Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 53

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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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He had been born the Second Prince and rose to become the Master of the Arcane Tower.
Though he had spent his entire life among the glorious and exalted, even Chaien had never faced the Spirit King until now.
Confronted with that singular presence—the kind that commanded attention in any room—even he found himself at a loss for words.
‘But you’re different, aren’t you.’
How could she be so composed about it?
“Did you already know the Spirit King?”
“No.”
How does our temporary secretary manage such composure? I almost want to believe her.
“It’s been almost a month now.”
“Right.”
Luka would probably be back tomorrow. Which meant Seres’s time as temporary secretary would soon be over.
“Ugh, what a bore.”
“What?”
“Should I give you another month of leave?”
“What?”
“Never mind, it’s nothing.”
“It’s hardly nothing, sir.”
…!
At that moment, a familiar voice cut into their conversation.
Standing against the doorframe with an expression of exasperation was Luka, his secretary, who had apparently arrived without anyone noticing.
While Chaien jumped in surprise, Seres showed no particular change in expression—she had clearly been expecting him.
“What? You’re back already?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I’ve returned earlier than expected. Should I have stayed another month or so?”
“Ha… haha.”
…He heard it. He heard it all.
“Sharp ears, I’ve got ’em.”
“I trust you’re aware that those same sharp ears also caught every word of what you just said.”
Watching Luka’s pointed stare, Chaien broke into a grin. At moments like this, laughter was the best defense.
“Has anything gone amiss?”
Without acknowledging Chaien’s desperate attempts to lighten the mood, Luka turned his attention to Seres.
“More than half the Tower staff have had no surprises. As you can see, the Tower itself remains intact.”
“That’s fortunate.”
The Tower staff had their feathers ruffled by Chaien’s antics often enough, but as Luka had warned, no serious incidents had occurred.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Luka bowed his head lightly but sincerely.
From what he’d heard, Chaien had even attended an imperial council meeting.
Of course, it sounded like he’d caused the usual sort of unnecessary trouble while there, but the fact that he’d gone at all mattered.
Having already received reports on various matters before coming here, Luka was quite surprised by this development.
‘It seems this woman’s doing.’
There was no other way to explain how that stubborn fool had agreed to attend an imperial council.
What sort of magic had she used on him?
“Would you consider staying on? Not as temporary, but as a permanent secretary?”
“Permanent?”
“Yes, as an official secretary rather than a temporary one.”
There would be no problem in adding another secretary to the Master of the Tower’s staff.
Luka felt it was a waste to send Seres back after using her merely as a temporary hire.
“That’s actually a great idea!”
Chaien looked pleased by Luka’s proposal, his expression brightening.
“I’d rather not.”
“Why not?”
“It doesn’t suit my temperament.”
Seres shook her head firmly.
Though she had taken on this work for the money, she had come to realize that constantly attending to someone else’s needs and managing their affairs simply didn’t fit her nature.
She had thought idling away beside someone would be a cushy arrangement, but it turned out to be far more draining than expected.
“So you’re going back to the restaurant?”
“Our staff can manage the restaurant just fine on their own.”
She figured she could simply pop by and oversee things from time to time, as she had before.
“Then what will you do next?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Seres fell into thought for a moment.
The head of the Elrsia Countess Family—the person who had grated on her most recently—had changed.
‘That girl.’
Herion would likely guide the family well.
Of course, it would be difficult at first. She’d been somewhat neglected within the family all this time.
Many would struggle to accept Herion as the sudden new head.
But she had an exceptionally powerful ally at her side, didn’t she?
[I will stand beside you going forward. Show me proper respect.]
‘Huh? I have to show respect? Can’t we just be friends?’
[Friends? How dare you—a mere human—speak of friendship with me!]
‘The weather is so lovely today. Would you like to take a walk?’
[Are you even listening to what I’m—]
‘There’s a beautiful garden over there. Let’s go together!’
[…….]
In other words, she had a habit of pushing forward her own way without hesitation.
Even Juberios, the temperamental Spirit King of Fire, seemed to have lost his words.
She would likely handle things well going forward. Her knowledge of Healing Arts was particularly exceptional.
And yet, there was still something that bothered her…….
“If the essence changed, what could be the reason?”
