auditory disturbances will appear.”
“To be honest, I have already seen hallucinations. Thanks to you, I am fine for now.”
“The symptoms will disappear with treatment, but the time you can endure them will gradually decrease. Therefore, find and eliminate that creature as quickly as possible.”
“…If the symptoms worsen progressively, I wish to know exactly how severe they will become. Since I was afflicted deep inside the Labyrinth, I may need to endure for quite a long time.”
Since she wanted to know, there was no reason to withhold the information. I explained every symptom without omission.
“As time passes, the curse will spread throughout your body and affect every part. Your legs may suddenly stop moving, you will feel pain, and hallucinations and auditory disturbances will plague you frequently. Eventually, delusions and depression will appear. Your memory may become hazy and lethargy may set in.”
“Every filthy symptom imaginable is gathered here.”
Even after hearing the symptoms she would have to endure, Princess Canaby did not show any great disturbance. Of course, I knew the truth. She was not truly fine; she was only pretending to be.
“The problem is that if treatment is not administered promptly, even after the curse is lifted, aftereffects may remain. The mind is not a place we can easily touch. The only way to overcome lingering aftereffects there is to overcome them yourself.”
Divine power could heal the body, but it could not resolve mental issues. It could provide stability, but it could not solve the root problem.
“Your entire body will be left in tatters.”
“Your words are too harsh. Please choose them more carefully!”
The attendant finally spoke up, unable to remain silent any longer. However, Princess Canaby raised her hand to stop her.
“It is fine. We asked to know the truth honestly, and the priest merely provided it.”
“What I described was the worst-case scenario. If you receive my treatment regularly, we can prevent the curse from taking root in your body. Reaching that worst state will take considerable time.”
“It seems I must come for treatment without fail.”
“I recommend hospitalization if possible.”
“That will not be possible.”
Of course. If she were the type to openly show weakness, she would have come to the treatment center proudly from the beginning. The fact that she had summoned me secretly meant that was not an option.
“Then please do not miss any treatments. I will do my best to ensure no aftereffects remain, but if the patient lacks the will, no amount of divine power will help. Ah! Please eliminate the monster as quickly as possible as well.”
“As for hospitalization… we will consider it further. It is not that we dislike the idea.”
Naturally, there must be circumstances preventing it. A princess would hardly refuse hospitalization due to lack of funds.
After finishing Princess Canaby’s treatment, I returned to the temple. Countless patients were still lined up there, waiting to be treated.
Even after coming here, it seems I won’t be allowed to rest.
The large amount of divine power I had used on the princess left my body feeling heavy as lead. But with other priests who looked even more exhausted than me still working, I could not slip away to rest alone. I rolled up my sleeves and busily moved to see the next patient.
Time passed since that war-like day. During that period, Princess Canaby had continued visiting the temple secretly, avoiding public attention, receiving my treatment, and then disappearing again. Her complexion had improved compared to our first meeting, but the signs of illness had not vanished entirely. I had to admit she was enduring remarkably well.
“Priest Arthur, that person is here again.”
At the words “that person,” I frowned deeply. While I had been lost in thought, it seemed the uninvited guest had arrived. The temple attracted all kinds of troublesome individuals, but among them was one I particularly disliked dealing with.
“Sigh~ He’s here again? Understood. I’ll go out.”
“Doesn’t it tire you out every time? Why not just put him on the Blacklist and ban him from entering? It pains me to see you going through this trouble.”
“He may be a nuisance to me, but to him, he is simply someone who wants his colleagues to be safe. Putting him on the Blacklist would be too harsh.”
The Blacklist was not a child’s game. Once someone was placed on it, not only they but their entire family and everyone around them would be denied treatment at any temple across the nation. One only had to imagine how devastating that would be to understand why it should not be used lightly. It would completely alter a person’s life.
“You’re here again.”
“Isn’t it good to become familiar when visiting often? Haha!”
The man I disliked meeting was the leader of a mercenary company that entered the Labyrinth to hunt monsters and earn money. He constantly visited the temple, hoping to hire priests to ensure his colleagues’ safety. He was not the first to make such an offer, but he was the first to persist so tenaciously.
“It feels like resentment is piling up rather than familiarity.”
“It hurts a little to hear you say that so strongly.”
“You are the one who made me react this way.”
“Hmm, it seems I have crossed the line and bothered you excessively. Perhaps this is for the best. I won’t be able to come for a while. I will be returning to the Labyrinth.”
Now that was welcome news amid the conversation.
“I will pray for your safe return.”
Since I could not reveal my true feelings, I spoke with as much sincerity as I could muster.
“Instead of just praying, why not lend me one priest? Is that so difficult?”
“I have already given you my answer. It is impossible. The individuals themselves do not wish it, do they? What right do I have to order the priests to enter the Labyrinth?”
“Couldn’t you at least ask them if they are willing?”
“Well. Perhaps later, but not now. It is too dangerous.”
I could not guarantee that anyone entering the Labyrinth would return alive. How could I send the priests? Absolutely not. These were the fledglings I had raised myself!
“And if any priest voluntarily expresses a desire to go, we would need to notify the Holy Empire and discuss it. Since the Empire also has expedition teams, they could join one of those.”
I had no idea how skilled those teams were. How could I entrust anyone to them? When I explained that there were safer ways to enter the Labyrinth, the man’s expression turned glum.
“No matter what, you won’t give us a priest.”
“……”
I remained silent, as I had no desire to answer that statement.
“If you ever decide to enter the Labyrinth later, I hope you will consider our mercenary company. Could you do that?”
“If I agree, will you stop coming?”
“Since I won’t be able to come for a while anyway. Sigh~ Very well. I promise. Please have the priest make the promise as well.”
“Yes, I will.”
The matter of priests joining private teams was not something I could decide alone. The Holy Empire was likely engaged in intense discussions with neighboring countries about this very issue. Eventually priests might be able to enter the Labyrinth freely, but at least for the time being, such a thing was unlikely to happen.
“This is a donation.”
The man subtly offered a bribe. I deliberately spoke loud enough for others to hear, smiling.
“The offering box is in front of the statue, but since you seem busy, I will place it there for you.”
“…For someone who looks so frail, you certainly have a strong backbone.”
I had placed even the bribe given by Princess Canaby into the offering box. Did he really think I would accept bribes from the likes of him? Watching him look dejected as the money he offered me went into the offering box was rather entertaining.