Chapter 6
Stop Liking Me Already!
Hames was indeed a stoic, blue-haired man in the original.
If this blue-haired woman is the female version of that Hames, why is she here now?
Originally, Hames doesn't show up at this point.
She appears later, after rumors spread that Ceres is a witch, to verify them.
I stared at her, puzzled, and maybe she noticed, because she turned to look at me.
"So it's that man."
"Hey!"
The soldiers tried to stop her, but she ignored them and approached me.
She walked toward me without hesitation, until someone stepped in her path.
"Stop right there. No one here has given you permission to meet with him."
"…Hero Alios, is it."
As Alios blocked her, Hames also stopped in her tracks, unable to ignore her.
Alios narrowed her eyes.
"Who gave you permission to act like this?"
"I'm simply here to meet someone. Do I need permission for that?"
"Of course you do. Ceres is the only son of the Hyperion Count family. It's only proper that you contact and get permission from the Count, his mother, in advance."
That's right.
If you compare it to the original world, it's like a random man trying to meet a noble family's daughter without permission.
Even if the person is a priest, it's not exactly a welcomed act.
Alios, who had been properly getting permission to meet me, was making a fair point.
But—
"Rules of noble society mean nothing to me."
Hames is not the kind of person who responds to common sense.
She's blunt, only cares about her duties, and ignores everything else.
That's why in the original, Hames suddenly showed up saying she needed to confirm whether Ceres was a witch.
She brazenly ignored Ares's fury and used the authority of the temple.
In some ways, she was more arrogant than the emperor. Alios looked exasperated.
"I've heard rumors, but seeing it in person, those rumors don't do you justice. You're even ruder than I expected."
"I'm simply here to hear the facts. You're overreacting."
"What facts?"
"I heard there are rumors that he over there is a saint."
Ah, so that's why she came.
Since this is a reversed-gender world, what was originally a "saintess" became "saint."
People I helped started calling me a saint, and she must have heard about that and came to confirm it.
She had good reason to show up earlier than in the original.
"Ceres Hyperion. Are you truly a saint?"
Hames, still blocked by Alios, asked the question while directing her gaze toward me.
"Answer clearly."
"I don't know."
"What?"
"I said, I don't know. How would I know that?"
I answered sarcastically, but half of it was the truth.
At this point in the original, Ceres didn't fully understand what her powers were or what kind of being she was.
Hames had to observe her for a long time before concluding that she had divine power and was a saintess.
"I awakened something like divine power, but I'm not really sure what it is myself."
I'd already explained it that way to the people around me, so I told Hames the same thing.
Hames's eyes twitched.
"Then what's this about being a saint?"
"Other people are calling me that. I've never once called myself a saint."
I wasn't planning to hide it anymore anyway.
But I also didn't want her to twist my words later, claiming I'd declared myself a saint, so I made sure not to say it myself.
That explanation should've been enough, but Hames still had a dissatisfied look in her eyes.
"Why are you speaking informally?"
"You're speaking informally too."
"I'm far older than you. You must be at least ten years younger than me."
She's right. Hames looks young, but she's in her early 30s, while Ceres is around early 20s.
But so what?
"Good for you, being older. And what's a grown woman like you doing trying to pick a fight with someone ten years younger?"
"…."
Hames shut her mouth.
So did the other priests she brought with her.
Even the locals and servants around me held their breath.
"Ceres, wasn't that too harsh?"
Even Alios, who had been hostile toward Hames, looked surprised.
"She's High Priestess Hames."
I know. That's why I'm doing this.
Originally, Hames developed affection for Ceres because Ceres was polite and meek.
When Hames visited to confirm whether Ceres was a witch, she was thrown off by how kind and fragile she seemed.
She thought someone like that couldn't possibly be a witch, and she felt guilty for suspecting her, thus developing feelings.
In other words, the colder and more arrogant I act, the less likely she is to develop feelings.
"If you've confirmed things, you can go now. I've got work to do."
To be honest, I didn't feel like being polite to her, and now I had a reason, so it worked out perfectly.
I spoke coldly and turned my back on her.
"Wait, I'm not done confirming anything yet!"
Hames protested, but I ignored her and continued healing patients.
"Are you not hearing me?"
"Ah, shut up. If you want confirmation so badly, then watch me heal people and see for yourself!"
I shouted at Hames, who kept interrupting.
"I'm clearly using my power right now. Can't you see that? Just watch and figure it out instead of talking so much."
"…Fine. Then I'll observe."
Hames looked like she had more to say, but couldn't argue and complied.
Thus, the priests stood by and watched as I continued the treatment.
One by one, I healed patients, but then someone showed up who wasn't your average case.
Here is the faithful and direct English translation of your latest section:
"This looks like malnutrition."
Someone who appeared severely emaciated came up, but it wasn't due to disease or injury.
"Then you can't heal it?"
"I can, but even if I heal you now, it'll just happen again later."
"…That can't be helped. It's my fate. Please heal me anyway."
A woman who looked more like a beggar than a commoner spoke with resignation.
People nearby who seemed to have come with her reacted the same way.
They looked like a group from the slums, all coming together for treatment, but at this rate, even healing them would be meaningless.
I turned to Alios.
"Hey, don't you have a gift for me today?"
"A platinum ring inlaid with diamonds."
"Give it here."
I took the ring and handed it to the beggars.
