I Work As A Healer In Another World’s Labyrinth City

Since were standing around talking, Eris younger sister- Aria, suggests that we go inside the hospital. Then the three of us take our seats around the table.

Onee-chan, you havent had lunch yet, right? I bought these on the way, so lets eat together. Ah, you too Shiki-san, help yourself.

Aria sets out the cuisine that she bought from the food carts on the table.

I see. While we were on our way here, I thought she was buying an awful lot, but theres no problem if were eating together with Eris. Right, she didnt actually say that the two of us would be eating them by ourselves.

The food looks delicious. Precisely because the festival is near, there are numerous dishes lined up that I dont normally see.

But man, this situation.

When she finishes laying out the dishes, Aria rests her elbows on her chin and starts observing my appearance amusedly. Then, Eris makes a deep sigh.

I wonder how Eris will react to the fact that I brought her younger sister home for take-out.

Will she be angry, or shocked? Either way, a decline in my reputation is unavoidable. But its not like I have no excuse. Like the fact that I was just observing and hadnt actually done it yet myself.

And that her sister was the one who called out to me, so I didnt do anything wrong in the first place.

To be honest, I kinda doubt that shell believe me, though. Based on my habitual behavior.

Eris, this is, well, look, I cant quite put it into words, there were Complex circumstances

Its fine. If youre going downtown to pick up girls, I wont get mad or anything.

But, Im unexpectedly excused. Innocent. An innocent verdict.

Eh, you wont? Even though he came all the way here with me.

As for Aria, her eyes widen in total surprise too.

At any rate, werent you the one who called out to Shiki because you thought it would be amusing?

I thought that Eris would be under the impression that I hit on Aria, but nope. It seems that Eris is familiar with Arias behavior patterns. Thats an older sister for you.

However, after that Eris gaze falls as she continues speaking.

Besides, were not in that kind of relationship.

I dont think you had to say that though. Look, Eris, why dont you try being a little bit more bashful? More like Dont get me wrong, were not in that kind of relationship okay!. Wouldnt it be fine to do it that way?

Onee-chan, arent you and Shiki-san going out?

We are not.

Then that declaration. Eris obstinate expression gives off an air of I dont want to talk about this anymore.

Huh?

Aria tilts her head at Eris attitude. Perhaps she didnt expect that reply.

Hmmmm, I was totally convinced that you were was I wrong? But in your letter Huhhh?

Aria grumbles as she twists her head in puzzlement.

And Im suddenly very interested in that letter word. My mind recalls Eris attitude this morning, and the way she refused to let me read the letter.

Dont tell me Eris openly wrote out her innermost thoughts about me in her letter and they were enough to give Aria a misunderstanding? I wonder if its a thing where her stubborn attitude and her innermost thoughts differ. Now Ive gotten kinda interested.

But Onee-chan, youre living under one roof with a man you dont have that kind of relationship with? So this is what they call cohabitation, huh.

Then Aria, who was twisting her head in puzzlement, suddenly comes to a conclusion and says that.

!

Cohabitation.

Eris, who was looking the other way, trembles with a jolt. Then she looks at Arias face, silently opening and closing her mouth, unsure what to say. Shes obviously flustered.

Thats well

Eris isnt saying anything to Aria. Furthermore, every time she looks my way and meets my eyes, she hastily averts her gaze downward. Her bangs are in the way so I cant see her expression, but shes acting seriously suspicious.

Oh my, what could be the meaning of this?

By some chance, could it be

Did Eris want to make it look like she hated the sexual harassment, but in truth that was only lip service? I wonder if there could be a development like that. It might be a thing where she says I hate it, I hate it while actually liking it. Im starting to get kinda excited.

Shiki-san, youre living here too, right?

This time, Aria directs the question at me.

As a matter of fact, we always sleep in the same room together. Every night.

On different beds, though; Yuels the only one Im sharing a bed with.

Eh? No waaaay! I-Is that true!?

Aria asks me with her eyes fully peeled, but I just nod stoically in response. Its not a lie.

Whaaat, so you actually have some experience, Onee-chan! Ive always been worried youd be all lonely by yourself. Im sooo relieved!

Aria holds both hands to her mouth and squeals happily. By the way, Eris isnt experienced.

However, Eris panics even more.

Thats because I was worried about Yuel-chan, and Were in different beds! Theres really nothing going on! More importantly, arent you supposed to be helping to guard the city during the festival, as part of your knight academy training?

I was in a hurry, so I havent done a thing to prepare your room yet.

Ahh, a misdirection.

But man, her reaction is funny. So amusing it makes me want to keep poking at her. I wanna try asking Eris, Hey, hey, whyre you living with me when were not going out?.

