The healing process I perform is surprisingly simple, yet utterly draining. I cut off a strand of my hair—which is actually a cluster of tiny, rapidly regenerating tentacles —and, upon detachment, it becomes a single tentacle. I reattach it to the lost limb or body part, and with a small prayer, I apply an aura, a blessing of faith, to trigger the growth. If I were back on Earth, they might call it stem cell regeneration, but here in this world, they call it magic.
There is a condition: the moment a person breaks their oath to Lunaria, the tentacle detaches, and the limb returns to its prior state. The God of War, of course, has his own way to monopolize the concept of blessings , but frankly, I don't care. If this is atonement for the sins I committed on Earth, then so be it. It also comes with its perks, I thought, glancing at Lady Julienne assisting nearby.
Pearl, always watching me, knew exactly what I was planning. "Are you sure she will be the perfect saint for this village?" she muttered, the question carrying a familiar, slightly jealous edge.
"We won't know unless we try," I replied, watching her give Julienne a look.
We finished attaching the tentacles to Simeon's lost leg and arm. Though he had been screaming in pain and even threw a basin, Simeon, now holding his daughter Rynn, offered profuse thanks. I merely reminded him of his oath, which, if broken, would cause everything to revert to its former state. "I promise," Simeon affirmed.
It was a tough day. We spent the whole time prepping the wounded, the lost, and the "cursed". It was thirty people in one sitting, all granted new body parts. All thirty now bore the faint mark of a small octopus on their neck, meaning I had successfully implanted my regenerative tentacles.
Exhausted, I settled on the second-floor veranda of the hospice, sipping the chamomile tea Pearl had given me. Overlooking the courtyard, I saw the depressing truth of this world. Kids were stealing in the corners, beggars were scattered everywhere. I didn't see many young, able-bodied men—they were probably off fighting for "glory" or "gold" in the latest war.
Then, a figure appeared in my peripheral, the scent of chamomile tea momentarily overpowered by a more mature, feminine fragrance. Lady Julienne, the village head's wife and the hospice's keeper, settled into the chair across from me.
"Thank you, Priest-san," she began, her voice weary.
I shrugged slightly, adjusting my posture. "It's the faith you should thank, Lady Julienne. I wouldn't be here if Lunaria hadn't granted me this ability."
She sighed, her focus drifting to the depressing scene below. "I want to believe in your faith, I truly do. But..." she trailed off, running a hand over her temple. "It just seems like everything will only truly be okay if our men gain victory. That's the only future they allow us to imagine."
I kept silent. Replying felt futile, especially seeing the deep-seated corruption and the desire-deprived servitude in her eyes. She was the perfect vessel, the perfect saint for this village, but I needed to plan this carefully. I had failed too many times before. I can't allow myself to fail again.
My eyes drifted over her, the subtle curves and the struggle in her composure. I wish only peace for this world, and so does my Benefactor, my thoughts murmured.
"Lady Julienne, I'm sorry, but I think it's time for us to hit the road," I said, standing up. "We need to find a place to stay for the night."
I then pulled a small glass vial from my pouch and presented it to her. "This is a simple token for not discarding us and for allowing us to practice our faith here."
Her eyes widened as she took the vial, holding it up to the waning light. Inside, a single, shimmering drop of liquid glowed. "Wait... Is this a tear of a mermaid?"
She immediately pushed it back toward my chest. "I can't accept this. This is far too much for me."
I gently pushed the vial back into her hand. "It's just a simple token for your kindness, please accept it. Our Goddess has decided you are worthy of it ." I started to move toward the hospice stairs.
"Wait, Priest," she called out, a new urgency in her voice.
I turned back, a subtle, inner smile blooming. My plan is working, my mind whispered. "What is it?"
"Would you mind if you and your companion stayed at my villa ?" she insisted, her polite tone replaced by a genuine plea. "It would be good to have a companion aside from the walls and the maids. Maybe... maybe you could convince me to join your faith."
I tilted my head, feigning reluctance. "It would be too much for us, Lady Julienne. A tavern is perfectly fine."
"No," she spoke firmly. "I insist."
I couldn't help but let a genuine smile show. "Then I won't say no to that offer. I will bless your villa with the Goddess's blessing."
But the inside of me knows the truth, I thought, looking at her with a renewed, mischievous intent. You would be the one to be blessed.
Pearl was waiting by the wagon, a knowing smirk playing on her lips as I approached.
