[Mother, please get treated well!]
Artasha gently stroked her face. The sweet sensation of her daughter’s lips, which had been left behind, still warmly enveloped her cheeks.
Tina firmly believed that her mother was ill and accompanied her to the hospital. However, to her regret, there was nothing particularly wrong with her body.
The headache had been a recurring issue, and it was something she simply didn’t care much about. Yet, the only reason she lied to her daughter and came to the hospital was one.
Tina’s condition had clearly worsened since their visit to the Duchy. Especially the symptoms she displayed that night had reached a serious level.
Although she insisted otherwise, it was not normal to cut one’s own wrists unless driven to madness.
“Tina…”
Artasha sighed, calling out her daughter’s name.
On the surface, she tried to maintain her composure, but inside her heart felt like it was being torn to shreds. With each thought that her daughter might have a serious illness, her heart sank.
If Tina had an incurable disease, she felt like she would crumble on the spot.
“My Baron.”
A low, female voice came from behind.
A woman of middle age, with short black hair, politely bowed her head in front of her.
Her name was Pilrci Rabrium, the highest administrator of Librium Grand Hospital, managing the place.
Being of the renowned Rabrium Count family, a status that Artasha, an otherwise insignificant Baron, would not easily encounter.
The only reason she showed respect was due to one thing.
[I-I will help you, Madam.]
Viviana Merdellia.
It was because of the strong influence of the Duchy of Merdellia.
She did not want to mingle voices with the woman who had driven her daughter to such self-harm. Even if her own limbs were torn apart, she would never contact the Duchy of Merdellia.
However, when it came to matters involving Tina, that was simply not possible.
Tina was sick; how could she draw the line?
Receiving news that Tina was unwell, Viviana immediately contacted Librium Hospital and arranged for all the benefits to be received.
“…Thank you for assisting our Baron family.”
As she bent to greet her, Pilrci waved her hand and helped Artasha to her feet.
“Healing patients is our job, so no need to worry about that.”
With a few kind words, she led her to her office. Indeed, it was much more opulent than the office of the Blanc family head.
Upon sitting on the luxurious black leather sofa, Pilrci took a document from her clothing and handed it to Artasha.
“Here are your daughter’s examination results.”
Her heart began to race.
Anxiety that had been simmering was now boiling wildly. She swallowed nervously.
“Physically, there’s no issue at all. Although she has a slightly frail physique compared to her peers, it doesn’t seem to pose a significant health threat. However…”
Her heart plummeted at the next word. As she clenched her own hand tightly, Pilrci cautiously continued.
“There are faint scars on her wrist. They appear to be self-harm marks; may I ask…”
“Oh, that’s…”
The fact that her daughter had harmed herself could never be considered a relief, but at least it was something she knew about, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.
“There was a bit of an incident. Are there any other issues?”
At her words, Pilrci turned to the next page of the document with an extremely serious expression. Two photos were attached to the paper.
“This is the result of the brain scan. Since magic tools were used, there should be no aftereffects.”
While she had no medical expertise, she had heard about tools that used mana to capture the shape of a brain in photograph.
Seeing it for herself was indeed fascinating, but her focus was solely on the brain’s appearance in the photos.
To her, it looked ordinary. Was there something different from a professional medical perspective?
“Baron, this isn’t good news.”
The uneasy gaze of Pilrci sent waves of anxiety crashing over her once again.
If she, who was recognized as one of the Empire’s best medical professionals, said that, it surely meant something was amiss.
“…Please tell me.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and brushed her chest.
For now, she had to hear it. Even if her words brought despair, knowing Tina’s condition took priority.
“Your daughter’s brain is anything but ordinary.”
“Oh, is it bad…?”
Pilrci pointed to one of the photos. A grayscale image that reflected light to reveal its outline appeared ordinary.
“The physical structure shows no issues whatsoever. There’s no damage, and her neural connections demonstrate a brain structure superior to that of an average person. It seems your daughter will be quite intelligent.”
“T-That’s…?”
“However, this is the image you need to watch out for.”
The second photo, which Pilrci pointed to with an even more serious expression, appeared normal at first glance, but unlike the first image, it glowed with intertwined lines of light.
“It’s mana.”
“…Mana.”
She knew what mana was. It was described in books as an invisible flow of power, an energy that encompasses the essence of living beings and nature.
Natural mana was said to flow everywhere in daily life. Usually appearing as invisible threads, it could change colors depending on a few ‘mana users.’
However, very few could actually handle mana. Out of many, only about one in a hundred could do so; neither she nor Tina had any connections to mana.
Thus, she had never really studied about it.
“Unless someone is mana-incompatible, mana flows through every person’s body. In muscles and in the brain.”
Pilrci continued explaining in a calm voice.
“And the flow of mana is meant to flow consistently in one direction only. Whether from top to bottom, right to left, or in a circular fashion, it flows uniformly.”
Pilrci’s finger pointed to the center of the photograph.
“Do you see any problem, Baron?”
“…I don’t see anything.”
To her eyes, it only looked like straight lines entangled in the brain photo.
It didn’t seem different anywhere…
“…Huh?”
A strange image began to emerge somewhere.
Pilrci had clearly stated that mana flows in only one direction.
But was it just her feeling?
The threads visible in the picture didn’t appear to be consistent.
It couldn’t be that she was correct, but still, the image showed…
As if the outside flowing threads were guarding the inner smaller threads like a city wall.
“There’s a dual flow. The outside and inside mana are forming an oval in opposite directions.”
“You said it flows in only one direction…?”
“During my medical career, I’ve encountered this only once.”