Nah, if I do that then shell surely say something like Youre right, thats abnormal., so I wont do it. Eris really follows through when it counts. I mean, she already kicked me out once.

Nnn, thats true, but I was planning on staying here while I work. Although in the knight brigade, apparently you have to live in the dormitory if youre unmarried so they can call you out at any time so dont worry about me, Onee-chan. I wish you two happiness, okay?

I-Im telling you, were not in that kind of relationship!

Aria seems to be having fun teasing Eris. And yet, it also kinda seems like shes hoping to set Eris up with me. In other words, is this what they call family approval? Somehow, I feel like the moat around Eris is gradually getting filled.

Well, I also get the feeling that Shiki-san and Onee-chan dont suit each other, though. But Ill give you the benefit of the doubt.

But then she says too much. Besides, Eris is looking downtrodden, Im guessing from being teased too much. Shes worn out.

Well, we may be living together, but weve only returned to the relationship we had back when when I was a boarder due to the fact that I bought back the hospital. The one thing thats changed is that we no longer have that clearly-defined employment relationship.

Assuming we ended up living together due to the course of events, Eris may not have thought about it too deeply.

Somehow, Im getting a little worried that thanks to Arias teasing just now, Eris will start to become conscious of the unwholesome arrangement and move out. Or maybe shell kick me out once she saves up enough money to pay me back the price of the hospital. Nah, no way. Probably not.

Id like to believe its fine.

Alright, its a bit early, but I gotta get over to the knight brigade station soon. Actually, they were telling me to show my face as soon as soon as I got to the city.

Aria, perhaps satisfied from thoroughly teasing Eris about her relationship with me, remarks as she stands up.

Ill come again soon, Onee-chan! Ah, Shiki-san, I dont remember the location of the knight brigade station very well, would you mind taking me there?

Then, asking me for guidance, Aria takes me by the hand and we leave the hospital.

With her ponytail swaying back and forth, Aria advances through the streets in high spirits.

Shiki-san, what do you usually do?

Helping out with the hospital, entering the labyrinth, that kind of stuff.

Man, even though Im supposed to be guiding her to the knight brigade station, shes walking ahead of me without asking for directions. Moreover, shes been barraging me with questions the entire time.

The labyrinth, huh! Onee-chan wrote that your healing ability was incredible in her letters, but you even fight monsters! Wow, youre amazing.

More or less.

Id win against a Goblin if its 1v1. Its not a lie.

What do you use for a weapon?

A mace.

Wow, I was certain youd use a cane, or magic.

So does that mean she sees me as weak?

Well, Id like to use offensive magic, but what I learned from the customers at the hospital previously was completely unusable. Next time, maybe Ill have someone authoritative teach me.

Ah, if youre up for it, wanna have a match? Despite how I look Im the top of my class at the knight academy, so Im pretty confident.

Top of your class? Thats amazing. Well eventually, if theres an opportunity.

I should come up with a good excuse and refuse. Or have Yuel sub for me. I dont know if I would win against a knight cadet, let alone the top of the class.

I have no idea how many students there are at the knight academy, but Im guessing thats pretty impressive. They specifically sent her away to a school in the royal capital, so they must have had high expectations for her from the outset.

And, as we travel the main street while discussing such things-

Suddenly, a warm green color faintly glows in the corner of my eye. When I look over, theres a lone woman in the middle of a crowd, treating wounded people. She has sleek black hair, and shes wearing an expensive-looking ornamental habit. Shes still in her late teens at the latest.

Shes quite a beauty. No tits though.

I stop walking to take a look for a little while, and it seems shes performing treatment on citizens free of charge.

Thats a priestess from the Church of Medine.

The Church of Medine. If I remember correctly, Eris taught me before that its a religion with close ties to this worlds healing magic. I have a feeling its the official religion of this kingdom, too.

Thats quite generous of them, to give out free treatment.

Isnt it strange? Theyve always done that at the royal capital. Giving out treatment in front of crowds and soliciting donations like that. Im guessing its because the festival is soon and lots of people have gathered here.

Huh

The priestess treats another wounded person. Furthermore, thats High Heal no, EX Heal. Using a normal healer as the standard, aint that priestess quite excellent? Although, knowing EX Heal, it must have used up the rest of her mana; she drops to one knee and breathes heavily.

Wait, this is the first time Ive seen someone other than me who can use EX Heal. And I heard that even among the eminent members of the church, only a handful of them can use EX Heal. Perhaps that beauty is quite a big shot.

As Im staring at the beautiful priestess like that, something tugs at the hem of my clothes.

Its Aria. When I take a look to see whats the matter, shes making a sullen face as if Ive done something wrong.

