Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 216

216.

“By the way, El, what’s that on the back of your hand…?”

“Huh? Ah!”

Without thinking, I glanced down and saw the Demon God’s mark. Crap, I quickly covered my hand. I had momentarily forgotten that he was a priest of Eluien. As the Pope of Punishment, returning with another god’s mark, it was understandable that he would be displeased.

“Th-This, Kai, there are… complicated circumstances involved…”

As I hurriedly tried to explain, Kaitain looked at me with a strange expression and then smiled gently.

“It seems you’ve been through a lot. You must have suffered greatly.”

“Ahaha, it’s an understatement…”

“I’m so glad you’re back.”

His warm words touched my heart. It’s a strange feeling to be welcomed by someone. Perhaps it was because of Eluien’s aura emanating from him, but even though it was my first time here, it felt like returning home.

“Endil is out in the human village?”

“Yes, he recently found a job at the market and is out until evening. It’s almost time for him to return.”

“He’s working hard.”

“Isn’t he admirable? He’s putting in a lot of effort.”

It seemed they had become quite close, as Kaitain’s eyes were filled with affection when he mentioned Endil. After we parted ways, Endil immediately sought out a job upon returning. Perhaps to avoid being recognized as a spiritist [one who communicates with spirits], he declined the lord’s offer and chose ordinary manual labor. He also stopped informing the fishermen about the weather.

“Oh, and Cecile, right? How is your sister’s illness?”

“Ah, that is…”

Kaitain’s peaceful expression instantly darkened. I flinched involuntarily at the unexpected reaction. The gentle atmosphere turned heavy, as if a weight was pressing down on my shoulders. Kaitain nervously fidgeted with his clasped hands, looking troubled.

“Actually, I can’t express how happy I am that you came earlier than expected, El.”

“…Hasn’t your holy power been able to improve her condition much?”

Even as I asked, I had a feeling I knew the answer. Kaitain nodded with a bitter expression.

“Would you like to take a look?”

* * *

The place Kaitain led me to was a small room connected to the reception room. Sibelius also accompanied us, curious. The room was simply furnished with a bed and a dresser. The curtains were drawn, making it dim, and the air was thick with the scent of herbs. A small girl was asleep there.

“This child is Cecile.”

I carefully examined the sleeping girl. White skin, faded blonde hair, and delicate, cute features. Overall, she resembled her brother Endil a lot. However, unlike Endil, who was lively like a wildflower, the girl was very thin and visibly ill. Her face was pale, almost gray, and her shallow breaths were like a faint candle flame. She barely seemed alive.

“An elf… I don’t think she’s pureblood.”

Sibelius, who was standing behind me, muttered as he looked at the girl. To me, she looked no different from Endil, but he seemed to be able to tell.

“She’s a half-elf, born between an elf and a human.”

“Hmm, I see. But she looks very sick.”

I nodded ruefully and looked at Kaitain.

“What exactly is her condition?”

“As you can see, her energy is depleted, and she can’t move. Using holy power improves her condition temporarily, but only for a few hours at most. Even that duration is decreasing, and recently she spends more time asleep than awake. It seems she wants to be conscious, but she can’t wake up.”

Kaitain’s face looked troubled as he explained. He seemed to have repeatedly felt frustrated and anguished by the reality that he couldn’t do anything with his own power.

I understood the bewilderment he must have felt. Kaitain was close to being a high priest among Eluien’s priests. With that level of holy power, he could even improve someone’s innate constitution. He probably had never encountered a patient he couldn’t cure. When he decided to help Endil, he spoke humbly, but he must have never doubted a full recovery. I thought so too, so I wasn’t too worried about the situation here. But to think that even his holy power couldn’t improve her condition… It seemed to be a much more difficult case than I had expected.

“I’ll try something first.”

“Please.”

I took a light breath and placed my hand on the girl’s forehead. Soon, a pure white mist began to envelop the girl’s entire body. When I felt that the healing power had fully permeated, a blush gradually returned to her pale skin.

“Her complexion…!”

