At last they are back in Prussia, and now they can return to the Lilly Mond with Sophie, Oliver, and Ulita.
Lukas: "I'm sorry… Miss… Fiona…"
Fiona: "It's alright, boy… Tell me… how old are you?"
Lukas: "I'm 14…"
Fiona: "14?… So young and already working?…"
Lukas: "I… have no choice…"
Fiona: "Hmm…"
Lukas: "Huh?"
She took her purse… held his hand, and gave it to him. Before that, she took out the important things like her ID and detective ID.
Lukas: "Huh."
Fiona: "Take it… there are 10,000 coins… I'm sorry… I don't have more…"
Lukas: "Huh…"
Fiona: "That should be enough… until you find a better job… mining work is unhealthy… you could get cancer young… or weak skin… as well as eye problems and lung problems…"
Lukas: "I… I can't… accept that…"
Fiona: "Why not?… Hmm?"
Lukas: "Uh… it's… too much… what about you…"
Fiona: "I still have some money… it's just not here…"
Lukas: "Huh…"
Fiona: "Mmm…"
She wiped the coal residue from his cheeks.
Lukas: "Ugh…"
Fiona: "You have a cute face…"
Lukas: "I have freckles…"
Fiona: "Hmm?… I don't care…"
Lukas: "…Please… at least take half back… it's really too much…"
Fiona: "Hmm… boy… hmm… how should I tell you… when you breathed… I smelled you… your organs… are failing… the money… how should I say it… you need surgery… treatment… but… it may already be too late…"
Lukas: "What…"
Fiona: "Mmm…"
That is exactly why Fiona took care of him… she sensed through his smell that something was wrong with his body.
Lukas: "Please?"
Fiona: "You have an infection… I know that smell…"
Sophie: "Oh… I remember…"
Melina: "What?"
Sophie: "They once locked Fiona in a room full of sick people… people with very serious illnesses… cancer… pneumonia… they were children who failed experiments… as punishment, Howgarts didn't treat them at all… he wanted to traumatize Fiona… Parzival was there too… but Parzival has always been someone who doesn't care about others… but for Fiona… it was too much… that's why she knows that smell… she learned it… not willingly… but through trauma…"
Melina: "Huh…"
Oliver: "Hmm… no wonder she always looks like that… so cold…"
Sophie: "She may look like that… but I guarantee her heart is suffering deeply… even as a child she hated seeing others suffer… but never showed it… out of fear…"
Lukas: "Does that mean I will die?"
Fiona: "Ugh… huh!"
Memory
Cough… cough… cough
Unknown child: "Hah… urk… (bleargh!)"
Unknown child: "(cough)… (cough)… hah… are we… going to die…?"
Unknown child: "Please… please… my stomach hurts… my stomach hurts… my stomach hurts… please…"
Unknown child: "Please… please… I… I'm peeing blood…"
Fiona: "Huhhh… hahhhh…"
Fiona covered her ears.
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahhhh…"
Howgarts: "Look, Fiona… this is how you will end… you and Parzival… if you don't obey me…"
Parzival: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahhhh… hahhhh…"
Howgarts: "You there… come here…"
A child approached.
Howgarts: "This one has an organ infection… breathe out… a lot!"
The child did it… it smelled as if his organs were dead.
Fiona: "(cough)… (cough)…"
Howgarts: "Disgusting, isn't it… this smell… these children… are people who didn't obey me… this is how you will end if you continue like this, Fiona… obey my command… and everything will be fine…"
He held her head… not gently, but with control.
Fiona: "Hahhh…"
Howgarts: "I can't kill them… I'm a pacifist… I dislike killing… I cannot do that… Parzival, how about you do it…"
Parzival: "…as you command…"
He went in.
Splash! Splash!
Fiona: "Arghhhh… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"
End of memory
Fiona: "Ughh… hahhhh…"
Sophie: "Huh!"
