13 — Knight’s Honor, Healer’s Pride

13 — Knight’s Honor, Healer’s Pride

I sighed. I was hoping I’d be proven wrong.

Before us were three healers, three templars, and a single paladin. Unfortunately, they were already undead and beyond saving.

“More than expected,” I murmured. “Are they conscious, I wonder?”

Despite their corruption, they were in proper formation. Suddenly, one of the red-eyed healers carrying a holy silver sword spoke.

“S-rank Luciel, your coming here has spelled our doom. Our blood is on your hands!”

How was this my fault? And I expected the paladin to be the speaker here, not a healer. Maybe he was the exorcist who had come after me.

“You must be my successor,” I said. “And I take it the rest of you don’t like me very much, do you? How did you make it this deep?”

“By spending...far too much money. But with the magic item we received, here in this very city, we successfully avoided the labyrinth’s ailments.”

The proud tone in his voice led me to guess that he must have been the group’s leader. Or was he simply the only one still lucid enough to speak?

I began preparing a spell in my head. “You’ve all been corrupted. Does that mean you’ve encountered the Wicked One?”

“How do you know that?! You... You must be in league with him! Curse you—” Light emerged from the floor. “What is this effulgence?!”

“Sanctuary Circle,” I replied calmly. “I’m going to return your bodies to normal so you can rest in peace.”

The spell continued to slowly activate.

“Coward!” the paladin finally shouted. “Know you not the teachings of the Knights of Shurule? Victory is obtained through the crossing of blades!”

The forms of the three healers began to regenerate, necrotic flesh returning to some semblance of humanity.

The armored paladin was still seething. He wanted to go out fighting, but I only wanted him to meet his final moments as a human. I had to give him that, on my pride as a healer. But he was a knight, and he had his own honor to protect.

“If I don’t stop the corruption, you’ll lose your body, your mind, and ultimately your sense of self, until you eventually become a monster,” I said. “Is that what you want? You want to mindlessly bring harm to your brothers-in-arms?”

What was the point of this? Did the knights really just want to face off with me? Was it some code of honor compelling them to fall at my hands? I was the bane of the undead, after all, and that’s what they were now. Then what...was I to believe the healers wanted to hurl a few spells at me too?

Of course not. What they likely wanted was someone to blame for their fate.

I felt the words come to me, and said, “Fine. Will you die as abominations? Or will you die as men?”

Even I knew I wasn’t sounding like myself. The healers chose silence and soon disintegrated into nothing. But the paladin and the templars chose battle.

“Sir?” Estia prompted me.

“Step back,” I told her. “The victims of my actions are my own responsibility. Signal the start of the match, okay? Nothing else.”

“Yes, sir.”

I filled myself with magic and took the Holy Dragon spear in my left hand and the Illusion Sword in my right. One against four.

“Begin!” Estia announced.

“I am S-rank Luciel, and I will do my duty! I will protect the Holy City!”

I fearlessly charged at the knights, who were wreathed in a black aura, and swung my magically charged sword while thrusting my spear into the center of my target’s armor. There were no feints, no tricks. The spear pierced the enemy’s shield, straight to the armor and beyond. But the undead felt no pain. I didn’t hesitate and cleaved him in half.

The battle continued like this for only a short while before it was over, just like that.

“You got what you wanted,” I murmured. “I hope it was worth it.”

“Just...like that...” the paladin groaned. There was frustration in his voice but no sadness. He shed no tears.

“Joining the undead lowers your cognitive and physical abilities,” I said. “If you had been living, our positions would be reversed.”

“Then that is where this sluggishness comes from.” He nodded slightly, convinced. “Still, I see now that there are grounds for your rank.”

The other knights grieved as they came to understand the end was drawing near.

“I don’t want to die.”

“Is this how it ends? Powerless? Corrupted?”

“I finally became a templar. And for what?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to come around,” I said finally. “You will at least die as men. I pray that you protect Shurule again in your next life.”

I cast Sanctuary Circle one more time, vaporizing them in the pale light. Once they were gone, I went to collect their equipment like they had been any other enemy.

“We’ll head back once we get everything, including their magic stones,” I said to Estia. “But do not touch the one in the center of the room under any circumstances, or you’ll end up like they did.”

I suddenly felt my stomach turn. It didn’t feel right. This wasn’t what I had become a healer for. This wasn’t what I had signed up to do.

This wasn’t healing.

