Ur was witnessing what could only be called a miracle.
“【────】”
Even as dawn broke, the golden girl, Diz, continued her life-saving efforts, chanting spells.
Before her hands was a passenger who had been severely injured in the earlier undead rampage. The man, with a deep gash in his abdomen and unconscious, was being treated while his wife and children gripped his hands.
And soon,
“【────】Done.”
Diz declared succinctly. The children and the wife were momentarily stunned by the abruptness of her declaration, but as Diz removed her hands, the man began to breathe quietly. His previously pale complexion had returned to normal.
“Rest, and he won’t die.”
“Ah… thank you…”
As Diz said this, the man’s wife trembled and tightly grasped Diz’s hand. Tears streamed down her face as she repeatedly bowed her head.
“Thank you, thank you so much! Really…!!”
“You’re welcome. It’s good he didn’t die.”
Diz’s reply was as light and casual as ever, but she firmly held the woman’s trembling hand and gently patted the heads of the children clinging to their father.
With the treatment of the last critically injured person complete, Diz’s work was done.
“Ah, I’m tired. Akane, pillow me.”
[Yes.]
“I want something to eat.”
“Here’s a treat from the cafeteria guy you saved. Fruit cheese made from Moul milk and Lily fruit. It’s chilled to the perfect temperature with magic.”
“Cold, sweet, sour.”
Ur silently fed Diz the snack, and together with Akane, they praised her. Regardless of their employment, she deserved their gratitude. From night until dawn, she had continuously pulled many people back from the brink of death.
“It’s amazing you can handle resurrection-level magic.”
Even though the knights’ rescue team had arrived midway, there was no one as skilled as her. Ultimately, she had taken on the healing of all the most critically injured.
“I practiced a lot…”
“Practiced?”
Ur almost blurted out why a moneylender would need such skills. But before he could,
“Please, Priestess!!”
Timing her approach with the end of the treatment, a woman covered in blood rushed to Diz. The blood wasn’t her own. Her pale face was frantic as she pointed to the man she had been holding—an old man who had already stopped moving.
“Please heal my father too!”
“I can’t.”
Diz sat up calmly and answered immediately.
“Why not!?”
“Resurrection magic pulls someone back from the brink of death. But your father has already been welcomed by the Sun God, Zeuradia.”
The old man’s body had been placed in the area for those who had already passed when Diz began her treatment. The dead, of course, couldn’t be healed by Diz. No matter how renowned a priestess she was, it was impossible.
“That’s not true!! He was alive just a moment ago!!”
Still unable to accept it, the woman screamed and tried to drag Diz to where the lifeless body lay. But Diz didn’t move. She had no intention of trying to heal the dead. The woman glared at Diz as if she were her mortal enemy.
“Come quickly!! If he’s dead, bring him back to life!!”
“I can’t. Even if I revive him with necromancy, it won’t be your father.”
“……!!”
A dull slap echoed as the woman struck Diz’s cheek. Then,
“Why… why didn’t you save him……!!”
It was irrational hatred. An unfair accusation. What she had done was something that should be praised, not hated. Even Ur, who had lost his sister, thought so. Ur stepped forward to shield her, but Diz stopped him before he could.
“Yeah, I’m sorry.”
Diz offered an apology. The woman pounded her trembling fists against Diz, who wore a sorrowful smile. The dull sound repeated for a while.
“Why!! Why……!!”
“I’m sorry.”
Eventually, Diz embraced the woman as she collapsed in tears, holding her grief.
Sunlight from the sun god Zeuradia poured through the large hole in the ceiling. In that light, the golden-haired girl, who stood straight and accepted the sorrow and despair, was indescribably beautiful.
“……”
Ur watched her with a deep frown.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
In this world, unexpected death is never uncommon.
Since the labyrinth appeared in this world, all manner of demonic creatures have thrived.
Without the protection of the Sun Barrier laid by the great king, people are far too fragile. Even stepping outside, they are attacked by monsters with terrifying fangs and filthy claws.
