A few more days passed, and a sense of calm slowly returned to the city.
Before I knew it, the "provisional" part of my title had been dropped; I was now officially a Saint-in-training.
The line in front of the clinic grew shorter by the day, until finally, we reached a point where we finished all our work by morning. I felt certain the city would manage just fine without me now.
The soldiers from other territories who had arrived during the crisis were also withdrawing in a hurry. At first, I had thought they were just being exceptionally diligent, eager to return home. But apparently, that wasn't quite the case.
"It’s because the cause has been confirmed as poison," Big Sister Therese said, looking out at the city streets as the military presence thinned.
"If it's poison, they have to worry that the same thing might be mixed in within their own lands. Naturally, they’d be anxious to get back to their own cities. I imagine they wanted to leave as soon as the situation here stabilized."
Come to think of it, only House Werl and House Laufen remained. In House Werl's case, it was likely because of me. The reply from Father that arrived after the blockade was lifted simply said, "Do as you wish." However, it seemed Anton had been ordered to act as my guard, so the Werl forces stayed behind, assisting with food procurement while they waited.
House Laufen was also helping with the food supply, but Katia told me they were primarily focused on the investigation. As defenders of the border, they couldn't ignore a rival nation's attempt to weaken the country's defenses. They were reportedly scouring nearby towns and villages to find the source of the poison.
So far, however, they had found nothing.
In the afternoon, I was in the inner room of the Marquis's manor, as usual.
Today marked the final treatment for Lady Clarissa’s facial scars—those old lacerations inflicted by the Second Prince.
Marquis Ahrens and the Marchioness watched silently from the corner of the room. I peeled a thin layer of skin from my own arm, transferred it onto the last remaining mark, and bathed it in a green light.
The final trace of the injury vanished.
Lady Clarissa picked up a mirror and remained silent for a long moment. Then, she gently touched her cheek, tracing the spot where the wound had been.
"...It is finished, then."
"Yes. There are no longer any scars anywhere."
The Marchioness pressed a hand to her eyes and began to weep.
Lady Clarissa looked up. Tears were streaming down her face, but her gaze was steady and calm.
"Thank... thank you so much. I shall write to him—to my fiancé. I will ask him to come see me again. I will fulfill our contract... on the pride of my house."
Lady Clarissa spoke firmly, her hands clenched tight.
Just as we left the room, Mira stopped. A commotion had broken out at the end of the hallway.
Members of the Marquis’s household were running with panicked expressions. An urgent messenger had arrived from the Royal Capital, they said—the fastest possible courier, switching horses along the route to maintain speed. It was the sort of letter where even a slight delay in delivery could be treated as a crime.
When we returned to the guest room, Big Sister Therese was holding two letters. One was a deployment order from the Church for the Saint. The other was addressed to the "White Angel."
That meant it was for me.
I opened the letter and read. The same poison that hit the Marquisate of Ahrens had appeared in the neighboring territory. People were collapsing one after another. I was being asked to head there immediately alongside the Saint. It was a personal request from Cardinal Fesenmeier in the Royal Capital.
I had heard rumors from the townspeople about poison appearing in the neighboring land, but I hadn't been told the scale or the timing. Perhaps they were afraid that if they told me, I would leave this place immediately.
But seeing my name specifically called out made me realize the situation was even more dire than the rumors suggested. The letter was thorough, listing the date the first victim fell and the approximate number of casualties.
They were trying to coordinate more detoxification magic users to follow, but since their numbers were so few, pulling them would leave their home regions vulnerable. Knights, adventurers, and farmers—those most likely to encounter toxic creatures in the field—were understandably opposed to being left without healers.
As Big Sister Therese finished reading, the color drained from her face.
"Big Sister Therese?"
She didn't answer. Her lips trembled as she muttered something under her breath. When I stepped closer to hear her, I froze.
"...I did this. Even though I’m his big sister... I’ve sent Rein into hell... Ugh..."
She suddenly covered her mouth and bolted from the room. Mira went rushing after her. From deeper in the manor, I heard the sound of someone retching in distress.
After a while, Mira helped a pale Big Sister Therese back into the room. She sank listlessly into a chair. She clearly believed that it was her fault I was being called into these treatment requests.
I knelt down in front of her. Not long ago, she had been the one to comfort me when I was crying. Now, it was my turn.
"Big Sister Therese. Please, don't worry about it."
"...But..."
"I would have gone regardless."
She looked up at me.
"People are dying in the neighboring town. I can heal them. I couldn't live with myself if I just stayed here knowing I could have helped. Even if you hadn't done anything, I would have decided to go on my own. So, it's not your fault."
She watched me for a long moment before letting out a slow, heavy breath. The color began to return to her cheeks.
"...You’re unfair, Rein."
"Eh?"
"If you say something like that... I have no choice but to follow you, even into hell."
I didn't quite know how to respond, so I just gave a weak smile.
Afterward, I spoke with Anton about our departure. The Werl forces would accompany me as my escort. Anton had been hesitant until the very end, insisting it was too dangerous and that I should return to the County of Werl first. However, he couldn't argue with a direct request from the highest Cardinal in the Church.
Katia and her group were coming as well. House Laufen had decided to move their investigation to the neighboring territory to continue hunting for the source of the poison.
As for the reward, the letter simply said "Deferred Negotiation." Among nobles, this apparently translated to "We promise the maximum reward possible," which seemed to shock everyone.
The day of our departure was clear and sunny.
The entire Marquisate family came out to see us off.
Marquis Ahrens stood before me and bowed deeply. Then, he handed a letter to Big Sister Therese.
"Saint. This is a letter for the lord of the neighboring territory. It contains an introduction, our methods for treating the poison, and the information we've gathered regarding the perpetrators. I apologize for the imposition, but could you please deliver it?"
Big Sister Therese accepted it with a formal nod.
The Marquis then turned back to me.
"When you enter our family's lands or the lands of our vassals, please show House Werl’s Crest Identification. I have already sent word to ensure that passage, lodging, and every possible convenience are provided to you. I would have preferred to send soldiers to escort you, but I must shamefully admit that this territory currently lacks the strength to do so."
The Marquis still looked weary. The city had lost many to the poison, and even the seed rice meant for planting might be contaminated. The soldiers and knights had been working day and night to maintain order, and horses were scarce. They were at their limit. Besides, with both Werl and Laufen units present, we were more than capable of handling any threat.
"You saved this city—you saved the very lives of my people. Quite apart from the contract to treat my daughter, I will surely, someday, find a way to repay you. On the name of House Ahrens."
He’s saying the exact same thing as Lady Clarissa, I thought, but I simply nodded.
Nearby, Lady Clarissa was watching us with her hands clasped as if in prayer. She wore no veil, revealing her face in its entirety.
Seeing her, I felt a sense of peace. I hadn't been wrong.
We boarded the carriage—Mira, Lina, and Big Sister Therese. Outside, Anton and the Werl troops stood ready, alongside Katia and the Laufen company.
Katia brought her horse alongside the carriage and looked in at me.
"I'm going to find the ones who spread this....Since we're heading the same way, we'll be together for a while."
When I nodded, she gave me a small smile.
The carriage began to roll.
Outside the window, the figures of those seeing us off slowly receded. Marquis Ahrens remained bowed. Lady Clarissa waved.
I looked ahead. The road stretched straight toward the neighboring territory. Somewhere down that path was a city I didn't yet know, full of people waiting for me.
Praying that this choice was the right one, I moved forward, leading my companions down the long road ahead.
— Chapter 3: Devotion and Limits End —