Chapter 17 TSH Vol. 1 Chapter 3 Part 5

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Sieg’s next destination was the temple of Sanatia, the Goddess of Healing.

He figured he could probably farm experience at the healing goddess’s temple, too, if he stocked up on food, but he was running low on recovery potions. So, Sieg gave up on the idea of farming EXP and decided to get the Blessing right away.

When he arrived in front of the temple, Sieg stopped. The crowd was massive.

The area in front of Sanatia’s temple was always a sort of sanctuary, with sick and injured people gathered seeking mercy. But today’s crowd seemed to be more than double the usual size.

What’s going on…?

As he got closer to the square, he saw why. The priests were running a soup kitchen.

“Please form three lines! There’s plenty of food, so don’t panic!”

“Chew your food well! If you eat too fast, your stomach won’t be able to handle it!”

It wasn’t just the sick and injured; the poor and orphans had also gathered, making the temple square look almost like a festival.

Sieg looked at the food being served and realized Princess Cordelia was involved. One of the dishes was something he had taught her and Emma during their journey.

I see… she must have spoken to that old man and decided to set this up.

He knew that ‘old man’—High Grand-Priest Roderick—well. He had been a great help during his previous journey. When the first demon attack had occurred, the High Grand-Priest had personally treated the wounded, which had minimized the casualties.

Sieg glanced around. The princess was nowhere to be seen, neither at the serving tables nor the makeshift kitchen. Her guard, Emma, was also missing. They were probably working behind the scenes. She probably funded this whole thing, too. How modest…

Despite his cynical thought, Sieg felt a surge of happiness. It was because she hadn’t abandoned the poor, sick, and injured, and was trying to help them.

The Demon King would eventually revive, and a fierce war against the demons would soon engulf the entire continent. Even in such a chaotic era, if there was a royal who cared for the people, many lives would surely be saved.

In the end, she might be able to save more people than I can…

Sieg gave a self-deprecating smile and headed for Sanatia’s temple.

Meanwhile, Princess Cordelia was inside a tent set up next to the kitchen. She was peering through a gap in the tent, watching the front of the temple, continuously appraising people in an attempt to find the Hero.

The [Mirror of Truth] she had borrowed from the High Grand-Priest was a monocle-type magic tool. It required delicate mana control to use, but the princess was handling it with ease—another benefit of Sieg’s training.

Emma, who was also peeking through the gap, whispered. “Princess, back left. That guy looks pretty strong.”

“Got it. Appraising.”

The princess poured mana into the tool and appraised the warrior-like man. His name, rank, stats, class, and acquired Blessings appeared in her vision. She shook her head slightly. “Very strong, but not the Hero. Let’s move on.”

“Roger!”

Emma did the initial screening, and the princess did the detailed appraisal. Appraising every single person visiting the temple was unrealistic. The princess had decided to divide the labor to narrow down the targets. Emma had sharp instincts and never missed a strong-looking individual.

After appraising about ten people, Emma let out a small “Ah!” She spoke hesitantly.

“…It’s Siggy. Looks like he’s surprised by the crowd. …Should you appraise him?”

The princess hesitated for only a moment, then lifted her head and looked straight at Sieg. “Yes… I’ll appraise him, just in case.”

Sieg didn’t have the Hero’s Crest on his left hand, and he hadn’t been flagged by the city’s appraisal tool. Furthermore, during their journey, she had carefully watched to see if he had any appraisal-blocking items. While she hadn’t inspected every inch of him, he never seemed to wear any accessories like rings or necklaces.

And yet, deep down, the princess couldn’t help but hope that he was the Hero.

The princess poured mana into the tool to appraise him. This item’s power increased with the amount of mana supplied. She poured every last drop she had into the [Mirror of Truth].

The results came back—

The princess’s shoulders slumped, her expression complicated. “…He wasn’t the Hero.”

