The next day. The sun hung low over the eastern horizon, bathing the world in its warm light.
Gathered in the living room, the five of them wore solemn expressions as they made their final preparations.
Nothing had changed; their clothes were the same, although their demeanor had shifted slightly.
Aaron glanced at Zuhen Mudelk, who looked like a toddler who had only just learned how to stand.
"...Are you all right?" he asked seriously, knowing this journey was a matter of life and death.
Zuhen let out a short sigh; his face was deathly pale.
"I wouldn't say I'm 'all right'... Ah, where are my cigarettes?"
He suddenly realized after patting the pocket of his coat and quickly turned toward Felina, who was supporting him with a sharp stare.
"I confiscated your cigarettes for today," Felina replied firmly.
Zuhen sighed, unsure how to react.
"I guess I don't have a choice."
He scoffed inwardly, intimidated by her.
Then, Tell appeared, floating above Zuhen's left shoulder, and glanced at Celvira with a frown.
"Hey..."
Everyone's attention shifted to the tiny flying creature; their brows furrowed slightly.
"...Is it talking to me?" Celvira asked, tugging on Zavi's coat.
"Maybe," Zavi answered quietly. "Besides, you're both supernatural beings. You shouldn't fight. It's not good."
Zavi sounded like a mother scolding two mischievous children who simply couldn't get along.
Celvira nodded, restraining herself because of the Five-Symbol Oath Contract that bound her.
After all, the appearance of a Level 4 evil spirit, Overoliridya, could not be ignored!
As Tell stared intently at Celvira, he spoke again. "I've seen you before... but where was it..."
"That little creature sure likes talking nonsense," Aaron remarked calmly.
It was sheer madness to head for Synomia this early in the morning. Besides, Aaron knew the terrain in Vinohoshi was highly unstable, and that the Order operating secretly behind the shadows of industrial progress had its headquarters there.
He remained skeptical about the existence of such a conspiracy. Even so, that suspicion only grew stronger after he decided to move to GreyHeaven and the border region of Vinohoshi Province.
After a brief conversation, Tell departed on Zuhen's orders.
Although he walked with a limp, he hurried toward Velise Station.
Since they were scheduled to leave on the first train of the day, the five of them boarded after waiting a few minutes and took seats in the second carriage.
....
In Makoli City, Verce, Dahsu Street.
Amid the bustle of the streets, Albert and his two companions boarded a tram. That morning, it was unusually empty, carrying only ten people, including the driver.
Lately, he had been constantly traveling back and forth from his residence, searching for someone well-versed in the intricacies of the supernatural.
Although he himself possessed some knowledge of the supernatural, it was far too shallow to help him find a cure for Forn Vinora.
Albert knew he wasn't anyone special to Forn Vinora, merely a friend. At least, that was how he viewed their relationship.
Feyne and Luke exchanged glances as they watched Albert, who had been working tirelessly these past few days.
Ever since Sodet's arrest, the two of them had repeatedly warned Albert to take care of his physical and mental health, but Albert merely smiled and said quietly, "It's all right. I'm prepared to bear it."
That determination ignited a fire in Luke's chest, driving him to find a way to repay the kindness Albert had shown him over the years.
Even Feyne, who normally spoke bluntly and without a filter, tried to offer support, determined to keep their spirits high whenever things seemed bleak.
"...Regarding that 'long sleep' condition, I've found someone suffering from the same illness," Albert said quietly.
Luke glanced at Feyne, who was sitting beside him, before asking softly for confirmation, "The same condition as Miss Vinora's?"
Albert, seated across from them, lowered his bowler hat slightly and answered in a whisper, "Yes. Sodet gave me the information, and he'll take us to meet that person."
Feyne studied him carefully for a long while.
"About Sodet, is it really safe to let him roam freely around Verce? I'm worried the Church's agents might execute him, especially after everything he's done."
Albert hesitated before answering. Two seconds later, he said, "I'll explain why later. It's too dangerous to talk about it here."