"Sell this and use the money for now. That should keep you going for a while."
"We can't accept it! You're already granting us the blessing of healing, and now something so valuable too?!"
"I've got plenty of this kind of thing, so it's fine."
Partly out of pity, and partly to build my reputation, I forced the ring on them.
"Ceres…"
Seeing me give away her gift to someone else made Alios tremble, but I didn't care.
If she got disillusioned because I gave away her present, that was actually perfect for me.
But instead—
"Why are you so kind? You're like a sweet angel sent to earth."
…Unbelievable.
Suppressing my disgust, I just focused on continuing the healing.
"Oh my…"
"How is that even possible?"
As things were wrapping up, I heard the priests murmuring.
"The kind of healing he's shown so far is doable for a high-ranking priest."
"But not at this scale, for this long."
"You'd need divine energy of another level."
"Either that, or the legendary divine power…"
The priests were murmuring in awe.
Meanwhile—
"…."
Hames continued to stare at me with an unreadable expression.
Finally, when the day's healing was finished, Hames approached me.
"Ceres Hyperion, I apologize for my rudeness."
"…What?"
This rude woman actually apologized? I didn't expect that at all, so I was surprised.
"Did you confirm I'm a saint or something?"
"No, I couldn't confirm that. But there is one thing I did confirm. That you didn't heal people for any sort of wicked reason."
Hames bowed her head.
"You healed so many. Even if you're not a saint, you're worthy of the temple's respect. I, too, will respect you."
"So you're giving up on confirming whether I'm a saint?"
"For today. If I get official permission in the future, I'll come back to investigate properly. Invite me if you find the time."
With that, Hames gave a polite bow and left with the other priests.
She seemed to hope I'd invite her someday, but why the hell would I?
I laughed inwardly, knowing that would never happen.
***
"Lady Hames, do you really think he's a saint?"
As they left the territory, one of the priests asked curiously.
"He healed so many people, and his power didn't diminish. That's impossible for regular priests… Maybe he really has divine power?"
"That, I can't say for certain."
Hames answered flatly to the hopeful priest.
"Some people are simply born with immense sacred power. No one's ever witnessed true divine power, so how would we know whether it's sacred or divine?"
When Hames said she couldn't judge it lightly, one of the priests muttered discontentedly.
"I hope he's not a saint. You all heard how he talked to Lady Hames. He's beautiful, but arrogant."
Several others nodded in agreement.
"Well, with looks like that, no wonder he's arrogant."
"He's the only son of a count's family, so he must've been spoiled."
"What do you think, Lady Hames?"
When they asked how she felt about Ceres—
Hames, who had been absentmindedly running her fingers along a nearby structure, paused, then answered after a moment's thought.
"He was certainly bold. But… I didn't dislike it."
At first, his bold attitude had caught her off guard, but watching his actions, she started to feel a sense of fondness.
Though he spoke harshly to her, he was kind to the patients and even gave away precious gifts without hesitation.
Whether she was watching or not, he quietly kept doing what he had to do, mthat gave her a sense of kinship.
"Well, I'm in no position to judge anyone anyway."
She, too, was someone who did her duty regardless of what others said.
Maybe it was because they acted similarly, she found herself liking him.
"Heh… I look forward to our next meeting."
His bold attitude, ill-matching with his delicate appearance, naturally came to mind.
Without realizing it, Hames was smiling.
Chapter 7
He's a Man
Now, there's not a single seriously ill person left in our territory!
As the long week came to an end, I could say that with confidence.
In fact, no one was coming to me asking for healing anymore.
"Young Master is a blessing sent by the gods!"
"He's definitely an angel descended to earth."
Instead, people just came to give praise.
All the residents of the territory were so busy praising me that no one was spouting nonsense about me being a witch or a demon.
Thanks to that, I was finally able to rest properly for the first time in a while. I lived peacefully without a care.
But then—
"Ceres, the Emperor has invited you to a party."
One day, Ares brought me news like a bolt from the blue.
***
I had been quietly living my sickly life in my room, so the sudden words left me dumbfounded.
I thought maybe Ares was joking, but she wasn't. She looked like she'd been handed a bottle of poison.
"You mean Emperor Violet?"
"Is there another emperor besides that woman?"
Why the hell is that insane tyrant summoning me already?!
Emperor Violet.
The third male lead to appear in the original, and the second-most psychotic one of them all.
Unlike Alios and Hames, who at least seemed normal at first, this guy was never normal.
Even in the original, he was called a tyrant, an outright Violetent emperor.
There was indeed a part in the original where he forcibly summoned Ceres to a party just to see her once.
That was how the two first met, but... this is way too early!
Based on the timeline, Alios shows up first, then several months later comes Hames, and only after that does Violet appear.
So I thought I still had some time to prepare.
Did that bastard also hear the rumors about the "saint" and decide to move faster than in the original?
I assumed I had plenty of time, so I haven't prepared a single thing!
"Wait, but I can't even walk properly!"
In the original, Ceres is able to walk around by the time she's invited to the party.
That was why she was summoned, because they thought she'd be able to attend.
"Why would he call someone who can barely move to a party?!"
"I said the same thing. But when he heard you healed the territory's people, he figured you must be well enough to attend."
"…And if I say I don't want to go?"
"He said he'd send soldiers to drag you there!"
So even after becoming a woman, her filthy personality is exactly the same, huh.
