A priest who has awakened divine power can utilize that power in various fields.
A paladin uses divine power to wield strong strength and solid defensive abilities.
A potion maker liquefies divine power to create medicinal potions that aids the body. A healer uses divine power to treat wounded bodies.
In my case, I fall into the category of a healer who uses divine power to treat injuries.
However, becoming a healer did not mean that all studies and training were complete.
There are several levels to being a healer, and one must study and train for a long time to ascend.
Upon obtaining a healer certification, one earns the title of ‘Apprentice Healer.’
Above that is the ‘General Healer,’ and after passing a challenging exam and receiving evaluations from senior healers, one can advance to ‘Senior Healer.’
Considering that the average age for becoming a Senior Healer is in the late thirties to early forties, it is quite remarkable that I, at 27, became one.
Youngest Senior Healer, Priest Arthur.
That is my current position.
‘I may look inexperienced, but I’m an elite in my own way.’
Of course, even for a talented priest, under the orders of the Holy Nation, one is nothing more than a mere firefly.
This means that it’s impossible to overturn a decision once it has been made.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Though I packed hastily and may have missed a few things, what choice did I have?
I couldn’t hold back a large group just for myself.
Nor could I change the fact that I was headed to the labyrinth, so I decided to accept reality.
The bishop, seemingly concerned about my journey to a dangerous place, patted my shoulder and provided ample holy water without me even requesting it.
“Let’s go.”
“Priest Arthur! Stay healthy.”
With the send-off from my colleagues, I departed from Palmore Church, where I had stayed for a long time.
However, Sir Rafael did not head straight to the labyrinth.
His goal was to gather everyone who had volunteered for the journey to the labyrinth.
Fortunately, most of the volunteers had already been gathered.
Thanks to this, I was able to reach the labyrinth without a long journey.
“This is…”
“Yes, this is the labyrinth.”
First impression of the labyrinth?
No need to describe it.
No scenery could possibly be worse than this place.
Whoo—
The entrance to the dark and dismal labyrinth, as if inviting us to hell, was terrifying and dreadful.
I even felt like calling upon the Sun God.
“How much do you know about the labyrinth?”
The young novices stared at me with wide eyes, seemingly clueless.
Anticipating a lack of response, I singled someone out to speak.
“I heard there are monsters inside the labyrinth. We’re supposed to kill them to prevent chaos in the world.”
“That’s correct. Until now, knowing just that would have been sufficient. But it’s different now. You’ve come to the labyrinth to train. Now, you must learn about the labyrinth.”
“But it’s hard to gather information. Few people know about the labyrinth.”
“That’s right. Unless one enters the labyrinth when it opens, any information obtained is uncertain. However, it’s widely known that there are monsters inside the labyrinth, so we need to prepare for one thing before it opens.”
“What kind of preparation?”
As I observed the priests focusing on my words, I wondered if I might have a knack for teaching.
“The patients you will treat in the future will mostly be warriors injured by monsters. Therefore, focused study on trauma treatment is essential.”
They’ll come to us with bruised flesh, poison infections, severed limbs…
Many will arrive with various injuries.
But can healers, who are accustomed to internal treatments, handle trauma care without being flustered?
“Has anyone here ever treated trauma?”
“I’ve treated a torn thigh before.”
“I once treated someone who lost a finger.”
“How did it go?”
“There was a large scar, but I treated it well.”
“…In my case, I managed to reattach the finger, but it couldn’t move.”
Listening to the healers speak made me sigh.
In cases like finger amputation, one must meticulously connect the nerves, so attaching the finger and using power recklessly should be avoided.
If nothing else, a healer with abundant divine power could perhaps forcefully reconnect the nerves.
However, that novice healer lacked sufficient knowledge of amputation treatment and didn’t have enough divine power to reconnect the nerves.
While reattaching the finger was possible, reconnecting the nerves was a failure.
Trauma treatment required a lot of knowledge and an immense amount of attention to detail.
‘The biggest issue is that even I, who must lead these novices, don’t have much experience with trauma treatment.’
But as a ‘Senior Healer,’ I couldn’t afford to show weakness.
It would undoubtedly cause the novice healers to feel anxious.
For now, I needed to act as composed as possible, pretending to know everything with a confident demeanor.
After explaining the correct approach to amputation treatment, I shared the purpose of gathering the novice healers.