“I can’t follow your train of thought, Seres…….”
“That’s fine. I didn’t expect you to.”
Chaien shuddered at how she abruptly changed the subject and then rushed him for an answer, as if demanding results.
But knowing she wouldn’t speak carelessly, he puffed out his cheeks while obediently opening his mouth anyway.
“Either enough time has passed for that essence to fade, or they’ve developed a taste for something substantial enough to abandon their long history and traditions.”
“For instance?”
“Money?”
…That sounded plausible.
Without realizing it, Seres nodded in agreement.
After all, the sums earned through Healing Arts had to be considerable.
Recalling the roots of the Elrsia family, she stifled one sigh after another.
‘Swordsmanship.’
Having gone directly to the family and examined things herself, Seres was flabbergasted.
The current Elrsia was so utterly lacking in swordsmanship expertise that she wondered if this was truly the place once called the Empire’s Sword.
She couldn’t speak for a while after seeing the knights belonging to the Elrsia Countess Family.
‘I would’ve fared better dragging in rabble from off the streets.’
Recalling the desolate feeling from that time, a bright smile formed on Seres’s face.
Seeing this, Chaien felt an inexplicable chill and brushed his arm once.
He tilted his head, wondering why he suddenly felt cold, and added his thoughts.
“It could be power and prestige, but those don’t produce immediate effects the way wealth does. Money is what has the most direct impact on survival.”
“You’re right, just looking at the Elrsia Countess Family proves it.”
“Hm?”
“The swords those knights carried gleamed like new. It’s strange, considering it hasn’t even been a month since the Black Forest appeared in the Capital.”
As she ventured that perhaps they distributed new swords periodically, Chaien—unable to fathom such complexities—shook his head with a bright laugh.
“The Elrsia Countess Family does have money, sure, but it’s not that. Besides, they don’t have the skill to hunt monsters in the first place!”
‘This is infuriating.’
They really had abandoned swordsmanship.
Thinking of knights with nothing but flashy appearances, as if they were marching in some pageant, an involuntary laugh escaped her.
It was Seres herself who introduced Healing Arts to the Elrsia Countess Family.
In other words, she bore some responsibility for the current situation—where the Empire’s greatest swordsman lineage, rooted in the blade, now clung solely to Healing Arts.
‘What should I do?’
Of course, continuing on as a Healing Arts family the way things were now wouldn’t be entirely without merit.
But there was something that felt off about it, for some reason.
If someone else had caused this, she would simply pretend not to know. But because it started with her own actions, it gnawed at her.
Should she simply watch as the swordsman house once called the Empire’s Sword disappeared?
Boom!
“……!”
In that instant, an enormous explosion rang out.
Seres’s eyes snapped toward the window, and her brow furrowed immediately.
What was she doing?
“What is it?”
The entity tearing through the defensive barrier erected around the Arcane Tower.
It was none other than Juberios, the Spirit King of Flame.
“What the hell is that bastard doing right now!”
“Beats me.”
Had he lost his mind? What in the world was he thinking?
At the sight of Juberios demolishing the very barrier Chaien had erected, the young mage’s hand shot forward as if to cast a spell on the spot.
“Don’t.”
“Why not? That half-baked flame bird is tearing down my entire barrier!”
…He hadn’t been like this when they first met, had he?
Chaien, you need to stop visiting that stew shop. You’re definitely picking up strange speech habits from those mercenaries.
“Just wait a moment.”
Seres pulled Chaien back a step and moved toward the window, calling out loudly.
“What are you doing, you feathered idiot.”
[Ah! There you were. This barrier was blocking my path, was it not.]
“That doesn’t give you the right to destroy it.”
Still as crude and willful as ever.
Seres exhaled a short sigh and asked Chaien to dispel all the Defensive Magic.
“Could you maybe try to be a little quieter about it?”
Countless people who had come out wondering what the commotion was stared at Juberios with fascination.
Why did the embarrassment always fall on me?
[How am I supposed to move any quieter than this?]
“…Fine. So? What brings you here?”
[Take this. A letter from Herion.]
…Were you now doubling as a messenger bird?
Seres watched in exasperation as Juberios pulled out a small letter hidden among his wings and dropped it in front of her.

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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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