Chapter 28
{The doubters flocked to the prophet and asked, “Why are the rich and the poor divided? Is it because of a curse or the will of the Goddess?”
The prophet answered them, saying, “The wealthy have received blessings, but this is to care for the poor.”
The doubters laughed at this and answered, “Then why do the rich make the poor suffer? Is this also the will of the Goddess?”
The prophet answered, saying, “Now, when the saint has yet to come, they use that blessing selfishly for themselves, but when the saint comes, their blessing will truly be used for the poor.”
The saint is one who moves hearts, and you will truly know this when you see his words and actions.}
– Book of Grace, Chapter 13, Verse 9-
***
I was busy healing people again today.
At this point, I had given up.
It felt like lightning could strike from the sky at any moment.
But there was nothing I could do.
Run away?
They'd chase after me. There was that annoying miracle called the miracle of tracking or whatever.
I asked High Priest Yodel about this miracle a while ago.
He said it was a miracle that tracked the soul, so it could track even if I changed my face.
Damn it!
Trying to bankrupt them didn’t work either.
Every time I tried to bankrupt them, the business did even better.
I thought about beating people up on purpose to drive them away, but then I thought maybe all the people I beat up might turn out to be evil god worshippers or criminals.
It might sound crazy, but considering the unfairness I had experienced, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
Should I try something crazy?
Will people leave me then?
If I dance naked, harass women, and do things like that...
I was scared that the goddess, who was already preparing to strike me with lightning at any moment, might directly strike me with divine punishment that she had been holding back a bit because I tarnished her name.
Damn it!!
Naturally.
Without being burned at the stake.
Without angering the goddess any further, moderately.
A way to make people dislike me smoothly and gently so I could disappear.
Was there such a thing?
"Saint. I have a request. Would you listen?" as I was busy healing the poor today, Cecilia quietly approached me at some point and spoke.
Cecilia.
You betrayed me.
Shouldn't a young rich daughter in her 20s normally be incompetent?
"I spent 100 saleds on buying an extravagant dress today! Hohoho!!"
Isn't that how it should be normally?
Just mess things up a bit!!
Why do you keep...
Forget it.
I don't even have the energy to get angry anymore.
"Speak."
"To get the budget needed to purify the three slum districts... I sold your name, Saint. I said that you would take care of the sick from noble families too. Then some noble families said they wanted to meet you."
"I see."
"There are children who have been unwell since birth or people with illnesses that couldn't be cured no matter what miracles or holy magic were used. If it's alright with you, could you bestow the same grace on them?"
Wait a minute.
As I listened to the story, an idea suddenly flashed through my mind.
A corrupt saint!!
Right!!
Isn't it standard for a corrupt saint to abandon the poor and go meet people from noble families!!
If I stuck to noble families and only healed them, wouldn't the poor naturally leave me, saying, "That fucking bastard only heals rich people?"
"That money-grubbing pig! He only cares about money!" Won't they leave me saying things like that?
Good!! It's a perfect plan!
Cecilia.
I'm sorry for calling you a traitor.
Thanks to you, a way to survive has opened up!!
"I'll go. Guide me to those who want healing."
Cecilia was greatly pleased.
"Understood!!!"
Good!!
To play the role of a corrupt saint, it's natural to stick to rich houses and live in luxury!
Now I can finally escape the divine punishment ending!!
***
"Saint of Healing. Welcome."
Count Le Baton was a man with a face that symbolized a wealthy middle-aged man who perfectly managed himself.
By his side, a noblewoman exuding nobility was looking at me with a smile.
"I'm Jericho Amael. You can just call me Amael."
"No, such rudeness. I fear it might bring shame to the Grace Order."
"Let's have a meal first."
A living witness to the automobile industry.
The owner of Le Baton Corporation.
The legendary figure who inherited the automobile industry started by the previous Count Le Baton and turned it into the empire's number one automobile company was cutting meat right in front of me.
I shared the meal carefully prepared by the couple and asked them a question, "Who am I to heal?"
"Our... son."
"What's wrong with him?"
At my words, the couple hesitated to answer.
"Let's talk after we finish the meal! Talking business at the dinner table is... Hoho!"
At Countess Le Baton's words, I felt something was off.
Normally, if they were asking for a sick person to be healed, shouldn't they immediately take me to the sick person and ask me to heal them as soon as I arrived?
Seeing them avoid it like that made me feel something wasn't right.
I put down my fork and knife.
"Show me the sick person first."
"Saint..."
"I want to see the sick person first."
At my words, the Le Baton couple looked at each other, and realizing they couldn't hide it, they bowed their heads and stood up.
"First… I want to make one thing clear. My son didn't become like that because he caught a disease."
"Then?"
The couple couldn't continue speaking.
With their fists clenched tightly and heads bowed deeply, the Le Baton couple finally, after a long time, spilled out the truth to me as if vomiting it.
"Our son Henry hanged himself three years ago. A servant barely discovered and saved him, but since then he's been in a coma and hasn't woken up until now."
"We've tried every method. We called famous priests and tried all the good medicines. But still, there was no improvement. Saint."
"The priests of the Sun Order even said... that miracles don't work because he doesn't want to get better. It's too... too painful, Saint. Please. Please heal our son."
