Chapter – 62
[<System> Basic skill ‘Healing Lv.67(+10)’ has been activated.]
The bleeding on the cadet’s arm stopped, and the wound healed in an instant.
“Behold! This is my healing, honed to the level of an advanced skill thanks to my level-up!”
“Good heavens!”
“My word… such a heal…!”
As expected, the reaction was enthusiastic. Especially Joachim, who was standing there with his mouth agape, speechless. I smiled and greeted everyone.
“Hello. I’m a healer. Who wants to come with me?”
“Me! Me!”
“Please take me!”
Everyone lined up behind the cadets—everyone except Joachim.
[‘The Architect of the Tower of Trials’ dislikes unnecessary party formation.]
The architect grumbled, showing a solo-play preference.
“What… what is this…?”
Joachim, who had been treated like royalty until now, suddenly found himself abandoned and looked stunned.
“Wha-what kind of… this is… ugh!”
“Priestess, I want to be treated too~”
Someone deliberately bumped into Joachim’s shoulder as they passed. No one offered to help him up.
“Uh, how can they do this to me…?”
Well, he should either have been kind to others or not dig his own grave. There’s nothing here worth pitying.
“Let’s treat the injuries. I’ll take care of each of you individually.”
“Gasp! You heal even these wounds, Priestess?”
“The priest over there said not to waste divine power and to endure anything except broken bones…”
“You’re really on another level!”
“Look at your healing speed. It’s incomparable to anyone else!”
Joachim got scolded, and I got praised.
The hunters showered me with compliments, showing the skill they had used to coax and soothe Joachim earlier.
“Just now, you were begging me for heals…!”
Joachim’s face turned red and purple. He didn’t look like he could control his anger very well.
In that case…
“Ah, treating each wound one by one is tedious. I’ll heal everyone at once!”
Pop!
Since it was bothersome, I activated the group heal, ‘Healing Field’.
“Ohhh!”
“Wow!”
The brilliant light emitted by an advanced skill, the sacred breeze enveloping my body as the caster, divine power overflowing and overwhelming the surroundings.
<Aylet, you look so strong.>
Yes, that was the intention.
Everyone’s injuries were healed simultaneously. Exclamations erupted everywhere.
“….”
Joachim, on the other hand, had calmed down. His face returned to a normal, flesh-colored tone, looking as if he could control his anger now.
A moment later.
“Oh my, sister!”
Joachim rushed past others to me.
“Almost didn’t recognize you since you’re not in your priest robes! Tsk, should have given a hint!”
“….”
“With your strong divine power here as a healer, I’ll assist you. Please focus solely on healing, and leave other tasks like detoxification or immunity to me. Agreed?”
“….”
“Uh… do you not like that? Uh, a-ah, um, th-then… shall I do all the healing myself?! I-I’ll squeeze my divine power! I’ll try to do it all myself! You just… supervise!”
Without saying a single word, this was the result.
Seeing Joachim actively volunteering as a healing shuttle, the hunters whispered among themselves.
“I’ve never seen Priest Joachim bow like that.”
“People really can change that much…”
Joachim must have been desperate. With a superior healer appearing, he needed to act shamelessly to keep a place in the hunting squad.
I gave the hunting squad leader a steady look, signaling I would hand over the decision. Joachim quickly turned to the leader and acted politely.
“I will properly report the accident that occurred earlier to the Sacred Administration, Captain!”
“…More healers are better. We would appreciate both of you joining us.”
The decision was made. Time for a quick introduction.
“I’m Anne, the hunting squad leader of the ‘Pure Gold Apple Corps.’”
“I’m Kyle, a hunter.”
“My younger sister, Kana, same unit.”
“A magician joining as a mercenary, Seijin.”
“You can just call me Rey.”
“I’m Ash.”
“I’m Freze.”
“And your reliable brother, Joachim!”
It seemed like most were introducing themselves without surnames. Perhaps because this was just a brief introduction.
Then me.
“I’m Aylet. Please feel free to call me that.”
Including myself, nine people began moving.
The dungeon’s exit gate appeared randomly and vanished.
