God of Assassination, Become the Strongest Healer

What kind of illness does the saint have? 

It’s a disease that is common among the Wave Tribe. I don’t know much about it, but if you go and ask them, they might tell you more. 

It’s strange that they know what causes the illness and how to treat it, but can’t do it themselves. 

The Wave Tribe has good healing methods, but this case is special. To help that girl, Claudius is needed.

“Hmm… I see.”
Maybe it was thanks to the 12 years spent in Espetara, but even when faced with an unfamiliar situation, my curiosity as a healer naturally kicked in.
‘An illness that’s only found on this legendary island and can only be treated with Claudius? What could it possibly be?’

But it seemed like Ramute misunderstood the thoughtful look on my face, as she spoke in a cautious tone.

 I’ve already got everything set up to take Lord Pagan to Modenas and bring him back. But I figured you’d need some time to think it over. Take your time. Once you’ve made up your mind, just let Belzekiel know

“If the transportation’s ready, we can leave right now, right?”
― Huh? Well, yeah, technically…
“Then let’s head out immediately.”
― What? Right now?
“Yes. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to resolve everything in one day, so we’ll need to be back before sunrise. But for now, I’d like to check the patient’s condition as soon as possible. If i should  handle the patient rather than my father, there’s no reason to delay.”

But are you sure about deciding this quickly? The Wave Tribe people are a bit different from those on the mainland, and Lord Pagan doesn’t know anything about Modenas.

It doesn’t matter if I know Modenas or not. What  matters is that there’s a patient there who needs my help. As a Claudius, it’s my responsibility to go wherever someone is sick and help them without delay. So please, show me the way. 

Suddenly, the glowing moss lit up even more, brightening the area. A voice, glowing with the same light, responded. “Belzekiel, you heard that, right? What do you think?””So, do you still think my decision was rushed? From where I’m standing, Lord Pagan already has the mindset of a great Claudius.”
― Well… Orpheus always did say courage is key for a healer. Hey, kid, that was pretty cool just now!

 moved by my words, Belzekiel started flapping his wings excitedly, buzzing around my head.
― But wait a sec, now that I think about it, that kinda ticks me off. Hey! Why do you speak casually to me but always so polite with Ramute?
“If you’re curious about that, maybe you should reflect on your usual behavior instead of asking me.”

I picked up the soft, fluffy Buksle, which felt nice to hold, and strengthened my determination. Even though the two of them seemed moved by what I said earlier, I had to acknowledge that my choice to go directly to Modenas wasn’t just because I felt responsible as a healer. If I looked at it purely as a risk, this was still the right decision. If this risk works out, the reward would be Orpheus’ legacy. With so much on the line, I couldn’t back down just because I didn’t know what awaited me.

I didn’t know exactly what dream Orpheus left unfinished, but I could instinctively tell that the legacy of the Claudius founder would be a huge help on my path.
With more than enough reason to go, staying here any longer was just a waste of time. Twirling the fluffy tail of the little furball around my thumb, I urged them again.

“Doesn’t matter where it is. Let’s just go. Come on, Buksle, let’s move!”

Woo-woong. The colors changed from red to blue to yellow and back again. When I stepped out of the magic circle, I found myself in a temple hallway made of bluish stone. 

“Is this your first time seeing a temple like this? It’s the style of the Wave Tribe. That bluish light over there comes from haeseok, which are stones found deep in the ocean.”

“Yeah, it’s a  cool design. But I was surprised. I never thought there would be a teleportation circle to Modenas on that rocky island…”

We arrived at a famous island using a magic circle that was hidden under the rocky island where Ramute had been. The air in Modenas smelled much more of the sea than in Espetara, filling my lungs with its fresh scent. Ramute said, “I’ve already told them we were coming, so someone should arrive soon. Don’t worry too much.” To help calm me down, Ramute gently touched her beak to my cheek, bringing a soothing warmth. Her bright red feathers looked like they were on fire, and her beautiful eyes were captivating.

