Even after waiting a while, they didn't react.
"What are you doing?”
Finding it strange, I turned my body back around.
For a moment, I saw the two women frozen, but as I turned, they reacted with a start.
"Wait!"
“Don't turn around like that!"
Together, they pulled my shirt back down.
Seriously, what's wrong with them?
I definitely heard that while exposing a man's upper body isn't encouraged, it's not a huge problem either.
“Really, is it really okay to put our hands on your back? Are you sure it's alright if I touch your back?!"
Alios reacted excessively, even shouting.
“I, the person involved, am giving permission."
“Even if Ceres permits it, Countess Ares might try to kill us."
“It's for treatment, why would she kill us?"
“No...."
I was the one feeling frustrated, but Alios trailed off as if she were the frustrated one.
At that moment.
"Alright. I'll do it.”
Hames finally listened to me.
“Just place my hand on his back and inject holy power, right?"
“Hey, you!"
“Hero Alios, don't make a fuss. As Ceres Whiperion said, this is merely a therapeutic act.”
Hames, who agreed to do it, and Alios started arguing.
I gave permission, so why was she making such a scene?
“If you're not going to do it, just leave. I'll call someone else.”
If she was going to obstruct instead of help, I had no choice.
As I was about to call someone else, Alios flinched.
“You'll call someone else? You mean you'll let someone other than me touch Ceres's bare skin? Leaving only High Priestess Hames?"
“Yes.”
"I'll do it."
Should have just done it from the start.
“Do it properly this time."
I turned around, showing my back again.
“O-Okay."
Though I couldn't see, it seemed Alios moved first. I heard her voice as her hand touched my back.
“It's soft... You don't seem to take special care of it, but it's so soft and smooth!”
Look who's talking. Alios's hand touching my back also felt quite pleasant.
“Excuse me."
Next, Hames placed her hand on my back. As her smooth yet strong hand touched my back, something flowed in.
Is this holy power?
A certain kind of power entered my body and moved, feeling familiar.
The divine power within me stirred as if welcoming the holy power. Is it because they're like relatives?
“Ceres, I'll inject mine too."
Immediately, Alios's mana flowed in as well. As the mana entered, I felt incredibly energized.
I don't think the original Ceres felt like this? The mana Ceres received was from a mage, whereas Alios wields the mana of a powerful warrior. Is that why?
Feeling energetic for the first time in a while felt good, but only for a moment.
It soon became difficult.
What Alios was doing now was akin to injecting internal energy into someone's body to train them in martial arts novels. Since it's training, it's hard on the recipient too.
There were descriptions of the original Ceres struggling too, so I knew this would happen.
I rapidly grew tired, but thankfully, Hames's holy power restored my drained stamina.
When I got tired from mana training, holy power immediately replenished it, and in response to the holy power, my divine power also activated favorably.
The divine power purified both energies, ensuring an uninterrupted flow and creating a virtuous cycle.
The core of this treatment method was these three powers assisting each other to amplify efficiency.
"Mmph.”
But even when fatigue was recovered, the feeling of tiredness remained.
It continued.
I tried to endure the difficult sensation, but couldn't manage it well.
“Ah, ugh...."
Eventually, an exhausted moan escaped me, and suddenly the infusion of holy power and mana stopped.
“...Ceres?"
“What's wrong?”
They asked about my condition, their voices trembling for some reason.
"Are you perhaps finding it difficult?"
“Mana infusion training is tiring even for the practitioner. Especially if the opponent's mana is strong.”
It goes without saying for the mana of the Empire's greatest knight, known as the Hero. I know full well that the more effective it is, the faster I'll tire.
“I'm fine. Keep going.”
I urged the hesitant pair.
“Mana training is tiring, but Hames's holy power restores me, so I'm not tired.”
“Nonsense. There's a limit to that. If holy power recovery was omnipotent, all mana practitioners would travel with clerics."
It's possible for me, I thought. My divine power assists both forces, allowing the cycle to continue. But I couldn't explain that it was due to divine power, so I just insisted.
"I'm really fine."
"Then what was that groan earlier?"
“It came out because it felt good. Like getting a massage.”
“I am not a masseuse, though."
“I know. That's just how good it feels."
Making bizarre excuses, I continued the mana and holy power infusion.
“Ugh, ahhh...."
Whether they believed my words that I was fine or not, neither said anything even when I moaned again.
After a few more hours passed...
“How long do we have to do this?"
“It seems I should be heading back now.”
Time had passed, and it was time for both of them to leave.
Normally, I would have preferred them to leave sooner, but not now. I urgently stopped them.
“Stay the night!"
