On a dark and windy night, six mercenaries from the Corps of Thirty were staking out the area near the Bimarstan.
A small figure floated out of the Bimarstan, only to dart back inside before the guards could react.
"There really are people watching!" Paimon reported what she'd seen. "I saw two of them staring this way, so I hurried back before they could spot me."
Hearing Paimon's report, Dr. Edward nodded. "There are definitely more than two. The others must be watching different angles."
"As long as we don't draw the attention of the others, we just need to focus on not being seen by those two," Dr. Edward said.
"Traveler, we're counting on you for this."
Dr. Edward's gaze shifted to Lumine, who still looked dazed, as if lost in some unforgettable memories.
"Traveler?" Paimon's confused voice snapped Lumine back to reality. She stared blankly at Paimon and Dr. Edward.
"Traveler, it's your time to shine! Go knock out those two guards watching us!"
Hearing Paimon's words, Lumine immediately puffed out her chest in a gesture of confidence. With a flash of Electro, she vanished into the night.
Paimon watched the direction Lumine had gone, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.
"Dr. Edward, the Traveler's condition seems to be getting worse."
"You have to help her!"
"I don't know why she won't talk about her illness, but something is seriously wrong with her right now!"
"I've been with her for so long, I can feel it—the Traveler is in big trouble!"
"Alright. I'll give her another thorough examination when I get the chance."
Hearing Dr. Edward's words, Paimon finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, Lumine reappeared before them. The guards had already been knocked unconscious.
"We need to hurry," Lumine urged. "They must have arranged for a shift change, and we don't know when that is."
With Lumine and Paimon's help, the three of them pushed a small cart laden with medicinal herbs away from the Bimarstan under the cover of moonlight.
At first, they moved cautiously, worried that other guards might still be hiding in the shadows. But once they had put some distance between themselves and the Bimarstan, they gradually relaxed.
"This way."
Dr. Edward led the way, guiding Lumine and Paimon down a narrow path. They wound through a series of alleys until they reached a high wall.
Dr. Edward let go of the cart's handles and began feeling along the wall's surface. He quickly found a loose section and started removing the bricks one by one.
After creating an opening, Dr. Edward turned back to Lumine and Paimon.
"There's an opening here," he said. "I found it by accident."
"Let's get out through here, quickly."
Urged on by Dr. Edward, Lumine and Paimon quickly slipped through the opening. Then, they helped him pass the medicinal herbs through to the other side.
Once all the herbs were transferred, Lumine and Paimon expected Dr. Edward to follow them immediately. Instead, they watched as he fiddled with the small cart. With a few adjustments, the cart folded in on itself, shrinking to less than half its original size. He then easily passed it through the gap in the wall.
Lumine and Paimon were still processing what they'd seen when Dr. Edward emerged from the opening, cart in hand.
It wasn't until he unfolded the cart, reloaded the herbs, and urged them to keep moving that they stared at him in astonishment.
"Dr. Edward, that thing is incredibly convenient! Did you make it yourself?" Paimon asked.
"No," he replied. "It's Fontaine Technology."
His words reminded Lumine and Paimon that he was, in fact, a Fontainian.
Although they knew little about Fontaine, it was clear from this that it must be a technologically advanced nation. They couldn't help but wonder what it had become.
A flicker of anticipation sparked in Lumine and Paimon's hearts as they followed Dr. Edward toward the Restricted Zone.
The Restricted Zone was situated in an extremely remote area behind Sumeru City. Part of it lay within the city walls—the area originally designated for the quarantine—but now, the section outside the city far exceeded the one within.
As the number of infected individuals grew, the original area became insufficient to house them all. The Akademiya ordered the creation of a new, secure zone outside Sumeru City for patients to recuperate.
Initially, the Akademiya hired numerous mercenary groups for this task. However, as the situation spiraled out of control, they refused to cover further expenses. This left at least half of the new Restricted Zone exposed to monster threats.
In the end, it was the people inside the Restricted Zone and their families outside who joined forces to complete the construction. Only after sacrificing hundreds of innocent lives was the Restricted Zone finally, albeit barely, established.
This incident rapidly intensified the conflict between the Akademiya and the Fontainians, pushing the Akademiya's methods to become increasingly extreme.
Initially, the Akademiya provided sufficient daily necessities for those in the Restricted Zone. Now, not only do the people inside lack proper treatment, but even getting enough to eat has become a struggle.
The people inside the Restricted Zone wanted to break out. However, they were held back by two factors: the Akademiya had paid a hefty sum for mercenaries to guard the gates, and they feared spreading the disease to their loved ones. Thus, they restrained their desperate impulses.
The Akademiya would rather spend money hiring mercenaries to watch over them and prevent riots than distribute more supplies—a fact that fueled the deep hatred the people in the Restricted Zone felt for them.
There were even rumors that the Akademiya was considering moving the entire Restricted Zone outside Sumeru City, leaving the patients to fend for themselves.
Of course, this was just gossip. For now, the mercenaries still guarded the main gate of the Restricted Zone within the city, completely ignoring the section outside the walls.
This created an opportunity for Dr. Edward to smuggle medicinal herbs into the Restricted Zone. He skillfully led the way, quickly guiding Lumine and Paimon to another gate of the Restricted Zone. There, he pulled a hidden rope hanging from a nearby tree.
The crisp sound of a small bell rang out, exceptionally clear in the night.
Before long, the gate slowly creaked open. Several figures hurried out from behind it. Upon seeing Dr. Edward, their faces lit up with immense excitement.
