The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

Healing exists.
Until now, no sacred priest, bishop, or archbishop had even managed to mimic anything like healing magic, but from this moment, healing is real.
Lancel hurriedly recalled what types of healing magic there were.

Without much complexity, healing magic was broadly divided into three categories.
First was the most basic recovery magic: Heal. He had already seen that it worked, so he passed over it.
The second was the “blessing” type that raised the target’s stats.

“Huff, huff, how long do we have to keep doing this?”
“Keep running.”
“Ugh!”
On one side, Hesti was made to run around the mansion’s garden in circles; on the other, Merigold was made to pray.
“I pray for Hesti’s stamina to improve... I pray for Hesti’s stamina to improve...”

Even Lancel thought this was a simple and crude experiment, but what could he do?
Hesti, dressed in exercise clothes, was nearly exhausted after surpassing 20 laps in the garden.
“Hah, heh!”

She looked ready to collapse at any moment.
“Uh?”
A change appeared on Hesti’s face. Her trembling legs regained strength. Her wobbly posture straightened. She began running energetically again around the garden.

It was different from a simple runner’s high. Understandably so.
“Effect?”
Lancel noticed clusters of shimmering light following Hesti’s body as she recovered stamina and ran.

“It’s a blessing!”
He turned his eyes to Merigold sitting nearby. She still muttered the prayer he had asked for with her hands tightly clasped.
“I pray for Hesti to grow stronger... for her to run up to 100 laps... for her to bake honey bread today... Hesti...”
Though it was barely a prayer, the effect was clear. Hesti, who had spent all her stamina by 20 laps, quickly reached 40 laps.

“My lord, a god has come down to me! I’m glowing right now!”
“The amazing part is that she really is glowing.”
Hesti, running with sparkling light trailing her, eventually collapsed after 80 laps. She was granted a three-day rest starting the next day.
There was also “enhancement magic” in the system, so it wasn’t entirely unique, but it had its own distinctions.

“It’s all about the effect.”
Recalling the light flowing from Hesti’s body, Lancel thought that the holy-looking effect was the defining feature of healing magic. After all, everything boils down to visual appeal.
Next was the third type, which corresponded to the “attack” category within healing magic.

Crackle!
“Oh!”
“Something appeared! Something flashed, my lord!”
Baron Ibil Shen and Hesti clasped hands, amazed.

The light from Merigold’s palm instantly burned a leaf to ashes, scattering as powder.
“That would sting quite a bit if it hit.”
Judging by attack power alone, it looked pathetic. Quilted armor could easily block it, preventing third-degree burns.

He recalled it worked well against undead, ghosts, demons, and such, but Merigold had no reason to fight those creatures in this cycle.
Anyway, the important thing was that it was possible.
==========
—Merigold has begun ‘beginner’ healing magic! Skill is still poor!

Merigold had finally handled all three branches of healing magic.
—Healing exists!
Yes. Healing magic exists. Surprisingly, it was possible.

In this world, only Merigold.
“What should I do next, saint? Just tell me! I’ll do anything.”
Merigold puffed out her breath like someone whose desire for recognition had been satisfied by repeated reactions.

Considering that Merigold had been facing the starving ending not long ago, this was huge progress.
“If there’s someone who’s sick, bring them all to me. I’ll heal them all! From now on, just trust me.”
Seeing Merigold speaking confidently around the mansion, Lancel quietly stroked his chin.

“Merigold handles healing magic.”
The 200th branch of the Saint’s Church.
It would be reached soon, wouldn’t it?
.
.
.

“Soon the Saint’s Church approval will be revoked.”
Lancel could not ignore the words of the man in the white hood.
===========
—Encounter event triggered. ‘Fourth Prince Cerild Olivia Frizia’ has visited Merigold’s church.

“There’s still more use for the Martyr Church in the empire.”
Beneath the hood, lips curved faintly. Lancel had met the frail Fourth Prince Cerild at the Saint’s Church.
 
That day.

Lancel, attending Merigold’s dawn prayer for the first time, was almost overwhelmed.
“Was it always this crowded?”
“The number grows every day. We have to expand the building quickly. At this rate, there won’t even be a seat for me.”
As Baron Ibil Shen said, there was barely room to move. Hundreds sat staring at the central platform.

Not long after, Merigold appeared, her eyes covered.
“Let us pray again today.”
Countless people quietly listened as Merigold muttered her prayers.

“She’s already a famous figure in the territory.”
In the dim space, bathed in light from above, Merigold looked truly solemn. Though he did not fully understand religion, it seemed many religious fanatics braved the dawn winds to attend.
Seeing believers crowded outside, eavesdropping, was a bit intimidating. Merigold might be the most famous priest in this territory.

“Therefore, Lancel Dante, you must evacuate Saint Meri outside the territory.”
And there Lancel met the Fourth Prince.
“If you revoke approval of an already approved order, the backlash would be enormous. Nobles gathering daily to see Saint Meri wouldn’t stand for it.”
“If the royal family itself considers it necessary, the empire can do even worse.”

