Should I Take Off My Clothes?

Medicine is not just about treating diseases and wounds.

Preventing diseases from occurring in the first place, and nursing to prevent conditions from worsening, can also be considered within the realm of medicine in a broad sense.

“Now, say ‘ah’.”

But this is the first time seeing someone perform it professionally.

The believers, including Haide’s Black Saint, took time to observe from afar the self-proclaimed doctor performing a diagnosis.

“Your bronchi don’t look good. You’ve been having a lot of phlegm recently, right?”

“Ho ho, you can tell by looking?”

“I see as much as I know. You know, Grandpa, you sometimes get a feeling when it’s about to rain, right?”

“That’s right. It’s strange how my bones ache when the weather’s about to turn bad.”

“There are many things in the world that we seem to know somehow, even if we don’t know the cause.”

Seine, conversing with the old man, takes something out of her bag.

What she held in her hand was a spray-type device that disperses contents using a simple mechanical device.

“Now, open your mouth please.”

“If you say so. Aah~”

With a hiss, the medicine is sprayed. As it moistened the inside of the throat, the old woman’s body shrank slightly.

“How is it, feeling better?”

“Mmm, it’s quite cool and nice. Did you pour cold water or something?”

“It’s the mint added to the medicine that gives a refreshing feeling. I’ll leave this medicine here, so you can use it once whenever you feel short of breath.”

“It’s my first time using something like this. Isn’t it expensive?”

“It’s not that expensive. You can easily get it at a pharmacy in the academic city… If it’s difficult to go to the city, you can get a similar feeling by picking wild mint from the nearby forest and boiling it to drink.”

“Ho ho, that’s good advice.”

“Is there anywhere else you’re uncomfortable? Just in case, I’ll check your bones too.”

The woman continues various examinations on the old woman.

Although this act is much more cumbersome compared to treatment using holy power, the old woman’s face, which remained unclear even when exposed to light, was brighter than before.

It was an unexpected sight for the watching believers.

The same was true for other people in the village.

“Excuse me, could you perhaps examine me too?”

A young man from the village approaches after the diagnosis is finished.

Unlike the old woman, he doesn’t have weakness due to aging, but he was limping throughout his approach, seemingly having trouble with his leg.

“My leg hasn’t been moving well for a long time, and it doesn’t improve much even with holy power.”

“Well, congenital disabilities sometimes can’t be resolved with holy power. I can do some light physical therapy here.”

Saying this, Seine begins examining the man’s leg.

Although her eyes are still soaked with fatigue, a serious color revolves in her pupils during the moment of diagnosis.

On the other hand, it’s an atmosphere that even feels passionate.

“In the past,”

As the believers watch this scene with bated breath, Haide’s saint quietly speaks to Vincent.

“They say there were many who denied even such light treatments. Because they considered a body that couldn’t accept holy power as having reached the end of its fate.”

Indeed, treatment by holy power is about ‘restoring’ to the original state that person should progress to.

Therefore, congenital disabilities or diseases are inevitably excluded from the subject of treatment.

Rather, in the past, those with congenital disabilities were considered ‘cursed’, and in extreme cases, they were even executed as demons or witches.

In fact, it’s said that less than half a century ago in the Empire, there was a case where a noble with asthma, a hereditary intractable disease, was subjected to a religious trial for being treated.

‘Considering what happened then, a scene like this unfolding now can be called a miracle in itself.’

An act that no one can rashly restrain, although there isn’t no opposition at all.

Watching her perform this boldly, I felt a corner of my heart beginning to stir.

Perhaps.

Perhaps this person might be able to teach the answer to the question I’ve been looking for all along.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Thank you, young lady. Thanks to you, I have the will to live a bit longer.”

“I’ll ask for your help again if I have the chance.”

The villagers seeing Seine off with uniformly satisfied faces.

Seine, smiling contentedly at them, soon began to approach Vincent, who was trying to lead the believers.

“Oh, I’m sorry~ Since I often work night shifts, I showed an unsightly appearance as soon as I joined.”

“…Seems you’re aware of it.”

Vincent showing his discomfort towards the woman apologizing frivolously.

But as if acknowledging the virtue of caring for patients, Vincent urged her to join the group without saying much.

“Today we plan to combine rituals and patient treatment while pilgrimaging along the border. We’ll probably head to the academy tomorrow morning.”

“That’s fine, I had that in mind to some extent. Please call me anytime if you need anything. Although my abilities are insignificant compared to Haide’s believers, I’ll do my best within what I can do.”

Seine patting Vincent’s armor while smiling good-naturedly.

Vincent was about to say something, but then sighed softly and withdrew his attention from her.

Let’s watch for now, even if it’s unclear.

