The Artist's Divine Purification

After the world fusion, the unlucky heroine ended up staying with the fraudulent protagonist. (3)

Following Sosia's orders, Ju Joyeon, Tiasia, and Arty helped out in the emergency room where staff was short-handed. Joyeon spent the entire day with Soul's Eye active, searching for anyone in critical condition, while Tiasia handled moving heavy medical equipment and transporting patients. Arty tried her best to assist in various ways, but not long after being separated from Joyeon, she tripped while carrying medicine and ruined a batch of precious drugs. Sosia immediately ordered her to do nothing and stay by Joyeon's side. In the end, her only role became chatting with Joyeon so he wouldn't get bored.

****

"Why do you have someone like Tiasia-nee by your side?"

"Because I'm Lara's lifesaver."

"And why does she call you master?"

"That’s also because I'm Lara's lifesaver."

"You have other magic besides that eye, right?"

"Nothing particularly useful."

"What do you have?"

"A spell to light dry firewood. A spell to float in the air for one second. A spell to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brighten vision slightly in the dark. A spell to take one step on water~ And~"

"What are those? They don’t even sound like proper magic."

"I think so too."

"Teach me some real magic. Besides that Soul's Eye, you must have something decent, right?"

"You’re not teaching me either."

"I can’t help it. My ability is very special. I can only use it when absolutely necessary..."

"Arty~!"

While Joyeon and Arty were chatting, Sosia called for her.

"Hmm~ Maybe I can show it after all. Come here quickly. I need you by my side."

Arty grabbed Joyeon’s arm and strode confidently toward Sosia. Joyeon, thinking it would be nice to see her ability, let himself be dragged along. At Sosia’s side stood Luna, the priestess from Rion’s party who had entered the hospital with them. Luna awkwardly bowed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her head upon seeing Joyeon, who waved back in greeting.

Since Luna is here, is this about detoxification?

"Arty, say hello. This is Luna from the magic world, a priestess who’s been helping us. Luna, this is Arty. She’s also assisting us, just like you."

While Joyeon was making reasonable guesses, Sosia introduced Arty and Luna, who were meeting for the first time.

"With more people coming to the hospital lately, the emergency room has become quite contaminated. Luna said she could purify it using holy magic’s Purification, but she can’t cover this entire space alone. So I’d like to borrow Arty’s help. Can you do it?"

"Of course. Leave it to me."

Sosia asked with some doubt, but Arty nodded as if it were obvious.

Can Arty use holy magic?

Joyeon imagined Arty clasping her hands in prayer to cast holy magic, then shook his head vigorously to erase the mismatched image.

Meanwhile, Luna and Arty exchanged a few words. Luna clasped her hands as if praying and muttered softly, causing bright light to burst from her hands and slowly spread to fill the surrounding space.

"So this is how notification windows appear when you receive a buff-type spell."

Joyeon marveled at the window floating before his eyes. However, Luna’s magic had too limited a range and effect. It only affected the area around Luna, far from covering the entire emergency room. Before long, her magic began to fade.

"Hehe~ Such a modest spell~"

Arty stepped in. She snatched a pure white ore floating around her and held it out.

"But with a little touch, it’ll become incredibly beautiful."

The ore in Arty’s hand was gradually shaved away, releasing white powder that spread outward. Each grain of powder, as if possessing its own will, flowed between the particles of Luna’s holy magic light.

"Concept Sculpting"

With Arty’s words, her ore powder integrated with the purification magic, transforming it into something completely different.

"Eh? Huh?"

Luna was flustered as she watched her holy magic change before her eyes. Soon the magic escaped Luna’s ownership entirely and became Arty’s, changing even more dramatically. What had been mere light particles gained three-dimensional form and fixed shape, transforming into the figure of a priestess resembling Luna.

Insane... Just watching someone use their ability gives you a title?

The once-ordinary holy magic transformed into a priestess made of light and began flying around the emergency room, spreading its influence everywhere. Its range extended beyond the emergency room to cover the entire hospital.

Amazing...

—This... is definitely not something that can be called ordinary magic.

Even Joyeon, who knew nothing about art, stared blankly at the sight. The magic Arty had crafted was clearly no ordinary spell. It was a work of art.

The 'Pure Priestess Who Loves Cleanliness' smiled faintly in satisfaction upon seeing the entire hospital become spotless, then disappeared.

"The effect duration is quite long, so there probably won’t be a single speck of dust for a while."

"Thank you, Arty. Thank you as well, Luna."

