Chapter 21 (1/2)

Hi guys, LynneSuzuran here! I am new to RtD team and I will work for Heibon series. My j.a.panese is not at expert level, but hopefully it can help you all to continue reading the series. Enjoy!

Translator : LynneSuzuran

TLC : Osura

Editor : Inconspicuous Ninja

The Healer Leone 2

I am a healer.

When I was on the verge of death, a role was given unto me, and so I survived.

My role is to save people.

Or so that was what I thought.

And that is why, in order to save people, I become a healer.

I believe it was G.o.d's will.

And yet, it is said that the villagers should be abandoned for the greater good?

[Leone, get a hold of yourself!!]

Suddenly, I am hugged by Rou.

Rou's big body hugs my body entirely, and the kind Rou's warmth gradually calms my trembling body.

[Rou&h.e.l.lip; I&h.e.l.lip; cannot possibly abandon the village's people&h.e.l.lip;]

His big hand gently brushes my amber hair.

A firm hand, just like a military man's.

But, I know that these hands are really kind.

I had always been saved by these kind hands.

[I will always be by Leone's side. No matter what kind of decision you make]

I looked up at Rou and our eyes met.

What is reflected in Rou's eyes is none other than me who seems anxious and is about to cry.

But there was no hesitation in Rou's eyes.

I have to make my decision.

[Rou&h.e.l.lip; I&h.e.l.lip;]

This is a heavy decision that will influence the lives of many people.

[Now, Miss, let's go]

Due to her old age, Selia-sama's walking speed was very slow, so Giese-san carried her on his back, and they sneaked out of the village in darkness.

The source of light was light b.a.l.l.s Selia-sama made using magic, as it floated above the area.

It was a magic she could use because she wasn't healing.

I can not do something like that.

I try to minimise consuming power from my magic reserve daily in order to use it solely for the purpose of healing, after all.

She probably kept to that even when she wasn't healing.

And just like that, one hour had pa.s.sed since we went out from the village, and at that time, Rou and I stopped walking.

Selia-sama and Giese-san noticed the sound of Rou and I's footsteps that stopped as we walked behind them, and they turned around.

[What's wrong, Miss?]

Rou and I, as if it was natural, were holding hands.

Rou, please lend me your strength.

I will make certain not to let you regret this.

Without s.h.i.+fting our gazes down, we'll both face off against Selia-sama.

[Selia-sama, Rou and I cannot come along beyond this point. We are going to remain at the village. We followed you to here to see you off.]

Selia-sama and Giese-san's face was dyed with surprise.

[Remain at the village?! Miss, let's be rational. Nothing good will happen by staying in this village!!]

[I am always rational. I will save them. I’ll show you that I can save them. I will try as long as the last drop of my strength allows me to!]

[Miss, you're indeed still a little girl. Naive! Too naive!!]

Selia-sama said cynically.

As I thought, the reason why Selia-sama called me Miss, so it held that kind of meaning, eh.

[You didn’t need to take the thankless role, Selia-sama. If you needed to give your report to the lord then you could have just left the village with Giese-san, but you decided to stay here for me instead. That was to try to save me, wasn’t it? Thank you very much. Even so, I am very sorry for trampling over Selia-sama's good will. But, if I were to abandon this village, then I would hate myself. That is why, I will stay here]

Yes. Selia-sama could have run away from here long ago.

But she didn’t do that.

I think that’s because I was still here, and she didn’t throw away her hopes that the village people could be healed somehow.

[Hyaaahahaha! How funny, you're way too amusing!! Giese, let me down]

Selia-sama sneered.

Selia-sama laughed as she stepped onto the ground, and slowly she approached me.

[Those are nothing but whitewashed words. Even if Miss remains here, the villagers cannot be saved. Because the miasma could not be cured even when many healers challenged themselves to try. Worst case scenario, Miss, you could contract the miasma and die. But if Miss comes along with us,a lot more lives can be saved by you, Miss, from now on, and their future will continue to spin. The lives of the many, or the lives of the few. I think the answer is obvious to anyone when you think about it.]

Selia-sama's objection is very reasonable.

Even so, I am not the type of person that is able to feign ignorance, Selia-sama.

[Selia-sama, I'll still go regardless. If I were to die here, then that, too, is fate. There is no future and the like. If I were not to die here, then that, too, is fate. The future is connected. Selia-sama, in the end, the fate (T/N : the furigana says the future) is unknown to anyone. I am betting on even the slightest bit of possibility]

Yes, n.o.body knows what the future holds.

[I thought you were a smarter child than that, miss. And you're a selfish one at that. I guess that's just because of your youth]

[I think it cannot be helped that you called me selfish. Even still, I'm going to persist with my what I intend to do.]

Selia-sama comes right in front of me and we exchange glances.

Selia-sama and I stare at each other for a surprisingly long time.

As if we are confirming each other's resolve. The first one to yield is Selia-sama.

[It seems useless to prolong this any further. Miss, you are indeed a straightforward, and naive child. But, eventually you will come to know. About your own power's limit. No matter how much you struggle, there are situations in which nothing can be done. It is something that you must know. I shall pray that you will not regret your decision.」

[Thank you very much! Selia-sama!!]

Selia-sama reluctantly conceded.

Selia-sama said various things to me, but she said it all for my sake.

Please forgive this selfish me.

[It is a foolish question, but, Rou, are you going to remain, as well?]

[Selia-sama, I have no plans at all of leaving Leone. It is indeed a foolish question.]

My hand that's connected with Rou's gets gripped strongly.

