Knock knock~
Ron knocked on the hospital room door and stepped inside to face the two siblings. He greeted them briefly before starting to tidy up the room.
"Ah, you came to collect this evaluation form, right? Mark helped me with it. He might have been a bit mischievous, so please forgive him."
Ron accepted the report from the blind girl. It appeared she possessed a unique way to perceive her surroundings, though it did not rely on conventional eyesight.
Ron was momentarily stunned when he looked down at the test sheet. The young boy, Mark, had playfully covered the entire document in vibrant, chaotic colors.
He sighed, staring at the ruined page, before extending an unwrapped lollipop toward the boy.
"Thanks, big bro."
The young boy snatched the candy like a shark snapping at prey, completely ignoring his older sister's warning as he happily devoured it.
"Mark~ Misbehaving again!"
The girl pinched her brother's cheek as the little fellow accidentally dropped his candy onto his blanket, causing him to burst out crying.
Watching the scene unfold, Ron touched his forehead and glanced back down at the psychological file in his hands.
"Ahem!"
Ron cleared his throat. That clearly feigned cough instantly broke the siblings out of their playful bickering.
"I am truly sorry for interrupting your fun, but I must inform you that the three—no, the four of us are currently facing a massive problem. Do you catch my drift?"
Ron reiterated their grim circumstances with absolute seriousness, forcing them to snap back to reality.
"Apologies for this, but Mark, could you step outside for five minutes? There will be more candy waiting for you."
Ron gently coaxed Mark with sweets. Standing behind him, Emy gave her brother a slight nudge, prompting the boy to accept the candy without hesitation and march outside.
Click~
"..."
Losing Mark for even a few minutes felt as though Emy had lost her eyes entirely. She fell silent, waiting for Ron to speak.
"Alright, let me reintroduce myself to you. My name is Ron Irus, as you already know. In reality, though I might look perfectly fine right now, you should exercise a bit more caution, understood? Over the next few minutes, I will summarize the general information I have regarding this occult anomaly. You probably already grasp the severity of what we are experiencing to some extent, right?"
Ron spoke to her calmly. Hearing this, Emy nodded gently. It was clear that despite her blindness, she was acutely aware of the city's current state.
"I deployed my magic to observe this city early on. But it is evidently too dangerous to comprehend fully, especially regarding the ground. I simply cannot seem to pierce through it."
"Heh, everything is indeed exactly as you say. But before we proceed, may I ask a few questions?"
Ron lifted her psychological evaluation form. It consisted of simple questionnaires he had pilfered from this hospital, primarily meant to confirm if a patient possessed a lucid consciousness.
In the personal data section where she filled out her information, Ron noticed she had written down that she was a student of social history.
At a glance, Emy appeared to be around thirty years old. In reality, if one subtracted her deep wrinkles and physical illness, she would be quite young.
Staring at Emy, Ron pondered for a brief moment before questioning her.
"First of all, you likely understand clearly that occult events are always directly linked to demons, correct? Those demons are like caterpillars transforming into butterflies, moving through a biological metamorphosis process known as pupation—the occult anomaly stage prior to becoming full demons."
"Yes, this is fundamental knowledge. Through the processes of biological metamorphosis, demons transition from dream-eaters to physicalized demons before level six, eventually mystifying local spaces to nurture themselves and transform into true demons."
Emy recited the foundational knowledge that everyone was taught in school. However, practically speaking, the vast majority of students would eventually forget these concepts. The probability of encountering an active occult anomaly was as low as being struck by lightning, and resisting a demon before it successfully mystified a space was relatively straightforward.
Ron calculated his words carefully. Their time limit was five minutes, leaving no room for profound digressions.
"Correct. That answer is entirely accurate, Miss Emy. However, I am not here to conduct an academic examination. Instead, I am here to ask if you can provide me with information or assist me in dismantling this occult anomaly.
After all, as a student of social history, you might possess critical knowledge that could help us uncover the governing rules. Furthermore, I will share the data I have gathered with you. Let us cast aside mutual benefits for a moment; what matters is that my companion and I, along with you and your brother, need to rely on each other.
Especially since this specific anomaly is by no means ordinary. I successfully bypassed an occult phenomenon in the past, but the current situation feels like an entirely different abyss.
So... will you join me, Miss Emy?"
End of Part 4, Volume 1: Theories of the Past and Time.