''Ah ... Sola. It's been a while.


　The priest Sela, whom I hadn't seen in almost a month, looked very pale, as deep fatigue and dark anxiety melted together.

　He looked at me and smiled quickly, but his appearance was nothing short of painful. I had guessed from the condition of the children, but my daughter (Ilaria) must be in a very bad way.

　Priest Serra explained with a somber look on her face.


I'm sure you've heard of it. However, the symptoms soon returned and that's not all. When the symptoms recur, the previously effective medicines and magic become less effective and eventually stop working at all.


　It's as if the disease is growing and evolving inside the patient's body.

　When I visited this village in the past, I left not only the antidote to the Union's antidote, but also the fruit of the Jiraiyaokus. According to the priest Serra, even the fruit of Jiriaokus is not effective against Ilaria right now.

　I'm sure that this is finally the Hydra's poison. That's what I thought, and when I tried to tell the priest about the events of the past few days - I hesitated.


　It takes courage to tell my mother (Sailor) that the poison that is invading her daughter (Ilaria) is incurable.

　Like a doctor telling a patient's family that a disease is incurable. The problem here is that I don't have the professional knowledge and qualifications of a doctor, and the important part of "incurable" is just a guess.

　In other words, I'm a quack doctor.

　When such a person says, "There is a possibility that this poison is incurable," who in the world would believe him? He would be yelled at for saying "Don't talk nonsense".

　If I were in the position of a Sailor Priest, I would not be satisfied with just shouting at him, but would hit him as hard as I could.



　So I thought about keeping my mouth shut about it and handing over the antidote that Miroslav's devotion had produced.

　But this was also a problem.

　According to Miroslav, my blood is the same as a powerful drug. It would be a problem to administer that medicinal drug mixed with the drug to Ilaria without any explanation. In the worst case scenario, it could cause fatal damage to Ilaria's weakened body.

　However, if I explain that in detail, I have no choice but to mention the incurable nature of the poison. I'll have to reveal some of my own secrets as well.

　All of this would be a cloud-grabbing story for the Sailor Priest.

　It's hard to imagine myself being looked at with such disdain by a priest at this critical time as an idiot, but even in my imagination it's quite bearable.


''...?　Miss Sola, is something wrong?

'Wow!　What, why did you think that...?

By the way, we haven't yet heard the purpose of this visit, since you looked so distressed. If you have something to discuss with me, please don't hesitate to let me know.


　After saying this, the priest put his hand to his matted cheek as if he was ashamed of his current state.


''Ah........well, you may think that I am not good enough to ask for help now. But even with this, I used to be a priest warrior just like Ilaria. I have more strength than I look!


　And then the priest Sailor made a strong hump.

　--I almost fell to my knees on the spot.

　I had to do it to repent to the lovely priest who was so kind to me when my daughter was in trouble.

　The current me, who is reluctant to give out necessary information because I don't want to be yelled at or looked at with disdain, is surely lower than a goblin.

　What I have to do now is treat Ilaria. What's the need to hesitate when you know that?

　It's true that there is no basis for my speculation about Hydra or anything like that, but I don't speak falsehoods with malice. There's no way the priest in front of me wouldn't have guessed that much!


Actually...


　I was determined to find out more about the events that led up to this day to the priest Sailor.

　The priest Sela listened with a serious expression on his face from start to finish.


◆ ◆ ◆



　Afterwards, I was invited into the hospital room to face Ilaria one-on-one.

　This was because Ilaria had heard my story through her mother (Sailor) and wanted to talk to me directly. The Sailor priest was also absent from his seat.


　Ilaria only raised her upper body on her bunk.

　Her gaze was not on me, but out the window. All I could see was the left half of Ilaria's face. Maintaining that position, Ilaria let out a curt first word.


'So what do you mean by that?'

'I don't know what to say to that one.


　I shrugged my shoulders and responded to Ilia.

　In fact, I was inwardly relieved.

　Until the moment I entered the hospital room, my mind kept replaying the face I'd seen in the village and Ilaria's. But now that I'm up close and personal with the patient, my attitude and the sound of his voice are all the same. But now that I've been in close contact with her, I can see and hear the same Ilaria I knew. The first words she said to me were a relief to me, because she had done a great job of dispelling the illusion that had lodged in my mind.

　Ilaria, who had no way of knowing what was on my mind, continued to speak in a displeased manner.


I'm not going to be able to help you. I'm asking you why you would help me if I had a grudge against you. My death is not going to make you happy or sad,

That's a terrible assessment. Well, there's no denying it.

Hmm. And?

'It's true that I have feelings for you, but if you die, the children and the priest's hall will be saddened. I don't want to see those people sad.

Hmm.


　Keeping her gaze fixed on the outside of the window, Ilia snickered as if to poke fun at our argument.

　The next time Ilaria opened her mouth, the subject had shifted to something else.


'I've heard most of what Lars has to say about you. I understand that Milo has now joined your clan as well?

Yeah, yeah.

