God of Assassination, Become the Strongest Healer - chapter 15

“Pagan, I get what you’re saying, but you need to back off here.” ―”You idiot! The path is blocked, how do you think you’re getting through?” “Yeah, the entrance to the underground lab is blocked, but that doesn’t mean the lab itself is gone, right?” I understood both of their concerns completely.
But there was no way I was backing down.
“The entrance is just one of the usual ways to reach the goal, it doesn’t mean it’s the only way to get there.”
The Ark, the legacy of the ancient kingdom. And the sealing magic of Orpheus, which shares the same origin as the Ark.
I couldn’t back off now, not when I had to confirm the connection between Orpheus and the ancient kingdom.
―”You… are you crazy?”
My finger was pointing at the ceiling of the underground room, which was the floor of the first floor, and Belzekiel’s eyes widened as he realized what I meant.
―”Ramute said, right? That just passing through the officially opened entrance would put a huge strain on your body. Did you forget that already?”
“I haven’t forgotten. I remember perfectly. Enduring that strain and reaching the underground room is the trial that Ramute prepared. And if I make it through, he said I’d be recognized as Orpheus’ successor.”
―”You remember that and you’re still talking about drilling through the floor?! Are you seriously crazy?”
Thud.Thud.
Unable to hold back his anger, Belzekiel flew into the air and tried to body slam me right in the chest.
―”It might be tough to even make a hole in the floor, but let’s say you somehow manage to do it. Do you think Orpheus’ barrier would allow you to enter the lab like that? If you try something like that, the strain on your body will be several times worse than just going through the official entrance!”
“Yeah, that’s probably true. After all, barriers usually have a habit of punishing those who try to use shortcuts.”
―”Hey! Are you just going to stand there and watch? This idiot keeps saying nonsense, are you just going to watch him do it?”
―”Pagan, I get that you’re frustrated, but we understand. This is too dangerous. You can’t do this.”
“The one who brought up tonight’s test first was Ramute. And tests always come with inherent risks.”
―”Pagan, no! Everything has its limits. I thought the normal entrance was still open, and that it would be a way to test your determination. But the situation has changed, and no matter how I think about it, this is too much. If you go through with this, it won’t even be a test anymore.”
“I understand. So, even if I do manage to get into the lab this way, I won’t claim I passed the test. From now on, my actions will be completely unrelated to the test, and Ramute won’t need to take responsibility for the outcome.”
―”Pagan!”
Even after that, the two of them kept trying to talk me out of it for a long time, but their words had no effect.
―”Fine. If that’s really what you want, we can’t stop you. But if it  gets too dangerous, we’ll pull you out immediately. Got it?”

Ugh! So stubborn! Why does this have to remind me so much of that guy, Orpheus? Seriously!
In the end, both of them grabbed my shoulders with tense expressions.
“Alright. Then let’s start preparing to blow up the floor.”

After coming to a temporary agreement, I began sprinkling the powdered chemicals scattered around the first floor of the Hall of Will onto one side of the floor.
Some of the chemicals were highly unstable, so by mixing a few of those and injecting a small amount of mana, I could expect a pretty powerful explosion.

‘I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but you don’t understand. I’ve got a hidden card up my sleeve that you don’t know about.’

Belzekiel and Ramute were worried about the risks of forcing our way through, but the moment I saw the ancient kingdom’s markings engraved on the collapsed entrance, I was sure.
‘No need to worry. The core of Orpheus’s magic formation is tied to those markings from the ancient kingdom. As long as Arca’s protecting me, there won’t be any fatal problems.’

Even if Orpheus’s barrier tried to stop me, I knew that Arca, which I’ve trained with every single day for the past seven years, would shield me.

—Hey! Let me ask you one last thing. Why the rush? Is there  some urgent reason that justifies all this risk?

“The reason for the rush? Of course there is. Have you ever looked into the saintess’s eyes—really looked?”

If I had to break down my reasons for deciding to force my way through, 90% of it was my curiosity about Orpheus.
But right now, I was trying to use the remaining 10% of the reason to convince them.

—Her eyes?

“If Orpheus were here and saw those eyes on the brink of their limit, wouldn’t he act the same way I am now?”
Saying it like this would make it easier to convince them.

—Phaegan…

“In the end, the main thing this trial is testing is my will. If that’s the case, this attempt will yield even clearer results.”

From the suddenly softer tone in Ramute’s voice, I could tell my words had hit the mark perfectly.

Sizzle.

As soon as I injected mana into the scattered chemicals, flames began to spark. Watching the fiery trail creep toward the explosion point, I added one last thing.

“Whether my will is strong enough to inherit Orpheus’s legacy—or not.”

Creak.
As soon as the sound of the door echoed, all eyes immediately turned in that direction.

