The Protagonist of a Romance Fantasy Only Likes Me - Chapter 24

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Potter

◈ The Protagonist of a Romance Fantasy Only Likes Me ◈

Chapter 24: Saintess Marigold. (8)

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15.

Heal existed.

None of the noble priests, bishops, or archbishops Lancel had met so far had managed even an imitation of white magic, but from this moment on, Heal existed.

Lancel hurriedly recalled the types of white magic.

It was simple. White magic fell into three broad categories.

First was the most basic recovery spell, Heal. He had already confirmed that with his own eyes, so he could skip it.

The second was the blessing type, which raised a target's Stats.

“Pant, pant, how long do I have to keep this up?”

“Keep running.”

“Ugh!”

On one side, he had Hestie running laps around the mansion garden. On the other, he had Marigold offering prayers.

“May Hestie's Stamina improve... May Hestie's Stamina improve...”

Even Lancel thought it was an incredibly simple-minded experiment, but what else could he do?

Hestie, who had kept running in exercise clothes, was nearly exhausted after twenty laps around the garden.

“P-pant... Wheeze!”

Just when it would not have been surprising for her to collapse to the ground...

“Huh?”

Hestie's expression changed. Her trembling legs regained their strength. Her unsteady posture straightened. She began racing around the garden energetically once more.

This was different from a simple runner's high. After all...

“An effect?”

Lancel saw glittering motes of light trailing around Hestie as she ran with her recovered Stamina.

‘It's a blessing!’

He turned toward Marigold, seated beside him. She still had both hands tightly clasped together as she muttered the prayers Lancel had asked for.

“I pray that Hestie will grow stronger... That Hestie will run one hundred laps... That Hestie will bake honey bread today... That Hestie...!”

It was questionable whether it could even be called a prayer, but the effect was certain. Hestie, who had run out of strength after twenty laps, quickly passed forty.

“Master, a god has descended upon me! I'm glowing right now!”

“The amazing part is that you really are glowing.”

Hestie, who ran while trailed by sparkling light, eventually completed eighty laps and collapsed. Starting the next day, she received three days of leave.

There were enhancement spells in regular magic as well, so it was not especially distinctive. Still, there was one difference.

‘It's the effects.’

Remembering the light flowing from Hestie's body, Lancel thought that holy-looking effect might be the defining trait of white magic. In the end, didn't everything come down to looking cool?

Then came the third category.

It was the attack type of white magic.

Crackle!

“Ooh!”

“Something came out! Something flashed out, Master!”

Baron Evil Shen and Hestie cried out in amazement as they held each other's hands.

The light that emerged from Marigold's palm burned a leaf in an instant. Puff! The ashes scattered, reduced to powder.

‘That'd sting pretty badly if it hit you.’

As an attack spell, it seemed pathetic. Wearing even one padded garment would probably stop it at the level of a first-degree burn.

He remembered that it worked well against things like undead, ghosts, and demons, but there was no chance Marigold would be hunting those things in this Iteration.

In any case, all that mattered was that this was possible too.

==========

Marigold has begun the ‘Introduction’ to White Magic! She's still terribly unskilled!

==========

Marigold could finally use all three branches of white magic.

Heal existed!

Yes. White magic existed.

Amazingly, it was possible.

For Marigold alone in this entire world.

“What should we do next, Brother? Just tell me! I'll do anything.”

With each new reaction, Marigold vigorously huffed through her nose like someone whose desire for recognition had been fulfilled.

Compared to the Marigold who had experienced the freeloader ending not long ago, this was tremendous progress.

“Bring me everyone who's sick. I'll heal them all! From now on, just trust me.”

Lancel stroked his chin as he watched Marigold confidently boast around the mansion.

‘Marigold can use white magic.’

The two hundredth branch of the Saintess Church.

He would reach it in no time, wouldn't he?

“The Saintess Church will soon have its approval revoked.”

Lancel could not ignore the words spoken by the man in the pure white hood.

============

Encounter Event Occurred. “Fourth Prince Serild Olivia Freesia” has visited Marigold's church.

============

“The Church of Martyrdom is still more useful to the Empire.”

The lips visible beneath the hood curved faintly. Lancel met the sickly Fourth Prince Serild at the Saintess Church.

16.

That day, Lancel attended Marigold's dawn prayer for the first time, and he thought he might be overwhelmed by shock.

“There were this many people?”

“More come every day. We need to expand the building as soon as possible. At this rate, there won't even be a place for me to sit.”

Just as Baron Evil Shen said, there was no room to set foot. Hundreds of people sat facing the platform set up in the center.

Before long, Marigold appeared with both eyes covered.

“I offer prayers again today.”

Countless people simply listened in silence as Marigold muttered her prayers.

‘It's become a landmark of the imperial capital before I knew it.’

In the dim space, illuminated by light pouring down from the ceiling, Marigold certainly looked reverent. He did not know much about it, but she seemed impressive enough for people mad for religion to brave the dawn chill and come running.

Seeing believers gathered even outside the building to listen in was almost intimidating. Marigold might have been the most famous cleric in the imperial capital now.

“Therefore, Lancel Dante, please help Priest Mary flee the imperial capital.”

And that was where Lancel met the Fourth Prince.

“If you revoke approval for a denomination you have already recognized, there will be enormous backlash. Do you think the nobles gathering every day to see Priest Mary will stay quiet?”

