It was a late lunch.
Astria slowly opened her eyes.
The overly bright sunlight, her languid body, and the growling hunger in her stomach clock pointed to lunchtime.
Looks like he overslept again.
She did tell her not to wake her, didn’t she?
Clueless maid.
…If it were someone else, enjoying their vacation, they would have easily ignored such words and woken her.
“Your Majesty, Priest Seria wishes to speak with you.”
“Tell her to leave.”
“Your Majesty.”
“My physician is the only one I need. Only one person can see my body.”
Yesterday, a priest came.
She said Sena had chosen his successor.
That cat-like guy.
It looks like he had been preparing to leave secretly.
“…She said Sena would be sad.”
Astria twitched her eyebrows.
“Still, should I yield?”
At Betty’s mournful voice, Astria turned her head sharply.
“Summon her.”
“A 1st Grade Priest, Seria, requests an audience.”
Astria didn’t like Seria’s face from the first encounter.
“Don’t lift your head. No need to respond. Just listen.”
Astria glared coldly at Seria, who bowed her head.
“My physician will return soon. You’re not needed.”
Seria replied nonchalantly.
“Could I at least treat you until then?”
“…”
Astria remained obstinate.
She’s sure she told her not to speak.
But Seria persisted firmly.
“I will come tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow?”
‘Right. Come to think of it, Sena won’t be here tomorrow morning either.’
“…”
Moreover, this priest, she really didn’t like her.
There was no reason. she just didn’t. From head to toe.
Especially her chest area.
Astria patted the armrest and lost herself in her thoughts.
I wanted him to come back by himself. I guess I can’t stand it.’
Suddenly, Astria felt uncomfortable with mornings without Sena.
What could fill this emptiness?
Probably no one else but the person involved.
“I should bring him back soon.”
Just as Astria freed Sena on her own terms, she decided that she should capture him on her own terms.
She was planning on letting it go for about a week.
A week was too long for a tyrant.
“That’s a very good idea. I’ll bring him back now.”
“How presumptuous.”
Astria raised the corners of her mouth.
“Would I leave another woman’s hands untied? Me?”
She glared fiercely at Seria.
“I will go myself.”
Thus, for the first time in 3 years, the Empress’s inspection tour of the capital was carried out.
**
“Do I look like someone who would give up?”
Sena was genuinely annoyed.
“Leaving the capital without Cruyff’s help is a piece of cake.”
When he asked for Isabella’s help.
In that moment, Sena remembered the determined face of the youthful Astria.
-Oh, quite proper, my physician.
-How dare you insult me like that? I will destroy the three families.
Shiver.
Perhaps it’s best not to use that method after all.
“Looking for a solution is good, but…”
Sylvia said with a face full of dissatisfaction.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Huh?”
“Treatment, treatment.”
“Uh, uh, of course I know. I’ve been thinking about it all along.”
Hair standing up.
Sylvia sighed.
Was asking him to take care of himself such a difficult request?
“Since we’re here at the church, it’s best to get checked here.”
“Well, after leaving the capital…”
Sylvia grabbed Sena’s arm and dragged him out of the prayer room.
“Hey, Sylvia? We’re in a cathedral, so they won’t provide treatment here.”
Sena protested, but it was futile. Sylvia was determined not to delay any longer.
Creak, Sylvia opened the door, sensing the presence of someone outside, and pushed Sena forward.
“Have you finished your prayers?”
“There’s a sick person.”
“…?”
Ellie blinked and tilted her head.
“Please treat him.”
“Sister, this is a cathedral. It is not a space to use holy magic.”
“Yes, right? She said no. Let’s go back.”
“But…”
Ellie smiled broadly.
“It’s a different story with Brother Sena. I can’t just turn away someone who prayed for me.”
‘This special treatment isn’t really appreciated…’
Sena’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t want to waste time on meaningless things.
But unable to resist Sylvia’s insistence, he approached Ellie.
“Where does it hurt?”
“I’m not in any pain.”
Sylvia spoke from behind.
“Frequently coughing blood. Difficulty breathing at night, and imbalance in the body.”
“Oh dear.”
Ellie’s expression turned serious.
She had initially thought it was just a minor cold based on appearances, but the condition seemed worse than expected.
“It’s not that serious.”
“Senior. I’m really willing to tie up Senior and go around all the churches in the Empire.”
“Isn’t that a bit too much?”
Ellie chuckled.
“You two seem to get along really well. I envy you. Now, Brother Sena, would you give me the opportunity to hold your hand?”
Sena extended his hand with a resigned expression.
Ellie took Sena’s hand and closed her eyes.
Soon, a warm energy flowed into his body.
It was Ellie’s divine power. Did Ellie feel the same sensation?
