Special Tactics for Dealing with Rock-Brains (Continued)

Thus, Miss Surtr's nascent dissatisfaction with Persephone vanished like morning mist under the rising sun. A gust of wind and a ray of sunlight, and it was gone without a trace.

—I was wrong! Persephone, you're the real professional! You did a great job, a really great job!

"The consciousness fusion was perfect, with no memory loss or mental contamination. However, some impurities remain—congratulations, Operator Skadi. You and I are both very lucky. But you are even better off because Rhodes Island's main ship will be arriving soon, where you can receive some restorative follow-up treatment."

Persephone said softly, raising her hand and subtly prying off Miss Surtr's already stiff hand.

Skadi blinked.

"I feel very healthy."

"Whether you're healthy or not isn't up to you to decide; it's up to the doctor. And I'm the best doctor in this city." Persephone snorted, his academic tone brimming with the arrogance of an expert—and it must be said, arrogance can be quite effective in this situation.

Then she added, raising her hand, and a projection screen of her body appeared around her. A dozen or so bluish-black specks were highlighted—the one on her thigh being the most prominent. Clearly, even though the fire had healed her, some of the damage from before would still remain.

—I just don't know if this projection is real or if it was fabricated by Persephone as a means to deal with Skadi.

"Furthermore, the contract I signed with you includes medical services provided by Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals —Operator Skadi. Don't you think it's a reasonable strategy to verify its effectiveness yourself before your comrades arrive at Rhodes Island?"

This is an effective persuasion tactic.

Miss Skadi, who had initially had some objections and was not planning to follow the doctor's orders, immediately fell silent. Her beautiful, ruby-like eyes first stared at Persephone, and after several seconds, her gaze swept over the very rational and silent Miss Surtr and her hands.

Some things, once the right atmosphere is missed, will lose their effectiveness even if brought up again later.

Skadi nodded.

"I will comply with reasonable assignments." — I don't know if it was just my imagination, but she seemed to unconsciously puff out her chest when she said this.

Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't. But whether it is or isn't, this little trick has no effect on Persephone.

Then, the Miss Doctor from Rhodes Island snapped her fingers—several drones flew over, and an Originium- powered motorcycle approached with a low hum, driverless, but stopped at the nearest intersection.

"Please follow my instructions. You are not suitable for strenuous exercise right now—I'm sorry, Surtr and I have some confidential matters to discuss. I cannot accompany you in person for the time being, but can only accompany you remotely via drone."

She didn't say what the 'secret' was.

But Skadi wasn't ungrateful— Aegir's gaze lowered slightly, then he nodded. He addressed Miss Surtr, not the Rhodes Island Doctor, saying, "Understood. I will complete the treatment—and after it's over, I will return to fulfill my duties. After all, it's part of the contract."

After saying that, she turned around, and the drone guided her to the motorcycle, where it disappeared at the end of the street with a soft hum of Originium reaction.

Miss Surtr breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew... you've been a great help, Persephone."

She received an unexpected response.

"Why did you do such a big favor? What did I do?" Persephone tilted his head slightly.

"Uh... because you helped me out of that situation. Um..." Miss Surtr finally made a grasping gesture with her nimble five fingers.

She gave Persephone a knowing look.

"Are you still worried about that kind of thing?" However, Persephone's expression became even stranger. "Then you need to adapt quickly— Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals is a company that provides medical services. Physical contact like this is basically unavoidable in the future. And a medical professional should not have an allergic reaction or any similar reaction to touching a patient's body."

"But I'm not Medical Operator..."

"But there's probably no cure in the world more effective than your Flame of Burning Time." Persephone snorted softly. She controlled the drone swarm to set up the ritual in the designated area, and the complex, large-scale Originium Arts had the effect of isolating internal and external communication.

"Or do you simply have a special feeling towards Operator Skadi?" The Maiden Doctor raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Don't you dare slander someone's innocence out of thin air..."

"Since you're innocent, what are you so worried about?"

"Hmm..."

Someone's words thus came to a standstill.

The victorious Rhodes Island Doctor shrugged and walked towards the place where they had previously prepared to cut off communications.

"Surtr, the following conversation needs to be kept secret—all aspects, including prophecy, divination, and big data mapping, need to be kept secret," she said.

"..."

Miss Surtr did not respond, but she lightly touched Laevateinn, summoning a blazing fire that spread rapidly outwards.

Muspelheim, unfold.

The information gap was thus established, and the previous little topic was thus put to rest.

"You've been targeted, Surtr. Skadi's attack wasn't entirely her fault. While I'm not certain of the mastermind, it's likely connected to the Star Corruption, and they are destined to be our enemies."

Miss Surtr's expression turned serious.

Are you sure?

"I'm sure," Persephone nodded. "Those fishmen are specialized biological weapons, and based on my calculations and analysis of their structure, I've discovered that this was an operation doomed to fail from the start. In other words, it was a specially designed trap, and Skadi survived until you arrived because her role in this incident was merely that of a decoy."

Miss Surtr's fingers trembled slightly.

"In the deepest part of that city, I encountered someone I could converse with. It called me the King of Kings on Earth and questioned why I was looking towards the ocean... Is this related to that?"

"Very good, this is strong evidence." Persephone raised her hand, and a complex array of figures depicting the structural diagrams of those fish-man-like alien creatures appeared beside her. "They call you the King of Kings on Earth because your true fighting prowess is no secret to them. You are now merely unworthy. And part of their motivation is likely due to your recent interference in the realm of the deep sea."

"Because Rhodes Island recruited Skadi?"

"This is only a small part of the reason, and even some of your actions at the level of consciousness are only a small part of the cause—they claim sovereignty over the sea, so they are naturally opposed to you, the strongman on the land—one cannot allow another to sleep soundly beside one's bed, and the struggle between land and sea is only a matter of time."

Miss Surtr gently pressed her hand on her sword— Laevateinn responded, the flames burning even more intensely than before.

"So... I'm the one who dragged Skadi into this?"

"A misconception," Persephone replied calmly. "I have analyzed the structure of these alien species. Their physiological strength and growth potential are even higher than those of the Vayf, almost on par with those rare fantasy species—undoubtedly, the beings that shaped them possess the status of gods. And there is more than one god involved in their design."

"The war between land and sea will break out sooner or later, and Skadi, as Abyssal Hunter who patrols the ocean, will one day face an adversary of this level... She will die, at a time when you won't even notice, somewhere you'll never know. Recruiting her is actually a form of protection for her."

"You will protect every Rhodes Island operator, won't you?" Persephone stated the fact. "And I will too."

Then the air became quiet.

"... What do you need me to do?"

"I don't need you to do anything, at least not now." Persephone shook his head slightly. "This is still the initial stage of mutual probing and preparation. It's the battlefield between me and them. I will probe their secrets and discover their weaknesses. And only after that will it be your time to exert your power."

"And before that..." she paused.

"Keep it a secret from the others who know. They might get in the way of my plans. Especially Skadi, even though she's one of the people involved. But given her involvement with both land and sea, I've decided to temporarily deprive her of the right to know. I'll treat this attack as a conflict between the deep sea and the Abyssal Hunter, albeit a rather unusual one."