Sophie saw Fiona suddenly holding her head and leaning against the wall.
Fiona: "…stop… huh…"
Sophie: "Fiona?"
She quickly went to her.
Sophie: "Fiona!"
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahh."
Sophie: "Oh no… she must have remembered… this has happened before… hey Fiona…"
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahhh…"
Sophie remembered a school day from years ago.
Years ago
Teacher: "There are many diseases… you must know that… and although I am a teacher, I was also a doctor… many people ask one question when they are almost dead… namely… am I going to die now?"
Fiona: "Ughhh…"
Teacher: "…hmm? Miss Fiona?"
Fiona: "Hhhhh…"
Memory
Unknown child: "Am I going to die now?"
End of memory
Fiona: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She suddenly screamed loudly and fell to the ground, hands on her head.
Fiona: "Stop it!!!"
Teacher: "Huh… warning… I need help!!"
Fiona: "AAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!!"
End of memory
Sophie: "Fiona!"
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahhhh…"
Sophie: "Melina… help me please…"
Lukas: "Ugh?"
Melina quickly came to Fiona and Sophie.
Sophie: "Hey… Fiona… Fiona… calm down… calm…"
Fiona: "Ughh… Sophie… please… take care of the boy… tell him he must go to a doctor quickly… maybe it's not too late…"
Sophie: "Hmm… how about I accompany him… is that okay?"
Fiona: "…huh?…"
Sophie: "What if he collapses on the way…"
Fiona: "…uh… okay…"
Sophie: "Okay… Melina, take her away from here…"
Fiona: "Thank you… Sophie…"
Sophie: "It's alright…"
Sophie went to the boy.
Sophie: "Lukas… hmm."
Lukas: "Yes… is she okay?"
Sophie: "Don't worry… Fiona is fine… she's… uh… just exhausted… long journey and all…"
Lukas: "…okay…"
Sophie: "Come, I'll take you to a doctor… hopefully it's not too late…"
Lukas: "Ugh…"
She took him to a doctor, while Melina, Ulita, and Fiona headed toward the Lilly Mond building.
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Doctor: "Severe lung disease, boy…"
Lukas: "Does that… mean I will die?"
Doctor: "Hmm… I'm sorry, boy… I cannot tell you that… but I can send you to a specialist… a hospital for lungs… it's called Lungsfairy…"
Sophie: "(sweating)… that name is really not cool…"
Doctor: "But it costs a lot… about 15,000 coins."
Lukas: "I only have 10,000 coins…"
Sophie: "Wait…"
She stood up.
Sophie: "Hmm… take this… is it enough?"
It was 5,000 coins.
Sophie: "Is it enough?"
Doctor: "There is no guarantee… that he will survive…"
Sophie: "Doesn't matter… at least we tried…"
Doctor: "If you say so…"
Lukas: "Thank you… madam…"
Sophie: "Just Sophie… hey, boy… what about your parents?"
Lukas: "Ugh… my parents… hmm…"
Sophie: "…you don't have a home? no place?"
Lukas: "No… I ran away… because my stepfather… scared me…"
Sophie: "…I understand… (oh man… what a poor child)… okay… I have to go now… you'll probably stay in the hospital for a while…"
Lukas: "Thank you… Sophie… and thanks to Fiona too…"
Sophie: "Take care of yourself…"
She left the hospital.
Sophie: "Hahh… now then, off to Lilly Mond…"
A few minutes later
Ding dong
Melina: "Ugh… that must be her."
She opened the door.
Melina: "Oh… Madam Sophie."
Sophie: "Hello."
She went inside.
Melina: "How is the boy?"
Sophie: "Hahh… he probably… won't survive… I don't know about smells… but… his breath smelled really bad… how is Fiona?"
Melina: "She's better… she's in her room…"
Sophie: "Okay…"
Fiona: "Sophie…"
Fiona came to her.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "How is he…"
Sophie: "Hahh."
She shook her head.
