Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 139

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“…….”
Chaien’s eyes went wide at the sudden remark.
“Contagion?”
“Yes, it’s what healers have always said. A disease of unknown origin. If we’re not careful, it can spread to others…….”
Alex trailed off, unable to finish. The moment he saw Chaien’s face—ready to crumble into tears—he fell silent.
“You… you’ve been hearing things like that all this time?”
“…….”
His voice wavered slightly. Distressed that his younger brother had been subjected to such words, he moved close and wrapped Alex in a gentle embrace.
“…ah.”
A hollow laugh escaped Alex’s lips.
“He’d be horrified if he knew.”
“What?”
“…Nothing.”
Alex shook his head softly, offered a faint smile, and pulled Chaien into a tight embrace.
* * *
“Did you hear about it?”
“About what?”
“That Paino who lives next door.”
“Oh, the one who lost his leg to a monster when he went into the forest?”
Two women who appeared to be in their thirties, drawing water from the well in the village, were chatting.
“Still, at least he’s alive. That’s something to be grateful for.”
“You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
The woman who’d been shaking her head in pity suddenly wore a puzzled expression.
“Paino’s leg grew back!”
“What?”
The woman who had just pulled up the bucket from the well twisted her face in disbelief. In her shock, the bucket tumbled back down into the darkness below.
“That makes no sense. How could a leg that was eaten by a monster just grow back?”
“Exactly! Everyone’s saying it’s a miracle.”
“Truly?”
Without so much as a thought to retrieve the bucket again, the woman stared back in astonishment.
Seeing her reaction, the other woman lowered her voice further and spoke in hushed tones.
“It was…….”
“……?”
“The Saintess who did it.”
“The Saintess?”
“Haven’t you heard? There’s been a woman going around lately near these villages, healing the sick.”
A rumor had been circulating recently among the villages closest to the Persha Duchy.
A young woman, appearing to be in her twenties, had been healing the afflicted wherever she went.
At first they’d thought it mere hearsay, but it turned out that the very woman who’d healed Paino, who lived at the edge of the village, was this Saintess.
The man whose right leg had been completely devoured by the monster now walked on a brand-new, perfectly sound limb.
“That’s impossible.”
“Right? Strange, isn’t it? Could she really be a Saintess?”
“A Saintess, you say…….”
“Why? There was another one long ago who they called a Saintess—she made severed arms grow back and healed wounds without a trace.”
“Really? There was another like that?”
“What was her name? She was said to be the head of a very famous household in the Capital. A figure from more than 300 years ago, they said… wait—”
The two gossiping women suddenly turned their attention to one spot.
A man and a woman were walking not far from them, moving with purpose.
“Isn’t that Yon?”
“It is, but who’s the woman with him?”
Yon, who lived in the same village, was hurrying somewhere with a woman they’d never seen before. Yet the woman’s appearance was striking.
Her silver hair gleamed in the sunlight, and her pale skin stood out. She looked nothing like someone who could belong to such a remote country village.
“…….”
Sensing their gaze, the woman walking beside Yon turned her head toward them.
The moment she smiled radiantly, the two women found themselves momentarily transfixed, unable to look away.
“This way.”
“Yes.”
At Yon’s quickened pace, the woman immediately followed, picking up her step.
“Who was that?”
“No idea.”
Only after the two figures had vanished completely did the women speak again.
“Didn’t John’s wife say she was very ill?”
“That’s right. She touched poison ivy by mistake, and her left hand was rotting away.”
“Hmm, I should visit her soon.”
“Yes, I’ll go with you.”
With new business to attend to, the two women hurried to draw up the bucket from the well again.
* * *
“Ngh…ah… ugh…….”
Moans of agony flowed without ceasing from the woman lying on the bed.
“Er, how is it?”
A small, pale hand tended to the suffering woman.
John watched his wife’s hand, already blackened up to the wrist where the rotted flesh had spread, and his eyes grew red with tears.
“The condition is quite grave, I’ll admit…….”