At the heavier-than-expected story, I felt like the meat I had just eaten a few bites of was sitting heavily in my stomach.
Suicide?
Not just any illness, but suicide?
What kind of situation is this?
I'll heal him since they're asking, but...
I don't know.
Anyway, I needed to act like a corrupt saint who clung to rich people and parasites off them, right?
I should just go for it.
Heal him and spread my name among noble families to become a dedicated noble who only heals nobles!
"Guide me."
"Please, Saint."
I followed the couple's guidance towards their son's room.
***
Probably because he hadn't moved for three years, the son Henry's condition was miserable.
Henry was just breathing, having become like a mummy, emaciated.
"Step back."
After sending out the servants and maids who were turning his body and wiping him to prevent bedsores, I placed my hand on Henry's head.
Looking at Henry's body condition through the customization window, part of his brain had turned completely black.
Well.
What's so difficult about it?
Actual brain surgery might be extremely difficult, but my skills had incredible adjustments that allowed even a medical layman like me to handle them.
[Do you want to restore?]
Such kind messages appear on their own.
Without such adjustments, how could I have played the role of the Saint of Healing until now?
It wasn’t difficult at all.
Well.
Shall I fix it?
[Proceeding with restoration!]
The brain that was dead and black was fixed just like that.
And while I was at it, I changed Henry's body too.
I put muscles into his body, changed his withered skin to be clean, and restored his hair and other parts completely.
And after 30 seconds.
[Brain state restoration complete!]
Henry was perfectly back to normal.
Henry slowly opened his eyes.
I stepped away from him.
"Ahhh!!! Ah! O’ Lilia!!"
"Saint. Thank you! Thank you!!!"
While the Le Baton couple were crying, unable to hide their tears.
Before I could say anything, sharp words spilled out from the recovered Henry.
"Why are you in my room!? Why!"
At Henry's sharp voice, the warm atmosphere shattered completely.
Turning to look at Henry, I saw he was crying.
Full of hatred and resentment.
"Get out!! I said get out!! I can't stand the sight of you!! Get out!!"
At Henry's shouting voice, Count Le Baton looked at his son with a dejected expression.
"Henry. You've been lying in bed for the past three years. You've just woken up thanks to the help of the Saint of Healing."
"What do I care!? Why did you save me!? Why!? I wanted to die!! It was because I didn't want to live with disgusting bastards like you!! Why did you save me!? Why!?"
Uh...
What's with this atmosphere?
The Countess started shedding tears of sorrow rather than tears of joy, and the Count was looking at the ceiling as if he didn't know what to do.
"I hate you!! I hate you!!! Get out!! Get out!!!!"
Henry's shouting voice was loud and nagging.
This is troublesome.
If I just say, "Your son has recovered, so I'll be leaving now," other nobles won't call for me.
If I leave this alone, he might commit suicide again.
I felt like I needed to provide after-sales service too.
"Henry."
"Who the fuck are you!!!"
No manners at all for a first meeting, huh?
Still, I have to endure it, what can I do?
They're my clients.
"Calm down first."
"You think I can cal—"
[Using skill Absolute Hypnosis!]
"Calm down."
At my words, Henry stopped talking abruptly.
I look straight at Henry and give another order.
"Why are you hurling such insults at the parents who gave birth to you and saved you? I want to know the reason."
Henry looked down at his own body as if he couldn't understand.
He seemed surprised and bewildered, but the effect of Absolute Hypnosis was absolute.
"Father has never once acknowledged me. I always wanted to do music. I only felt like my life was recovering when I was doing music. I worked hard composing and writing songs to perform. But every time, Father scolded me. He told me not to do such things that don't make money and to think about inheriting the family business, the car company."
As he started speaking, tears began to pour from Henry's eyes.
Count Le Baton started sighing deeply as if annoyed at hearing those words.
"One day, after having a big argument, I went out to drink and came back. He had burned all the instruments in my room and all the songs I had composed. And he shouted at me to come to my senses and prepare to inherit the family business. I couldn't stand hearing that. So…"
"You pathetic fool!! You weak and incompetent bastard!! How could you hang yourself no matter what!? Your mother hasn't slept properly for a single day since then!! She even had to take medicine!! This is all your fault!! It happened because of your weak and incompetent nature!!"
At his father's voice, Henry's voice rose too.
"This is why I wanted to die!! Father, you're a devil!! You never saw me as a human being for a single day, only as a means to continue the family business!! I hate you!! I regret being born as the son of a devil like you!!"
"You bastard!!"
Count Le Baton raised his palm.
Damn it.
This isn't the picture I painted.
Guess there’s no choice.
I agreed to take this on, so I needed to provide thorough after-sales service.
[Using skill Absolute Hypnosis!]
I focused my mind and cast hypnosis on Count Le Baton.
And I did one very simple thing.
[Raising honesty level to maximum!!]
"You're the son I love most in the world!! I love you more than my own life!! Henry!! The three years you were dead were no different from hell!!!"
The Count, who was about to slap Henry's cheek, suddenly bursts into tears and collapsed, unable to hold back his sobs.
Henry too.
And the Countess as well.
Everyone was looking at the Count in shock.