Ifrit was very upset.
During this time, although Gregor and the others treated her very well, the separation from Silence and the others still made her somewhat sad.
She couldn't understand why, even after the misunderstanding had been cleared up, Saria still chose to leave, as they had been unable to stand together due to it.
But to be honest, Ifrit didn't want to leave with Saria.
It's not that I hate them, it's just that I simply don't want to go back to Rhine Lab.
There were people she cared about there, but...
It's too cold.
That was a chilling cold that could frighten Ifrit was enduring the Flame Demon flames of the Balrog.
One by one, his companions were taken away and never returned, until finally it was his turn.
The excruciating pain of her body being torn apart drove her to madness, yet even though she ultimately survived, Ifrit felt an endless emptiness.
This led to an intense longing for companions.
Contrary to everyone's expectations, the girl disliked the Flame Demon Fragment's presumptuous actions, but she did not hate it.
Despite this realization fueling the Flame Demon fragment's rage on several occasions, Ifrit stubbornly maintained that the other was also a pitiful imprisoned creature.
Given that, it's understandable that they'd stick together for warmth, right?
Unfortunately, the Flame Demon fragment, whose mind wasn't quite clear, only wanted to possess the girl's body.
Over time, the girl stopped giving him a friendly look.
[Fatty]
She gave the bloated Flame Demon fragment a nickname.
So, that day, the shards of the Flame Demon went berserk once again.
Just as Ifrit was unhappy with the unruly tenant, the Flame Demon fragment also hated the cage that imprisoned it.
During the repeated suppression and treatment, Ifrit also had thoughts of giving up.
She thought: if the other party is willing to back down and they really become friends, then giving her body to him wouldn't be out of the question.
But before the idea could be realized, an unexpected event occurred.
Other Flame Demon have arrived...
Everything she was used to was shattered, and the girl was forcibly taken to another environment.
But to Ifrit's surprise, the new environment was far more comfortable than that of Rhine Lab.
Although he was still under intense scrutiny, unlike the indifferent gazes of Rhine Lab, this gaze was warm.
There are no rigid rules, no packed practice sessions, and as long as there's no trouble, there will always be someone to accompany you.
She's similar to how she interacts with Silence and the others, but there seems to be something different...
Ifrit didn't understand this feeling until Gregor explained it to others.
She is... the younger sister.
Family...
Was she originally considered family?
Ifrit stayed glued to Gregor's head all day.
Language was not the girl's forte; she could only express her joy through actions.
But since they were family, Ifrit felt she should do something.
Contrary to what Gorth thought, Ifrit could actually draw, and she was quite good at it.
Secretly, the girl drew a "family portrait".
In the Vitality Hall, her beloved family and friends gathered together, with herself at the very center.
Ifrit loved the painting, but dared not show it to anyone.
She also painted a similar one during her time at Rhine Lab.
But...
[What's the point of drawing this? You should focus more on practicing Originium Arts!]
At the time, the researcher wasn't Silence, so Ifrit naturally didn't receive a good evaluation.
Even with the careful care of Silence and others, the girl rarely opened her heart again.
Now, Ifrit fears receiving the same answer.
Just like Gregor and the others treated him very well, they never seemed to have any expectations of Ifrit.
[What do you want me to do? Can't a child just go and have fun?]
Vane gave his answer, and the others gave similar responses.
Ifrit could tell that the others genuinely wanted her to be happy, but she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
However...
Do you want to be king?
Looking at the girl from Cautus's who was being questioned by Vera, Ifrit felt a fire burning in her chest.
The girl didn't understand; this feeling was called jealousy.
As Vera continued to press the girl Amiya, her jealousy quickly turned into resentment.
She has things she can do, so why not ask her?
Ifrit tried to comfort herself, thinking that perhaps Vera would come to find her soon.
But even as she left, Ifrit never received a question.
Depressed.
A suffocating sense of unease filled Ifrit's chest, and subconsciously, the girl wanted to do something to attract attention.
