BSPC 50

According to Aziz, the number of people in the entire kingdom who possessed this ability—the power of Ishtar, or ‘Sacred Power’ as he called it—was barely over two hundred. Among them, those who could use Sacred Power to heal people or wield it in forms similar to magic for attack or defense were truly few and far between. That’s why the kingdom built a temple within the palace to protect them, and Aziz was among the high priests.

“But Aziz, you’re quite strong too, aren’t you? And you said you’re really old. Shouldn’t you be at least the head priest or something, not just a regular priest?” I muttered during a break in our lesson.

He chuckled and asked, “You’ve been mentioning my age a lot lately. You must be very curious.”

“Well, it’d be a lie if I said I wasn’t.” I shrugged, glancing at him sideways.

He looks like he’s in his twenties, but…

With his long gray hair and black eyes, he had an appearance that made it hard to guess his age. His slender, monolid eyes were always packaged with a smiling face, making it impossible to discern not only his age but also what lay beneath.

“It’s not something I’m particularly proud of, but you could say I’ve lived about three times the average human lifespan.”

“Three times…?” My jaw dropped. I had expected him to be, at best, a sly old fox with a youthful appearance.

What’s the average lifespan here? No, that’s not the important part.

Even roughly estimating, that meant he was well over a hundred years old. Even for a fantasy world, did that make any sense?

Seeing my astonished expression as I stared at him, Aziz gave a faint, wry smile and replied, “I am a bit different from ordinary humans. My clock, unlike others’, is fixed. My body and spirit remain in that time. Perhaps I live in a world with a different sense of time than what people perceive.”

“That time…?”

“The time I came to have this current form.” His cheek, where he had placed his hand over his chest, twisted in pain. But as if nothing had happened, it soon returned to its usual nonchalant expression.

“It seems I’ve said too much unnecessary things. Well then, let’s continue the lesson. I still have much to teach you.”

My attempt to stretch the break with small talk having failed, I let out a deep sigh and heaved my heavy body up.

My lessons with him mainly consisted of meditation and breathing techniques. I had thought lessons dealing with supernatural power would be dynamic, but they were incredibly boring. After sitting cross-legged for a full half-hour, thoroughly bored, I lost concentration and yawned.

“I’m so sleeeepy. Does this meditation stuff really work?”

“Lady Ishtar, your Sacred Power is already overflowing. An ordinary priest would need to train for a lifetime to barely use the ability you can achieve just by thinking.”

“Then shouldn’t I not have to do this? I feel like I’m dying of sleepiness.”

“However, that strength can also become a fatal weakness. Above all, you must learn to control your heart, Lady Ishtar. That will become the foundation for controlling your Sacred Power.”

Ugh, that’s the area I’ve been particularly lacking in lately.

But unable to find a proper retort, I resumed the posture he had taught me and closed my eyes.

After a fierce battle with drowsiness, I finally received permission from Aziz to get up.

“Oww, my legs hurt.”

Having sat for a full two hours, my legs were terribly numb. I was hopping on the spot in an awkward stance when Aziz, who had briefly stepped away, reappeared holding something in his arms.

Thinking he might have brought a snack, I scurried over to him as fast as I could.

But what was confined in Aziz’s arms wasn’t an object; it was a living creature.

“Today’s final lesson is practical application. Let’s try healing this little one now.”

I let out a small sigh as I saw the cute black kitten with fluffy fur.

Covered in satin-smooth black fur with pure white fur only on its chest and paws, this tuxedo kitten was the very definition of heart-throbbing!

Urgh, it’s so cute it hurts my heart.

Its shining star-like eyes and pitch-black nose, making it hard to tell where the fur ended, were also charming points.

I approached Aziz and carefully stroked the tiny kitten, barely larger than the span of my hand.

Squeak…

The tuxedo kitten let out a small sound, flinched for a moment, then accepted my touch. Soon, as if feeling good, it pressed its face tightly against my hand, asking for chin scratches.

Huff, huff. Purrrrr.

Whether it was an unwell kitten, its breathing was labored yet it purred and sang its gravelly song, making me feel so sorry for it that my heart ached for no reason.

