Translator: Reo
Editor: PalenMisha
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 76 – Heart – Assam
I woke the sleeping Toki up so that he could have some dinner. He was still tired despite the recovery magic that I cast on him and he nodded off during the meal, though he still managed to finish eating his “zosui”1. I was glad that the meal was made out of maihan so the portions were small.
I cast purification on the inside of Toki’s mouth and let him fall back to sleep again.
After confirming that the surgery could be done, practicing the method for it, and taking care of the urgent state affairs, the operation could finally begin.
It was the same lineup of people from when we operated on Toki’s stomach, with the exception of Yarra. This time, Mima and Issa would be standing guard.
“Laham, for Toki’s mana core, I would like to use this.”
The mana core was the place where one’s magic originated; it was the core inside the heart from which magic was produced. In this world, there wasn’t a single human who didn’t have one. And, in order to heal Toki’s heart, we decided to implant a mana core inside him.
There was a way to artificially manufacture a mana core, but I wanted Toki to have some of mine.
“Is that the fragment from your mana core?” Father asked, looking at me with a pained expression on his face.
It was an object that had been hidden in the depths of the palace along with its painful past.
“Yes, it is the fragment from when I was attacked.”
When I was twelve, one of my attendants tried to kill me. That person believed in the superstition that the mana core of a royal held the key to immortality, so they tried to pry the mana core from my heart.
Laham and Yarra were there at the time and managed to subdue the culprit. They did their best to resuscitate me, but they couldn’t reattach the fragment that had broken off.
Normally, a piece of mana core could be reattached immediately after it had broken off, but by the time anyone noticed, a leaf2 had passed and it was already too late.
Since a piece of my mana core was missing, the amount of magic I possessed should have been reduced as well, but it increased instead and was of a much higher purity than before.
The fragment that used to be inside of me is what will let Toki live. The mana core was where magic power resided and Toki’s body rejected magic from anyone other than me. This way, his body will become strong and healthy.
Laham received the fragment from my hand, nodded, and showed it to the rest.
“This is our best option. My only worry was that Toki-sama’s body would reject a mana core, but if we use a part of His Highness’s core there shouldn’t be a problem. The mana core we prepared was also made by His Highness, but the purity of this fragment is far superior.”
The fragment was as big as the nail of my pinky and was a deep blue shade (it was said the mana core had the same color as one’s eyes). This would be implanted in Toki’s heart, exactly where the foreign object currently was.
We had to regenerate the blood vessels, remove the foreign object, and implant the fragment. All of this had to be done in three bi3, as speed and accuracy were crucial for lessening the burden on the heart during the operation.
“Other than His Highness and me, I would like everyone to do the same as last time. Please take your places so that we can begin.”
At the sound of Laham’s voice, His Majesty and Tsugura went to their stations where they secured and purified the area.
Laham placed a hand above and below Toki’s heart and I put my own hands in between them, my fingers on the center of his heart.
I sent Laham a signal with my eyes.
“Here we go. Start!”
Immediately, Laham supported my magic and we stopped Toki’s heart.
I regenerated the damaged blood vessels and used my magic to remove the foreign object, slipping it past flesh, nerves, and skin. I placed the fragment in the gap where the foreign object had been and used magic to fix it in place and seal the gap in Toki’s heart.
Laham used a magic circle to restimulate Toki’s heart and, with a thump, it came back to life. The blood that was pumped out by that regular heartbeat had magic in it and it circulated throughout Toki’s body.
“It’s… a success. Good work everyone.” Laham looked at Toki and smiled.
Everyone in the room celebrated quietly by raising their fists, in order not to wake Toki up.
His Majesty went back to his office, asking that we contact him when Toki woke up. The two guards outside went to report the success to their comrades. Tsugura left to make the finishing touches on Toki’s revue. Laham warned me to refrain from sexual activity for one leaf and returned home as well. Now, there was only me looking down at Toki’s sleeping face.
Finally, finally, you’ve been cured.
A sudden flood of emotions made me tear up.
“Sorry for being late. I’m so glad. Thank you for being alive. Truly, truly thank you.”
Finally free from the constant fear that I would one day lose Toki, I wept in my room alone.
