Chapter 16: Re-Treatment
“Are you moving to the borderlands?”
“I havenāt decided yet, but Father Ryuse brought it up.”
I decided to talk it over with my roommate, Angela.
I didnāt explain everything in detail.
But it was too big a decision to make alone.
“I see.
But honestly, Ellen, staying at this church might be a waste of your talent.”
“I donāt think itās that impressive.”
“Mm, you might not realize it yourself, but learning healing magic isnāt easy at all.”
“ā¦Is that so?”
I donāt remember struggling that much, though.
“But you picked it up so easily.
That means you really are talented.”
“ā¦I see.”
I knew I had aptitude, but to be evaluated that highly.
If that was the case, maybe I should take it more seriously.
“Hey, Angela.
This is a bit of a different topic.”
“What is it?”
“ā¦You canāt heal āold woundsā with healing magic, right?”
“Hmm.”
I was thinking about Sir Claudiusās arm, the knight who would be traveling with me.
“You should be able to ease the pain.
But completely healing an old injury is generally considered difficult.”
“Thatās what I thought.”
“Did something happen?”
“Actuallyā¦”
I explained the circumstances of the knight traveling with me, leaving out the internal trouble of the ducal house.
It wouldnāt be right to spread that kind of internal conflict.
Honestly, it probably wasnāt something I should have been told either.
Maybe Father Ryuse and the others just wanted someone to hear them out.
Ah, maybe I should have done the same.
There are still emotions smoldering somewhere inside me.
I feel relieved to be free of it all, yet I still couldnāt accept how the divorce was handled.
I have no lingering feelings for my former husband, absolutely not.
Even if I had loved him with all my heart, that treatment would have killed a hundred years of affection.
If anything, my only regret is thinking I should have punched him once before leaving.
I only chose the safest option because I sensed the presence of someone with malicious intent.
I donāt think that someone was my former husband, though.
“So, someone with those circumstancesā¦
But maybe it hasnāt been that long since he was injured?”
“I didnāt ask about the exact timing.
But heās still young, and since he only recently started struggling to make a living, I thinkā¦”
“Then it probably isnāt that old an injury.
Even when we say āold wound,ā the degree matters.
Has anyone checked properly?”
“ā¦So.”
“We donāt actually know whether itās truly an āincurable old injury.ā”
“So we shouldnāt give up hope yet.”
“Exactly.
Maybe just ānot yet,ā but still.”
“That makes sense.
But would it be a burden to make him undergo treatment again if it might not work?”
“You should talk to Father Ryuse about it.”
“I will.
Thank you for listening, Angela.”
I immediately went to consult Father Ryuse about re-treating Sir Claudiusās arm.
Father Ryuse looked troubled.
“I appreciate your concern, but he already received treatment from the ducal houseās healers.”
“Is that so?
But if that were the case, wouldnāt a wound like that have healed completely?”
“Wellā¦”
“Um, I know this is presumptuous of someone like me, but.”
“What is it?”
“Sir Claudius was injured due to conflict within the knight order, and the opponent was the knight commander, someone of high rank, correct?”
“Thatās what Iāve been told.”
“Then isnāt it possible that the treatment was deliberately delayed, or ineffective on purpose?
If it was jealousy, they wouldnāt want him returning to full strength.
Otherwise, there would be no point.”
Father Ryuse looked surprised.
“ā¦Youāre right.
I heard the treatment was delayed, which limited the recovery.
But perhaps they never intended to heal him properly.”
“I donāt know the exact power dynamics, but itās possible, isnāt it?”
“ā¦Yes.”
That meant Sir Claudius might never have received proper treatment at all.
It looked healed, but the injury itself remained severe.
“Iāve been told I have talent in healing magic.
Even if full recovery is difficult, I might at least ease the pain.
Since heās to accompany me, Iād like to do everything I can first.”
There are special cases, like bones healing improperly, but generally, healing magic doesnāt hurt to try.
At worst, nothing changes.
Giving false hope is a concern, but still.
“ā¦Are you sure?
Then please, I would appreciate it.”
Sir Claudius readily agreed to re-treatment.
“Thank you for accepting such an impulsive suggestion.”
“Not at all.
Iām the one receiving treatment.
I should be thanking you.”
“In that case, letās begin right away.”
“Yes, please.”
Sir Claudius removed his jacket again, exposing his upper body.
With his right arm impaired, it looked difficult.
Seeing him up close, his body was clearly well trained.
He had been the best in his former knight order.
And yet he had been driven out for such an unreasonable reason.
I felt a sense of kinship.
More than compassion, I felt anger.
āI will heal him no matter what.ā
With that resolve, I poured all my magic into it.
It was almost like lashing out.
Someone suffering unjustly should never be left that way.
There was no way I could accept it.
“āāāā!”
I released my magic at full power.
I rarely did anything like this.
Healing magic isnāt about raw output.
But still.
A torrent of light burst forth.
I was completely reckless.
I will heal you.
I absolutely will.
“ā¦What?”
“This isā¦”
Father Ryuse and Sir Claudius were left speechless.
Full power, no holding back, charging straight ahead.
Eventually, the torrent of light subsided and converged.
“ā¦Phew.”
Feeling oddly satisfied, I stopped the magic.
I felt dizzy.
Of course I would.
Magic may be invisible, but itās still something I expend.
“Whaā¦”
“How is it?
Has the pain eased?”
Even though it had been reckless.
Looking at his arm, I was surprised myself.
The visible injury was completely gone.
That alone could be called a success.
“This isā¦”
Sir Claudius stared, then swung his right arm.
“ā¦It moves.”
“What?”
“It moves.
Umā¦ like before.”
“What?”
Father Ryuse and I looked at each other.
Did it really heal completely?
“Donāt rush.
Check carefully.
Donāt overdo it.”
“Y-Yes.”
Sir Claudius slowly tested his range of motion.
Then he stood, performed a formal salute, and mimicked sword forms with empty hands.
“ā¦Thereās no pain.
This might beā¦ fully healed.”
Still stunned, he looked at his arm, then at me.
We probably all wore the same expression.
This was far beyond what we expected.
“U-Umā¦?”
Father Ryuse slowly raised a fist, like fulfilling an obligation.
āThis is where we celebrate, right?ā his expression seemed to say.
“Y-Yesā¦ we did it?”
I followed suit and celebrated too.
Honestly, I hadnāt expected this outcome at all.
I didnāt know how to react.
A personās life had just changed completely.
That no one said āWait, seriously?ā might have been the real miracle.
“Th-Thank youā¦!
Sister Ellen!”
It took the three of us some time to fully accept the miracle we had just witnessed.