Ramute looked like a small phoenix, and her warmth on my shoulder made me feel calm. We walked to the end of the hallway, where a door opened. Two people with blue masks stood there, a man and a woman. They were speaking in a Welcome to Modenas, young one. Thank you for coming to help us. 

With the translation spell from Ramute, I could finally understand them. I nodded slightly to show my appreciation for their warm greeting.

“Please, come in. We will show you around.”

I found it interesting that they didn’t seem surprised by my youth. Was it normal for kids like me to be on the front lines in Modenas? Or did they trust Ramute so much that my age didn’t matter?

As the masked pair walked, the beads on their clothes and headbands made a soft jingling sound.

way I didn’t understand. Ramute flew up from my shoulder and began to circle above their heads, and her soft feathers gently drifted down onto them.

The decorations they wore were completely different from anything on the mainland—they had their own unique style. Their hair looked like the ocean, shining in shades of blue. It quickly became clear to me that the people in front of me, with their unique appearance and way of living, were the residents of this famous island, totally different from those on the mainland. Click.

“This way.”

After walking through the underground corridor for about ten minutes, we finally reached the door to the surface. As it opened, an overwhelming burst of moonlight flooded in—there was no other way to describe it.

The path leading to where the Saintess resided was lined with soft grass.
The grass glistened under the crashing sound of distant waves and the shower of moonlight and starlight. Amid this sea of light filling my view, their voices floated through the air.

Every single one of them wore masks, and beneath them, hands and feet moved constantly to accentuate their speech.
On both sides of the path we walked, the Wave Tribe people stood in rows, chattering nonstop.

“*^$^#@”

Even though their words weren’t translated, it felt like I could somehow understand what they were saying.

Worry. Caution. Suspicion. Unease.
And maybe… just a glimmer of hope that these strangers might be able to heal their Saintess.

With countless mixed emotions reflected in their gazes, I continued down the path toward the Saintess’s residence. Finally, a house, its walls shimmering with the luster of seashells, came into view.

Clang.
Standing before it were guards, their builds especially massive, each wearing the same kind of mask.
Blocking our way were two crossed spears, barring our entry.

The strict and active defensive posture felt completely out of place in Modenas, a place that otherwise radiated serenity and peace.

“Prince Claudius, the guards responsible for the Saintess’s residence have a few things they need to verify. I’m deeply sorry for the inconvenience, but could you cooperate with them?”

“Of course.”

I didn’t feel offended in the slightest. It wasn’t an expression of distrust toward me—it was proof of how precious the “ailing Saintess” was to these people.

Tap, tap.
The guards examined me carefully, their movements respectful but meticulous.

“—Nyeh! Nyeh! You can’t see me, nope!”

And amidst their focused motions, I could hear the smug voice of a certain fluffball. Judging by how pleased Beelzekiel sounded, it seemed the Wave Tribe people couldn’t see him either.

Clang.
“Thank you so much for your cooperation. The Saintess is staying on the fifth floor. Please, follow me.”

The guard captain, who had led the search, gave me a polite bow. With that, the formalities to meet the Saintess were complete. We walked up the sea-scented staircase and stopped in front of a white door.

“Saintess, Prince Claudius and Lady Ramute have arrived to see you.”

“$#%!@!”

A faint voice came from beyond the door.Communication between Ramute and the Wave Tribe had been so smooth that once I made up my mind, everything proceeded without a hitch, and I never once felt like time was wasted on the way here.

“Please, come in.”

Still, despite the smooth progress, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of ‘urgency’—the Saintess’s voice sounded fragile.

If I had to compare it, it was like a flower that had nearly lost all its petals, with only one fragile petal clinging on, barely holding its place.

Click.

As soon as the door opened, Ramute left my shoulder, and I could hear the Saintess’s voice, slightly brighter now.

“Hehehe! Ramute, that tickles!”

The room was way too big for a girl who looked about my age, maybe even younger.
Half of the spacious bedroom was taken up by an oversized bed.
Sitting on the bed, the girl hugged Ramute, her tiny face so small that the mask she wore seemed like it was about to slip right off.
Her thin arms and legs appeared and disappeared from between the bed sheets.
And covering those limbs were red spots and heat rashes.

