kscans

Chapter 246 - Panacea

Before Hayato logged out, Esha and the others returned.

It had been about two hours since they had left the base. Considering the travel time, they had been fighting for about an hour. Because this was a virtual reality, there was no physical fatigue, but they must have been mentally tired. The returning members looked weary.

But their faces were smiling. The result was clear without even asking.

Hayato greeted everyone with a smile, welcoming them back to the base. He prepared beds and other things in the third-floor hall so that everyone could rest, including Maris and the Maid Chief who didn’t live at the base.

However, there were some who would not rest. For Damian and Ruth, this was where the real work began.

Damian showed Hayato the item to awaken someone from the undying sleep, "Panacea."

The slightly blue liquid in the round flask was a universal cure bearing the name of a god, and the item description said it could cure any illness.

The item description itself was not much different from Elixir or Dragon Blood, but Elixir was positioned as something made by gods, and Dragon Blood as something made by demons.

However, "Panacea" seemed to be neither, positioned as something made by humans, unrelated to gods or demons. There was likely a classification similar to that of holy and demonic swords, and famous and Cursed Blades.

Hayato was interested in the manufacturing method for Panacea, but this time it was the item itself, not an item with the method written on it, so he gave up.

"Let’s give it to Mist-san right away. If God’s words are true, then she should wake up."

"You’re right. If you don’t mind, Hayato and Ruth, I’d like you to be here too. I don’t think there will be any problems, but being alone is, well, a little scary."

"Of course. But it will be alright. It’s information from God, so Mist-san will definitely wake up."

"...You’re right. I don’t believe in God, but if Mist wakes up, I’ll acknowledge him a little. Besides, this is information that Ruth brought."

Ruth, looking a little embarrassed, nodded.

"It’s information I received as payment for God’s request, so there’s no mistake. But Damian, you’re amazing for being so condescending to God."

"When you live long enough, you start to feel like saying things like that. Well, that’s fine. Let’s go to Mist’s room right away."

Nodding at Damian’s words, they all moved to Mist’s room.

Mist’s room was unchanged. Inside the open coffin, Mist lay with her fingers interlaced on her stomach.

Damian nodded once, then had Mist drink the Panacea.

Mist glowed faintly, and her chest rose and fell dramatically.

Vampires were undead, but in reality, they were ordinary humans. He didn't know the exact situation, but Hayato figured she must have taken a deep breath in the real world as well.

Then, Mist’s eyes slowly opened. Her eyes darted around, then fixed on Hayato and the others. And she smiled.

"Good morning. It seems I’ve overslept a little."

As Mist spoke, Ruth threw herself onto Mist’s chest, her shoulders trembling.

Damian crossed his arms and took a deep breath. His expression hadn't changed much, but a smile played on his lips, so he was likely happy.

Of course, Hayato was happy too, but he held back, thinking that if he rejoiced more than Damian and Ruth, it would diminish their own joy. It was a consideration based on the fact that when someone else is exploding with emotion, you tend to become calmer.

Mist patted Ruth’s head, then slowly sat up.

"Is this Hayato-san’s base?"

"Yes. Since we were conquering the Necropolis dungeon together with Damian-san and the others, we thought it would be better for you to be here with us. As for your mansion, Mist-san…"

"I have already contacted them. The servants there said it would be fine if you were at Hayato’s base, so I have their permission. You can rest assured."

Hayato tilted his head at Damian’s words. He wondered why he had received such an evaluation, but he convinced himself that it was probably due to the soiree during the Stampede.

"It seems I have caused you all a lot of trouble. And Ruth, did you help as well?"

"Yeah, a little. But when it came to exterminating the demon today, I wasn't much help. It was like, everyone started a festival of taking aggro, and since I don't have much firepower, I don't think it mattered whether I was there or not."

"That was the Maid Chief’s fault. Gil seemed to be laughing, but she couldn’t manage her hate, so she was useless as a tank. So in the end, we ignored the aggro and just ganged up on it. It’s strange, but why are the Maid Chief and Esha working as maids?"

"I think there are some things in this world you’re better off not knowing."

"...I doubt it’s that big of a deal, but I get what you’re trying to say."

As Damian said that, everyone in the room burst out laughing.

After they had all finished laughing, Hayato looked at Mist.

"By the way, Mist-san, are you feeling alright? I was worried about you moving around so suddenly."

"Yes, I’m fine. My body feels a little stiff as if it’s out of practice, but I think I’ll be able to move properly after a little while."

Mist slowly stood up and stepped out of the coffin. Her movements were a little slow, but she seemed fine.

"That’s good. We’re planning a victory celebration and a recovery party for you tonight, would you be able to participate?"

"Of course. I would be delighted to join."

Mist smiled and then looked at Damian and Ruth in turn.

"You two must be tired from conquering the Necropolis today. I’m fine now, so please rest for tonight. Even if you’re not physically tired, I’m sure it was mentally taxing."

"You’re right. Even for a vampire and an undead, detailed work is mentally draining."