“I see…”

Sieg was strong, yes. But he wasn’t the Hero. Still, the princess couldn’t shake a feeling of dissatisfaction. The appraisal results just didn’t match the unfathomable strength she sensed from him.

…Sieg-san should be stronger than this… Or is that just what I want to believe?…

After a moment of silence, she composed herself and said, “Alright, let’s keep going.”

“Roger. The person in the robe, center-back!”

She watched Sieg enter the temple from the corner of her eye, then returned to her work.

I’m being appraised…

Sieg noticed immediately. A Hero’s perception was on a completely different level from a normal person’s. Even with an appraisal tool from the Age of the Gods, it was impossible to appraise him without him knowing.

But Sieg ignored it and headed for the temple. He wasn’t wearing any appraisal-blocking ring on his finger. He would never do something so obvious.

The [Ring of Disguise] was embedded in his side.

The same day he got the ring, he had cut open his side and embedded it. He had, of course, healed the wound with [Hyper Recovery]. This way, he could alter the results of an appraisal without appearing to possess any magic item.

…I don’t know who’s appraising me, but they must be sorely disappointed. I just look like a generic adventurer who’s strong for his age, but otherwise unremarkable.

Inside the healing goddess’s temple, the crowd was sparse. It was likely filled with nobles who disliked the commotion outside. This was convenient for Sieg. His turn came faster than expected. He offered his prayer and paid the price.

The trial beast prepared by Sanatia, the Goddess of Healing, was a Power, an angel-type creature boasting high defense. It wasn’t one of the legendary angel race, of course, but a creation. Still, its abilities were genuine.

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TL Note: Powers—the sixth order in the Christian angelic hierarchy, known as warrior angels who maintain cosmic order.

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He struggled against its impossibly tough defense but managed to win. He Ascended from that one battle alone, which just showed how strong it was. The god, here too, had provided a strong opponent to encourage him. He was grateful, but he really wished the gods would show a little more restraint.

Sieg had planned to take the [Auto-Heal] Blessing, but after seeing the princess’s charity, he thought for a moment and decided to choose a different Blessing. It was considered one of the ‘dud’ Blessings one could receive from the healing goddess.

…I can always get [Auto-Heal] later.

Sieg made his excuse, laughing at his own sentimentality.

The temple had a way of knowing which Blessings were granted to the faithful. Within the bounds of anonymity, they could see which Blessings were bestowed by the god each day. The high priest of Sanatia’s temple looked at the list, his expression puzzled. Someone had been granted a rare Blessing that almost no one ever chose.

That report also reached Roderick, the High Grand-Priest who oversaw all the temples.

“Ho? To think someone would choose such a Blessing of devotion… There is still good in this world.” The High Grand-Priest stroked his beard and smiled.

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Blessings are miracles of the gods, and the source of their power is the faith and mana of the people. Therefore, the total number of Blessings that can be granted in a given period is fixed. It seemed the limit had nearly been reached, so Sieg gave up on acquiring other Blessings and prepared to leave.

On the night before his departure, Sieg used [Concealment] and went to the front of Sanatia’s temple. The number of sick and injured had grown even larger, overflowing the square and spilling out onto the roadside. The rumors of charity must have spread.

Sieg stood in the center of the square and used the Blessing he had just acquired. Particles of white light spread out from him.

…Kuh… This is tougher than I expected…!

He chugged a stamina potion and continued to use the Blessing. He stopped when he was down to about one-fifth of his stamina. His shoulders heaved as he caught his breath. He wiped his sweat, then placed a wooden box filled with his leftover potions in a conspicuous spot. They might fight over them, but he figured the princess and her team would manage the situation.

He looked around, confirmed that the breathing of the sick and injured had become peaceful, and turned to leave. It was then—a voice suddenly called out from behind him.

“Hohoho. I came expecting to find a thief, but it seems I’ve found the opposite. How amusing.”

—What!?

He spun around. An old man was standing right behind him. The old man, his eyes crinkled in amusement, was none other than High Grand-Priest Roderick.

