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Alone now, I take a look around me.

Unlike last time, there aren’t many Harvesting Machines working inside. Back then, they brought someone who wasn’t even employed here.

There’s another difference.

There are many teenagers around the same age as Victoria.

It seems like quite a number of countries, not just one or two neighboring ones, are sending students here to study. As far as I know, there weren’t this many foreign students at the Royal Academy before…

Some memories shine, like related search terms.

If suddenly many countries send their students to one nation, others are bound to send theirs as well.

They say it might be for exploratory purposes, just in case there are hidden motives.

But I wonder, can’t they just use spies for that? They say the most certain way to understand the other party’s intentions is to dive right into the situation.

And plenty of cases show that just sending spies has ended in failure.

How thoroughly they’ve conspired like humans!

Anyway, I close my eyes and see them again through the shining memories.

In a time when the world is moving like now, creating a Harvesting Machine would surely provide a great deal of warmth.

However, today I’ll just remain still like a discarded bundle of barley. I’ve already done plenty.

What happens if I recklessly step forward and the tower I’ve built collapses?

Plus, there are still worlds that feel like new.

In one of them, luckily, an Evil Wizard uses me like a tool. So I’m expecting to gain a lot of warmth from it.

Isn’t it obvious how horrific the results will be if a group that doesn’t see people as people seizes power?

I’m hopeful for the Fourth World, as I think about it, and move closer to the wall to take my place.

I’m excited about the Fourth World, but it still seems far from starting. Right now, I’m hanging around like a pig at a slaughterhouse, waiting for shipment.

Not that I’m actually going to be shipped out, but rather waiting for some new experiment.

At this moment, they’re installing huge machines in front and behind me. A multitude of Chimeras, including the Chimera Harvesting Machine, are busy setting up equipment.

A Chimera called Assistant is leading from the spot where Jeber usually stands.

I have no idea what kind of experiment they’re conducting, but I hope something interesting will happen when the time comes.

“Excuse me. Are you Bell?”

Suddenly, someone spoke to me. Turning my head, I saw a middle-aged man I didn’t recognize looking down at me. Following what I learned at school, I introduced myself.

At that moment, a flicker of annoyance crossed my mind. If it’s this level of annoyance, it’s not that my existence bothers him.

I was sure my etiquette was correct; could he be from another country?

In response to my introduction, he introduced himself as the king of a neighboring country. Geographically, it’s not directly next door but rather a bit further away.

“What brings you here?”

“I heard you can heal people. Whatever the wounds, whatever curses they carry.”

That last part held weight.

Curses.

That’s right. I’m famous for saving Aurora, cursed by Maleficent, right? In other words, it means I can again acquire a powerful Harvesting Machine this time.

“You won’t know unless you try.”

That’s what I replied.

And it’s true.

I just insert myself, and the wounds heal and the body strengthens. I know from experience that when something feels off while filling myself with light, it’s a curse, but I’m not sure if it all gets resolved.

“Then heal my daughter.”

It would have been better if it were a son. Don’t people with problems tend to have too many daughters?

With a son, they could wander around, increasing the number of contracted ones.

No, that’s a prejudice.

I’ve heard that a properly sane nobleman tends to not be too promiscuous. Or they might have a child and then kill it after.

That’s true in places where bloodline is considered important.

And since this world still values bloodline, it might actually be more stable to have more daughters.

“Yes.”

As soon as I said that, a smile bloomed on the man’s face.

But shouldn’t this be something Hi-Pion has to say? It’s fine for him to give me orders, but if he’s going to sell me, shouldn’t he have a bit more control over this?

I still don’t quite understand the royal intentions well, but the man grabbed my wrist and immediately moved his feet. Almost dragged, he took me somewhere.

We exit the banquet hall and step outside.

Regardless of whether it’s lust or desire, if there’s that kind of sentiment, I don’t really know, but the emotion I can read from the man’s expression is nothing but earnestness.

It’s the look of a father holding onto a rotten lifeline.

That love brings the child to a terrible end.

What can you do?

He just had bad luck.

But even while being dragged out in the car, no one stops us. Well, it’s not that there wasn’t anyone, but perhaps there was an order, as soldiers who approached at intervals were blocked by someone of higher rank.