Yes, that’s how it should be concluded for now.

“Saint?”

But at that moment, the voice of the believers is heard.

What exists in the place where the gaze turned was the saint, who should have been the first to receive protection and board the carriage.

Ignoring the careful restraints, as if possessed by something, she pushes aside the believers and approaches the woman in the white gown.

“Ms. Seine. Could we talk, just the two of us for a moment?”

What came out of her mouth was a proposal no one present had expected.

---

Clunk, clunk.

The sound of the carriage shaking and my body shaking along with it.

Feeling that vibration made me realize again.

That I’m now inside the carriage prepared to carry the saint, having said goodbye to my new friend Unicorn.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Josephine, a priestess of Haide who conveys Haide’s will on behalf of the believers.”

Who is a saint?

In a large-scale order, she is a priestess promoted to represent the ‘Halo of God’ created over thousands of years… that is, negotiation with God, and is considered the second most important figure in the order after the pope.

Naturally, the exclusive carriage prepared to carry the saint is decorated with as much care.

To summarize its interior, it was exuding religious mystique to the extent that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a small shrine.

-Clunk.

Nevertheless, my gaze couldn’t help but be directed to the lower part of her face.

Because I could see her breasts shaking even amid the carriage’s shaking.

Do breasts that big shake even with carriage vibrations?

Damn, why did I only realize this now?

“…Excuse me?”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry. I just…”

But no matter how astonishing, it’s not polite to just stare at someone’s chest in front of them.

By the way, what did she say just now?

She definitely introduced herself… Did she say her surname was Jo?

“Yes, um. You probably know already, but I’ll introduce myself again as a matter of courtesy. I am Seine Velvet, currently serving as the health teacher at Maris Academy. I look forward to working with you, Ms. Sephin.”

“Sephin…?”

“Ah, didn’t you say your surname was Jo and your name was Sephin?”

“…?”

The saint, Ms. Jo Sephin, blinking and staring at me.

It was then that I straightened my mind that had been sold to her chest and properly checked her face.

The veil she had taken off after entering the carriage.

Inside, there was neat black short hair along with black eyes, but in contrast, her skin was extremely white.

And there’s almost no emotion felt on her face. Should I say it’s beyond blunt, lacking vitality?

“…I’m sorry.”

Facing the emptiness felt from her, I started to feel cowed for no reason.

Because I was overwhelmed by anxiety that I might have stepped on a landmine.

“No, it’s alright.”

But the saint, as if to soothe my anxiety, placed her hand on her chest and spoke kindly.

“Indeed, a connection can start even from a leaf that reaches riding on flowing river water. Just as whether it becomes fertilizer or decoration depends on the will of the one who picks it up, the baptismal name given when joining the order can also be accepted as more than a name or in other meanings to someone.”

“Uh, um… Yes. Is that so?”

A truly poetic and dignified expression.

I thought it was indeed befitting of a saint, but more than that, her generosity as broad as her chest was standing out.

“In an official setting it might be different, but in private settings, it can be said that the correct answer is not to be bound by each other’s roles and positions. So please feel free to call me as you like, Ms. Seine.”

The saint saying this while modestly placing both her arms on her knees.

Her eyes are still so empty that the focus can’t be seen, but what was drawn on her lips was clearly something that could be called a smile.

“Yes. Then, Ms. Sephin…”

“Yes, I look forward to working with you, Ms. Seine.”

Such a smooth situation of exchanging greetings.

Nevertheless, my heart facing her couldn’t be said to be entirely comfortable.

Judging by the surprised looks of the surrounding believers, her desire for a private audience with me must have been her unilateral decision.

Then why on earth did she call me alone into this carriage?

What does she want from me, who belongs to a different order?

“Ms. Seine, the reason I requested a private audience with you is……”

The answer to that was soon uttered from her mouth.

“I would like you to look at my body.”

“…Pardon?”

Wait.

What did this young lady just say?

“Like you did with the patients earlier.”

“Ah. Yes. You mean an examination, right?”

What was I thinking.

Certainly, at that time, rather than stopping me from examining, the believers were silently watching with some curiosity.

Our saint also called me to experience that once. Yes, if it’s just that much, I’m fully willing to comply.

“By the way, should I take off my clothes?”

If it’s just that much.

“Pardon?”

“This is my first time, but…”

For a moment, I had a blank expression not understanding her words.

Soon, she placed her hand smoothly on the protruding shoulder part of her nun’s habit.

“I’ll do my best within what I can do.”

With a rustle, the sound of fabric friction, her collarbone was revealed.

Below that, a weapon I had never seen in my life was dancing to the rhythm of the carriage’s vibrations.