“Um, sir?” Estia began to say. “Er, never mind.”

“Wait for the magic circle. It’ll show up soon.”

“I...suppose this means we’ve conquered the labyrinth? It’s a good thing this last room was so easy.”

She had no idea. No idea that those men had once been alive, had once served the Church. Or at least, she did a great job of pretending. But I had to be honest—I owed it to the lost souls.

“If we had come here a few decades later and they’d become lich knights or wights, I don’t know if I could have won. And like I said, if this was an even fight, I’d have been the loser.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” I collected the last stone and the magic circle appeared. “I’m weak.”

I stepped into the circle and cleared the labyrinth.

The next instant, I was back at the start of the dungeon.

“And that’s it,” I said. “We need to see Her Holiness.”

“Oh, finally,” someone in Estia’s voice sighed.

“Why now, of all times?”

I could only hear a single voice, but I could tell that the spirit had switched with her.

“You’re an observant little human, aren’t you? Estia doesn’t like strangers, if you recall, so I’m here to relieve her while traversing the crowds.”

“Convenient. Was it too hard to change back in the labyrinth or something?” I asked.

“No. Now enough of your theories.”

Based on her flustered behavior, I could wager a guess that manifesting in a labyrinth took a considerable amount of energy.

“Whatever you say. Estia was probably tired anyway.”

“I like you better when you’re smart.”

I didn’t think it took a genius to figure out I had stressed her out a bit with my mood.

“Let’s go.”

“Right.”

I remembered that I had left Forêt with the pope overnight and hoped that I hadn’t breached any rules of etiquette in doing so as we made our way back.

“It’s Luciel, Your Holiness. I’ve come with news.”

“Enter.”

The attending ladies filed out as the doors opened. I took a knee before the pope and prepared to recount the events of the fiftieth floor.

“Well done on traversing the labyrinth,” she commended us. “Both of you. What did you find?”

“The source of the problem was as we thought,” I said. “Members of the Church had reached the labyrinth’s depths and tampered with the large magic stone, triggering a trap. I believe the Wicked One corrupted them.”

“The Wicked One,” the pope repeated gravely. “So he really does exist. If only my father were here. He would know what to do.”

I could offer no words of consolation. After all, I was thinking the very same thing. Perhaps a hero, or sage, or summoner of some kind on the level of Lord Reinstar could have done something. Perhaps if I could have spoken with him longer... But I decided to let sleeping giants lie for now.

“I’m going to spend the next few days observing the labyrinth to make sure it’s weakening. If everything appears safe, I’ll be leaving for Merratoni as planned.”

“Very well.” She frowned. “It will pain me to part with Forêt Noire, but I will be patient until your next visit.”

Why was it she couldn’t leave these chambers, again? I almost asked but was tactful enough to bite my tongue at the last moment. If it were something I could do anything about, she would have told me by now.

“I know that you have been blessed by the spirits,” she continued. “I will continue to monitor the situation, and you will continue to contact me via arclink when the need arises.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.” I made a mental note to prepare some more honey-related products in the future to raise her spirits. “That concludes my report. Spirit, do you have nothing to say?”

“Fluna,” the spirit said, “my sister is still beyond my reach. But I will find a way to rescue her. You have my word.”

“Thank you,” the pope replied.

Rescue? I hung on that word for a while, but I didn’t pry. It wasn’t my place to butt in.

Forêt licked Her Holiness one last time before approaching and waiting for me to use the hermit key. When I did, she entered with surprisingly little fuss.

“If you’ll ex—” I stopped myself. “Actually, I have a favor to ask, Your Holiness.”

“Oh?”

“I’d like to visit the Adventurer’s Guild tomorrow and offer my services for the day. For one silver per patient.”

“Ah. That holiday of yours.”

“That’s right,” I said. “I think it’s a year overdue. And I’d like to take some time to go back to my roots.”

“I will make an exception for you. However, do remember your place as the author of the guidelines and carry yourself accordingly.”

“Of course. I don’t intend to forget that.”

“Very good,” she said. “I continue to expect great things from you.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

When we emerged from the chamber, there were several knights waiting for us.

“What’s this about?” I asked.

“It’s a disaster!” one of them exclaimed. “We have several wounded who need attention! Hurry, to the training grounds!”

Was I the only healer in the whole friggin’ castle?!

It took immense effort not to pull my hair out, but I managed it and hurried after them.