“If the imperial family believes it is necessary, the Empire can do even more than that.”

The Fourth Prince continued speaking with both hands neatly clasped as he looked at Marigold.

“The Church of Martyrdom is a tool used to keep this Empire from breaking into pieces. That is the difference between it and other denominations. But the Saintess Church is different. Priest Mary is the master of this place. Some people may find that fact a little uncomfortable.”

Lancel could sense how deeply the Fourth Prince's words cut.

“...I don't know what you mean.”

“You do not need to understand everything.”

Most people would not have understood those words in the first place. The Empire breaking into pieces?

But Lancel understood what it meant.

He had once spent decades unifying this Empire. He remembered the time when he believed that alone was his mission.

“There is no need to let a denomination grow large if we cannot rule it as its masters. Just remember that this is what the Imperial Palace thinks.”

Lancel was silent for a moment.

Only Marigold's voice, reciting the prayer, echoed through the church.

“If you need help, tell me. I will assist you.”

The Fourth Prince seemed sincere. His body was weak, but among the princes who acted like scoundrels, he was one of the more normal ones.

Moreover, it did not seem as though he had only been visiting the Saintess Church for a day or two. A rosary carved with the likeness of the Saintess hung around his neck.

Lancel thought it over carefully.

‘No matter what, I need to establish two hundred branches.’

What happened afterward was none of his concern. He only had to run away somewhere quiet and live there until the tenth year arrived.

And judging by Marigold's momentum, two hundred branches would not be difficult anymore.

All he had to do was speed things up a little.

“I appreciate your words. If I need help, I will let you know then, Your Highness.”

“...”

At Lancel's words, the Fourth Prince stared with his mouth slightly open.

“When did you realize... No, never mind.”

He shook his head, looking as though he had been caught off guard.

“Please take good care of Priest Mary.”

With those final words, the Fourth Prince left.

* * *

==========

Fame Event: The 148th church has been established!

※Marigold's Karma decreases by 1 point.

==========

On the day Marigold's Karma was reduced by another half, the streets of the imperial capital buzzed with excitement.

Only one day remained until the final match of the long-running Imperial Knight Tournament.

The matchup was Lancel Dante against a knight of the Church of Martyrdom known as the Black Armor.

No one knew the Black Armor's identity.

All that was known was that he had appeared midway through the tournament and rapidly fought his way to the finals.

[Final Match Odds: Lancel Dante 1.4 vs. Black Armor 2.6]

The excitement over the knight tournament that had heated Rodnis, the imperial capital, was reaching its peak.

17.

“Mary.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Mary replied as she brushed Lancel's hair back.

Whenever her tiny hand combed through his hair, he felt strangely drowsy.

“After the tournament, shall we go somewhere? Somewhere far away. It would be a trip, I suppose.”

“Yes?”

For some reason, Mary's body went completely rigid.

“Y-you really mean it?”

“...?”

Lancel looked at her in puzzlement as she was unexpectedly startled.

What could she possibly have understood a simple suggestion of a trip to mean?

“W-would someone like me be all right? Brother Lancel... You're a noble.”

“...? What does being a noble have to do with it?”

“Haa, hoo, haa, hooo!”

“What's wrong?”

“Deep breaths, deep breaths...”

Her expression shifted back and forth around fifteen times in that brief moment. Then Marigold clasped the hand holding her comb as though in prayer.

Her eyes seemed somehow watery.

“I... I do too.”

She was clearly misunderstanding something, though he had no idea what. Still, Lancel did not bother correcting her.

It did not seem like he had said anything that could be misunderstood in the first place. Besides, she looked happy, so perhaps it was best to leave her be.

“But where are we going?”

“I'm not sure. Somewhere near the sea would be nice, though. I've lived inland, so I haven't had many chances to eat seafood.”

“Seafood? Is that something you eat?”

“If we go near the archipelago...”

Until late that evening, Lancel told Marigold about his experiences wandering from place to place.

Filled with excitement, she listened carefully to every word.

“Mary. I'll make you see again.”

“...Pardon?”

The last memory of that day was Marigold tilting her head at Lancel's casually spoken words.

* * *

==========

Fame Event: The 150th church has been established!

※Marigold's Karma decreases by 1 point.

==========

Only fifty Karma points remained.

Lancel intended to see it through in this final match. It did not matter what the imperial family did to the Saintess Church. Even if they caused trouble too late, he would have already knocked off all two hundred points. What could they do then?

Making Marigold see again was enough for Lancel. He needed nothing more than that. At least not in this Iteration.

He intended to drive the final nail home in this match. Then he would take Marigold and make a break for it. What plan could be more perfect?

“Lancel Dante enters!”

Cheers powerful enough to shake the ground erupted. Lancel walked through the dark passage toward the center of the arena.

“Lancel Dante! Lancel Dante! Lancel Dante!”

“If you lose, we won't let you off!”

When he emerged from the passage, the cheers of the people filling the arena struck his ears. His eardrums felt numb.

“His opponent is!”

Lancel looked toward the person emerging from the passage opposite him.

A man clad in black armor approached him with the clank, clank of interlocking metal.

His gait, the aura he gave off, his condensed Mana, his ominous presence. Lancel found something strangely familiar about him.

“The Black Armor...!”