Chapter 16
As soon as we left the audience chamber, Chris spoke to me.
"You did well, Noah."
The lingering excitement still made the voice tremble slightly.
"I'm sure you'll overcome the training ahead, too, Noah. You'll become a fine healer."
I nodded readily.
――Overcome the training, huh.
This was the Church, after all—the very same Church that had created such a "wonderful" system of faith.
When it came to healer training, they would surely have even more elaborate methods prepared.
As I thought of the various techniques cults used, I wondered what sort of system this Church had devised to bind people to it.
And――how I might use it to my advantage.
When we returned along the corridor we'd come by, the priest who had been guiding us was waiting.
"Noah, now a healer trainee, will proceed straight to the 'Cocoon of Light.' Follow me."
I followed the priest and left the bishop's residence.
"This is where we part ways. May the light guide you."
With those parting words, Chris left.
Following the priest, I eventually came upon a stone dome.
It was pure white, without a single window.
At the end of my gaze stood a single, imposing door.
Knights with spears stood guard on either side.
"A new healer trainee."
At the guide priest's announcement, a holy knight unbolted the door and opened it.
――Once you go in, there's no getting out.
Well, cutting off contact with the outside world is a standard tactic.
We passed through a narrow passage beyond the door.
On the other side lay an enormous, cylindrical space open to the sky.
There wasn't a single window.
And yet the room was evenly lit by white light pouring down from who knew where.
Small rooms were stacked along the walls like a honeycomb, each one opening toward the center.
There were no doors and nowhere to hide.
In the middle of the space stood a single white tower, reaching toward the heavens.
Its observation windows reflected light like polished mirrors, making it impossible to tell whether anyone was inside or if it was empty.
——A panopticon—a circular prison.
A design that forced you to remain constantly aware that you might be being watched.
Led by the priest, I passed through the tower's door.
Inside, a middle-aged priest and two children who looked to be around my age were already waiting.
"You're here. The three of you are this term's healer trainees."
The middle-aged priest announced in a flat voice.
――So those two have only just arrived, too. I wonder what the average level is.
First, I appraised the boy with the shaved head.
【Name】 Kyle
【Rank】 I
【Magic Power】 D
【Skill】 Light Magic
【Magic】 Heal
Next, the boy with the bowl cut.
【Name】 Klaus Eberhardt
【Rank】 I
【Magic Power】 D
【Skill】 Holy Magic
Both had D-rank magic power.
Klaus hadn't even managed to form his magic into a spell yet.
――At their age, I suppose this is about average.
"I am your instructor. Here, you will follow my orders."
The instructor priest continued.
"From this moment on, you will act only on my instructions. No action without permission will be tolerated. ――You are forbidden to speak or use magic until I allow it."
"Wha—"
The shaved-head boy started to speak, but the priest shot him a sharp glare, and he swallowed the rest of his words.
"...You said your name was Kyle, didn't you? Were you about to say something? Do you think you have the privilege to defile this sacred silence?"
The priest stepped right up to the boy and spoke in a cold voice.
"You seem to misunderstand. The magic you've used until now is not God's mercy. It is demonic temptation drawn to you by your own arrogant ego. Demons offer easy salvation and, in exchange, slowly devour your soul."
The priest looked over each of the assembled trainees as if sizing them up.
"Listen carefully. Healing performed without the Church's guidance is not salvation, but a curse."
The priest took a step forward.
"Therefore, you are forbidden to use magic without the Church's instruction."
Whether it was the priest's imposing presence or what the priest had said, Kyle and Klaus had gone pale.
――This is like military boot camp.
It's about suppressing individual egos and erasing individuality.
Still, if they were calling us by name, perhaps they weren't quite that thorough.
If it were up to me, I'd call them by number instead.
Better yet, brand them with serial numbers. It would make them easier to manage in the future.
"Now, I'll assign each of you a room. Follow me."
We followed the priest out of the watchtower.
Kyle was assigned a room on the third floor, while Klaus and I were assigned rooms on the second.