As she finished her sentence, Pilrci suddenly began to recount a story about a past magician.
It was about a mad wizard who researched forbidden curses in the Empire.
Firmly believing in the existence of demons, he sacrificed the blood of a hundred children and old people to conduct a ritual, and as a result, he claimed to have successfully housed a demon within himself.
Needless to say, the Empire would not let him be, and he ended up captured and publicly executed days later.
The claim that he housed a demon was ultimately brushed off as the ramblings of a madman.
“…Why are you telling me about that person?”
“Because that wizard’s brain also had a dual flow like your daughter’s.”
In an instant, her words rendered her speechless.
She could scarcely breathe.
She did not want to hear that her daughter was on the same level as a madman who sacrificed humans to summon demons.
“Before the Empire executed him, some scholars were curious if there was indeed a being called a demon, so they thoroughly examined his body. By chance, I was responsible for the examination of his mental aspects.”
“…”
“The structure I saw then matches this photograph.”
At that moment, her mind went blank, and she felt as if her consciousness was fading. Pilrci rushed over to support her, but the tearing pain in her chest remained.
“Don’t worry too much, Baron.”
“…Don’t say not to worry?”
“There’s still nothing confirmed. It could simply be a coincidence. Just because it isn’t usual doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
“…”
“We have an expert in mental magic examining her, so we should be able to ascertain your daughter’s mental state soon.”
“Mental… state…”
“Yes, she will be able to determine very quickly if your daughter has any emotional issues.”
“…Who is she?”
In response to her question, Pilrci lifted a finger in response.
“She is one of the top hypnotists in the Empire.”
—
“Thank you for your hard work, Young Lady. Just one last examination, and you can go home!”
With a mature smile, the red-haired woman patting my head was Reina Hildensiborg. I initially forgot her name, but fortunately learned it during the examination.
The place where I was now for the final examination was quite a simple space. A cozy area with just one comfortable single sofa. I couldn’t easily guess what I would be doing here.
Would I be getting an injection or something?
Whatever it was, I didn’t particularly mind. As long as this was the last step and I could go home afterward, I figured I should just get it over with.
The nurse had attended to many examinations quite diligently, and while I found the process bothersome at first, I ended up following Reina’s instructions earnestly.
Vision, hearing, body, blood pressure, urinalysis, among many other tests.
I felt quite amazed by how different it was from the modern times I lived in.
Since this was the final examination, some results should be coming in soon.
“How is it, Nurse? Everything normal, right?”
I proudly straightened my shoulders and looked at Reina. Her strange smirk in response made me sit down on the sofa, taking my hand.
“Until the last examination is done, we won’t know for sure. But it’ll be over soon, so just relax.”
“Yes~.”
She really was inflexible. I couldn’t understand why anyone would work so hard to earn recognition when no one seems to appreciate it.
But since there was no need to oppose her, I sat comfortably on the sofa per her instructions and waited for her next words.
“Now, can you look over here, Young Lady?”
The nurse suddenly presented an unexpected pendulum right in front of me. The pendulum dangling from her slender finger was swinging back and forth in front of me.
“…What is this?”
“Just focus and watch it.”
As I gazed at the swinging pendulum for a while, I felt an oddly familiar sensation and widened my eyes in surprise.
Oh, I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before.
Hmm…
Ah, that’s right.
When people usually hypnotize, they typically do it like this—
—
The girl was peacefully sleeping on the sofa. Reina gently caressed her cheek, smiling faintly.
“Hehe, she truly is a pet-like Young Lady. I want to take her home and raise her.”
It was immediately apparent who she was. Anyone who had even slightly touched high society wouldn’t be unaware of her.
Indeed, as rumored, this girl was embellished with a lively and charming appeal.
Honestly, if this weren’t a hospital, I would have felt tempted to play some pranks on this enchanting Young Lady right here and now.
“I need to get to work.”
However, that was not an option.
This examination was directly requested by the Duchy of Merdellia. If I took it lightly and caught their eye, my hospital life would come to an end.
“Alright, let’s slowly wake you up now.”
Reina gently tapped the girl’s shoulder and whispered softly into her ear. The soft sounds of the girl’s gentle breaths ceased, leaving only peaceful breaths escaping into the air.
And soon,
The girl’s slowly closed eyes began to open.
With a dazed expression and a hint of haze in her eyes, Reina nodded satisfactorily at the sight.
‘Hypnosis was successful.’
From now on, she would need to uncover the girl’s mental state.
This would be effortless.
It was something she had done countless times before.
Like branches extending out, she would inquire one by one into her subconscious.
“Now, can you see me?”
She whispered softly into the girl’s ear.
The person under hypnosis could only respond by nodding or shaking their head. Using these simple yes or no answers, Reina would gather insight into the girl’s mental state.
“If you can see me, please reply.”
Upon repeating the question, the girl’s eyes focused on her.
Her blue eyes were as clear as the sea.
But was it just her feeling?
In those luminous blue eyes, a faint eerie black cross was dimly visible.
‘…Was it always like this?’
While she was momentarily taken aback, the girl in front of her smiled brightly.
Seeing that smile, Reina felt a chilling shiver run through her body.
“…Huh?”
Something was odd.
Under hypnosis, the only thing one could do was to move their head.
She had never seen anyone smile.
While Reina stared dumbfounded, the girl’s tightly sealed lips parted.
“Wow~ Pretty sister.”
The enchanting voice pierced her ears.
With that single exotic tone,
The light left Reina’s eyes.
As if entranced by something.
In her crimson eyes, there was no longer a trace of understanding.
