Chapter 30
Several months had passed since the study group was founded.
With a portrait of Saint Volo behind me, I was giving a lecture on healing magic.
"Invisible pathogens lurk in this world. Have you ever closed a wound with 'Heal,' only for it to become infected later and need treatment again?"
Several people nodded faintly.
"In many cases, the cause is lingering invisible pathogens. Simply washing them away with water doesn't always remove them completely."
I continued, slowly looking around at the attendees.
"That's why cleansing a wound with 'Purification' before using 'Heal' makes recovery more reliable and reduces the need for further treatment."
The attendees watched, holding their breath, as they felt the moment magic and theory came together.
"Now, let's hear about your experiences. What kinds of patients have you treated recently, how did you treat them, and what was the result? Luciano-san, let's start with you."
Luciano hesitated for a moment.
"Well, but... this concerns a noble's secrets, so—"
I smiled gently and said,
"It's all right. What we discuss here will never get out."
The dim light of the small chapel cast shadows across the attendees' faces.
"We agreed not to take anything discussed here outside. Isn't that right, everyone?"
I touched my left wrist in front of my chest, miming taking my pulse.
The attendees all nodded at once, and the atmosphere in the chapel quietly grew taut.
Their gazes held both trust in one another and anticipation for the secret lessons ahead.
When the study group was over, I left the small chapel.
A dozen or so young healers followed close behind me, marching in perfect unison.
As we rounded a corridor, several older priests stopped in their tracks.
They made no attempt to hide their blatant distaste for me, an "outsider," or for the unnerving discipline of the young people behind me.
"...Look at that. The child prodigy Noah is parading around with his little clique again."
"The Relief Bureau really is on its last legs. Entrusting its future to some young upstart who can't even use Light Magic..."
Ignoring the barbed whispers, I came to a sudden stop at the foot of the stairs.
When I turned around, I found my "followers" gazing at me with feverish eyes.
"Deacon Noah, today's lecture was... wonderful, as always."
One of them spoke, their voice trembling.
I quieted them with a gentle smile and met everyone's eyes.
"Your passion is the will of God. But for now, let's return to our posts. Our 'truth' is proven through our daily work of saving lives."
I checked each of their expressions and waited for my words to sink in.
"Until next time, then."
At those words, they all bowed their heads in unison, then dispersed to their respective posts.
I climbed the stairs and returned to Chris's office.
As I approached, the knight opened the door with a respectful bow.
"Ah, Noah-sama. Welcome back. There are no visitors at the moment."
The clerk in the antechamber stopped his quill and greeted me.
"Thank you. Teodoro-san, you've been working late as well."
With that, I entered the office.
"Noah, is the study group going well?"
Back in the office, he asked me without taking his eyes off the window.
"Yes. It seems Luciano-san was indeed given a request that bypassed the Relief Bureau."
I continued matter-of-factly.
"Baron Tadeo's daughter... It seems she has leprosy."
In this world, it was a disease despised as though it were divine punishment.
"I see. So he arranged it in secret through Bishop Domenico's connections."
Chris frowned, deep in thought.
"I'll leave it up to you how to handle this. I can cure her, so let me know if she needs treatment."
"I see. That's reassuring."
Chris went to the writing desk and immediately began writing a letter.
"When you handle this, make sure no one can tell the information came from me."
After reminding Chris, I moved to the antechamber.
I took off my alb and stole, put them in the chest, and sat on the bed.
I looked out the window and thought.
—The organization is running smoothly so far.
The members' healing skills had improved even more than before.
Just as Luciano had been entrusted with an important treatment, the others had become valuable assets to their respective factions.
Sharing secrets with one another had also helped.
They wouldn't be able to betray us so easily now.
And with the psychological barrier to revealing secrets lowered, I could draw information out of them naturally.
My fellow trainees would soon be assigned to their posts.
There was still room to grow our membership.
The problem would come after that.
The fellow trainees I'd personally brought in should have no reason to betray us.
But if we increased our membership beyond that, spies would inevitably be sent in.
—Well, there are ways around that.
I should make my fellow trainees the last ones I teach the theory to.
For general lectures, it would be enough to teach only the practical methods.
By the time they became leaders and were in a position to learn the theory, they'd already have ample experience using heretical treatments. They wouldn't be able to report us.