Shiki-san, thats no good.

No good?

Aria gives me an exasperated sigh and shrugs her shoulders in disappointment. Then her expression makes a complete change, tightening up as she looks at me.

Shiki-san, Ive been thinking for a long time.

Aria gazes right into my eyes and begins to speak.

The mood is serious. What could it be? I wonder if shes gonna preach to me like Shiki-san, this whole time youve done nothing but look at girls. Youre so unfaithful.?

If she does I wont be able to deny it, though.

Ive been thinking. About Onee-chan. She never mentions it to me, but losing our mother and father and having to live all by herself, Im sure it was dreadful for her.

Never mind. So it was about Eris?

Certainly, Eris has had all sorts of troubles lately, like the weight of the debt and having to sell the hospital. But, considering Eris character, taking on debt for her sisters sake and even having to sell the hospital, she wouldnt tell the person in question no matter what.

Ill stay silent about it too for the time being. Its already been resolved anyway.

In her letters, too, I sorta got the feeling she was trying too hard to write about cheerful things. I was a bit worried. Thats why wanting to come see her was part of it, but Im relieved that shes doing well.

I see.

Onee-chan is stubborn so she takes things seriously, but the way she feels about you, Shiki-san I dont think she thinks poorly of you. Onee-chan is not the kind of person who would live under the same roof with a man without a good reason.

Aria was originally saying that she wanted me to guide her to the knight brigade station, but perhaps she actually wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with me.

What sort of person was her older sister living with? And was Eris actually doing things properly with him or not?

I thought that she just found me amusing, but it seems I was mistaken. Then, Aria scratches her cheek awkwardly-

So, please take good care of Onee-chan, okay? I want her to be happy.

and bashfully tells me that.

After that I escort Aria to the knight brigade and return to the hospital. Then, soon afterwards

Im leaving this place.

With no preface, Eris announces that with a serious expression.

What in the world does that mean?

I havent even said What did you write about in your letters to your sister? or Why were you sleeping in the same room as me when were not going out? yet. I havent especially done anything to make her angr was it that? Was hitting on girls no good after all?

No, it might have been due to Arias teasing.

Thats not what you told me, Aria-san. Didnt Eris supposedly not think poorly of me?

Dont tell me its because of what she teased you about?

Its not particularly related to what happened earlier. I wouldnt leave the hospital over something like that. Its just, seeing Arias face, and hearing her talk about staying at the dorm, I thought it was the perfect opportunity.

The perfect opportunity?

Is it that she put up with living with me until now, but after being teased by Aria, she reconsidered me from a fresh perspective? She hates the kind of frivolous man who spends his free time picking up chicks downtown, so shes leaving?

I mean if I were Eris, I dont think I would live together with a man like that.

When you went off with the knight brigade on that monster subjugation, thats when I decided to do this someday.

She must be referring to that time with the Krankheit Turtle. But I dont see how thats related. How did me going to subjugate a monster turn into Eris leaving the hospital?

What does that mean?

At that time, I was the only one left behind at the hospital Ive been thinking for a long time. Why was it that I couldnt come along?

Eris expression is earnest. Now that I think about it, Eris was worried for me at the time. I feel like she seemed a bit different from the usual Eris, both when we were leaving for the subjugation and when we returned.

Moreover, after the poison mist spread into the city, I couldnt run the hospital by myself, either even though you used such incredible healing magic.

Thats why, I want to at least become able to use High Heal, as a full-fledged healer.

Certainly, if she was capable enough to use High Heal, she might have been able to accompany the subjugation unit.

But being able to use that, forget about full-fledged, thats already elite. Maybe its my fault, but I have a feeling that Eris perception is skewed.

Eris is by no means the leftovers. In the Krankheit Turtles case, since you have to treat quite a few people in one way or another, you need to have an average, no, a bit more more than an average amount of mana as a healer.

Thats why Im going to study at the Church of Medine in the royal capital. Over there, I want to retrain myself from the beginning.

I heard it from Eris soon after I came to this world. That the typical healer apparently trains at a church in the royal capital. It seems you can also do it at one of the churches in every town, but the royal capital is the place to go to aim higher as a healer.

Eris purpose is solid. But this cant happen. Im worried. I have to hold her back.

I-I understand what youre saying but, what about the hospital?

Ill close it for a while.

This is dangerous. The diligent worker Eris is closing the hospital. Shes really serious.

But Im sure Yuel wont want to be separated from you?

In one way or another, Yuel is fairly attached to Eris. Shell undoubtedly miss Eris if shes gone.

However, Eris only knits her brows and looks down slightly. Then, she mutters in a tiny voice.

