"Liang Yue-kun, you've grown up—you even know how to be considerate of your Familia's goddess now!"
"..."
Hestia's petite figure clung to his neck, her light-blue eyes filled with a genuine smile that couldn't be faked.
It was just… the way she expressed praise felt rather strange for Liang Yue, whose body housed the soul of an adult.
Well, fine.
Putting aside her appearance and stature, from an actual age perspective, there was nothing wrong with what Hestia said.
She didn't argue or drag things out about him going to the dungeon—her agreement came swiftly.
"I can allow you to go on an adventure in the dungeon."
"But first, we need a healer's approval—proof that the illness in your left arm won't affect you in the dangerous battles down there."
Since Liang Yue had already made his decision, as a goddess, she shouldn't interfere but rather respect his choice.
And that was exactly what Hestia did.
She didn't know what kind of pain this plague might bring to Liang Yue, but even during the Familia's hardest times…
Aside from herself, the only other member was Liang Yue.
Living in an abandoned church, eating leftovers from her food stall—yet every day he still diligently trained in swordsmanship.
His reason for wanting to go to the dungeon was simple:
"To truly have strength, and to not be a burden to my goddess."
Looking at the illness restrained by the black shackles, Hestia's heart grew complicated, though her feelings were mostly from familial care.
If only she were like Hephaestus, with enough wealth—would this "child" before her be living a much better life?
She no longer felt like eating lunch.
From the basement of the abandoned church, she retrieved a gray-brown cloak that could fully cover the obvious abnormality in Liang Yue's left arm.
"Let's go."
"First, we'll see a doctor."
Glancing at the slender but delicate-looking boy, Hestia clapped her hands in satisfaction and walked ahead to lead the way.
Noticing Liang Yue's continued silence, she didn't turn her head but spoke in a voice full of affection.
"And one more thing… I've never thought of you as a burden to the Familia. To me, you're more like family."
——
Following Hestia's lead, Liang Yue gradually understood their destination—heading to the bustling northern district of Orario.
The large-scale potion-trading Familia.
The captain of the Dian Cecht Familia, Airmid Teasanare—a legendary figure in Orario who alone upheld her Familia's prosperity.
She possessed high-tier healing magic.
Magic that could not only heal wounds, but also restore stamina, expel toxins, remove curses, and even perform group healing.
She could even separate the effects—restoration, detoxification, and curse removal—into individual uses, making it an all-purpose magic in every sense.
Once called the Saint of the Battlefield, she could end a campaign with zero casualties, even when facing enhanced monsters—
—Or large-scale floor bosses, for that matter.
Even though she was only a Level 2 adventurer, she was someone every dungeon expedition team in Orario longed for.
And she would be the healer examining Liang Yue today.
With all those titles attached, her consultation fees were certainly not low. Liang Yue thought it might even be a waste—after all, the ghost arm caused by Kazan Syndrome had no cure.
Still, if he wanted to go adventuring in the dungeon, seeing a doctor was a necessary step.
The grand white-stone building before them bore the emblem of the Dian Cecht Familia—an orb of light and medicinal herbs.
It was close to noon, and there weren't many patients seeking treatment.
Hestia brought Liang Yue to the reception hall, offering reassurance. "Airmid-kun is Orario's strongest healer."
"She'll definitely be able to solve your problem."
"Let's hope so."
Liang Yue nodded lightly, memorizing the location of the Dian Cecht Familia's base—he would surely need treatment after exploring the dungeon.
They didn't have to wait long before a figure entered the reception hall—a girl with a face as delicate as a porcelain doll.
Her attire, a white-based uniform with light-pink accents, immediately brought to mind the image of a healer.
As she bowed, her silvery-white hair cascaded down, her pale violet eyes lifting slightly as her gaze fell upon Hestia.
She remembered this goddess well—the one who sold fried potato chunks on North Street.
But what truly caught Airmid's attention was the boy sitting beside Hestia, clearly of Far Eastern descent.
His pupils, however, glimmered with an unusual crimson light.