The three of them spoke in low voices, making sure their conversation didn't attract the attention of those around them.
Upon arriving on the west side of Dahsu Street, they headed toward the pedestrian stop where Sodet was waiting.
"You're late."
He had already been waiting for half an hour. Although it wasn't an especially long time, to Sodet, time was money.
Albert held his bowler hat against his chest before putting it back on and said, "Sorry. Can we head there right away?"
Sodet hesitated for a moment. Then, glancing around, he asked, "Aren't we going to chat first?"
Albert frowned in confusion at those words and looked at his two companions.
"Did I hear that wrong?" Albert asked while looking at them.
Luke shook his head.
"I don't think that guy's right in the head."
Feyne nodded.
"That's right. His brain must've short-circuited back then."
Sodet's breathing grew ragged as those words echoed through his mind.
He took three steps forward.
"Miss, you should watch your tongue. Otherwise..."
Albert immediately cut him off.
"Otherwise what?"
Sodet instinctively took a step back before motioning for them to follow him.
'Damn it, I just remembered my current situation. They've already cast me aside, and they're only using me. Hmph, I don't want anything to do with the messengers of the Yarandrela Church.'
After thinking that to himself and nodding, he turned around to check on them, only for his steps to freeze.
"...Why are you all just standing there? Military training or something?" he asked, raising his voice.
"..."
There was no response. The three of them stood motionless like statues, though they were still breathing and blinking.
Sodet clicked his tongue.
"What exactly do you people want?" He swallowed hard before continuing, "Don't tell me... you're planning to arrest me?"
Seeing the sharp smile on Feyne's face, Sodet became even more convinced that the dreaded messenger had come to capture and kill him in a dark room hidden from public view.
However, Albert quickly stepped in to clear up the misunderstanding. "Please relax, Mr. Sodet. No one is going to arrest you, at least not for now," Albert said with a blank expression.
Instinctively, Sodet took several steps back.
"There you go again, saying 'at least for now.' Don't joke like that. It's not funny," Sodet said, holding his breath.
Albert looked at him seriously.
After that, the three of them followed wherever Sodet led them.
Not long afterward, they arrived at a modest two-story house in an alley marked with the number 499.
"So this is the person who 'has the illness' of endless sleep?" Albert murmured, seeking confirmation.
Sodet nodded confidently, clearly remembering the previous incident.
He then rang the doorbell and waited for a response.
There was no answer, causing the three of them to instinctively look at him.
Sodet slowly turned his head, almost completely looking away.
"I'm not lying, I swear," Sodet said defensively.
A few moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed from inside the house, drawing closer.
Their eyes remained fixed on the door, their breaths held in anticipation.
Then the door opened.
Click.
A woman in a simple dress, her black hair flowing gently down her back with a ribbon adorning the left side, looked at them with gentle blue eyes.
"Who are you?" she asked, ready to scream and slam the door shut.
Sodet observed her for a moment before speaking casually, "We're from the Supernatural Investigators Association. I received a mandate from Gerry, a member of the Supervisory Council."
A small lie could save a bad situation. That had always been Sodet's belief.
'Supernatural investigators? So they're Commissioner Conrette's people?'
"Gerry? So the Commissioner sent you?" the woman murmured, her voice filled with doubt.
The three of them remained silent behind him, relying on Sodet to handle the conversation.
After a brief exchange, the four of them were invited inside and shown to the living room to the left of the entrance.
From the outside, the house looked modest, but the interior, home to five people, nearly left them speechless in surprise.
"I'm sorry, it's a bit messy in here. You should've let me know before coming," the woman said awkwardly.
She gestured for them to sit down.
Albert, Sodet, and Luke sat on the long sofa, while Feyne sat across from the homeowner.
"That 'Erne' disease, the one described as 'endless sleep,' nearly drove my father insane."
The term Erne came from the Talazze Vana language and was commonly used because it was easy to pronounce and remember, even though the name "endless sleep" was not recognized in medical records.
