"..."
Gerda stared down at me for a moment, then stepped back, pocketing the potion.
"You're counting on something, aren't you?"
"I'm saying this because it's hard to keep enduring in a clear state of mind. Besides, didn't you just say that you wouldn't be uncomfortable using the potion since you've seen it work on me a few times?"
"..."
It seemed she still couldn't trust me.
Gerda used three more syringes on me before finally putting me to sleep again.
It wasn't until an hour in the real world, six hours in this one, that I regained consciousness.
'She's thorough….'
I looked around the empty room, then tried to draw on my magic starting from my heart.
Naturally, it didn't work.
The restraint devices she was using were of a similar quality to those used by the Royal Investigation Bureau, so it wasn't going to be easy to break free.
'Why does she keep draining my blood like this…? It's fascinating that she's going to such lengths just to draw some blood.'
There are two plausible reasons.
The first is to become stronger. The second is to stay alive.
I think it's both.
Resurrected corpses can't sustain themselves without blood.
Since Gerda has started questioning Pleroma in the past few days, she's likely preparing to survive without relying on a supply of blood from above.
It seems she's drawing blood in small amounts, using 10mL syringes, to store it safely.
Maybe she plans to keep me around as a blood supply source.
'So…'
Since she needs me for her survival, she can't completely ignore my condition.
And I need a tool to unlock each of these restraints.
The strategy I need to take in this situation… starts with not suppressing the pain.
But even though my arm was turning blue, sticking needles into it wasn't enough to make me scream.
So, I simply decided to lie back.
"Mr. Weitzel."
Just as I was about to lose the strength to keep my eyes open, Gerda called out to me at the perfect moment.
"You're not dead, are you?"
"..."
"I'll go get some anesthetic."
"No. I've had enough. Please, let me go."
Gerda looked down at me silently for a moment, then went back upstairs.
'She has no intention of letting me go.'
Using force won't work.
And I can't go back to before this incident happened.
'Still, if my actions within this situation fail, I can turn back time.'
Given the circumstances, my only option is to continue the performance I've been giving.
I don't want to keep doing this, and I don't want to hurt her any more than I already have, but with nothing else working, I have no other choice.
'Leo and the others haven't found this place yet, and it's already been nearly half a day in the real world.'
At this rate, waiting any longer won't reveal any new solutions.
Just then, Gerda came back down the stairs and spoke to me.
"Get up."
I pressed my right arm over my eyes and didn't respond.
Gerda's voice came closer.
"I brought the potion I mentioned earlier. Drink it and wait a bit. If the anesthetic doesn't work, I'll get some painkillers."
My mind wasn't working as quickly as usual… but I could tell one thing for sure.
The strategy had partially succeeded.
She's now offering me the potion she was too afraid to give me earlier.
She must have realized she needs my cooperation if she's going to keep using me as a blood supply source.
And she probably thinks I'm too weak to do anything else.
I answered shortly.
"No."
"..."
"I don't understand why this is happening. I thought you were doing this because you held a grudge against me… but then why would you bother getting anesthetic? How am I supposed to understand what's going on here?"
Gerda sat next to me and moved my arm away.
"Drink it. Just hang in there for a moment, and you'll feel much better than before."
She didn't answer my question, just deflected.
**Gerda Asman**
**Favorability +9*
Still the same.
I'm really not eager to do this, but if that's the price, then it's worth trying.
"Trust me. It'll be fine."
"I said no."
I swatted Gerda's hand away.
Then, with as much sarcasm as I could muster, I continued.
"You're just going to knock me out again by dredging up some strange memory. Isn't that right?"
"..."
Gerda hesitated for a moment, then pressed her thumb against my jaw.
I grimaced and pushed her hand away again.
"Just wait. Have you ever tried this potion? Have you ever seen anyone drink it?"
Gerda looked at me, seemingly deciding there was no harm in answering.
"No, and you're the only one I've seen drink it. Why?"
"Did you run any tests? I'm sorry to be blunt, but I've already taken the stage 10 potion. If I drink something twice as strong while the effects are still active, do you know what could happen…?"
"I'll keep a close eye on you."
I must have hit a nerve with my blunt words because Gerda cut me off and poured the potion into my mouth.
I used all my strength to push her hand away, spilling the potion on the floor.
I could see Gerda hurriedly righting the bottle from the corner of my darkening vision, but I had already tasted the familiar flavor in my mouth. Then our eyes met.
I contorted my face and curled up in pain.
"What's wrong?"
Gerda leaned closer, not expecting that something might actually go wrong.
'…Now I understand why Leo never made this.'
This was what I had intended, but my thoughts were already becoming fuzzy, and I had to focus just to remember the plan I had laid out.
Even so, I suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to just give up and go home. If Elias found out that I stayed sane after taking a potion twice as strong as stage 10… he'd probably keep calling me a machine until graduation.
I tried to blur my vision and slowly got to my feet.
I didn't want to think about what I was saying or doing, but one thing was clear.
Even though I had just pushed Gerda's shoulder to the ground, I didn't fall asleep, unlike when I had tried to use force before.
'If I had known this would work, I would have done it from the start.'
Gerda must have been reading my emotions all along and realized that my actions were no longer a threat.
I felt guilty using emotions like this, but I had no other choice.
Right now, I couldn't give her a moment to calculate the pros and cons.
