Chapter 38
“Hello, Saint-sama.”
I crouched to meet the Saint at eye level and replied.
The Saint tilted her head slightly, hesitating as if unsure what to say.
Her orange hair was glossy, and her cheeks had the rosy flush peculiar to children. Up close, she was an incredibly adorable Saint.
I waited for her to gather her thoughts. After a little while, she seemed to make up her mind and opened her mouth.
“Um... Knight-sama, you're amazing. You managed to get a monster to drink its medicine without threatening it, even though you're not its contractor.”
“I'm Fia.”
When I said that, she looked back at me blankly. I smiled and repeated myself.
“My name is Fia. If you don't mind, please call me by my name.”
For some reason, the Saint blushed bright red when she heard that.
“Ah, I... I'm Charlotte. Um, if you don't mind, please call me Charlotte.”
“Charlotte-sama...?”
“No, just Charlotte! And please talk normally, too. Um, talk to me like we're family.”
Hm... Aren't Saints greatly revered? Is that really okay?
I glanced at Charlotte. She was gripping the knees of her robe with both hands, trembling with teary eyes.
W-what is this? She's adorable.
“All right, Charlotte. Is this okay?”
When I said that, Charlotte smiled at me, but tears streamed from her eyes.
“Huh? W-what's wrong?”
Startled, I reached out, and Charlotte clung to my hand.
“My mother gave me the name Charlotte, but no one calls me that. Everyone calls me ‘Saint-sama.’ But that's not my name.”
Charlotte's tears fell one after another onto my sleeve.
I hugged Charlotte tightly and patted her back.
“I see. You were recognized as a Saint during the examination when you were three, right?”
When I asked, she nodded repeatedly, pressing her head firmly against my chest.
“Because I'm a Saint, they told me I couldn't stay with my mother anymore, and took me to the church. They said I could visit her once I became a proper Saint. But I'm a failure. My Saintly power is weak, and I can't make healing potions. So my mother must be so ashamed of me...”
Charlotte seemed unable to say anything more. Clinging to me, she began sobbing in earnest.
As I patted her back, I couldn't help tilting my head in puzzlement.
I can't say for sure, but I think orange hair is well suited to being a Saint, don't you?
Spirits are drawn to a Saint's blood and form contracts with them.
That's why red hair, connected to the color of blood, was said to be the finest vessel for a Saint.
By that logic, orange, a color similar to red, should also be a high-ranking vessel, shouldn't it?
Could she really lack enough talent to outweigh that advantage?
As I continued patting her back, Charlotte gradually calmed down.
Once she'd stopped crying completely, she raised her face shyly. Then she noticed Zabiria, who had somehow ended up on my shoulder, and her eyes widened.
“A blue bird! Mom said they're birds that bring happiness.”
I smiled and stroked Charlotte's head.
“That's right. Ever since this little one came along, I've had nothing but happy times. I'm sure something good will happen to you, too.”
Then I gently took Charlotte's hand.
“There are still a few injured monsters, so I need to give them their healing potions. Will you help me?”
Charlotte smiled happily.
“Yes, Fia!”
After that, giving the healing potions went smoothly. Zabiria's so-called warning sound was incredibly effective, and every monster obediently began drinking the potion.
But it was hard to watch some of them bend their knees and start groaning in pain after drinking it for a while.
...Yeah, this hurts.
Having experienced it myself, I couldn't help empathizing with how the monsters felt.
Healing magic for self-recovery permeates the entire body.
If the potion worked against that, then of course their whole bodies would ache and they'd writhe in agony.
When I felt someone squeeze my hand tightly, I looked over and saw Charlotte gazing at the monsters with teary eyes.
Yes, she's such a kind girl, to feel sorry for the monsters suffering in pain.
Maybe she really is suited to being a Saint after all.
After we finished giving the injured monsters their healing potions, I left the familiar stable with Charlotte.
“Charlotte, if you have time, would you like to take a little walk?”
There should have been a group of springs on the east side of the castle.
With Zabiria perched on my shoulder, I walked hand in hand with Charlotte.
Ah, the sun is so warm and lovely.
When we reached the place I had in mind, we looked around at the several springs there.