'So the rumor is true... that 'Resse' likes possessing women's bodies?'
Sodet nodded to himself as he thought.
"About endless sleep... do you know the early symptoms or warning signs that appeared before she fell into that state?"
Originally, he wanted to ask who the woman's mother really was and what had caused her mysterious, endless sleep, but that was far too risky.
At the time, Albert hadn't recognized the name, but after investigating Forn Vinora's case more deeply, he had managed to piece together the information from the tragic fate that had befallen that unfortunate acquaintance.
"I'm deeply sorry for what happened to your mother," Sodet said sympathetically.
The woman nodded, clenching her fists as she silently prayed to the goddess Yarandrela.
'May the Goddess grant mercy to the lost souls out there, to them, and to my family.'
Then she straightened herself and looked at Sodet.
"So, would you like to meet my mother?" she asked, seeking confirmation.
Sodet pursed his lips slightly.
"If you'll allow it, then of course I won't refuse."
The two of them rose from their seats almost simultaneously.
Albert and the others, who had remained seated, watched them for a moment before finally standing as well.
He hadn't accepted Sodet's invitation to come here so readily; Albert had chosen to wait before revealing his true identity.
After reaching the room upstairs, the four of them exchanged a few words before entering.
The light was switched on, and the room that had once been dark was now bathed in bright light.
Lying on the bed was a woman with an ordinary face, though the group immediately noticed something strange about her legs.
'Is this her mother?'
After thinking for a moment, Albert decided that saying something to break the silence would be a good idea.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Miss, has this endless sleep lasted for a year?" he asked earnestly.
The woman hesitated for a moment as she walked to the window and slowly opened it.
A loud creak echoed through the room, and a mixture of warm and cool air greeted her, sweeping across everything in its path.
Her hair lifted slightly as she turned around and answered with a bitter smile, "Five years. Mother has been asleep for five years."
Albert's eyes widened.
'Five years? Is that sleeping or dying? Uh, I mean, that sounds like an incredibly harsh ordeal.'
Albert tried to smile, hoping to comfort the woman.
Unexpectedly, however, Sodet took three steps forward from where he stood, studying the limp woman lying on the bed; her breathing was almost imperceptible.
He nearly smirked as he stroked his chin with his fingers.
'Truly... truly remarkable. Is this what they've been searching for all this time?'
Somewhere out there, a strange group was hunting victims of the 'Erne' disease, though the information Sodet had gathered was limited.
He didn't know what they intended to do with someone trapped in an eternal sleep, but one thing was certain:
"That person can bring her back to normal."
After all, it was only a rumor, one Sodet had heard from the messenger who had ordered him to find corpses in Makoli City.
Besides, the cathedrals of the goddesses Nagreitta and Yarandrela in Makoli would certainly hunt down anyone committing evil through supernatural means.
"I've found a solution to this problem," Sodet said with a serious expression.
The woman stood straight and walked over to the bed where her mother lay.
The other three were stunned. Although their expressions remained somewhat indifferent, deep inside they harbored profound doubts.
Meanwhile, Albert appeared deep in thought.
'Is this some kind of trick? Considering his expertise in supernatural matters, can his words really be trusted?'
Albert kept glancing at him; his instincts told him he needed to investigate this himself.
Sodet immediately stated his objective, speaking in a low voice. "We're going to perform a ritual."
"A ritual?" the woman asked, her pupils widening.
Sodet nodded.
"That's right. I'll come back for the ritual; we'll perform it somewhere else."
That was why he had chosen to run away rather than get entangled in something this complicated.
"What's your mother's name? It'll make performing the ritual much easier," Sodet asked seriously.
They continued watching his actions, remaining silent because they didn't know what to do.
For some reason, the woman handed him a sheet of paper containing her mother's name and blood type, just as he had requested.
Sodet accepted it gladly before the woman escorted her guests out.
Ten minutes after they had left, the woman returned to her mother's room, clasped her mother's hand, and whispered, "Just hold on, Mom. They'll save you."