17 — Emotional Spring Cleaning

17 — Emotional Spring Cleaning

The day after Dhoran’s departure, I paid Lumina a visit in her private quarters.

“What’s this about?” she asked.

I sat across from her, cups of tea in front of each of us. I had to tell her my honest feelings.

“I’ll get right to it,” I said. “Your kiss made me happy. Really happy. I’ve never experienced anything like that before. Not since becoming a healer, anyway.” She had hugged me before, but that had been more uncomfortable than anything.

Red colored her cheeks a little. “You certainly did get right to it.”

Man, she was cute. I couldn’t help thinking it. “I’m sorry. I just want to be completely upfront about this.” I paused. “I greatly respect you, and I’d even say I enjoy your company.”

“Then...you like me?” There was a hint of unease in her gaze along with something else that she didn’t bother to hide.

“I do,” I replied. “But...I don’t know if it’s love, or friendship, or trust, or what.”

“Meaning?”

“Regardless of how you might feel about me, I want to prioritize how I feel right now. I want some time to seriously consider my relationship with you.”

There. I was perfectly honest. Maybe I was overthinking things, but I figured Lumina was someone who valued sincerity. And I still had Nanaella and Monica to think about.

Lumina giggled. “Is that what you wanted to tell me? Goodness, I knew you were straighter than an arrow, but I certainly didn’t expect a full report.”

“I might not have needed to give one if I were staying, but I didn’t want to leave any loose ends when I go. I’m heading back to Merratoni to train under my master again.”

“Hm. Then go and do what you need to do. Learn well, and when you return, I’ll do something special for you if you can beat me. Anything you like.”

My imagination almost went wild, but defeating her was not a hurdle I could underestimate.

“I plan to be gone for about two months. I’ll come to see you when I get back.”

“I will be waiting.”

The coquettish smile on her face was almost enough to make me fall for her then and there. I burned it into my memory and then left for the pope’s chambers.

Her holiness summoned me inside, and everyone else exited the room.

“This is about the matter with Lumina, I take it?” she asked. “You have my blessing, of course, but I cannot speak for the spirits.”

My shoulders drooped. “Actually, Your Holiness, I just came to report to you that we’ll be leaving for Merratoni tomorrow.”

“Oh. Formalities. Boring.”

“Where did you even hear about that?”

“Places.”

“Confidential, huh? Well, as it turns out, I went shopping with Rosa the other day, and I just so happened to have found a present for you.”

“Oh, fine,” she sighed. “Rosa informed me when she returned from her trip with you.”

“I thought it might be something like that.”

I’d thought Catherine had surely been the source of the leak, but even if she wasn’t exactly a captain, Rosa had her own share of responsibilities as principal caretaker of the knights, which in itself gave her a decent amount of authority to speak with the pope. Who would’ve known she was so high up the ladder? I had learned from Ketty and Kefin that she reported to Her Holiness fairly often.

“I’m taking some time to think about things carefully,” I said. “Whether or not I think our relationship should take the next step, we both lead dangerous lives.”

And there were a few other people in my life who similarly needed some serious thought, but I didn’t say that out loud. I was going to have an honest talk with the two I had in mind once I got to Merratoni.

“Always so earnest. Perhaps you’re due a reward for your fidelity, and as it happens, I have begun proceedings for visiting Neldahl.”

“Really? That’s great to hear.”

The City in the Sky wasn’t so far off. I could feel my excitement building. Maybe I’d get to learn how to use offensive magic. Pola and Lycian could have created something to simulate spellwork, but learning to do it myself would be infinitely more useful. And, most importantly, it would make me that much harder to kill, which brought a nice, fuzzy feeling to my heart.

“Do not die on me, healer. I see greatness in your future, the likes of which we have not seen since my own father.” The pope’s smile made my heart flutter. Substance X was really starting to throw me off again.

“I’ll remember that. I’ll contact you when we arrive in Merratoni, and I plan to return in about two months. You’ll hear from me if there are any changes in our schedule.”

“Go with care.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

With that, I left her chamber.

Catherine was next on my list of stops to make. When I found her, she was black and blue.

“Lionel, would it kill you to hold back every once in a while?” I shot at him.

“That was Ketty,” he clarified. “Their skill levels are rather close. You’ll find our cat-woman in a similar state.”

I glanced around for her. “Fair enough. But where’s Kefin?”

“I believe he sprinted off, yelling something about finding a healer.”

Just how close were those two? I cast Extra Heal on both Ketty and Catherine.

“You’ve learned to control that spell at quite a distance,” Lionel commented. “The fruits of your labor.”

“It doesn’t really feel like it,” I confessed. “Everything I’ve done has been to survive. It doesn’t feel like I ever made a conscious decision to push myself for any reason that wasn’t related to life or death.”

Lionel smiled at me. “You have a talent for perseverance.”

But I knew that I had only made it this far thanks to my Assess Mastery skill.

“We’re leaving tomorrow after morning training,” I said. “As soon as we’ve had breakfast. Let the others know.”

“Yes, sir.”

I headed to the labyrinth next. The ghouls inside had devolved into zombies once again, as they should have. Their numbers had dwindled as well, and I hardly encountered any on the first floor.

“Looks like there shouldn’t be any trouble finding a new exorcist as long as they can use Purification,” I muttered.

I continued down to the tenth floor, finding only a few dozen monsters on the way, and only scattered individuals, at that. There were no large groups.

“The boss is a cinch with cleansing magic. But now I’m worried about someone trying to clear the place again.”

I didn’t know how many people knew that I had conquered the labyrinth at level one, but the knights at least knew the extent of my abilities. As long as I could use my magic, I could win a fair amount of matches against both templars and paladins. In a match of skill, however, it was much closer. And if someone like that could clear this labyrinth, all someone else would need was a way to deal with the wraiths and miasma and they were set to reach the final floor. And if that happened, someone else would have to come and fix it again. My head was starting to go in circles.

After confirming that nothing was out of the ordinary down to the thirtieth floor, I turned around and climbed back up, collecting magic stones on the way. When I got back, someone was waiting for me at the shop.

It was Granhart, standing where Catherine used to. He gave me a tense look, as if surprised to see me here.

“Hello. What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Attending to my new duty,” he replied. “After your success in the labyrinth and subsequent appointment to the rank of S, the next exorcists were chosen with me as their superior. As you know, I do not meddle in the affairs of my subordinates so long as they obey our codes and rules, but this has evidently led to problems. Now, so as to avoid it happening again, I sought to make amends by placing the dungeon under my watchful eye.”

I knew Granhart was as stringent as they came but not to this degree, and towards himself, of all people. He and Catherine really needed to get it through their heads that beating themselves up was going to do more harm than good, although I did understand the urge to be alone for extended periods of time. Still, I figured I should ask Her Holiness to put a time limit on this sort of job.

“Well, I made it to the thirtieth floor and didn’t see anyone. Do you want to bind me to a contract to make sure I’m not lying?”

“No need. I’ve investigated you thoroughly and seen the myriad deeds and accomplishments that speak to your character as well as your qualifications for the rank you carry.”

Feeling a bit put off by his enthusiasm, I left it at that and returned to the magic elevator after a short goodbye.

“It’s a good thing Catherine was the one running the shop when I was an exorcist,” I murmured. “Granhart would’ve made me agree to be back by dinnertime every day with a contract, and I’d have never made any progress.”

Grateful for the mercy my past had shown me, I had dinner with the team, then got to bed early with my trusty angel’s pillow.

The next morning, we departed for Merratoni.