<Chapter 28>

Though I had been eager to receive a new divine oracle, I abruptly halted in front of the chapel.

“Uh… Did I come to the wrong place? What’s with that line outside the chapel?”

At least forty people stood in line.

They were surprisingly orderly, most of them burly men. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that several of them had prosthetics attached to their arms or legs.

“I’ll go and find out.”

Cesare immediately ran toward the long line of people.

Sensing his approach, the people turned to look at him, and soon, their gazes shifted to me.

“It’s the Saintess!”

“Is it really her? Are you sure?”

“The Saintess is said to have mystical lavender-colored hair and eyes. It’s definitely her.”

Their murmurs reached my ears instantly.

While I understood they didn’t mean any harm, hearing them whisper while staring at me made my clenched fists tighten further.

As if noticing my discomfort, Monica and Kei stepped forward.

“Before standing here as the Saintess, she is the Prospective Duchess. Show some respect!”

Monica, exuding charisma befitting a head maid, silenced the commotion with a single statement.

Soon, the murmuring subsided, and the people assumed a respectful posture.

“Greetings to the Prospective Duchess!”

“Apologies for our rudeness, Saintess!”

It seemed they hadn’t gathered here with bad intentions, as they bowed their heads and waists deeply. Some even prostrated themselves on the ground.

“Uh, um… You don’t need to do this. Please, all of you, stand up. What are you all doing here, anyway?”

At that moment, Cesare, who had gone to investigate, returned with someone in tow.

“Prospective Duchess, I brought someone who can explain this situation.”

“Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Klein Orbit.”

The man who introduced himself with a polite hand over his chest seemed familiar.

It took me a moment, but I remembered where I had seen him before.

“Ah, you’re the one from the landslide?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I was the knight you healed last during the landslide.”

“I thought so. How are you feeling? No lingering aftereffects?”

“None at all. In fact, you healed a disability I thought I’d carry for life.”

“A disability?”

“Five years ago, during the breeding season, I lost one of my eyes fighting monsters atop the city walls.”

“What? You lost an eye?”

He seemed perfectly fine now… Wait a second.

S-sir Klein… are you really opening both your eyes right now? H-huh…?

Kei stuttered in shock. Could it be?

“The Saintess didn’t just heal my injuries from the landslide; she also restored my blind eye. I was on the verge of despair, as no amount of training could compensate for the blind spot caused by my lost vision…”

Klein, overcome with emotion, drew a deep breath before kneeling on one knee and bowing his head before me.

“I, Klein Orbit, have received immeasurable grace from the Saintess. I pledge my life to repay this debt.”

“Huh? No, I don’t need your life!”

“Please allow me to dedicate it! There is no other way for me to repay you!”

“That’s way too burdensome! I didn’t even intentionally heal you. I just prayed to God, and He granted the miracle…”

“Saintess! Please bestow your grace upon me as well!”

At that moment, one of the men in line threw himself to the ground. Upon closer look, he had a prosthetic arm.

“At least Klein only lost his eye and remained in the garrison. I lost my arm and was forced to retire as a knight!”

“I lost my leg and had to retire too!”

“The Saintess healed his blind eye, so surely, you can restore arms and legs as well? Please bestow your grace upon us!”

“Saintess!”

Though they didn’t approach, they remained prostrated at a distance, desperately pleading.

Now, I understood why these people were here.

“So, you’re hoping I can heal you?”

Monica intervened with a composed expression.

“Prospective Duchess, there is no need to grant their requests.”

“But…”

“You did not come to the North as a cleric. You have no obligation to respond to their pleas.”

Monica’s cold gaze swept over the crowd. Her demeanor was so brusque that I wondered if she was doing it on purpose.

‘Wait. Is she really doing this on purpose?’

It was obvious that depending on who rejected them, the blame would shift.

Monica had stepped up to be the scapegoat in my place.

‘No one’s ever shielded me from blame before…’

A surge of gratitude filled my chest, overwhelming me.

Buoyed by the feeling, I pulled Monica into a hug.

“Thank you for thinking of me, Monica! But it’s fine. As I said earlier, healing them isn’t a big deal.”

“But, Prospective Duchess…”

“It’s fine. I just need to pray. God will handle the rest.”

Still holding Monica’s hand, I looked at the line of people.

“Alright. I’ll heal you all. But there’s one thing you must remember.”

“W-whatever it is, just say the word!”

“Anything! If you could just heal us!”

“I only pray to God. It’s God who performs the miracles, not me. So, when your bodies heal, you must offer daily prayers of gratitude to God.”

◆ Ultimate Objective: Save the World

◇ Current Objective: Raise Northern Faith to 100

 

*Northern Faith: 78

*Key Items in Possession: 3 Divine Oracle Tokens

Having come this far…

‘Let’s push Northern Faith to 100 today!’

*  *  *

With the help of the maids, Kei, Cesare, and Klein, who had pledged his life to me, I was able to heal everyone one by one.

“My, my gosh! My hand… my hand grew back!”

“I never thought I’d walk on two legs again. Thank you, Saintess, thank you!”

“I can hear again! Saintess, please, speak once more so I can hear your voice!”

Whether it was a lost hand, a missing leg, or deafness, the severity of the injuries didn’t matter.

Whenever I prayed to God, the people enveloped in radiant light were fully restored.

And yet, the divine power within me didn’t diminish in the slightest.

It feels like I’m using the divine as a backup battery… Amazing.

“It’s a miracle! If this isn’t a miracle, what is?”

“I will never forget today’s grace. I will repay this debt with my life—”

“I don’t need your life! Express your gratitude through prayer! Now, before you leave, let’s all give thanks to God together.”

In total, I healed forty-two people.

As they marveled at the miracles and offered their prayers…

Sub-Quest Completed!

 

*Northern Faith Level has surpassed 100.

You have received 1 Divine Oracle Token as a reward.

Sub-Quest Triggered!

 

*Lead more Northerners to God and raise Northern Faith Level to 1000.

Reward: 1 Divine Oracle Token

 

[Accept/Decline]

With the completion of the previous sub-quest, a new one appeared, causing my main system screen to update.

◆ Ultimate Objective: Save the World

◇ Current Objective: Raise Northern Faith to 1000

 

*Northern Faith: 211

*Key Items in Possession: 4 Divine Oracle Tokens

It was then that I realized something.

‘The replay option for the previous divine oracle is gone?’

The implications were clear. That oracle’s protagonist must have been Ferry!

‘That means I can now receive a new divine oracle!’

My heart raced with excitement. I couldn’t wait to receive it.

Watching the crowd weeping and praying, I turned to Kei and Cesare.

“Could you help guide them out? I’d like to receive a new divine oracle.”

“Of course!”

Kei, Cesare, and the maids worked together to usher the people out.

Thanks to their efforts, the chapel soon became empty, leaving me alone. Kneeling before the Oracle Tablet, I closed my eyes.

‘God, I saved Ferry safely, so surely I can receive a new oracle now? Please, I’m counting on you.’

Would you like to use a divine oracle token?

Yes / No

“Yes!”

With enthusiasm, I selected “Yes.”

Unlike before, when the oracle was unavailable, a new one began to appear.

So the previous oracle really was about Ferry!

What could this new oracle contain?

With a pounding heart, I looked at the message forming on the tablet.

And then…

“Eh?”
 

<To be continued>

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