A Great Being (5)

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as you heard and understood. I didn’t lie. You have talent.”

Although they gave her the shining gold coins as promised, the person who seemed to be the leader of the human trafficking group that forcibly confined her here while she was frantically insisting on going to a priest, her eyes rolling.

That person brought up a surprising story. It was so surprising that Maria momentarily forgot that the person questioning her with a hood pulled down was a girl with a similar build to herself.

“That can’t be… That’s impossible. I couldn’t heal anyone.”

Naturally, she couldn’t believe it. How desperate she had been yesterday, watching the Saint leave. Seeing her father unable to get up from his bed, not even able to eat properly, she had shed all the moisture in her body as tears.

In that half-crazed state, she came to the city and sold the sewn fabric, barely receiving money. On her way back, she just happened to see people gathered and tried holding the corrupted artifact once.

Although the artifact crackled and rolled on the ground with a strong impact, Maria was only fixated on the gold coins they promised to give, not caring why she reacted to the artifact.

“The power you have is not healing power. It’s Parma’s power that purifies all enemies. It’s a much higher power. It will smash everything you deem as an enemy.”

The other person sighed and clicked their tongue at her disbelieving appearance.

Maria was too overwhelmed. Even though Isilia persistently explained, and even though Laila and Lina, who were sent up, brought sweet snacks and water and kindly offered them, she couldn’t believe or accept reality.

“It seems we’ll need to spend some time. The way this child looks now, it’s just like exhausted adventurers who’ve collapsed.”

Patrick, who had been driven out earlier because his fierce expression wasn’t helping, came back and advised. Isilia had to admit Patrick was right on this point.

“But we don’t have time. The prospective Saint secured by the Order will take a spatial jump to the headquarters tomorrow to formally awaken.”

However, she couldn’t agree with the suggestion to persuade slowly over time, so Isilia finally decided to use her cheat key.

She decided to reveal her identity, which neither the executive of a criminal organization spreading across the continent, nor a veteran adventurer, nor a noble and influential scholar from the Beastkin Kingdom, nor stubborn elves, nor the grand priest of the Order could refuse.

“Ah…”

Maria unconsciously exclaimed when she saw Isilia slowly revealed between her bangs.

The brilliantly flowing silver hair and the vividly shining red eyes.

Above all, the pair of long, pointed ears protruding through her hair clearly showed that Isilia, who looked like a peer at first glance, was of a different race.

“This is High Elf Lady Isilia, the origin of us elves, who has existed since 10,000 years ago before the Primordial Tower collapsed. Through her power, not only was the erosion, the beginning of the Great Apocalypse, made known to the world, but the World Tree was revived and the elf clans united to form a treaty with the human kingdoms. So you, a mere girl, should believe and follow her.”

Arisa, who had also removed her hood and revealed her blonde hair and ears, introduced Isilia to Maria with grand additional comments.

Clearly, Maria, who had lived in a remote rural village, had never seen an elf in her life.

“What’s a High Elf?”

“…?”

The problem is that Maria’s knowledge is beyond ignorant, almost pure white. 10,000 years ago, High Elf. The pressure and authority coming from those two words only work for those who know their value.

To Maria right now, Isilia in front of her was just a slightly unusually shaped noble young lady.

* * *

“A High Elf is originally when the elf clan in this world…”

“Stop, this isn’t a history classroom right now.”

After a moment of incredulity, I stopped Arisa, who was about to start explaining what a High Elf is by bringing up stories from 10,000 years ago.

If I don’t stop her mouth now, she’ll surely go on talking all day long.

“If you don’t comply now, the crucial plan that cost over 100,000 gold coins might be ruined…”

“You stop too. This child doesn’t even know what our plan is.”

I also stopped Laila, who, as expected of a merchant’s daughter, started talking about money first. In my view, what this Maria child needs right now is nothing else.

“Follow along quietly and listen to the explanation. Then I’ll heal your father.”

“Is that really true!?”

At my words, Maria’s eyes, which had been filled with both emptiness and fear until now, widened greatly.

Yes, unlike me who only looks young, the girl in front of me right now is truly an innocent girl. If this were Earth, she’d be just starting middle school.