It had already been two hours since Phaegan and Ramute had disappeared 

Claudius, who had been anxiously waiting, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the tension in the air had only been heightened by the occasional, random explosion sounds. So when the door finally opened, it was natural for everyone’s attention to be drawn there.

“Ramute!”
“Are you alright, my lord? You’ve been through so much.”

Ramute looked completely worn out, as though he’d been through something utterly draining, while Phaegan’s face seemed a bit pale.

Seeing their poor condition, the guides’ expressions darkened as well, assuming they hadn’t found a solution for the saintess’s illness.

“It’s already quite late, so I think we’ll have to call it a day. Before we leave, I’ll write down the medicine and instructions for preparing it so it can be ready by tomorrow morning.”

“My lord! Then that means—!”

“And, there’s been a bit of an issue inside the Hall of Will, so we couldn’t check all the necessary records. I’ll likely need to visit here daily for a while, so please make arrangements for that as well.”

“Thank you! Lord Claudius, truly, thank you so much!

Though Phaegan’s face was a bit pale, his tone was firm as he gave out instructions. The guides repeatedly bowed deeply, expressing their gratitude.

Unlike Orpheus in the past, he hadn’t returned with an immediate cure, but Claudius’s young guest had come back with a way to move the situation forward.

“Thank you, truly, thank you. Not just us, but all the Wave Tribe living on this island will be forever grateful for your kindness, my lord.

The guides seemed on the verge of tears as they showered him with thanks.

—Ugh…

Watching the exchange between Phaegan and the guides, Ramute sighed quietly. With a more troubled expression, he muttered to himself.

Is this  going to be okay?

—One month later.

“What the heck, why are you coming here every single day? Don’t you have anything better to do at home? Aren’t your parents worried? Or are you just some notorious delinquent whose parents don’t even bat an eye when their kid’s out all night?”

“Are you worried about me right now? Wow, I’m touched.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Why would I care about a lowlife like you? I’m just asking because I’m curious when I’ll finally stop having to see your annoying face. So don’t get any weird ideas.”

“I appreciate the concern, but it’s unnecessary. My parents don’t even know what I’m up to.”

A month had passed since I started treating the saintess.

Ever since I set foot on the legendary island, guided by Ramute, I hadn’t missed a single night of visiting Modenas.

Each night followed the same routine: checking whether the prescribed medicine was being taken properly, visiting the Hall of Will to study Orpheus’s records, and finally heading to the saintess’s residence for her treatment. By the time all of this was done, the night was practically over.

The only reason I could juggle such a packed schedule without getting caught by my family was thanks to Ramute and the other spirit beasts.

Thanks to Tafoma, the owl spirit beast who guards Esfetara’s nights, and the illusions it created, no one ever noticed my absence.

During the day, while staying in Esfetara, I made sure to spend plenty of quality time with my mother, Lana, and Emil. Thanks to that, my family never even suspected that I was sneaking out every night.

The one who concerned me the most was my father, but even with him, I managed to avoid suspicion, thanks to some measures Ramute put in place.

“Master! There’s a new message found at the entrance to the Forest of Eternity!”
“Oh? What does it say?”
“It reads: ‘What a gifted boy needs is time and sufficient patience…’”
“Is that so? Hmm. No matter how I look at it, it sounds like it’s about Phaegan. What are the spirit beasts trying to tell us? Even when I ask Beldorus, all he says is, ‘He still needs more time.’”

Every time my father showed interest in me, some cryptic message would appear at the Forest of Eternity’s entrance. That always led to my father and the elders gathering to decipher its meaning.

Since the entrance to the Forest of Eternity remained partially accessible and not entirely sealed, they couldn’t dismiss the situation lightly. As long as that persisted, my father had no choice but to focus his attention there. thanks to all these little acts of consideration, I can focus on your treatment without worrying my family. So maybe you could show a bit more cooperation out of gratitude for everything being done, huh?”

“You think I’d listen to someone like you?”

Estelle was still being extremely uncooperative with her treatment. When people were watching, she would at least pretend to follow the instructions, but as soon as it was just the two of them, she immediately showed her hostility.
“…Hmm, it’s been a week since I prescribed the fairy leaf. I’d like to check on your progress, so could you stretch out your arm?”
“Hmph!”
“I don’t mind if you yell at me or say you’re going to kill me someday. But refusing treatment outright is a problem.”
Even though she was wearing a mask, Estelle’s anger came through without any filter. The unfortunate thing was that her anger didn’t help calm her mind at all.

