It's Not Good to Say Such Things (Continued)

"Family members".

Persephone casually stepped over the mangled merman corpses, most of them fresh, sculpted at will by her hands and feet. A few, however, were slightly aged, bearing the marks of flames and chainsaw cuts.

These fishmen have found their target.

These fishmen had fought with their targets and allowed them to escape.

These merfolk could have won—they only needed to increase their numbers slightly to complete the hunt. But they deliberately sent out an insufficient number of pursuers.

The battle was fierce, a narrow victory, but not enough to hunt down or capture any pursuers alive, and the entire engagement showed no sign of any leniency in the number of pursuers.

"A test, a test for a war that will come sooner or later," she said softly, but the real secret remained only in her heart.

—Surtr is not in good condition, which would be a suitable misleading statement.

This might prompt the other side to adopt a slightly more aggressive approach to mobilizing forces, even if they eventually discover that their intelligence was flawed. This aggressive approach would also expose more of their secrets to me.

—It's a pity. I made a promise with her that I wouldn't use Rhodes Island operators as props. Otherwise, arranging some casualties here would have been more effective in maintaining secrecy.

—For example, this clan that was tricked and survived a great calamity, but could still die here.

She continued walking, and the signs of war became more and more apparent. She saw stone pillars that had been cleaved in two, and sculptures and buildings damaged by sharp blades and jagged forks.

She stopped in her tracks.

What came into view was an abandoned castle—this place really had too many ruins. However, compared to those fragmented ruins, where only the foundations remained, this castle was at least more intact.

—It smells like fire.

—A burning, boiling, yet faint flame.

She could hear a heartbeat, smell the faint scent of blood in the air. She could feel the wounded man's suppressed breathing, and sense the faint footsteps creeping silently closer among the temple pillars.

—Trying to ambush me?

—Because they can't distinguish between friend and foe?

—A weak creature.

—But it doesn't matter, a creature's behavior in a crisis is a suitable test. Let me see if you're a mad dog or a usable person.

So she continued walking forward, looking slightly wary, while speaking loudly as she went.

"I'm here to offer help, friend."

"I am Persephone, Doctor from Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals."

"I saw those filthy fishmen outside. I think you might need some help?"

She spoke with sincerity and earnestness—yet a hint of disappointment gradually surfaced in the depths of her eyes.

Because she sensed a gust of wind coming from behind, directed at her neck, disturbed by a sharp weapon.

Miss Surtr pressed her fingertips against Skadi's chest, and with a thought, a faint flame overflowed from her fingertips and seeped into the body of the sleeping orca—the poor creature had at least twenty-five wounds on its body, most of which were black and purple, tainted by a cursed poison.

—If I had arrived any later, this guy would have died here.

—Hmm... If I die in the Imperial Consciousness, will it be considered a real death?

With a thought, flames flowed forth. Having the experience of treating the puppy shark, there shouldn't be much difference if the patient were to be treated as a Miss Orca.

She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over Skadi, taking in all the wounds on her body and the blood flowing beneath them. Then, the flowing flames replaced Aegir's blood.

As it burned, the bluish-black cursed poison was forced out in wisps. The murky blood gradually turned into clear blood, and then the wound quickly scabbed over and closed.

When the injury was more than half healed, she heard a sound coming from inside Aegir's chest.

"Hmm..."

With a soft hum, Sleeping Beauty opened her eyes.

"You're awake?" Miss Surtr said gently, "Your condition isn't good, but I've cleared the area—can you return to the real world now? Or is there anything else you need?"

She saw Skadi's crimson eyes widen, like a fish's.

"You... Surtr? But why..." She subconsciously looked around. The priest's remains, burned to shreds of his cloak, and the scattered fragments of the merman came into view.

She couldn't help but breathe rapidly, and instinctively grasped Miss Surtr's hand that was placed on her chest.

"My comrade! This is a trap—I must save my comrade!"

She tried to get up.

However, Miss Surtr pressed down hard with her fingertips, pinning her to the 'soft bed' with her legs as a cushion.

"Persephone has already taken care of that matter. Don't worry, she can handle your companion's situation."

"But those fishmen..."

"Trust Persephone. Even if you don't trust her, at least trust me, who trusts Persephone. Don't I deserve your trust, Skadi?"

"..."

The Miss Orca on her lap was momentarily stunned. Then, she let out a soft sigh. Her slightly tense body relaxed a little.

Those deep red eyes lowered their gaze.

"I thought I would die here. I would fall into the dark depths of the sea, wither and scatter, leaving only eternal regret and pain until the end of my life."

She spoke lightly, her voice much gentler than before when she spoke incoherently.

"I thought I was going to disappear... because I left my companions and Rhodes Island without any announcement."

Her throat trembled, and although her eyes were closed, her eyelashes quivered.

"Wandering and searching in the realm of consciousness is no trivial matter. I am an expert in this, so I know that it will take a considerable amount of time to get here from Chernobog — Surtr, can you tell me? Why are you here? Why did you travel so far for me? I understand the culture of the earthlings, and I know that I am not a positive figure in your eyes. From the first time we met, I have been getting in your way..."

"...Why?"

Why?

This question is laughable—white hair and red eyes, a special forces member of the Rhodes Island, and with the super powerful ability to hold a sword between his thighs, plus he's an operator on Rhodes Island —with so many reasons, do you really need to ask why?

Nonsense.

Miss Surtr shook her head slightly inwardly, but naturally showed no sign of it outwardly.