"Val? Do you know if you guys are related to the Saint in any way."

"..."

"Val?"

"I think I might have been named after him. My full name is Valentina, after all. Pink hair and everything."

"Yeah."

"Either he's my father or my grandfather or something."

"Your father, our father, is in my mansion right now."

"I'm not insinuating that Mom cheated. Not in the slightest. I'm just saying that- I don't know what I'm saying. I'm just confused about what's happening. It's not every day- I can't believe I'm related to someone in the First Party."

"..."

"Oh, yeah."

"You'll get over it. Let's hurry up and see our mother."

"I think that's what's fucking with me the most. What condition is our mother in where she needs to be hospitalized?"

I can't voice my speculations to my foster sister. I hope it's just procedure. Master Giles gets a pass from the nurse that overheard the conversation with the Saint and walks us to the elevator.

One anxious ride later, we emerge and head straight for the third room on the left. Master Giles decides to wait outside.

The hospital room we walk inside is the poshest room I've ever seen. Chadelere, roaring fireplace, air purifier, it has the works. My mother lies isolated from the room, inside a glass coffin. A ventilation system is hooked up to her.

A doctor with a pink beard walks into the room.

"What are you doing in here?"

He looks at Val and raises an eyebrow. Val starts speaking to the guy.

"The Saint said we can be up here. Doctor, what's wrong with my mother?"

"He did? Strange. Well, the patient is in an unfortunate situation. We believe her condition to be triggered by a sudden but faulty teleport."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Sir, there's a dress code in this hospital."

"I'm sick. Tell me what's wrong?"

"We don't know." The doctor rubs his beard. "It's similar to the unnamed mana sickness that emerged hundreds of years ago and died off almost as quickly. The cause seems different, but the side effects seem the same."

"Can't you guys fix it? I'll fix it."

"When two unconscious people appeared at our teleport hub, a healer tried administering first aid. The influx of mana caused the other one to explode into viscera. The death was instant and violent. That glass isolated the patient from ambient mana. Hopefully, that will keep her from spontaneously combusting."

"No..."

"Keeping her isolated from anything that emits mana, including people, is the best to keep her alive. It's good that her level is relatively low, but It still would be advised to prepare for the worst."

[Heal Anything]. It heals using my mana and can seemingly heal anything I can 'touch.' Would the mana from my skill instantly kill my mother before I could fix her? It's not [Heal Anything Without Consequences]. Would me just touching her cause her death? Should I risk my mother's life? Can I?

My ears are ringing, and it feels like I'm free-falling. I'm going to vomit. My knees are going to buckle. Maybe I can fix this anyways. Do I have enough mana even if I kill myself with [Broken Blood]?

It hurts. Somewhere it hurts. I'm clenching my teeth so hard I can taste blood.

Val came up from behind and hugged me. She didn't say anything. Or maybe she did. I couldn't hear a thing. I'm staring at my mother's body, trapped behind glass. She doesn't even look alive.

"T-The Saint. The Saint can do something, can't he?"

The bearded doctor looks at me with pity. "The Saint heals on a whim, usually only healing patients or conditions he finds interesting. He 'stabilized' the patient by moving her here only because he has a sixth sense for recognizing his children."

Do I use [Scientific Insight+] to try and diagnose a possible cure? Does my investigation cause mana to permeate the target? Fuck, what can I do? [Martyr] the explosion and hope I live long enough to heal my mother? Will using that skill also cause my mother to explode?

Val has a conversation with the doctor while I'm stuck in thought.

"Doctor, are you saying my mother is the Saint's daughter?"

"Yes, and I would be your uncle. Your mother's half-brother. The Saint is - ehem - quite prolific."

"...why didn't she say anything? I'm learning secrets about my mother while she's on her deathbed."

"The Saint... I lack a better way of saying this - He is quite picky about who's allowed in the 'family.' Pink hair is a genetic indicator closely linked to excellence, meaning that if you have his genes and have pink hair, you'll go far in life as long as your life isn't cut short."

"So. was my mom kicked out of a mansion for the color of her hair or something?"

"I don't know about her family situation. Even if she did nothing. she would have a cushy life as long as she kept her last name of 'Valentine.' The name can be easily tossed aside, but there is no coming back after that."

"..."

"I'm sure your mother had her reasons. Whatever they may be."

I can't look at her like this. I can feel my mind slipping from me. At least she's alive. At least she's alive. At least she's alive.

I try to leave the room, but the doctor stands in the way.

"Sir, you said you were sick? You don't look too good."

"I-I'm... The Saint. I want to see the Saint."

"That's not going to happen."

"Uh, Oh! He said he'd fix me or something and to drop by after seeing my mother. Please, can you tell me where he is?"

"...I can walk you down to his office. Please wait a moment for me to call a nurse over."

The doctor leaves the room as I collapse into a chair. I'm in no condition to appreciate the velvet. Val silently watches over our sleeping mother's unconscious face.

Master Giles enters the room and sits next to me.

"..."

"..."