Sieg kept [Concealment] active and stared at him, sweat trickling down his forehead. He can see me even with [Concealment]!? I didn’t even sense him approach! This old man is terrifying…!

The High Grand-Priest was a high-level healer who had been in the previous Hero’s party. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had some kind of high-level Blessing. But no matter what Blessing he had, he shouldn’t be able to completely see through a high-proficiency [Concealment]. He was probably just seeing a vague shadow.

Sieg heightened his alert, hiding his inner panic as he spoke, using a rough tone to further obscure his identity. “…A night stroll without any attendants? Must be hard on your subordinates when the boss is so carefree.”

The High Grand-Priest, unbothered by the rude address, stroked his beard and glanced at the wooden box. “Those are healing potions, are they not? May I take them?”

He must have been watching since Sieg put the box down. Sieg replied with a grimace. “…Just throwing out things I don’t need. Whoever finds them can do what they want.”

“Hohoho. Then I shall do just that.” He chuckled, then looked around the square, his eyes narrowing. The groans and cries of the injured, which usually filled the air, were completely gone.

“I see… You are the one who received that Blessing, aren’t you? Hmm… I do not know your true intentions, but as thanks for healing my people, allow me to offer a small token of my gratitude.”

A soft green light enveloped Sieg, and his stamina instantly recovered a significant amount.

Sieg gritted his teeth. This much healing without an incantation!? The old monster! A chill ran down his spine as he thought about what would have happened if that had been an attack spell. This old man was a master among masters. He couldn’t let his guard down. But then again, that’s exactly why the damage was minimized last time…

The demon attack would be happening soon. Should he give him a little information? Sieg thought for a moment and carefully opened his mouth to warn him about the timing of the attack.

“There’s something I need to tell you—”

In that instant—

“Guh!”

Sieg suddenly spat up blood.

…Huh? His eyes widened in shock at the blood splattered on the ground. The next moment, an agonizing pain, as if his body were being torn apart, wracked him. He cried out.

“Uguuuuuuuuuh!”

Sieg’s face contorted, and he collapsed to his knees. Wh-What! What is this!? The pain was so intense he couldn’t even maintain [Concealment].

Seeing Sieg writhing in agony, the color drained from the High Grand-Priest’s face. He wasn’t looking at Sieg, but at the space around him. He gasped. “What… A powerful force is entwined around you like chains! What did you do to deserve this!?”

He rushed to Sieg’s side as he coughed up blood. “Stop! You must stop! It is like a curse! Your thoughts and words are cursed! If you resist any further, you will die!”

Sieg, trembling in pain, desperately tried to understand the old man’s words. Thoughts… words…? …Th-That’s it! It’s because I tried to talk about the previous timeline!

Sieg suppressed his thoughts, stopping his intention to speak. The moment he did, the pain began to recede, and it became easier to breathe. The feeling of being crushed by a giant hand slowly faded. The High Grand-Priest gently stroked Sieg’s head, as if to comfort him.

As the last of the pain subsided, Sieg understood. I see… I can’t talk about my memories from the last timeline. If I try, what just happened will repeat. It was probably a restriction from traveling through time. He got the impression that the world itself was rejecting someone who tried to reveal information from the future. A curse… It makes sense that he would call it that. To this world, I’m probably an anomaly that shouldn’t exist.

Sieg lay on the ground, unable to move until the pain was gone and his breathing returned to normal.

“How is it? Feeling any better?” After a while, the High Grand-Priest spoke.

Sieg, still breathing hard, pushed himself up. His [Pain Resistance] hadn’t done a thing. It was an agony he never wanted to experience again. He looked at the old man, who was watching him with concern. It was pointless to use [Concealment] now. As Sieg tensed his guard, the High Grand-Priest’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t be so wary. That was a magnificent [Concealment]. Even with my [True Sight] Blessing, I could only perceive you as a vague shadow.”

