Chapter 59: A Quick Reunion (3)
Thud!
I stabbed the carving dagger into Ian’s heart.
Heart reset.
The basic principle is similar to that of a defibrillator. It stops a malfunctioning heart once, then makes it beat again to return it to normal.
It’s like turning a computer off and on, a brain melted by gacha games coming to its senses after seeing an empty wallet, barely meeting a deadline after awakening to find the manuscript gone despite having it backed up on the cloud, and so on.
Aren’t there many similar instances? It’s the same in this case.
If there’s a problem with the blood flow, simply stop the heart that causes the flow once and then restart it.
A distorted blessing will weaken as the heart breaks down, and wounds can be treated before death. This is a temple, so it shouldn’t be difficult.
…However, it seems this simple conclusion was hard for others to understand.
“Oh, Goddess! Bestow your mercy upon the injured!”
“Jonah, have you lost your mind?!”
Panicking, Karen conjured a divine healing spell while Lydia forced a potion into Ian’s mouth with a scream-like shout.
Thanks to their perfect response, Ian quickly recovered, but…
“No, how can you heal him before the blessing is even lifted? Please prepare to do it again.”
“What do you mean ‘do it again’!?”
“…Explanation! At least give us a detailed explanation before doing it!”
They looked at me as if they were seeing a madman. That’s harsh. It was the best I could do.
Shrugging my shoulders, I began to speak.
“I’m eliminating the cause of the problem. If you heal Inspector Ian before he dies, he’ll be fine.”
“What kind of nonsense…hmm? Wait a moment. No, why…could it be?”
Although Karen was prepared to question with determination, being the most knowledgeable about divine power or blessings here, it seemed she quickly caught on to what I meant.
After muttering something to herself for a moment, she soon nodded.
“…I understand. Blessings scatter with death, so if the heart stops, the distorted blessing that resided within would also disappear.”
“It’s similar but a bit different. That refers to complete death, not when the heart stops and the brain ceases, but the moment the soul leaves the body.”
“…When the heart stops and the brain ceases, a person dies,” Karen countered with a serious face. It seemed there was a bit of a difference in common sense here.
“No, it’s not immediate death. There’s a slight grace period. If you recover quickly during that time, it’s okay.”
“Really?”
“Really. So, Inquisitor Ian doesn’t come back from the dead, but rather, his heart just stops for a moment. This distorted blessing is closely related to the heart, so if the vessel breaks, it will naturally scatter in all directions. …Though a bit will remain.”
“You said some remains? Then it can’t be completely resolved.”
“If Inquisitor Ian isn’t actually dying and resurrecting, then yes. But don’t worry. There’s also a way for that.”
“Oh Goddess… it seems you had a plan for everything.”
“It’s not the goddess’s plan, it’s mine… Anyway, now we’re going to tear his heart apart again, but count exactly five seconds, no more, no less, and then you must start the healing prayer. Miss Lydia, please prepare the next potion.”
“Understood.”
“…Yes.”
It wasn’t that I was crazy; the two of them prepared divine power and potions once again. Only after confirming this did I twist the sword I hadn’t yet fully drawn out half a turn.
Eujeuk!
The sensation of flesh being crushed at the tip of the sword was palpable.
Ian, whose heart was shattered once more, shivered even in his unconscious state. Karen flinched at his intense reaction, but…
“Not yet! Just wait a little longer!”
“Keut!”
I counted down five seconds in my head before I finally pulled the dagger from Ian’s heart.
Pusuuut!!
Blood spurted out vigorously like a fountain. I shouted as some of the blood, which I couldn’t fully dodge, splashed onto my face.
“Now!”
“Oh, Goddess! Here lies a wounded lamb! Please bestow your mercy!”
“…Jonah, let’s talk later.”
Karen clasped her hands together and recited a prayer while Lydia, glaring sharply at me, applied a new potion.
Lydia’s reaction was a bit concerning, but the priority right now was Ian.
Whoosh!
Ian was enveloped in a light pink light when, almost instantly, a dark purple mist began to rise from the wound on his chest.
The moment Karen’s concentration wavered, I shouted in a firm tone.
“Don’t mind it and continue!”
“……!”
Karen, gritting her teeth, summoned her divine power once again. It goes without saying, but the purple energy, essentially the same divine power albeit tainted, was unaffected.
It scattered in all directions, only to be absorbed by me…
“Eh?”
If it had scattered, it should have gracefully disappeared. So why was it gathering towards me?
I tried to slip away, but the persistent energy followed me. It didn’t seem harmful, but it was definitely unsettling.
I attempted to find a spot where Karen couldn’t easily see me, but…
“Ah.”
