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I arrived at the Church headquarters. Within the vast grounds, a multitude of believers was fervently offering prayers.
The last time I had visited was during my fight with Gitan. Come to think of it, quite a lot of time had passed since then.
"Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've come here since Isha became the Pope."
"You should drop by once in a while, sir. She's usually the one making the trip to see you, isn't she?"
"Master Lloyd basically ignores anything he’s not interested in, after all. I, on the other hand, have come to peek in on her from time to time!"
There wasn't much point in visiting if I didn't have business. Isha wasn't particularly well-versed in Holy Magic, so Gitan was usually the more useful source of information.
Because of that, I hadn't really found a reason to come here myself. Still, she had been a great help to me, so perhaps I should show my face more often.
The only problem was that Isha tended to hug me the moment she saw me, which was a bit of a hassle.
While these thoughts crossed my mind, I reached the Pope’s chambers.
"I’m coming in."
I called out and opened the door. Isha was sitting on a chaise longue at the back of the room.
There she was. Noticing me, she wore a gentle smile and waved her hand.
"...Something seems off, sir. Usually, she’d come running the moment she caught sight of you."
"Indeed. Normally, she would pull you close and envelop you in her voluptuous chest..."
It certainly was strange. I wondered why she wasn't saying anything.
As I pondered this, she beckoned me over.
"Isha?"
"...I'm sorry. I've lost my voice. Cough, hack..."
She spoke in a weak, apologetic tone. Her voice was raspy and sounded painful.
"The truth is, I strained my throat singing before the Lord Holy King the other day... cough."
Come to think of it, Isha's singing voice during that performance had reached several times its usual power. It wasn't surprising that she had worn her throat out.
"Ah—um... Are you okay?"
"There are no problems with my health otherwise, but... it’s painful not being able to sing," Isha murmured, letting out a heavy sigh.
"She used to sing whenever anything happened, after all. Not being able to sing must be stressful for her in its own right."
"Oh, poor little Isha-tan! Master Lloyd, isn't there anything you can do for her!?"
I intended to do something even without being told. In the first place, I had come here specifically seeking Isha’s singing.
That said, healing her openly with magic would draw too much attention, so I would have to do it secretly. Just as I reached out to touch Isha’s throat and prepare my Healing Magic, the door opened.
"It’s ready, Isha."
The ones who entered were Babylon and the rest of the group from Lodesto. When they spotted me, their eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh, if it isn't Master Lloyd. What brings you here?"
"I had business with Isha... but what are you all doing here?"
"We heard that she had a sore throat."
Looking closely, every one of them was wearing an apron. The wagon Galilea was pushing was loaded with a variety of dishes.
"When I heard Isha hurt her throat, I came flying over," Crow added.
"I used to make these dishes all the time whenever Crow strained his throat from overusing his Cursed Words. Let me tell you, they’re very effective," Talia said with a playful smile.
At their words, Babylon scratched his cheek bashfully.
"That’s the gist of it. Please, eat this, Isha."
"——!"
Isha rushed over to them, took their hands, and her eyes welled with tears. She bowed her head repeatedly, offering her thanks in a raspy, broken voice.
"Would you like some as well, Master Lloyd?"
"I think I’ll take you up on that."
I was just starting to feel hungry. There seemed to be plenty of sweets, so I figured I might as well help myself.
"Honey pancakes, peach jelly, ginger tea, and pudding, eh? It’s a mountain of things that look good for the throat."
"Ooh! Isha-tan’s eyes are glued to them! There’s even saliva dripping from her mouth!"
"Yeah, it looks delicious."
I have a notable weakness for sweets myself. My throat wasn't the least bit sore, but I decided to enjoy their hospitality anyway.
We spent a short while enjoying the tea time.
"I'm all better now—!"
Isha suddenly raised both hands and began to sing. She didn't seem to be forcing it at all; it was her usual, beautiful singing voice.
"It’s all thanks to everyone. Thank you so much!"
"A-Ah... but you shouldn't push yourself just yet," Babylon answered, looking slightly bewildered as Isha squeezed his hands.
She must have been truly overjoyed, as she began naturally humming a melody. It seemed she had fully recovered. That was a relief.
"I mean, that was obviously thanks to Master Lloyd's Healing Magic, wasn't it!?"
"Indeed. No matter how good the food is for the throat, there’s no way it would heal that instantly. Even the ones from Lodesto are suspicious!"
Looking around, everyone except Isha was giving me a dubious look.
Good grief. I went through the trouble of letting them take the credit, yet they’re a sharp bunch.
"It’s all thanks to Babylon and the others!"
In contrast to the rest, Isha beamed with a dazzling smile. She didn't even think to doubt the situation—she possessed a wonderful purity.
Honestly, I wish the others would learn a thing or two from her innocence.