“What does it take to become a priest?” I asked curiously as I watched him approach the body of the foxgirl.
“Devotion.” The man answered snidely.
Well, I had a passing interest in gaining the job. If I could get a few levels in it, I’d have the ability to fight ghosts. I had made sure to check with the guild, and ghosts did not have the same weakness to healing as the undead did. They were considered a phantasm or an entity, and thus Harm Undead was also useless. As for my Holy Circle, Sanctify Land, and Divine Aura, I suspected that they would be useful, but without a clear weapon to kill ghosts, I didn’t want to risk it again.
“So, how do we do this?” I asked Figuro nearby.
“Once he resurrects her, most of the damage in her body will be healed. Figuro explained. “Although she’ll be incredibly weak for a while. A normal person would be able to recover from that weakness. As for a foxgirl with that number of tails, she will likely only remain conscious for a few hours, slip back into a coma and die…unless…”
“You can pay the priest to use various healing on her. Nothing will cure her, but some boosts can help her.”
“You mean, like status boosts?”
Figuro nodded. “Priests have a spell that can temporarily increase a person’s health status. If her constitution is high enough, she will start to heal. Although you’d need him to keep applying the spell if you wanted her to live.”
“What about healing spells?” I asked.
“Temporary fixes. And at the cost the priest charges, you’d go broke in a month.”
I nodded. I wasn’t worried as I didn’t exist under the same rules as these guys. First off, I had Slave Master, which I believed should increase slave status across the board. That should help. Then, I had Party Status Up with Hero, which could increase status again as long as I put her in my party. That would mean I couldn’t do White Mage during that time. However, as a White Mage, I could also cast curative spells. Although there were mana restrictions, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to cast them on her daily to keep her vitality up. I also had hopes of finding other useful spells in the future. Perhaps Cure Disease and Cure Curse could do something as well. I wouldn’t even pay for resurrection if I didn’t have to, except that I didn’t know if white mages ever got it, and it was a rather high, level 20, spell for priests.
“If you have the money, I can create a tonic. My old Master created it for me. It helped me stay alive for years.” The foxgirl explained.
“What is her story, anyway?” I ignored the ghost, causing her to give an irritated expression. “Is she a lifer like Lydia?”
“Actually, foxkin do not grow their spiritual tail until they mature. Those that grow an additional tail or two are considered outcasts. Over three tails, and you’re exiled from the clan. When her tails grew, she quickly grew sickly and her parents weren’t able to expel her from her home. It was then that they handed her over to me for slavery. It’s not every day you’re handed a free slave, and I hoped I could sell her and recount the costs of watching over her. To be fair, I was able to sell her to an old alchemist initially. He used her to make concoctions and help him since he was growing blind.”
“Master… died last year.” She said sadly.
“He died last year, some claim it was the foxkin curse at play, but I don’t believe in such things.” Figuro sighed. “One could consider it a miracle she lived to 17. Whatever concoction he brewed that helped her remain alive for those three years died with him. “
“Not true… but the cost isn’t something a slave merchant would offer for a sickly slave. That’s why I never told him about it. Plus… they’re only temporary, I will still eventually die.” She spoke bitterly.
“I really had hoped to find her another home. At least, allow her to die in a loving environment, but she didn’t hold out. Are you really sure you want to take on this responsibility? There are many animalkin in Chalm, and while they are more welcoming than Dioshin, she may not be welcome there.”
“I’m the town’s hero.” I said with determination. “I’ll make her feel welcomed.”
The ghost girl looked stunned for a moment, staring at me with surprise over my bold statement. At that exact moment, the Priest raised his staff and started a chant. The girl opened her mouth as if wanting to say something to me.
She dissipated like smoke, whatever word she meant to say was lost to the wind. The color returned to her body and her eyes opened. Those eyes immediately shot to me as if she had already known exactly where I was standing. Well, she had as a ghost, but for anyone else, it was surprising, since she suddenly lunged at me, her arms wrapping around my waist. Her legs didn’t support her weight in the slightest, so she was hanging half off her bedding, close to falling.
“Master!” She cried out happily.