[You couple are really quite alike. Take this. You will likely need to use it a lot tonight. After all, Miss' magic is nearly exhausted, and Rou, you probably don't have any magic aside from defense magic, do you?.]

Selia-sama produces another light ball with her magic, and she gives it to us before walking over to Giese-san.

[In spring, the crown prince will officially become the king, and it's supposed to be a joyous year, however, why is there a miasma outbreak? It is the end of the world, eh?]

Selia-sama laments over the state of the world, as she extends both of her hands and exaggeratingly looks up at the sky full of stars, while she walks.

[Let's go, Giese. It's no use to talk to the two of them any further. Let's not say goodbye. That's because I believe that it will not be our final goodbye.]

After saying that, Selia-sama is carried again on Giese-san's back as they walk.

The light ball that s.h.i.+nes on Selia-sama and the others, gradually becomes distant.

Rou and I send off Selia-sama in silence.

Until the light ball could not be seen anymore, we stood still for quite a long time.

The winter night is quite cold, as the body heat gets taken away, but I can feel the warmth from Rou's right hand gripping mine.

[Rou&h.e.l.lip; this is for the best, right?]

[Are you already regretting this? It's far too early. We have to try to do the best that we can do, Leone.]

I glance over at Rou as I turn around to face him.

[Un, that's right. I am sure that the role G.o.d talked to me means this incident, right?]

[Again with that talk? You never get tired of it, eh?]

[Isn't it obvious? It's my own experience of a miracle. Now, let's go, Rou. To the side of the people who are waiting for us.]

Rou and I quickly return back.

As we have decided, we continue to walk towards the little village that is invaded by miasma.

We are holding hands as usual, as we are on our way returning to the village in utter silence.

As we walk in the middle of darkness just like that, I reminisce on that time.

At that time, I wonder what would happen if my hand was not being guided?

[Leone! Look at the village!!]

As I was soaked with anxiety upon hearing Rou's strained voice, the hand gripping me got tightened.

It was my first time hearing Rou's voice like this.

When I turn my head towards the village's direction, a swaying and flickering light can be seen over there.

The light is flickering as it gradually spreads out.

It is as if the light wraps the whole village around itself.

I cannot believe the sight before me, as I shake my head.

But, the truth is a cruel thing, and Rou states it with his mouth.

[The village&h.e.l.lip; The village is burning&h.e.l.lip;]

In my mind, I recall Selia-sama's words.

[There is only one way to stop it. That is to sever the root of evil.]

It cannot be&h.e.l.lip; it cannot be, this is a lie, right?!

[Were you not only going to block them?! Selia-sama----–!!]

I fall into despair upon seeing the sight right in front my eyes, and I crumble down to my knees on the ground.

To set the village ablaze, is it really how we are going to cut off the miasma at its root?!

Getting infected with the miasma does not mean that everyone will die.

Are we going to involve the people who still have the possibility to live?!

Is it because they already knew this would happen, so they are taking use of the darkness to escape from the village?!

Is that really what a healer would do?!

Please tell me! Selia-sama!!

[Leone, let's hurry up! There might be some lives we can still save!!]

That's right.

There is still the possibility that there are survivors.

I need to save them, so what am I doing giving up?

The moment I give up, everything will be over.

[Let's go, Rou!!]

I stood up from the ground and ran.

I ran in a daze.

Being guided by Rou's right hand, before I realized it, I had started to run.

At that time, what was there past the light was something very crude.

Well then, I wonder what lies ahead the light of flickering blazes in the middle of this darkness?

We run towards the blaze of flames.

[How cruel&h.e.l.lip; how could they do this kind of awful thing&h.e.l.lip;!!]

Burning.

Burning.

The flames are raging.

The blaze of flames is burning up the village.

It feels as if the Demon lives in that place, as if it is the Otherworld.

[Get a hold of yourself, Leone! The only one who can save the village people are you!!]

Run.

Run.

We continue to run.

The flames continue to burn, and houses are crumbling.

The smokes make it hard to see.

The smell of charring in the air.

Shaking off everything, we run.

We are searching for survivors inside the houses that has little damage.

If it's possible, we want to save everyone.

But we do not possess that kind of power.

We only can save a few people.

We do not have the time to hesitate.

In that case, we have no other choice but to save as many people as possible from the houses that took little damage.

We discard the people who are in the houses with large flames.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that I'm so powerless.

But, even when I smash through the houses with small fire together with Rou, it's already too late, the people inside are already unconscious, and have pa.s.sed away due to the fire.

And finally, we have reached the village's last remaining house.

Are there no survivors?

Please, let there be a miracle! Please, let a miracle occur!!

Please.

Somehow, please lend me power!!

[Someone–! Is anyone there?!]

No way&h.e.l.lip; It's not good here, either&h.e.l.lip;

At that time when I was going to give up&h.e.l.lip;

[Ukh, it's painful&h.e.l.lip; Onee-chan, help me&h.e.l.lip;]

This voice is?!

[Emilia! Rou, come here! Emilia is alive!!]

Rou and I head towards Emilia's room, the source of the voice.

Over there, lying on the bed, hiding behind the blanket was the small, trembling body of a little girl.

[Hot, it's hot. It hurts&h.e.l.lip;]

Emilia's consciousness is a bit hazy, but she can exchange conversations.

[You have done well. It's all right now. Rou, help Emilia!!]

[Emilia, it's safe now. I'm going to carry you.]

Rou then carries Emilia along with her blanked.

[Because&h.e.l.lip; it's a promise&h.e.l.lip;]

[That's right. It was our promise. Excellent, Emilia. Now, let's head outside.]

But the flames do not give us a moment to spare.

We hurriedly run towards the door to leave this place behind.