Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 122
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 122
Licht the priest stood rooted in place, staring blankly at the man before him.
His silhouette was far too similar to the one Licht had seen in that dream.
His long, loosely tied hair and thin, straight frame looked as if they would crumble,
yet his aura somehow felt solid and immense.
‘Even though his hair color is clearly different and I can’t even see any divine power…’
An overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over him.
As though hypnotized, Licht slowly approached Lion.
One step, then another.
The eternal green flame—the very source of divine power—was already blazing in Licht’s eyes.
He had to confirm it.
The god’s message. The identity of the figure in that dream.
Why had that person appeared in his dream with such staggering divine power?
And what it had meant.
“Priest Licht!”
“…!”
Licht snapped to his senses at the voice calling him firmly.
“Ah.”
Good heavens. What had he been about to do?
Guilt and shame flooded over him.
And on top of that, was the person before him not even more frail than an ordinary citizen?
Flustered, Licht couldn’t hide his burning face.
Lion simply watched Licht and grinned as if nothing had happened.
“It’s truly been a long time. Hasn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. It really has been a long time.”
Lion must have clearly noticed that strange hint.
And yet this person…
“First, please have a seat.”
“Yes. Thank you…”
Licht obediently took a seat at Lion’s invitation.
‘Get a hold of yourself, Licht.’
No matter how important a premonitory dream was and how essential it was to confirm it, one must never force that knowledge out of a person.
That is commonly called ‘being devoured by a premonitory dream.’
It refers to a state where a dream is so intense and captivating that one will do anything for it.
This was a mistake typical of a novice priest, not something a priest of at least Licht’s standing should do.
And beyond that…
‘For someone like me, of all people, it would be truly dangerous.’
Didn’t he actually possess the power to compel people?
Beneath the table, Licht clenched the fist hidden inside his glove tightly, then released it, collecting himself.
“Have you been well in the meantime?”
“Yes. Thanks to the healing you gave me back then, I’ve been in good health.”
“…I did nothing, but I am truly relieved that you have been healthy.”
Licht recalled the past, a few months ago.
How flustered he had been while trying to treat this anonymous benefactor’s body.
That there had been no effect whatsoever.
Although it was awkward to say it aloud, Licht was one of the Archbishop candidates advocated by the Temple.
He was, for all intents and purposes, a priest whose divine power and skill in wielding it ranked within the top five.
And yet, he hadn’t been able to provide even a speck of help.
That feeling back then…
It had been enough to nearly fill him with guilt.
However, now, after the dream and upon their reunion today, things were a little different.
A suspicion of ‘What if…?’ arose within him.
What if this person was actually so superior to him that divine power hadn’t worked on him? That was the suspicion.
Of course, he had no certainty that this benefactor was indeed that figure from his dream, but his intuition was insisting that it was.
But still.
Licht soon shook his head.
That wasn’t what was important right now!
The reason he had come to meet Licht—that was what mattered.
He was undoubtedly a virtuous person.
If so, his reason would surely be a virtuous one.
Licht sat quietly and waited for Lion to speak.
“I see you’ve already guessed why I came to meet you.”
Meanwhile, Lion scratched his cheek and laughed awkwardly.
‘Well, it would be stranger if he didn’t know.’
Hadn’t he been told that Licht was the one officiating Peter’s ceremony?
Lion resolved to speak honestly.
“Yes. In truth, I did come to make a request regarding Peter’s adoption issue.”
“…Ah. Peter. I see.”
Licht knew Peter well.
The child the orphanage director was particularly worried about, and the child the benefactor was trying his utmost to assist.
And—
‘A child who possesses divine power equal to a full-fledged priest…’
A young child the Temple side had plans to turn into a Child of God.
Just like himself.
A bitter memory flickered past in an instant.
Though of course, Licht was now living a satisfactory life.
He was living almost revered by the Temple on the basis of his tremendous divine power.
But if asked whether he was satisfied with this life in the past…
‘I wasn’t.’
How many wounds had he suffered at that young age?
Now he was content and living a life he could carve out for himself, but in the past, it had been a life blocked on all sides.
Blocked from all directions by that radiant flame, he could not hide anywhere, and not even a single wisp of shadow was permitted—he couldn’t even run away.
He also had to endure concentrated envy and jealousy, so he couldn’t properly make a single friend.
In that bone-aching solitude, unable to tell anyone of his torment, he had no choice but to confess it only to the god Anyatras.
That is what a Child of God is.
They must always be bright and radiant without a trace of grimness, and even the shadows that inevitably form are not permitted—they must live a sterilized life.
By now, he dared not resent it.
In the end, hadn’t Licht himself climbed to the glorious position of Archbishop candidate?
But—
‘Peter…’
To be blunt, with that level of divine power, it would be difficult for him.
He didn’t know why the Temple had changed its policy and was trying to take even children at the full-priest level,
but it was not something he could look upon favorably.
At least, Licht—after the childhood he had endured—could not bring himself to say it.
As Licht maintained a long silence, Lion asked.
“So, as I thought, the Temple does intend to take Peter.”
“…Yes. To my knowledge, they do.”
“But Peter doesn’t seem to be aware of it.”
