Chapter 137
“I, I have to do something…”
Yusti-ah’s eyes shook violently as she looked at Franz.
Moreover, the hand reaching out to him was trembling.
The fact that she might lose him overwhelmed her with a fear greater than anything else.
Now, she could not help but admit it.
He had taken up too large a place in her heart.
“Saintess…? Is something the matter…”
“Why is the saint in such a state…”
The Clerics, who had approached after hearing the commotion, revealed their bewilderment and questions upon seeing Franz.
Their reaction, however, actually made Yusti-ah cool-headed.
Because the one who had taught her to be cool-headed especially in chaotic situations was none other than Franz.
“I will do something about him. Everyone, please take care of the patients.”
The Clerics hesitated, but soon returned to their own duties.
They must have realized that as long as the saintess was here, their presence wouldn’t be of any help.
Confirming that they had returned, Yusti-ah began to check Franz’s physical condition.
When she brought her ear to his chest, she heard the sound of his heart beating, thump, thump-.
Along with that, a lukewarm breeze repeatedly came and went from his nose.
Although it was concerning that both his breathing and pulse were unstable, as long as she dealt with it properly, nothing bad would happen.
She had definitely heard about this kind of situation before…
“Was it mana depletion…?”
It was quite a long time ago, back when they were traveling to subjugate the Demon Lord.
At that time, she had heard a story from Franz.
He had said that for a mage, if the body was fine but the person couldn’t open their eyes, nine times out of ten, it was mana depletion.
“I think he said he carried something in his bag to prepare for times like this…?”
Yusti-ah’s gaze turned to Franz’s waist.
There was a small bag about the size of two fists there.
Rummaging through someone else’s bag was not desirable, but…
Given the current situation, there was no other way.
Franz would surely understand too.
Thinking so, Yusti-ah began to rummage through the bag.
The inside of the bag was truly filled with all sorts of things.
From spare clothes to bizarrely shaped magic tools, the most unique among them was a piece of metal that emanated divine power.
'I’ll ask about this later.'
Yusti-ah took out a tiny candy wrapped in paper from the bag.
According to her memory, this was definitely the countermeasure Franz had mentioned.
If there was one slightly worrisome point, it was that it might get caught in his throat when she put it in his mouth.
Since she was feeding it to an unconscious person lying down, it was a possibility that very well could happen.
“It would have been easier if it were a potion.”
But she couldn’t help it since this wasn’t the time to be picky.
“Ugh-!”
In the end, Yusti-ah sat Franz up, leaning him against a nearby tree.
Dirt and dust got on his clothes, but it wasn’t that big of a problem.
If he were really dissatisfied with that, she could just buy him clothes separately later.
They could go out together while they were at it and talk about this and that…
“Ah, anyway, the candy-!”
Shaking her head vigorously to erase her thoughts, Yusti-ah opened Franz’s mouth and put the candy in.
She had never actually eaten it herself, so she didn’t know the effect well, but…
Since he had personally called it a countermeasure, he would be fine.
No, he had to be fine.
Because she could no longer imagine a life without him.
Yusti-ah, whose forehead was now beaded with sweat, wiped the sweat away with the back of her hand and looked up at the sky.
'If you take him away this time too, I really won’t stay still.'
The saintess was saying words that were no different from a threat to the Goddess.
* * *
The first thing Franz saw after losing consciousness was the orange sky at sunset.
Since it was around noon when he had been with Yusti-ah, it seemed quite a bit of time had passed.
“She must have fed me the candy.”
If she had fed him an elixir, he would have opened his eyes a little faster, but it was shameless to hope for something like that from the position of someone receiving help.
Anyway, what in the world had happened…
Franz turned his head slightly and looked at Yusti-ah.
She was leaning her back against the tree, fast asleep, oblivious to the world.
If there was a problem, it was that this soft thing currently supporting his head was her thigh.
“How on earth did it end up like this?”
It was definitely her own way of being considerate.
Though he hadn’t expected her to go this far.
At that moment, Yusti-ah’s closed eyelids opened, revealing her golden eyes.
“U-uh? Franz…?”
“I didn’t really mean to wake you. Sorry.”
