Zhao Si was delighted by Melina's proposal.
He was grasping at any possible cure, hoping to return to normal as soon as possible. People often let their guard down in that state of mind.
But Malenia and Helena had not let their guard down.
Malenia demanded, "Who are you?"
Zhao Si caught on. "Right, who are you?"
Melina lowered her hood and introduced herself. "My name is Melina. I'd like to strike a deal with the Champion."
Melina? A deal?
Those keywords prompted Zhao Si to quietly draw in a sharp breath. But he did not cry out in excitement or show any other excessive reaction this time. He merely clasped Helena's hand in return.
Those words sounded a little too familiar.
On Melina's side, Sikatiya could not help asking her, "You spent all that time thinking, and this is what you came up with?"
Yes, this was Melina's plan.
Fortunately, no one else could hear the exchange between the woman and the God.
Melina answered, "Yes, this is my plan. From our conversation, I concluded that he needs help. And don't we happen to be able to help him?"
Through Sikatiya herself, Melina had learned that Sikatiya had indirectly blinded Zhao Si.
His physical weakness, meanwhile, was a lingering consequence of Godwyn forcibly raising him, a mortal, to a level where he could battle a God.
At present, Godwyn and Miquella were both in weakened states as well and needed time to recover.
So the truce in the Lands Between benefited everyone.
"Helping someone who needs help is precisely a good way to get close to him," Melina said. "I'll make a deal with him: I'll try to treat him, and then he'll take me to see Godwyn and let me stay with them. Wouldn't that work?"
A simple,