CH 61

Prayer Training

It was clearly strange.

After that, patients continued to flow in without end. And before it was evening, Ms. Pemeri ran out of MP. It seemed strange for so many patients to be arriving at a church.

Still, priest Kifume then traded places with her as if it was nothing. And so I asked him.

“There are so many wounded people being brought in. Was there some kind of serious incident happening in the city?”

“It’s like this every day. There is a mine to the north of the city, and that’s where most of the wounded come from. Both miners and Adventurers.”

“But why don’t they just use potions to heal?”

“Potions are expensive. After all, the necessary herbs do not grow here.”

“Ah, now that you mention it…”

All the surrounding area was desert and wastelands. It was times like these that you really appreciated the convenience of herbs. I felt grateful towards all those G and F Rank Adventurers now.

They also took turns with the evening service, and more wounded still arrived.

In the end, I had to stay in the infirmary until midnight, and then the flow of people finally stopped. Apparently, it was because the mines were closed at this hour.

“If any patients come in the middle of the night, wake me up.”

Said father Zenrima. I nodded at him, and then collapsed in my bed and fell asleep.

Ri-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri…

…But the sound of a magic device quickly woke me back up. It was connected to the bell at the back door. As Linel had been in charge for so long, I had taken his place tonight.

And so I looked through the peephole and then opened the door.

“This one is wounded! Please help!”

“I will wake up the priest. Please wait here.”

I knocked on Father Zenrima’s door, saying, ‘there is a wounded person,’ and he quickly opened it.

“Put on a light.”

He said, and so I cast Light magic over the patient. It was another Adventurer with a fracture. That seemed to happen a lot.

Father Zenrima finished the treatment swiftly and returned to his room.

Ultimately, my sleep was interrupted three times that night, and I did not feel like I had rested much at all.

After spending a day here, I realized it. This place was the emergency department.

Not only that, but the church was taking on the burden of being close to the source of accidents, as well as the lack of potions.

It was like a hospital on the frontlines. That’s why this place had been described as severe.

However, when working as an Adventurer, being attacked during the night was quite common.

Besides, I only had to listen to the magic device for visitors every other night.

Also, during the morning service…

“Thank you, Mr. Ajifu. I was able to rest a little for the first time in a long while.”

Linel said with a smile. It was a harsh environment for one still young.

After that, I continued to work at the infirmary for a week, while also helping with preparations for rituals and cleaning the church building. There was much to learn, and being so busy helped time pass by quickly.

I could not learn everything all at once, but after I had a good enough grasp on the rhythm of my daily routines, I was able to recommence my sword training, during nights where I wasn’t on watch duty.

It was also around that time that I was summoned by Father Zenrima.

“Ajifu, it seems like you’ve adjusted quite well here.”

“Yes, everyone has been good to me.”

Mmm. The priest nodded with satisfaction.

“You may have lost a leg, but you are still an Adventurer in his prime. And while this is faster than I expected, I think it is time that we start with your training.”

Ohh! Finally! It’s been eight years since I came to this world. And the time had come for me to acquire magic…

“Now, don’t get so ahead of yourself there. After all, whether or not you will be able to do it, is entirely up to you.”

Ah! That’s right! It was too early to be relieved.

“I’m sorry. I just feel really emotional.”

“You are an odd one. So, what is your Magic Manipulation level now?”

“Level 10.”

“Really? In that case, all you have to do is offer a prayer. It will still take some training, but it should not be long.”

“Alright! It’s a good thing I’ve been training with Magic Manipulation!”

I blurted out while raising a triumphant fist into the air.

“Aren’t you supposed to be a swordsman? You really are strange. Regardless, I shall oversee your training starting today. But don’t start slacking off with your other duties.”

“Of course. And thank you, father.”

And so from that day, on top of my daily work, I started my prayer training.

“No, your voice should come from your stomach!”

“Gaaaahhhh…!”

“Merge your magic energy with your voice!”

“Gaaaa… Uh, I don’t think I understand….”

Father Zenrima had an odd way of describing things.

“Can you feel the magic energy swirling inside of your stomach? Do not just push out the voice from your stomach, but allow it to be carried by the vortex of energy and release it. Now! One more time!”

“Gaaaaa…”

Without being able to grasp the feeling, the day’s training ended.

“As of now, you lack strength in your stomach. You must do a hundred situps before the end of the day.”

“Uh, I don’t think muscles have any relation to magic?”

I had been fearing this, and was not wrong. However, even if he was my instructor, there were times when one could not back down.

He was trying to drag me down the path of muscles. But I would not fall for it!

“You are wrong.”

“Huh!?”

I am?

“When your abdominal muscles are sore from training, then you will always be focused on them. In other words, it will be easier to concentrate your energy and voice there. Even if there is no direct relation, there is no such thing as unnecessary muscle or sore muscles. You will have an eight pack by the time you can load the magic energy onto your voice. Now, stop wasting my time!”

He had straight up said that there was no direct relation. What a strange theory.

“Is a six pack not enough?”

“Stop being so easy on yourself!”

The day after that, he insisted that ‘stomach muscles and back muscle are connected,’ and so I had to train my back as well.

Furthermore, on the day after that, it was, ‘healthy faith and magic energy reside in healthy muscles,’ and so I had to train my entire body.

Even as I trained, I continued to work in the infirmary, with its unending flow of patients, and help at the church. Every time I was woken up in the middle of the night by the door bell, I would curse these unnecessary muscle sores. However, this was not everything when it came to my work at the church.

That day, we had a visitor at the church. Someone who claimed to be the Guild Master of the Rokuidol Adventurers Guild. Father Zenrima talked with the visitor for some time.

When that was done, the Guild Master left, and everyone in the church gathered together.

“All of you. Tomorrow is a transfer day at the mines. The lords have gone through the guild and asked for our help. Well, it should be the same as usual, but since this will be Ajifu’s first time, he must move with Linel.”

“I understand.”

I said, even though I didn’t understand anything. Still, if I was with Linel, surely that meant it wasn’t anything dangerous.

“Brother Kifume. You will explain the basics of the request to Ajifu. Ajifu, just as a precaution, you should wear your armor and weapons tomorrow morning.”

“I understand.”

Is there going to be a battle? Should I really be with Linel then? I would have to ask Kifume about it later.

“Well then. I’ll be counting on you all tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

We disbanded after that, and as we worked in the infirmary, I questioned Brother Kifume.

“So, what are we going to be fighting tomorrow? It sounded like monsters…”

“Mr. Ajifu. Do you know what they are digging up in those mines?”

“I believe it was iron ore.”

“Tomorrow is the day that the iron ore will be transferred from the mines. And so monsters called Iron Slaters will gather around. Well, I’m sure you’ve heard of them, since you’re an Adventurer.”

Ah, those roly polies. They eat iron and also lure in other monsters…

So that’s what this was.

“So other monsters will be lured in by these Iron Slaters as well?”

“Exactly. Tomorrow may be a very busy day.”

I wasn’t sure if it was just me, but Brother Kifume looked quite tired.