Chapter 79: Victoria’s Talent
Translator: Soafp
On the outskirts of the imperial capital of the Belhart Empire.
In a small house there lived a young man who ran a blacksmith shop, along with his mother.
“Mom!! Please, let's go to the clinic!!”
“You're so persistent!! I don't want to go to any clinic!! Cough, cough”
“This isn't the time to be saying that!! You look like you're about to die!!”
The young man pleaded with his mother, who refused to visit a clinic despite being ill.
But the woman ignored his words and stubbornly shook her head.
“Absolutely not!! I've told you over and over—the reason your father died was because the people at the clinic prioritized rich first- and second-class citizens and pushed his treatment back!!”
“That's… but now the Saint is at the clinic too—”
“Hmph. Saint, my foot. This isn't a fairy tale. She's probably just being propped up for show.”
“Mom…”
And then it happened.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door, and an unfamiliar voice called out.
“Excuse me—”
“Honestly, what now, at a time like this!!”
“Mom!? You should be resting in bed—”
“Don't treat me like an invalid!!”
“M-Mom…”
Pushing past her worried son, the mother headed for the entrance and flung the door open.
“Who is it, showing up in the middle of the night with no manners!?”
“I am No-Name!! I sensed the scent of illness from this madam and came to heal—”
“Go home, suspicious creep!!”
Bang!
She slammed the door shut with force.
Standing outside had been a man clad in jet-black clothing, wearing an eerie mask.
A massive scythe rested on his shoulder, and silver chains were wrapped around his arm.
Clearly not a normal human.
Trusting her instincts, the mother locked the door thoroughly.
“Fuhahaha!! Since the door has been closed to me—good evening through the wall!!”
BOOM!
The man smashed through the wall beside the locked door and entered the house.
Behind him was what appeared to be a small, masked girl wearing the same kind of mask.
“W-what are you people!? You're not suspicious anymore—you're robbers!?”
“Robbers!? How rude!! As I said before, I am No-Name!! I detected the scent of illness from this madam and took the liberty of visiting!!”
“N-No-Name? You're No-Name!?”
The one who reacted in shock to that name was the young man.
“You idiot son, do you know something about them?”
“He's famous! He's been going around the Empire healing the injured!! P-please!! Cure my mother's illness!!”
“Fuhahaha!! That was my intention from the start!!”
“Don't decide that on your own!! We're poor—we can't pay for treatment!!”
“Mom!! I can cover the cost—”
“I'd rather die than make my son pay treatment fees!!”
Interrupting their argument was the small girl standing behind No-Name.
“Kya-ha♪ You say that, but aren't you really just scared?”
“…Who's this cheeky little brat?”
“Me? Sorryyy♪ I don't actually have a name yet♪ Anyway, I'm saying you should think about how your son feels too. Don't worry—we don't charge money—Extra Heal.”
A faint light flowed from the girl's hand and enveloped the mother, her body suddenly feeling light.
The illness that had been festering inside her was gone.
“Fuhahaha!! Looks like the sickness is cured!! Then farewell!! Live long and happily with your son, madam!!”
“That's none of your business!!”
“Mom!! That's rude to your lifesavers!!”
“Hmph!! …Well, I suppose I'll say thank you.”
Though she snorted, the mother offered her thanks, making the young man smile in relief.
No-Name nodded in satisfaction, then exited through the hole he had smashed in the wall.
Before they realized it, the hole in the wall had been restored, and mother and son laughed together, wondering if they had both shared the same strange dream.
A short time earlier, at dusk.
It was my last day staying in the Empire, and I had just been thinking about healing people all over the capital as extravagantly as possible.
When someone knocked on my bedroom window, I turned to look—and—
“Ask, are you awake?”
“Whoa—don't scare me like that.”
Victoria was peering in upside-down through the window.
Her hair was hanging down, making the whole thing look like a horror scene.
I unlocked the window and let Victoria into the room.
“Mm. Good thing you were awake.”
“How did you get up here?”
“I climbed along the castle wall.”
“That's impressive.”
“Mm. I'm embarrassed.”
Victoria's cheeks flushed slightly.
I think this every now and then, but this princess is really aggressive.
“So what brings you here?”
“Ask, let's go on a healing date.”
“A healing date?”
“Mm. We go around together healing the injured and sick.”
…Hmm.
“That sounds nice. But can you use healing magic, Princess Victoria?”
“Mm. Yesterday, Sister-in-law Fran taught me, and I learned healing magic. I can use Extra Heal.”
“…You learned Extra Heal after being taught just yesterday?”
“Mm. Turns out I'm a genius.”
Victoria raised both hands in a peace sign, her face completely expressionless.
No, seriously—she really is a genius.
Both Nee-san and I took quite a while to master Extra Heal.
“I also practiced changing my persona.”
“…What?”
“Persona change practice. I came up with a temporary identity to hide my status as a princess.”
“Oh. What's it like?”
“Mm. I'll try it. Ahem.”
After clearing her throat a few times, Victoria spoke in a voice far higher than usual.
“Kyaa-ha♪ Nice to meet you, Asu-kyun♪”
“Whoa, you're a completely different person.”
“Mm. It seems I also have a talent for acting. My own abilities are frightening.”
She wore a sparkling smile that made her usual blank expression seem like a lie.
The gap was brutal.
“By the way, I used a bratty girl character from an adventure novel as reference.”
“What kind of books are you reading?”
“Mm. A story where a bratty girl hero who dominates others using god-given power is defeated and reformed by a kind older man.”
“…That's a wholesome book, right?”
“No comment.”
That doesn't sound very wholesome…
Well, I don't want to be the kind of guy who pokes into other people's tastes, so I'll keep quiet.
Anyway.
“Then we'll need outfits to hide your identity. Should I alter one of my spare sets?”
“Mm. You can do that?”
“I can. Ah, but I'll need to take your measurements first.”
“Eh—ah… mm. O-okay.”
…Hmm? Why is she blushing?
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