{The doubters gathered around the prophet and asked,
"Why is there a divide between the rich and the poor? Is it a curse? Is it the will of the goddess?"
The prophet answered them, saying,
"The wealthy are blessed, but their blessing exists so they may care for the poor."
The doubters laughed and replied,
"Then why do the rich cause suffering to the poor? Is this also the will of the goddess?"
The prophet answered, saying,
"In the absence of the saint, they selfishly use their blessings for themselves, but when the saint cos, their blessings will truly be used for the poor. The saint moves hearts; you will know this by his words and actions."}
Grace Scripture, Chapter 13, Verse 9 -
_____________________________________
I was tirelessly treating people again today.
At this point, I had resigned myself to my fate.
At any mont now, lightning could strike down from the heavens.
But there was nothing I could do.
Run away?
They’d chase . There are miracles for tracking, like that damn "Tracking the Soul" miracle.
I asked High Priest Yodel about it recently, and apparently, that miracle can track soone even if they change their face.
Fuck!
Trying to bankrupt the church doesn’t work either.
Every ti I try to ruin things, they end up going better than expected.
I even considered beating people up to scare them away, but then I started thinking, What if the people I beat up turn out to all be heretics or criminals?
It sounds insane, but given the absurd crap I’ve been through, it’s not impossible.
Should I try sothing crazy?
Would that make people leave ?
Like stripping naked, dancing around, harassing won—things like that...
But then the goddess, who’s probably already preparing to strike with lightning for tarnishing her na, would undoubtedly unleash all her fury directly on .
Goddammit!
I need sothing natural.
Sothing that won’t get burned at the stake.
Sothing that won’t anger the goddess further but will make people dislike enough to leave on their own.
Smoothly and subtly.
Isn’t there anything?
"Saint, may I make a request?"
While I was busily treating the poor, Cecilia quietly approached and spoke.
Cecilia.
You betrayed .
A young woman in her twenties, a rich daddy’s girl—shouldn’t she be useless by default?
She should be saying things like, "I spent 100 saleds on a luxurious dress today! Hohoho!"
That’s what’s normal.
Why aren’t you ssing things up?
I don’t even have the energy to be angry anymore.
"Speak."
"To secure the budget for revitalizing the three slum zones… I used your na, Saint. I told them you would treat the nobles’ sick family mbers. And now, so noble families want to et you."
"I see."
"These are people with children who’ve been frail since birth or who suffer from illnesses no miracle or divine magic has been able to cure. If it’s alright, could you extend your grace to them as well?"
Hold on.
As I listened, an idea suddenly hit .
The Corrupt Saint!
Yes!!
If I beco a corrupt saint, it’s only natural to abandon the poor and focus on visiting the nobles!
If I cling to noble families and only treat their illnesses, the poor will naturally think, That bastard only helps people with money. That greedy pig! And they’ll leave on their own!
Perfect!! This is a flawless plan!
Cecilia, I take back what I said about you betraying .
Thanks to you, I’ve found a way out!!
"I will go. Lead to those who seek healing."
Cecilia’s face lit up with joy.
"Understood!!!"
Yes!!
If I’m going to play the role of the corrupt saint, it’s only right to cling to the rich, indulging in luxury and feasting!
Finally, I can escape the lightning-strike ending!!
****
"Welco, Healing Saint."
Count Lebaton was the picture of a well-maintained, affluent middle-aged man. His face exuded the dignity of wealth and refinent.
Beside him stood a lady of equally noble bearing, her serene smile directed at .
"I am Jericho Amayel. You may simply call Amayel."
"No, that would be too discourteous. I fear it might bring dishonor to the Grace Church."
"Shall we begin with the al, then?"
The living legend of the automotive industry.
The owner of Lebaton Corporation.
The man who inherited his father’s car manufacturing business and turned it into the empire’s leading automobile company was now cutting his steak before my eyes.
I joined the couple for the al they had ticulously prepared, occasionally posing questions to them.
"Who is the person I am to treat?"
"My… son."
"And what ails him?"
The couple hesitated, reluctant to answer.
"Why don’t we discuss it after the al? Business matters aren’t suitable for the dinner table… hoho!" the Countess said with a light laugh.
Sothing felt off.
Ordinarily, when requesting treatnt for a patient, people would rush to the sick person as soon as I arrived. This delay hinted at sothing unusual.
I placed my fork and knife down.
"Show the patient first."
"Saint…"
"I want to see the patient first."
Faced with my insistence, the Lebaton couple exchanged glances. Realizing there was no point in hiding it, they bowed their heads and rose from their seats.
"First… let be clear about one thing. My son did not fall ill."
"Then what happened?"
They hesitated again, the Count clenching his fists and bowing his head. After a long pause, he finally confessed, as though spitting out the words.
"Three years ago, my son Henry hanged himself. A servant found him just in ti to save him, but since then, he has been in a coma and hasn’t woken up."
