The Banished Sage Who Escaped his Childhood Friend

C14~ The Saint

“Are you injured?”

“…”

Even though I politely called out to the girl who was serving as a vanguard, there was no response from her.

Was she okay?

I couldn’t help but be worried. I thought I had made it in time but…

I stared at her waiting for a response, but none came around.

“Hello?”

“……Ah”

The girl shouted, as if her soul had just returned to her body.

“Um … what is this feeling? It’s a mysterious feeling that I have never tasted before… but suprisingly it’s very comforting.”

“what……?”

“Ah … I’m sorry. I was a bit surprised, and … maybe you were the one who helped me?”

“I wonder if that’s the case. I haven’t really done much.”

I had observed a lot of fights before through the years that I spent supporting Leticia and her party members. Even though my knowledge is highly insufficient, I can somehow make guesses in these kinds of scenarios.

The surge of mana that was being emanated from the girl was indeed strong enough to defeat all of the ants despite of my assistance. I just happened to steel her kill as I acted wtihout thinking much.

“That’s not it! Without your magic, I would have … what kind of magic did you use now? It even killed a fire-resistant Death Ant even though it has the appearance of fire magic …”

“Hmm? Isn’t it a normal flame spell?”

“Flame? Are you referring to that … beginner fire magic ‘flame’?”

“Yes. I can only use beginner tier magic.”

“Um … oh, I see. That must be a joke. You must have your secrets. I was too smitten as I was on the verge of death that I couldn’t help but ask.”

‘I need to calm myself down.’

“… Thank you for your aid. You’re a very kind person.”

Why do I feel like there is some kind of misunderstanding here?

“Young lady!”

“Haru!”

When I tried to correct the misunderstanding, two voices shout out interjecting us with one of them being Alice along with another one.

A unknown woman rushed in there.

“Lady, are you okay !? I saw a tremendously huge flames, but thpse flock of Death Ants …”

“I’m fine. This person helped me.”

“Thank you for helping the young lady … I’ve seen your advanced fire magic explosion, albeit from a distance. I’m sure you’re a well-known wizard.”

“No, I’m not a big fish at all. I mean, it’s not an explosion, it’s just a ‘flame’.”

“Eh? Beginner fire magic?”

“Yes”

“…”

She tilted her neck to the side

“I see, you’re good at joking.”

Her face bloomed to a smile. Maybe because she felt that I was a humerous and amicable person?

Ugh

Why won’t anyone believe me …?

“… He really can’t think of anything but that joke.”

Alice who had rushed in too with the woman smiled along with her.

“Who are you……?”

A question was directed towards me. But it was an unimportant concern at the moment. I looked around as Alice followed my gaze.

“We will introduce ourselves later. First, let’s treat the injured.”

“Oh! That’s right!”

It was as Alice said.

We must first take care of the injured.

“High heal!”

The girl like me seemed to be able to cast recovery spells.

She healed the injured one after another.

She was fully engrossed in providing her support.

While, she treated the injured, me and Alice kept on guard and were on the alert to face any dangers in the viciniy just in case.

It would be ridiculously disadvantageous if the group were to be attacked during their treatment.

“OK. It looks like there are no monsters near here.”

“I think their treatment is over. Let’s go back to great them.”

I followed Alice’s suggestion as we returned back to the highway.

“Ange … sama …”

“No, no! Please be firm, keep your consciousness strong and open your eyes!”

The soldier had his chest dyed oozing with a lot of blood … he had lost too much.

The girl was desperately cried out with tears.

“Sacred Breath, Sacred Breath !!!”

The girl could only cast advanced recovery magic over and over again.

But, it was of no use. The fallen soldier did not rejuvinate.

His face was distorted in pain … probably death would have been a better release. but the girl didn’t want the soldier to die.

Occasionally he vomited blood as his body jerked up lifelessly.

They were wounds beyond the reach of healing magic …

It must be a fatal injury.

“Why, why …! I want to help but it’s not working. If I can’t help … then, why am I a saint … !!!”

“It’s not the lady’s fault. It’s all the monster’s fault. The lady needs not to be bothered …”

“I don’t care!”

The girl’s sorrowful cry distorted her face hiding it behind her tears.

Me and Alice were no exception to the rule. I could only watch at the scene sorrowfully as my unconsciously welled up in salt water.

A life that is about to fall.

And a girl who sheds her tears since she can’t stop it.

It’s a painful sight making my heart to burst.

“……Ah”

Alice made a small voice as she suddenly came up with it.

“Hey. Maybe Haru can help?”

“eh?”

Just what …

“Is it true !?”

