This World Is Seriously Ill

"Do you enjoy the bloodshed of hunting beasts?"

"Do you find pleasure in killing?"

"Or are you intoxicated by the pride of standing above the top of the food chain?!"

"No! I only wanted to protect Yharnam and defend its people against the Beast Calamity!"

Maria held her head high and pressed a hand to Rakuyo, instinctively giving the answer that came from her heart.

Her words surged with pride, yet the man before her somehow made her feel as cramped and uneasy as when she faced her teacher, Gherman.

"Being forced to do something you dislike, using hands meant for watering flowers to hunt monsters and stain them with blood, all so the people here can live peaceful lives..."

"I think that is a great sacrifice in itself."

"As for preserving a shred of mercy on the battlefield and allowing them to die with dignity, that is your freedom, and the pride you have as a person."

"Maria, you did nothing wrong. Some people have merely lost their way."

"Besides, your teacher was too harsh on you."

Kevin placed one hand on the female hunter's fragrant shoulder and spoke earnestly. His gaze drifted toward the dark, distorted form stretched by the lamplight inside the room, as well as the tiny eyes secretly watching from behind the window.

"No, Teacher Gherman was right!"

"If I hadn't hesitated and had finished the hunt sooner, perhaps so many people wouldn't have been injured last night."

"I could clearly have saved more people..."

The mention of that name seemed to awaken Maria's defiant spirit. She gripped the hilt of her blade tightly, like a child who had done wrong and was reflecting on her mistakes.

"Saved them?"

Kevin withdrew his fingers from behind her, inspected them in the moonlight for a moment, then