‘Is this a symptom of the illness she’s suffering from? Her skin seems to be necrotizing. And judging by the ratio of her torso to limbs, her nutritional state looks bad too… overall, not good.’

I had only caught a glimpse, but the Saintess’s condition was far worse than I had expected.

“I’ve missed you so much, Ramute!”

The girl was laughing as she hugged Ramute, her bright, innocent laughter making my heart race even more.
The sound of her laughter, so out of place coming from a girl in her condition, only made me feel more anxious.“The Saintess, this is Prince Claudius. He arrived here just now, guided by Ramute, to examine your condition.”

“I’m Pagan Claudius. It’s an honor to meet the ‘First Blessing of the Wave Tribe.’”

I greeted her without hesitation, eager to assess the Saintess’s condition as quickly as possible.

“My name is Estelle, of the Wave Tribe. Descendant of Faith, I sincerely thank you for coming such a long way to answer the call of the gods. Normally, I would greet you personally, but given the circumstances, I must ask for your understanding that we meet here instead.”

The Saintess’s greeting came back at just the right time.
From what I’d learned on the way here through Ramute’s guidance, “Estelle” wasn’t her real name but rather a title given to her as the Saintess.
The fact that she didn’t mention her real name meant that she still didn’t fully trust me.

“I’d like to take a detailed look at the Saintess’s condition now. Would everyone please step outside?”

About thirty minutes after entering the Saintess’s room, I gave the signal to begin the examination, and those gathered in the room exchanged uneasy glances with one another.

“If it’s alright, I’d like Ramute to follow my lead as well. It might be easier for the Saintess to speak freely in a more private setting.”

Though I was young, I was a healer with the qualifications to lead this examination.

The attendants serving the Saintess, as well as the people who had guided me here, were hesitating, unable to refuse easily.

“Alright, everyone, please step out for now.”

“But, Saintess…”

“It’s fine. I’m okay. Please, just follow Prince Claudius’s wishes for now.”

The Saintess, who had been silently observing the situation, spoke up, and only then did the Wave Tribe members slowly start leaving the room.

For some reason, they seemed very reluctant to leave just me and the Saintess alone in the bedroom, but it didn’t seem like their hesitation was entirely because of distrust toward me.

“Well, I have a pretty good guess as to why…”

Thud.

“Huh? You want me to stay and not leave?”

I grabbed Beelzekiel’s tail, which was about to follow the others out of the room. Once he understood what I meant, he stayed put on my shoulder.

Click.

With everyone else—including Ramute—now outside, it was just the Saintess, me, and Beelzekiel, who was invisible to the Saintess.

“Good. They’re solid. I don’t have to worry about anything leaking out.”

The door was tightly shut and thick, and this was, after all, the Saintess’s bedroom. I didn’t have to worry about our conversation leaking outside.

“Well then, shall we start?”

I decided to begin the examination, but instead of immediately checking the Saintess’s pulse, I—

“Hey? Why are you just standing there? Aren’t you going to examine her?”

I plopped down onto the chair beside the bed. Beelzekiel, confused by my actions, moved back and forth between me and the Saintess, urging me to start, but I remained still, waiting.

I needed to examine her, but I wasn’t in a rush. If my guess was right, the girl on the bed seemed to have something she wanted to say.

“Navde de Markia.”

It had been about three minutes when the Saintess finally spoke.

Was it because she deliberately suppressed the magic effect of translation? I could recognize the sound, but I couldn’t understand the meaning.

I wasn’t flustered, though. I had prepared for this moment and left Beelzekiel on standby.

I immediately gave him a look that said, What does that mean?

“Ugh… That little brat just said….”

But he hesitated, unable to respond immediately. Only after I gave him another look, telling him It’s okay, just say it, did he finally answer.

“She said, ‘Don’t touch my body! Filthy thing.’”

I hadn’t expected such insulting words from the Saintess. Beelzekiel looked at me nervously after finishing the translation, trying to gauge my reaction.

“Yeah, I figured.”

I nodded without a hint of distress.