Kaitain’s face brightened as he watched. But conversely, I frowned. As if puzzled by my unpleasant expression, Kaitain asked, looking bewildered.

“What’s wrong, El?”

“…Something’s strange.”

As I answered, I infused even more healing power. The mist, now even thicker, swirled around the girl’s body and then slowly dissipated.

“Just as I thought…”

It was as I had guessed. I removed my hand and clicked my tongue lightly, and Kaitain looked at me with a nervous expression.

“I’m afraid this isn’t a problem that can be solved with healing.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“The healing power isn’t permeating; it’s just circulating on the surface. It’s only restoring her stamina. This usually happens when you use healing power on a perfectly healthy person. It means there’s nothing to fix.”

“But this condition is…”

“Anyone can see she’s dying. It’s definitely not a disease, and it seems to be a problem with her constitution. Even so, if it were something that could be fixed and resolved, she would have gotten better. The fact that she’s not affected at all means it’s not something that ‘needs’ to be healed in the first place.”

“So, she’s not a target for healing from the start. Is it something we can’t solve with our power?”

“Probably…”

I looked at the girl’s condition again with a troubled feeling. Sibelius, who was also examining her, had a serious expression on his face.

“A constitution that can’t be healed is unusual. Unless we have to create something out of nothing, Elquines’s healing power can fix almost anything. Does she not have an organ or something?”

“Hmm, I don’t think so. They say it’s a symptom that only occurs in half-elves…”

“Only in half-elves?”

“Yeah, they all die before they become adults, apparently. Sibyl, do you know anything about this?”

Although he wasn’t a real elf, he had lived for a long time and possessed a lot of knowledge. I asked with anticipation, but he tilted his head, looking troubled.

“Well, I’ve never heard of such a symptom before.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s not like elf blood is poison, so there’s no reason why it would be a problem if it mixed with another race… Ah.”

Sibelius stopped speaking as if he had realized something. His expression seemed a bit stiff, so I asked anxiously.

“What’s wrong? Did you remember something?”

“Hmm, just a moment.”

I was shocked by Sibelius’s next action. He cut the girl’s finger. He even licked the blood that welled up.

“Sibyl? Wh-What are you doing?”

I recoiled in horror, and he spat out the blood with a disgusted look, wiping his mouth several times with a handkerchief. He clearly showed his displeasure.

“Damn it, she really was a high elf. Who did this crazy thing?”

“Huh? A high elf?”

“I’m talking about this girl’s elf parent. It seems like she’s not just a regular elf, but a high elf [an elf of noble or priestly lineage].”

I recalled the types of elves I had heard about from Kaitain before. High elves were priests and the noble class of elves.

“So what?”

So, the girl was a half-high elf. That meant her brother, Endil, was also a high elf. It was a bit surprising, but I couldn’t understand why Sibelius was so shocked. Was it just because of their high status? As I stared at him, bewildered, Sibelius hesitated for a moment and then explained with a flustered expression.

“Ah, well, high elf blood is a bit unique. It doesn’t mix with other species.”

“Huh? It doesn’t mix?”

“Yeah, or rather, it doesn’t try to accept it. It does mix, but it doesn’t merge into one and constantly tries to push it away and attack it. In other words, it’s like two forces colliding inside the body.”

“Are you saying that Cecile is in that state now?”

“That’s right. In this case, it’s no different from the body harming itself. No one can last long. That’s why high elves prohibit marriage with other races, even for the sake of their offspring. I don’t know what this girl’s parents were thinking, but they seem to have forgotten that.”

“That can’t be…”

“Then, is there no way to save her at all?”

Kaitain asked with a desperate expression beside me as I swallowed a groan. Sibelius also had a bad expression.

“No. As El said, there’s nothing wrong with her body. It’s just her innate nature, so it can’t be cured. If you could get rid of one of the bloodlines, maybe. But that’s impossible, right?”

Thud.

At that moment, there was a loud sound of something falling from behind. Surprised, I turned around and saw Endil standing blankly at the door. A basket that he seemed to have dropped was overturned on the floor. The fruits that had spilled out of it were scattered haphazardly.