"Dr. Edward! We didn't think you'd actually come!"
From the tone of their voice, it was clear they hadn't held much hope for his arrival this time.
Dr. Edward smiled and said, "Take these medicinal herbs. It's not much, but it should be enough to last you for a while. I'll try to figure something else out in the meantime."
Hearing this, the person's expression turned hesitant.
"What's wrong?" Dr. Edward asked. "I know there are far fewer herbs this time, but this is all I could gather with my best efforts."
"No, no, Dr. Edward, you've misunderstood! That's not what we meant at all."
The person explained flusteredly.
"Actually, we wanted to ask you to stop bringing medicinal herbs for now. We know your situation isn't easy, and the Akademiya is watching you like a hawk."
"Even without the medicine, our illness will only rob us of our ability to move. Besides, we're just a group of abandoned people with nothing to do all day anyway."
"Aside from that, there's some mental torment, but it won't kill us."
"We've already discussed it. Except for a few who need to stay strong to protect everyone, we'll save the rest of the medicine entirely for the children and the elderly."
"We young people can endure it. The elderly and children shouldn't have to suffer like this."
Hearing these words, Lumine and Paimon were deeply shaken.
The Akademiya's concern was that the medicine was insufficient to suppress everyone's illness completely. Yet here, the people of the Restricted Zone were rationing even the most basic supplies for those who needed them more.
Lumine and Paimon couldn't imagine the immense courage it must have taken to make such a decision, or the difficulties they must have faced—after all, not everyone is selfless.
Lumine couldn't help but clench her fists, a deep loathing for the Akademiya welling up inside her.
"What are you doing?" Dr. Edward's voice was sharp, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a rare flash of anger. "I told you I'd figure something out! I will gather enough medicine! Letting my own patients suffer is the greatest sign of a doctor's incompetence!"
The people exchanged bitter smiles at his outburst, but under his insistent gaze, they finally nodded in agreement.
"Dr. Edward," one of them said, his voice trembling as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye after arranging for the medicine to be carried away. "You're the only one who still cares about people like us."
"Those bastards at the Akademiya only care about themselves."
"To them, our lives mean nothing!"
"This disease clearly started with the Akademiya! I bet they're conducting some kind of twisted, insane experiment right now!"
The man paused, his face contorted with uncontrollable rage, and turned to Dr. Edward.
"Dr. Edward," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You saved our lives. If those Akademiya bastards dare to lay a hand on you, we'll risk everything to make them pay!" He punctuated his words with a forceful punch in the air, his expression filled with hatred.
"Enough of that kind of talk," Dr. Edward said, his tone grave as he looked at the man. "Listen to me. If the Akademiya does take me away, don't do anything foolish."
"You don't need to worry about my safety. As for gathering the medicine, I'll ask some other friends for help."
His words moved the people before them even more deeply.
Just then, someone finally noticed Lumine and Paimon standing behind Dr. Edward and spoke up.
"Dr. Edward, who are these two...?"
"They are the guards I hired. They've been a great help on our journey."
At that moment, Paimon floated forward to introduce herself and Lumine.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Paimon, and this is the famous Traveler!"
"We're the guards Dr. Edward hired. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
Hearing this, one of the people quickly replied.
"Thank you so much for protecting Dr. Edward! How much does it cost to hire you? We can pool our money to ask you to protect him for a while longer."
"No, no, that's not necessary," Paimon said, waving her hands dismissively.
"Actually, we're also Dr. Edward's patients. The cost of our treatment has already been offset by our guard fees. Don't worry, we'll be responsible for Dr. Edward's safety for the foreseeable future."
"In that case, we'll be counting on you to take extra care of him."
"Mhm, mhm! We'll protect Dr. Edward well, don't you worry!" Paimon declared, patting her chest in assurance.
"The Traveler is super strong! Even a Fatui Harbinger is no match for her!"
Paimon offered this clear and easily understandable example, and the faces of the crowd immediately filled with shock.
"Even a Fatui Harbinger is no match for her? In that case, we can finally rest easy about Dr. Edward's safety."
Any lingering doubts they had about Lumine's strength vanished completely.
Every Fatui Harbinger was immensely powerful, far beyond what ordinary people could handle. If Lumine's strength surpassed even a Harbinger's, then the agents sent by the Akademiya would pose no threat to her at all.
"You must all be exhausted from your journey. Please, follow me. Breakfast is already being prepared."
"Yay! Food, food! My tummy's been rumbling for ages!"
Paimon was the most excited of all. She had been hungry on the road but had been too embarrassed to say anything.
Soon, the group followed the man to a simple hut. Not long after, someone brought them food.
Paimon stared at the black, mushy lumps on the table, her anticipation instantly turning to revulsion.
"Is... is this stuff really edible?"
It wasn't just Paimon; even Lumine, despite her many experiences with strange foods, doubted whether the items on the table were normal. But while they hesitated, Dr. Edward had already picked one up and started eating.
"This is a Sumeru specialty, 'Coconut Charcoal Cake.' It doesn't look very appetizing, but it tastes quite good."
After hearing Dr. Edward's explanation, Lumine and Paimon cautiously tried a bite.
"I apologize. We don't have many ingredients here, so we can only offer you this simple meal..."
Before the man could say more, someone burst into the hut.
"Big Brother, those bastards from the Akademiya are here!"
With those words, the atmosphere in the room instantly tensed.