Sophie: "It doesn't look good… but there's still a chance… thanks to the money… they are taking him to a lung clinic…"
Fiona: "I see… thank you… was the money enough?"
Sophie: "No, I had to add some of my own."
Fiona: "I see…"
Sophie: "What's wrong… hmm?"
Fiona: "Hahh… sorry… I have no idea…"
Sophie: "Hmm… go rest… you just got out of the hospital today…"
Fiona: "And who talks to Meliodas?… well… luckily he's here…"
Sophie: "He is?"
Fiona: "Yes… no idea why… but whatever… I'll go rest for a bit…"
Sophie: "Mhm…"
Fiona went upstairs.
Sophie: "Hmm… Fiona…"
Fiona: "Huh?"
Sophie: "…you should take it easy… it's understandable… you still suffer from it… not many survived Howgarts' experiments…"
Fiona: "Hahh… sometimes… I wish I hadn't survived…"
Sophie: "Ugh…"
She went upstairs.
Sophie: "Hmm… (after all… the scars never disappear… neither in the body nor in the mind)…"
Footsteps
Sophie: "Huh?"
Fiona slowly walked down the stairs again.
Sophie: "What is it?"
Fiona: "Mmm?… (blushes)… there is… no light in the room…"
Sophie: "Ugh… wait… Fiona… are you… afraid of the dark?"
Fiona: "Ugh… what? no… do I look like a child… I mean… I'm hungry… yes, I'm hungry…"
Sophie: "Hahh… you're afraid of the dark…"
Fiona: "…mmm… (blushes)…"
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "Not exactly… okay… I'm just afraid… when the moon… is visible…"
Sophie: "Huh?… ah… I see… then it's not the usual purple darkness… but green darkness… I understand… wait, I'll get you something…"
She took a lamp.
Sophie: "Take this… it's mine, but you can have it… consider it an apology for bullying you in school…"
Fiona: "…uh… thank you very much…"
She took it.
Sophie: "Good night."
Fiona: "Good night."
She went upstairs again.
Sophie: "Oh dear… she really is like a child… (smiles lightly)… hehe… she hasn't changed that much… well… she shouldn't… (yawns)… I'll make myself some coffee…"
The door opened.
Chloe: "Puhh… we're back… huh?"
Mr Skull: "Huh?"
Sophie: "Hey…"
Chloe: "Oh… sorry… wrong house…"
She closed the door… then opened it again.
Chloe: "Wait… I'm not wrong."
Sophie: "Hmm… are you from Lilly Mond? then you're right… I'm Sophie Valeria… I wanted to speak with Meliodas…"
Chloe: "Oh yes… but he's currently talking with Sternlicht… Mr Skull and I went to get some food…"
Sophie: "I see… then I'll wait…"
Chloe: "Oh… look how pretty she is…"
Mr Skull: "Even though I am a skull… I find her beautiful…"
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Chloe: "Oh… where is the light… oh there…"
Sophie: "The light…"
Chloe: "Hehe… (she's even stricter than Fiona)…"
She turned on the light.
Chloe: "Um… you are one of the four crows, right? like Fiona…"
Sophie: "Correct."
Chloe: "Hehe… I see…"
Sophie: "I was about to make coffee… where is it?"
Chloe: "Oh… I think it's in the kitchen on the left shelf… I'll get it… wait… I'll make it for you…"
Mr Skull: "This skull will help you…"
He followed her.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Melina came out of one of the rooms.
Melina: "Chloe!"
Chloe: "Oh, Melina… you're back… that's great… that means Fiona is here too?"
Melina: "Yes… she was… here…"
Sophie: "She's resting… where is that girl Cossette?"
Chloe: "Ugh… you… don't know yet?"
Sophie: "Huh?"
Melina: "What?"
Chloe: "Melina… Cossette didn't have a normal cold… since… the day before yesterday… she's… in a coma…"
Melina: "Ugh!"
Sophie: "A coma? why, what happened?"
