Chapter 57: Going Out Together Again Today
“Your Majesty, I recently heard an interesting story.”
“Oh? Heyden, I’d love to hear it.”
Heyden, the assistant Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Easedale, had heard about the story of the golden cloud that occurred in the neighboring southern country of Kholdar some time ago. As it was a flashy and attention-grabbing incident, it had already been reported to King Celdric. However, Heyden had brought the continuation of the story.
“Lately, ‘Chairs of Healing’ have been placed all over the kingdom. After investigating with my subordinates, it has been confirmed that those who have used them experience improvements in illnesses and injuries, although they remain calm. It has become a great blessing for those who cannot afford to see a doctor, and they are delighted.”
“Oh? I wonder who placed them.”
“I had the same thought, so I thoroughly investigated the dates when the chairs were placed. It turns out they started appearing a month after the incident in Kholdar.”
“Oh? That’s quite an interesting story.”
King Celdric of Easedale had ascended the throne only three years ago at the age of twenty-eight, but he was known as a wise king with a thoughtful personality and enjoyed high support from the people. The wise King Celdric looked at Heyden, his childhood friend and capable assistant, with an intrigued expression.
“The first Chair of Healing in our country was found in the house of a couple who had moved from Kholdar. Although their names were different, their appearances matched those of the saint who saved Kholdar from the calamity of the golden cloud and the appearance of the wizard.”
King Celdric momentarily showed a surprised expression but quickly burst into laughter with a joyful face.
“Hahaha. I see. So, the saint and the wizard escaped from Kholdar, is that right?”
“Yes. It seems that both of them wanted to avoid drawing attention and had experienced mistreatment related to their magical abilities.”
“That’s quite plausible. Kholdar has taken their prioritization of offensive magic to the extreme. In their efforts to cherish the wizards, who are born only once in a thousand or two thousand people, they tend to neglect those without magical abilities. Furthermore, they have been demanding unreasonable things from our country, relying on the power of their magic forces.”
“We were fortunate to have those two come to our country.”
“Heyden, do not make any obvious contact with them. If they have changed their names and are not boasting about their achievements, they probably wanted to live inconspicuously and escape. Let them live quietly in our country. However, in the future, we should conduct stricter inspections on those entering our country from Kholdar. It would be a pity if the two of them were forcibly taken back against their will.”
“Understood.”
“Perhaps the Chairs of Healing were created by the saint. Instruct the owners of the lands where the chairs are placed to manage them properly.”
After saying that, the young king looked out of the window towards the south. Then he exclaimed,
“Hahaha! Take that, Kholdar! Your years of arrogance have caught up with you!”
And he laughed heartily, showering insults that didn’t match his noble upbringing.
❂❂❂❂❂❂
Victor and I opened a tea and snack shop, as well as a light meal shop, about a twenty-minute carriage ride away from our home. It’s a small shop that the two of us manage. Of course, we also sell rice porridge and gelato.
Since it’s far from the border with Kholdar, people who don’t know me come to visit every day, and we continue to live a peaceful and enjoyable life.
Since more and more people started using the chairs in our open garden at home, we added three more benches. We prepared tea, baked goods, and light meals for those people and allowed them to use them self-service style while we were away. They are all priced at two small copper coins, and users put the coins in a box. There is no one who cheats. On the contrary, some people even leave vegetables and eggs in addition to the payment.
If there is one inconvenience in our current life, it is that I have to wear long-sleeved clothes and skirts that cover my ankles all year round. However, I can’t complain because it is common sense for married women in this country.
A while ago, we submitted our documents to the government. We officially became citizens of the Kingdom of Easedale and got married at the same time.
Normally, becoming a citizen as a foreigner is a strict process that takes at least two weeks, as the customers told us. However, for some reason, we received permission the next day, which surprised us. We were lucky.
Victor seemed overwhelmed with emotion, saying, “I have a family now.” I felt the same way.
“Victor, since we have a day off today, I want to go out and look for places where magic is surging in this country. Is that okay?”
“Oh, I also want to explore this country more. Should we bring the benches?”
“Yes, please.”
We sat side by side in the driver’s seat of the carriage, with Kuro on my lap, and set off. This country is very comfortable, and I love it.
❂❂❂❂❂❂
A hundred years later.
At a certain time a hundred years ago, a saint suddenly started living in the Kingdom of Easedale. However, no one has seen her.
The saint placed “Chairs of Healing” in various locations throughout the country, quietly supporting the health and longevity of the people.
Even now, a hundred years after the first chair was placed, the Chairs of Healing continue to be placed in the same locations, being managed and replaced. Some places even have roofs, and anyone in this country can use them.
The effectiveness of the Chairs of Healing has been confirmed by experts. Sitting on them can cure illnesses in infants and accelerate the recovery of new mothers after childbirth. They are also known to alleviate joint pain in the elderly. It is well-known that they accelerate the healing of injuries.
The royal family has established the only absolute rule: “Nobles, commoners, those with magical abilities, and those without should all share and use the chairs equally.” It is widely known that successive kings, queens, princes, and princesses also use the Chairs of Healing.
It was proven early on through experiments that the source of healing is not the chairs themselves but the locations.
Even now, a hundred years after the first Chair of Healing was placed, there are rare occasions when new Chairs of Healing are installed. It is highly likely that descendants who inherited the power of the saint are living as citizens of our country, as the healing effects of the new locations have been confirmed through investigations.
Furthermore, the Easedale royal family has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the saint, maintaining a no-comment stance.
Excerpt from “Traces of the Saint” by Zailus Auburn, a researcher of the saint.
―The End―