"We’ve tried everything. We summoned every renowned priest and tried every dicine available. But nothing worked. Saint…"
"The priests of the Solar Church even claid… that our son doesn’t want to recover, which is why miracles won’t work. It’s been so… unbearably painful. Saint, please, save our son."
The weight of their story made the steak I had just eaten sit heavily in my stomach.
Suicide?
It wasn’t even a physical illness but an attempted suicide?
What kind of situation was this?
Well, they asked, so I’d help, but…
Whatever.
I’m supposed to be playing the role of a corrupt saint who clings to the rich anyway, right?
Just dive in.
I’ll heal him, boost my na among the nobility, and beco the exclusive healer for aristocrats!
"Lead the way."
"Thank you, Saint."
I followed the couple to their son’s room.
****
After three years of immobility, Henry’s condition was ghastly.
He looked like a shriveled mummy, barely breathing.
"Step aside."
The maids and servants, who had been carefully turning his body and cleaning him to prevent bedsores, left the room at my command.
I placed my hand on Henry’s head and accessed the customization window to assess his condition.
Part of his brain was completely blackened, as if it had died.
Well, no problem.
While brain surgery would be an imnsely complex task in reality, my skills ca with incredible enhancents, allowing even a dical ignoramus like to handle such cases.
[Would you like to restore?]
How thoughtful of the system to lay it all out for .
Without these enhancents, how else could I have kept up the saintly act all this ti?
Piece of cake.
Let’s fix this.
[Restoration in progress!]
The blackened, dead portion of his brain was fully restored.
While I was at it, I also fixed up the rest of his body.
I built up his muscles, rejuvenated his dull and withered skin, and restored his hair and other physical features.
Thirty seconds later.
[Brain restoration complete!]
Henry was perfectly restored.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
I stepped back from him.
"Ah! Oh, Lilia!"
"Saint, thank you! Thank you so much!!!"
As the Lebaton couple wept tears of gratitude, their joy was abruptly shattered by a sharp voice.
"Why are you in my room?! Why?!"
Henry’s harsh tone shattered the previously harmonious atmosphere.
Turning to him, I saw tears streaming down his face, filled with hatred and resentnt.
"Get out! Get out of here! I don’t want to see you! Leave!"
At Henry’s outburst, Count Lebaton looked at his son with a heavy expression.
"Henry, you’ve been bedridden for three years. Thanks to the Saint’s help, you’ve finally woken up."
"I don’t care! Why did you save ?! Why?! I wanted to die! I did it because I couldn’t bear living with disgusting bastards like you! Why did you save ?! Why?!"
Uh…
What is this mood?
The Countess began shedding tears of sorrow instead of joy, and the Count looked up at the ceiling, at a loss for what to do.
"I hate you! I despise you all!!! Get out! Get out!!!!"
Henry’s shouting filled the room.
This is bad.
If I just leave now, saying, Your son is healed, I’m off, no other nobles will call for .
And if left unchecked, he might try to kill himself again.
It seed like I’d have to offer so aftercare as well.
"Henry."
"And who the hell are you, you bastard?!"
What lovely manners for a first eting.
Still, I had to endure it.
These were my custors, after all.
"Calm down."
"Do you really think I’m going to cal—"
[Skill: Absolute Hypnosis activated!]
"Calm down."
At my words, Henry imdiately fell silent.
I looked straight at him and gave another command.
"Why do you heap such insults upon the parents who gave you life and saved you? I want to know the reason."
Henry glanced down at his body, his face filled with shock and confusion, but the effect of Absolute Hypnosis was absolute.
"My father never once acknowledged . I’ve always wanted to pursue music. Only when I composed and played did I feel alive. But every ti, my father scolded . He told to stop wasting ti on worthless things and focus on inheriting the family business."
As he spoke, tears stread down Henry’s face.
Count Lebaton let out a deep, frustrated sigh.
"One day, after a big argunt, I went out drinking. When I returned, I found that all the instrunts in my room and my compositions had been burned. My father told to get my act together and prepare to inherit the family business. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I…"
"You pitiful fool! You weak, useless fool! How could you even think of hanging yourself?! Your mother hasn’t slept properly since that day! She’s had to take dicine just to get by! This is all your fault! Your weak and useless nature caused all of this!"
At the Count’s words, Henry’s voice rose as well.
"That’s exactly why I wanted to die! Father, you’re a monster! You never saw as a person, only as a tool to inherit your business! I hate you! I regret being born as the son of a monster like you!"
"You insolent brat!"
Count Lebaton raised his hand to strike him.
Damn it.
This wasn’t the scene I was aiming for.
But there was no other choice.
If I’d taken the job, I had to follow through.
[Skill: Absolute Hypnosis activated!]
I focused and cast hypnosis on Count Lebaton.
Then, I made a very simple adjustnt.
[Maximizing honesty levels!]
"You’re the most precious thing in the world to ! I love you more than my own life, Henry! The past three years without you were hell!!!"
The Count, who had been ready to slap his son, suddenly broke down in tears and collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Henry.
And the Countess.
Both stared in shock at the weeping Count.
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