Perhaps it was more concerning than I thought because as I locked eyes with Karen, her face was dotted with sweat; Lydia also noticed it.
Umm.
Am I in trouble?
Just knowing this method of healing could already cast a lot of suspicion on me.
I hoped Karen would see me as something akin to a divine apostle and Lydia, given her previous experiences with me, would react calmly to most things. So, I went for it.
After all, I was just saving a life. I thought there wouldn’t be any real threat, even if suspicions arose.
…Until I absorbed the distorted divine power unique to One Who Devours the Twilight.
This is nuts. What do I do now?
As Ian’s complexion brightened, mine darkened.
I reached into my shirt and gripped the statue of the goddess. Maybe if things went south, I could just lift this and praise the Goddess of Love, and somehow, everything would work out, right?
Wait. The followers of One Who Devours the Twilight also believe in the goddess, right? The problem is that they’re heretics.
Maybe it’s better to bring out One Who Devours the Twilight, Fatherfucking Bastard, Season 2 here…
Argh! This is why I didn’t want to come to the temple! I had a feeling I’d get caught up in some annoying trouble! Though I didn’t know it would be this kind of problem!
As I fretted and grumbled to myself, sweating profusely, the divine power that had been emanating from Karen finally subsided, indicating the healing was complete.
Ian was completely healed, sleeping with a peaceful expression distinctly different from before.
…Well, at least it ended without any major issues.
I quickly pulled out the statue of the goddess after calming myself.
Holding it above my head with both hands, like an otter displaying its young, I exclaimed,
“Long live the Goddess of Love! One Who Devours the Twilight are fatherfucking bastards!”
“……”
Karen, unresponsive to my sudden outburst, simply stared at me with a blank expression.
Lydia, having witnessed the scene as well, did not question my actions. Instead, she positioned herself protectively in front of me with an urgent expression.
In the midst of this subtle standoff, tears began to stream down Karen’s cheeks again. f𝐫e𝚎𝘄eb𝚗o𝐯𝐞𝐥.𝐜𝚘m
“Indeed. I was not mistaken,” she murmured.
“…What?” I asked, puzzled.
“To accept such turbid divine power and purify it so purely. Brother Jonah, you are surely favored by the goddess.”
“……”
Lydia turned her head sharply to look at me upon hearing Karen’s words. But could the quality of divine power be discerned just by a glance from an aura user? Perhaps, if it was manifested.
I focused my mind inward and felt a warm energy spreading throughout my body, in patches here and there.
This energy, similar yet distinct from the tiny mana located near my heart, felt more familiar.
Since I had only absorbed the remnants, there wasn’t much of it, and I didn’t know how to use it, but possessing divine power was beneficial in itself.
It was definitely advantageous for me. But still…
“Couldn’t you have said something?” I asked, unsure of what exactly had transpired but certain that the Goddess of Love must have intervened somehow.
I looked resentfully at the sky—or, more precisely, at the statue of the goddess raised high—but nothing changed.
Karen and Lydia, following my gaze to the statue, were simply in awe of the beauty of the 3-star sculpture.
I was about to sigh in relief inwardly when I suddenly raised my head.
“Right! There’s still one more thing left to do! Inquisitor Karen, could you please open Inquisitor Ian’s mouth?”
“Yes. Like this?”
Without a word, Karen stood up and pried open Ian’s mouth. Standing in front of him, I drew my dagger again. This time, it was a unicorn dagger, not the one for carving.
Lydia looked at me with a doubtful expression while Karen opened his mouth without a hint of suspicion.
“May I ask what you are intending to do?”
“To completely drive out the remaining remnants of the curse.”
“What should I do?”
“Just keep his mouth open wide.”
“Yes.”
Karen nodded. I braced myself and then gripped the unicorn dagger tightly in my opposite hand.
“Ugh!”
The cold blade dug into my palm. A beat later, I felt the pain surge as I drew the dagger across.
Swoosh.
As blood welled up from the deep cut in my palm, the unicorn dagger emitted a faint light and began to heal the wound.
Before it completely healed, I pressed my fist against Ian’s lips and clenched it tightly.
Drip, drip, drip.
A few drops of blood, squeezed out by the pressure, passed through Ian’s lips and down his throat. And then…
Flash!
Ian’s body shone again, emitting a slight purple aura…All of which was absorbed by me, however.
And now, Karen began to kneel before me entirely.
“Ah, aah…! For the children who shed tears, the goddess bleeds!”
“I don’t know what that is, but it’s not that.”
“The compassion to wipe away someone else’s tears with your own blood!”
“It’s not like that….”
I felt like crying a little too.
Isn’t it somewhat cool to solve a problem that started with blood by feeding it blood? It was a setting introduced with the same light-hearted intention!
Stop paying attention!
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