"Please proceed inside the room and wait for me to come back," Hilda motioned her right hand inside an empty spaced room, inviting Yuri to enter inside.
Seeing this, Yuri nods and obeys her directions. Once inside, she sat at one of the chairs inside the sound-proofed security room and questioned, "How long will it take for you to come back?"
Smiling, Hilda answers, "5 minutes is enough. You can try to escape, but I don't suggest that you do that since you won't gain something from it. Rather, you'd even lose the most precious thing in this world,"
At this, Yuri blinks in curiosity, querying in interest, "What would happen if I try to escape this building?"
"Hmm," Hilda pondered for a moment before she responded, "Its simple. Once you've stepped foot outside, your contract will take into effect, and the contract chain that's wrapped around our hearts would activate to CODE D."
"CODE D?" Yuri asked.
"CODE DEATH," Hilda answered.
Well, that's scary.
After knowing of her tragic fate, Yuri did not dare to speak any longer. Seeing this, Hilda finally left the room, and indeed came back exactly after 5 minutes.
"Oh?" Smiling, Hilda feels amused to see Yuri still sitting inside the room after she just left for a few minutes, not even attempting to escape like the other employees that have 'rebelled' against Sweet Haven.
"You're still here," Hilda said as she stood by the doorway.
Letting out a sigh, Yuri turned to look towards Hilda's direction, speaking in defeat, "It's not like I have a choice, right?"
"Pfft!" At once, after hearing her blunt response, Hilda beamed in bewilderment and answered, "You are something that's for sure."
"Not really… I'm just using common sense," Yuri argued back.
Hearing this, Hilda nods her head in agreement. She walks her way towards Yuri, and closed the door behind her before she spoke up again, "Yes it is undoubtedly common sense for people yet still, so many people were incompetent in using their brains that they end up getting caught straight into a trap that's been laid in front of them the whole time." As she was speaking, Hilda sits down on a chair in front of Yuri before continuing her sentence, "Since you're still alive, let us proceed to the body inspection now. You're fairly quick to understand things, so I might as well explain to you before we start. There is a risk when we do body inspection, but it's definitely not a tremendous risk. As long as you follow the steps I give you, there wouldn't be any problems." As Hilda says this, Hilda hands Yuri a magic herb. Once she has gotten one, Hilda continues her explanation.
"What you have in your hands is a magic herb called Truth herb. It is a level three magic herb, but it is not exactly like other magic herbs of the same level. Its chief use is not to refine magic pills, but to stimulate the human body by exerting excessive amounts of vitality and mana inside our core. When there is too much vitality and mana inside your core, your body will react accordingly as the 'overflow' happens. Now, pick out the smallest leaf in the middle and eat it. You will then feel its effect. Don't worry, you may feel a brief, minor pain, but just endure it, and it will pass."
Fully understanding what Hilda meant, Yuri carefully plucked out the smallest leaf and placed it in her mouth.
... ?!
At once, Yuri's mind went blank for a split second.
"AHH!!!"
Yuri cried in absolute pain, her form loudly crashing down the ground. She curls into a fetus position while waves of torturous pain traveled down from her head, down to her body and to her very last toes.
"HAHH! AAAH! HNGH!!!"
The pain was just too unbearable. It was something that she had never felt before, something that is unpleasant and vicious. If she could, it would have been great if she could just grab her head and scream "stop!" but she couldn't even lift her hands since it would only grant unrelenting pain throughout her body as if her body was receiving tremendous amounts of electricity every little move she made.
Fifteen minutes later, Yuri finally regains consciousness. However, when she woke up, her head was covered in sweat, and the back of her body was thoroughly drenched as if she had just been fished out of water.
"You…" Twisting her head to look at Hilda, the first thought that flashed through Yuri's mind was that she has been duped.
Now she understands what 'a brief and minor pain' truly meant.
It's not just 'a brief and minor pain' but rather so much so that she would have been better off dead.
Luckily, Yuri ultimately persevered until the end. If only she knew that the 'body inspection' would have been this cruel… She would have been able to prepare herself and took some pain-inducing magic pills to minimize the overall suffering of doing 'overflow'…
"Looks like you've survived the ordeal. First, let me congratulate you on successfully getting over the body inspection," Hilda beams at Yuri, not even in the least bit affected by the aggrieved expression in her eyes.
"What else do I have to endure next…?" Yuri questioned in frustration.
Letting out a hearty laugh, Hilda answers, "As long as you follow through with the contract, there won't be any more problems,"
"Then… Am I finally done here? Can I go now?" Yuri asked in anticipation.
Smiling, Hilda stood up from the chair in front of Yuri and spoke, "Give me a second, I still have something to give you."
"Ok…" Yuri pulls up the fallen chair from the ground and sat back down properly.
"Stronger than steel, mightier than stone. Bound by the law of Abel, contract chain activate!" Hilda chanted, her eyes closed, and hands forming different seals, as a black mark resembling a chain-like collar abruptly appeared around her neck.
Eyes widening at the sudden appearance of the black mark on top of Hilda's white skin, Yuri slowly probed, "Is that…?"
The black mark glowed for a few moments before something black has suddenly shot forwards facing Yuri, sending her body backward at the sudden force.
"GAH!"
Coughing as she temporarily lost the ability to breathe, Yuri chokes at the force that has abruptly surrounded her neck. She gagged and grabs ahold of her neck and choked out the words, "S… to… p"
"It will be done in a second. Endure it, and you will be free," Hilda established in assurance.
Vaguely hearing what Hilda just said, Yuri bit down on her lower lip. Tears were dripping down her cheeks, and her face turned green then blue until her eyes rolled back at the back of her head, before she finally passed out.
Seeing this, Hilda crouched down to Yuri's body, and chanted, "Gemini: Puppet String."
At once, a clone of Yuri emerged from a white smoke, her head bowed down to Hilda as it spoke with Yuri's voice, responding, "Master Hilda, I've already changed into that young lady's appearance. What do I have to do next?"
Smiling, Hilda caresses Yuri's sleeping face before turning to look at Gemini's direction, and commanded, "Go outside the room first, and wait for me to follow. I will see you out by the entrance, and if someone follows you, then great, lead him or her away from Peach Dew Village as far as possible, but be careful, Gemini, if ever you were caught as a fake, do not hesitate to kill. I trust you alone for this mission, Gemini. I wish you the best of luck, and may the heaven's blessings be upon you,"
Gemini nods her head, "All taboos are off, and all evil withdraws."
Squeak
Bang!
Once Gemini was out of the room, Hilda glanced back again at Yuri's figure, and gently muttered, "Sleep and regain enough stamina, young lady."
Looking up to the white-painted ceiling, Hilda whispers under her breath, "I have done my part now… Are you finally at peace? Antonio?"