So I went out without any hindrance.

And I was nearly shoved into the car.

Vroom.

The car starts moving.

All along, the man is making a very anxious expression, keeping silent while looking at me. If a stranger were to see it, they might think he’s glaring, but I’m not confused.

Intense desire and anxiety. And a clear intent.

After a long moment of silence, I got out of the car.

Huh?

A familiar house is right in front of me.

It’s the accommodation I used to live in.

Didn’t they say this is a place for foreigners? The child going to the Royal Academy is one thing, but is there a daughter that needs saving separately?

The foreign king went straight inside. As he entered, men and women, presumably guards, came out from the back of the car.

By judging from their appearance, they seem foreign.

Well, guards would naturally be from their own country.

Thinking this, I walked inside.

“Welcome.”

Upon entering, the butler, or rather, should I call him Montes Dormens, since we have no relation anymore?

He greeted us with the expression of someone who knows everything.

And without any further questioning, he guided us to a certain room.

The foreign king knocked on the door very cautiously and entered.

Upon entering, the strong smell of medicine wafted in.

Some of the memories I’ve gathered from this world shine like the scent of drugs.

And through the scent, I can hear groans mixed with breaths.

“Child, I’ve brought a healer.”

“No, I don’t want to.”

I hear a very thin voice. The sound of metal clanging against metal. The vocal cords are completely wrecked. They’ve been torn apart from screaming too much and never healed properly.

She can’t even make a proper sound.

“Stop it, Dad. I’m hurt. I don’t want to hurt anymore. Give me medicine. Medicine.”

The man stood in a terrible expression, quietly listening to those words. And then he bowed his head toward me.

I nodded and made my way through the overpowering scent.

In the middle of the bed. Something that resembles a human is curled up.

Though clothed, it’s bleeding and has lost all its hair. Not only hair but even eyebrows are gone, covered instead in blisters all over.

Listen, under normal circumstances, you can heal any illness with magic.

If it can’t be healed, something else must be the cause.

From the girl’s body, a large light, and countless tiny specks of light.

It’s not impossible to get rid of parasites in this world, is it?

“There are a lot of bugs inside.”

At my words, the man jumped in shock. Then with a trusting look, he began to explain in detail.

He said the bugs were made from powerful magic and couldn’t be removed by magic. The temple advised that it might be better to let this person die.

The temple?

Ah. That’s right.

This nation is nearly out of religion, but perhaps other countries might not be.

After a while of explanation, when he cautiously asked if nothing could be done, I replied that I didn’t know and approached the girl.

“I’ll offer myself to you. But in return, once you’ve completed everything, I’ll take everything you’ve got then. How does that sound?”

But she doesn’t answer.

She’s not too high on drugs to respond.

I’ve used it on people who couldn’t even hear before. Regardless of the situation or the state, you can’t miss a contract.

I turned to the man.

I wouldn’t want to make him take on this role, but warmth is more important.

“This girl refuses. If you just say yes, I’ll try, but could you persuade her?”

The man ran to the girl in a panic, practically begging her. But the girl, with an exhausted look, whispers for him to kill her.

That’s the right answer.

But it’s hard for a daughter to ignore her father’s desperate pleas right before a miracle.

She made the wrong choice.

After the father’s fervent entreaties, the girl finally said she would accept.

So I approached the girl again, taking her hand and reciting the contract document again.

As soon as the girl accepted, I pushed myself into the light.

Immediately, my flesh exploded into a rapid expansion. As it expanded, the tiny specks of light vanished. And a warmth that felt nearly non-existent flowed in.

And yet, one more warmth of a person.

Huh?

Ah—

Since it was referred to as a curse, it seems the one who cast the curse has died.

I’m pleased with this unexpected gift.

Anyway, my expanded skin hardened like stone and crumbled like a clay pot.

And from within, a girl with long purple hair and sky-blue skin emerged. Tiana emerged. She examined her body, murmuring softly.

“Does it not hurt?”

“Child!”

Tiana’s father, James, embraced her. Tears of joy streamed down his face as he checked her condition.

And so, on this day, two became unhappy while one became happy.