Chapter 38

"Hello, Holy Maiden."

I bent down to her eye level and replied.

The Holy Maiden tilted her head slightly, hesitating on what to say. Her orange hair was shiny, her cheeks had the rosy hue characteristic of a child, and up close, she was incredibly adorable. As I waited for her to gather her thoughts, after a while, she opened her mouth as if making a decision.

"…Um, Sir Knight, you are amazing. You can make a monster drink medicine without even threatening it, even though you’re not its master."

"It’s Fia."

When I said this, she looked back at me with a puzzled expression. I smiled and repeated myself.

"My name is Fia. If you like, you can call me by my name."

Upon hearing this, the Holy Maiden blushed deeply.

"A, ah, I’m Charlotte. Um, if you don’t mind, please, call me Charlotte."

"Charlotte-sama…?"

"No, just Charlotte! And, please, talk to me normally. Like, talk to me as if I were family."

Hmm? Isn’t the Holy Maiden usually revered a lot? I wonder why this is different?

I glanced at Charlotte, who was gripping the hem of her robe with both hands and trembling with teary eyes.

W-What is this? She’s so cute.

"Okay, Charlotte. Is this good?"

When I said this, Charlotte smiled, but tears streamed down her face.

"Huh? W-What’s wrong?"

Surprised, I reached out my hand, and Charlotte clung to it.

"I have a name, Charlotte, given to me by my mother, but no one calls me that. Everyone calls me ‘Holy Maiden.’ But that’s not my name."

Tears kept falling from Charlotte’s eyes onto my sleeve.

I hugged Charlotte tightly and patted her back.

"I see. You were recognized as the Holy Maiden at the age of three, right?"

When I asked, she nodded while pressing her head against my chest.

"Because I was the Holy Maiden, I was taken away from my mother and brought to the church. They said that when I became a proper Holy Maiden, I could visit my mother. But I’m a failure. My Holy Maiden powers are weak, and I can’t even make healing potions. So, I’m sure my mother is embarrassed…"

She couldn’t continue, and Charlotte clung to me, crying.

I patted her back while feeling a bit puzzled.

It’s hard to say, but I think orange hair suits a Holy Maiden.

Spirits are drawn to the blood of the Holy Maiden and form a contract.

Therefore, red hair, which is associated with blood, was considered the best vessel for a Holy Maiden.

Following this logic, orange, a similar color to red, should also be a high-quality vessel, right?

Does she lack the talent to offset this advantage?

As I continued to pat her back, Charlotte gradually calmed down.

When she stopped crying, she raised her face, looking a bit embarrassed. She then noticed Zabiria, who had perched on my shoulder, and her eyes widened.

"A blue bird! My mother said it’s a bird that brings happiness."

I smiled and stroked Charlotte’s head.

"Yes, ever since this little one came to me, I’ve had nothing but fun. I’m sure something good will happen to Charlotte too."

Then, I gently took Charlotte’s hand.

"There are still a few injured monsters that need healing potions. Can you help me?"

Charlotte smiled happily.

"Sure, Fia!"

The subsequent administration of the healing potions went smoothly. Zabiria’s warning sound was so powerful that every monster obediently drank the potion.

However, after drinking, some of them would bend their knees and groan in pain, which was heartbreaking.

…Yeah, it hurts.

I’ve experienced it myself, so I can’t help but empathize with the monsters.

The healing magic for self-recovery spreads throughout the body.

If it has adverse effects, it’s natural for the whole body to creak and writhe in pain.

When I looked, Charlotte was teary-eyed, watching the monsters in pain.

Yeah, it’s touching that she feels sorry for the monsters in pain. She really is suited to be a Holy Maiden.

After giving the healing potions to the injured monsters, Charlotte and I left the monster house.

"Charlotte, if you have time, would you like to take a walk?"

There should be a cluster of springs on the east side of the castle.

With Zabiria on my shoulder, I held Charlotte’s hand and walked.

Ah, the sun is so warm and feels so good.