The Fourth Prince spoke, hands neatly folded, gazing at Merigold.
“The Martyr Church exists to keep this empire from fracturing. That’s the difference with other orders. But the Saint’s Church is different. Its owner is Saint Meri. That fact may make some uncomfortable.”
Lancel felt how deeply the Fourth Prince’s words pierced.

“...I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You don’t have to understand it all.”
Ordinary people wouldn’t catch the meaning. The empire fracturing.
But Lancel knew what it meant.

He had spent decades trying to unify this empire. Memories from a time he thought that was his sole mission.
“There’s no need to keep an order that won’t reign as master. Just remember the palace thinks so.”
Lancel was silent for a moment.

Only Merigold’s voice reading prayers echoed.
“If you need help, say so. I’ll lend a hand.”
The Fourth Prince sounded sincere. Though weak in body, among the reckless princes, he was fairly normal.

Moreover, this was not his first visit to the Saint’s Church; a rosary carved with a saint’s figure hung around his neck.
Lancel pondered carefully.
“I have to somehow get the 200th branch built.”

What happened next was none of his concern. Merely escape to a quiet place and survive ten years, that was all.
Judging by Merigold’s momentum, the 200th branch was no longer difficult.
They only needed to speed up.

“I understand well. I’ll ask if I need help, Your Highness.”
“...”
Lancel’s words left the Fourth Prince momentarily speechless.
“Since when did you notice... no, forget it.”

He shook his head, caught off guard.
“Please take good care of Saint Meri.”
With that, the Fourth Prince left.

===========
—Reputation event: The 150th church has been established!
※Merigold’s karma decreases by 1 point.
The day Merigold’s karma halved again, the territory streets buzzed with excitement.
The next day was the final match of the long, drawn-out Imperial Knight Tournament.

The match was between Lancel Dante and the ‘Black Armor’ knight of the Martyr Church.
No one knew his identity.
Only that he appeared mid-tournament and quickly reached the finals.

[Final match odds: Lancel Dante 1.4x vs Black Armor 2.6x]
The knight tournament, which had heated up the capital Roadness, was at its peak.
 
“Meri.”
“Yes, my lord.”

Meri ran her fingers through Lancel’s hair as she spoke.
Every time her small hand stroked his hair, he felt a peculiar drowsiness.
“After the tournament, shall we go somewhere? Far away, like a trip.”
“Y-yes?”

For some reason, Meri’s body stiffened.
“Is that really true?”
“...?”
Lancel looked at her with puzzled eyes at her unexpected surprise.

What on earth did she think he meant by just saying a trip?
“Is someone like me really okay, Lord Lancel... You’re a noble after all.”
“...? What does being noble have to do with it?”
“Haah, hoo, haah, hooo!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Deep breaths, deep breaths...”
Her expression changed a dozen times in moments before she clasped her hands holding the comb as if in prayer.

For some reason, tears welled in Merigold’s eyes.
“I... it’s fine.”
Whatever misunderstanding she had was clear. But Lancel didn’t bother to correct it.

He thought he hadn’t said anything to cause misunderstanding in the first place. And since she looked happy, it was better to leave it be.
“So, where shall we go?”
“Well... somewhere near the sea. Having lived inland, I’ve had few chances to see seafood.”
“Seafood? Do you mean to eat it?”
“If we go near the archipelago...”
Lancel told Merigold about his wandering experiences late into the night.

She listened with an expression full of excitement.
“Meri. I’ll open your eyes.”
“...Yes?”
That casual remark from Lancel was the last memory of that day.

===========
—Reputation event: The 150th church has been established!
※Merigold’s karma decreases by 1 point.
Only 50 karma points remained.
Lancel planned to see the end in this final match. No matter what the royal family did to the Saint’s Church, he didn’t care. Even if they caused chaos late, they’d already lost 200 points. What could they do?

Opening Merigold’s eyes was enough. ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Nothing more was needed. At least in this cycle.
He intended to seal the deal in this final match. Then escape with Merigold. Was there a better plan?
“Lancel Dante enters!”

A roaring cheer shook the ground. Lancel walked down the dark corridor toward the center of the arena.
“Lancel Dante! Lancel Dante! Lancel Dante!”
“If you lose, we won’t forgive you!”
As he exited the corridor, the crowd’s roar hit his ears, nearly deafening.

“His opponent is!”
Lancel looked toward the opposite corridor where a man was walking out.
The man in black armor clanked forward as metal plates rubbed together.

His walking posture, aura, condensed magic, and unusual atmosphere gave Lancel a strangely familiar feeling.
“Black Armor...!”
The armored man slowly removed his helmet.

Lancel burst into a hollow laugh.
Too familiar a face.
“Beth Wayne!”

The crowd gasped in shock at the name.
Beth Wayne.
The empire’s strongest knight.
A man known to have vanished and gone into seclusion.
“You sent my disciple down in one blow.”

The sword guarding the first princess.
“Let’s see how good you really are.”
Beth Wayne was Lancel Dante’s teacher.

‘Can I... really win this?’
It was going to be tough.