But what can she do?
Even if Vera asked her, what could she possibly guarantee?
During her conversation with her new companion, Ifrit learned that the girl named Amiya could also play the violin.
Looking at myself, I have nothing but that flame that can burn everything.
Even the only flame seemed dim and lifeless against Gregor's backdrop.
The girl truly hoped that one day she could hear--
"Boss Ifrit! Help us!"
Before him, his new playmates stood around Ten Percent Off, bewildered.
The anime has finished airing; it's already at the ending theme.
Ifrit directed the Ten Percent Off playback of the next episode, sighing amidst the exclamations of admiration from her companions.
You only hear this phrase at times like this...
A flame ignites at her fingertips, but the once-fiery flame is now waning, much like the girl's mood.
The orange flames reflected in her orange pupils. Ifrit tried to call out to the tenant, but there was only dead silence.
The fat guy hasn't spoken in a long time; I wonder if he's really become a fat guy now...
Ifrit?
Ifrit looked up and saw a boy with a broken horn tilting his head to look at her.
"What's wrong? You don't seem happy."
"... nothing."
Ifrit was being particularly over-the-top, and the boy looked at the flame in her hand.
"You also Originium Arts."
"Of course, I'm Infected."
"I have one too!"
As if they had found common ground, the boy excitedly stretched out his fingertip, and a wisp of flame ignited.
Slightly larger than Ifrit's, a pale orange.
Ifrit stared at the tiny, barely-sized flame, feeling even worse.
Very annoyed...
Boom--
A magnificent flame shot from his palm straight to the ceiling, instantly filling the entire room.
The children stood frozen in place, the boy looking up, instinctively sighing:
"That's amazing!"
Feeling a little better, Ifrit extinguished the flames and raised her head:
"How about that? I can burn even brighter! Much stronger than your flames, right?"
The boy nodded very seriously.
"She's definitely much better than me."
"..."
Ifrit opened her mouth, but the words she had prepared got stuck in her throat.
"Aren't you... aren't you angry?"
"Angry? Why?"
"What? Why?" Ifrit scratched her hair in frustration.
"Shouldn't you be angry when something unique becomes someone else's?"
"But..."
The boy looked confused, as if he were stating a piece of common sense that everyone should know.
"Every flame is unique, isn't it?"
Ifrit's mouth was open, but she couldn't utter a single word.
She vaguely grasped something, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Forget it, if I can't figure it out, I'll just stop thinking about it!
What's your name again?
Ifrit spoke up, and it was unusual for her to feel a little embarrassed that she hadn't remembered her underlings' names, even though she called herself the boss.
"Little Flame!"
"Huh? That's your name?"
"Yes, and them too— Little Stone, Little Water Drop, Little Stick..."
"Your names are so strange!"
Once they got started, several children quickly gathered around and started competing in Originium Arts.
"Um... Ifrit, could you teach me?"
Looking at its tiny flame, the Little Flame tried to learn from it, and Ifrit proudly puffed out its chest.
She may not be good at anything else, but she's an expert at arson!
However...
"How could you be so stupid! I clearly explained it to you!"
But I really don't understand!
"So what exactly is it that you don't understand!?"
Ifrit blushed and gestured with her hand.
"With a thud, then a whoosh, and then—boom! Flames erupted! Isn't that simple?"
"Maybe we should just forget about it. Geniuses like you and Ifrit are definitely different..."
The Little Flame lowered its head in disappointment, and Ifrit scratched its head impatiently.
"In short, just use all your strength! Use every ounce of your might!"
"I... I'll try..."
Little Flame took a deep breath, his face turning bright red.
Under the tense gaze of the group, the flame at his fingertips suddenly shot up.
"It's gotten bigger! It's gotten bigger!"
"Wow, Little Flame is amazing!"
The Little Flame grinned, about to say something, when suddenly its face froze, and it slumped forward, kneeling on the ground.
