The calm bestowed by the Blade of the Sage suppressed Jasmine's fear, allowing her to feel her wounds heal with her emotions held steady.
She breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to thank him.
But she suddenly realized she could no longer seem to remember what gratitude or relief felt like.
All that remained in her heart was an indifferent calm, making even her thanks sound stiff:
"Thank you."
Fortunately, as her wounds healed and time passed, she gradually began to feel a faint stirring of emotion.
But a violent, oppressive feeling came with it, burning through her nerves like fire. Veins bulged beneath her rough skin, and her fingertips stretched out like claws.
The pain was less intense than when she had been bitten, leaving her lucid enough to understand Tang Qi's puzzled words:
"Looks like neither your constitution nor your luck is particularly good. It might be because the twin moons are approaching, when the symptoms of beastification are at their worst. You managed to resist the encroaching beast instinct, but couldn't withstand the curse's corruption."
"Will I die?" Jasmine asked fearfully.
"Only if you do nothing."
"What can I do?"
"Go into isolation and accept a priest's guidance. That will help strengthen your will."
"But Dean Marian never came back."
"The beastification curse corrupted her, and she hurt other people. Once it reaches that stage, there's no saving her—just like this boy."
Tang Qi had learned the broad outline from the guards—
Marian, the orphanage's dean, was a Beastkin hiding in the city. With the twin moons approaching, she had failed to resist the corruption of beastification, rushed out of the orphanage, and bitten a patrolling guard to death. It was that simple.
Tang Qi pointed at the unconscious, beastified boy.
"When he was biting you,