"When is the party?"
"In just one week."
So unreasonable. I gritted my teeth. He expects me to attend a party in one week with this body that can't even walk?
"Ceres, don't be too scared. I'll find a way."
Ares tried to reassure me, sounding uneasy herself.
But I knew well that it would be impossible.
We're dealing with an emperor, a person who doesn't operate on common sense. Who knows what she might do?
"…Mother, please summon the two people I'm about to name."
I have no choice but to go. Which means I need to recover enough to at least be able to walk.
"First, call Alios."
"That one comes on her own regularly without even being called."
"Then just summon High Priestess Hames."
"Why her?"
"I think I'll need sacred power to help."
I hate it, but there's no other way. I need extremely powerful sacred power, which means I have to call Hames.
"She said herself last time to invite her, so she'll definitely come."
"Your body's already been treated multiple times with sacred power and it didn't work. But maybe a High Priestess can do something…"
Still doubtful, Ares nonetheless believed in my words and contacted Hames.
And then—
"Long time no see."
"Why is she here?"
Hames, who I summoned, and Alios, who showed up on her own, both arrived.
"I was waiting, but you called sooner than I expected."
Hames said flatly.
"Did something happen today? The mood here feels tense."
I explained the situation to the two of them.
Upon hearing it, both their faces twisted into frowns.
"Summoning someone who can't even walk to a party? That's a whole new kind of madness."
"This can't be happening!"
Alios reacted most intensely.
"Pulling this kind of stunt again… Don't worry. I'll do something!"
"It's impossible."
I shut her down bluntly, forcing her to face reality.
"Do you really think the Emperor will listen to you just because you're the heir to a duke's family and a hero?"
If that woman were sane enough to listen to reason, she wouldn't have summoned me in the first place.
"Don't bother doing anything useless, just help me instead."
"What kind of help?"
"I need your sacred power and mana."
When I said I'd use them to heal my body enough to walk, both of them looked blank.
Eventually, Hames spoke, her tone unamused.
"As far as I know, Count Ares already tried that and failed."
"The people Mother brought to heal me before weren't high priests."
"You can't heal yourself?"
"I can't heal my own body with my power. I need your help. If it's compensation you want, I'll give you anything, so please help me."
"…I don't need compensation. But I hope you won't resent me if it ends up having no effect."
Hames seemed skeptical, as if she already believed it would fail.
And honestly, she's right. No matter what, sacred power alone can't heal me.
The root cause of my condition is divine power, which is a higher form than sacred power. I'm not injured or sick, my body is simply unable to withstand the power.
But that doesn't mean sacred power is useless.
In the original, Hames, feeling guilty for suspecting Ceres without cause, attempts to heal her.
Though it doesn't work, she continues to use sacred power on her repeatedly, and something strange happens.
It's not as though she suddenly recovers, but Ceres begins to slowly get healthier.
At the time, they just chalked it up to how incredible a high priest is, but later, the real reason is revealed.
Sacred power, though inferior to divine power, is more compatible with the human body.
When the body is continuously exposed to sacred power, it develops a resistance to divine power.
In other words, sacred power serves as a kind of middle bridge to connect and balance the two.
If the sacred power is strong enough, on the level of a high priest, the effects are even more significant.
"Ceres, mana is different from sacred power. It's not inherently healing."
Alios said, sounding conflicted, but I needed mana too.
"I'm not asking you to heal me, I'm asking you to help me learn how to use mana through your own mana."
"You want to learn mana? In just a week?! That's impossible!"
"From what I've heard, if someone with strong mana helps you, it becomes a lot easier to learn."
Injecting mana into someone else's body—
By guiding it through their system, you give them a direct sense of how to control and feel it, making it easier to grasp.
The mana I learn this way will play a critical role.
If sacred power helps build resistance to divine power, then mana is used to physically withstand the divine energy.
Ah, my dear Ceres. If you build resistance with sacred power and learn to protect your body with mana, you'll be able to live a normal life.
…Both of these methods were discovered by a certain male lead, a great archmage who appears later in the story, so I know they work.
He even said the two methods were most effective when used together.
In the original, he personally handled the mana training, while Hames supplied the sacred power.
It took time, but it restored Ceres to the level of an ordinary person.
Of course, later the story went full tragedy again and her health deteriorated, but still.
I had planned to use these methods eventually.
Originally, I was going to summon ordinary priests and mages and take it slow.
But now I have to meet that psycho in just a week, so what can I do?
Even if I don't want to, I need to call in the strong ones and maximize efficiency.
"Hurry up, both of you, put your energy into me."
As I rushed them, I began removing my upper garments, and then,
"Kyaaah!"
"What are you doing?!"
Alios and Hames both jumped in shock.
Alios even let out her first feminine scream, and Hames quickly rushed over to cover me.
"What? It's more effective with direct skin contact."
"So you just stripped without warning? A man showing bare skin isn't a good thing! Don't you know that?!"
That's odd.
Even in this reversed-gender world, a man's bare chest isn't seen as particularly sexual.
Why are they overreacting like this?
"T-then what do you expect me to do? If I leave my clothes on, it takes longer to absorb."
In the original, since Ceres was a woman, no one could touch her bare skin easily, so they had to do it over clothes.
There was even a scene where they complained about how that made it take longer.
"Well, I'm fine with it, so—"
"We're not fine with it!!"