And even within the barrier, the protection is not absolute.
That’s why there are knight orders, training desperately.
They are there to protect the people in case the Sun Barrier is ever breached.
And the citizens wisely visit the temples, offering prayers to the spirits. The priests use the magical power of these prayers to protect them.
Everyone knows this world is one where death is always close.
They know it’s a world where death can come from unimaginable places, without reason.
They know it, or at least they think they do.
“Knowing it in words and actually facing it are two different things,”
Diz said as she watched the woman being supported by the knights of the satellite city-state of Alto. Her usual cheerful smile was on her face, but the wound from the woman’s slap remained.
“That doesn’t mean you should stand in the line of fire.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
Why are you used to it? Ur didn’t ask.
“Want to take a break?”
“If I could, I’d fall asleep right now… but that’s not going to happen.”
Her gaze fell on the people approaching. Among them was the man who had clung to Diz in tears right after the defeat of the Starving Skeleton. The beastwoman Gaul accompanying him had hair similar to the girl who had been taken during the commotion.
And when she stood before Diz, she bowed her head.
“Nice to meet you, Diz Gran Phoenix. I am Rose’s aunt, Tulip.”
“I know. You and Rose run the Lucky Bird Store in Alto, right?”
“I have a request──”
“Sure, I’ll take it.”
Diz agreed before even hearing the details, leaving Tulip wide-eyed. Ur, who had been listening nearby, frowned, while Diz shrugged as if it were obvious.
“You want me to save Rose, right? Fine. But I can’t guarantee her life.”
“…I understand. But is that really okay?”
“More than okay, it’s necessary.”
Diz looked up at the sky. Her gaze fell on the large hole in the hall, made by the giant undead soldier, the Starving Skeleton.
“The undead mage who attacked the critical Mobile Fortress, estimated to be of Silver Rank and Sage-class, is after a virgin maiden. No doubt for some unsavory ritual.”
She explained the situation matter-of-factly. The more she spoke, the more it became clear that this was not a situation they could afford to delay.
“So, I’ll go save her even without you asking. But if you want to increase Rose’s chances of survival even a little, can you help me? Lucky Bird Store?”
“…Of course, Diz Gran Phoenix.”
Tulip bowed her head again. The employees around her, and even Luvas, bowed deeply.
“She’s the only family I have left. She’s clumsy, but she’s a hard worker. Please…!”
“Alright. I’ll discuss it with the knight order in Alto, so you guys wait here.”
“Wait, Diz!”
While Ur was still stunned, Diz called out to the nearby knights of Alto and started moving with them. Ur hurried after her, asking,
“Are you really going to save her?”
“Yeah.”
“Why not leave it to the knights?”
“I’d like to, but they’re experts in city defense.”
The knight orders exist to protect the city-states. Their training is based on defending the city walls and the Sun Barrier from the monsters that approach. They rarely go on offensive missions outside the city-states, and even if they do, it would take time to prepare.
“The only one who can move immediately and directly into enemy territory to save Rose is me.”
“But still…”
Ur’s mind swirled with emotions, but none of them formed into coherent words. Frustrated, he pressed on,
“Is Rose a friend of yours or something?”
“Nah, not really.”
[Actually, she totally hated Diz.]
Akane, who was with Diz, added. This only confused Ur more.
“Then why? Diz, it’s dangerous for you too. Why would you…”
When he pressed further, Diz stopped abruptly, tilted her head, and then smiled.
“Well, I probably won’t die, right? but Rose.”
The reason was far too flippant for risking her life.
But as if that flippant reason was explanation enough, Diz started walking again. Soon, they reached what appeared to be a meeting room where other knights had gathered. She turned back.
“So, you guys wait on the Island Devouring Turtle.”
“We’re your bodyguards.”
Ur responded immediately. They had already received the advance payment from Jenna, their employer. As bodyguards, they had a duty to protect Diz, even if she was heading into danger.
But Diz just laughed at Ur. “That’s very dutiful of you.”
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