Considering Duke Jiemeld’s health, Priest Sidney decided to wrap up the discussion, and Gilbert and the others headed towards the knights rescued from the Undead Slime. Dolf and Barbara remained silent, their expressions serious.
Meanwhile, Gilbert briefly hesitated about what to do with Flora’s hand, which he had inadvertently held just moments ago. As he exited the Duke’s chamber, he subtly let go. Flora smiled gently, almost as if to express her gratitude, but there was still a hint of shadow lingering in her eyes. Gilbert clenched his fist, feeling the warmth of her hand linger, and followed behind.
The knights were being housed in a large room originally designated for servants in the Duke’s residence. True to the Duke’s status, even the servant quarters boasted fine bedding, prioritizing the convenience of accommodating multiple individuals for examination. Since the internal Undead transformation could not be assessed by appearance alone, they divided into teams to carefully inquire about the condition of those who were conscious, checking for any unusual signs from their respective perspectives.
“I’ve found a way to discern the internal Undead transformation…!”
One of the young clergy members, who had been struggling with the identification process, raised his voice. Until now, Undead Beasts were typically large, and the injuries requiring purification were always external, making this attempt to investigate internal changes a first.
“If we have them remove their clothing and activate Purification Magic while directly touching them…! It may be a matter of intuition, but the caster should be able to identify it,” he continued.
“Hmm… However, it seems that only those skilled in Purification Magic will manage this… I can only faintly sense it,” Priest Sidney remarked, acknowledging his own limitations despite being a master of Barrier Magic.
“Ugh, I-I’m sorry, but… it hurts a bit…”
One of the knights under the spell groaned softly, curling his back. The clergy member casting the spell turned pale.
“I apologize…! It seems that applying strong Purification Magic directly to the body is quite burdensome… It would be better to limit our checks to confirming the presence of any afflicted areas.”
“We cannot see how Purification Magic interacts with the Undead-affected areas with the naked eye… There is no other way to know the condition inside the body. Perhaps we should consider using Healing Magic in conjunction…”
Sidney pondered with a grave expression. Observing from the side, Gilbert spoke up with a sudden idea.
“What if we have them drink Holy Water? It has purification effects as well, right?”
“Hmm… As I mentioned before, Holy Water is primarily a medium for blessings, but… in a way, it is similar to purifying a weapon…?”
“Let’s give it a try. It shouldn’t cause harm, but let’s proceed cautiously, just a little at a time.”
The clergy nodded and began administering Holy Water to the knights showing signs of Undead transformation.
Upon returning to the carriage, Flora and Barbara began preparing dinner. Although Gilbert wanted to continue with his prayers, he couldn’t shake off his concern for Flora, so he ended up sitting beside her, peeling potatoes.
“Um, Miss Flora, about what we discussed earlier… The Duke’s son despises the goddess, and I was wondering what has become of the Holy Knights in the Royal Capital…”
In the silence that fell between them, Gilbert couldn’t hold back his thoughts and blurted it out. Regret swirled in his chest as soon as the words left his mouth.
“I’m sorry, forget I said anything. You might not want to talk about it…”
“No, thank you. I appreciate your concern, Mr. Gilbert. It made it easier for me to breathe just now,” Flora replied, lifting her gaze and offering a smile, though it still bore a trace of sorrow.
Desperate to dispel that shadow, Gilbert racked his brain and spoke.
“Well, since we’re going to the Royal Capital anyway, how about we check on their safety? If things look bad, I can pretend I know nothing and swoop in to help. Then, I’ll just slip away without anyone noticing.”
“Hehe. Pretending not to know, you say…?”
Flora seemed to find Gilbert’s phrasing amusing, letting out a small laugh.
“That sounds good. If it works out, we can act as if it’s none of our business and return home,” she said, her demeanor lightening.
Gilbert felt a sense of relief wash over him as Flora’s tension seemed to ease.
“I feel like my heart grows stronger when I’m with you, Mr. Gilbert,” Flora said, her smile now devoid of any shadow. The warmth of her words made Gilbert’s ears flush.
As they finished peeling the potatoes and began preparing the vegetables and meat, Priest Sidney approached the carriage.
“How did the Holy Water work?”
“Well… it seems to have some effect, but… the efficiency is lacking,” Sidney replied with a sigh, lowering his gaze until it landed on something and froze.
“…What is this pot…?”
His eyes were fixed on the pot adorned with the Ivy Relief. Sidney traced the edge of the pot with trembling fingers, which had yet to be placed over the fire.
“Oh! That’s… well, after our battle with the Undead Slime the other day, it somehow ended up like this…” Flora explained, a hint of panic in her voice.
As she spoke, an idea struck Gilbert.
“Hey, remember when we were in the city of Kelvim? They said that if we prayed together while making Holy Water in that pot, it would create a stronger Holy Water, right?”
Sidney nodded, his expression shifting as if he understood something.
“And if we cook with that Holy Water, the strong blessings might transfer from the water to the ingredients, making them even more potent… could that be possible?”
Gilbert’s voice trailed off as he realized how far-fetched his suggestion sounded. However, Priest Sidney grinned widely.
“That’s it! What a brilliant idea…! Moreover, this pot is undoubtedly imbued with powerful blessings now…!”
With an excited voice, Sidney’s eyes sparkled. Flora looked on in astonishment, while Dolf and Barbara, who had been listening from behind, burst into laughter.
“Gilbert, you’ve come up with quite the amusing idea.”
“A soup blessed by the goddess? Now that sounds delightful!”
Encouraged by Dolf and the others, Flora immediately began preparing the soup. Feeling responsible for the unusual suggestion, Gilbert put his all into helping her, eager to learn and assist in the cooking.