"To... treat me?" Sora's eyes instantly softened, though not when looking at Michael, but at Reiju.
"You've worked hard, Reiju..."
"What's so hard about it for a little kid like her?" Michael rolled his eyes. "I'm the one who's actually going to do the healing here!"
"Actually, I know my own body very well." Sora shook her head.
As the wife of Judge, that science fanatic, she'd naturally absorbed much knowledge—enough to recognize the powerful drugs affecting the Lineage Factor.
"The side effects caused by Lineage Factor medicine are incurable."
Ignoring Sora's polite refusal, Michael took Reiju's hand and led her to the table.
"Sora..." Michael tilted his head, studying Vinsmoke Sora.
"Come to think of it, your name is exactly the same as the protagonist Sora in 'Warrior of the Sea: Sora'."
"That's just a coincidence."
"No no, I don't think so." Michael reached out and lifted Vinsmoke Sora's chin.
"That look in your eyes just now absolutely lives up to your name."
"Look?"
"Exactly, that look." Michael released her, showing an appreciative smile. "The look of a lioness who, even while plagued by illness, still wants to tear me to pieces... or simply put, the 'protective mother' look."
Michael spoke slowly, locking eyes with Sora as he emphasized each word.
For people like her, he never hesitated to offer admiration and assistance.
What was the purpose of all his meticulous planning?
Simply to ensure people like her wouldn't suffer unjust fates.
With that, Michael's Wings suddenly unfurled, radiating Holy light dozens of times more intense than before.
"Purge all corruption, protection is our faith!"
"Holy Healing Art!"
As Michael chanted, all the Holy light around him condensed before him, eventually forming a palm-sized... angel.
This angel was lifelike, nuzzling gently against Michael's hand before diving straight into Sora's forehead without hesitation.
Before anyone could exclaim, Sora's eyes rolled back as she dissolved into overflowing Holy light.
Then her body collapsed backward.
"MOTHER!"
"MOM!"
Reiju and Sanji reacted instantly, forgetting that their body was too small to catch their mother.
Michael raised an eyebrow.
"What... what have you done to Her Highness?" Ebony asked Michael after seeing the Queen safely supported by Reiju, relief mixing with her questioning tone.
"And I've been meaning to ask - why would there be a Marine personnel in the Germa Kingdom?"
"That's quite a long story," Michael shrugged. "But my suggestion is to first get your Queen to bed. Fully healing her body will take some time."
With that, he gave Reiju a reassuring look.
Steadying herself, Reiju picked up her mother and carried her to the large bed.
Michael wasn't surprised at all.
Even as a child, Reiju with her Lineage Factor modifications could easily twist apart steel prison bars.
Carrying her increasingly frail and thin mother was child's play.
Witnessing this, Sanji looked at Michael with excitement.
"Will Mom really be cured?"
"As long as you stop poisoning your mother with that terrifying food of yours, there shouldn't be any problems," Michael patted the little boy's head. "I mean, shouldn't you taste your own cooking first before serving it? Only your mother would endure this out of love. If it were me, I'd have spanked your curly butt right now!"
Sanji shivered all over, giving Michael a somewhat disdainful look.
Yet his hands instinctively covered his backside.
Unlike Ichiji, Niji, or Yonji who had hard exoskeletons all over, his bottom was genuinely vulnerable to spanking.
Seeing Sanji's wary expression, Michael's lips twitched.
That posture, that look...
He wasn't diddy!
He had zero interest in little boys, okay?
"Ahem, speaking of which," Michael continued, "how do you two feel about your father? Honestly, though this is my first time meeting Vinsmoke Judge, I can't say I like him at all."
After these words, silence fell over the chambers.
"...He's my father," Reiju finally spoke after what seemed like a long deliberation.
"I can't disobey Father's orders, but... I can't agree with his actions either."
Her gaze turned to Sanji, warmth showing in her eyes.
Though she usually had to maintain a cold demeanor, in her heart she still cared deeply for her mother and Sanji.
As for her other three brothers who'd lost their emotions and become a monster - that was entirely their father's fault!
Turning her brothers... into something less than human.
"Given your attitude, combined with Lady Sora's earlier reaction, I think I understand the situation now."
Michael nodded.
It seemed Vinsmoke Judge's disappearance wouldn't really affect this family.
After all, the children capable of emotion either disliked or outright hated him.
Not to mention those emotionless boys.
And most importantly... if the Holy Healing Art can successfully treat Vinsmoke Sora, then it proves the technique can affect things at the Lineage Factor level.
This means the emotionless modifications caused by Vinsmoke Judge's technical misconceptions about Lineage Factors aren't necessarily irreversible.
After all, Holy light possesses not just "healing" properties but also "purifying" attributes.
Although in the original story, the three emotionless brothers were initially repulsive, their later behavior showed that their so-called "lack of emotions" was more about blockage and suppression.
Moreover, the three brothers haven't fully grown up yet.
If the negative modifications to their Lineage Factors could truly be reversed, with guidance from a good mother, they might not follow their original path.
"You've got it figured out? Figured out what?" Reiju looked puzzled.
This Marine words were always confusing.
Michael shook his head with a smile.
"You'll understand when the Queen of Germa Kingdom wakes up."
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