Alios, acting completely out of character, shouted, clearly flustered.
"You just suddenly strip like that without warning? You don't do that in front of others too, right?!"
"I haven't."
It's not like I've had any reason to take my clothes off in front of others anyway.
"You think I like taking my clothes off? Honestly, I don't want to do it in front of you two either. But it works faster on bare skin."
"Then can't we do it in a more proper way, like holding hands or something?"
"Hands don't have enough surface area."
That's been explicitly stated in the original, it's inefficient.
After some thought, I said,
"How about my back?"
"Your… back?"
"I'll lie face-down and expose just my back. You two place your hands there and inject your energy."
They wouldn't freak out just from seeing my back, right?
I lay on the bed and exposed only my back.
"…."
"…."
For some reason, the two women were completely silent.
Chapter 8
How Would I Know That?
Even after waiting a long while, there was no response.
"…What are you doing?"
I turned my body back around, wondering what was going on.
The two girls had been frozen stiff, but the moment I turned, they flinched and panicked.
"Wait!"
"Don't turn around like that!"
The two of them, working together, pulled my clothes back down over my shoulders.
Seriously, what's their deal?
From what I've heard, while it's not exactly encouraged for men to expose their upper bodies in this world, it's not considered a big issue either.
"Are you really, really okay with me putting my hand on your back?! Is it really fine if I touch your back?!"
Alios shouted in a panicked overreaction.
"I said it's fine. I'm the one being touched."
"Even if you say it's okay, Count Ares might kill us!"
"Why would she kill you? It's treatment."
"I mean…"
I'm the one who's exasperated, and yet Alios is acting like she's the frustrated one.
At that moment—
"…Fine. I'll do it."
Hames finally agreed.
"I just need to place my hand on your back and inject sacred power, correct?"
"Hey, you!"
"Hero Alios, don't make a scene. Like Ceres Hyperion said, this is purely a medical act."
Hames calmly accepted, while Alios argued back, clearly upset.
I'm the one giving permission, so why is she making a fuss?
"If you're not going to do it, just leave. I'll call someone else."
If you're going to be more of a hindrance than a help, then forget it.
When I threatened to bring in someone else, Alios stiffened.
"You're going to call someone else? You'll let someone else touch Ceres's bare skin instead of me? And just leave High Priestess Hames here?!"
"Yeah."
"I'll do it!"
You should've said so from the beginning.
"Then do it properly this time."
I turned around again, showing my back.
"F-fine!"
Though I couldn't see it, it sounded like Alios was the first to move. I felt her hand on my back as she spoke.
"So soft… Even though you don't seem to get much skin care, your back is so smooth and silky!"
Says the pot to the kettle.
Her hand, touching my back, was just as soft and smooth.
"Excuse me."
Next, Hames placed her hand on my back. Her hand was smooth, but also firm. As she touched me, I felt something flow into me.
Was this sacred power?
Some kind of force was moving through my body, it felt oddly familiar.
Even the divine power inside me stirred, as if welcoming the sacred power. Maybe it's because they're related?
"Ceres, I'll start injecting mana now."
Soon, Alios's mana began to enter me. It was a powerful feeling, brimming with energy.
I don't think the original Ceres ever felt anything like this.
She received mana from a mage, but Alios's mana is that of a powerful warrior, maybe that's the difference.
For the first time in a while, I felt energized. It felt good… but only briefly.
Soon, it became hard.
What Alios was doing was basically the martial arts equivalent of injecting internal energy into someone else's body for cultivation.
And cultivation is always hard on the one receiving it.
I expected it, there were descriptions in the original of how tough this was for Ceres.
I grew fatigued rapidly, but thankfully, Hames's sacred power restored my stamina.
Whenever the mana training drained me, the sacred power replenished it. In turn, the divine power responded to that and activated in harmony.
Divine power supported and refined the two other energies, keeping the flow continuous, a virtuous cycle was beginning.
The essence of this treatment method was the synergy of all three powers enhancing one another.
"Mngh."
But even though my energy was recovering, the sensation of fatigue lingered.
It didn't go away.
I tried to endure the heavy feeling, but I couldn't hold back.
"Ah, nghh…"
Eventually, a strained moan escaped me, and suddenly, the sacred power and mana injection stopped.
"…Ceres?"
"What's wrong?"
The two of them asked about my condition, but strangely, their voices were trembling.
"Are you in pain?"
"Mana infusion training is taxing even for seasoned users. The stronger the donor's mana, the harder it is to bear."
If it's the mana of the Empire's greatest warrior, the so-called Hero, it's no surprise.
The more effective it is, the more exhausting it becomes. I know that.
"I'm fine. Keep going."
I urged the two of them, who were hesitating.
"Mana training wears me out, but Hames's sacred power replenishes me, so I'm not tired."
"Don't be ridiculous. There's a limit to that. If sacred power recovery was all-powerful, mana trainees would just carry priests around with them."
But I can do it.
Because divine power supports both sides, keeping the cycle going.
Still, I couldn't exactly explain that, so I just pushed ahead.
"I'm seriously okay."
"Then what was that moan earlier?"
"It felt good. Like a massage or something."
"I'm not a masseuse, though."
"I know. I just meant it feels that nice."
I babbled out strange excuses and continued the mana and sacred power infusion.
"Nngh, ahhh…"
"…."
"…."