Taking a seat gracefully on the sofa opposite Liang Yue, she lifted her skirt slightly as she sat, her cool gaze calm. "Hestia-sama."
"How may I be of help to you?"
"It's about Liang Yue-kun."
"His left arm is infected with some plague, but he insists on going to the dungeon. I was hoping Airmid-kun could see if it can be cured."
At Hestia's signal, Liang Yue removed the gray-brown cloak, revealing the pale ghost arm restrained by a corrective shackle.
Knowing a patient's emotions could affect a doctor's assessment, he spoke lightly with a smile. "It's this arm that's the problem."
Even prepared as she was, seeing that unnaturally white arm made Airmid's slender brows crease. The ghost arm reached almost to the shoulder where the shackle stopped it—yet it showed no signs of further spread.
This was the first case of its kind in her career.
Since it was caused by a plague, she needed details. "When did you contract the disease?"
"About half a month ago."
"Any symptoms before infection? And how is the arm now?" She even pulled out a small notebook.
Airmid asked thoroughly.
Though he knew Kazan Syndrome couldn't be cured, Liang Yue still answered truthfully out of respect for her professionalism.
"No symptoms at all—it just changed suddenly."
"The arm doesn't have any other side effects—just the occasional headache. And I can confirm it's not contagious."
"..."
"How strange…"
From his last statement, she could conclude—if it was contagious, it would have already spread uncontrollably in half a month, not just be noticed now.
Muttering to herself, she noted the black shackles at his wrist. "May I take a closer look?"
"No problem."
The sooner he got through the check-up, the sooner he could head for the dungeon. He didn't refuse Airmid's request.
Raising his ghost arm, Airmid examined it with professional focus, noticing the ominous veins beneath the pale skin.
The arm hadn't decayed at all—if anything, it seemed even stronger than a normal arm.
This was beyond her medical knowledge.
"Could it be… some sort of curse?" She knew Hestia's poverty well—fees weren't the issue.
Her duty as a healer wouldn't allow her to turn him away just for lacking money.
What angered her wasn't the inability to pay—
—But that Liang Yue had waited half a month after contracting this before coming to her, letting the condition worsen!
"Drop of healing, tear of light, eternal sanctuary—summon the medicine's hymn. Let the calendar of healing save all and dispel evil. In the name of the gods—be healed by me!"
Airmid chanted her high-tier magic, Dia Frater, attempting to purge the suspected curse from Liang Yue's arm.
Soft light poured forth—
Only to disperse completely upon touching the eerie pale arm. Even her most proud magic had no effect.
"This…"
Her frown remained, and facing Hestia's expectant gaze, Airmid's voice turned heavy.
"I'm sorry… but I can't cure this illness."
"There is one extreme option—amputation of the affected arm, then replacing it with a custom prosthetic."
"I can't say for certain whether it will spread to your right arm."
"If it doesn't affect your daily life, I would recommend conservative treatment—losing an arm will have its own impact…"
"Really? There's no way at all?" The question came not from Liang Yue, but from Hestia, who was already prepared to borrow money if needed.
If even the Saint of the Battlefield couldn't solve this, then in Orario…
There truly was no other treatment.
Airmid said nothing—her silence alone spoke volumes. The feeling of helplessness in her area of expertise dampened her mood as well.
Instead, Liang Yue's cheerful tone broke the heavy atmosphere. "This arm doesn't bother me. Actually, I'd like to trouble you, Doctor Airmid…"
"Could you tell my goddess here that my condition is stable enough for dungeon exploration?"
"..."
It was irresponsible, but looking into Liang Yue's sincere, pure eyes, and thinking of the hardship of the Hestia Familia…
Was he just trying to ease his goddess's burden?
After a pause, Airmid found herself unable to voice a rejection.
"Liang Yue's left arm hasn't shown necrosis yet."
"In objective terms, it shouldn't pose much of a problem for dungeon activity. If you still insist on your decision…"
"Then be prepared to face the consequences."
---
Access more chapters at patreon.com/dzeref887