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yumemory[Location: Figaro’s clinic, morning]
The baby continued to cry like she was on fire, even after being put to bed.
Figaro: Shh, shh. Good girl.
Figaro cooed her as he checked her eyes and the color of her throat to assess her condition.
Figaro: ...Yeah. No infections.
He placed his hand on her small body and recited his spell...
And her loud cries gradually faded away.
Figaro: Seems like something bad got into her, but the healing magic I cast just now should help her recover soon. Don’t worry.
Figaro: If she sleeps well tonight, then she'll be fine by tomorrow morning.
Man: Really?!
Woman: Ah, thank goodness!
Teary-eyed, the couple carried their child and bowed their heads repeatedly.
Woman: Thank you so, so much, Doctor. If something bad happened to her, then we... we...
Figaro: Don’t worry. She’s a strong girl who won't go down without a fight. Right, little princess?
Figaro gently poked the baby on her nose, earning a giggle from her in return. The couple smiled, as if all their stress had finally dissipated.
Man: Doctor Figaro, once you're done with work, how’d you like to stop by our village? We'll gather our neighbors and prepare a feast for you.
Woman: Yes, yes. Please let us do something for you.
Woman: My mother keeps telling me her back pain has gotten better ever since she came to you for help. She wants to thank you as soon as possible.
Figaro: Haha, thank you. I’ll definitely drop by next time.
The couple, who looked so distressed when they came in, now wore happy expressions on their faces. I could tell just how relieved they were as they held their child.
Seeing how much they trust Figaro reminded me of what Mitile said about this clinic:
Akira: (...An important place that always provides reassurance to everyone...)
This couple must have received help from Figaro multiple times in the past, not just today.
And I'm sure the same goes to everyone else who lives here.
Akira: (This clinic is an important place that makes everyone feel safe...)
Things finally settled down after the couple left the clinic.
Figaro: Now that they’re all taken care of, let's focus on the investigation.
Mitile: What can we do, Doctor Figaro?
Rutile: We’ll do anything we have to do!
Figaro: Yeah. I need you two to do something for me. Shino, Heathcliff, and Nero, too.
Figaro: I'm gonna need the five of you to fly around the area and look for anything strange. Those of us left here will do our own investigation.
Rutile, Mitile and Heathcliff: Okay!
Shino and Nero: Alright.
Akira: Please take care, everyone.
Rutile: Thank you, Master Sage. We’re off.
The five of them left the clinic, closing the door behind them.
Then Faust cut in sharply, as if he’d been observing Figaro:
Faust: ...You already know what's going on here, don't you?
Akira: Huh… Really?
Figaro shrugged in response.
Figaro: These earthquakes are probably caused by this thing called the Swamp of Acid.
Lennox: ...Swamp of Acid?
Figaro: It was a nasty swamp that melted everything it touched, including all manner of plants and trees. Its existence was poison to everything that lived in the South.
Figaro: Its ground wasn't stable. There was nothing edible in it, boiled or baked. It was the cause of all sorts of disaster.
Akira: ...Does such a frightening thing really exist?
Figaro: Back then, yes. It’s gone now, though. I buried it a long time ago.
Figaro: It was an old story from when I started cultivating this land. But prior to burying it, there used to be a lot of odd things that happened around it.
Figaro: Huge earthquakes occurred all the time, and holes often randomly appeared in the ground.
Faust: Exactly the same as what's going on right now.
Figaro: Yeah. It can’t be a coincidence that the swamp returned to cause problems years after I buried it.
Akira: ............
I looked down to my feet involuntarily. Underneath the very ground I’m standing on, there could be an abominable swamp buried far below.
Lennox: ...Did you build this clinic in such a dangerous place?
Figaro: No way!
As if he’d just heard something outrageous, Figaro shook his head repeatedly.
Figaro: This isn't where the swamp is. It's in the middle of nowhere, pretty far from here.
Figaro: Its location was unsuitable for living to begin with, but it was also dangerous to leave it as it was. That’s why I buried and sealed it underground.
Figaro: It's safe for now, though. It's located far enough away that the clinic and the surrounding area shouldn’t be directly affected.
Faust: But there are also unusual incidents happening here. And I’m sure you know why that is, too.
Figaro scratched the back of his elbow, looking a little embarrassed.
Figaro: It’s exacting its revenge on me, probably.
Lennox: Revenge?
Figaro: Yeah. Back then, there was a wicked wizard who tricked people and stole from them.
Figaro: So I turned him to stone and buried him underground along with the swamp. Both were being a nuisance, so I disposed of them.
Figaro’s words made me uneasy.
Akira: ...A nuisance?
He said it like it was nothing, without even the slightest hint of guilt.
Akira: (Figaro is usually very friendly, so sometimes I forget…)
That he’s a wizard who has lived for thousands of years. The reminder sent a shiver through me, as if a cold rain had fallen on the back of my neck.
Lennox: So what you're saying is that this wizard is causing all these incidents?
Figaro: I think so. The Great Calamity probably triggered it.
Figaro: Because of the moon's influence, the deep-seated hatred left by that wizard must have spawned something and connected with the swamp’s spirit.
Figaro: ......Even though he’s just a weakling driven by nothing but bitterness.
Figaro: The person himself may have long vanished, but whatever was left of him could have crawled through the veins of this land and traveled underneath this clinic in search of me.
Figaro: Jeez, talk about being attached.
After speaking, Figaro then cast his spell:
Figaro:《 Possideo 》
Akira: ...Huh?
The ground shook once again.
And a black cloud of smoke suddenly rose up in front of us.
Akira: (...Huh? What’s that...)
Lennox: That’s...
I was met by a low and frightening sound that reminded me of a beast's cry, and I rushed to cover my ears.
The sound alone was deeply uncomfortable; it felt like it was crawling all over my body. Just hearing it was enough to make me feel sick.
There were no words to be found in its cries. But even so, the resentment in them was strong enough for me to feel it.
Like it was saying, “I’ll hurt you, I’ll make you suffer… and I’ll take everything from you.”
Figaro: Ah. Sorry for scaring you.
Figaro snapped his fingers.
And the black smoke and the resentful presence suddenly dissipated as if it were only a dream.
Akira: ...That thing just now...
Faust: ...Was that the same cursed presence I felt earlier?
Lennox: You noticed something, Lord Faust?
Faust: Yes, but I only felt a disturbing energy. I didn’t figure everything out like he did.
Faust directed his eyes at Figaro.
Faust: Since you know a lot about this, then surely you also know how to solve it.
Figaro: I guess so...
Figaro: You could say I'm the root of this problem. It's me that thing's targeting, after all. But I could erase it in a heartbeat if I use something that has strong ties to this land as my medium.
Figaro: And by “medium”, I mean this clinic.
Akira: ...Huh?
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