Whether they believed me or not, the two didn't say anything more, even when I kept moaning.
After a few hours had passed—
"How long do we have to keep doing this?"
"I think it's about time I head back."
Both of them were ready to leave.
Normally, I'd be thrilled to see them go sooner, but not this time. I hurriedly stopped them.
"Stay the night!"
"That's not possible. I need to return to the temple," Hames said, shaking her head firmly.
"I wouldn't mind staying over, but I think we should stop the mana infusion. You look like you're suffering," Alios added, asking for a break.
Hey, you two, do you think I'm doing this because I want to hang out with you?
I'm desperately trying to prepare myself for meeting someone even worse than both of you combined, the Emperor!!
"Please, I'm begging you, just keep going!"
"…Fine."
When I pleaded, Hames reluctantly agreed to stay. Alios also joined in, unable to refuse.
I thought I could finally focus and relax, but I had forgotten something very important.
This world exists solely to screw over me, Ceres.
"Pardon the interruption, Young Master Ceres, but something has happened."
Some time later, a servant knocked on the door and informed me from outside.
"Some people have come seeking your healing."
"What are you talking about? Didn't we just heal the entire territory not long ago?!"
Did someone get into an accident and lose a limb or something?
I was dumbfounded by the sudden news in the middle of my treatment. And the next part was even more baffling.
"It's the neighboring territory."
"…What?"
"The count from the neighboring territory has come with his people, asking for treatment."
What is this, healing tourism?
I worked my butt off healing our entire domain, and now people from next door are showing up?!
I held back my grimace and got up, stopping the treatment for now.
"You two, help me up."
"Yes."
"Like this?"
Alios supported my right side. Hames hesitated for a moment, then took my left.
With both of them helping, I went outside, only to find things in an uproar.
"Leave! I said get out!"
"You're seriously saying you can't spare even a little time?!"
Ares was arguing with an unfamiliar woman, the two of them pointing fingers at each other.
The woman, with long black hair, looked angry but desperate.
"Ares, we're not strangers, are we? Please, call your son and let him treat my daughter!"
"I already said I can't."
"I'll offer compensation! I'll give you the largest gold mine our house owns!"
"I'm sorry, Hurion, but my child's condition isn't good. He's undergoing treatment himself."
"My daughter is about to die!"
The woman called Hurion pointed toward a stretcher.
On it was someone groaning, covered in grotesque burns. The injuries were so severe that if she hadn't called her 'daughter,' I wouldn't have been able to guess the gender.
"She was caught in a fire, her skin is completely burned. She needs immediate treatment, and your son is the closest high-level healer we have!"
"…."
"Please!"
Hurion begged desperately, while Ares silently stared at her.
As I took in the situation, the servant who had brought me the message quietly whispered:
"Her Ladyship said she would handle it and asked us not to report it to you… but I thought I should ask for your opinion, Young Master Ceres. You've already healed so many people…"
As I listened, I tried to recall if this scene ever happened in the original story.
This felt important, but I couldn't remember seeing anything like it.
But I do remember that the count of the neighboring territory was mentioned once, in passing.
Ceres, did you know? Your father was planning to come for you, to the point of rebellion.
That's not true! My father would never…!
Luckily, a loyal count from the neighboring territory caught wind of it and reported it to me.
That person? But they were an acquaintance of my father's!
Must've had some hidden grudge. Honestly, they looked like they hated your father.
In the original, when the tyrant emperor kept Ceres locked up in the palace for too long, Ares snapped and tried to storm the palace.
That attempt was reported by the neighboring count, and the rebellion was stopped before it started.
So… this woman must be that count?
Then the reason she came to hate Ares was this, because Ares refused to heal her severely injured daughter.
…Oh, come on. How was I supposed to know that?!
When I read the novel, I just thought they had a bad relationship. But now I find out there was a hidden backstory like this?
Enough with the unjust suffering already!
I clenched my jaw at the realization that yet another landmine of hidden tragedy had been buried in the plot.
Thankfully, because of what I'd done recently, the servant had thought to call me, and I now had the chance to stop this.
I tried to head over to the burned daughter immediately, but my body wouldn't move.
The two supporting me had suddenly stopped in their tracks.
"Stop."
Alios spoke with unusual seriousness.
"Ceres, your body isn't normal right now."
"What?"
"You've been moaning in pain for a while now. That's a sign your body is reaching its limit."
"I told you, I'm fine."
"No, you're not. If you use that much sacred power to treat someone with such severe injuries in this state, no one knows what might happen."
She still doesn't get it.
I was about to explain once again that I was fine, when a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Enough!"
It was Hames.
"Why do you always try to sacrifice yourself for others?!"
What the hell? Why are you suddenly saying weird things?
Hames scowled in obvious distress. Even her voice sounded strained and emotional.
"Listen to me, Ceres Hyperion! With a body like yours, you shouldn't be thinking of others first. No one will blame you for choosing yourself. Live for yourself!"
Chapter 9
What Kind of Delusion Is That?
Originally, Hames had come to see Ceres with a light heart.
She had previously told him to call her when the time came, so she assumed this was it.
She came to investigate whether he was truly a Saint and to see his face.
Hames, who had arrived without much thought, was soon appalled.
"What are you doing?!"
That's because Ceres suddenly removed his upper clothes and exposed his bare torso.
Even when she tried to stop him, he looked at her as if he didn't understand why she would.