The girl rushed onto me as she clinged onto me tight.

“Can you really help him !?”

“No, hey … wait, wait. I can’t do that. I don’t have any special potions, and healing magic? I can only use basic beginner tier heals.”

“I see……”

“No, it’s too early to give up. Haru’s sage magic might help.”

“Don’t be crazy. How can I heal an injury that even advanced healing magic can’t heal?”

“The biggest drawback of yours is that you have a low self-esteem. Anyway, just give it a try. Don’t you want to help this person too?”

“Well, that’s true …”

“It’s okay. Haru will surely be able to do it.”

Alice’s gentle words somehow pushed my back.

“… I understand. I’ll try as much as I can.”

But, I’m not confident at all …

But regrets that you never tried are much worse than regrets where you tried but failed. I don’t want to regret not trying it out even though I knew it won’t work.

I held my palm over the dying soldier.

Converging mana I casted healing magic.

“Heal!”

A faint light wraps around the soldier’s body …

Heals a body full of wounds.

His pained stricken face turned into a gentle one.

Soon after, I heard a sigh of relief.

“Ah, God …! Thank you, thank you!”

“Such an absurd thing … a wound that couldn’t even be healed by the young lady’s Sacred Breath was… was with healed a beginner’s healing magic Basic heal …? It’s impossible … but I can’t help but be glad.”

The cheers of the other soldiers who were watching the situation suddenly rose.

The girl who had shed the most tears also shed more as she was pleased with the soldier’s safety.

“Hmm … I’m glad it went well.”

“Amazing, Haru!”

Alice cheered for me.

“Wwere you that sure that it would work?”

“I wasn’t sure, but if flame can give you that much ridiculous power. It wouldn’t be strange if your healing magic had a ridiculous effect as well.”

“Hmm … but I can’t really do that much.”

“No, you are alreayd amazing enough. You are just not aware of it.”

“But I’m a small fry.”

It was not only Leticia. Everyone along with her had told me the same. Alice might be saying otherwise but I think she is doing so just to cheer me up.

“Well … I wonder when will you be more confident? But, it can also be said that this is too part of you.”

Alice smiled and patted my head, as she shook her head teasing me. It was like she treating me like a mess.

――――――――――

"”thank you!!””

“Oh no …”

Two girls bowed their heads at the same time, and I couldn’t help but get a little afraid at their sudden outburst.

Am I supposed to have saved that soldier’s life …?

Probably a coincidence.

The girl had applied advanced healing magic many times in advance, it must have taken some time for them to take effect and it only worked out later …

My beginner healing magic was just a light push on my back at the end.

I think it’s like that.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to help a dying person.

Yes.

That could be a compelling explanation.

After all wasn’t there a reason why they were differentiated as beginner and advanced?

“Thanks to you, I think I can return to Arland without anyone’s death. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“He is my subordinate and he is like a family. I am deeply grateful for you saving his life.”

“… Welcome”

I haven’t really done much, but …

“Oh, excuse me. My name is Anju Autumn. I’m the daughter of the lord of the fortified city of Arland, and I’m an adventurer. My profession is a saint.”

Anju introduced himself with a smile.

She was a girl who looked best when she smiles the most unlike her previous state.

She was probably the same age as me.

Though she had a somewhat young face …

But she is a ridiculous beautiful girl.

The body is thin and short.

She was dressed in expensive garments and it looked good on her.

If she’s the daughter of a lord and a saint at that, then its somewhat understandable.

“I’m Nine Sinfonia. Young lady … Anju’s exclusive maid.”

Nine picked up her skirt and bowed gracefully.

Wait? Isn’t she … two or three years older than me?

She had an appearence of an intellectual, cool beauty.

Along with Anju, she looked like her elder sister.

As she said it herself she was a maid. Owing to that she wore maid clothes.

However, her skirt has been shortened, the sleeves too had been shortened. My closest guess would be that it has been modified to make it easier for her to move.

Is she a maid who is also in charge of battle?

“I’m a Heru Traitor. I’m an adventurer.”

“I’m Alice Sprite. I’m also an adventurer and I’m in the saem party as Haru.”

“That … can I call both of you by your first names?”

“That’s ok”

“Yes, of course”

“Thank you. Mr. Haru, Ms. Alice. Please, call us by our names as well.”

“Um … is that okay? If I may ask, aren’t you the daughter of the lord …”

“Don’t worry. You are our lifesaver. We can’t be rude to you.”

“I haven’t really done anything, haha.”

Alice smuled again. What was with this deja vu?

“Then … Anju and Nine. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Anju smiled with a vibrant smile with her cheeks dyed with a slight tint of red.