She’s still young even compared to Laila and Lina, who are in their late teens.

Moreover, she’s small due to malnutrition and her mind is clean due to lack of education. Because of this, she looked even younger than her age.

“How are you going to heal him?”

“If we had holy water we would use it, but we used it all on the World Tree, so we have no choice. Patrick, you go and send a message to Lebevre. Tell him to rush here.”

In response to Lina’s worried words, I had something in mind and made Patrick call for Lebevre.

Lebevre is one of only ten grand priests in the Order. Above him is only one pope called the Chief Priest.

Normally, he wouldn’t move his heavy bottom even if offered 100 gold coins, but that Lebevre has eaten over 100,000 gold coins thanks to me. Moreover, he’s now the second-in-command of the Order, a position whose value can’t be measured in gold coins. He has no choice but to move.

“Still, being a grand priest, he should be better than a novice Saint who’s just awakening. If even he can’t save that person, then there’s nothing we can do, but it should be fine.”

“The Order’s grand priest…”

At the words that I could command a grand priest with just a finger, Maria’s eyes changed to sparkling. If she’s like this without even seeing the direct effect, if we really save her father, it seemed there would be no problem gaining this child’s trust.

“S-suddenly sending such a message, what are you thinking!?”

“Why are you reacting so sensitively? Considering what you’ve gained, you should do at least this much.”

Lebevre arrived late at night. Rushing over via spatial jump, he was surprisingly alone. Seeing him wearing ordinary priest robes instead of fancy ones and wearing a hood, he clearly came in secret.

The process of slipping out must have been quite arduous, as he whined upon seeing me waiting at the meeting place.

“Isn’t the reason for all this trouble because of you in the first place? Goodness, telling me to bring the Saint. There are other tasks to entrust.”

“No, that’s…”

When I grumbled and expressed irritation in return, he had a face speechless with disbelief. In fact, the root cause was that I needed to go into the sacred place myself to see the true holy water.

But I didn’t particularly care. Lebevre is clearly in a position where he should accept this level of tyranny.

“We’ve already secured the Saint. She’s arriving at headquarters via spatial jump tomorrow morning.”

“Looking at history, that child could be called a Saint too. But you might not know. Originally, in the mythical era, beings called Saints weren’t just people with mere healing abilities.”

I stepped aside and introduced Maria to Lebevre. Although we had her washed and changed into new clothes, Lebevre tilted his head looking at this ordinary girl.

“Are you saying this child is the Saint?”

“Just as true holy water and ordinary holy water are different, true Saints and Saints are different. Bring it.”

I had Lina give the artifact she was holding to Maria, and then as practiced, I placed my hand on Maria’s shoulder.

Lebevre, being an upper-class intellectual, knew what corrupted artifacts were and how to purify them.

How much effort each country put into purifying that ‘impurity’, which is like a kind of curse.

“Ah, no. This can’t be!”

But now that artifact is slowly being purified in Maria’s hand, accompanied by crackling blue sparks.

Of course, Maria, who hasn’t formally awakened yet, can’t withstand this much recoil. It’s only possible because I’m helping by flowing my mana into her body.

“Isn’t this proof enough?”

“Then why on earth did you call me? We could take this child right away and introduce her. Of course, I can become this child’s guardian.”

“That’s what we should do, but she can’t leave her sick father and go far away.”

I told the excited Lebevre the reason why I called him here.

If it were just to work for a poor farmer, he would be reluctant, but Maria is no longer just a poor farmer’s daughter.

She is the next Saint, and moreover, the bloodline of the true Saint from long ago, whose line was said to have been cut off.

“Then can my father really live now?”

“Not just live. No, not just that. As much as the prospective Saint cares, he’ll be able to enjoy many things.”

Lebevre headed towards her house, leading Maria.

And as I followed behind, I frowned.

‘This won’t be the end.’

Lebevre himself surely knows well. The factional fight within the Order that was barely settled could start again at any time.

Especially now, with two Saints and a hero all appearing, it was perhaps the perfect environment for a new conflict to arise.

Honestly, I want to leave them to sort it out among themselves, but I couldn’t be sure.

The erosion will get worse over time, but can they grow on their own without me stepping in…?