In the dead of night, within the cramped and dark hospital room, Dorothy, clad in black, sat at the bedside, teaching the vacant-eyed and expressionless Anna her lesson—how to pray to a deity.
For every line Dorothy recited, she had Anna repeat after her. Since Anna’s mental state was poor, she frequently paused and made mistakes. It took Dorothy quite some time before Anna could follow along and complete the prayer.
…
"The Boundless Above of This World…
"The Convergence of Endless Fate…
"The Gate and Key of Infinite Truths…
"The Great Aka, Recorder of All Things."
…
Under Dorothy’s guidance, Anna, in a daze, began to pray—to a name she did not know, to a deity completely unfamiliar to her, to Dorothy herself. In the small, dark space, the ethereal voice of a child echoed.
Seated beside Anna, listening to the prayer at such close range, Dorothy received an immediate system prompt. Without hesitation, she used Anna’s prayer to establish a connection with her.Then, Dorothy acted at once, converting the residual Song of the Lamb poisoning in Anna’s mind into spirituality. In an instant, all traces of the poisoning in Anna’s mind were completely eradicated.
Sitting on the bed, Anna’s vacant, dazed eyes gradually regained clarity and focus. She blinked a few times, her expression showing a hint of confusion.
"Eh... What happened to me all of a sudden... This feels so strange..."
Muttering to herself, Anna curiously glanced around the room until her gaze landed on Dorothy, who was watching her with a gentle smile.
"Teacher... Mayschoss? Why are you here...? Ah, no, wait, you just came in... You were teaching me something, teaching me how to pray..."
Holding her head, Anna spoke in a somewhat dazed manner. Clearly, her memory had become fragmented under the effects of the poisoning.
"How do you feel now, Anna?"
Looking at the girl before her, Dorothy asked. Anna shook her little head slightly before replying.
"I feel... Hmm... Still a little dizzy, but much better than before. At least... Hmm... At least I can tell what’s what now..."
As she spoke, Anna turned to look at Dorothy, her face showing traces of confusion.
"Teacher, was this your doing? Did you save me and wake me up?"
"No... It was the one to whom you just prayed. I merely taught you how to pray. The gift that saved you was bestowed by that existence."
Watching the puzzled Anna, Dorothy explained. Hearing Dorothy’s words, Anna tried to recall the prayer she had chanted in her haze.
"Prayer? Oh right... Teacher Mayschoss suddenly appeared in my room, saying it was time for a lesson, teaching me how to pray. It took me a long time to learn it, and the one I prayed to wasn’t the Holy Mother... Nor was it the Holy Son or the Holy Father... It was... someone called Ak—"
"Shh..."
Just as Anna was about to utter the name, Dorothy gestured for her to be silent.
"Remember, never speak of that existence before anyone else. This is the rule you must abide by as someone who has received salvation."
Looking at Anna, Dorothy warned her. Anna was briefly taken aback but then nodded.
"Uh... Okay, I understand, Teacher Mayschoss. Then... Could that being also save the other children? They were adopted by Viscount Field, just like me, and they all became strange. The doctors and nuns here say their condition is also very bad. Could that being save them too...?"
Blinking her eyes, Anna pleaded with Dorothy. She still vividly remembered the eerie state of the other orphanage children on the night of the ritual. Even during her delirious state in the hospital, she vaguely recalled the conversations between the doctors and nuns. She understood that she was not the only one in dire circumstances.
Though Anna could not yet fully grasp what that unfamiliar divine name meant, how it differed from the Holy Mother she had always worshipped, or what connection it had to Dorothy, she believed that since this unknown deity had saved her, it could surely save the others as well.
Dorothy let out a small sigh before responding.
"I’m afraid not, Anna. The differences between deities are vast. That being is not the all-loving Holy Mother. It does not indiscriminately bestow its grace upon mortals. It does not wish for its name to spread too far at this moment. Asking it to answer your prayer and grant you this gift was already the limit of what I could do."
With a trace of regret, Dorothy explained to Anna. Unlike Anna, the other children’s conditions were not just the result of Song of the Lamb poisoning; they also suffered from severe drug contamination. Dorothy could handle the poisoning, but not the latter.
Hearing Dorothy’s response, Anna lowered her head in disappointment.
"I see... Then I truly am grateful, Teacher, for praying to the divine and asking for such a precious gift on my behalf..."
Though she was disheartened, Anna still expressed her gratitude to Dorothy. Seeing this, Dorothy smiled slightly and spoke again.
"However, this matter may not be without a solution. The others may not need divine grace to be saved. And the key to that salvation... now lies with you, Anna."
"Me...?"
Anna’s face showed nothing but confusion.
…
Moon sets, sun rises. Daylight returns.
As night faded, the Saint Tenet Hospital welcomed the morning once more. Doctors and nuns bustled through the corridors, tending to their duties. Aside from a minor disturbance caused by stray cats and dogs sneaking in last night, everything remained as usual.
At the hospital entrance, a middle-aged man named James, dressed in formal attire, sporting a small mustache and graying hair, stood waiting. He occasionally glanced at his pocket watch as if expecting someone.
Before long, a carriage approached from the distance and came to a stop at the hospital gate. The coachman stepped down, opened the carriage door, and a man emerged.
The man, around forty or fifty years old, was dressed in a suit, wearing a top hat. His limbs were short and stocky, his belly plump, and his face lined with excess flesh. He puffed on a cigar, and upon seeing James, his face immediately broke into an obsequious smile.
"Oh! Sir James, you arrived so early! Making you wait is entirely my fault—allow me to offer my apologies!"
Seeing James, the man removed his cigar from his mouth and bowed with a smile, his tone dripping with flattery. Watching this display, James also smiled and replied.
"No need for apologies, Baron Harold. I simply arrived early. You are right on time."
"Hahaha... Well, of course! This is your invitation, Mr. James—how could I possibly be late? Truth be told, I pride myself on never being tardy for a gathering. Even here in Igwynt, that hasn’t changed!"
The man, Harold, continued to speak with a cheerful grin. James, however, responded with a slight chuckle before correcting him.
"Heh... I’m afraid you misunderstand. I didn’t bring you here for a gathering. I brought you to see something."