Mithri (Coco x Reader) [Toriko]

◈ Chapter 36: L'Arabesque ◈

"It's incredible!....How is it possible?" murmured a voice.

"Who knows? All that matter is that she isn't in danger anymore..."

You grunted, eyes moving under your closed lids. You felt like someone put a heavy weight on top of you, impossible to move your limbs freely. When you finally opened your (e/c) orbs, you met a familiar ceiling. The same one you woke up to when you arrived in Bilal. The last thing you remembered was the cave, the Sanctuary Tortoise, and the horrified face of Coco when he gazed at you and realized the poisonous wound he inflicted on you under the hypnosis of Gilamesh.

You tried to lift yourself in a sitting position, your breathing coming out short when you attempted to do so. Aisha the Fifth and Dr. Inas noticed right away the change in your state, and ran to your side.

"Chef (y/n)! You finally woke up!" the empress told with a smile of relief.

"E-Empress Aisha...Dr. Inas-san..." you whispered, voice hoarse from the lack of use. "How long...?"

"Five days" answered the doctor. "You were immediately treated when Naboubou, Tilab Talib and that Van'assir came back with you unconscious in his arms. The poison in your body was removed successfully from what my empress told me...and seeing you here alive is enough proof that it worked"

"Y-You saved me?" you inquired to the old woman, who nodded her head. "T-Thank you..."

"Inas. Why don't you announce the good news to her partner and the others?"

"On my way, Empress Aisha!" saluted the scientist, and she was gone like the wind.

"...I'm aware of the situation, and what happened in the cave" told the old woman after a short pause. "Asfiya's death will be mourned, as the birth of the child will be celebrated. Unfortunately, I fear for the survival of the baby...Without the special milk provided only by the Sanctuary Tortoise, it will become weaker until it dies from starvation"

"What was the special ingredients Asfiya ate?" you wondered. "If you could tell me, maybe I could prepare the dish that would save her child!"

"Nobody knows, except for the Music Chefs" Aisha mused sadly. "That's why I was reluctant to send you there...Because even if you confirmed Asfiya's situation, there was simply no way to save her without the help of L'Arabesque. The humming bird knew what Asfiya ate and-..."

Your mind went elsewhere, tuning out from what the old empress was saying. L'Arabesque, Asfiya, Empress Malika the First. They were all connected together. The Humming Tablets, treasures of the city and left under unknown circumstances. Eight of them. When you listen, you can hear fragments of a melody. So what if you listened to them together?