“I’d like you all to focus on studying trauma treatment from now on.”
The novice healers nodded willingly but expressed concern.
“I want to focus on trauma treatment studies, but I didn’t bring any related books. What should I do?”
“I brought some, so you can either take turns or make copies to share.”
“Oh! Thank you.”
“If there are books, studying won’t be a problem.”
I was glad I’d thought to bring those books, anticipating this situation.
After finishing the brief healer training, I stepped outside.
I found myself staring blankly at the labyrinth entrance visible from afar.
‘No matter how many times I look, it’s horrifying. To think that such a thing was buried for 300 years.’
People who think of entering there with a sound mind must have nerves of steel.
Otherwise, how could anyone enter and exit that place with a clear mind?
The labyrinth entrance looked like a gateway to hell.
It appeared like a cave entrance on the outside, but the sharp stalactites on the ceiling resembled the teeth of a demon, and the dark interior seemed to warn against entering easily.
“They said it’s dark because the labyrinth door is still closed.”
Even if lights were on, I doubted the eeriness would disappear.
“Were you looking at the labyrinth?”
“Huh? Sir Rafael. You’ve arrived.”
Unlike the relatively idle healers, Sir Rafael and his group were busy moving around.
Since we’d reached the labyrinth, it was time to stake our claim by planting flags.
‘To mark our territory and warn others not to trespass.’
It’s said that a city stood on this spot 300 years ago.
However, due to wars breaking out everywhere over the past 300 years, those who had endured in this neutral zone eventually gave up and returned to their homelands.
Naturally, the city became desolate, and now, nothing remains.
But now, 300 years later…
People were flocking to the front of the labyrinth, each carving out their own territory.
Being a neutral zone means no one owns the land.
Whoever arrives first and plants a flag claims it as their territory.
“Has the land already been decided?”
“Yes. It was worth arriving early. There’s still plenty of land, and thanks to everyone’s cooperation, we managed to secure a good spot.”
In truth, even if we had arrived late, other nations would likely have set aside land for the Holy Nation.
Once the labyrinth opens, they will need help from the Holy Nation’s healers.
Maintaining good relations is crucial, and one misstep that angers the Holy Nation could cause a major uproar.
“We are prioritizing setting up a place where the healers can rest. Please wait a moment.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
If it were just me, I wouldn’t mind, but the novice healers were exhausted from the long journey.
Since they were all scholars unaccustomed to physical activity, they really needed a break.
“What do you think of seeing the labyrinth for the first time?”
I couldn’t honestly tell him that it looked like the entrance to hell to someone who would have to enter it.
“It looks dangerous, and I worry about how many sacrifices will be needed…”
It’s a trial given by God to humanity.
But could humanity, which has lived in idleness for the last 300 years, truly fend off such a disaster?
There was no way not to be concerned.
“It would be great if everyone thought like you, brother.”
“Isn’t anyone else worried?”
Why is everyone else so fearless? Am I the only one who feels weak?
“Did you know that the monsters inside the labyrinth are worth a great deal of money?”
“Yes, I understand that monster parts are being sold at high prices.”
“That’s probably why most people seem to see the labyrinth as an opportunity rather than something to fear. Seeing the greed in their eyes, I couldn’t help but sigh.”
The Holy Nation is not free from greed either.
But isn’t this the same church that takes ‘donations’ rather than ‘payments’ for treatment?
The Holy Nation is not supposed to be a place driven by worldly greed.
“When does the labyrinth open?”
This was information that had been kept secret from the bishop, but having reached the labyrinth, Sir Rafael seemed to decide it was alright to tell me.
“Ten days and four more. It will open in exactly 14 days.”
“Fourteen days?! That’s exactly two weeks.”
I was taken aback at how soon the labyrinth would open, much sooner than I expected.
I had assumed we had at least a month, but two weeks seemed excessively short, so I asked.
“We had exactly a month from the time the prophecy was given. It would have been better if we’d known sooner, but we were short on time.”
Over the past two weeks, the Holy Nation has likely been spreading the news about the labyrinth to the world based on the prophecy.
“Do other countries not know the exact date?”
“…Correct.”
It seemed that the Holy Nation, having benefited from the news of the labyrinth opening, was now trying to profit further by selling the exact opening date.
Thinking about the intense political maneuvering likely happening behind the scenes made me sigh.
It seemed I had indeed entered the heart of a snake pit.