He felt a bit drowsy and relaxed. Divine power had a pleasant flow.
“This is…”
Ellie slowly opened her closed eyes.
“…Unbelievable.”
“What’s wrong!?”
Sylvia leaned in, banging the table and bringing her face close.
Ellie didn’t hear Sylvia’s voice like that. The shock was too great. A drop of cold sweat trickled down her cheek.
She had seen many people.
Countless priests and apprentices.
But this was the first case. No, there wouldn’t be another like it in the future.
“Most of his body is made up of divine power. How is that possible? I understand Brother Sena isn’t even a priest.”
Sena’s face was stained with embarrassment.
‘What is this person?’
Her words were right.
Half of Sena’s body was indeed composed of divine power.
An overwhelming talent received at birth.
This was also a reason why the church was eager to recruit Sena.
With this level of divine, he could achieve ‘any miracle’.
Therefore, he suppressed his divine power as much as possible in everyday life.
Certainly, no ordinary priest could diagnose Sena’s body.
At least, not below the rank of cardinal. Couldn’t they tell from his deliberately restrained aura?
‘What is it?’
“This… is evidence that he’s greatly loved by Justitia.”
Ellie was slightly excited.
“Why aren’t you a priest? I don’t know much about worldly matters, but it seems like there’s no better option for you than to become a priest.”
Because both the church and Justitia were disliked by him.
He would never become a priest, even if he died.
“Don’t I have the right to refuse?”
“…”
“I wasn’t born like this because I wanted to be.”
Sena said somewhat bitterly. Ellie released his arm with a blank expression.
“I dreamed of becoming a priest since I was born and raised, so I thought having even a little divine power was just a good thing. I guess excessive divine power to someone who doesn’t want it is just a burden. I’m sorry.”
Ellie was indeed a good priest.
There was no need for her to apologize.
“So, what about the Senior’s body? What’s the problem?”
Ellie lowered her head.
“I’m not sure myself. Divine power naturally returns to its original state. With this level of divine power, any abnormalities should improve quickly. However…”
Ellie touched her lips for a moment. She should avoid making speculative comments to patients. But she didn’t know about this case, one of her own little thoughts might matter.
“It’s possible that it’s the recoil of Holy Magic. When someone who isn’t a formal priest uses divine power, there’s a cost. Brother Sena, do you usually use divine power to heal people?”
Sylvia’s pupils dilated.
Sena awkwardly smiled and extended his hand.
“No way.”
However, Sylvia, who had partially turned her eyes, couldn’t hear Sena’s voice.
She just received the feeling of her heart sinking.
“…Is that true?”
“If someone who isn’t a priest uses divine power, it’s bad for the body.”
“Yes. It probably shortens your lifespan. Justitia does not allow that.”
Sylvia bit her lip.
“Okay, then.”
As soon as the moisture started to build up, she looked at Sena.
“Senior Sena, have you been using your lifespan to save people all this time? Even… me?”
No, no.
That can’t be.
It’s just the power of modern medicine and fantasy.
Using divine power without learning it has always been strictly prohibited by Cruyff.
He knew that his body would recoil, and Sena didn’t go to such lengths to save someone.
Of course, he unavoidably used a bit when performing ‘medicine’.
It was enough to be allowed by Cruyff.
It slightly accelerated natural recovery.
More importantly, if that were the case, Sena’s lifespan would have decreased day by day when saving Astria.
But Sena had never seen his number change since he saw it.
It didn’t increase or decrease.
That wasn’t the cause. There was no relationship between divine power and his body. On the contrary, it was more credible that God shortened his lifespan as a reward for receiving excessive divine power.
“No, really. I’ve never used even a bit of divine power.”
Sena dismissed it briefly.
It was technically a lie because he used it a little, but he thought it best to be firm to avoid misunderstandings.
“Ah.”
Sylvia’s eyes fell on Sena’s hair, which stood up straight on the top of his head.
Lie.
He lied.
Her body sank.
“Why, why on earth.”
“Why did you have to go to such lengths?”
Sena was taken aback. It seemed like she was misunderstanding something absurd.
“Sy-Sylvia? I really didn’t…”
Sylvia’s eyes, already blurred, couldn’t see anything.
It felt like falling into an endless abyss of despair.
“Sylvia? Sylvia!”
“Sylvia!”
Sena shouted with force, gripping Sylvia’s shoulders tightly.
She looked incredibly anxious.
It was heartbreaking to see her so scared and fearful.
“Snap out of it.”
Sena said firmly.
With all sincerity.
“I’m really okay.”
But it wasn’t much of a comfort for Sylvia.
The compass indicating Sena’s condition had been pointing north all along.