Cold sweat ran down Sieg’s back. [True Sight]… As expected of a high-ranking priest. But it seems he doesn’t know I’m the Hero. Embedding that ring was the right move… The more mana that flowed through the [Ring of Disguise], the stronger its effect. By being embedded in his body, the ring was constantly exposed to his internal mana, significantly boosting its power.

Seeing the silent Sieg, the old man spoke, amused. “What’s with the silence? You can speak as rudely as you did before. Don’t worry, I won’t strike you down for disrespect.”

Sieg looked at the old man’s face and sighed. He knew the High Grand-Priest’s character. He had been just as friendly when they’d met in his previous life as the Hero. He couldn’t explain the details, but it was probably fine to be himself, to an extent.

Sieg relaxed his stance and spoke. “I see… My apologies. It would be helpful if you could forget what happened tonight.”

The old man sucked in a breath, struck by the atmosphere that didn’t match Sieg’s apparent age. He stared intently at Sieg and spoke in a quiet voice. “I don’t intend to pry… but you are no ordinary boy. You already wear the aura of an absolute powerhouse. Your [Concealment] proficiency is far too high, and you’re resisting [Appraisal], aren’t you? The rank I see is also a fake. And what’s more…” The High Grand-Priest’s eyes glowed gold; he’d used some kind of Blessing. “These black chains entwined around you… I do not know what they are, but they are not normal. It is a power far beyond the realm of mortals. …Boy, you are living a truly harsh fate.”

“A harsh fate… Maybe so,” Sieg replied with a self-deprecating tone.

The old man continued, worried. “Do not bear it all alone. You should at least find companions.”

“No… I can’t do that. But I appreciate the advice.” Sieg replied, glancing around. It seemed the High Grand-Priest had put up a sound-dampening barrier. His screams and this conversation hadn’t leaked out.

The old man sighed deeply and changed the subject. “By the way, you were trying to tell me something earlier, weren’t you? No, don’t say it. Your body won’t hold out if that happens again.”

Sieg neither confirmed nor denied it, waiting for him to continue.

“A warning of some kind… perhaps? Well, do not worry. This city has a powerful defensive barrier—”

“Don’t use it.” Sieg cut him off, his voice suddenly sharp. He saw the old man’s surprise, sighed, and then continued. “…Sorry for yelling. But don’t use it. No matter what happens, don’t be hasty.” Then, he added with a smirk, “Besides, there’s a limit to how long an old man like you can maintain that barrier. You should just take it easy.”

The holy city of Ecclesia possessed a powerful, sacred defensive barrier. But activating it required an enormous amount of life force and mana. It was a spell that put the user’s life on the line. Sieg knew this because the man himself had told him during his last journey.

The High Grand-Priest was staring at him in shock. Sieg stood up and said his farewell. “Well, I’m leaving. Take care of yourself, old man.” After saying that, he paused and added one more thing. He felt he had to say this, to the man who was, in a way, his senior.

“Leave the rest—to me.”

Leaving the High Grand-Priest looking like he wanted to ask a thousand questions, Sieg left the capital of Ecclesia.

His next destination was a village in the northern frontier. The site of the first demon attack.

What a mysterious boy…

Afterward, the High Grand-Priest was thoroughly scolded by his priests for wandering off alone and was confined to his private chambers. He possessed the [Presence Concealment] Blessing, so slipping past his attendants was easy, but he decided to let them confine him.

Sipping a cheap wine, he thought back on the boy. To think my [True Sight] couldn’t pierce his identity… He might be using a disguise tool, but it was more likely his rank was simply that high. The higher one’s rank, the more one can resist sight and appraisal. Does that mean the boy’s rank is even higher than mine…?

The High Grand-Priest shook his head. No, that’s impossible. He was one of the highest-ranked individuals in the kingdom. Even if the boy was older than he looked, he concluded it was impossible for him to surpass his own rank.