The room contained only a hard bed and a chamber pot.
A black robe lay carelessly on the bed.
"Wear the black robe while you're in training. Change into it, then come downstairs."
Leaving those instructions, the priest headed for the square.
After we changed into our black robes and gathered in the square, a bell rang.
Other trainees peered out from the rooms around us.
"Today, three new vessels have been offered. From this moment on, you will receive guidance to polish your souls."
At the instructor priest's matter-of-fact announcement, the surrounding trainees broke into applause all at once.
The instructor priest gave a brief signal to the attendant behind, who presented a tray holding three whips.
They were short, multi-tailed whips. At the ends of several thick, braided leather cords were metal Church emblems shaped like halos.
After handing one to each of us, the priest spoke in an emotionless voice.
"Nothing beats firsthand experience when it comes to understanding the healing light of God's mercy."
The priest stood in front of Kyle.
"You will strike yourself with that whip to learn the nature of God's mercy."
Kyle's shoulders trembled slightly.
His eyes darted about.
The priest stood perfectly still, staring at Kyle.
At last, Kyle took a deep breath and gave a small nod, as if steeling himself.
He slowly took off the upper part of his robe, baring his shoulders and arms.
He stood with his back straight, meeting the priest's gaze, fear and resolve mingling in his expression.
Kyle brought the whip down on his left arm.
"Urgh..."
Kyle stifled a cry.
His upper arm swelled red, and the skin split open.
Applause rained down around us again.
"Good. Now, feel true healing."
The priest nodded with satisfaction and held out a hand.
The wound on Kyle's arm glowed faintly and gradually began to mend.
Once it had healed to a certain point, the priest stopped the spell.
Kyle looked at the priest, puzzled.
"If I healed you completely, you would grow arrogant and forget God. This faint pain is proof that you still need salvation, and a sign of your connection to God."
The priest said.
――A textbook use of cognitive dissonance.
People can't endure pain without a reason.
That's why they try to find meaning in pain they've chosen for themselves.
They make themselves believe, "This is a worthwhile act."
The fact that this method is so commonplace means it's all the more effective.
The priest now stood before Klaus.
Klaus trembled, unable to move.
The priest continued to look down at him without a word.
Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Klaus opened his robe and took the whip in his right hand.
A light crack rang out, and the spot he'd struck looked red and inflamed.
Klaus looked up at the priest, who remained perfectly still, fixing him with a cold stare.
Gritting his teeth, Klaus brought the whip down again and again.
Each time, tension stiffened his body, and his arm grew redder and more swollen.
On one of the later strikes, a faint trace of blood finally appeared.
The priest approached Klaus and healed him just as he had healed Kyle.
Scattered, dry applause echoed around us.
Next, the priest stood in front of me.
I took off my robe and gripped the whip.
Its handle was thick and hard for my small hands to hold.
I raised it and brought it down as hard as I could on my back.
――CRACK!!
The crack of the whip against my flesh cut through the silence of the square.
My back was hot. But it only hurt.
It was nothing like the pain I'd felt in my sickbed, the kind that came with the fear of death.
The area had fallen completely silent. I looked up at the priest.
The priest's eyes were wide, but the priest said nothing.
――The priest hadn't expected me to go this far.
Then I'll take it one step further.
I tilted my head slightly.
I put on a faintly troubled expression, then raised the whip high once more.
――SMACK!!
The crack of the whip cut through the silence again.
I could clearly sense everyone around me holding their breath.
The priest composed himself slightly, then hurriedly held out a hand toward me.
"Wonderful. The body is a cage that imprisons the soul, and pain is the light that dispels doubt."
The priest's mouth was still twitching as the words left it.
At last, the priest finished treating me.
Beads of sweat shone on the priest's forehead.
The pain in my back remained.
Unlike with Kyle, the priest hadn't deliberately left it there. It seemed the priest had simply been unable to heal it completely.
I quickly circulated my magic power through my body.
I left the wound as it was, but blocked the pain.