Unfortunately, the system map didn’t indicate the gate, so we had to search diligently on foot.
As we walked through the dungeon’s passage, Joachim kept trying to make small talk.
“Aylet sister, how did you end up alone in such a humble place?”
“Just happened, I guess.”
“And your party? The hunters who should risk their lives to protect a healer, where are they?”
“None.”
“None? Here, in an S-rank dungeon…?”
Not only Joachim, but a few other hunters looked at me in surprise.
“Did you also get sucked into a big hole like Freze?”
The brown ponytailed kid, who had been walking close to me, chimed in.
Since she gave a good setup, I decided to use it.
“Yes. Got caught in the dungeon sync. Looks like Freze did too.”
“Yes. I was lying down to sleep, but it felt weird, and when I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by slimes.”
Falling into a dungeon while sleeping—definitely an S-rank survival challenge. Extremely unlucky, but it could happen.
I became slightly curious.
“Was there no one else, just you?”
“Yes. Freze was alone.”
“So, how did you survive among the slimes…?”
“I was struggling, buried in them, but the person here saved me!”
The person pointed out was the cadet who had introduced himself as Rey. He flinched and muttered in protest, clearly feeling unjust.
“Why am I called a man, and the other side is called sister…?”
“Yes, Freze. You can also call the cadet here ‘brother.’ Age isn’t that different anyway.”
“…sticking up for me, huh?”
But Freze was stubborn.
“But… you’re wearing the cadet uniform. My dad said if you go to the academy, you’d be called ‘uncle.’ Cadet uncle!”
“Ugh.”
Both in this world and the other, it’s just too much…
I tried giving a small comfort.
“Well… I can be your ‘brother’ for now if you like?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Alright.”
It seemed a small degree of trust had formed. Time to ask my question.
“Cadet Rey, I have a question…”
“You’re curious about me, huh. I graduated 2nd in my class, the 117th cadet, and am currently on a one-year knight training journey before being knighted. I joined the ‘Pure Gold Apple Corps’ as a mercenary to earn travel expenses.”
“I see. Congratulations on being 2nd.”
“Thanks. Feels like receiving a pure congratulations after a long time.”
“I can imagine the hardship of being second. You must have been constantly compared to the first-place student.”
“…Exactly. I was always tagged as a perpetual second, always compared to the first even when doing nothing. And I ended up graduating as second place… ha…”
“Ah, but that’s not exactly what I wanted to ask.”
“Oh… really? Then what did you want to ask?”
“Cadet, you must be noble. It seems natural for you to speak casually to strangers.”
“Ah….”
He looked embarrassed and started giving excuses.
“Well, I’m not used to speaking formally to anyone besides my parents.”
“Really? But at the academy, you must have met other nobles. Were your friendships okay?”
“Clears throat! Everyone’s status… um, well, no. Rather than that…”
Rey tried to dodge the topic.
“You said your elder brother is also a cadet. He might be someone I know.”
“Oh, my brother also graduated this year. Same graduation class as you.”
“Really? What’s his name?”
When discovering a fellow alumnus, even unexpectedly, there’s a certain joy. Rey’s eyes lit up.
But…
“Prinzt. He gave the graduation speech as the class representative.”
“….”
Why did his expression stiffen the moment I said my brother’s name?
“Prin…zt?”
“Yes.”
“Prinzt…?”
“Is there a problem…?”
“No, nothing.”
His expression said otherwise. Why? My brother is kind, smart, handsome—surely a likable person.
Then Rey muttered something while looking at me.
“By the way, you have pink hair…”
His pupils trembled wildly.
Why… what is this about? I tried to ask, but suddenly Rey stepped away from me.
“Um… excuse me…?”
“S-sorry. I have an allergy to pink hair. Could you keep your distance?”
“….”
It seemed like a ridiculous excuse, but he genuinely looked terrified, like someone with a real allergy.
<Well, I’ve seen it all now. What a strange guy.>
[‘The Architect of the Tower of Trials’ advises that it’s better not to interact with him.]
I was grateful that Agnes and the architect were on my side.