"Yeah. The second half of the battle with that Duke-class Demon was very mentally tiring… mostly because of our allies."

Seeing their very tired faces, Hayato wondered what had happened, but he reminded himself that there were some things in this world he was better off not knowing and decided not to ask.

"Ruth and I will rest in the next room. You just woke up, Mist, so don’t overdo it. Well then, see you tonight."

"Yes. See you again tonight."

As Mist smiled and said that, Damian and Ruth left the room.

Hayato decided to leave as well, thinking that if he stayed, Mist would feel obligated to entertain him.

"Well then, I’ll be returning to my room. Ah, before that, is there anything you need? If you’d like any food or drinks, I can prepare them."

"No, I’m fine. However, there is something I would like to talk to you about. Please, sit down first. This may take a while."

"With me? What is it about?"

Hayato sat across the wooden round table from Mist.

Mist had something to say, even though she had just woken up. Hayato thought it might be about thanking him, but Mist’s face was very serious. Her eyes were earnest, creating an atmosphere unimaginable from just moments ago.

However, Mist did not speak right away, as if she were either choosing her words or hesitating.

"Um…?"

"...It is best I say it directly. Hayato-san, I have regained my memories of the real world. I also know that this is a virtual reality, not the real world."

"...Huh?"

"With those words, I trust you understand what has happened to me, Hayato-san?"

"Eh, ah, well, yes, I do, but…"

Hayato’s thoughts were in a jumble. Mist had regained her memories. When, why, how, so many questions welled up that he couldn’t organize them.

"I apologize for being so sudden. The truth is, during what is called the undying sleep in this world, I met this world’s God. To be precise, it was more like I heard his words than met him, but at that time, he explained various things to me."

Could that be Diite, Hayato wondered. But at the very least, Diite had not said anything like that last night.

Due to the nature of her memory area, Diite sometimes had discrepancies between what she actually did and what she remembered. But a doubt arose whether she could conveniently forget or be mistaken about so many things.

Hayato stopped thinking for a moment. He could ask Diite about that later. For now, he took a deep breath to calm his mind and listen to Mist’s story.

"I understand the situation. But the fact that you told only me means this is a secret from Damian-san and Ruth-kun?"

"Yes. Even if I told them, Damian and the others wouldn’t understand. They may regain their memories, but before that, there is something I must do."

"Something you must do?"

"Before that, I would like to ask, do you know about us in the real world, Hayato-san?"

"I do know a little. That Mist-san and Damian-san are doctors, and Ruth-kun and the other members of the Undead clan were patients. And that Mist-san also has the same illness as the patients. That when the illness progresses, you fall into the undying sleep to stop its progression."

"You are well-informed. It is just as God said. He said that since you are loved by the Administrator, you should have the information."

Despite being in a virtual reality, Hayato burst out laughing.

Though it was only a guess, that Administrator was Diite. He had been told that he was in her favor before, but while the meaning was similar, being told he was "loved" was exquisitely embarrassing.

However, he did understand something. According to Mist, there was a God. And the God of this world would be the program that even trapped Hypnos during the Stampede event, Infinity.

But thinking about that now wouldn’t help, so he decided to listen to Mist’s story.

"Um, I’m sorry, could you please continue?"

"Yes. God said that he hid the information to cure the disease in this virtual reality. He said to gather that knowledge, make it possible to produce Panacea, and have you make it, Hayato-san. That, he said, would become the cure."

Hayato tilted his head. Mist’s story was a jumble of reality and virtual reality.

"Um, you’re talking about the virtual reality, not the real world, right? I thought Panacea was a medicine to awaken from the undying sleep."

"I am also talking about the real world. The Panacea that awakens one from the undying sleep in the virtual reality is also the medicine to cure the disease in the real world. The knowledge to cure the real-world disease was hidden within the virtual reality… You used the item Panacea on me, did you not?"

"Y-yes. I did. And you woke up because of it."

"Not only did I awaken in the virtual reality, but my real-world self should also be cured of the disease."

"...What!?"

"I haven’t examined my own body, so I can’t be sure, but according to God, at the same time the Panacea was used, a medicine to treat the disease would be administered to me through the cryosleep pod."

"No, no, no, it’s an incurable disease, right?"

"Yes. However, from what I have heard, nearly 100 years have passed since our time, have they not? If so, would it not be possible to cure it?"

"That’s true, but then the question becomes why we have to do this in this virtual reality. If it can be cured, it should be cured immediately. There’s no need to do something like gathering knowledge."

If there was a cure, they should just treat it normally. There should be no need to do such a thing within a virtual reality.

"To God, this must be a game. A game in the truest sense."

"That’s ridiculous. People’s lives are at stake. They may be in cryosleep, so the progression of the disease is slowed, but they will die someday. There may be time, but they should be cured right away."

"I think so too, but those seem to be the rules that the God of this world has devised, so we have no choice but to follow them."

Hayato was in a state of confusion, but there was only one way to resolve everything.

Hayato decided to call Diite.