Even so, I want just to be capable enough that I could have gone along with you at that time. Im sick of waiting by myself for someone to come back.

That reminds me, theres something thats been bothering me. At the dinner party at the lords mansion, Eris was looking at Ruruka with envious eyes. From Eris perspective, the fact that Ruruka was there served as proof that she went along with the subjugation unit.

And in reality, she did go along with the subjugation unit, as a guide. That look, that might have been envy over the fact that Ruruka was deemed capable enough to come along.

Besides, shes had to endure a fair amount of house-sitting on her own.

I have some idea about it. The matter of her parents accidental demise. Im certain that one day, she was house-sitting by herself and instead of her parents returning, what came was a letter informing her of their deaths.

And then with this subjugation, I ended up returning to the hospital covered in blood and looking like a tattered old rag. That mightve dug up some old wounds in Eris heart.

I really screwed up. I get the feeling I stepped on a landmine.

Eris is stubborn. This is no good. It doesnt look like Ill be able to persuade her.

Assuming you do go to study in the royal capital, about how long will it take?

Lets see err, if I start over from the beginning, up until I learn High Heal, if thats even possible for me 3 years of meditation at the sacred ground thats supposed to have a high concentration of mana, 1 year for the pilgrimage to the holy land of the Church of Medine, and after that the lectures and volunteer activities for the church about 5 years at the very least, I suppose.

Ill persuade her after all. Not 5 years. I thought itd be around a month, but 5 years is unthinkable. Out of the question.

Thats no good, absolutely unacceptable.

Eris is currently 18 years old. In 5 years shell be 23. Whats going to happen to a girl around that age, whos a buxom blonde and furthermore a beauty, if I trustingly send her away?

If hes got 5 years to work with, without a doubt Ill get coocked by some handsome local priest. I mean, if I were a local priest, I have a feeling Id fully abuse my authority to make it a done deal.

If it were 1 or 2 months I still could have given in, but 5 years is really too long.

By the time she thinks shell be back, Eris couldve married a handsome, honest priest and became a mother of two. Thats how long 5 years is. That is totally not alright.

But how should I approach this? Eris seems to be seriously troubled by her own lack of healing magic ability. No ideas for how to quickly convince Eris are coming to mind. Nothing but a sigh.

Do you want to go that badly?

Isnt it obvious?

I-Is that so

Although, how can I persuade Eris? Once she makes up her mind, she probably really will go off for 5 years to study. I need to stay calm and think carefully.

Perhaps theres one way to solve it.

Eris objective is to improve her healing magic. In other words, if I can just raise her healing magic ability, that seems like a likely means to detain her.

In that case, how should I go about raising her healing magic ability?

Lets think about it a little. This worlds healing magic involves mana, knowledge, and faith. These 3 elements greatly influence it.

Having a lot of mana enables you to use healing magic many times, and makes it possible to use healing spells like High Heal and EX Heal that consume large quantities of mana.

With knowledge you can comprehend the structure of the human body and decrease your mana expenditure by using efficient healing spells. These two are common knowledge in this world, and I have personal experience with them too.

Then theres the last one, piety. According to the doctrines of the Church of Medine, this worlds healing magic originates from the power of faith. And, the more devout a follower you are of the Church of Medine, the more you can draw upon the accumulated faith in god to invoke healing magic.

Plus, the more faith you have, the greater the effectiveness of the healing magic. I dont have much belief in the existence of god, but nevertheless my high healing magic ability could be related to the fact that I amassed faith in the new Japanese religion of I myself.

Of course there are various other elements like affinity and talent, but in general these 3 have the greatest influence on healing magic.

Most likely, the current Eris is lacking in all of them. Her mana capacity is average or not much higher, and she most likely hasnt studied human anatomy in depth.

And I get the feeling that she isnt that devout of a believer in god either. Perhaps because shes been living in poverty, but shes the type to work rather than pray.

I doubt that I can raise her mana capacity. Ive heard that its necessary to spend a long time in a place with thick concentrations of mana in order to raise it. Thats probably the sacred ground that Eris mentioned.

Piety is also off the table. I dont have a shred of piety myself either.

But how about knowledge? In my case, I could possibly fill in Eris knowledge. This world has developed some degree of medical treatment, but even so, I came from modern Japan so my knowledge should be much deeper.

The more detailed knowledge Eris has about human anatomy, the more she should be able to use healing magic efficiently.

This is it.

Eris, even if you dont go study, I can improve your healing magic ability. Ill prove it to you without fail. Thats why, could you please hold off on going?

Since I thought it up, lets try it right away. First, some preparations are necessary.

Master! I just got back!

As soon as I resolve to do it, Yuel returns.

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