Yusti-ah, who was still half-asleep, looked down and blinked a few times before hurriedly covering her face with both hands.
“If you opened your eyes, you should have gotten up right away…!”
He wanted to do that if he could, but the lethargy and headache unique to mana depletion still remained.
When he conveyed that fact to Yusti-ah…
“I-if there was something like that, you should have said so quickly.”
She grumbled as she healed him.
The feeling of warm divine power seeping into his body was truly a unique yet pleasant experience, no matter how many times he had experienced it.
When Franz, now completely fine, raised his body, Yusti-ah spoke as if she had been waiting.
“Do you remember what I said to you today?”
“Well…?”
But even if they had only exchanged a word or two, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what Yusti-ah was talking about among their many conversations.
As if that answer didn’t please her at all, Yusti-ah let out a sigh.
“I told you not to overdo it.”
“Ah, right…”
“Were my words difficult to understand?”
“Not really, but…”
If he wanted to make excuses, he could make as many as he wanted.
Because the act of creating a mana core was the reason he ended up like this.
The battle itself had ended smoothly, without anything that could be called overdoing it.
But he didn’t bother to voice that fact.
The fact that he had overdone it, just as she said, hadn’t changed.
“Then what should you say to me? You broke your promise, and I’m practically the benefactor who saved your life.”
“Uh, um, sorry and thank you?”
“Fine. I’ll let it slide with just that for this time. But next time, you’ll hear something much worse.”
Saying so, Yusti-ah stood up, dusting off her bottom, pat, pat-.
Franz couldn’t understand why she was smiling so brightly.
However, if she was in a good mood, that was enough, so the reason didn’t matter at all.
“Then let’s head back.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
Franz snapped his fingers.
A magic circle was drawn on the ground, and soon it began to shine as the miracle called magic was realized in the world.
The figures of the two disappeared from the spot.
* * *
After dropping Yusti-ah off at the cathedral, Franz returned straight to the Magic Tower.
“She seemed a bit more affectionate than usual…”
Yusti-ah’s reaction bothered him strangely, but he soon erased it from his mind.
Because there was no reason to mind things moving in a positive direction.
He just needed to think of it as a good thing and accept it.
Soon, as he stepped into the Magic Tower master’s office, sure enough, Arian was waiting while sipping tea.
“You’re quite late.”
“Am I…?”
“Well, it’s not that I doubt you, Magic Tower master. But since that woman was there, I suppose…”
Suddenly standing up from her seat, Arian strode over and sniffed, sniff, sniff-.
Her expression changed bizarrely, and her brow gradually narrowed.
“What exactly did the two of you do that the scent is so deeply ingrained…?”
She could judge that just by smelling?
Did she perhaps develop a magical ability that enhanced that sort of thing?
Such a question arose for a moment, but he didn’t bother to voice it.
It was obvious he would only hear more nagging if he said something like that now.
“I overdid it while working and collapsed, and Yusti-ah then looked after me for a bit.”
“What? You collapsed, Magic Tower master? Honestly, I can’t really imagine it… No, more importantly, are you really okay?”
Arian’s expression, which had been full of anger just a moment ago, was colored with worry.
In addition, she reached out and touched Franz’s forehead.
It was a relief that she understood and moved on with just this.
If she had continued to be suspicious, he would have eventually had no choice but to tell the truth.
'There’s no need to reveal the truth about those two right away.'
It wouldn’t be too late to decide after observing their condition a little more.
Depending on what the two of them do, perhaps…
He might have to get blood on his hands.
“Well, I’m fine for now.”
“This isn’t the time for that. Have you eaten? Are you really sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I don’t have an appetite right now, so I’ll eat a little later.”
“I’m worried… Alright. I’ll just head back today. I don’t want to needlessly disturb you while you’re resting.”
It wasn’t exactly a disturbance, but…
Since he wanted to go check on Zeni-ah and Seri-ah’s condition, the situation worked out well.
“Then get some good rest.”
With those words, Arian really did just turn and leave.
Confirming that her mana had completely disappeared from the Magic Tower, Franz immediately snapped his fingers.
With a flash of light, the surrounding scenery changed.
It was the 5th basement floor of the Magic Tower, the laboratory.