I Wanted a Cute Girl to Cast Healing Magic on Me, So I Kept Protecting My Allies—and Ended Up with an Overprotective Party - 44

Chapter 44: Can You Really Make That Kind of Sound From Receiving Heal?

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While we were exploring an uncharted dungeon with the royal knights and the Saintess, I was being healed by Emil when, before I realized it, the Saintess had come closer to us.

“Um, Emil-san? With that last Heal, you might have leveled up. So, could you cast Heal on me as well?”

“On you, Saintess-sama? Of course, I don’t mind, but I don’t feel like I leveled up or anything though?”

“That’s fine. Please let me see how well you can control your magic power now.”

“Yes, understood.”

According to the Saintess, Emil still wasn’t very good at controlling her magic. She once compared it to something like… Emil ended up pouring an entire waterfall when she only needed a single drop of water. Basically, the way Emil used heal was horribly inefficient. 

“Um, what kind of injury should I pretend you have, Saintess-sama?”

“Let’s see… My hand, perhaps. You did the same thing for Rikuto-san earlier.”

As far as I remembered, this was Emil’s fourth Heal on the Saintess. The first was on her face, the next on her chest, and the one after that on her back. Compared to those, the hand sounded awfully normal.

Since there were more than a dozen knights besides us here, they probably couldn’t afford to let a grand display of yuri bloom in a place like this.

Wait, wait. What a rude thing to even think about! I mean, there’s no way THE Saintess has any impure intentions or anything like that!

Emil faced the Saintess while standing. She gently took the Saintess’s hand, and softly wrapped it with both of her own.

“Heal…”

“Nnh…!”

What was that voice just now…!? There was no mistaking it. That voice just now must be the Saintess’ voice. It sounded like one that had slipped out against her will, as if she couldn’t suppress it.

Can you really make that kind of sound just from receiving a Heal spell?!

Her expression looked normal, but was that really the kind of voice I was allowed to hear? Was that kind of voice was even NORMAL upon receiving a Heal spell?! I glanced at Karinka-san and Miya, who must have heard it too. Both of their cheeks were faintly red as they cast their gaze downward.

It was almost as if they didn’t want anyone to see their faces. Miya in particular was fidgeting awkwardly. As for the knights, they were busy collecting magic stones and checking the safety of the surroundings. Of course, they must have known where the Saintess was, but it didn’t seem like they heard that voice. That was probably one of those things you definitely shouldn’t let people hear.

“Um, Saintess-sama? Do you think my Heal has improved at all?”

“Ah…! Y-yes, I think the way you handle magic has increased compared to before, I can see it from the amount of magic power you poured to use Heal just now. However, I still wouldn’t say your control is good yet.”

“I see… But! I won’t give up! I want my Heal to be useful to everyone!”

Ah, Emil…. She’s really a genuinely good girl. 

That thought struck me again, when this time the Saintess walked over to me.

“Um, Rikuto-san? Just earlier, Emil-san cast Heal on you. Do you have some resistance to magic?”

“Resistance to magic? I don’t think I have any in particular.”

I did have my cheat skill, but my cheat skill was 【Damage Adjustment】. Of course, there was no way I could tell the Saintess about my cheat skill. 

“I see. Then, um… This may sound like an odd question, but what did you feel when Emil-san cast Heal on you?”

“What I felt? I never really thought about it, but if I have to say… Maybe it feels ‘pleasant’? Ah, I don’t mean anything weird by that! It’s just… The sensation of having your injury being healed feels comfortable and pleasant.”

“Pleasant, you say…”

The Saintess murmured that, then held both of my hands in hers. It was a different kind of warmth and softness compared to Emil. Even though she was the Saintess, to me she was still an objectively beautiful older woman.

“Yes, that’s right! So it isn’t just me who feels that it’s pleasant!”

The Saintess exclaimed like a child, overjoyed.

“Rikuto-san, if you’d like, would you consider moving your base of operations to the royal capital? If Emil-san seriously intends to pursue the path of a Saintess, then I think I could be of some help to her.”

“Saintess-sama, are you saying that you would personally guide Emil yourself?”

“Yes, of course. I will be sure to guide her kindly and thoroughly. And besides… I feel something special from you as well, Rikuto-san.”

“From me?”

Could she possibly have noticed my cheat skill?

“No, I’m just an ordinary adventurer.”

“Is that so? In any case, that’s enough for now. Let’s keep moving.”

After that, everyone regrouped. Once again, we aimed to link up with the advance party. Unlike before, however, all of the party members now stayed right next to me, not letting me out of arm’s reach.

And there was one more thing. Whenever I looked at the Saintess, that voice from earlier automatically replayed in my head. I couldn’t pry that voice away from my mind.

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