When we reached our destination, we looked around the various springs.

"Yep, this one is perfect. It’s small and just right."

I muttered to myself, then looked at Charlotte.

"Hey, Charlotte, would you like to practice healing magic with me?"

"Eh? But, I…"

Charlotte looked down, dejected.

"Hehe, it’s okay. I can’t use healing magic either, so I won’t know if you don’t do it well."

When Charlotte looked up, I smiled at her.

"Practice usually involves a lot of failures. Would you like to try failing at practice?"

Charlotte gripped my hand tightly and nodded.

Then, the two of us picked herbs growing here and there. We repeated the process of picking handfuls of herbs and throwing them into the spring.

"Hey, aren’t these herbs beautiful? Don’t you think that if you take in these fresh herbs, many things will get better?"

Charlotte’s eyes were sharp, and she picked the right herbs from among many different types.

Zabiria, who had come out from her usual spot on my stomach, was enjoying a nap on the grass.

How much time had passed? When we had put enough herbs into the small spring, I called out to Charlotte.

"Okay, roll up your sleeves and put both hands in this spring. Then, try to channel healing magic. It’s practice for making healing potions."

"But, the other Holy Maidens use crushed dried herbs mixed with water when they make healing potions. And, they make them in bottles, not in a spring…"

Charlotte whispered, looking confused by the size of the spring.

"Hehe, it’s just practice, so don’t worry. Come on, put your hands in."

As I said this, I rolled up Charlotte’s sleeves and took her hands in mine.

Then, I put my hands in the spring and pressed my forehead against hers.

"Try to channel healing magic."

Charlotte seemed nervous, but a small amount of magic power slowly flowed through her.

…Yeah, the flow is definitely poor.

She probably doesn’t use healing magic often. There are a few places in her body where the magic flow is lightly blocked.

…If you keep using healing magic, the resistance will be removed, and it will flow properly…

Well, it’s fine. I channeled a little magic power into Charlotte’s body to push through the resistance.

"……Eh?"

Charlotte let out a surprised voice.

"Eh? Eh? Eh? Huh? A…, magic power is flowing…."

I smiled and let go of Charlotte’s hands.

"Good job, Charlotte. Now, try to channel that magic power into the spring. Okay? The magic power is circulating throughout your body, so let’s try to gather it bit by bit in your fingertips. Look at the spring. It’s so clear and beautiful. We put a lot of fresh herbs in it just now, and some are still floating. Try to channel your magic power into it."

Charlotte slowly started to channel magic power from her fingertips into the spring.

Hehe, such a good, honest girl. She really has the potential to be a great Holy Maiden.

"Keep it up. Imagine an injured monster crying in pain. It’s so sad. …Here, we have water that has absorbed the power of the earth for a long time and herbs that have received the power of nature. We’re borrowing this power. Now, channel your magic power. When you make a healing potion with this water, herbs, and magic power, how happy the injured monster will be?"

As I said this, I closed my eyes and channeled a little magic power.

"Yes, good job, Charlotte. It seems like more magic power is flowing from your left hand. Can you try to control it so that the same amount flows from both hands?"

I gradually adjusted Charlotte’s magic power.

When my magic power was almost depleted, a shimmering light rose from the bottom of the spring.

The herbs dissolved in the water, and the clear water turned green.

"Oh, it’s so beautiful… It’s the color of healing."

In front of me, Charlotte’s voice was on the verge of tears.

"Fia, my body feels strange. It’s warm, and I feel power coursing through me…"

I patted Charlotte’s head.

"Good girl, Charlotte. That’s what it feels like to use healing magic. You did a great job. Look, the water in this spring has turned into a healing potion!!"

I smiled and dramatically spread my arms to point at the spring.

"……Eh?"

Charlotte stared at me with her mouth agape.

"…Yeah, I get it. Sometimes, stopping to think is a good way to escape. I might just faint…"

Zabiria, who had been lying on the grass, muttered softly.