Some time later—
"I can't believe you were worried about us," Sophia chuckled.
"I wasn't worried about you! I just didn't want to cause problems." Aeris scratched her head and looked away.
Sophia grinned. "Oh, come on. You were totally worried about me."
"Oh, shut up! You were worried about me, too!"
"Yes, I was. But I don't mind saying that."
Aeris's cheeks flushed, but she quickly scoffed. "Acting all tough, yet you can't say those same words to Books."
Sophia coughed. "I told you last night—I'm not in love with Jan!"
"Oh, you sooo are," Aeris said with a sly grin.
"I'm not!" Sophia barked.
"Oh really? That's sad. Because he said he loves you."
Sophia froze. "He did?!"
"…Bwahahaha!" Aeris burst out laughing. "You totally wuv him!"
Sophia's face burned red. She raised her fist.
"Y-You can't hit a sick person!" Aeris yelped, shielding her face.
Sophia paused, flustered… then reluctantly lowered her hand.
Aeris grinned smugly.
Boom—
"Ow! You hit me!"
"I remembered there's no cure for stupid."
Aeris scoffed, rubbing her head. "Of course you'd know that!"
The two locked eyes for a second—then burst out laughing.
Still giggling, Sophia stood up and stretched.
"Shall we go then?"
Aeris hugged her knees. "Just a little bit more…"
"It's been more than an hour, Leaf!"
"I-I… just a little…"
"No, we're going in!"
"Please, Crispy, I really hate needles!"
"Needles?" Sophia's eyes widened. "I thought you were sitting here because you weren't ready!"
"That too!"
"You're joking, right?!"
"They really hurt!" She pleaded, "Promise me you won't let them use a needle on me!"
Sophia covered her face. "You're not joking… Listen, I can't promise you anything, but we don't know if they're going to use a needle anyway, so you might be safe!"
"Promise anyway!"
"How about I knock you out instead?"
"A needle would be kinder!"
"Then stop whining and get up!"
"Alright, alright!"
Aeris finally stood, eyeing the door with obvious reluctance.
They weren't far from the church; they were sitting under a tree in its backyard.
Sophia hadn't forgotten to hide her friend's presence as much as possible. She didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to Aeris, so she decided to use the back door and have the First Priest examine her privately.
"Let's go!" Sophia said as she stopped at the door, looking back at Aeris—who still hadn't moved a step. "Come on! Stop being a baby!"
"I'm not a baby!" Aeris said, mustering the courage to step forward.
Sophia smiled and knocked. The door opened just as Aeris caught up.
"What do you want?!" a voice snapped from inside.
Sophia's expression hardened. "Is that how you speak to your princess?!"
"I don't care," he said. "What do you want?"
Sophia sighed. "I want you to take a look at my friend here."
"No."
Slam—
"Well, we gave it our best shot," Aeris said, trying to sneak away.
Blood boiling, Sophia's hand shot out and grabbed Aeris by the shoulder.
"Don't you dare."
"A-Alright." Sensing the danger in her tone, Aeris raised her hands.
Sophia turned back and pounded on the door.
It opened again—the same guy.
"What do you want—"
Before he could finish, Sophia grabbed him by the collar of his robe and dragged him out of the church.
"I already told you, you piece of shit—take a look at my friend," she yelled.
"I don't want to," he yelled back.
"You're the First Priest! That means you're in charge when my dad's gone!" she shouted.
"I didn't ask him to make me First Priest!"
"I don't care!"
"Well, I don't care too—"
Boom—
A kick to the crotch.
"—You devil," he wheezed, and fainted.
Watching his soul escape his body, Sophia sighed, then looked ahead. "Took you a minute—I was starting to think you weren't here."
"Sorry, Princess, I didn't see him leave his post," a woman said as she stepped out, bowing gracefully.
"There's no need for that," Sophia said.
"I must apologize for my husband's behavior, Princess," she said, nudging Eric's stiff body with a kick.
"It's alright, Vinica," Sophia said, then glanced down at the priest. "Come on, stand up. You're not fooling anyone with the fainting act, Eric."
He rolled onto his other side. "I'm not faking, I'm just trying to catch some rest! I didn't sleep for three nights, thanks to that woman working me like a slave!"
"That woman is your wife!" Sophia said.
