The Healer in a Japanese-Style Game World: Mastering Healing to Save My Favorite Character in a Brutal World, Only to Find Everyone Around Me Becoming Obsessed - Chapter 36: Explaining the Situation (Crying)

Chapter 36: Explaining the Situation (Crying)

Sweat trickled down, and my throat was dry. 

Sitting in seiza for so long made my legs hurt—more than that, the stares were painful.

“…So, yes, I haven’t done anything.”

Everyone had left, leaving just us, Sanae-san, and the shop owner, Touma-san, at the Hinomiko-tei. Despite being glared at by the two deities and one divine servant with dead eyes, I kept asserting my innocence to Kagura.

“From what I heard, you met three days ago… Yeah, nothing suspicious can happen.”

“…No overnight stays either, so he seems innocent.”

“Yeah, there wasn’t any strange smell either.”

“Then… can I stop sitting in seiza now?”

Wondering why they were being so strict, I asked, wanting to relieve my painful legs.

“Hmm, no—Hey, Sanae, right? Why did you say that?”

“―Yes, I thought if I said that, I wouldn’t be taken away.”

“Really? No other reason?”

“…No, I swear by Ryusui-sama, there’s no other reason!—So, it’s really painful now… I’m really sorry.”

Although she was the cause, Sanae-san, teary-eyed from sitting in seiza for so long, pleaded earnestly. Realizing there was a reason behind her actions, Kagura, now somewhat calmer, finally allowed us to sit on chairs.

“…Lying is really not good.”

“Ah, my legs—they’re so numb.”

“We’ve been talking for an hour. It reminds me of my wife, how nostalgic.”

Feeling a strange sense of kinship with Touma-san, who spoke with a distant look in his eyes, I decided to ask Sanae-san about something that had been bothering me, despite her awkward expression.

“By the way, isn’t the princess mentioned as Nagisa?”

“Uh, Nagisa is my younger sister. She’s probably working right now.”

“Ryusui-sama told me to find this Nagisa-sama. Why is that?”

“…Well, that person doesn’t remember people at all, and even mixes up the names of her own followers… So, yes. She probably mentioned the name of someone she found more memorable as a princess.”

…Ryusui-sama, seriously?

I recalled that this was indeed how it was portrayed in the original story, and I understood, but it still seemed pretty bad.

I had initially wondered why that troublesome princess was missing, but now that was cleared up. However, I was left with questions about Sanae-san, who didn’t appear in the original story.

“Well, Ryusui loves human culture, so she doesn’t remember individuals unless they’re really exceptional…”

“Yes, and since we haven’t met her often, I think she probably remembered Nagisa based on the stories she heard. Anyway, I’m sorry for getting you involved.”

“It’s okay, I was surprised, but I understand now… But Yomi, please don’t do this again.”

“Got it… but haven’t I lost some trust recently?”

“I trust you, really. Oh, if you want to prove it, just repeat after me.”

“If that will restore your trust…”

My rational side wondered what I was doing, but I’d say anything to regain Kagura’s trust.

“Yomi won’t act recklessly alone.”

“I won’t act recklessly.”

“Yomi will stay with us always.”

“I’ll stay with Kagura and the others.”

“Yomi won’t disappear anywhere.”

“I won’t disappear.”

Saying this was obvious to me, but I tended to act recklessly, so I understood why it was necessary.

“Yomi won’t flirt with any women.”

“…I won’t flirt with women.”

“Yomi’s life and soul belong entirely to Kagura.”

“…I belong to Kagura.”

“Good, then keep those promises, and let’s get to the main topic.”

The second half felt a bit strange, but since Kagura seemed satisfied, I decided to ignore it and escape reality. 

The main topic was probably about what to do next. Having been dragged into this and said those things to the castle soldiers, there’s no turning back.

“To keep the peace, tomorrow you’ll have an audience with Nagisa-chan. It’s understood that Yomi-kun and Sanae-chan are in a romantic relationship. She hates lies, so you’ll have to keep up the pretense.”

“…What happens if we get caught?”

“At best, you’ll be beheaded.”

“That’s the best-case scenario? That’s not funny.”

“Well… yes, she’s quite extreme.”

Though Touma-san tried to defend her, it wasn’t funny at all. 

This situation was getting worse and worse. While I laughed bitterly inside, I thought about what to do. Pretending to be in a relationship indefinitely was too much, and I hadn’t even asked Sanae-san her reasons yet.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she would answer, but she should at least tell me the basics.

“Sanae, why were you hiding in this shop? …Is it related to the Harvest Festival?”

“Um, how much do you all know about Shinano’s Harvest Festival?”

“Isn’t it the day when Ryusui-sama can use her powers? She makes it rain to pray for a good harvest.”

From what I remembered, the protagonist was supposed to be involved in the festival trials with Nagisa, the troublesome princess. I couldn’t mention that since it was a secret, but knowing this much allowed me to piece things together.

“That’s what is generally known… However, Ryusui-sama, being a god, has conditions to use her powers. That’s why the festival exists—I ran away from it.”

“…That festival. It’s more of a trial where you have to fight against Ryusui-sama’s power.”

What she said matched my memory—bringing to mind the absurd trials of Kuzuryu. Shinano is the third country you reach in the storyline, where Ryusui-sama, the boss, manifests her power.

“I always found it strange, but so that’s what the festival was about. Ryusui, with her immense power, was allowed to use it through humans.”

“Yes, by defeating that power, one can harness it and exercise Ryusui-sama’s authority—that’s the true nature of the Harvest Festival.”

Any powerful spirit or god has restrictions when using their power in the human world.

The gods’ power is immense, and to use it, they bestow benefits upon humans who become their subordinates. 

Kagura taught me that very few humans can harbor the power of a god. I’m just specialized in it, but generally, to harbor a god’s power, one must form a bond and pay a price.

Therefore, many of the subordinates in this world contract with spirits that match their own capacity to fight yokai.

“…As the princess of this country, I’ve been training to harness Ryusui-sama’s power. But when I faced it, I was terrified of dying and ran away… and that’s how I ended up here.”

She finished speaking, sounding bitter—no, she was completely disparaging herself.

“I’m truly sorry for dragging you into this. If I had fulfilled my role, none of this would have happened.”

“Sanae-san, why do you blame yourself like this?”

“Because it’s my duty… If I had done it, I wouldn’t have involved you and Yomi-san in this.”

“No, that’s not it. Being scared of dying is completely normal.”

I didn’t know the fear of death since I realized I had been reincarnated into this world. 

Still, I remember my past life and those thoughts make me realize that I am still afraid of dying.

I can never see my family from my past life again. Nor my dear friends… But having lived this new life, meeting Kagura, Makami, and the others, I understand the fear of dying.

“But—”

“No buts—besides, you’ve already involved us. So, let’s see this through to the end. We’ll have that audience, and I’ll keep up the lie until the end.”

“…Why are you so willing to help someone you just met?”

“Because we met—that’s enough reason, right?”

“…Yomi-san, you’re really an idiot.”

“Hey, isn’t that harsh?”

I thought I said something pretty good, but did I mess up? Did I say something embarrassing? I felt a bit anxious, but I didn’t get a bad impression from her.

“But you’re very kind—Yomi-san, please, come with me to meet Nagisa.”

With Sanae-san’s request, I decided what to do. I nodded and prepared to rest in the shop for tomorrow.

[Afterword]

Thank you for reading this chapter! This marks about the halfway point. This arc will wrap up in about nine to ten more chapters.