"Our deal hasn't been broken. Even in this state, I'll make sure she is protected."

"...thank you."

"Don't despair if the Saint refuses to heal your mother. He may be humanity's best healer, but that doesn't mean he's the only one able to perform miracles."

"Why would he refuse to save his daughter?"

"There isn't one member of the First Party that can be considered normal."

"Heh."

Even my grandfather. One of his epithets was 'Tyrant of the People,' which is oxymoronic. I know all about the First Party from the book [History of the Prime Territories]. I never read all of it.

I will go over every detail. Maybe there is enough dirty laundry to get the upper edge.

Thirteen members, but only twelve are known publicly. The author of [History of the Prime Territories], Morden, isn't a name I recognize anywhere. He claims to be the fourth to join after Saint Valentine and Henry "The Enforcer" Blackwood.

Their party leader Aurelius, which this capital is named after, sought out Saint Valentine due to his immense healing skill. Someone known as the "Undying" even wanted that man.

More importantly, let's reread the scandalous nature of this Saint. Summering it down to one word would be 'predatory.'

He will get what interests him even if others have to suffer. One thing to note is that Morden was more vague about his actions than others. He describes Valentine as someone who will 'take sexual favors for healing.' Morden vividly detailed how the only druid in the First Party 'made relations' but didn't mention what 'sexual favors' entailed. Something seems strange about that.

Wouldn't that imply that the First Party would have to do certain things if they wanted healing from their healer?

...Wouldn't that imply the same for my mother or me since he said he could heal my life force? I'm all around not in a good situation here.

The doctor returns with a nurse and looks over at me. I think I'm ready for this.

I follow the pink-bearded man into the elevator. The doctor slots in a key and pushes a series of buttons. The elevator lurches before dropping into a free fall.

I look at him like, "What the fuck?" and he shrugs. The elevator eventually slows before stopping, opening with a quiet *ding*

An empty and clean reception opens in front of me. On my left and right are double doors with a single door behind the counter. Before I can ask what to do next, the doctor is already in the elevator pushing buttons. The doors close, and I can hear the elevator shoot up.

I look around and spot a 'ring for service' bell on the desk. I don't think I'm in the mood for shenanigans, but I press the bell.

*ding*

The door behind the counter slams open as the Saint stands there like he didn't kick his own door open.

"The doctor is in!"

"..."

"Hey, it's the broken guy. How's it going? Feeling any discomfort?"

"Are you going to heal your daughter?"

"Which one?"

"My mother."

"I didn't think you were my grandkid? No pink hair..."

"I was adopted."

"Ew."

"What?"

"Come into my office."

Saint Valentine disappears around the edge of his doorway, and I decide against my better judgment to follow him inside. Sitting on a chair, the Saint gestures for me to sit opposite him.

"I'm only interested in interesting things. Healing some unconscious lady, even if she's my daughter, isn't interesting."

"...Wouldn't curing a new or returning condition be interesting?"

"...been there done that. I managed to cure at least one instance similar to this before. 'Wasn't as big of a hoot as I thought it was. Now let's get back to you. How did your life force crack like that?"

"I'm not letting you heal me unless you heal my mother first."

"...you think you can stop me?"

"What, going to force yourself on me? Embracing the rumors, are we?"

"Hmmm... that again. Who cares if payment for my services involves germinating my child if you are physically capable? I see it as saving a life and adding a new one. It's not only a net positive but a massive positive. It's not like fucking them is a necessary step in that process either."

"..."

"A man's gotta study the mysterious and exclusive origins of the life force, no? A few dozen kids more, and I swear I can start manufacturing races like a god."

"Is that why you are interested in me in the first place?"

"Hey, you aren't dumb!"

"What do I have to do to enlist your service."

"There is quite literally nothing you can do for me. Two reasons I'm entertaining you and not dissecting your life force. One: your not scared or 'excited' by me. Two: you're related to that old man Alexander, and I can't do him like that. Unless you were adopted by him as well."

"I can do more than you think. For instance, I have a rank-A title called [Life Bringer], which-"

"And? I have like three of those."

"How about a unique ranked healing skill? I may or may not have one."

"Interesting, but I'm not looking for an intern or personal assistant."

"What if I get strong enough that you can't ignore me?"

"Sure, at that point, force me to do your bidding. What kind of hypothetical is that?"

"I'd be useful at that point."

"Are you saying you will get strong enough to get your ailing mother the help she needs? Get the fuck out of here."

I'm confused. I don't want to leave, but I do since Saint's facial expression changed for the first time. A 'joy' shifted to something more disgruntled.

I left before this maniac could do anything. The last thing I heard was, "How uninteresting."

Fucking asshole. I'd beat that Saint's ass if it wouldn't immediately cause me to die.

I wait for the elevator to come down, it doesn't take long, but that extra time to stew in my juices makes me even more pissed off.

I take the 'ring for service' bell and anything else not bolted down in the reception (it wasn't a lot). I entered the elevator and closed the doors behind me.