A week after I began my work at the clinic, I bumped into Big Sister Therese in a hallway at the Marquis's Manor. A door had just opened, and she was stepping out with slow, deliberate strides.
“Big Sister Therese! Are you alright?!”
As I rushed over to her, she offered a small, weary smile.
“I’m fine now, Rein.”
Her voice sounded like her usual self, but she looked gaunt. Even after the detoxification magic had done its work, the physical toll of being unable to eat properly after her collapse remained. It seemed her condition had finally stabilized through gradual recovery, though she still looked like she was pushing herself.
“You’ve been treating patients at the clinic, haven't you? I’ll be helping you from today onward. I can’t very well stay in bed and let you do all the work alone.”
“You still don't look like you’ve fully recovered, though…”
“I might not be at a hundred percent quite yet, but I can’t leave everything on your shoulders. I have my pride as a Saint, after all.”
With a soft laugh, she took my hand.
“Now, let’s head to the clinic. Your big sister is going to fight by your side.”
There was a profound sense of resolve in her voice—the kind earned by someone who had performed countless healings throughout her life.
◇◇◇
Perhaps because word had spread that the Saint had arrived, the atmosphere at the clinic felt slightly lighter. By the time we stepped through the doors, Big Sister Therese had already donned her "Saint" persona. It was a practiced, fixed smile, fundamentally different from the one she showed me. Seeing how effortlessly she made the switch made me feel a strange pang of sadness. This was how she had lived her entire life.
We began the treatments in the back room. Since I was technically supposed to be the Saint’s attendant, I had arranged for Big Sister Therese to work in the same room as me. I was still worried about her health, so I asked Lina to keep a close eye on her.
We spent the day processing patients with assembly-line efficiency. As noon approached, Big Sister Therese’s complexion took a turn for the worse, and Lina called for a halt.
“I suppose twenty people is my limit for now… Are you doing okay, Rein?”
“Yeah. I’ve been treating about a hundred and fifty people a day lately, so I can still keep going for a while.”
“People used to call me a prodigy because I could treat twice as many as a normal healer, but you’re completely off the charts, Rein…”
She spoke with a look of pure exasperation before her expression turned pensive.
“I’m sorry. I’m going to walk around the clinic and talk to people to get a better grasp of the situation. I’ll return to my duties once my mana has recovered.”
With that, she left the room to gather information.
I continued the treatments as usual until evening. Perhaps because our speed in handling the crowd had improved, Mira stopped me due to mana exhaustion before it even got dark. Big Sister Therese had managed to treat about three more people since her return.
“I’d like to check on the state of the Church. Would you come with me?”
“Sure. We’re finishing a bit early today, so it’s no problem.”
I left the clinic with her. The number of knights had been increased today, and they surrounded us completely, ensuring no one could reach out and grab my clothes. I noticed that the number of people praying had increased strangely over the last few days; it was a bizarre, heavy atmosphere, I thought with a sense of detachment as we stepped out onto the street.
I followed Big Sister Therese to the church. The interior was more crowded than I had expected, and as soon as the people realized we were there, every eye in the building turned toward us.
“It’s the Saint!” “The White Angel…!”
The crowd parted like a receding tide. The person at the very front fell to their knees, and those behind followed suit in a rhythmic wave of motion, one after another.
An elderly priest, witnessing the scene, beamed with joy when he saw us.
“Oh, Saint. And the White Angel as well!”
“The White Angel…? Are you talking about me?”
“Did you not know? That is what everyone has been calling you of late. Come, come, right this way.”
I had a very bad feeling about this. I felt like things were heading in an incredibly unfavorable direction. The priest, looking quite pleased with himself, guided us to a back room as he prattled on.
“In the last ten days or so, the offerings have tripled. Everyone saw your miracles and regained their faith in the Lord.”
The priest’s voice practically bounced with delight.
“The entire city is talking about nothing but the White Angel. They say the sister attending the Saint has healed hundreds of people all by herself. Some are even whispering that you must be a Saint-in-training.”
I had a feeling the numbers were being inflated. And "Saint-in-training"… that term made me feel a bit uneasy. I was a boy. I was neither a Saint nor a sister. But in this outfit…
Well, I suppose it can't be helped for now.
I forced myself to accept it. Since I was hiding my identity, it was inevitable that some kind of nickname would stick.
When we reached the back room, we were greeted by the Bishop. He was the highest-ranking official of the Church within the Marquisate of Ahrens.
