The Same Talent for Healing

The group rested in Apetito for two days, recovering from the exhaustion brought on by the blizzard.

Frieren wanted to stay a few more days, but Fern said they would miss the First-Class Mage exam, so she had to give up on the idea.

After several days of travel, Rienta and the others reached Alt Forest in the Northern Lands.

There was only a small village on the edge of the forest.

It couldn't meet their need for supplies, so they planned to rest for a while before continuing to a larger town.

In a small, conspicuous patch of swamp, a middle-aged man was trapped and slowly sinking.

Frieren found him while gathering herbs.

"So you're an adventurer. A long time ago, I dreamed of becoming one too. Back then, I had a close friend, and we often went exploring together."

"He was like a gorilla and never thought before he acted, but even if he was a gorilla, he was one who cared about his friends. As I grew up and was close to forgetting my childhood dream, he suddenly came and asked me if I wanted to become an adventurer with him."

"If I'd taken the hand he offered me then, would my life have turned out differently? It was ten years ago, but even now, I still regret it."

Frieren crouched blankly at the edge of the swamp and asked, "I see. So why are you telling me all this?"

"The village's harvest festival is coming up, and my older brother asked me to pick some vegetables in the forest. Then I... accidentally fell into the swamp."

After he finished speaking, the man noticed he had sunk a little farther.

He had laid plenty of groundwork already. If he asked for help now, the adventurer before him probably wouldn't refuse again.

The man reached out the mud-covered hand he could still move and said to Frieren, "I'm already... beyond saving..."

"But if you could take this hand, things might change."

Ever since finding him, Frieren had been trying to remember a spell to pull someone out of a swamp.

But the man's story was interesting, and she couldn't resist listening a little longer.

Looking at the filthy hand reaching out to her, Frieren said, "Wait a moment. Let me think about it."

The man sighed and said as calmly as he could, "Was there anything in that conversation you needed to think about?"

"Your hand is too dirty."

"..."

Seeing that he was still sinking, the man said helplessly, "Is this really the time to worry about that? Besides, adults are filthy by nature."

"Hmm... This is my first time seeing one so filthy in the physical sense."

Seeing that the swamp was about to swallow the man completely, Frieren said softly, "Can you wait a little longer? I'm trying to remember the spell to pull someone out of a swamp."

"...Please hurry..."

Just then, Fern, seeing that Frieren hadn't returned for a long time, came looking for her.

"Lady Frieren, have you finished gathering herbs?"

At that moment, with no story to interrupt her thoughts, Frieren quickly remembered the spell.

She pulled the man out of the swamp.

After a conversation, Rienta and the others escorted the monk, whose name was Sein, back to the village and declined an invitation to join the harvest festival.

Sein warned them that there were many dangerous, venomous creatures nearby, then left.

With Rienta there, the group didn't pay it much mind and continued on their way.

On the road.

Stark spotted a bush full of bright red berries by the roadside and went over to pick a few.

Just as his hand touched the berries, a snake hiding in the bush bit him.

"Rienta, I got bitten."

"?"

Rienta hurriedly looked over at Stark, who had fallen behind while picking berries.

In that short time, Stark's nose had already started bleeding.

At a bit of a loss for words, Rienta used Magic That Heals Everything to eliminate the venom from Stark's body.

"Stark, didn't Sein just warn us...?"

"Sorry."

After removing the venom, Rienta carefully checked Stark's condition again. The venom was, after all, a little too potent.

Once he had finished checking, Rienta said helplessly (happily):

"Lady Frieren, we might not be able to continue traveling. Stark needs to rest."

"Isn't that a bit much, Rienta?" Stark asked, puzzled. "Didn't you already get rid of the venom?"

"I got rid of the venom. I didn't turn back time. Where do you think that blood came from? It's your brain, dissolved by the venom."

Fern: "?!"

Frieren, who was waiting nearby, looked at Stark, who still had blood on his face.

"How scary."

Though Fern wanted to keep traveling, the situation wouldn't allow it.

"Lady Frieren, let's go back to Sein's village."

Since Sein had mentioned he was a monk, Rienta and the others headed straight for the church when they reached the village.

A village of this size most likely didn't have an inn.

With someone they knew there, they would have an easier time finding a place to stay.

As soon as Rienta and the others reached the church, they happened to run into Sein as he was about to head out.

He said to the priest beside him, "Brother, these are the people who just saved me."

Then he turned to the group and asked, "Did you run into some trouble?"

Rienta stepped forward and said, "Stark was bitten by a snake and started bleeding from the nose within seconds. The venom has already been removed, but he needs to rest before we can continue traveling."

The priest's gaze sharpened at his words. Although there were many dangerous venomous creatures in the forest, few were that potent.

"Sein, check him again."

Rienta didn't refuse the priest's kindness. After all, they were the ones asking for help now.

Sein held out his hand, and a ball of green light appeared on it. He placed his hand on Stark's shoulder.

Everyone: "?"

The familiar sight took them aback.

Rienta's Magic That Heals Everything was almost identical to what Sein was using now, though they didn't know whether the effects were the same.

After examining Stark carefully, Sein said to Rienta, "Your healing was very effective. The venom has been completely removed."

Seeing that Stark was fine, Sein turned to the priest. "Brother, I'm going to help out in the square. Sorry for the trouble, but could you look after them?"

With that, he left the church.

Seeing him go, Rienta prepared to talk to Sein.

"Lady Frieren?"

"Mm, go ahead."

Frieren nodded and didn't stop Rienta.

The priest looked at Frieren, hesitating over whether to ask her to take Sein with her.

"Lady Frieren, Sein's talent for healing..."

Frieren gently interrupted the priest. "I know."

"The one who just went after him is my disciple, Rienta. He has the same talent for healing."

"??"

Outside the church.

Rienta caught up to Sein with ease.

"Sein, do you have a moment? There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Sein was puzzled to see Rienta come after him alone, but Rienta was his savior, so he didn't refuse.

"Of course. Let's sit over there first."

The two sat down on a bench outside the church.

Rienta held out his hand and cast Magic That Heals Everything.

"??!!"

The green light illuminated Sein's somewhat astonished face.