Chloe shook her head.
Chloe: "It happened so fast… her whole face turned red… we called a doctor… the doctor immediately called an ambulance when he saw her condition… she had… a serious illness… or situation… and… well… the doctor said she should sleep… Master Meliodas said we should wait… so we decided not to tell Fiona… until she returned…"
Crash!
Something broke upstairs… it was Fiona.
Fiona: "What?!"
Chloe: "Huh… Fiona."
Fiona rushed downstairs and went to another room.
Crash!
Chloe: "Wait."
Fiona: "Cossette!!"
She ran to her… she had a breathing device.
Chloe: "Calm down, Fiona…"
Fiona: "Hahh…"
Cossette: "Hahh…"
Beep… beep… beep…
There was a breathing machine and a heart monitor.
Fiona: "Is… it that serious?"
Chloe: "Cossette didn't have a disease… but a virus… it was very dangerous… but we managed it… don't worry…"
Fiona: "Ugh… huh…"
Sophie: "What did you just break?"
Fiona: "Ugh… the cup… I wanted to bring back…"
Melina: "It's alright… I'll take care of it…"
Sophie: "Fiona… go rest… it's no use staying here… better step away… what if you catch it…"
Chloe: "Don't worry… the virus is gone… but… it damaged her body so much that she needs rest… nothing worse…"
Meanwhile
Footsteps
Masked figure: "Well then… the password please…"
Masked figure: "Leplica…"
Masked figure: "Enter…"
She went inside.
Masked figure: "Oh… what a beautiful sight…"
Masked figure: "Indeed… these are made from real human skin…"
Masked figure: "And that there?"
It was a statue.
From human bodies… four female bodies… their heads held by their arms… from their eyes blood flowed like fountains.
Masked figure: "This is art… my dear… art… we are the Shipman Family… a family that creates art… from real human bodies, organs, and skin… of course also with blood… what is special about this artwork we call 'Tears'… is that the people in the statue… are four unknowns… three of them homeless women… and one a prostitute… no one will look for them… now look at this piece… when you press the arm…"
He pressed the arm and the belly opened… the heart came out.
Splash!
Masked figure: "The heart comes out… we made it so it does not break…"
Masked figure: "How beautiful… I want to buy it…"
Masked figure: "That will cost 40,000 Prünzen…"
Prünzen are the coins in Prussia.
Masked figure: "Of course…"
She gave him the money.
Masked figure: "Thank you very much, madam…"
She ordered servants to carry it.
Masked figure: "I should thank you… Mr Vincent… farewell…"
She left the building.
Vincent: "Hehehe… she has no idea… that she will be the next victim…"
A few hours later
Servant: "Madam Claire… you should go to sleep… it is dark…"
She sat in the chair… but said nothing.
Servant: "But… Madam Claire… is something wrong?"
He approached her… and saw it.
Servant: "Ugh… Madam Claire!!!"
She held… her own heart in her hand… staring out the window… she was dead.
Servant: "Damn…"
Vincent: "Shhh…"
Servant: "Huh!"
Splash!
Servant: "Urk…"
He clutched his chest and fell dead.
Vincent: "Hehehe… did you really think… I would just give away this artwork, Madam Claire?…"
He looked around.
Vincent: "So… take her body and the servant's body… we can make art from them… and you three… take the artwork 'Tears' with you… and don't you dare drop it… hmph… hmphahaha… Madam Claire… did you really think we didn't know you were a spy?… you planned to inform the police… but don't worry… either way… the police could do nothing to me… after all… I am the most influential journalism owner…"
He left the house.
Vincent: "Hehehe… I own four journalism companies… and you, Madam Claire… will regret it… you already do… but you will regret it even more."
Masked figure: "Father… we found out she planned not only to inform the police but also Dark Umbrella…"
Vincent: "The organization for supernatural cases, criminal cases, and the black hole phenomenon?… I see… hahahahaha."