Does he not realize how his appearance looks to others?
Normally, a man exposing his upper body wasn't exactly encouraged, but it wasn't considered taboo either.
But Ceres was different. He was the most beautiful person in the Empire, acknowledged by all.
Think about how you look to women. Even that Hero Alios next to you is pretending to be embarrassed, but she's watching everything.
It was outrageous enough that a delicate-looking man was stripping in front of women, but then he even asked them to touch his back.
Are you trying to seduce us?
It was absurd, but since he asked for it, she had no choice.
It's incredibly soft.
The first time she touched Ceres's body, she was surprised by how pleasant the sensation was.
Even Hames, who had touched all kinds of luxury goods as a High Priestess, was taken aback.
And then—
Why is he so thin?
You could tell he was slender just by looking, but touching him made it even more apparent.
I thought he looked healthier than the rumors… but maybe not?
She had heard the rumors that he was sickly.
But when she first met Ceres, he had summoned people to heal and acted boldly, so she thought he was doing better than expected.
Sensing something strange, Hames used the sacred power she had infused to examine Ceres's body.
Her expression immediately hardened.
Is this really the body of someone still alive? How has he lived like this until now?
An immense power was pressing down on his entire body, damaging it and preventing it from functioning properly.
At this level, just being alive would be a constant pain.
And yet—
He treated that many people for days without even resting in this condition?
She recalled the first time she met him.
Many people had come seeking healing, and Ceres had treated them all without complaint.
He had done all that in this agonizing body?
"Ugh, nghh…"
As she reeled from the shock, Ceres kept moaning.
Of course it's painful to do something like mana infusion for this long in that kind of body.
She understood he was trying to recover as much as possible before meeting that tyrant.
But honestly, she didn't think doing this would actually help.
It might just end up causing him more pain.
With that thought, she had tried to use returning to the temple as an excuse to quit.
But in the end, she couldn't resist his desperate plea and kept enduring the painful task.
Then an incident occurred.
You're going to treat those full-body burns in this condition?
Looking at the patient the neighboring count had brought, Hames scowled.
If Ceres, who had already been recklessly pushing his body, used even more power to heal that kind of wound, what would happen?
There was no telling. It made her uneasy.
She even considered stepping forward to treat the patient herself, but Ceres kept insisting on doing it.
"Listen, Ceres Hyperion! Don't think of others first with a body like that. No one will blame you for choosing yourself. Live for yourself!"
She shouted before she even realized it.
…Was I really the kind of person who could say something like that?
Even she was surprised by what had come out of her mouth.
Why? Was it because seeing Ceres sacrifice himself with such a frail body made her feel pity?
…Anyway, I've said this much. He should understand.
She hoped that, having said this much, he would finally get it.
But—
"Seems like you're under a misunderstanding."
Ceres responded curtly.
"I'm not doing this for others."
"…What?"
"You don't need to tell me to live for myself. I already am. This is for my own sake."
What?
Healing others is for his own sake?
"If you won't help, I'll go alone. Let go of me."
"No!"
In front of the frozen Hames, Ceres and Alios began to argue.
Hames watched them for a moment, then made up her mind.
"…Fine. I'll help you."
"Hames?!"
"Don't worry, Hero Alios. I'll assist the healing with sacred power."
Since things had come to this, she decided she would provide support and take the burden off Ceres by doing most of the healing herself.
"Ceres, you—"
As she supported him together with Alios and approached the patient, Ares was visibly shocked.
"I'm fine."
Ceres reassured Ares, then turned to Hurion.
"One condition. Please promise me, if I heal your daughter, you'll let go of all the resentment from today."
"Of course! If you heal her, you'll be the benefactor of our house. Why would I hold any grudge? Ceres, I'll be a loyal friend to you and House Hyperion for life!"
After the promise, Ceres reached out his hand to Hurion's daughter, who had been burned across her entire body.
And over his hand, Hames placed her own.
"As I said, I'll assist with sacred power."
"…Do whatever you want."
As Ceres's glowing hand extended, Hames began channeling sacred power through it.
While helping Ceres as much as possible to prevent him from overusing his power, she realized something.
This really is divine power.
When their hands overlapped and they activated their powers at the same time, she could tell.
What Ceres was using was a power beyond her own sacred power.
But—
Was divine power always such a wretched force?
It harmed its own wielder, and simply having it meant a life burdened with forced healing and endless responsibility.
Oh Heavenly God, is this truly the power of the gods? Just because one possesses such power, must they live their entire life in pain, shackled by crushing duty? If so, then I…
***
Three days had already passed since Ceres treated the neighboring count's daughter.
Having cleared one hurdle, it was time to return to what he had been doing.
Ceres had been continuously infusing himself with mana and sacred power to strengthen his body.
"Ceres, do you feel anything?"
"Mmm, maybe…?"
He answered half-heartedly to Alios, who asked while channeling mana into his back.
"I'll try it now, so check if it's actually mana."
He briefly removed her hand from his back and sat up.
Recalling the sensation of mana flowing through his body during training, he focused.
Following the proper path he had learned thanks to Alios, he guided the faintly perceptible energy.
And then, he felt it surge, rushing through his entire body with explosive force. Power overflowed from every part of him.
"It's mana! That's definitely mana!"
Alios was shocked that Ceres had succeeded in sensing and controlling mana.
