"What's wrong, Father? Is there some problem with Sister Talulah's friends? This is the first time I've seen you take someone so seriously."
Having returned to their room, Neon questioned Hellagur, who was acting somewhat unusual. She felt that her father's behavior just now was a bit off.
"It's nothing. I just have a feeling that the golden-haired girl isn't as simple as she looks. Never mind, perhaps it is just my imagination."
Hellagur pondered for a moment after hearing Neon's words, but eventually shook his head, dismissing his somewhat absurd intuition.
Just now, when he saw Jeanne, his first instinct told him that this girl was a general who led soldiers; the air she unintentionally projected was something he was all too familiar with. Moreover, judging by the aura surrounding her, those she commanded were definitely not mere Infected from the snowfields, and the wars she participated in were not small-scale skirmishes, but life-and-death struggles against great powers.
But on second thought, Hellagur dismissed the idea. It was simply too preposterous. If he were to tell anyone, it would likely be treated as a joke. Besides, if Jeanne truly had been a general, her reputation would have spread across Terra long ago given her appearance and age. Yet, in all these years, Hellagur had never seen intelligence from any country mentioning such a young general.
Still, Hellagur felt he should keep an eye on their movements. What was this strange combination—those two plus a Sankta who wasn't an Infected—doing here? And arriving at such a sensitive time, no less.
However, as he had said, Azazel was merely a neutral clinic. As long as they didn't drag external affairs into this place, he wouldn't interfere.
"It's just that lately, troublesome matters have been arriving one after another. It really makes one's head ache."
Watching the white-haired Feline emerge from the operating room ahead, even Hellagur, who was usually good at maintaining his composure, couldn't help but rub his forehead. Recent events had given him a sudden urge to retire.
"Thank you for your hard work, Doctor Kal'tsit."
Hellagur greeted Kal'tsit, who had clearly just finished surgery, with practiced familiarity. He had a deep impression of this doctor. Years ago, when he first took over Azazel, Kal'tsit had performed surgery on Neon in exchange for Hellagur finding a way to help her escape this city.
She had gone through so much trouble to leave, yet how many years had it been before she returned? Did she truly think Chernobog had forgotten her?
"It is fine. I came here because I wanted to understand a few things as well. If anything, my presence here might be causing you trouble," Kal'tsit said to Hellagur while pulling off her blood-stained gloves. If those who knew of the incident back then discovered that Researcher Kal'tsit was still alive, the trouble would be immense.
After overhearing the news that Jeanne was coming to Azazel, Kal'tsit had come here specifically to observe her in secret. Based on the experience accumulated over her long life and her intuition, she felt that the bizarre situations in Ursus and Laterano were somewhat connected to this young woman.
"From the looks of it, you seem quite concerned about that girl. Could she really be so special that you'd risk exposure just to appear at Azazel?"
Hellagur easily saw through Kal'tsit's thoughts. She had arrived here before Jeanne and the others specifically to observe them from the shadows, confirming their identity the moment they arrived. Otherwise, why would someone who once lived here and knew how to stay hidden risk returning to this city?
Kal'tsit showed no unusual reaction to Hellagur's words, maintaining her nearly cold tone:
"She possesses a certain secret that is very important to me and my friends. I have no intention of breaking the rules of your establishment."
"It's best that way." Hellagur looked at the petite Kal'tsit, remained silent for a long time, and then took a bottle from his pocket.
"This is the special medicine they gave me earlier to treat Oripathy. When used on the Infected, the therapeutic effect is very pronounced. If there are any critically ill patients, you can use this to alleviate their condition."
As he spoke, Hellagur handed a small vial of transparent liquid to Kal'tsit. Since she was practicing medicine here, the existence of this substance couldn't be hidden from her anyway, so he might as well give it to her directly. Moreover, this was brought by Talulah; perhaps it could help Kal'tsit learn what she wanted to know, and it would also give Hellagur and the others a general understanding of this unknown substance.
Kal'tsit took the vial and went straight back to her room. She held the transparent liquid up for careful observation, then rubbed a bit of it onto a spot where her Originium was exposed.
Feeling the reaction of the Originium within her body, Kal'tsit could confirm that this was Laterano Holy Water. She had come into contact with the same substance in the past and naturally wouldn't forget its miraculous properties.
But the question was: how did they get it? This substance was rare even in Laterano; it was impossible for them to be wealthy enough to use it to treat ordinary Infected. Where on earth did they get such high-quality goods? Was it obtained by that Sankta with them? That seemed unrealistic; a single Sankta couldn't get their hands on that much Holy Water.
It was like a person on the verge of starvation using gold to forge a key; such extravagant behavior could only be described as profligate, which left Kal'tsit deeply puzzled.
"Unless... this thing wasn't bought from Laterano, but made by them. Perhaps the manufacturing process is so simple that they can treat it as common medicine for the Infected."
Sitting there, Kal'tsit muttered to herself while staring at the liquid in the bottle. In truth, she found it hard to believe her own guess, but it was the most logical explanation.
On the other side, Crownslayer , having finished being treated for her injuries, was walking down the corridor. Just as she reached the spot where Kal'tsit and Hellagur had been talking, the hair all over her body stood on end.
She sensed a familiar scent. This aura definitely belonged to Kal'tsit, who must have left only a short while ago! She hadn't expected to run into her again so soon. She still intended to demand clear answers to the things Kal'tsit had said before!
"It seems that if I don't settle the issues regarding you completely, I won't be able to stay here in peace."
Kal'tsit appeared before Crownslayer as if she had foreseen her arrival. It seemed she had long expected this encounter. Mon3tr instantly subdued her and brought her into the room.
"It looks like we need another ideology lesson tonight."