"Little Flame! What's wrong?"
The children rushed over in a panic, and on Little Flame's arm, black crystals pulsed restlessly.
"It's Oripathy! It's relapsed!"
"Quickly call a medical operator! Go now!"
The children turned and ran, shouting as they went, while Ifrit stood there, bewildered.
She'd seen this before, far too many times.
In Rhine Lab's laboratories, one by one, his colleagues collapsed, were carried away, and never returned.
Seeing Little Flame's pained expression, Ifrit instinctively reached for the pouch on her chest, which contained the potion Gregor had given her.
She didn't know its effects, only that the vague pain in her body would disappear after drinking it each time.
Medicine... can relieve pain!
"Get out of the way!"
She pushed aside the children surrounding her and brought the test tube to the mouth of the Little Flame.
"Drink it, and the pain will go away."
The Little Flame's mouth opened instinctively, and red liquid flowed into it.
Outside, passing agents were also drawn by the screams.
The Little Flame was carried away, Ifrit walked silently at the back, repeating the same words with a pale face.
"Don't go... don't go..."
Upon arriving at the Medical Department, the operators who had just finished their initial consultations immediately began treating new patients.
Her companions all followed her inside, but Ifrit stood frozen at the doorway.
The layout of the Medical Department was familiar, both in terms of personnel and facilities.
Just like... Rhine Lab.
The medical staff checked the Little Flame's condition and began recording it on their terminals.
"Body temperature is normal."
"Breathing is steady."
"Pulse--"
Before the words were finished, Little Flame suddenly sat up and touched his body in a daze.
"I think... the pain has subsided?"
The medical staff exchanged glances, one of them looking down at the test data on the terminal.
"Indeed, his indicators are normal."
"He was clearly in so much pain that he collapsed to the ground! We saw it with our own eyes!"
The children hurriedly explained, and the medical officer waved them off.
"That's perfect. Since you're all here, let's all get a full checkup."
"Do we have to do it too?" the children cried out.
"Yes, not one can be missing."
The children were reluctant, but they still obediently lined up.
The medical operator looked up and saw Ifrit standing in the doorway.
"A new kid? Come here, you need to be checked too."
As she spoke, the medic reached out her hand to Ifrit.
Upon seeing the pristine white gloves, Ifrit abruptly stepped back.
Her gaze swept past the medical staff and over the surrounding layout.
Those doors, those lights, those white walls, white floors, white uniforms!
They're all the same...
"Step back! What do you want to do by coming closer!"
Ifrit's voice suddenly grew louder.
"You! And all of you! Don't even think about putting me on the operating table!"
The medical staff's expressions shifted from confusion to shock, and then to anger.
As if understanding something, the nearest medic slowly crouched down, as if afraid of disturbing an injured animal.
"No, we only conduct examinations and provide treatment; we won't harm anyone."
She slowly reached out her hand, as if to comfort her.
"I told you not to come over!"
Ifrit retreated again, and a raging flame erupted between her horns.
"And don't stare at me! I hate it when people in white coats stare at me!"
Ifrit trembled in the flames, looking at the white coats as if they were a pack of wild beasts ready to pounce.
Seeing Ifrit's reaction, the medical operators felt a pang of sympathy, but they wisely stepped back.
"Alright, alright, we won't get close, and don't get agitated."
Realizing that something was wrong with their new friend, the children also offered their advice:
"It's alright, Ifrit, we're just going for a checkup."
Don't worry, we'll be back soon.
"Everyone here is a good person, nothing will happen."
[This is also for treatment; you'll be fine after the surgery.]
"We haven't finished watching the anime yet. Can we watch it together when we get back?"
[You haven't finished your painting yet, have you? How about we finish it together when we get back?]
Two distinct voices, one from the present and one from the past, echoed in Ifrit's mind, leaving her stunned and disoriented.
"No... don't go..."
