The Half-Mad Shepherd

"Ms. Anna, what happened?"

The girl called Cecilia asked,

"My man..."

Compared to the beautiful young woman, the woman covered in grease felt somewhat ashamed. But the most important thing now was that her husband was seriously injured, so she quickly explained and said, "They all say you can heal the seriously injured. I have no other choice but to come to you. Please have mercy and save my husband."

Her voice was filled with anxiety and pleading.

Although the idea of healing a seriously injured person sounds too magical, like something out of a fairy tale, the unusual girl in front of her and the strange atmosphere surrounding her family made her willing to seize this slim chance.

The girl's gaze passed over the woman's shoulder, looked at the injured Lame Jack, and then turned back to the woman in front of her.

"OK."

She said.

A murmur rippled through the crowd, a hint of panic emerging as people exchanged surprised glances. Although rumors had been circulating for some time, seeing the other party agree so readily still seemed unbelievable to them.

"That.."

Hope shone in the woman's eyes.

"But do you remember the compensation I mentioned?"

"Of course I remember, I've already sent my child to get it."

"That's good."

"Then, should I have them carry my man inside?"

The woman asked tentatively, but the workers seemed reluctant to answer. Although they didn't know the specifics, the room was clearly not a good place, and they didn't want to go in.

"It's alright, you don't need to go in."

The girl walked down the steps and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, approached the injured, Lame Jack and bent down. Despite her seemingly slender frame, she easily lifted Jack, who would have taken several workers to carry, and steadily carried him back into the house.

She turned back before entering the house.

"Please wait outside, and no matter what happens, do not come in."

The shadows covered her face, making her words sound eerie.

No one dared to answer.

With a "bang," the door slammed shut.

A few minutes of silence followed.

People exchanged uneasy glances, then turned their attention to the woman at the front, whispering amongst themselves about how she was "out of her mind" and how "that family is horrible."

The woman waited anxiously, her hands clasped tightly together, as if grasping at a glimmer of hope. Her child was carrying a basket of fresh fish.

She stumbled in, about to call for her mother, but she grabbed her and wouldn't let her speak.

The air was unbearably silent. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened again.

"Crunch-"

The sound of the door opening startled the woman. Looking up, she saw the stunningly beautiful young woman supporting her husband, who was still deathly pale and unconscious, but his legs...

"Jack!"

Overwhelmed with unbelievable joy, the woman screamed and rushed over to catch the man. She saw that his previously crushed leg had returned to its normal shape and was now wrapped in bandages. Although the bandages were stained with blood, it was so much better than the horrific state it had been in before!

The crowd looked at the healed man with surprise and uncertainty, and when they looked at the girl, their eyes held a mixture of awe and fear.

"His leg was saved, but he lost a lot of blood and needs to rest for a while."

She announced.

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

The woman wept uncontrollably.

"You're welcome, the doctor is my brother."

The girl said, taking the fresh fish from the woman, "Well then, let's stop here."

No one in the crowd dared to stop her or ask her any questions; they simply let her go back into the house and close the door.

"Jack, you're finally alive...!"

The woman said excitedly that as long as her husband was alive, her family still had a chance to survive. Although her husband needed to rest, with that soli and the money she had earned, they would be able to make ends meet for a few days.

She saw hope again!

People gathered around and helped her carry the man home. No one noticed the strange look on the man's pale face; a hint of terror lingered in his eyes, as if he had just witnessed something extremely horrific.

After closing the door, the beautiful young woman, carrying a basket full of fresh fish, stepped into the living room.

The living room curtains were drawn, and the lights were off, making it very dark.

On the sofa in the living room sat a man encased in a straitjacket. In the darkness, his azure eyes reflected a faint light.

The darkness of the room couldn't hide the man's handsome face, though he seemed somewhat strange, his expression slightly crazed. He was muttering to himself.

Using abstruse language, they recited obscure and ancient poems:

"... The Lord descended upon the world and proclaimed, 'I have come, and all rebellion will be punished.' His sword awoke from the blood, and there was nothing else red on earth..."

The Filth, blasphemous sounds vibrated like invisible blades, shaking the surrounding air.

The girl, carrying a basket, approached calmly. The veins on her face bulged rapidly and turned black. Even so, she did not stop until she stood before the man.

"Elder brother."

She said, pressing a fresh fish to the man's lips.

The man's hazy Consciousness returned, and he opened his mouth, biting into the fish.

"Brush!"

The fish meat melted rapidly, like a candle exposed to high heat, turning into a clean skeleton within seconds. The girl put down the fish bones, picked up another fresh fish, and repeated the process until the man had devoured the entire basket of fish.

After eating a basket of fish, the man's lips turned a bright red, but the red color quickly faded.

He breathed a long sigh of relief, his expression returning to normal, and his frenzied nature dissipated considerably. He stopped reciting epics about gods and instead quieted down, smiling and winking at his sister.

"How's it going, Luther? Do you feel like you've digested the Potion?"

The girl put down the basket, untied the belt from his straitjacket, and asked him with concern.

"I don't feel much has changed. It seems the key to digesting the 'Rose Bishop' Potion isn't in this."

Luther Rondal felt the changes within his body and shook his head.

"I see..."

The girl's voice lowered slightly, "It's a pity we couldn't cure your half-madness. And because of this attempt, we also exposed our own peculiarities... I reckon we won't be able to stay here any longer."

"It's alright, little sister, don't worry."

Luther chuckled lightly, "No matter what, I'm Sequence 5 Shepherd now... Although my condition is unstable, as long as I digest it slowly, I'll get better sooner or later."

Soothing his sister, he looked around and couldn't help but sigh.

I've actually arrived in Backlund...

He thought.