"That's impossible. I need to return to the temple."
Hames shook her head.
"You're welcome to stay the night, but I think we should stop the mana infusion. You look too exhausted."
Alios requested we stop.
Hey, you two! Do you think I enjoy doing this with you? The Empress is worse than both of you combined, so I'm doing this as a last-ditch effort before meeting her!!
“Please, I'm begging you, keep going!"
"...Tsk."
As I pleaded, Hames reluctantly stayed. Alios also joined in, having no choice.
I thought I could finally relax and focus, but I had momentarily forgotten.
This world exists to screw me, Ceres, over.
"Young Master Ceres, excuse me during your treatment, but something has come up.”
After some time, a servant suddenly knocked. He delivered the message from outside the door.
“People have arrived seeking Lord Ceres's treatment.”
“What are you talking about? I just treated the entire territory recently!”
Did someone have an accident and get their limbs severed somewhere?
I was dumbfounded by the news that interrupted my concentration on the treatment, but the words that followed were even more absurd.
“It's the neighboring territory.”
“What?”
“The Countess of the neighboring territory has come with her people, asking for treatment.”
Did they come on some kind of medical expedition? After I worked so hard to heal my own territory, people came from next door?
Suppressing my distorted expression, I stopped what I had painstakingly continued.
“Both of you, wait a moment. Help me up."
“Yes.”
“Like this?"
Alios took my right side, and after a moment's hesitation, Hames took my left, supporting me.
Supported by the two, I went out to find a huge commotion.
“Go away, I said go away!"
"Is asking for just a moment of your time so disagreeable?!"
Ares was arguing, even pointing fingers, with a woman I hadn't seen before.
The long, black-haired woman spoke desperately, though angrily.
“Ares, we're not strangers. Please, call your son and have him heal my daughter.”
“I already told you I can't."
“I will pay a price. I'll hand over the largest gold mine our family possesses.”
“Hurion, I'm sorry, but my child is not well. He's currently undergoing treatment.”
“My daughter looks like she could die any second!"
The woman called Hurion pointed to a person brought on a stretcher. It was someone groaning from horrific burns covering their entire body; the burns were truly terrible. If she hadn't called the person 'daughter,' it would have been impossible to even tell their gender.
"Her skin was completely burned in a fire accident. She needs treatment quickly, and the closest high-level healer is your son!"
“Please!"
Hurion pleaded while Ares just watched her silently.
As I assessed the situation, the servant who had informed me whispered quietly.
“The Countess told me she would handle it herself and not to inform you. But I felt I should ask Young Master Ceres's intentions, seeing as you've already healed so many.”
Listening to the servant's words, I searched my memory.
Was there a scene like this in the original novel?
It feels like an important situation, but I don't remember seeing anything like this.
But the count from the neighboring territory was mentioned. Just a passing reference, though.
'Ceres, did you know? Your father planned to commit treason, saying he would come find you.'
'Lies! My father would never do that!'
'Fortunately, a loyal count right next to your territory detected it and reported it to me.'
'Him? But he's an acquaintance of Father!'
''He must have had a hidden grudge. From what I saw, he seemed to utterly despise your father.'
When the tyrant Emperor kept his daughter confined in the palace for a long time, Ares lost it and tried to storm the palace. The neighboring count reported this, stopping it beforehand. Could that neighboring count be this woman?
Then the reason he hated Ares must have been because Ares refused to heal his seriously injured child, just like now.
…Damn it, how could I have predicted something like this!
When I read the novel, I just assumed they had a bad relationship and moved on, but there was actually this backstory? Stop screwing me over!
I clenched my teeth at the fact that there was a hidden bomb set for a suffering plotline I didn't even know about.
Fortunately, because of what I'd done so far, the servant called me, giving me a chance to prevent it beforehand.
I tried to go immediately towards the burned daughter, but my body wouldn't move.
The two supporting me had suddenly stopped.
“Stop."
Alios said, adopting a serious tone.
“Ceres, your body isn't normal right now."
"What?"
“You've been groaning painfully this whole time! That's proof your body has reached its limit.”
“I told you, I'm fine.”
“No. If you use enough holy power to heal such a severe injury in your condition, there's no telling what might happen.”
She still misunderstands. I was about to explain again that I was fine, but a loud voice erupted beside me.
“Enough!"
It was Hames.
“Why do you always try to sacrifice yourself for others?"
What's she talking about? Seeing Hames suddenly saying strange things, her expression was contorted as if in pain. Her voice sounded pained too.
"Listen, Ceres Whiperion! Don't think of others first with a body like that. No one will blame you for putting yourself first. Live for yourself!"