Ifrit reached out her hand as if to ask them to stay, but the children had already gone behind the curtain.
"Don't worry, they'll be out soon," the medic reassured her.
"If you're worried, you can stay here and watch over it. It's just a checkup, so relax."
Ifrit did not answer, waiting stiffly.
Time passed slowly, and one by one, the other companions came out.
Amidst the laughter and chatter of her friends, Ifrit gradually relaxed.
Yes, she has already escaped from there...
Ifrit, don't you watch anime?
Shaking her head, Ifrit gestured for her companions to leave first; she would wait here for the Little Flame.
The colleagues exchanged glances. Routine checkups weren't usually a big deal, and besides, it wasn't good to be noisy in the Medical Department...
The other creatures left, Little Flame didn't appear for a long time.
The medical officer frowned and called inside.
"What happened? Was the check not finished?"
"Team leader... you'd better take a look at this."
Hearing his colleague's trembling voice, the medical officer frowned and walked in.
Upon opening the door, the medical operator was startled by the scene inside.
"What are you doing? It's just an inspection, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"
"No, that's not right!"
The colleague didn't reply, but instead handed a report to the medical officer's face.
"The data is wrong! This child is clearly alive and well, but the Originium within him has become inert!"
The medical operator stood frozen in place, trying to understand what the other person was saying.
Originium inertization?
This situation usually only occurs when the Originium energy is completely depleted; it won't happen with the Originium in the bodies of Oripathy.
Unless the patient is already dead, the Originium on their body will explode after multiplying in large quantities, turning into inert dust after consuming energy.
As the medical officer pulled the report off his face and was about to investigate, he felt a burning sensation coming from behind him.
He turned away in confusion, his initial curiosity turning into terror.
Behind her, Ifrit, who was standing at the door, floated up out of thin air.
The surging flames spiraled around the girl, gradually shaping the approaching Flame Demon.
Watching the Little Flame encased in various wires, watching the bright red liquid flow out of the pipe.
Images from the past and present kept overlapping in Ifrit's mind, finally settling on an arm dangling off the operating table.
Boom--!!!
[Time Stop Sound Effect]
"You... you are!"
"I'm sorry, I will compensate for any losses incurred."
After leading the last medical operator out, Vera turned around and stared grimly at the resurrected Flame Demon.
"But after that, please give me a proper explanation."
"As for now..."
Vera stepped forward, and the flames that filled the entire space instantly enveloped it.
"Careful!"
The medical staff member instinctively reached out, but was held back tightly by her colleagues.
In the flames, the figure clad in black armor quickly became blurred and indistinct.
The medic knelt in agony, watching as the melting armor slumped down like rotting flesh.
But there was no time to grieve; a sense of responsibility brought her back to her senses.
We must find someone! Doctor, Elite Operator, Your Highness...
Anyone will do! Please save her...
"One suggestion: go back now, and I'll pretend nothing happened."
The medic looked up sharply, and amidst the flames, Vera, clad in molten iron, raised her demonic sword high.
Crimson lightning continuously gathered, crackling and shattering the flames.
The answer from the Flame Demon fragment was...
"Roar--!!!"
"Yeah..."
The purple light barrier instantly expanded, and in the brief moment it stopped, several slashes swept past the Flame Demon's figure.
"Then go die."
"Hmm... why is it so hot..."
Propelling himself up with a throbbing head, Wis'adel began to recall the events leading up to his unconsciousness.
"Hmm... I remember I was with the boss... the boss!"
Recalling what happened before he fell into a coma, Wis'adel suddenly sprang up from the bed.
Before she could even announce her awakening with a sound, a refreshing breeze carried away her heat.
Looking out at the distant wasteland, and patting the Medical Department bed beneath him, Wis'adel slowly lay down.
"What?! How could the Medical Department not have walls? I must still be dreaming... What a joke!"
Wis'adel sprang up abruptly, looked at the bright [wall], and shouted:
"What on earth happened?!"