"I did help, but that was incredibly fast. Ceres, maybe you have talent!"
"Then can I use body enhancement like you do? You know, like casually picking up people as if they were objects."
"It's impossible to be like me right after awakening. But even basic enhancement brings amazing results."
Alios beamed and pointed at the large coat rack beside his bed.
"Try lifting this. With one hand."
"Alright."
Ceres lifted the tall, heavy coat rack with one hand. Something his body would never have been able to do before.
Incredible.
His physical strength had increased by several times!
Because his body was so weak, it wasn't very obvious, but if this were his original body, he might have been able to fight a beast barehanded.
"Ceres, try walking!"
Having confirmed his enhanced strength, Alios excitedly shook her golden ponytail.
Even Ceres felt a surge of hope.
If his body had become this strong, maybe he was already cured.
So he got out of bed and started walking, only to nearly collapse after a few steps.
"Ceres!"
"Are you alright?"
Alios and Hames hurriedly supported him, shocked, as Ceres looked stunned.
What the hell?
He had enhanced his sick body!
Despite his strength increasing, the pain when walking remained unchanged.
So this wasn't it?
Come to think of it, in the original story, Ceres did become healthier thanks to mana, but it wasn't through raw physical enhancement.
On the contrary, even if his body was enhanced, being sick meant something was wrong.
Was it because the person assisting him with mana was different?
Even so, Alios was still the only one he could rely on.
"This won't work. Keep infusing mana until I really get the hang of it."
"Alright."
Now that he had awakened mana, he had to keep trying to use it to protect his body.
And the sacred power infusion had to continue as well to further attune his body to divine power. He needed to create a dramatic effect.
That would take more time, so the two ended up staying at the estate even longer.
"Hames, I'm grateful that you're taking the time to help me, but is this okay?"
Ceres spoke to Hames, who was affiliated with the temple yet had not returned for an extended period.
"Isn't it bad for you to be away this long? And didn't you say you were investigating whether I'm a Saint?"
In the original story, Hames identified Ceres's divine power during their time together and concluded she was a Saint.
Though Hames had feelings for her, she wasn't aware of them yet, and despite knowing being a Saint wouldn't bring her happiness, she still reported it to the higher-ups.
That report officially labeled Ceres a Saint, and her suffering began in earnest.
But this time, things were different. Hames hadn't shown any such signs while staying with him.
Suspicious, Ceres asked. At that, Hames's hand paused on his back and she replied:
"…I'm not sure. But since there's been no sign of divine power until now, probably not. I've decided to report it to the temple that way."
Chapter 10
The Emperor
I tried various things using mana.
Eventually, I came up with an idea, to concentrate all of my mana on defense.
I pushed mana deep into my body to resist the divine power that pressed down on my flesh.
I focused it solely on opposing the divine power.
I had to give up all the beneficial effects of mana, like physical enhancement, but it worked.
Inside the mansion's hallway,
Ares, Alios, and Hames had gathered.
I stood alone, a little apart from them.
I took a deep breath, feeling their intense gazes watching me like hawks.
Step by step, I moved forward.
Slowly but surely, until I crossed the hallway completely.
"Se, Ceres!"
As I successfully walked the entire hallway without collapsing, Ares ran over to me, her expression on the verge of tears, and pulled me into an embrace.
"You… you can walk!"
Ares was so moved she couldn't finish her sentence.
I wasn't quite that emotional, but I was proud.
How could I not be happy after finally managing to walk properly in this body?
"Ceres, I'm so happy for you."
Alios said, wiping her eyes.
"I never imagined I'd see you walking like this when we first met."
"…It's thanks to you."
I admitted it honestly, even if reluctantly, because it really was partly thanks to her help.
"I didn't expect it to actually work."
Hames, who had doubted my method, looked surprised.
"Since it's produced results, I have to admit it. But in the end, wasn't the sacred power not all that helpful?"
"No, it helped."
Not as dramatic as mana, but it definitely contributed to healing my body.
"I still can't run, but this is a huge step forward. Thanks, both of you."
I praised the two who had helped me. It was a heartwarming moment.
However—
"Now that you can walk, it should be fine to attend tomorrow."
It would've been better if I could walk sooner.
It had taken so long that the party was now only a day away. Mentioning this left Ares in despair.
"I… I'm sorry. Ceres, if only I had more power…."
Anyone watching would think I was being dragged to an execution rather than a party.
Considering that I'm meeting that lunatic in this frail body, it might be more dangerous than an execution.
"I'll take care of the rest. You two can go back now."
I supported Ares' trembling frame and spoke to Alios and Hames.
"See you tomorrow."
"…Call me whenever you need help."
Alios left more calmly than expected, and Hames walked off as if suppressing something she wanted to say.
***
The next day—
"Ceres, let's go."
"Yes."
I rode a carriage with Ares to the capital.
***
A few hours later, we arrived in the capital.
Our estate wasn't far, so we got there relatively quickly.
As expected from the setting, the capital was a magnificent and well-developed city.
It was the capital of an empire, after all.
We took another carriage within the city to reach the imperial palace.
"We've been waiting."
A woman greeted us upon arrival.
***
She looked so different that I didn't recognize her for a moment.
She had let her golden hair down and was wearing a white dress, Alios.
"Surprised?"
"No."
In the original story, there's a scene where Ceres, having arrived at the imperial palace, meets Alios.