“Yes, this one looks good. It's small and just right.”
I muttered to myself in front of the smallest spring, then leaned down to look at Charlotte.
“Hey, Charlotte. How about practicing healing magic with me?”
“Huh? But I...”
Charlotte lowered her head dejectedly.
“Hehe, it'll be all right. I can't use healing magic, so I won't know if you don't do it well.”
Charlotte looked up, so I smiled at her.
“Practice usually involves failing. Want to practice failing?”
Charlotte squeezed my hand in return and nodded.
Then the two of us went around picking medicinal herbs growing here and there. We repeatedly gathered armfuls of herbs and tossed them into the spring.
“Hey, these herbs growing here are lovely, aren't they? Don't you think all sorts of things would get better if you took these fresh green herbs into your body?”
Charlotte had a good eye, and among all the different kinds of plants, she accurately picked out only the medicinal herbs.
Zabiria had left his usual spot inside my clothes and was enjoying a nap on the grass.
I wondered how much time had passed. We'd added what seemed like enough herbs to the little spring, so I spoke to Charlotte.
“Now, roll up your sleeves and put both hands in this spring. Then try channeling healing magic. This is practice for making a healing potion.”
“Huh? But when the other Saint-samas make healing potions, they use dried herbs crushed up and dissolved in water. I mean, everyone makes them in bottles, and this is a spring...”
Charlotte murmured that the spring was so big she didn't know what to make of it.
“Hehe, don't worry about that. This is just practice. Come on, hold out your hands.”
As I spoke, I took Charlotte's hands in mine after she rolled up her sleeves.
Then, with our hands in the spring, I pressed my forehead against Charlotte's.
“Try channeling healing magic.”
Charlotte seemed nervous, but a small amount of magic slowly began to flow from her.
...Yes, the flow was poor.
She probably didn't use healing magic often. The flow of magic was slightly blocked in several places in Charlotte's body.
...If you keep using healing magic, the resistance will be removed, and it will start flowing properly...
Well, never mind. I sent a little magic into Charlotte's body and swept away the resistance.
“...........Huh?”
Charlotte let out a surprised voice.
“Huh? Huh? Huh? Wait, ah... M-my magic is flowing...”
I smiled and let go of Charlotte's hands.
“You're doing well, Charlotte. Now, try channeling that magic into the spring. All right? Magic circulates through your body, so try gathering it little by little at your fingertips. Look at the spring. It's so clear and beautiful. We put in lots of fresh herbs earlier, remember? Look, some are still floating there. Try channeling your magic into it.”
Charlotte gradually began to channel magic into the spring from her fingertips.
Hehe, what a sweet, obedient girl. I wonder if she'll make a fine Saint after all.
“That's right. Keep going. Now, imagine this: There's an injured monster crying, ‘It hurts, it hurts.’ Poor thing. ...Here we have water that's absorbed the earth's power for a long time, and medicinal herbs that have received nature's power. Borrow that power. Come on, let your magic flow. How happy would an injured monster be if this water, herbs, and magic became a healing potion?”
As I spoke, I closed my eyes and slowly channeled some magic, too.
“That's right, you're doing well, Charlotte. It seems a little more magic is coming from your left hand. Can you control it so the same amount flows from both hands?”
Little by little, I guided and adjusted Charlotte's magic.
Then, when my magic had run dry, a sparkling light rose from the bottom of the spring.
The medicinal herbs dissolved into the water, and the clear water turned green.
“Ah, how beautiful... It's the color of healing.”
Hearing me murmur, Charlotte spoke in a voice on the verge of tears.
“F-Fia. Something's wrong with my body. I feel all warm, and it's like power is rushing through my whole body...”
I gently stroked Charlotte's head.
“You're such a good girl, Charlotte. That's what it means to use healing magic. You did so well. See? The water in this spring has all turned into a healing potion!”
I smiled and spread both arms wide, presenting the spring with a grand “Ta-da!”
“...........Huh?”
Charlotte stared at me, mouth hanging open.
“...Yeah, I understand. Shutting down is an effective way to escape reality. Maybe I'll... try fainting.”
Zabiria, who had been lying on the grass, murmured softly.