[Cain''s POV]


    [A week later.]


    "Ngh..."


    I could finally move my body. I woke up three days ago, but I was still paralyzed. The first thing I did was move my right arm.


    It''s really back to normal. As expected of a miracle doctor from a fantasy theme.


    Compared to the first time I was this injured, it only took me a week. I guess my body was getting used to the rough treatment, or...


    I got up and walked to the nearest window. Looking ahead, I saw another hospital. With that being said, there was an alley between the hospital I was in and the one I was looking at. No, it wasn''t just any alley, but the very one that Maria and I investigated.


    So, the man who interrupted us when we found a clue is the same person who possibly had their hospital connected to that underground passage we discovered, huh?


    If I wasn''t mistaken about my deduction, and Dr. Stein truly was the culprit then he most likely started acting the moment we discovered that trapdoor. In that case, my recovery speed was increased by my curse, which wanted me awake as soon as possible because Dr. Stein was making his move.


    So, something life-threatening is going to happen.


    My monologue was then interrupted by the door opening abruptly.


    "Cain~ You can finally move? Why didn''t you call me?"


    As if that fight wasn''t out of the ordinary for her, Maria was still her usual, cheerful self. Or maybe she just had that much faith in this doctor.


    It''s always the one that you least expect, huh? Well, I have no evidence, so it''s best if I just keep this as a hypothesis.


    "I wanted to make sure that it wasn''t a fluke. I was going to call you after a moment," I lied nonchalantly.


    "Really? In that case, I forgive you~"


    To begin with, the three weeks we used to investigate didn''t bear any fruit because of that bitch''s inefficient method. Other than that trapdoor, we had no leads.


    I sighed after realizing that the month I spent in this faction was a waste of time.


    Let''s just hope that she managed to find some clues while Dr. Stein was busy treating us.


    "Where''s Alpha?" I asked while putting on my new set of clothes—I didn''t know how, but it looked the same as my previous pair.


    As for my sword, it was hanging for its dear life.


    I want a heavenly weapon...


    "Ah, Master? She''s waiting for us at the inn," Maria answered, closing the distance between us to assess the life of my blade. "Hm, the Medicio faction is support-based, not offense-based, so they don''t have any weapon stores here."


    What to do? If I have to face another wave of those criminals then my sword won''t last. We need to finish this mission before th—no, wait a damn minute. I''m forgetting something very important. I DIDN''T COME TO THIS FACTION FOR A DAMN MISSION! I CAME FOR SOME SORT OF BODY MODIFICATION!


    "Then should we retreat for now?" I queried.


    "No need. We can leave the fighting to Master."


    Come to think of it, she has a heavenly weapon and she didn''t sustain any injuries.


    Without further ado, we left the room to inform Dr. Stein about our recovery so he could discharge us from the hospital. While searching for him, I took the opportunity to analyze the hospital.


    Since this was his hospital, he had authority over the place, including who to hire and allow in and out. So, I thought that this hospital would be nearly empty for him to do as he pleased with those he abducted, but maybe I was overthinking things.


    "Found him~" Maria pointed out, approaching Dr. Stein.


    "Hm? Recovered already? That''s quicker than I expected," he remarked.


    "Well, we were in the hands of the miracle doctor, after all~"


    True. Maybe it wasn''t my curse that tried to warn me about danger, but the effects of this so-called miracle doctor.


    Finding my silence interesting, he looked my way.


    "You''re a human, correct? The Knight Commander of Division One informed me about the letter you received from His Majesty. Unfortunately, it was torn to bits along with your clothes, but I''ll help you regardless. It''s the least I can do to thank you for your contribution. Please, see me after you receive an update from your senior on that matter."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Nice. So, I''m finally going to get a more stable source of power, unlike this shitty eye. Come to think of it, Maria did mention that Dr. Stein wanted to see me. Does he have some motive of his own? Wait...


    "''That matter''?"


    "The illegal abductions. Your senior told me that you were assigned to investigate."


    THAT BITCH! Ugh, whatever! I''ll just improvise.


    "Then, do yo—"


    "Please, see me after reuniting with your dear senior," he interrupted. His cold gaze was fixed on me. He wasn''t going to budge and listen to anything that I was going to say.


    "Let''s go, Maria."


    Well, I don''t really care about this mission as long as I get my body modifications.


    <hr>


    "So, why the hell did you tell him, bitch? Do you have a screw loose or something? Have you forgotten that he''s also a doctor? A potential suspect?" I sighed at her incompetence and utter...stupidity.


    "Watch your mouth, brat. I told him because I deemed him trustworthy."


    "As long as I''ve known you, I never once had a positive impression of your judgment. So, do you really think that I would excuse this shit decision of yours because you ''deemed him trustworthy''?"


    "I don''t care about your opinion on the matter. But I know you won''t shut up unless you''re satisfied, so I''ll have you know that he confirmed that it was the second possibility. There is more than one doctor involved in this, therefore it doesn''t necessarily need to be an influential doctor, right?"


    Is this woman''s brain okay? Does she know the definition of ''influential''? For the past four weeks, she didn''t realize that the two possibilities were linked, with the latter being the worst-case scenario. If multiple doctors are working together then the possibility of an influential doctor being involved is even greater.


