Holy Magic And The Fetus

“May I touch your stomach directly?”

She smiled so her agitation would not show.

“To be touched by the Holy Maiden… how exciting…”

After receiving permission, she gently placed her hand on the greatly swollen belly and closed her eyes. In the darkness appeared the faint glowing shape of the mother. Within her stomach shone a particularly bright light that seemed to be the fetus.

However—

(What is… this discomfort?)

Cordelia had no medical knowledge. Nor did she know what pregnancy was truly like, or how large a fetus should be at a certain stage. Even so, the feeling that “something is wrong with this baby” rose strongly in her mind.

She continued probing carefully.

Eventually she reached a certain point and her hand stopped.

(There’s… a black hole in the baby’s body?)

The fetal light was so bright she could not see every detail clearly. Even so, in one part of what seemed to be the body, the light was missing as if a hole existed.

(Is it in the abdomen…?)

She did not understand medicine, but instinct told her this was the source of the discomfort.

So Cordelia poured Holy Magic into the hole.

Immediately, in exchange for a small amount of magical power, the hole closed with surprising ease. The tiny body squirmed as if expressing joy. At the same time she sensed the water of life flowing through the fetus’s body, and Cordelia felt relieved. Somehow, she knew it would be all right now.

Then, hoping to ease the mother’s fatigue even temporarily, she cast Holy Magic on the mother as well.

“Oh my, my body feels so much lighter… thank you so much.”

The mother’s complexion was far better than before. Cordelia smiled.

“If you wish to thank someone, please thank Jack. He stood in line before sunrise because he worried about you.”

“Is that so!? I thought he went on his usual deliveries…”

Apparently their family ran a bakery. Delivering freshly baked bread to regular customers each morning was Jack’s job.

“Hehe… actually I didn’t go today… Are you mad?”

Like confessing mischief, Jack hid his hands behind his back and fidgeted. His mother, with a troubled face, reached out and tightly hugged him.

“You silly child… how could I be angry? You were worried about me, weren’t you? …Thank you, Jack. I feel much better now. It’s thanks to you.”

Held against his plump mother’s chest, Jack narrowed his eyes happily. It was a smile that made even the onlookers happy, and everyone around watched the pair warmly.

“Thanks, Holy Maiden—no, Cordelia-sama.”

At parting, the boy shyly called her name. Though exhausted from treatment, Cordelia’s heart felt warmly filled.

(I’m truly glad I held the healing gathering. I never knew helping someone with my power could feel this wonderful)

“Whew… it’s been a while since sleep didn’t remove my fatigue…”

The next afternoon. Having safely finished the healing gathering, Cordelia set down the newspaper she had been reading and leaned back in her chair. Before her, Lily brewed a tart tea with gentle bubbling sounds. It was a herbal tea said to relieve fatigue, a gift from Isaac.

The morning editions of Kentonis Company and Sphida Company carried large articles about the healing gathering. Headlines such as “Holy Maiden Cordelia Heals Hundreds!” and “Regeneration of Lost Limbs Truly a Miracle!” praised her excessively. Pernot Company had not mentioned it at all, but that was far better than writing something bad.

For now, the healing gathering could be called a great success.

If there was one problem, it was that she had used too much magical power and her fatigue had not recovered at all.

“Good work, milady. You looked every bit a Holy Maiden yesterday!”

“Thank you, Lily. Are you all right? Any fatigue left?”

“No, thanks to the Holy Magic you cast on us at the end, my body feels lighter than usual!”

“I’m relieved to hear that…”

Last night, after the gathering ended, Cordelia had gathered all involved in the Sphene Chamber. Then she thanked them and cast Holy Magic on each person as a small token of appreciation.

Thanks to that, Lily and the others looked energetic, but Cordelia alone—who had kept using Holy Magic—was the exception. When she stretched, her body creaked in protest.

“Milady, why not have His Highness use water magic on you? It might help.”

“He already did. But he said recovery magic has little effect on fatigue caused by magic.”

“I see… I thought if you cast magic on each other you could make a perpetual engine…”

“So it’s not that easy.”

As they spoke, Jean entered holding what looked like a document, barely bothering to knock.

“Hey! Did you see the newspaper!?”

Behind him, Isaac entered calmly as well.

“Jean, please knock before entering. This is a lady’s private room.”

“That’s right. Don’t blame us if milady calls you a potato again.”

Lily spoke in exasperation. Cordelia continued.

“I did read it. Kentonis Company and Sphida Company wrote about the healing gathering in the morning edition. Except for Pernot Company, the content was very favorable.”

She tapped the newspaper on the desk as she spoke, but apparently that was not the answer he wanted. Jean shouted.

“That’s not the problem. It’s Holy Maiden Hina. Haven’t you seen what was distributed just now?”

With that, Jean thrust the document he held forward. Cordelia took it reluctantly and untied the milk-tea-colored ribbon wrapped around it, unrolling it. A sweet lily-of-the-valley fragrance wafted up. Lily peeking from the side instantly turned pale.

“…Milady, this is!?”

Jean smacked her head lightly. “Finally figured it out?”

The newspaper headline read: “On a certain day, at the royal palace, Holy Maiden Hina will hold a free healing gathering!” Beneath it was Hina’s portrait and familiar-looking text continued at length. In other words—

“They copied your healing gathering completely.”

Jean’s voice echoed in the room.