"I didn't ask her to marry me!"
Stepping over Eric's crotch, Vinica said, "Don't mind him, Princess, he's just tired from overwork. We did get exhausted after the wave attack, and we really miss the High Priest's presence and guidance."
"I don't miss that pric— Augh!"
Vinica pressed harder.
"I do! I do! Long live the High Priest! Augh!! I'm sorry I said I didn't ask you to marry me, but it's the truth! Augh!!!!"
Watching Vinica torment Eric, Aeris edged closer to Sophia. "Are you sure this guy is good?"
Sophia sighed. "Unfortunately, he's the best—other than dad."
"And she?"
"She's his wife and the Second Priest. The two together can work wonders," she said as Vinica slipped Eric into a chokehold, "…that is, if they can get along long enough."
Sophia bent over as Eric gasped for air. "So, do you want to look at my friend, or shall I let her choke you to death?!"
Eric tapped Vinica's arm. She eased her grip just enough for him to answer. He stared at Sophia for a moment and spat to his left.
Sophia looked at Vinica; Vinica choked him harder until his eyes were about to pop.
"So you're the Prince of Salvelis!" Vinica's eyes widened; she bowed quickly. "I must truly apologize for our behavior earlier."
"It's alright."
Aeris let out a dry laugh as she sat, glancing at Sophia with worried eyes.
Even though they were already inside waiting for the examination, she was still skeptical.
The First Priest who was supposed to examine her was actually the one passed out on the patient's bed!
"Should I burn him awake?" Sophia suggested.
"No need, Princess—a punch to the crotch should do the trick!" Vinica said.
"Shut up, both of you," Eric groaned, pushing himself upright. "I'm thinking."
He hopped to his feet and began pacing around Aeris, who sat in the chair, utterly confused.
The silence stretched; Aeris's expression grew increasingly uneasy.
After a while, he hummed.
Sophia's patience snapped. Clenching her teeth, she said, "Speak up already."
"Vinica, what does her status say?!"
"Infected: deterioration of health over time.
Symptoms: fatigue, discoloration, vein spread…"
"Infected," he echoed, then gently pulled open Aeris's eyelids. "Say 'ah.'"
Aeris opened her mouth. Eric examined for a moment, then—without warning—ran a finger over her tongue… and tasted it!
"Metallic. Definitely poison."
Aeris froze. Sophia gagged. Even Vinica winced.
"What?! How else am I supposed to know?!" Eric snapped.
"You could have asked!" Sophia barked.
"She might've known already!" Vinica added.
"I did know already!" Aeris confirmed.
"Then you should've said so," Eric said, plucking a strand of hair from Aeris's head.
"Ow!"
"Oh, stop being a baby," he said, examining the hair, then showing it to Aeris. "Look. See that?"
Aeris squinted. "…It's black!"
"It's already happening." He sighed. "You said you're turning into a Dark Elf, right?"
"…Yes," Aeris said quietly.
"Vinica, did you check her body? Any cuts?"
"I did. She doesn't have one—not even a pinprick. She must have ingested it."
"Do you remember drinking anything weird?"
"…No?"
"If we could determine what they used to force this transformation, we could make an antidote. Try to remember," Vinica said.
Aeris pondered for a while. "…No, I don't remember anything."
Eric sighed. "I wish you were here when the transformations were happening."
"I can use my Mana and—"
"No." He turned back to his desk.
A moment later, he returned with a small potion and handed it to her.
"If you want to delay the transformation, avoid using your Mana as much as possible. Drink this; it'll stabilize your Mana usage for now."
Aeris took the bottle. "Thanks," she muttered.
"Don't." Eric raised a hand. "Save it for when we make a cure."
"But Vinica said you can't make an antidote?"
"She didn't say that. If we had the poison, we could make one from it. But that's not the only way."
"What's the other way, then?!"
"Well, it's a poison," Eric said, two needles appearing in his hands seemingly out of nowhere. "So either it's in your mana… or running through your blood."
Aeris's face twitched. She immediately turned to Sophia with pleading eyes.
"Oh, so you hate needles?" Eric grinned darkly. "Ohhh, I'm going to enjoy this, Vinica!"
"Yes!" Vinica suddenly appeared behind Aeris, pinning her to the chair.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"CRISPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"