I was halfway speaking, when it finally dawned on me. It was not so much of an epiphany, and more of putting the pieces together; I realized what was going on right as the Plague Doctor put my thoughts into words.
"I can perform miracles, but I am no Saint. That is my secret."
I put a hand up to my cheeks and felt it for a moment. I slowly brought it down to my arms, feeling the smoothness of my skin. It felt… good as new.
Better than ever, in fact. Almost as if I had been applying some skincare product my entire life— which I had never done once in this world.
And yet, when the Plague Doctor performed his miracle on me, it not only healed all the minor injuries I suffered from the battle, it made me feel gorgeous!
"How does that work?" I asked. I quickly realized how dumb my question sounded and elaborated. "I mean, healing potions don’t do that, right? They just heal you. Regrow your skin so it's fleshy and weak. But your miracle healed me and it’s making my skin glow!"
My past self would have been so jealous of my current self’s body. It was like something straight out of a beauty commercial! Not that I had seen one in over ten years, of course.
"It’s not the same as an ordinary healing potion. My miracles don’t just heal one thing. It can target and purify everything at once. But it’s effects will wear off soon enough. A clean body only stays clean for so long."
"And that’s how you heal the Noxeus?"
"Yes," the Plague Doctor confirmed. "There is no potion— no cure for the Noxeus. At least, it’s not something that myself, or many other talented Alchemists, have been able to conceive. The very origins of the plague is a mystery. Trying to understand the plague itself is something that is many times more difficult. Let alone creating some sort of remedy for it."
"I see," I said, rubbing a temple.
"What’s wrong, Melas?"
"I was… hoping that there was a cure for it. You’re the Plague Doctor, you’ve seen it yourself— how bad the Noxeus gets." I shuddered as I recalled a pile of bodies on the side of a road back in the Free Lands. "I thought that if you had some potion for it, I could get you to share its recipe with the world."
"I would have already done so long ago if that were the case," the Plague Doctor stated simply.
"I know, I know," I sighed wistfully, "I just wish this world wasn’t so terrible."
"Agreed."
There was a moment of silence. But not complete silence. It was turning to day soon; the sounds of birds and insects filled the void, along with our footsteps as we trudged along the road.
I cast a quick glance at the girl on the Plague Doctor’s back. Hannah was still unconscious, even though she was completely healed. Supposedly, she was just asleep because she was tired. But her skin… and mine too…
"Do you… use your miracles on yourself?"
"Pardon?" the Plague Doctor paused midstep, and turned to me.
"When you took off your mask earlier, I saw your face. And your skin. It looked so good. Do you use your miracles to maintain that?" I inquired about what was clearly the most important question I had.
"...no comment."
"Hey, you need to tell me!" I raised a finger accusingly. "You do, don’t you?"
"No comment."
"You’ve got to teach me how to do that!"
"I told you earlier, it’s not something I know how to teach."
"But—"
"Shush, she’s waking up. We’ll talk more later today."
"Fine."
Hannah opened her eyes, shifting in her position on the man’s back. "W-what’s going on?"
"Do not strain yourself, Ms Hannah. Your wounds have healed, but you are still tired. Rest, and you will find yourself back with your family in no time—"
By the time we got back to the orphanage, the sun had already risen. But they were all waiting for us.
Everyone in the orphanage stood at the gate. They looked like they did not get a wink of sleep, but even so, they all jumped up when they saw us return.
"Hannah!"
"She’s back! She’s really back!"
"The Plague Doctor did it—"
…
Ok, fine! They jumped up when they saw the Plague Doctor return.
They all ran up to Hannah and embraced her in a tight hug. I could make out faces among the crowd: Eaton holding her tightly with both eyes clamped shut; Jay was holding back a tear as he clutched her arm, apologizing; Callie and Patty both crying simultaneously—
Faces I recognized. But people I barely knew. Even Ms Sharity, who was standing at the back, standing guiltily back away from them all.
"Hannah, I’m so glad you’re safe—"
"Mom," Hannah cut her off. She ran forwards at Sharity, and threw herself at her in a hug. "Mom— I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again! I thought I would never see anyone here ever again!"
The girl’s mother— no, the mother of this family eyes widened in shock at being called ‘mom’ for the first time. The rest of the family poured in on her, following after Hannah. All of them were crying now, and Sharity too had tears streaming down her face.
"Mom, why did this have to happen?"
"Please, mom. I promise I’ll do better!"
"Mommy, I love you so much—"
"My children, I’m so sorry that had to have happened. It was my fault. I promise I will not let that happen ever again."
It was a heartwarming scene happening here once again; too many in the span of three days. Yet, even though they were little more than strangers to me, I felt happy for them this time.
"It feels good, doesn’t it? To know