“Saint, and the White Angel. What brings you here today?”
“I came to check on the situation… and to discuss this child’s future status.”
“The White Angel’s status…? In what sense?”
“To tell you the truth, this child is a noble acquaintance of mine and is not an official sister.”
“What?! Is that true?!”
“Yes. That is why I would like you, Bishop, to officially recognize this child as a ‘Provisional Saint-in-training.’”
“A Saint?! I… I do not have the authority for something so monumental…”
“It is merely ‘provisional,’ and a ‘trainee’ position at that. I will send a letter to the Cardinal myself.”
“Bishop. You know better than anyone how much the faith in this city has deepened and how much the offerings have increased. If it were revealed right now that this child is not actually a member of the Church, that faith could easily turn into something far darker. They would feel deceived, and there is a very real possibility of the Church being attacked…”
The Bishop’s face grew increasingly pale.
“We have no choice but to ratify his membership in the Church. However, since he is a noble, we cannot actually make him a sister. That is also why we haven't revealed his name. Therefore, we must keep this child’s true identity a secret at all costs.”
“…Yes.”
“However, if we don't finalize his status, people will continue to pry. Sharp-eared merchants, bards, devout believers, and the many souls who wish to repay their debt of gratitude—people are naturally drawn to mystery. Haven’t you been pestered about this child many times already?”
“Yes… I have been asked persistently.”
Beads of greasy sweat began to roll down the Bishop’s face.
“That is why his position must be made official. But we cannot make him a sister. Thus, a ‘Provisional Saint-in-training.’ You are aware that ‘Saint-in-training’ is not an official Church rank, are you not?”
“Of course.”
“Therefore, there is no issue with the Church granting the title to someone who isn't a sister. Especially given the ‘provisional’ label. But when the people hear it, they will simply think, ‘Ah, so she does belong to the Church.’”
“But, to do something so deceptive to the people…”
“‘Deceptive’ is such a harsh word. We are not telling a lie. I believe this is in accordance with the Lord's will, as it calms the hearts of the people and bolsters their faith.”
The Bishop agonized over it for a long moment before finally squeezing out an answer.
“…Provisional. If it is only provisional, then… I suppose… yes, I shall see to it. Please, ensure you report this to Cardinal Fesenmeier.”
I remained a bystander to their conversation until we left the room, only then fully grasping what Big Sister Therese had done.
“Now, even if someone tries to dig into your identity, the Church will act as your shield. We’re in the same boat now, so to speak.”
“Was this really okay, Big Sister Therese?”
“It’s fine. If it protects you, I’ll use the Church for all it’s worth. Once we go back to the County of Werl, the ‘White Angel’ will simply vanish, after all.”
And just like that, I became a Provisional Saint-in-training.
◇◇◇
About ten days later, at the Church Headquarters in the Royal Capital.
Cardinal Fesenmeier was reading a letter that had just arrived from Saint Therese.
By the time he read the part where she—who was supposed to be in the County of Werl—was for some reason in the Territorial Capital of the Marquisate of Ahrens dealing with a mass poisoning, had collapsed, and then recovered… his head had already begun to throb.
“What on earth is she doing?! How did it even come to this?!”
Furthermore, when he reached the section stating that Rein, the second son of Werl, had accompanied her disguised as a sister and was now being hailed as the "White Angel" for his mastery of detoxification magic, the Cardinal felt as if he might faint.
“And now she’s asking to have him recognized as a Saint-in-training? Does she have any idea what she’s saying?!”
However, as he considered the situation described in the letter—the surge in public faith and the tripling of donations—and the report that a "Provisional Saint-in-training" had already been recognized locally, he realized that any other course of action was impossible. That girl never lied or exaggerated in her reports. The content was almost certainly the truth. But, regardless of that, he could sense her calculated intent behind every word.
“…She certainly has me cornered.”
A muscle in his cheek twitched.
If he were to deny the title now and announce that the healer wasn't a member of the Church, the faith in the regions where the story of the "White Angel" had spread—which seemed to be everywhere already—would utterly collapse. Offerings would plummet. He absolutely could not allow the truth to go public. Since the boy was being recognized as a sister, the fact that that persona would simply vanish once he returned to being a man was his only solace. The rumors would likely fade within a few years.
Therefore, he had no choice but to ratify it. He took up his quill and signed the authorization.
But after setting the pen aside, he let out a long, weary sigh.
Therese. Just what are you doing…
Gazing out the window at the distant sky, he exhaled deeply once more.