Wednesday Morning
Raha prepared to meet the second of the five nobles: Duke Grey of the South.
Grey, a user of the wind attribute, was a man who detested even the hand contact required for treatment.
The problem was that the original Raha had used his position as the sole healer to act like a tyrant toward him.
‘I should try to see if I can flow the light attribute without direct contact.’
His power felt similar to the “Guiding” abilities from the Guideverse novels he had read in his previous world.
There was definitely energy that leaked out even during hand contact.
Raha decided to try filling the entire room with his light attribute—similar to “Radiation Guiding”—to see if he could suppress the rampage that way.
To achieve this, Raha arrived early at the reception room where he was to meet Duke Grey.
He closed every single door and window, stood in the center of the room, and began to radiate the light attribute from his body.
“Oh, it’s working.”
As he focused on emitting the light attribute from his entire being, a soft, golden glow began to fill the air.
While this method consumed significantly more energy than direct hand-to-hand contact, it seemed like the perfect solution for people like Grey and Hayden the Margrave, who couldn’t stand even a finger touching them.
Before Grey arrived, Raha hurried to saturate the room.
No matter how much he released, the vast space didn’t feel quite “full,” making him consider using a smaller room next time.
‘But I’ve already released this much today; I might as well finish here.’
Besides, he doubted Grey would willingly follow him into a cramped, confined space.
Since the emitted light would eventually be absorbed into Grey’s body anyway, Raha figured a high-density burst would be more effective at calming the man’s impending rampage.
Just as the room was glowing with light, the door opened and Grey stepped in.
His mysterious ashen eyes widened until they nearly popped out of his head.
“You’ve arrived.”
“What is all this, High Priest?”
“I have released the light attribute throughout the entire reception room.”
“What…?”
“Please close the door and come in. The light I’ve released will be rapidly absorbed by your body, Your Grace.”
Bewildered, Grey closed the door.
Truly, the faint golden particles floating in the air began to rush into his body.
“Now, you no longer have to endure uncomfortable physical contact with me.”
Raha smiled at Grey with his most harmless expression.
When trying to make money, the most basic rule was to leave a good impression on a client who despised you.
“From now on, I will stabilize your rampage in this manner—”
Suddenly, Raha’s vision flickered and went dark. He collapsed toward the floor.
“High Priest!”
Surprised, Grey used his wind attribute to cushion Raha’s fall, preventing him from hitting his head, but Raha remained unconscious.
Grey stared down at Raha, who was now lying neatly on the bed.
“It seems he temporarily lost consciousness due to a sudden, excessive use of his attribute,” the doctor’s words echoed in his mind.
Grey furrowed his brow, unable to fathom why Raha would suddenly do such a thing.
‘What on earth has gotten into him?’
No matter how hard he thought, it didn’t make sense for the man to go through such a grueling process just for Grey’s sake.
This was the same man who used to grab Grey’s hand by force, insisting treatment was impossible without contact.
“I have released the light attribute… now you no longer have to endure uncomfortable contact with me.”
As he watched the unconscious Raha, Grey’s eyebrows twitched again.
‘But why?’
His mind was filled with a strange sense of doubt.
Perhaps that was why, even after returning to the reception room to absorb every last drop of light and purify his system, Grey hadn’t left for the ducal palace.
Normally, he wouldn’t have cared if Raha lived or died once the business was done.
Now, his feet refused to move.
As he watched Raha sleep, a feeling of deep unfamiliarity washed over him.
He had never seen the man sleep before, but the face before him felt vastly different from the Raha he knew.
‘Was he always this handsome?’
Raha’s features were delicate, his skin porcelain white.
The long eyelashes casting shadows over his closed eyes, the straight nose, and the perfectly shaped lips created an aura of exquisite beauty.
‘Well, if he hadn’t been such a tyrant, he was always quite beautiful.’
His personality had always overshadowed his looks, but Grey had acknowledged his beauty since their first meeting.
He looked exactly like what a High Priest should look like.
Suddenly, Raha’s eyelids fluttered open. Grey’s eyes widened in surprise.
“…Duke?”
Raha called out in a low, sleep-heavy whisper, causing Grey’s heart to give a strange thud. Raha looked even more beautiful awake than asleep.
There was a confusing mix of stoic purity and a subtle, inadvertent sensuality in his pale face that made Grey’s pulse quicken.
Grey couldn’t understand why the man he had been sick of seeing for years suddenly looked so different.
“You collapsed.”
“…Ah.”
“The doctor said it was due to a temporary overexertion of your light attribute.”
Raha gave a faint nod.
“That makes sense,” he murmured.
It certainly required more energy than direct contact.
While it didn’t double the amount needed to purify the turbid energy, the sheer volume required to fill a room was taxing.
Concerned that Grey hadn’t finished his treatment because of the fainting spell, Raha asked quickly:
“Is your treatment finished?”
“Are you worrying about my treatment in this state?”
“Of course,” Raha replied, frowning slightly.
If Grey hadn’t absorbed all the light, Raha would have to provide more.
Having just fainted, he desperately wanted to avoid using his powers again today.
To him, the status of Grey’s treatment was a matter of his own rest.
Grey, however, completely misunderstood the intent. His face twisted with an expression of disbelief.
“You collapsed because of the treatment, yet you’re still worried about mine?”
He looked almost angry at this suddenly “idiotically kind” Raha.
“High Priest, why are you acting so differently?”
“Pardon? Oh, I thought of this method because you seemed uncomfortable with contact.”
Raha continued, explaining that while losing consciousness was a drawback, it was good news for the Duke to know they could proceed this way in the future.
He suggested that if he released the attribute more slowly over a longer period, he wouldn’t faint.
“It will mean you have to stay at the temple much longer, but isn’t spending a few tedious hours a week a fair trade for avoiding any contact?”
As Raha spoke softly in his weakened voice, Grey felt a bizarre turbulence in his chest. It was a sensation so foreign it made his throat feel tight.
“To hear such words from the High Priest… how ridiculous,” Grey snapped, his voice cold as he instinctively put up his guard against the unfamiliar emotion.
Raha gave a weak smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t be acting like a foolish tyrant anymore.”
“Is this change of heart because of Edrion?”
Grey felt a strange prick of resentment.
Raha called him “The Duke” with such formality, yet he spoke the main lead’s name so tenderly, even though they hadn’t even become close yet.
Raha, unaware of Grey’s internal turmoil, replied:
“I would have changed even without the new High Priest. But since you won’t believe me anyway, let’s just say it’s because of him.”
“What a vague answer.”
“My current state is vague, so please understand. By the way… aren’t you going back to the Duke’s estate?”
Raha figured since the treatment was done, the man should leave. Grey stared at him, his brow twitching.
“It sounds like you’re telling me to get lost.”
“Of course not, Your Grace. I’m simply concerned that your precious time is being wasted in a place like this.”
“Since when did the High Priest care about my time?”
“I’m starting now.”
‘Because you’re a valued customer,’ he finished in his head, forcing a smile.
Grey’s eyes wavered.
“I think I need more rest,” Raha said, a clear hint for Grey to leave.
However, Grey’s response was so unexpected that Raha’s eyes flew open.
“Then rest. I shall look after you myself.”