The woman trailed off for a moment at John’s question, then smiled gently and reassured him.
“I think I can heal it.”
“You… truly can?”
John’s voice trembled. He’d harbored a slim hope, but actually cure his wife?
Rather than answer, the woman brought her hand to rest upon the blackened one.
Whoosh!
In that instant, white mist-like energy flowed from her hand and was drawn into his wife’s.
“Gasp!”
John’s eyes flew wide open. His wife’s blackened hand had returned to its natural state in a single moment.
“Dear… my dear…….”
His wife, who moments before could barely open her eyes against the pain, called out to him. Her voice was still weak, but there was no trace of the anguish from before.
“Sob!”
Tears finally streamed down John’s face.
“Thank you… thank you so much!”
Clutching his wife’s hand, he bowed repeatedly.
The silver-haired woman watched him and smiled broadly, shaking her head.
“I’m glad I could help.”
John looked at the woman with even greater emotion and bowed deeply once more from the heart.
“Saintess, I don’t know how to repay such kindness……”
As John’s voice wavered with gratitude, the woman paused to consider, then made a request.
“Could you show me the way?”
“The way? Just name the place! I’ll take you there myself!”
“No, I just need directions.”
“Where to…….”
“The Persha Duchy.”
“Pardon?”
John’s mouth fell open. Then he hastily shook his head.
“What business could you possibly have there? It’s an incredibly dangerous place!”
The Ice Tree Forest was treacherous enough, and the Persha Duchy was a place where you encountered monsters several times a day. That such a Saintess would go there!
“There’s someone I absolutely must meet.”
The woman’s smile deepened.
“An old friend.”
* * *
“…Bastard.”
“…….”
“Underhanded scoundrel.”
“What?”
Seres fixed a sharp glare on Kainel as he walked leisurely beside her. Yet despite the heat in her eyes, a smile never left his face.
“You made plenty of money, and now you’re going to extract it all from me in the end, aren’t you?”
Even though I’ve revealed myself, confirmed I’m Grace and all.
“Public matters and private matters must be kept strictly separate.”
“Right, very noble of you.”
Kainel’s face, grinning as if he’d just received praise, was infuriatingly smug.
‘What are you doing? Aren’t you getting ready?’
‘Ready for what?’
‘There’s an Imperial Conference today.’
‘…You want me to come along?’
‘Yeah. You’ve got to pay back the debt.’
‘…….’
‘No, I mean—I will pay it back, obviously.’
Of course she’d pay it back, but the way he kept throwing it in her face like this, so brazenly, without the slightest hint of forgiveness—it stung. Or was it more that she felt… hurt? They weren’t the sort of people who should be haggling over money like this, were they?
Even after revealing herself as Seres, he’d shown her no mercy on the debt and pushed the Contract right back at her. The disappointment was crushing.
“Rich bastard playing petty.”
“Even if I have money, I don’t like wasting it on pointless things.”
“So I’m pointless to you?”
“That’s what you get for not telling me who you were before signing the Contract.”
…Oh, so that’s what this is. He’s getting revenge for her not telling him sooner!
“Fine. It’s all my fault.”
“Good. Now you know.”
…And stop smirking like that. It’s infuriating.
Either way, Seres found herself following Kainel to the Imperial Conference Hall once again, her tongue clicking against her teeth with every step.
“Hm?”
But the moment she stepped into the conference hall, she sensed something was wrong. The chamber, usually abuzz with noise, hung in an eerie silence—as if Kainel had already arrived and imposed his presence on the room.
Everyone sat with their lips pressed shut, their eyes darting nervously toward someone. Following their gazes, Seres felt her own eyes widen gradually.
“What?”
Sitting in their seats were people far too familiar to her.
At Seres’s soft exclamation, the two figures lounging indifferently in their chairs—Duke Elkain and Duke Noroa—turned their heads. Their eyes, too, began to widen.
“Seres?”
“My girl!”
Both rose abruptly from their seats and hurried toward her.
“Well, well, look who we’re seeing here. What brings you to this place?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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