It Really Is the Wrong Time

The unease deep in her eyes vanished silently, leaving only a purer emotion—her body, now slightly relaxed, finally went completely limp, like an offering placed before a god, awaiting to be enjoyed.

She gave a soft hum, offering no opinion, and simply closed her eyes.

This was perhaps the period when Persephone's control over Chernobog was at its lowest.

Because she didn't even notice that the rabbit, who was holding a bouquet of carnations and had taken a break from her sea of documents to visit a patient during a short break in the morning, was standing at the end of the hospital corridor, having listened to and witnessed most of what had happened in those few minutes!

A 'thud' sounded.

With a crisp sound as the bouquet fell to the ground, Amiya gave up thinking.

Chapter 150 - It's Definitely Not the Right Time

As is widely known, Persephone was one of the world's most outstanding strategists.

As the most outstanding strategist, he naturally has many ways to deal with all sorts of unexpected or sudden situations.

The specific manifestation of this is—

Miss Surtr blinked. It was midnight. And she was in the research building where Persephone.

Persephone was still in her arms, in a similar position, but the situation was different. Because at this moment, she was holding Persephone with one hand while pulling at her shoes with the other. With a slight exertion of her fingertips, she was about to rip away the ankle brace.

Surtr: "..."

Persephone: "...~"

Very well, it seems this purple-haired beauty has chosen a very interesting daily save point—I wonder if squandering her energy like this will affect her physiological functions— Miss Surtr's cheeks twitched, and along with the suddenly focused gaze, an unnamed anger also arose on her.

How could she do that?!

How could she be so careless about her own body?!

How could she, how dare she—!?

The Flame-haired maiden lowered her eyes slightly.

"Why do this?" she asked. "It's...it's not something that needs to be hidden. Amiya understands—"

"Amiya is only fourteen years old this year." The purple-haired Maiden Doctor cut into her tone, interrupting her thoughts without hesitation. "She treats you as her closest older sister, and me as her most respected teacher... and you and I both share some of our mother's traits in her heart. And more importantly, her power comes from Theresia."

"Her mind is far more developed and resilient than that of her peers, but strength and weakness often go hand in hand. Once her mind wavers, the resulting avalanche will be far more terrifying and irreversible than the mental breakdown of an ordinary person. And what she witnessed on the porch has clearly constructed a distorted perception in her mind. Although it is unknown what she has connected with it, Amiya, even in a panic, would never throw a gift given to someone, especially someone as close as Kal'tsit, on the ground."

She tilted her head back, showing no intention of getting off Miss Surtr, and instead wrapped her arms around the red-haired creature's neck. A cool and persuasive voice emanated from her lips.

"Surtr, when do you throw a gift you received while visiting a close patient on the ground?"

"...I won't make that mistake." Surtr seemed to sense something—she wasn't too bothered by Persephone's little trick.

The Maiden Doctor's lips curled up slightly.

"Amiya wouldn't have been able to either. You should know her potential and talent."

"Since she has lost control to the point where she can no longer maintain her own limbs and movements, and is even unable to take timely remedial measures, it means that her mind has developed a serious flaw due to this erroneous perception—which could potentially become her death warrant in the future. Even if I arrange psychological treatment immediately, it may leave some hidden troubles and fragile scars. Therefore, rather than letting her carry such an unknown time bomb, it is better for me to take action and eliminate the source before any problems arise."

She spoke with conviction.

While Miss Surtr felt that this guy was just making excuses, his argument seemed to have no flaws.

She tried to struggle in her death throes.

"Amiya has mistaken something..."

"I don't know." However, Persephone did not give her a chance to retaliate. "Perhaps she thinks you are bullying me, or perhaps she has some unrealistic fantasies about the relationship between us. Perhaps her fourteen-year-old girl nature has instantly conjured up a tragicomedy of 500,000 words for us—there are many possibilities, and unless I defeat her Originium Arts and force her to read her mind, I cannot draw a definite conclusion."

"But I won't do that. Even the best outcome of breaking the Lord of Fiends's technique to force her to read minds would cause Amiya's mental age to regress by ten years. And I promised you, whether I intend to go back in time or not, I will never hurt any of the Rhodes Island operators around me again."

This was a fatal blow, Miss Surtr, who had thus completely lost her right to speak on the matter. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, shifted slightly, and as she sat back down in her chair with the Maiden Doctor in her arms, she couldn't help but let out a sigh.

She had no reason to be angry with Persephone, nor should she have—because for Persephone, life was a consumable resource, and she knew very well when and where to use those resources.

Thirty times a day, the price Persephone paid for reloading save files was merely a temporary loss of sanity. And whether it was her, or others like herself who knew the truth, no matter how many promises and vows they made out of respect for life, they all secretly planned how to utilize this ability.

She did the right thing. Because it was her power, she had the right to decide how to use it, and her decisions were indeed making things better.

—She did nothing wrong.

—But why... am I so angry?

His throat bobbed, but the anger in his heart ultimately didn't manifest as inappropriate words. He adjusted his position holding the girl in his arms slightly to ensure her comfort, and what escaped his lips was only concern.

"Do you want me to... hold you while you sleep? Will doing so help you regain your lost sanity?"

"No." The girl in his arms raised her voice slightly. "This isn't enough."

"Then what would be enough?"

She saw the purple-haired girl, curled up in a comfortable position, stretch her ankles, letting gravity pull the short boot, which was only half hanging, down to the ground.

"Do what you and I were supposed to do at this point in time." — Persephone whispered in her ear, "I won't resist. Take off my shoes and socks, and then bite me a few times."

"Feet?" Miss Surtr's gaze unconsciously drifted to the toes of the girl in her arms. The jade-colored limbs encased in sheer black stockings were indeed incredibly alluring—she even imagined the specific positions and the sensation between her teeth. Although it felt somewhat... improper. But a best friend, or rather, someone with a relationship beyond best friends, should be capable of doing such a thing, right?

My face felt a little hot, perhaps from shyness, or perhaps from disliking this somewhat passive behavior.

But she had no intention of going back on her word—a promise made should be kept. And since such action was in Persephone's best interest, there was no need for wavering.

However, just as she was about to do so, the girl in her arms gently shook her head.

"Not your feet, bite my neck. The feeling of being killed by a predator is a novel experience, but only you can make me feel restrained and controlled."

Very well, the discomfort of being forced into a passive action vanished in an instant. Now Miss Surtr was certain that she was simply feeling awkward.

—Speaking of which, is it really possible for best friends to do this kind of thing? This Warfarin behavior...

—Ah, right. I did tell Warfarin before that I could let her drink my blood. And at the time, I didn't seem to feel any embarrassment... Hmm, that makes sense now. After all, I'm a Sarkaz, so it's not surprising that I received a Warfarin- style invitation from Persephone.

--perhaps...

Her brain worked strangely, completing a logical line that seemed bizarre yet inexplicably connected—she accepted Persephone's theory and planned to put it into action immediately.

Removing her boots and stockings, the girl in his arms didn't resist, but her body stiffened for several moments. She saw Persephone close her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. And when he leaned down towards her, the delicate body in his arms obediently raised its neck.

This is strange.

This is really strange!