"Let me guess," she said, leaning in so only I could hear. "She offered us a free place to stay, and the plan is already rolling because of your… unique charm?"
I laughed, deflecting her jab, though I felt the exhaustion deep in my bones. "Charm? hardly. But you're right about the plan." I lowered my voice, my tone shifting from playful to serious. "We need to strip her defenses bit by bit. What do you think, Pearl? Is she the one? Is she the perfect fit for our Saint in this village?"
Pearl looked at the dusty road ahead, her expression tightening slightly. "I think she will be, despite the thick cloud of corruption inside her. But you're right, Ten-san. Playing this slowly is the better approach."
She paused, her cheeks dusting with a faint pink hue. "But first… we need to regenerate those tentacles of yours. You look like a dried squid."
My heart warmed. Despite her scolding, I knew I wasn't alone in this. "Thanks, Pearl. Let's just get to the villa first."
Before we could climb aboard, a young woman stepped out of the hospice. She wore a nursemaid's dress, her short pink hair bobbing as she bowed.
"Wait!" she called out. "Madam Julienne ordered me to guide you to the villa. She'll be following shortly." She smiled brightly. "I'm Sofia."
"You are a blessed soul, Sofia," Pearl said, her voice instantly switching to her 'holy sister' persona. Then she turned to me, her eyes scanning my pale face. "Ten-san, please rest in the back of the wagon. You've done enough for today."
I didn't argue. I was drained.
My healing process is simple in theory but exhausting in practice. To heal someone, I have to cut off a strand of my hair—which becomes a tentacle—and attach it to the lost limb to trigger growth. Doing that thirty times in one sitting?. It felt like I'd carved away a piece of my soul.
To get those limbs back, I needed something deeper. Something more profound than simple rest. I needed desire. Physical contact, the exchange of arousal, and the worship of Lunaria are the only things that fuel my regeneration. And tonight, with thirty missing tentacles, it was going to be a long night for Pearl.
I climbed into the back, settling against a sack of grain as Sofia took the reins.
"Don't worry about the horse," Pearl told her. "He only works for carrots."
Sofia giggled, and with a snap of the reins, the wagon lurched forward.
As the rhythmic creaking of the wheels lulled me, Pearl shifted in the seat ahead, leaning back so she could whisper to me without Sofia hearing.
"So," she murmured, her voice low. "How do you plan on Seeding the Madam?"
"Not tonight," I whispered back, closing my eyes. "We'll scatter some hints first. But mostly… I need to recover. As for the Seeding… it's the only way."
I opened my eyes, looking at the passing sky. "To fully sever the God of War's hold, to purify that deep-rooted darkness inside her… I have to replace that corruption with Lunaria's blessing. The Seed requires total emotional connection. A total surrender to desire."
Pearl was silent for a moment. "I do hope she's prepared," she muttered, a familiar, jealous edge creeping into her tone. "Because I'll be the one spending the night fixing you first."
I let out a weak laugh, trying to mask the tension. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to make the most of it tonight. You know I enjoy our… sessions, Pearl. You're the only believer strong enough to keep me sane."
She shook her head, but a small, loving smile broke through her stern facade. "You're lucky I have a soft spot for tragic octopuses."
We arrived at the villa just as the sun began to dip below the horizon. It was a grand structure, a stark, painful contrast to the poverty of the village we had just left.
Sofia hopped down. "I'll take the wagon to the stables! The head maid is expecting you at the door."
We walked up the stone pathway, and the heavy oak doors swung open. A woman dressed in a severe black maid's uniform, hair pulled back in a tight bun, stood there. Her eyes were sharp, assessing.
My heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and a familiar, professional dread. I had to switch gears. I couldn't be the exhausted, tentacle-missing demihuman right now. I had to be the Priest.
This is for Celestine. This is for the kids. This is for the one billion DP, I repeated the mantra in my head.
"Welcome, Priest-san," the maid said, her voice polite but cold.
I straightened my posture, my remaining hidden tentacles shifting under my clothes to expand my silhouette, making me look larger, more imposing. My 'Ritual Mode' flickered on.
"Thank you," I replied, my voice deepening into a smooth baritone. "May the Goddess's light bless this home."
I stepped across the threshold, a mischievous thought blooming in the back of my mind as I thought of Lady Julienne.
Get the bath ready, Pearl, I thought. We have a lot of work to do.