That Milo, you know. Even though he saved your life on Mt. Skim, I still can't believe how honest he was about leaving Lars and joining you. He was the one who encouraged Lars to go to bat for you so much, the one who wanted to hurt you so badly. Who spoiled Lars and pushed me away all those years ago.

What do you mean by that?

I've thought about it several times since I left Ishqa. 'I've thought many times since I left Ishqa that Milo's actions have been very good for you, if only because of the results. Luna and Milo are out, and Lars has become very quiet. The Falcon Falcon Blade is as good as gone. Everything was exactly as someone wanted it to be - is it too much to think that way?

Well, I don't know what to tell you.


　I inwardly brace myself while finally responding calmly. It seems that Ilaria has noticed the connection between me and Miroslav.

　Naturally, she's probably sensed that she's included in my target.

　In fact, Ilaria has said the following.


'I suspect that even this poison is the work of someone else.


　Hearing that, I frowned.

　It's true that the situation is unavoidable even if they are suspicious. I tricked Lars into taking away Lunamaria and Miroslav, effectively disbanding The Sword of the Falcon. If the only remaining Iria in this situation was poisoned by a new kind of poison, and I conveniently appeared there and provided a new antidote - yes, it would be full of suspiciousness. Even if I were in Ilaria's shoes, I'd be suspicious of my involvement.

　But there is absolutely no truth to this. I denied it in a strong tone.


'It's a frame-up. It's true that you said you didn't want the children and the High Priest to be sad.


　I expected to be snickered at again, but contrary to my expectations, Ilia nodded easily.


'I suppose.'

...Yes?


　I'm dazzled by Ilaria's frank admission of her wet clothes.

　Ilaria shrugged her shoulders tiredly at me.


I know. It's not an easy thing for my mother to make an unruly poison. Besides, letting the children attack the kelpies to lure me in is far from uncertain. You would stand around more efficiently if you wanted to.


　So, Ilaria repeated, I know I wasn't involved in this one, she said.

　I know, and yet I've mentioned my suspicions--


It's just harassment. You're giving me a lot of trouble, and you're messing with me. It's just a nice way to return the favor.

I'm going to have no comment.

I'm not expecting a response from you.


　Then Ilaria let out a small sigh.

　I had doubts about Ilaria's attitude. I had expected Ilaria to be more furious when she found out the truth and to denounce me fiercely.

　Even if the poison is making me sick now, there are many things I could have done before the poisoning took over. The only thing I could do was to tell Lars and the priest Sailor about my conspiracy, even if I was still under the influence of the poison. I have the strength to talk to me right now.

　When I asked that, Ilaria said bluntly.


'What do you want me to do by telling you?

What do you mean by ... counterattack?

I can't. There is no proof. Even if you want to denounce them, you can't talk about it without proof. In the past, I could have cornered you with circumstantial evidence and the power of the Hayabusa Sword, but I can't do that now. Above all, if we had cornered you so badly, you would have tried to kill us for real. I was afraid of that.


　The words of Ilaria reminded me of the predictions of Lunamaria I had heard before.

　I'm sure you've heard the same thing about Miroslav and I. Lunamaria, too, saw the connection between me and Miroslav and accepted the idea of falling into slavery. If I refused to do anything wrong, I would be left with no choice. Instead - she said so and willingly fell into my hands.

　The Lunamaria at that time and the Ilaria now may have the same feelings. Unlike Lunamaria, Iria is not aware of the Soul Eater, so she probably doesn't have the same sense of urgency as Lunamaria, but Iria still knows me before. So that's why she can recognize my abnormality now more deeply than the rest of us.

　Maybe it was that awe that made her hesitate to fight back against me. Or so I thought.



　As I was thinking about this, Ilaria suddenly began to cough.

　At first, she only coughed lightly two or three times with a conk. But soon after, another coughing fit ensued, and it didn't seem to be stopping at all.

　I was about to step forward when I saw Ilaria snap painfully at my back, and I rushed to stop myself. I'm sure Ilaria doesn't want me to rub her back, either.

　I decide it's best to call the priest Sailor, and I turn to leave the room.



　But right behind me, I heard a loud coughing sound. When I look over there, I see that Ilaria's hands and mouth are covered in a red-black liquid.

　Not only that, but I saw Ilaria twisting her upper body around and collapsing on the bunk, and I ran over to see if I shouldn't do this.

　And then, perhaps noticing my approach, I saw Ilaria turn her frightened face to me.


　-- at that moment, I gasped.


　Up to this point, I had been facing out the window. Because of its position, the only thing I could see in my field of vision was the left half of Ilaria's face. When she turned her head to me, I saw her right side for the first time today.

　I didn't know how to describe it, but the words didn't come to mind at once.

　The right half of Ilaria's face was - well, severely blurred.

　The left half of the face is exactly the same as the Ilaria I knew. The left half of the face was the same as the Ilaria I knew, sharp and toned, with dignified, well-rounded good looks.

　Yet the right half of the face is a different person. The cheekbones are hanging down sloppily, and the eyes and eyebrows are bulging, disfiguring a face that should be beautiful.

　It was exactly the same as the symptoms of the sick people I had seen in that village.