Chapter 21: Healing Magic Part 3

“So,” I began once I finally managed to calm down. “What can you tell me about healing magic? This textbook is useless.”

“That is unsurprising. My sister’s church prioritizes natural talent, while my own believes that magic is a gift only for the worthy. The former has little reason to create a textbook, and the latter seeks to challenge their readers through riddles and complex analogies so that only those truly dedicated to the craft may succeed. For example, that poem you were just reading about the cats is meant to explain how the presence of impurities hinders the flow of blood when regenerating lost limbs.”

“How was I possibly supposed to know that?” I asked, flabbergasted as I once more attempted to reread the poem. There was no mention of blood or anything close to that in the poem, and why had the author chosen cats instead of rocks or something more obvious?

“That is another flaw of healing magic,” he explained with a sigh. “This analogy is quite clear to anyone who has spent time healing smaller wounds, but because you are attempting to start your studies at such an advanced level, you lack that practical experience. If you wish to master healing magic, you must correct that.”

He wasn’t wrong. Almost from birth, I had been capable of healing serious wounds and rapidly accelerating limb regeneration. My family had occasionally tasked me with curing knights who were gravely wounded during training. However, because they had other healers who could handle simpler wounds, my experience with such injuries was almost nonexistent.

“How can I fix this?” I asked, unsure how I could practice healing now. “Should I have Sally grab Roman? This is his fault anyway, so I wouldn’t feel too bad about using him as a guinea pig.”

“That is...unnecessary,” Logos responded, with a bit of concern in his voice. Apparently, he was not fond of the fact that I had so easily suggested repeatedly torturing a man whom I had once considered my best friend. Maybe I should have been concerned, too, but that all felt like a lifetime ago. Now I could barely remember what it’d been like to see him as an ally. “If you wish to practice, you must merely visit your school’s infirmary.”

“This school has an infirmary?”

“It is unsurprising that you are not aware. It is a place intended for those without healing magic or those unable to afford a healer. Still, it will provide ample experience for you.”

“Excellent. Any other useful advice? Maybe something I can use to blackmail Holly.”

“Your irreverence is truly shocking,” he said with another sigh, though I couldn’t disagree. Being trapped in this loop had done wonders for my anxiety, as I was certain the other party would quickly forget, but it was different with him. He’d certainly remember everything I said, and yet, I didn’t care if I said something dumb to him. Maybe I just saw him as being too powerful to care. “While I have spoken to humans only a scant few times throughout history, in almost every one of those encounters, they were too overwhelmed by my presence to speak. Your attendant, a rather exceptional and well-trained woman, impressed me by remaining standing last time we spoke, but even she could not speak.”

“Well, the pressure you’re giving off is a lot more bearable today.”

“Are you certain?” he asked, sounding genuinely interested for perhaps first time. Ironically, his excitement actually increased the pressure on my body and made it harder to respond. However, I didn’t feel the need to say anything. Though I could not see him, I felt an overwhelming sense that I was being examined from every possible angle. I had a god’s complete focus on me, and it was terrifying, but thankfully, it didn’t last long. “Fascinating. It appears that your soul has developed a very mild resistance to divine magic, likely as a result of your repeated deaths at the prince’s hand.”

I wasn’t particularly thrilled about how casually he was describing the endless series of murders that he had subjected me to. Still, I saw some hope in his statement.

“Does that mean I’ll eventually become immune to his magic?”

“That is rather unlikely. Though his divine magic is not on the same level as ours, it is still the power of raw creation and destruction. His power is like a virus that quickly spreads through its designated target, whether it be a person, location, or object, destroying any spell and the target as well, if it is a person. This process cannot be slowed or stopped once it has begun. The most your resistance can do is buy you a few extra seconds before the spell consumes you.”

With that, I felt his interest fade, and he departed. There were no goodbyes or anything of the sort, but I suppose that is to be expected when speaking to a god. Still, I couldn’t complain. Through that brief conversation, I gained some valuable insights into the gods, achieved closure from my past life, and discovered the secret to enhancing my healing magic. Now, I just needed to practice.