Return to the City of Silver

Over the following days, Derrick stared blankly as the mushrooms roasted. Then he took the mushrooms Alice handed him without tasting them, bit down, chewed, swallowed, and took another bite...

He had no idea what he was eating. As long as someone put something in his hand, he stuffed it into his mouth. Alice watched eagerly, reaching for the poisonous mushrooms and the undercooked ones, only for Klein to slap her hand away.

"Don't use other people for experiments." Klein shot her a warning glance.

Alice had no choice but to give up on that idea and continued feeding Derrick until—

"Bleurgh!"

When he took another bite of mushroom, Derrick suddenly covered his mouth and began violently dry-heaving.

Alice immediately sprang away from Derrick. She had been wise to do so, because Derrick happened to turn toward her. Just as he opened his mouth, food surged out of his throat and raced all the way to the ground.

—He threw up.

Klein watched the scene. After a brief moment of shock, he realized what had happened. He glared at Alice, who gave an awkward laugh and explained:

"He ate whatever I gave him... He looked like the goldfish I used to keep.

"I remember feeding it. Once it finished eating, I gave it a little more. Then once it finished, I gave it more again. I always thought it wasn't full, but in the end..."

"It ate itself to death." Klein spoke expressionlessly.

Alice smiled cautiously and took a step back. After glaring at her, Klein looked toward Derrick, who was still vomiting, and asked:

"How about it?"

"I feel much better after throwing up..." Derrick straightened up and shook his head. "But I still kind of feel like vomiting..."

"If you don't mind," Alice moved close to Klein again