"Being able to treat it is naturally a good thing."
Ch'en's breathing eased slightly, and her emotions gradually settled.
"But there should be a price to pay, right?"
She asked again.
Infected with Oripathy—just six simple words, yet they weighed as heavily as the sky collapsing. Once it touched you, there was no turning back.
Discrimination and unfair treatment followed close behind.
And there was the visibly shortened lifespan.
So she instinctively felt that if one could escape this identity, the price would inevitably be enormous—perhaps even bloody, something that could not be measured in material wealth.
"Then, what is the price?"
Hoshino stood and lifted the White Flower from Abyss Flower.
The lance was pristine and elegant, spiraled like a furled parasol, though its long shaft was pure black.
The two weapons could be combined into one.
She drew out the Black Abyss. This one was simply a throwing spear, exceptionally slender, only two fingers wide. When swung, it stirred a dark, profound wind, and it could be hurled to pierce someone's heart.
"This is..."
"The other weapon in Abyss Flower. A lance is great because it can be assembled and dismantled, like an acrobatic trick."
Hoshino shook her head. "It's better for pulling off fancy tricks."
As for the price, she did not mention it.
"I'll use you as an experiment and see what the price actually is."
"Ah?"
So that was the reason.
"Then will the price fall on me?"
"No, the user pays the price, which means me." Hoshino waved her hands repeatedly. "What does it have to do with you? You couldn't afford that price anyway."
"Really?"
Rather than being happy, Ch'en felt a little saddened.
As for the shrine maiden knowing she was infected, she was not particularly surprised.
Maybe Hoshino could tell with