    Knowing damn well that the woman known as Alpha Iode, Knight Commander of blah-blah-blah of the blah-blah-blah, I decided to insert my response in italics because it wouldn''t benefit us in any way to tell her my thoughts. I would rather spend that time cleaning the mess she made than argue with her.


    Not only does he know that Maria and I found a suspicious trapdoor but also that our sole purpose—other than my body modification—is to find the perpetrator/s of the illegal abductions. He probably took care of it but it''s our only lead.


    "Well, we can confirm whether you''re right or not by investigating the lead Maria and I found."


    "You found a lead and didn''t tell me?!" She got up abruptly, angry and disappointed that I didn''t inform her.


    ...She''s right. I should''ve attempted to tell her in my dreams.


    "I''m telling you now, right? Let''s go," I said, walking to the exit.


    "Wait!" She exclaimed.


    "What is it?" I asked, turning around.


    Removing a sheet, Maria and I were met with brand-new weapons.


    So, she can use her brain for useful things occasionally.


    <hr>


    I skipped the scene because I didn''t want to talk about her smugness and how I had to thank her. Let''s just ignore that unnecessary interaction, okay?


    Jokes aside, we arrived at our destination. It was next to Dr. Stein''s hospital, so we had to be as discrete as possible. Fortunately, unlike Alpha, Maria was capable of altering her behavior when necessary.


    "If only that woman could use her brain when necessary," I mused.


    "Huh? Did you say something?" Alpha asked with a cold glance.


    "...Nothing."


    I began tapping on the ground, trying to find the hidden entrance to the underground passage.


    Is it really okay to be doing this on the same day we were discharged? Dr. Stein should be on guard by now. No, it''s precisely because he''s wary of us that he wouldn''t act directly.


    "Found it," I announced to them while brushing away the dust and whatnot with my hand. "Now then, let''s see..." As expected, it was an entrance to a passageway.


    After opening the trapdoor, we all analyzed the rusty set of stairs leading down. Glancing at one another, we then nodded, letting Alpha take the lead. As the weakest, I was left in the middle.


    After a few minutes of walking down a flight of stairs in a dark underground, we were met with a stainless steel door. Fortunately, there was light illuminating from the room behind the door. But that also meant that we could be expecting people.


    Unlike the rusty stairway, the door is clean. Does that mean that there is another path—like one from within a hospital? If so, then the stairway could be used when abducting people, but that would mean the perpetrator would have to use it as well. Unless...he has others to do that dirty work.


    "Looks like we''re here," Alpha announced.


    "Yeah, let''s get this over with. I have to see Dr. Stein as soon as possible."


    Whatever it is, I don''t want to involve myself too much in this or find out more. If it does turn out that Dr. Stein is behind all of this, it''d ruin our relationship. Good grief, at least let me get my body modification.


    "I''ll stay here and guard the exit," Maria stated, not wanting to face the harsh reality that was waiting ahead—the stench that foreboded something grotesque.


    Shocked at what she found upon opening the door, Alpha was too stunned to move. I raised an eyebrow and looked at her.


    What is with that surprised Pikachu face?


    "Oi, bitch, move. You''re blocking the way."


    Not listening to me, I grew agitated and kicked her out of the way. To my surprise, she didn''t get angry or try to kick me back. Instead, she dropped to her knees. More curious about what she was shocked by than her strange behavior, I assessed the room.


    "Well...fuck," I uttered, unable to avert my gaze from the scenery.


    It was a room painted in white, but in contrast to that bright theme, what we found was something ominous. Like a prison, many rooms locked people behind bars.


    "GARRRGHHH!"


    Did I say people? I meant monsters imitating the appearance of people. They all had red eyes and white hair. Considering their attire, they weren''t doctors or apprentices. But what made us certain that they were monsters instead of normal people weren''t only those two distinctive features—which could''ve easily been brushed off considering how the aliens had a variety of colors. Their skin was as pale as clouds, and their demeanor was that of a ferocious animal.


    They had lost all sense of rationality, recklessly and violently banging against the bars that restrained them from causing mayhem. They kept screaming incoherently while their mouth was salivating to an abnormal extent.


    Are they... the abducted tourists?


    "Oi, bitch. This doesn''t seem like the safe experiments you boasted about."


    "Obviously not, you damn brat."


    Good. She''s stable enough to banter.


    All that was left was for me to bring myself back to reality as well. I slapped my cheeks, negating any unnecessary emotions and thoughts. Just then, the door on the opposite end of the room opened. A group of white-clothed doctors entered the room.


    "INTRUDERS! DON''T LET THEM ESCAPE!" A man ordered, slamming his hand on a button that removed all of the bars, setting the monsters free.


    Finally coming to her senses, Alpha got up.


    "Don''t tell me you''re against killing them just because they were former tourists?" I asked, sending a skeptical glance her way.


    "My resolve isn''t that weak. Come, [Memento Mori]" she commanded, immediately unsheathing her katana after summoning it. "I will put them out of their misery."


    "That''s good to hear. Now then..." Following suit, I unsheathed my brand-new sword. "Time to test out this babe~"