But Estelle’s anger wasn’t directed at anyone in particular; it was the result of years of accumulated pain, a directionless rage built up over the past five years. The reason she was angry at me was simply because I was an outsider. Unlike the islanders, who truly felt sorrow for her pain, I was just an outsider who would leave without any sadness or burden.
“If you’re going to keep being this uncooperative, I’ll have to ask for help from the people waiting outside. And don’t you think they’d be really sad if they found out you’re acting like this?”
“…I’ll kill you.”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s get you better first. Then we can think about whether to chop off your head or give you poison.”
She showed intense resistance every day, but suppressing her rebellion wasn’t that hard. After all, I knew her weaknesses, and as long as she cared about the islanders, she would eventually have to listen to me.
“That’s it for today.”
I said my usual goodbye, but as always, there was no response.
Instead of answering, Estelle chose to bury her head under the blanket, and the marks on her skin from her long illness were completely hidden by the white sheets, no longer visible.
“Cough cough…“
Unable to control her anger, her tears finally broke out.
Heavy despair settled on the sheet, wriggling like a caterpillar.
I watched that despair closely and said my goodbye once again.
“See you tomorrow.”

Three days later.
“Ugh…”
As usual, the moonlight poured into Estelle’s bedroom.
But the scene inside the room wasn’t as romantic as the moonlight.
“Ugh… get… away from me.”
“Sorry, I can’t do that.”
Estelle had buried her face in a large crystal container. The bottom of the big crystal container was covered with the blood and vomit she had thrown up.
“Ugh… bleh!”
She had been vomiting for over 30 minutes, and I was sitting next to her, watching the scene unfold.
“Go away! Ugh… please, just go away!”
Even as she wiped the vomit and blood from her mouth, she didn’t stop showing her hostility toward me.
‘It must be humiliating. Probably enough to want to die.’
It was hard for me to say, but Estelle  hated me.
And yet, she had to show such a disgusting, humiliating sight to someone she despised. It wasn’t hard to imagine how deeply embarrassed she must have been.
“Even though you’re making that face, deep down… you probably think I’m disgusting, right? You’re probably laughing at me in your head, thinking, ‘What kind of saint shows such a disgusting side of herself?'”
“If I said it wasn’t me, would you believe me?”
“You bastard! I’ll kill you.”
“It’s not strange for you to be vomiting right now. I explained earlier that the medication I prescribed could have side effects like nausea.”

I know it’s not proper to watch a young girl vomiting, but even so, I stayed by her side.
“Fine! I’ll take whatever medicine or whatever, just get the hell out of here!”
“Vomiting’s fine. But if the amount of blood mixed in starts increasing too much, we need to take immediate action. So, I have no choice but to stay. I’ll leave as soon as I see your vomiting symptoms ease up, so just bear with it, even if it’s uncomfortable.”
“You bastard…”
I tried to explain multiple times why I had to stay here, but Estelle’s hostility didn’t subside.
“You’re lying… everything you say about doing this for me is a lie. The truth is, you just want to laugh at me. Look at me, the filthy saint covered in puke… You’re probably laughing at how disgusting I am, aren’t you?”
“Please, this time, believe me. I swear, I’ve never thought that. I’m not the kind of person who would care about beauty or ugliness when there’s a patient in pain in front of me.”
“Shut up about that damn Claudius!”
If she hadn’t been in a situation where she had to bury her face in the bowl due to the vomiting, she would’ve probably started swinging her arms at me.
“What do I have to do… How do I make you leave? I hate this… I hate it…”
Eventually, Estelle couldn’t handle the intense shame and burst into tears again.
After the anger faded, came the sorrow.

I had already expected to see Estelle’s face covered in puke and tears, so it didn’t shock me.
But as a healer, the responsibility weighed heavily on my chest, and I said it with as much sincerity as I could muster.
“That’s impossible.”
“What?”
“You’re a patient in need of treatment, and there’s still work left to be done. Thanks to Lord Orpheus’ arrangements, I also have a prescription that guarantees the progress of the illness. On top of that, my confidence as a healer that I can improve your condition is unwavering. And you want me to give up on you here?”
The most important thing I learned after being born under the name of Claudius was that the weight of an ‘innocent life’ is never light.
I hoped Estelle would understand this, and I stood up.
Fortunately, her vomiting symptoms seemed to have lessened, so I thought I could leave it here for today.
“As long as I’m Pagan ‘Claudius,’ that’s impossible. So, you should give up on the idea that I’m leaving here anytime soon.

“It’ll be hard to sleep, but it’s better if you force yourself to rest. That way, you’ll be able to endure tomorrow’s treatment.”
“You…”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Click.
Without waiting for her reply, I closed the door and left the bedroom.
“Master…”
As I stood on the stairs heading downstairs, I was greeted by the worried expressions of the high priest and priestesses.
They might not know all the details, but they probably had a rough idea of how Estelle was treating me.
Filled with a mix of guilt for me and worry for the saintess, I spoke to them with as much sincerity as I could.
“It’s alright. She’ll get better soon.”
The high priest looked like he was about to cry. I quickly drank the recovery drink from the tray he had prepared, then said,
“I’ll come again tomorrow.”

”