The Priest of Complete Dispel ~ Every Time I Save a Cursed Beautiful Girl with My Status Abnormal Cure Skill, For Some Reason Her Dependence on Me Maxes Out ~ - Chapter 15: One Week of Farewell

Chapter 15: One Week of Farewell

“Stop with the savior or hero stuff…”

“No, Lord Shu, you have that kind of power…! I, a saint candidate, guarantee it. Someday, even Lady Haramaria will understand…!”

Iris’s eyes were serious.

She was probably serious because she would protect this country as a saint in the future.

I had no intention of becoming a savior or hero.

Those shiny words were unrelated to me, felt gross, and made me uneasy.

But wanting to save people—that was something I sought even in my past life.

“Iris… you think I can save a lot of people, don’t you?”

“Of course! I swear to Goddess Artemisia!”

Artemisia, huh… I only knew villagers, but they always mentioned Goddess Artemisia’s name when praying at the church.

Swearing by that goddess meant she was dead serious…

“Honestly, I’ve always wanted to leave this village and see the world. So, if you’re saying you’ll take me out… I want you to do it.”

“Lord Shu…!”

“But… give me a few days. I owe this village too much. There are probably people who can’t sort out their feelings right away… including me.”

“Yes, of course… but, as you know, while we’re here, Archbishop Bulldog’s evil hands are spreading to women…”

“Yeah, I know. But still, wait for me… This is something I need to settle with this village.”

There were people I needed to save.

But I still felt I hadn’t repaid the village that raised me.

As a priest, I healed the villagers’ status ailments, but that was just because I happened to have the skill. There must have been more I could’ve done beyond my skills.

So, until the moment I left this village, I wanted a little time.

“Old man, old lady… is that okay?”

I decided on my own, but I hadn’t heard their opinions.

So, I asked them.

“You still need more training… but I won’t stop you. It’ll be lonely without my playmate…”

“I knew this day would come. It’s now. …Make sure you properly settle things with those you’re leaving.”

The old man sounded lonely, and the old lady probably meant Amelia.

But they seemed to push me forward.

“Yeah, I really owe you guys—”

◇◇◇

I got a one-week grace period.

From the next day, I went around greeting people and met Amelia.

When I told Amelia I was leaving, she ran off somewhere and didn’t show up for a while.

That made sense. It had been two years since we grew close.

I felt lonely leaving Amelia. Maybe she felt even worse…

It hurt my heart as much as parting with Rikka in my past life.

“—Iris. There’s a place I want to take you.”

Saying that, I took Iris, the saint candidate, deep into the forest.

It was a sacred place called the Healing Spring.

“N-No way…! Lady Keryneia…!?”

Iris was so shocked by the giant deer that she collapsed.

For the two years since meeting Keryneia, I visited it with Amelia many times.

I even brushed it sometimes, so I liked to think we were close.

“—You brought another interesting one.”

“W-Wow, I’m Iris Carnelia, a saint candidate! I never thought Lady Keryneia, the sacred beast of Goddess Artemisia, would be here…”

I later learned that Keryneia was a familiar of the goddess Artemisia.

This world had four great nations, each worshipping a god and their sacred beast. Keryneia was one of them. But some nations didn’t know where their sacred beast was, unlike Keryneia.

“…Shu. You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

“You knew, huh? Yeah.”

“When?”

“A week from now.”

“I see… Then, the day before you leave, come see me again.”

“Got it.”

Would Keryneia feel lonely without me?

“Hmph, lonely? How long do you think I’ve lived? A few years with you wouldn’t make me feel that way.”

Stop reading my mind.

But that sounded like a tsundere comment.

“—And Iris.”

“Yes!”

“Until you leave this village, come to this spring every day to purify your body. It will strengthen your blessing.”

“Is that okay!?”

“…It’s a special case.”

“Oh, Lady Keryneia…!”

Did the Healing Spring have that effect?

I think Amelia said she purified her body here regularly too.

After that, I helped the villagers like crazy.

From farming to butchering monsters, pulling weeds, cleaning ditches, and of course, my usual healing.

I trained with the old man’s sword every morning.

I never won once… but that was fine. He looked satisfied.

But Amelia wouldn’t meet me, and time just passed.

◇◇◇

“It’s already been a week?”

“Yeah, but it’s the day before.”

As promised, I came alone to see Keryneia.

“Hey, before your business, I have a question.”

“What?”

“They say I have the goddess’s blessing… Can I freely remove it?”

This was important for my future fighting style.

If I could, it would open up more possibilities.

“Hmm… A scoundrel wants to remove the goddess’s blessing?”

“Temporarily. Like putting it on and off, like a ring.”

I flashed the reversal ring on my right middle finger.

“It’s not impossible… but there’s a condition. Once you leave, visit the church in every town and pray to the goddess.”

“Yeah… if that’s all, I’ll pray.”

“Hmm… fine. Removing the blessing is easy. Pull out one of your hairs, offer it as a sacrifice, and focus. Do the same to restore it.”

“…I’m worried about going bald, but… okay.”

Good thing it was just one hair… If it was multiple, I’d really lose my hair.

“Now, I have something to give you—”

My question was done, so Keryneia’s business began.

Like when I got the reversal ring, I entered the Healing Spring, came out, and it floated something to me.

“A cross…?”

“Shu… you’re a priest, but for some reason, your weapon is a sword. This will be useful.”

It was a cross… or something that looked like one.

It was much larger than the rosary I wore.

But on closer look, it resembled the hilt of a cross-shaped sword without a blade.

“Your reversal ring has my blessing. Focus magic into the ring and chant <Holy Creation>.”

I held the longer part of the cross and did as Keryneia said.

“—<Holy Creation>”

Suddenly, the cross glowed, and in an instant, a bluish-white light shot out from the bladeless tip, forming a sword.

It looked like my usual longsword but had a mystical hue.

“Whoa!? What’s this!?”

“—‘Holy Creation Sword.’ It won’t chip, and as long as you have the hilt, it’s a sword made just for you, usable forever.”

“No way… Is this light magic?”

I asked since I could use light and wind magic.

“It’s manifested with your magic, but it’s not light magic. It’s different from any attribute. You could call it a holy attribute.”

Light and holy felt about the same… but they’re different?

Well, not worth worrying about.

“And one more thing.”

Keryneia still had more business.

“When you’re in real danger, focus magic into the ring and chant <Luminous Al Summons>. It will surely help you.”

I didn’t quite understand what kind of power it was.

But if it would help in a pinch, I’d use it.

“…Got it. Thanks.”

“Stay well.”

“Yeah, you too…”

We exchanged light farewells, and I parted with Keryneia.

I left the Healing Spring and walked alone through the forest.

I kept walking, looking at words written on a piece of paper.

After a while, I reached a wooden cabin.

Though wooden, it was well-maintained and clean.

I opened the cabin’s door.

Inside, a girl stood—

“—Shu, I’ve been waiting for you.”

It was Amelia, in her usual nun outfit, greeting me with a gentle expression.