"Y-yes?! Ah, no. I didn’t really do anything..."

"That’s not true. It was only possible because of Luna’s holy magic. Thanks to you, I was able to create a wonderful piece. I look forward to working with you from now on."

"O-okay..."

At Arty’s words, Luna bowed her head in embarrassment. Afterward, Arty returned to Joyeon, who was standing there dazed after receiving praise from Sosia. She flashed him a triumphant smile with a look that said, "How about that!"

"Well? Isn’t it amazing? Now you know that the person you were casually chatting with is actually someone incredibly great, right?"

Her cute and adorable gesture was like a provocation to Joyeon, who still had a childish side. Unable to hold back the irritation rising in his throat, he was about to speak.

"It’s nothing spe—"

—Don’t you dare! Master! Absolutely! Absolutely do not mock her!

May’s voice rang out like a scream.

—In times like this, you should obviously give pure praise! Why are you trying to say unnecessary things!

Ah, no. She’s going to get too arrogant at this rate.

—That’s not true! Look at that smile! It’s a smile of joy at being able to show her ability to Master!

...I don’t think that’s it.

—Even if it’s slightly different from what May said, why don’t you think of it that way? Master, you need to get more used to complimenting others. Mocking others like that is enough when dealing with enemies.

Jack’s been preaching to me like Lara lately too.

—It’s sincere advice and counsel for Master’s sake.

—Jack and May are right. Words or actions that make enemies won’t help Master’s progress at all.

—In our magic world, there’s a famous saying: "A hundred thousand gold can be repaid with words." Getting along well with Lady Arty will surely help later on.

As all his followers spoke in unison, Joyeon pouted but gave up on his childish thought.

"It’s amazing. It’s the most impressive ability I’ve seen since the world fusion."

"Hehe~ Exactly what part do you think is so great?"

"......"

So annoying... What should I say? I don’t even know how to express it.

At Joyeon’s request for help, his followers each shared their impressions.

—I’ve only handled swords, so I don’t know much about artworks, but looking at the small patterns on the priestess’s clothes earlier, I can tell how meticulously it was made.

"First of all, she didn’t make it roughly—she even crafted the small patterns in detail."

"You noticed? Your eyes are definitely good."

—The diverse movements and expressions indistinguishable from a real person were also impressive.

"The movements are very natural and splendid, and the facial expressions are just like a real person’s."

"Correct! Such natural expression is very difficult."

—I’m not very good at appreciating artworks either, but if I had to say one thing, it’s that the spirit of sacrifice for others permeating the work was deeply felt.

You can feel something like that...? Whatever.

"And the spirit of sacrifice permeating the work was very well conveyed."

"Oh? Your aesthetic sense is better than I thought. To vaguely grasp the hidden meaning."

—Such graceful demeanor and a smile that makes one fall for her! The pretty heart wanting to help others and the pure, considerate words were so wonderful!

"Graceful demeanor and a smile that makes one fall for her. The pretty heart wanting to help others and the pure, considerate words... This..."

...This isn’t praising the magic, it’s praising Arty!

It took Joyeon a moment to realize something was off about what he was saying as he repeated it thoughtlessly.

May!!

—It’s not good to only praise the work! You should also praise the person who created such a wonderful piece!

You didn’t say that with that intention! What is this! A smile that makes one fall for her!

—It’s not a lie though? Master acknowledged it too. That Lady Arty is pretty.

While Joyeon resolved to give May a piece of his mind later for her retort, Arty realized Joyeon had praised her rather than the work and brightened with a smile, leaning her face closer. Joyeon backed away at the sight.

"W-why."

"Come on~ Keep going~ You weren’t finished talking, were you?"

Infuriating!

"...Contrary to her looks, her personality isn’t bad either."

—Master!!

Unable to hold out any longer, Joyeon ended his praise in a twisted tone. Still, thanks to what he’d said earlier, Arty knew he was deliberately speaking that way and laughed heartily.

"Of course~ I’m different from those girls who are only pretty in the face or only good at their abilities~"

"...Yeah. You’re amazing."

...What’s this now.

At the sudden incomprehensible notification and title acquisition, Joyeon opened his status window.

...Just another ridiculous title added.

A meaningless title gained simply from witnessing Arty’s ability. Joyeon frowned at the title "First Modern Person to Receive the Goddess’s Jealousy," whose effect was also ominously worded.

"...Whatever~ If there was a reason for it to appear, then it appeared."

And with his characteristic nonchalance, Joyeon decided to ignore the title.