Seijo ni Narunode Nidoume no Jinsei wa Katte ni Sasetemoraimasu ~Outaihi wa, Zensei de Watashi wo Fu

     Natalie hesitated for a moment, but she still took off the gauze with a trembling hand. She resolved herself to do so since she has caused Liz a lot of trouble.

     The burn marks are painful. She wanted to turn her face away, from her neck to her right cheek, her skin was swelling, it was thick and reddish black.

     Liz never intended to show any reaction, but the wounded Natalie had read her mind and she looked down, bitter tears flowing.

     “What are you going to do to my daughter?” Natalie’s mother, who was holding onto her shoulder, covered her. She looked at Liz in a daunting manner, fearing that Natalie might be reprimanded for obstructing her selection.

     The priest, who’s the guide, looked at Liz with a confused expression, he couldn’t understand what her intentions were at all.

     Liz ignored it, she took in a deep breath. The holy dragon told her to concentrate, though, of course, the holy dragon didn’t say it to her, it just seemed like it did.

     She slowly closed her eyes.

     Steadily, the area has gotten quiet. Although the noise from the birds and insects were loud, it gradually got smaller and smaller and the sounds eventually disappeared.

     Under the sunlight, they could see a bird flying from a branch of a large tree, but they could neither hear the sound of its flapping wings nor the rustling of the branch. It was completely silent.

     “What is going on…?” Natalie’s father looked around nervously. Her mother clutched her arms close onto Natalie anxiously.

     Suddenly, the body of the Holy dragon on Liz’s shoulders gave off a white radiant light. It was dazzling and intense that they couldn’t even look directly at it.

     “The Holy Dragon’s shining!”

     “What is this light?”

     The priest and Natalie’s parents were surprised.

     Amazing……

     Liz trembled. The Holy Dragon on her shoulder released a great deal of heat, which flowed into her body. It was like a rush of intense power and heat flowing all over her body. She clenched her teeth, holding her hands firmly at the side of her body with all her might. 

     ‘Heal’

     She firmly thought of curing Natalie’s burn marks. She wanted her to return to her former bright and energetic self.

     Strong wind blew on Liz’s white hair, she slowly opened her eyes. Her deep red eyes had a certain shine to it, it was different than usual as if they looked godlike.

     Standing in front of her, Natalie looked at Liz, dazed. Liz gently placed her hands over Natalie’s painful burn marks on her face. A soft, pale light radiated from the palms of her hands.

     “…!” It gently wrapped Natalie, who stepped back in fear.

     To protect, to heal.

     “It’s a beautiful light.…… ” Natalie’s mother breathed out.

     It was different from the intense light emitted from the body of the Holy Dragon. It was a noble pure white color similar to the sacred flower that Liz grew.

     Natalie’s stiff shoulders relaxed. 

     “Warm…” she murmured in a tearful voice.

     Soon, the light had gradually faded and disappeared. Everyone was shocked, as if they had just woken up from their dreams. 

     Natalie’s mother who quickly went back to reality, hurriedly looked at Natalie’s face. She cried out in astonishment, “Oh my God! Natalie, your face—the burn marks are gone!”

     “Eh?” Natalie raised her eyebrows in doubt, she gingerly rubbed her right cheek with her fingers as though she had little to no expectation that it was gone.

     “Lie…” she muttered and hastily began to touch her face with her palms. However, no matter how much she had touched her face, there was no feeling of the burn marks on her fingers. It was gone without any trace of it. Natalie’s right cheek completely recovered her original white skin.

     “I can’t believe it … incredible.”The priest was stunned.

     Natalie’s father was silent, he didn’t say a word. He, too, was shocked by what had happened before him.

     Natalie’s mother hugged her, her voice choked, “Natalie, I’m so happy! It’s a miracle!”

     She turned to Liz and deeply bowed down to the ground, “Thank you, thank you! How can we repay you?”

     “No, it wasn’t me, but the power of the Holy Dragon —”

     “Thank you so much! It’s really wonderful! The next saint would surely be you. You’d be the one to receive the crown of the current saint at the coronation.” Her father’s tear-stained voice broke out.

     Before her, Natalie kept on bowing down, her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you…. Thank you, Liz…” she was so happy that her scars had gone.

     However, the expression on her face when she looked at Liz was distant and weak as if she were looking at a person above the clouds. She was still different from her usual self, who changed her expressions, talking to her with vigor..

     ‘ —No.’

     It was a bittersweet feeling. This wasn’t what Liz wanted to see. Natalie is so quiet and her figure seemed small and contracted, this isn’t her and it doesn’t suit “Natalie”. 

     So, Liz prayed in her heart, “Hey.” she said, “I’ve always wanted to ask you this, I’ve been worrying about it for quite a while but I didn’t have the chance to ask.”

     “…What? I’ll hear everything you have to say.”

     “I think its right to ask you now. Though, I think it may sound kind of rude. But if I let it go now, I feel like I’ll never know and that would absolutely be no good.” Liz said seriously

     “What?” Natalie asked, her face turning pale. She’s afraid of what she’ll ask her. Was it about her act that night in the hall or about her speaking horrible words towards Liz before. Still, she looked straight at Liz, prepared to answer honestly any unpleasant questions.

     Liz had a grave expression, looking at Natalie, “What’s your last name?”

     “…Excuse me?” Natalie was speechless, her mouth was open, it was a question she hadn’t expected, rather it was ridiculously random too. She thought hard, to figure out what she really meant. But before even thinking of her actions, she suddenly exploded crying out with a red face, “Neisan, Natalie. Neisan! I’ve now introduced myself first, you should remember it!”

     This is certainly “Natalie”.

     “Natalie! That’s not the way how you’re supposed to speak to the one who has healed your burns!”

     Natalie turned to her pale mother, and suddenly realized what her position was. Her face contorted and frowned. Before anything, Liz smiled at Natalie, she grinned when their eyes met. From the bottom of her heart, she’s happy.

     “…!” Natalie’s eyes widened and understood Liz’s thoughts. Liz has forgiven her and instead, truly wanted Natalie to her energetic and saucy personality.

     Tears spilled out from her eyes. So many emotions such as gratitude and happiness overflowed one after another. She bit her quivering lips, trying to hold it back. She clenched tightly on her soft skirt, she cried out, “I…I’ll come back and see you again. I’ll be here to see your coronation as the next saint. Okay?! I’ll go back and meet you! If it’s another candidate, I won’t go!” 

     Liz couldn’t catch all of her words well because of her crying, but she knew that Natalie had returned to her normal self—energetic yet sort of reserved and not very honest, barking at her like a puppy.

     Liz was able to properly convey her feelings.

     “Alright.” She nodded, laughing heartily.

     “Promise! You absolutely should keep it!”

     “Yes, I understand.” Liz said somewhat surprised.

     “See you later, Liz.” Natalie, whose eyes are red and swollen, smiled. It was the lively and bright smile that had been left in the hall. She walked out of the temple with a big smile on her face.

     Liz returned her smile.

     Passing by, Natalie’s mother bowed politely to Liz.

     Natalie had her head down for quite a long time. Once the burn scars were gone, the distant look on her face is no longer present. Now, a dazzling expression is plastered on her face, as if it’s become someone who’s very noble.