Since Alios is a high-ranking noble, she was naturally invited to the party.
So I had expected to see her here. But Ares immediately frowned upon seeing her.
"Lady Alios, why don't you go on your own instead of tagging along with us?"
"Are you really okay with that?"
Alios smiled smugly.
"If I don't escort Ceres, other women will keep trying to approach him thinking he doesn't have a partner. It'll be annoying."
"Hmm, in that case—"
"You're his mother. Leave the partner role to me, and I'll keep everyone else away."
This part is similar to the original but slightly different.
Male Alios made a polite request, but female Alios came off a bit smug.
I've thought this before, but there are subtle personality differences likely caused by the gender swap.
"Mother, let's accept it."
If she's hard to get rid of, I might as well use her.
In the original story, this situation prevented Ceres from dealing with unnecessary trouble, so it clearly works.
"You can act as my partner, but remember, there's nothing between us."
"Hehe, how adorable."
She ignored my warning with a grin and walked closer.
"Was the carriage ride alright?"
Not really.
The vibrations hurt my weak body the whole ride.
I chatted with Alios as we entered the palace.
Inside the wide banquet hall, there were already many people gathered.
Everyone was dressed luxuriously.
There were women in pants, but not a single man in a skirt.
Thankfully, just because this world is reversed doesn't mean fashion is, too.
Flanked by beautiful women on either side, I entered between them.
In the normal world, they would've drawn all the attention, but here, all eyes were on me.
"Oh my goodness."
"That must be him."
"You know who it is the moment you see him."
"They say you'll recognize the Empire's most beautiful person at a glance, and it's true!"
Regardless of gender, everyone here was stunning, but they still whispered in surprise when they saw me.
It had been like this everywhere I went. The Imperial Palace was no exception.
By now, I was getting used to it.
It couldn't be helped, this is Ceres' appearance, after all.
"Lord Ceres?"
"A pleasure to meet you."
…No, this part I wasn't used to.
Several women immediately approached me. That was a first.
Up until now, most of the people I'd encountered were commoners.
They probably didn't even have the courage to talk to me.
For random women I didn't know, who weren't even main characters, to rush over just because of my face…
It was a new experience. Not exactly pleasant, but definitely intriguing.
After all, this would never happen to me in my real life.
"I'm from the Viscount Seleo family…"
Like the men in my old world, they all tried to strike up conversation—
but Alios stepped in and blocked them.
"Stop. I'm sure you've all heard the rumors, Ceres isn't in perfect health."
"We just wanted to—"
"Didn't you hear me say stop? And I'm the one who escorted him in.
Isn't it a bit shameless to try to talk to him?"
Alios' mouth was smiling, but her eyes weren't.
The women couldn't handle her commanding energy and backed off.
Watching all this, I thought:
As expected, she's similar to the original Alios… but different too.
"Ladies, I'm sorry, but she's in poor health. Please don't trouble her too much. I am her formal partner for now."
That's what the original Alios said.
But this version basically said, "He's mine. Back off."
"How about that, Mother? I'm helpful, right?"
"Why am I your mother?"
Calling Ares "Mother," she spouted nonsense.
She has a ditzy side that the male Alios didn't.
"Lady Alios looks incredibly tense."
"She's warning others not to flirt with her man."
"So the rumors were true? That she visits Lord Ceres every day?"
Thanks to Alios' overreaction, uncomfortable gossip spread across the ballroom.
"Here, Ceres—say ah~"
Regardless of the whispers, Alios kept acting overly familiar.
She picked up a salad and held it out to me. I looked at it for a moment—
"Ah~"
—and ate it, just as she wanted.
Alios was the one who looked more surprised.
"You really ate it?"
"You offered it, didn't you?"
She reacted like she didn't expect me to, so I explained myself.
Why does she look prettier than usual today?
I swallowed the bite without thinking, something felt different.
Was it because her hair was down? Or her outfit…?
Ah, this is the one Ceres wore in the original!
Now that I see it up close, the size is different, but the design is the same.
Come to think of it, in the original, the dress Ceres wore to the party was a gift Alios had custom-ordered.
Since the genders are reversed, instead of gifting it, she just wore it herself.
No wonder she looked especially pretty today.
"Here, try this too!"
"Okay."
Excited, Alios fed me one thing after another.
And since she looked so much like Ceres right now, I didn't feel like turning her down.
I was quietly eating what she gave me when—
"Prepare yourselves. Her Majesty the Empress is arriving!"
Whether it's good or bad, the main character of the day had arrived.
The noisy banquet hall instantly fell silent.
Even Alios flinched and stopped playing around.
Everyone turned their gaze in one direction, and from there, a woman appeared.
She was mature and had the figure of a model.
With long, dazzling red hair tied into twin tails and a pitch-black dress as dark as night,
She was like a queen. An imposing beauty who scanned the silent hall.
"It's so quiet. Why did everyone go silent?"
She stared at the crowd with a displeased look.
"It pisses me off when people go quiet the moment I show up. That's an order, everyone smile."
Reluctant laughter spread across the room.
"Are you mocking me now? Louder!"
With no choice, everyone laughed louder, and then the woman laughed too.
"Hahaha! You actually laughed just because I told you to? Pathetic fools with no pride!"
She gave the order herself and then mocked them for obeying it.
…No doubt about it.
This woman was none other than the original story's crazy tyrant, Violet.