Whether it was because I had put her in an awkward position, Gerda dropped the bottle she had been holding without me doing much. I picked it up and held it out to her.
"Want to try it?"
"..."
"It's only fair. Just wait a moment… then take the antidote."
Without waiting for a response, I tipped the bottle into her mouth. Given that I was putting on such a lousy act, it wouldn't have surprised me if it didn't work. Of course, it's fine for me, but if she suddenly regained her senses and spat it out, it would be a disaster.
I'd have to go through this whole ordeal again….
'Let's finish this in one go.'
I gently held her mouth shut and only let go when I saw her throat move.
"See?"
"…!"
Hm.
Got it.
I smiled when I saw the same dazed look on Gerda's face that I knew was on mine.
It wasn't because I was pleased with how things were going. The potion was affecting me too, so I wasn't feeling particularly good about it.
**Gerda Asman**
**Favorability +10**
'There goes a trait.'
I've hit the ceiling, so it doesn't show, but I'm sure it's well over +10 now. Gerda was never the machine Elias claimed her to be, so even the potions between stages 1 and 10 should have been enough.
'She shouldn't have assumed it would work on her just because it worked on me.'
But since she did, she didn't stop me from making my suggestion.
After keeping up the charade just long enough to avoid feeling too guilty, I held out my wrist.
"No matter how much I try to endure, this is uncomfortable… Can you let me go?"
"…No."
Despite her dazed expression, Gerda refused firmly.
And then, immediately after, I saw a flicker of anxiety in her eyes.
'She's quick….'
I wish all Pleromas had zero awareness.
I had hoped to encourage a little more willingness, but that's not going to work.
I took out the small artifact I had found in Gerda's jacket pocket.
"Sorry, but I already found it. You had it on you."
It was easy to deduce from the faint magical energy I felt in her clothes.
I saw Gerda's face momentarily turn cold.
"I thought you might have it on you. Considering the possibility that another Pleroma might enter this place, you wouldn't want to pack anything for escape. Right?"
I brought the artifact to the restraint on my arm.
An invisible seam opened, and the restraint fell to the floor.
The potion must have taken full effect because Gerda, looking shocked, couldn't say anything. When I dropped the last restraint to the ground, Gerda finally spoke, her voice strained.
"You mean, all this time…."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Asman. Let's get out of here. I'll undo the brainwashing the Pleroma put on you."
It was a gamble.
Whether Gerda Asman's feelings toward me were still softened or not, it was all riding on that.
Even if it was an unavoidable situation, the fact that I had once again used someone's emotions made me feel like any remaining shred of my humanity had vanished.
I suppressed the urge to say something I normally wouldn't and opened my mouth.
"As I said before, this can't go on. I have no excuses for the pain I've caused you through my decisions. You can criticize me all you want."
"…I don't understand what's happening."
Of course not. There's a reason this potion isn't made.
If I, someone who's nearly immune to potions, am having trouble thinking clearly, then it must be much worse for others.
"Do whatever you want outside of the crimes you've committed. I'll restore everything for you. If you want, I'll help with the investigation. Since Pleroma's brainwashing played a significant role in your crimes… it might be possible to get bail."
"..."
"I'm sorry for everything. Go and live a new life."
Even though she could still use magic on me, no attack came.
I couldn't bear to meet her gaze, so I picked up a piece of rubble and pricked my skin. I watched the blood drip to the ground as I drew on my magic and recited the incantation.
―You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.
*Boom—!*
Unlike when I summoned Pai earlier, there was an explosion.
Time was running out.
I thought of what I had to do next and forced my unwilling mouth to open.
"As for me… should we say it was on the day I gave you my business card?"
It wasn't like I had been silent up until now, but my voice trembled pathetically as I spoke.
I pushed Gerda's hand away and completed the spell as I focused on the memories I wanted to erase.
'…I'll never use this damn potion again.'
I wanted to punch my past self for thinking it was ethically acceptable just because I was the one drinking it. I had convinced myself I could handle it for just a short time until I got into Pleroma, but it was all a mistake. In the end, I couldn't find any solution that didn't involve manipulating emotions.
I placed my hand on Gerda's forehead and spoke.
―Enter through the narrow gate.
I wondered if I could cast a mind control spell strong enough to override the potion's effects and completely erase Pleroma's brainwashing, but there was no need to worry for long.
The moment I lifted my hand from her forehead, Gerda's body went limp.
"..."
I channeled divine power into her as she lay there, her eyes closed as if dead. She quickly blinked them open, looking as if nothing had happened.
Now, there was no emotion left in Gerda's eyes.
I needed to leave her memories of Pleroma intact for the investigation, but luckily, she seemed to recognize where she was.
The sound of explosions from upstairs was getting closer.
Gerda looked around, then tilted her head at me.
"Who are you?"
"..."
"I'm sure I've seen you before. Are you that young journalist… right?"
It's over.
That was the last thing I had to do.
Now I just need to go back and announce this under Nicolaus's name, watch my reputation score go up, and then plan my next move….
"..."
She seemed puzzled by my silence and squinted at me.
"What's wrong? Wait, what's going on outside…?"
*Boom—!*
Whether they hadn't found the entrance or were using explosion spells from outside, sunlight from the first floor streamed into the basement. As I squinted against the brick dust and the light I hadn't seen in so long, a familiar voice called out. Someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Sorry I'm so late. Are you alright?"