Golden (4)
To keep anyone from discovering the existence of my Golden Divine Power, I had to deal with it before returning to the temple. After collapsing in the Labyrinth, the temple had granted me an unusually long leave. In truth, as the person in charge, I could rest whenever I wanted. Yet until now, a tangle of circumstances had always sent me hurrying back the moment I emerged from the Labyrinth.
Everyone else is working hard. It felt wrong to lounge around by myself.
The old clinic had been overwhelmed by the constant flood of patients. But the treatment center had been running for more than half a year now. After that much time on the job, it would have been strange if the staff hadn’t grown used to the work. They had all become veterans, handling patients with practiced skill. There was simply no longer any need for me to rush back.
Given my current situation, it was an unexpected blessing. It had bought me time to manage the divine power inside me.
“I’m thinking of doing some volunteer work.”
“Volunteer work? During the leave you’re supposed to be using for rest?”
“Yes. Though it will be a rather unusual form of volunteering. I’ll need your help.”
I needed to expend the holy relic’s divine power now occupying my body. But its radiance was far too conspicuous; showing my face would cause problems. Therefore—
“I plan to conceal my identity.”
“Volunteering… on purpose?”
“My divine power changed suddenly, didn’t it? The solution I’ve come up with is to drain some of the holy relic’s power that’s lodged inside me.”
I shared the theory I had spent the past days refining. Melody listened in silence, then spoke.
“So there are currently two kinds of divine power inside you, Priest.”
“Correct. I intend to keep them balanced at exactly half each. That means I’ll have to use the power, but it feels too precious to waste on trivial things.”
Recklessly squandering such dense divine power would surely bring divine punishment. How many people died because they could not afford treatment? I had been too busy at the treatment center to look after every last one of them, but I was not cold-hearted enough to ignore them now that my divine power overflowed.
“Understood. You’ll need a way to hide your identity. I will prepare it.”
“Thank you.”
She could easily have scolded me for wasting something so valuable, yet she said nothing of the sort. Melody stepped out briefly to arrange the secret volunteer work. I had promised not to wander outside, so I could only kill time by gazing at the temple through the window.
“Hmm…”
Then a thought occurred to me—something I had wanted to try for a long time.
In one hand.
Brilliant gold flared.
In the other.
Familiar white divine power shimmered.
“Ohh.”
Holding both colors at once felt… rather impressive. It seemed men never outgrew childish games no matter how old they became.
“According to my information, many sick people live in this alley.”
Melody had not stopped at obtaining a disguise. She had also learned exactly which households contained the ill. A masked stranger knocking on doors late at night would only arouse suspicion, so her preparation spared me from going door to door.
“Thank you.”
I was genuinely moved; I had not expected her to help this much. Nor did her assistance end there.
Thud, thud—
“Excuse us.”
A woman’s voice naturally raised less suspicion than a man’s. That was simply how things were.
“Who is it at this hour?”
An elderly man’s voice answered from within.
“Could you open the door for a moment? I have something to ask.”
“Why come in the middle of the night instead of during the day?”
The shadow behind the door grew larger. The old man was grumbling even as he approached to let us in.
“A young woman wandering around so late…!”
He must have been startled to see that the young woman was not alone. I spoke quickly.
“Good evening. It’s nothing serious—I simply wanted to ask if anyone in the house is feeling unwell.”
Bang!
The door slammed shut with surprising force.
“Hmm.”
“The reaction was harsher than anticipated.”
“He will understand if we explain properly.”
Older people always carried some ailment. If treatment came to their doorstep without them having to seek it, they would not refuse. I tried again.
“Sir, I may look suspicious, but I assure you I am not a suspicious person.”
“Get out of here! I know what this is—you heard my son is a mercenary who enters the Labyrinth, didn’t you? There’s nothing in this house!”
I had found it odd that an elderly man lived in Labyrinth City; now I understood the reason.
“If no one is unwell, we will take our leave.”
If his son worked in the Labyrinth, the family likely had enough money. There was no need to insist. This neighborhood was full of people too poor to treat illnesses they knew they had.
“Let’s try another house.”
“Yes, Priest.”
