Raising the Paralytic (2)
The next day after absentmindedly asking Ignis to heal a paralytic on the street without a second thought.
We—Simon, Iaco, and I—were staying at a nearby inn.
Creak.
Simon peeked through the curtains, glancing obliquely down at the street outside the inn.
"Ugh, Teacher. They've spread out all around the inn. Looks like word of yesterday's miracle has gotten around."
Yeah, right. I'd only raised one street invalid, and now this? The ripple effect was insane. And this wasn't even a big city—just some provincial backwater town.
"It must have been deliberate, Teacher! Gathering the people like this... Truly impressive!"
No, that wasn't the plan at all.
I guess I didn't fully grasp how ordinary folks in this world—especially the common people—viewed paralysis.
I'd been too careless before.
To think I'd pull off something so unnecessary in such an open place.
For an extra who wasn't even one of my favorite characters or a companion... What the hell was I thinking?!
Knock knock knock.
"Teacher! Should I get the door?"
"Do so..."
Creeeak.
The door swung open, revealing the innkeeper—a burly, bald, rough-looking muscled man. He looked like a retired mercenary who'd opened up shop here. That probably explained why the crowd outside hadn't barged in.
"Uh... sir. Folks outside seem to be here for you, so I came up. I've kept them out for now so they don't disturb the other guests, but... what should I do?"
He looked so intimidating, yet he was weirdly polite. I'd assumed he was some scary brute blocking the entrance, but...
"Teacher! Let me go out and—"
"I understand. I'll go greet them myself."
"Thank you, Teacher! Truly, thank you!"
The innkeeper left.
"That innkeeper... From what the other guests say, he's supposed to be a real brute, super violent and scary... But he's so deferential to you. Could he have figured out who you really are...?!"
Figured out my identity? What identity? I'm just a regular human to begin with. There's nothing to uncover.
Still, was this guy not usually this friendly? If so, why with me? Could it be because of that paralytic I healed yesterday?
Maybe what I did was a bigger deal than I thought.
Creeeeeak.
With Simon and Iaco in tow, I headed downstairs, opened the door, and stepped outside. And then...
"We've been waiting, Teacher! Please, my arm!"
"I've waited all night! I don't want to die! Save me!"
"Teacher! Me too!"
Dozens of people were waiting.
How the hell did the rumor spread like this? There's no proof I even healed that guy—how did they know to come here?
...No, wait. They're clinging to this last straw of hope, that's all.
A man whose arm was frozen solid, twisted grotesquely into something ugly.
A man whose legs were locked stiff, carried here by others.
A man whose eyes were paralyzed, barely able to see, yet jumping around desperately searching for me.
These were the paralyzed, untreatable even by priests. The poor, waiting only for death.
This might be the first time I'd truly faced the lives of commoners with nothing to their names.
Ten years in this world, and I'd been born into House Perseino, living in luxury.
Even outside, I'd always had Hanna with me for safe adventures.
Sure, I'd sneak out now and then for thrills, but always within Perseino territory.
Dad ran the place tight—no way I'd seen wretches like these.
And Deus ex Machina never showed this side properly either.
Up until now, these extras hadn't even registered with me...
But now they were seeking me out, and it felt strange.
No connection between us whatsoever.
Healing them wouldn't get me anything tangible.
If anything, the rumors could spread and mess up my long-term plans.
Still, I wanted to heal them.
I wanted to pull them from despair.
I wanted to save them.
"Palsy...?"
"Yes, Teacher!"
"My hand's locked from the palsy!"
"Please save us, Teacher! You're our last hope!"
"I'll give you everything I have! Please, my mother! Sob!"
At the front, a man carried an elderly woman on his back and offered me a handful of grimy, tarnished coins.
Probably every penny he'd scraped together his whole life. For a priest's healing, for his mother's sake.
Priests charge a fortune no poor soul could dream of affording... but he'd saved desperately anyway. For her.
Knowing it was impossible made my chest tighten even more.
To them, I was their final hope.
Without me...
"Summon. Ignis."
Whoosh!
Warm flames bloomed behind me, enveloping my back.
—You called, Luke?
Can you handle all of them?
—If that's what Luke wants.
Then I leave it to you, Ignis.
Ignis grinned.
—All as Luke wills.
* * *
Baal Cult, Caparnaum Branch.
Bang bang bang!
"Bishop! Bishop! Big trouble!"
A priest with his crown shaved bald pounded on the door.
Thud.
Creeak.
"What is it? I told you not to disturb me at this hour."
The door opened, revealing the bishop hastily throwing on his robe in disarray. Behind him, a naked woman scrambled to cover herself with the sheets.
"Ah! S-sorry, Bishop! I interrupted your fun!"
"Never mind. What is it? If it's not important, you're dead."
"Ah! Big news, Bishop! Some weirdo in town is healing the sick right now!"
"...What? What nonsense is that?"
"W-well, some strange guy no one's seen before showed up and healed a paralytic on the street!"
"A priest with holy power? On the street, though? Odd choice. No one who can afford priestly healing picks a gutter for it. And it takes time..."
"Th-that's the thing—he did it in an instant! And... he didn't take any offering!"
"...What? Instant? Even saintess-level holy power struggles with that! Wait, no offering? Would a priest do that? ...I get it. I know what's going on."
"Pardon?"
"It's a ploy by a rival cult to steal our turf. Faking healings without donations to turn public opinion against us. Probably used fake invalids too."
"Ah... no way!"
"Makes sense. But who? Shameless bastards, eyeing our territory?"
"B-but just now, it wasn't just one or two!"
"Hmm?"
"H-he... healed at least twenty paralytics in one go! Real locals who've lived here forever. I asked around the commoners!"
"...Does that even make sense? Twenty? Even a saint or holy man couldn't. If—if someone pulled that off, he'd be a god descended. I've seen a saintess's miracle; no one's doing that."
"B-but..."
"No buts! It's all lies and theater! ...Still, we should check who's poaching our bowl. Fine. Let's go see."
"Y-yes, sir!"
* * *
The day after healing the street paralytic—and the next day, healing all the palsy victims who'd come seeking me, all at once with Ignis's power.
The inn was surrounded by even more people.
The windows were sealed tight, and no one could get inside, so I couldn't make out their words clearly.
But probably just begging for healing, right?
Damn, though—this place has surprisingly good soundproofing. Nice inn.
The problem? They didn't all look like palsy cases.
Ignis could handle paralysis, sure, but other illnesses? Tough for me.
I'd stocked two Elixirs for emergencies, but I couldn't waste them on strangers. Those were insurance for my precious characters.
And no way my Gift would cure random diseases...
Truth is, I had no obligation to heal these unknowns.
But yesterday, I'd let impulse get the better of me again, and now they'd come with hope. Slim hope that their illnesses could be cured too.
I recalled the paralytics' reactions from yesterday.
—Thank you, Teacher!
—Priests ignored and shunned us!
—You're our lifesaver, Teacher!
No matter how much of a Deus ex Machina vet I was, or how much I'd grown in ten years, I'd never gotten that kind of reception.
Just the young lord of a grand duchy.
And now, they treated me like a savior.
...A new feeling.
Savior, huh...
I came here to recruit companions.
This wasn't the time to play hero.
Hm? But if I draw this big a crowd, maybe she's among the onlookers?
Wait...
Bang!
Simon burst through the door.
"T-Teacher! P-priests! Priests are here looking for you!"
Priests?
"Downstairs in the common room—they're making a scene, demanding you come down!"
What? What the hell's going on?