“Endil…”

His face was pale, as if he had heard the entire conversation. He trembled and glared at Sibelius.

“Wh-What are you talking about? A constitution that can’t be cured? Then… Cecile can never get better? No matter what I do?”

“Are you this child’s brother? I’m sorry, but your sister is…”

“Is destined to die before she becomes an adult? Are you trying to say that now? Are you also saying that Cecile is cursed by Crea [a deity or force believed to inflict curses]?”

“…Did the adults tell you that?”

“Yes! They said that! From the time this child couldn’t even open her eyes properly! Cecile has dirty blood and is cursed! So, she has no choice but to die! Everyone in the village said that!”

I had heard those words before. Even then, Endil had defended his sister’s illness with a sorrowful expression.

“Crazy bastards,” Sibelius cursed roughly. He was clearly displeased with the harsh words that had been directed at an innocent child.

“It’s not a curse. It’s just a side effect that appears because incompatible things are mixed together.”

“But you said you can’t cure her!”

“…That’s true.”

“See! You say that and then say it’s not a curse? There’s no cure. She can’t be healed in the first place! What’s all that? It’s like Cecile was born to die! How is that different from a curse?”

“……”

“That can’t be! There’s no such thing. Such an absurd thing…”

No one could respond to his bewildered muttering, not even Sibelius. Immediately after, Endil quickly grabbed both of my arms.

“It’s a lie, right? El! Right?”

“Endil.”

“El is here! El is in front of us now! Both me and the priest have been eagerly waiting for El to come! The day we’ve been dreaming of has finally arrived! It can’t end so futilely. Right? Please tell me it is. If we look, there will definitely be a way. Surely…!”

His face, distorted like a madman, was already covered in tears. Every time he blinked his eyes rapidly, thick tears streamed down his face. His expression was so desperate that it was hard to look at him straight.

I knew very well what his only sister meant to Endil. She was a precious child whom he had protected even after being abandoned by his parents and turning his back on all his clansmen. He was an elf who had lied countless times to deceive people and had even abandoned his pride as a spiritist to earn money, all for his sister. To find a way to save his sister.

To Endil, his sister was his whole life. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to give up now, when he had only lived with the hope that his sister could live. I couldn’t answer because my heart was heavy, but Sibelius clicked his tongue softly and said.

“It’s no use. What can you do to change the blood you were born with?”

“That’s why! I’m saying let’s find that method! Who the hell are you! Who are you to say whatever you want from the beginning! You don’t know anything about me and Cecile! Cecile has been holding on well until now! She can’t die!”

“I’m not saying I don’t understand your feelings, but impossible things don’t become possible just because you insist.”

“Damn it! Shut up! Shut up!”

The rough shouts sounded like wails, making it painful to even watch. Endil pleaded with me almost desperately.

“El, please! Please tell me it’s okay! Yes? That you can cure Cecile. Please…!”

“Hey. If you keep bothering El like that…”

“Sibyl.”

I shook my head lightly, meaning not to say any more. Sibelius pouted unhappily but then sighed and stepped back. I, too, wanted to sigh a million times in my heart. But I couldn’t do that in front of Endil, who was feeling the most difficult and miserable right now.

In the end, what I chose was to tell him what he wanted to hear the most.

“As you said, if we look, there might be a good way, Endil. Let’s find out together.”

“R-Really? You’re not giving up on Cecile like this, are you?”

“Yeah. Well, giving up like this wouldn’t suit the Spirit King’s reputation.”

I smiled bitterly as I watched his tearful face brighten in an instant. I had soothed him, but there was nothing I could do anyway. It was just postponing the reality that would eventually come. Everyone in this place probably knew that. Even Endil. Otherwise, his face wouldn’t be so sad as he looked at his sleeping sister.

Is there nothing I can do? Even though the Spirit King’s power is great, I never thought it was invincible. With my healing power, I can’t undo curses or change the blood you were born with. It can’t be helped because it’s not a part that needs healing in the first place. But it was so frustrating that I couldn’t do anything even though it was so heartbreaking. Contrary to the gradually calming atmosphere, my heart felt heavy.