And yet… He tilted his head. How did he know about the city’s defensive barrier? How could a commoner know such a secret? If he used that barrier, the High Grand-Priest would almost certainly die. He knew this well. He remembered the boy’s face as he’d yelled at him not to use it, and he smiled. A bit rough around the edges, but he has a kind heart. He reminds me of the previous Hero…

The boy had provided potions and used that Blessing to give the sick a peaceful rest. It must have consumed a huge amount of his life force… He must have wanted to ease their suffering, even if just for a moment…

Just then, there was a knock on his door. It was noisy for so late at night. He called to enter, and his vice-minister rushed in, looking flustered.

“What is it? I’m in the middle of my work.”

The vice-minister glanced at the wine bottle on the desk with a ‘Liar’ expression, then gave his report. “My apologies for the late hour. The sick and injured in front of Sanatia’s temple are in an uproar… We sent priests to investigate, and there are reports of many whose conditions have improved or whose injuries have healed. Was this your doing, Your Eminence?”

“…What? No, it wasn’t me. But… what was the effect, and how wide was the range?”

“Yes. The effect was equivalent to a mid-level healing spell, and the range covered the entire temple square.”

“What!?”

Even the High Grand-Priest couldn’t do such a thing. It might be possible if he pushed himself, but it would require chugging mana potions like water and using auxiliary magic tools for healing.

The High Grand-Priest furrowed his brow. Th-Then… did that boy perform this miracle with that Blessing…? He couldn’t even imagine how much life force it must have cost. But there was no doubt the boy possessed enough life force to do it.

…That boy… just who…

And then, the High Grand-Priest finally realized. The old man’s eyes widened.

An abnormally high Blessing proficiency… an abnormal abundance of life force… a rank so high even [True Sight] couldn’t pierce it… A strong will that fought against a power beyond human comprehension… A merciful heart that would offer his own life force for the people… The name he had barely managed to discern with [True Sight] was—

Yes, the boy’s name was Sieg!

(“That person… Sieg-san… is my… my precious master.”)

He was the one who taught Princess Cordelia that special mana control and how to use a sword.

The High Grand-Priest was stunned. N… No… That boy… Is he this generation’s—!?

He immediately ordered his vice-minister. “You will treat that as a miracle of the gods! It was absolutely not the work of any human!”

“Y-Yes, sir! I will inform the people!”

After the vice-minister left, the High Grand-Priest sank back into his chair and downed the rest of his wine. His throat was parched.

“I see… So that’s what it was…”

He thought of the boy, his expression pained. “He must have his reasons, but how cruel… To go all alone… To bear the weight of the world—all alone!”

He closed his eyes tightly, remembering the journey of his youth. The previous Hero had risked his life to defeat the Demon King. He had succeeded, but the Hero had fallen in the final battle. Roderick still regretted that day. If only he had been stronger, had more mana, had studied more magic, perhaps he could have saved the Hero. It would have been far better for the world if the Hero had survived instead of him. He had always been ashamed of his own survival.

The Hero’s last words were: “Roderick, take care of everyone. Leave the rest—to me.”

His brow furrowed, and a tear escaped the corner of his eye. That boy—this generation’s Hero—had said the exact same thing to him.

Am I… once again… useless!? If he had only asked, I would have thrown away my title and followed him to the ends of the earth!

His face twisted in regret, and he bit his lip. If there is anything this old fool can do, it is to believe in him and support him from the shadows… He has chosen to go alone. As a former companion of the Hero, I cannot trample on that resolve!

His face wet with tears, the High Grand-Priest let out a deep breath.

The pitiful one is Cordie… You had already met the Hero. And without even knowing it, you were trained by him. How twisted fate can be.

But… His face contorted in pain. I cannot tell you the truth. I cannot do what the Hero himself does not wish. I’m sorry, Cordie… Forgive this old man…

That night, tossed on a sea of conflicting emotions, the High Grand-Priest choked down his bitter wine.