As Judas flew high above the city, he headed straight for Airmid's clinic, where Eina and Misha had told him Rose was being treated.
"Kyaa!"
A young nurse from the Dian Cecht Familia, carrying a heavy crate full of potions, let out a startled yelp as Judas suddenly touched down just outside the entrance.
The shock nearly sent the wooden box tumbling from her arms, but without even looking, Judas used telekinesis to catch it, bringing it to a gentle hover inches above the ground.
"Ah... V-Veneratus Est?"
The young nurse blinked in surprise at his sudden appearance before her gaze fell upon the crate floating in midair.
She quickly took it back into her arms and let out a sigh of relief.
"I heard Miss Rose was placed under Miss Airmid's care. Is that true?"
Judas asked as he turned toward her.
The nurse flinched before quickly regaining her composure and adjusting her glasses.
"Ah, you mean Miss Fannett? Yes... When she was brought in, her condition was critical. She was barely breathing."
A solemn expression crossed her face as she recalled the state Rose had been in.
"I was honestly surprised she survived. Considering the extent of her injuries... it was horrifying."
Judas didn't say another word.
He stepped inside the building, quickly located the room where Rose was being treated, and quietly opened the door.
Inside, Airmid was kneeling beside Rose's bed, maintaining her healing magic while several nurses stood nearby, assisting her.
"Veneratus Est?"
The nurses turned in surprise when they noticed him.
"Please wait outside until Miss Airmid is finished. We're currently treating a patient in critical condition, so we aren't accepting visitors."
One of the Dian Cecht Familia members spoke with a slight frown.
Before Judas could respond, Airmid interrupted softly without breaking her concentration.
"Martha, it's alright. He can stay..."
She continued maintaining her healing spell.
[Dia Fratel]
A top-class healing spell capable of treating wounds, restoring stamina, curing status ailments, and removing curses within a five-meter radius.
Once cast, it leaves behind a barrier of light that persists for a period of time, continuously healing anything within its range.
It was, in essence, a perfect all-purpose healing spell capable of countering nearly any condition.
In that regard, it was even more versatile than Judas' [Heal] and [Miracle Heal], both of which primarily restored physical injuries.
Of course, Judas also possessed spells such as [Detoxification] and [Curse Removal], which covered the shortcomings of [Miracle Heal].
Even so, [Dia Fratel] remained one of the greatest healing spells known in Orario, earning Airmid the reputation of the city's finest healer and allowing her to save countless lives.
The moment Judas stepped into the room, Airmid felt a portion of the burden on her shoulders ease.
"...What's her status?"
He asked as he appeared beside her, his eyes fixed on Rose's unconscious figure.
He was unable to hide the concern in his voice.
Airmid's expression grew solemn.
"When she arrived... it was pretty severe. She was basically on the verge of death."
She answered honestly.
"I've managed to stabilize her condition. She will live, but as for any lifelong damage... even I have my limits."
Her healing magic continued to bathe Rose in a gentle white glow.
"The impact shattered multiple ribs, both of her arms, and her left leg. It also caused severe internal bleeding."
"There are also fractures throughout her spine and pelvis."
"Not to mention the severe injuries to her neck. Her vocal cords were also crushed... she will no longer be able to speak, even if she wakes up."
"If she had arrived even a few seconds later..."
Airmid lowered her gaze.
"...I don't think I would've been able to save her."
The room fell silent.
The nurses exchanged uneasy glances.
Judas quietly stepped closer to Rose's bedside.
His purple eyes swept over her battered body.
Thick bandages encased almost every inch of her skin, yet dried crimson still seeped through the wrappings despite the nurses' best efforts.
Her breathing was faint.
Each breath looked painful.
It was already a miracle that, with the body of a normal person, she had managed to survive.
With injuries like those... her death would have been guaranteed... it was thanks to Airmid that her soul was spared from ascending to heaven.
"Thank you for saving her... I'll take it from here, Miss Airmid."
Judas spoke, his voice strangely calm.
Airmid looked at him for a second but didn't say anything.
She nodded and stepped back.
She had done everything within her power... now, she could only hand the reins to him.
A second later, a bright, resplendent green glow enveloped the room.
…
The pleasure district, the territory in which the Ishtar Familia ruled, was buzzing with activity.
Since it was in the middle of the night, the streets were at their busiest, with customers arriving in droves, mostly composed of men seeking comfort and pleasure after a long day.
And the center of it all was Belit Babili, the home of the Ishtar Familia, which was comprised of three tall buildings that towered over the entire district.
The tallest one stood in the middle, with two smaller towers on its left and right.
Right now, in one of the rooms, Ishtar smoked a pipe while sitting on her throne.
Two rows of Amazons were lined up like guards, while a member of her Familia reported something that made her frown.
"That toad... killed a civilian?"
Ishtar muttered, her brows furrowing.
"More specifically, one of the Guild's receptionists... the werewolf girl."
"She couldn't control her temper, so the Captain slammed her into a wall."
The reporting Amazon clarified, the very same one who had accompanied Phryne during the incident.
"That damn toad, the ritual is almost upon us, and she can't sit still for a few days?"
"That old man Ouranos will definitely send that pig Guildmaster and question me about this."
Ishtar spoke, rubbing her temple.
'The Killing Stone... if nothing else goes wrong, that sleazy Hermes should be able to deliver it to me in a few days.'
Aisha, who was one of the Amazons lined up, heard the exchange and couldn't help but click her tongue when her goddess mentioned the ritual.
'Haruhime...'
She thought as she clenched her fist tightly.
The Killing Stone ritual... it was a forbidden ritual that Ishtar had been planning in the shadows for a while now.
[Uchide no Kozuchi]
A cheat-tier spell capable of temporarily boosting an individual's Status by an entire Level.
That magic alone made the Renard arguably the most valuable support mage in existence.
If the public knew about this, Aisha was sure that there would be no shortage of people and various factions coming after Haruhime.
And the purpose of the Killing Stone ritual was to extract and mass-produce her magic, so Ishtar could have a level-boosted army, increasing the Familia's overall strength by a large margin.
All with the purpose of taking down Freya, Ishtar's most hated rival.
But there was a problem with this ritual that made Aisha clench her teeth.
Haruhime would have to be killed in order for the ritual to succeed.
'I will never let that happen, never.'
Aisha resolved herself, even if she betrayed her Familia and incurred the wrath of her goddess.
If it was to save the poor Renard girl that she considered her sister, then so be it.
In her mind, she was already planning to destroy the Killing Stone whenever she got the chance.
"Tsk... prepare the valis required as compensation... that pig Royman will probably use this incident to pressure us. Just be prepared when the time comes."
Ishtar commanded, remaining seated on her throne as she blew out smoke between her lips.
"Yes."
The Amazons spoke in unison, causing Ishtar to nod in satisfaction.
"All of you are dismissed."
Just as she finished saying those words...
Everyone in the hall froze.
"!?"
An appalling, suffocating pressure... an overwhelming sea of magical power originating from a single source was rapidly making its way toward them.
Suddenly, their instincts were screaming at them, warning them that a crisis was headed their way.
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