Thud… thud thud…! Bang!
Sudden noises erupted inside, and the door flew open.
“Did you just say ‘Priest’? My ears may be old, but they still work!”
“Ah… yes.”
I had been careless. I needed to hide my identity, yet he had caught the word clearly. Still, having heard it, he ushered us inside without hesitation.
“Come in.”
“Is there a patient inside?”
“……”
He did not answer, but the fact that he had opened the door at the mention of a priest told its own story. The moment we stepped inside, the thick smell of medicinal herbs washed over us.
Brewing herbs for only a day or two could never produce an aroma this deeply ingrained.
“To be honest, I’m not expecting much. We’ve already taken the child to the treatment center. Still, the heart clings to hope, doesn’t it?”
“It does. Different priests can treat different illnesses, so it is best to consult as many as possible.”
Each priest’s knowledge varied; it could not be helped.
“It’s… a child.”
Of all people, the patient was a child.
“My son brought him home one day. The boy’s mother appeared with the baby wrapped in a blanket, shoved him into my son’s arms, and ran off. It was clearly his child, so we raised him. But without a mother, he was constantly sick. Eventually it became this.”
Caring for an invalid was no easy task. Exhaustion and grief had carved deep lines into the old man’s face.
“Where does he hurt?”
“That’s the problem.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t know where it hurts.”
“You don’t know?”
“The priests who came said the child simply falls asleep. The real issue is that he drops off at any moment. At first I thought they were ordinary naps. Then he began collapsing on the street. He would fall asleep mid-sentence.”
Narcolepsy. The description made the diagnosis immediate. Unfortunately, it was not a disease easily cured. In my previous life it would have required medication, but—
Here, the cheat-like ability called divine power exists.
Could I cure it completely? I did not know the precise method. Yet I understood the disease’s origin clearly, and I possessed the special divine power obtained from the holy relic.
“I cannot promise a complete cure. This is normally a condition managed over time to reduce its symptoms, not one that is cured outright.”
“!!!”
The old man flinched violently at my words.
“You know this illness?!”
“It is called narcolepsy. As you described, the patient experiences excessive daytime sleepiness. In severe cases, they can collapse and fall asleep even while walking.”
“Then…?”
“I will do everything I can to help him live better than he does now.”
The old man suddenly stepped forward and seized my hand.
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
The curt demeanor he had shown since our first meeting had vanished; now he was all courtesy. I tried to calm him.
“I have not cured him yet. There is no need for this.”
Because I had to conceal my identity, Melody gently pushed the old man back, warning him not to come closer.
“Could you allow me to concentrate on the treatment?”
I asked the flustered elder for understanding and approached the child. He clenched his fists so tightly his hands trembled. I crouched, placed my palm on the boy’s head, and sent divine power flowing into him.
With the density of the holy relic’s power, a complete cure should be possible.
Golden light seeped from my hand. The old man rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“Please step back. You may interfere with the treatment.”
The gaze had been uncomfortable; fortunately Melody moved the guardian away on her own. I could now focus entirely on the divine power.
The energy that entered the child’s head raced through his entire body at astonishing speed. Golden light enveloped him completely. Even from a distance the old man could see the brilliant glow; soft gasps of wonder reached my ears.
Only after observing the golden divine power wrapped around the boy could I say with certainty:
“The child will be completely cured.”
The holy relic’s power was far stronger than I had imagined. Just what had I absorbed into my body? I had gained something far too excessive.
If I report that the holy relic fused with me, I won’t end up as a subject for live experiments, will I?
Confirming the tremendous effect of the relic I had accidentally obtained brought a wave of unease. It really had been wise to conduct this volunteer work in secret.
“Oh my goodness! Thank you! Thank you!”
The old man reacted with overwhelming emotion to my calm tone. He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. My heart ached at the sight. Raising a sick child must have worn him down terribly. Yet I could not offer the gentle comfort I would have given at the treatment center. I was still hiding my identity.
“Let’s go.”
Melody noticed my hesitation and spoke. I agreed it was best. As I rose, the old man hastily wiped his tears.
“No! You cannot leave like this! Absolutely not!”