“It’s a cat being cared for at the temple. I thought it would be good for you to try and see if you can heal it.”

“Such a small baby… What exactly is wrong with it?”

“It’s a cat with a congenital respiratory disorder. Since it mostly lies down, its growth is stunted, so its size is a bit small for its age.”

“How many months old is it?”

“It will be half a year soon, so normally it should have grown much more.”

My eyes widened in surprise. Although I’d only ever raised domestic short-haired cats, ordinary cats grow so fast that neutering is considered around six months. If it’s been half a year since birth and it’s still this small… Sadly, it might not live long.

Taking the kitten from Aziz, I looked down at the pitiful animal lying limp in my arms with a gloomy expression. Placing my hand gently on its back, I could feel the heartbeat through its baby-soft, warm skin. The strong, rapid pulsation, unbecoming of its small frame, seemed to show how much the young kitten wanted to live.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and concentrated. Feeling the faint life force of the kitten through my palm, I recalled what Aziz had said.

‘To use Sacred Power, having strong will and heart is important first. But it’s not something that happens just because you want it.’

‘Hmm… Then what should I do?’

‘The power of Ishtar is fundamentally the power of water. Water circulates everything and nurtures life. Feel the energy flowing in the surrounding air, trees, and earth, and slowly entrust your spirit and body to it. You will naturally learn how to wield the power.’

If I had heard this before, I would have said it was like catching clouds. But I had already met Ishtar and indirectly experienced that power.

Recalling the sensation from that time, I prayed earnestly for the kitten to get better. A purple energy began to spread around my hand.

“This is…”

The kitten in my arms, enveloped in the shimmering light, slowly rose into the air. The subtle purple light, feeling like an aurora, was soon absorbed into the kitten’s body as if a sponge were soaking up water.

While I was staring blankly at the almost fantastical sight, the black kitten slowly descended back into my arms.

“Kitty… Are you okay now?” I lowered my head closely to listen to the breathing of the kitten who had been struggling to breathe.

Then, lick! A moist, rough cat’s tongue touched my cheek.

“Eh, ehh…?”

Meeeeow!

The kitten, having fully regained its energy, let out a “meow” and enthusiastically licked my cheek.

“Eek, that tickles!”

It clung to my face, frantically licking my lips, nose, and cheeks; it was so itchy and prickly I couldn’t gather my thoughts.

Wiping my saliva-soaked face, I set the kitten down on the floor. It spun around and scurried about in place. The same kitten that had seemed to struggle even to breathe just moments ago now darted back and forth between Aziz’s and my legs at high speed, rubbing its body against us.

“Wow! It looks like I did it. Its breathing is fine, and its energy seems to have returned… Aziz?”

I tilted my head, looking at him standing there like a statue, his brow firmly knit. He wore a sorrowful expression, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have, and was staring into the empty space where the light had faded. Even though nothing remained there, his dark eyes were damply darkened as if gazing at something he missed.

“Uhm… Are you okay, Aziz?”

“…Ah.” Aziz, seeming to return to reality belatedly, looked at me blankly. It was the first time I’d seen that expression on him since we met, and for a moment, he felt intensely unfamiliar.

Holding the kitten, which was trying to climb my skirt, back in my arms, I muttered, “Nothing went wrong, right? Like I mishandled the power…”

“That’s not it. The kitten… seems to have been healed well. Its previously weak vitality has also recovered to a normal level.”

But then why was your reaction like that? I wanted to say, but seeing Aziz’s complicated face, I only moved my lips silently.

After a brief silence flowed between us, he finally spoke with an awkward smile.

“My apologies. For a teacher, I’ve shown you a foolish sight. I was just a little surprised.”

“Uhm, why?”

“To be honest, I hadn’t considered that you, Lady Ishtar, might be able to heal congenital deformities, beyond external injuries, internal injuries, or curses.”

What? So you made me try thinking I’d fail?!

What kind of teacher does that? I grumbled inwardly, but he opened his mouth in a small voice, as if talking to himself.

“And that form… It was like seeing hers. It’s been so long.”