I could count the times I have visited the capital's cathedral with the fingers of my hands. It was a beautiful place, but I never felt welcome there. And I got the same feeling as we went through the corridors of that prison. I could feel the eyes of all the members of the church glaring at me from behind their masks. To say that the church and my family weren't in great terms was selling it short, though I wasn't sure of the reason. I wouldn't be surprised if one of my ancestors had burned a church or two.
—Madame Dragonroot, are you feeling unwell? —our guide asked.
—Ah, n-no, everything is fine —I said instinctively, but I stopped to think for a moment—, your colleagues don't seem to like me too much...
—Oh, so you noticed? —she said in a playful tone.
—But you seem pretty welcoming.
—Yes! I'm not part of the collective, so they give me work that they don't want to do, like dealing with strangers. But I like talking with strangers, so it is a win-win, isn't it?
—I suppose... —I said.
I had forgotten. The reason why they all watched me with the same unified glare was that they all were connected, like a computer network. They prayed and meditated to become even more "enlightened" and interconnected with each other. The highest in ranks were said to have become completely immersed in it, unable to distinguish where one ends and the other starts. That whole process was completely voluntary, and even hard to accomplish, but the idea of losing who you are as an individual made me shiver.
The guards on this prison should only be from low tiers on the church, so they at best should be able to share thoughts with the others. I was still thinking of the computer metaphor, so I couldn't avoid picturing them as critics in an internet forum, writing means comments about me. I sighed, and tried to focus on the task I had in hand. That only made me feel worse. After walking quite the long distance, we were led into a room where the King was already waiting for us.
—Your Majesty, good morning to you —I said, in the most polite voice I could muster for him.
—Greetings, Lady Dragonroot —he coldly replied—, and Doctor Conrad, I wasn't informed you were coming to this visit.
—Considering what happened to my patient the last time she met with you, I HAD to be here.
—Hmmmmm. Understood. I read the result of your research, and I share it with her majesty as well. It is quite enlightening, but there is still no known way to treat the curse, isn't there?
—I'm afraid I haven't found one yet.
—Then we'll have to proceed with what we planned —the Kind said, sounding a bit... apologetic?
We went through yet another door. There was a guard on each corner of this new room, and at first glance, there was just a table at the center of the room, with a few chairs on each side of it. But it was really confusing when I noticed we were also entering from the other side of the room. Turns out there was a barrier separating the room at the middle, which was currently reflecting light like a mirror.
—Are you ready? —the King asked me.
—I am going to stay at your side all the time, we can stop this at any moment —the doctor assured me.
—I... I am as ready as I can be —I forced myself to say.
The King gave a signal to one of the guards, and he approached the barrier. As soon as he touched it with his hand, lines started to glow through it, like a circuit board's tracers, and it became translucid gradually.
She was sitting at the other side of the table. She was wearing simple yet clean clothes, and seemed to be overall healthy. She was humming with her eyes closed, so focused on it, that she didn't notice us for a few seconds.
—Iridia... —I murmured, and she snapped out of it.
Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth. I saw some tears form on the corners of her eyes.
—Madame! Is it really you! —she said, leaning her body towards us—, they told me you would come, but I couldn't believe it! I'm so glad to see you in good health. I was so worried after what happened, I asked the guards so many times to just tell me if you were alright. I couldn't have ever forgiven myself if anything had happened to you. Doctor, you were the one that saved her, right? Lilith bless your soul, you have my eternal gratitude!
—I don't need your gratitude —the doctor snapped.
—...Of course. I understand that my actions are unforgivable. I will not ask for absolution, my punishment has been decided and I have accepted it, I would have even accepted a harsher sentence if it meant it could bring you some peace of mind, my Madame. My only regret is that I won't be able to see the young lady growing up.
Her last words made me want to flip the table and punch the barrier until I could break it, just so I could show her how I was really feeling at that moment. My veins were burning, and my head felt like it was about to explode. If there was someone who I truly hated in the world, it was the woman sitting in front of me.
—Iridia... —I said, in a surprisingly calm voice— we know about the curse of calliope.
She looked surprised.
—So they end up going for that despite knowing the risks... —she said, lost in her own thoughts for a second.
—So this IS a plan of your organization? —the doctor asked.
Iridia smiled remorsefully.
—Yes, I can tell you that much. Seeing my Madame has been rewarding enough, so I'm willing to answer your questions. Some of them, at least. I can't tell you anything that might compromise our ultimate goal.
—Your ultimate goal?
—Yes. We wish to bring Lilith to this world. For a long time we thought the young lady was her reincarnation, and those outside probably still think that's the case, but I saw it with my own eyes, it is my Madame who is the true reincarnation of Lilith!
I clenched my fists. I felt my whole body shaking. Maxwell put his hand on my shoulder.
—Who is behind this plan? —the King said.
Iridia shook her head.
—We were all anonymous, no one knew each other's identity. We were gathered in gatherings from the church of Lilith by an unknown person and kept communicating in secret through encoded letters and magic artifacts..
—What can you tell us about the curse of calliope? —Maxwell said.
—I do not know much about it, another group was working on it. But from what I heard, it is not a normal disease; It isn't passed from person to person, nor through the air or water. I was never told how it DOES spread, only how it doesn't. The infected can be categorized in two groups, the first one becomes very weak, and they wither away after a few weeks at most. The other ones become extremely violent, though they were almost always aggressive people before they were infected. They develop animalistic features, and lose any semblance to reason or intelligence —she said in a calm and collected manner, but when she stopped, she smiled, and moved her hands with the index finger extended towards her forehead—, the most powerful even grow horns.
I felt a shiver run through my spine.
—How do we cure it? —the Doctor interrupted.
Iridia scratched her chin and pondered for a moment.
—You need the fruit of the World's Tree, but you won't find it anywhere. They went extinct a long time ago. There were some rumors of some of its seeds moving around in the black market, but even if you find them, you'll need a miracle to make them grow fast enough. They take up to a century just to sprout.
—The "world's tree"? —I thought to myself — Was there something with such a grand name in the game?
I closed my eyes for a second, and a picture came to my mind. A huge tree that had grown in the middle of the Academy's garder, with fruits that rang like bells.
—...mber? This is the miracle that you brought upon this world? —the love interest that the protagonist had conquered would say to her at the end of the game.
—T-that's it... —I murmured, still not fully believing we had found it.
—Rosanne?
—That's it! I know how to make the cure!
—Are you sure?
—Yes, I... —I managed to stop myself before saying something incriminating this time—, I had a vision just now. The World's Tree is the Ygdrassil. I already have the seed, but I wouldn't have imagined it was so important.
That seed that I had found so long ago when I first started our greenhouse, and that I had tried to plant so many times, and was now just gathering dust in a drawer.
—But can we grow a tree from that seed in time to cure everyone? The doctor justifiably asked.
—No, that's impossible —I bluntly said— we need a miracle just like Iridia said.
—Then, what are you suggesting we do? —the King asked, baffled by my words.
—We go and find that miracle! —I said, trying to sound confident—. In this land, someone who can use divine magic has already been born, she must be around Violett and Julius's age. If we find her, we can grow the tree in mere instants!
—Where can we find this person?
—I... have no idea —I admitted, and I turned around towards Iridia—. Do you know where the future saintess is?
—I-I do not know. Our leaders warned us that someone like her might appear. I... I am sorry I couldn't help more.
I looked away, a bit dejected.
—It's fine, tha... —I tried to say, but I couldn't— Goodbye, Iridia.
—Goodbye, my Madame.