“He doesn’t… know?”
It was an issue that couldn’t possibly be unknown to him.
Even the priest who informed them of the ceremony schedule had enough skill to sufficiently assess Peter’s divine power.
Moreover, even assuming by some slim chance that Peter didn’t know, since the current situation was that most children with divine power were becoming Children of God, it would be normal for that side to explain it separately…
‘Don’t tell me.’
Only then did it feel like the puzzle pieces clicked into place,
including why a candidate for Archbishop like him had been placed in the Asteri Territory temple, which was somewhat cut off from information with other temples.
‘…Could it be that, along with Peter, I was also deceived?’
When it came to wrongful deeds, Licht never obeyed even the Temple’s orders.
That was why, despite being an Archbishop candidate, he had often frequented the Hall of Penance.
Today’s matter was much the same.
If Licht had known, there would have been no making Peter a full priest.
No matter what, he thought it unacceptable for the Temple to trample upon the hopes of a child and his parents!
So, they deceived him.
Both Licht and Peter’s family.
Yet by coincidence, Licht had learned of the fact early thanks to the ‘premonitory dream’!
‘…Yes. So that’s how it was.’
Covering his face with both hands, Licht breathed a deep sigh.
“It seems you didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry. I had not grasped it whatsoever.”
For someone who was nominally an Archbishop candidate, he hadn’t even managed to grasp such a minor matter.
‘If it hadn’t been for the premonitory dream… Ah?’
Could it be that the premonitory dream granted by the god was meant to make him realize precisely this fact?
Was it to guide the little lambs who had missed what was more important solely for the reason of serving him?
Surely, that had to be it!
If so, the reason why this benefactor appeared like a god in that dream!
And why the divine power had no effect as well!
‘Aah!’
Licht gazed at Lion with eyes that looked as though they had realized something.
“Benefactor. I have a request.”
“Please speak.”
Lion smirked slightly at the change in Licht’s demeanor, which had become sharply different from just before.
He had thought they might be in cahoots, but fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
No, if anything…
‘He looks quite angry.’
Licht seemed extremely displeased with the current situation.
His eyes, which had been purely good, were now blazing fiercely!
‘It’s still remarkable for an Archbishop candidate to think like that.’
Wasn’t that true, really?
If he simply behaved obediently as the Temple commanded without causing trouble, he would eventually seize the Archbishop’s seat, the highest authority of all.
Rolling up his sleeves and stepping forward now just because he thought it was ‘not right’ was, in a sense, even a reckless act.
But—
‘That is the proper attitude of a priest.’
One who takes action for the weak.
That was what Lion thought the true image of a priest was.
Regrettably, Lion didn’t quite grasp exactly what was in Licht’s heart…!
“I am ashamed, but with only a short time until the ceremony, I don’t think I can handle this matter alone.”
He was right.
The Temple was a far more conservative and closed-off group than the Magic Tower.
“However, if you, Benefactor, could lend your help, it seems we could buy some time.”
“If it’s something I can help with, I will.”
“Yes. First… we will tell the Temple that you are a guest from a premonitory dream and invite you inside.”
“A guest from a premonitory dream?”
“Whatever the premonitory dream may be, if you are a guest who appeared in that dream, the Temple will host you as an honored guest. There’s no need to worry; you will receive the highest hospitality.”
“Hmm!”
Lion nodded his head slowly.
He had already been planning to head to the Temple, so having Licht take the lead to guide him couldn’t be better.
However, if there was something to worry about…
‘The usage count on My Spitting Image is almost up.’
But it seemed that could be resolved if he asked Rickshel separately.
Licht continued his explanation.
“Once you arrive at the Temple, I would like you, Benefactor, to experience as much as you can inside the Temple. …Though if your health is poor, you need not overexert yourself.”
Even as Licht said that, his brows drooped as if apologetic.
“Still, the inside of the Temple constitutes a sanctuary, so it will not be a burden on your body.”
“Understood. Is that all I have to do?”
“Yes. Ah, under normal circumstances there’s one more thing, but I think I can block that on my end.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You don’t need to worry. Then…”
Licht rose from his seat and knelt down with his back facing Lion.
“Please get on my back. We will go to the Temple right now.”
“Excuse me?”
“The distance to the Temple is considerable, so it would be better if you are carried.”
Licht smiled benignly.
“…Yeees.”
* * *
In the end, carried on Licht’s back by his insistence that wasn’t quite insistence, Lion reached the Temple.
‘How can his strength be this great?’
Was this person a holy knight instead of a priest?
Licht had another reason for bringing Lion here.
“He is a guest from a premonitory dream, but his physical body is very weak.”
“Good heavens! I will take special care of him.”
This was to prevent other priests from bothering him by hovering around.
“I will then go and postpone the ceremony-related matters as much as I can. I likely won’t be able to return until the afternoon.”
“Don’t worry. Ah, my younger brother may come looking for me later. Would that be all right?”
“Of course. I’ll inform them separately. Well then… I’ll be counting on you.”
Saying that he’d station a trustworthy priest, Licht promptly bustled out of the room.
And so Lion was left all alone,
just sitting there in the room.