Chapter 25
The banquet hall was in complete chaos.
After Bachelier’s shocking declaration, there was a brief moment of stunned silence, and then the hall descended into an uproar.
“What… what did you just say?”
“…She has no healing power? What…?”
“What does that mean?”
Everyone looked at Ashley and Bachelier with bewildered expressions.
Flustered, Bachelier hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I… I’ve only read about a case like this in books before… someone’s healing power disappearing…”
He muttered to himself, staring into the air, as if trying to gather his thoughts.
“Speak clearly so we can understand!”
The Emperor prompted him.
“That would mean… someone else has acquired the healing power…”
Bachelier continued to murmur to himself.
Yet no one in the room could fully comprehend it. Faces were filled with disbelief, as if they had heard nonsense. The Emperor was no different.
He had hoped that the rumors about the healing power weren’t true. A saint losing her power was impossible—and it must not happen.
As he recalled the recent occasion when Ashley had healed him, he was about to choose his words carefully—but before he could speak, Ashley suddenly shouted.
“You’re a fraud.”
“…What?”
“You’re a fraud! How could someone who’s never felt healing power know anything?!”
Ashley shouted, furious, pointing at Bachelier as if accusing him of a crime.
“You know nothing about healing power and yet you’re trying to blame me!”
At that, the nobles around them began to murmur in unrest.
“That’s right. The only one with healing power here is Ashley.”
“Exactly. How could he know? A bard—if he’s never felt healing power before…”
“Good heavens. So he’s a fake? The bard is a fraud?”
“Oh my! Is he slandering the saint?”
“What a reckless man!”
Because the nobles deeply respected the saint, Ashley’s few words quickly swayed their opinions. All of them turned their gaze toward Bachelier, firmly believing their saint would never lie.
Bachelier, however, looked at his own hand in disbelief.
“…It can’t be…”
He was stunned, while Ashley, seizing the moment, demanded an apology.
“Apologize.”
“….”
Bachelier only blinked at her demand.
“Hurry and apologize. I cannot endure this insult.”
“…Why should I apologize?”
But Bachelier was not easily intimidated. He had simply been startled that he could no longer sense the healing power, yet he was confident he had felt the flow of it—very, very faintly.
The power was barely detectable, like it was about to vanish, as if it was being drawn elsewhere. That was all he felt.
“You accused me of having no healing power. You must apologize.”
“No. I never accused you falsely. I only spoke what I felt—it is not a lie.”
Bachelier confronted Ashley boldly.
This changed the atmosphere among the nobles once more. Usually easily swayed, they now split into factions, arguing over who was correct. For now, most still sided with Ashley, the saint.
“You tell lies as if they were truth.”
“Me? Our family is born with the ability to sense healing power in our blood. We can never lie about that power.”
The nobles murmured uneasily at Bachelier’s firm stance.
Ashley was about to speak again when the Emperor, seeing the tension, stepped in.
“How do you know her healing power is gone?”
“I said I couldn’t feel her healing power because it wasn’t there. If you ask how I know it’s gone…”
“Hmm.”
The Emperor frowned at Bachelier’s convoluted answer. If he left them alone, the conflict would only deepen.
He decided to halt the banquet, send all the nobles away, and take Ashley and Bachelier to the audience hall. After all, the Emperor himself wanted to know the truth.
Ashley, not wanting to sit with Bachelier, made it clear how furious she was.
“Hm. Bachelier, are you really saying you cannot sense the saint’s healing power?”
“Yes. I can only sense traces that remain.”
“Hmph.”
The Emperor sighed. Standing, Ashley shouted again.
“You’ve never met someone with healing power! How can you be so certain?”
“Our family has always…”
“I don’t believe you. This is slander, Your Majesty!”
Ashley looked on the verge of tears, indignantly.
The Emperor, a bit sympathetic, turned his gaze back to Bachelier.
“Bachelier. Not long ago, the saint healed me, didn’t she? Would you still say she has no power?”
He was curious: was the saint’s healing power intact? If Ashley’s power had truly disappeared, who had healed him that night?
Bachelier thought seriously for a while, then spoke.
“Really… aside from Ashley, no one here has healing power?”
“None.”
“Hm. It seems the saint’s power has been gone for some time. When was it—when your illness was cured?”
“Only a few days ago.”
The Emperor answered sincerely. Meanwhile, Ashley’s frustration burned inside her. She needed to make Bachelier appear to be lying, but the Emperor seemed oddly leaning toward Bachelier, which made her anxious.
At this moment, it was crucial that no one discovered her healing power was gone.
“What nonsense! I clearly healed him! That was my power!”
“….”
Bachelier slowly turned his gaze to the Emperor.
“There should be residual traces of healing power left in your body from a few days ago. If I touch it—”
“Don’t speak nonsense!”
Ashley blocked Bachelier from approaching the Emperor. Then the Emperor stepped forward.
“Hah. Saint, this is a good way to resolve the misunderstanding. If the remaining energy in my body proves it is your power, it’s settled. Stand aside.”
Only then did Ashley realize she was cornered. There was no way out. Her whole body began to tremble.
Bachelier stood and, like a court physician, placed his hands on the Emperor’s body. Ashley could only watch.
“….”
“And?”
Bachelier looked more serious than ever. After carefully waiting a long moment, he spoke.
“It is very faint, but the healing energy is definitely present. Someone seems to have used healing power…”
“Oh, I thought so.”
The Emperor asked with a hopeful expression.
“But it is different from your power. It is not from the same person.”
“What?!”
“You’re insane!”
Ashley and the Emperor both shouted at Bachelier’s words.
“I am certain.”
He made it clear again. The energy from Ashley was fading.
He quietly observed the two, astonished, before stating again:
“Surely, there is someone else with healing power besides Ashley.”
“Impossible…”
The Emperor sank into disbelief.
“No! Don’t lie! How could you know?”
Cornered, Ashley could do nothing but shout and thrash in desperation.
“Your Majesty! Why would you allow this madman into the palace? Do you want to see me go insane?”
Ashley spoke, then suddenly collapsed, struggling to breathe.
“Gasp… gasp… th-that madman…”
“Saint!”
The Emperor was alarmed at Ashley’s weak state.
“Chief Steward! Quickly, take the saint to her chamber! Summon the palace physician!”
At his command, the attendants rushed to escort Ashley out of the audience hall.
The Emperor, who would normally follow closely, stayed seated before Bachelier. Ashley’s safety was no longer his priority.
He looked at Bachelier and asked:
“So… how will we find the one with healing power?”
“….”
To cure his long-standing illness, a new saint was required. Ashley was now useless.
“Hmm… without contact, it’s difficult to find them. Unless they reveal themselves, it will be hard to locate.”
Bachelier replied dryly.
“Hm… who could it be?”
The Emperor quickly began running through possibilities in his mind, discarding one after another.
Then—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Without the Emperor’s permission, the door suddenly swung open.
It was none other than Kanin.
This was a grave breach of protocol, but the Emperor didn’t even consider it. Kanin spoke immediately as he entered.
“I heard the saint has no healing power.”
“….”
“The new saint, I know who it is.”
Kanin had coerced a palace attendant escorting Ashley to reveal everything and had come inside.
The Emperor and Bachelier stared at Kanin. He continued:
“I believe I know who it is.”
“What?”
The Emperor stood abruptly.
“The new saint… I know who it is.”
At this, Bachelier was also surprised and rose to his feet.
