Azazel-sensei ran a hand through his hair, his frustration boiling over. "Lilith. They likely used the connection between Ophis and her 'other half' to bypass the wards. I'm analyzing the breach now, but… damn it, the one time I needed that barrier to be perfect, it failed!"
He let out a sharp exhale. "Dulio was right—Nidhogg fled the moment he sensed Crom Cruach's aura. Dropping Diarmuid was a stroke of luck; at least we didn't lose her to them. It seems the enemy didn't account for the fact that Crom had formed a bond with Ophis and was visiting her frequently."
The footage ended as Crom Cruach entered the frame, followed shortly by Dulio.
Asia finished her treatment and stepped back from the beds. Her face was a mask of sorrow.
"I've closed the physical wounds. Ophis-san just needs to rest; she will recover in time. But…" Asia's gaze turned to Diarmuid.
Thanks to Asia, Diarmuid's arm was reattached and her gouged flesh was smooth again. But she was covered in a cold, sickly sweat, and her breathing was ragged and shallow.
Sensei leaned in, examining her. "It's Nidhogg's miasma. He injected his corruptive essence directly into her bloodstream. It's not quite as lethal as Yamata-no-Orochi's venom, but for a human, it's devastating. It causes the internal organs to reject the body's own life force."
Diarmuid was strong. Even if she wasn't at Cao Cao's level, she was a top-tier fighter. But at the end of the day, she was human. A toxin that could sicken a Devil was a death sentence for her.
"Massive blood loss, combined with that miasma…" Sensei's voice grew quiet. "We got to her as fast as we could, but too much time had passed by the time she was found. We're trying to neutralize the toxin, but I don't know if her body can hold out."
Miu let out a sob, her voice cracking. "No! Not like this! Are you saying we just have to stand here and watch Dil-san fade away?!"
"I know how you feel, Miu," Sensei said softly. "We're doing everything we can. But a human body has its limits."
By the time Dulio found her, she had already lost an arm and most of her blood. It was a miracle she was even breathing. When Irina's father was poisoned, we had managed to get him help instantly. This time… we were too late.
Damn it! I thought. Are we really going to lose her?! After she saved my family… after she became part of our lives… am I just going to stand here and watch again?!
Ignis, the red-haired woman, stepped forward and gently touched Diarmuid's forehead.
"Diarmuid-chan… do you want to live?" she asked softly.
Diarmuid remained in a deep, fitful sleep. No answer came.
Still, Ignis continued. "You want to live, don't you? You finally found what you were looking for. After so much time in the darkness, the sun finally found you. You fought so hard to protect that light, didn't you? You didn't want Miu-chan's sun, or Issei-kun's sun, to go out."
Our sun…
If Diarmuid hadn't been there, my parents would be gone. They'd be prisoners of Rizevim, or worse.
"...I..."
A voice. A tiny, broken thread of sound escaped Diarmuid's lips.
Miu surged forward, grabbing Diarmuid's hand with both of hers. "Dil-san! Can you hear me? It's Miu!"
Diarmuid's eyelids fluttered, her eyes shifting toward Miu with agonizing slowness.
"Did I… protect them?" she whispered. "Are they… safe?"
"Yes! Mom and Dad are both fine! You saved them, Dil-san! You really did!"
"I see…"
A single tear escaped the corner of Diarmuid's eye, tracing a path through the grime on her cheek.
"I was always… being protected… always running away. But finally… just like my sister was that day…"
Her sister? Miu looked confused, but I realized Diarmuid's mind was drifting back to that tragic day in England.
Ignis stroked Diarmuid's cheek tenderly. "You aren't alone anymore, Diarmuid-chan. You have people who love you from the bottom of their hearts. People who understand your pain and your sorrow. People who want to share your joy. You don't have to throw away your feelings anymore. This is where you belong. So, stay with us. Want it. Fight for it."
Diarmuid's hand twitched in Miu's grasp. Her voice was weak, but it carried a sudden, desperate strength.
"I… I don't want to die yet. I don't want to go… I don't want to lose this warmth. I finally… finally found it. I've been searching for so long… please… I…"
"You won't!" Miu cried, her tears falling onto their joined hands. "You're staying right here! You're our family, Dil-san! You're part of us!"
I stood there, watching them cry.
I wasn't going to give up. Not a chance in hell. She had protected the things I failed to protect, and she had been broken for it. And even now, she was fighting to stay.
I have to do it.
"Miu… everyone…" I said.
A thought had taken root in my mind. I didn't know if it would work, or if it was even possible. But if there was even a sliver of a chance to save her…
I looked at my friends, then turned toward the door.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
I turned and sprinted out of the facility. I was going home to get the one thing that might change everything.
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