Several days had passed since the incident at the Labyrinth, and now... there was another mysterious case. Or rather, several cases.
Sophie: "Within five days, twelve people have been found dead... The marks... were vampire bites."
Meliodas: "Does that mean the vampires are free because of us?"
Sophie: "Not exactly... More because of the Hunters... They're the ones who woke them up. How were we supposed to know they'd trick both us and Zantanel just to get the heart?"
Fiona: "Besides, none of us knew she had three more hearts... But... we don't even know if these are really the Blue Star vampires."
Meliodas: "That's true."
(Knock.) (Knock.)
Sophie: "Huh?"
She opened the door.
Sophie: "Celia?"
Celia: "I need to talk to you."
Sophie: "Sure, come in."
She walked inside.
Celia: "The vampire attacks... I thought they were caused by the Blue Star vampires."
Sophie: "Wait... aren't they?"
Celia: "No."
Fiona: "Hm?"
She stood up.
Fiona: "Wait... then who?... One of the Green Star vampires?"
Celia: "Hahh... Here's the thing... Someone... broke the vampire seal."
Sophie: "A seal?"
Fiona: "Wait... So this has nothing to do with Marta."
Celia shook her head.
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Celia: "Not entirely... I think it does have something to do with her... but not completely... Because what we found out is... three steps are required to break the vampire seal. The first is awakening Marta."
Sophie: "Okay."
Fiona: "And the other two?"
Celia: "The second is breaking the Star Seal in Naranja... and... it's gone."
Sophie: "Huh?"
(Silence.)
Sophie: "...So what does that mean now?"
Fiona: "Hahh... It means someone used us to awaken the vampires, right?"
Celia: "Yes. The third step is... a ritual... where... several people have to die..."
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Celia: "That seal was already broken a long time ago."
Fiona: "Hmm?... In Balencia?"
Celia: "No... Hahhh... Four days ago, in a village... a plague appeared... A kind of plague that caused people... to behave like zombies... And well... when we sent the military there... they were... dead."
Sophie: "Wait... so you weren't there?"
Celia: "No. I think it was another military division."
Fiona: "Another?"
Sophie: "(Sweat)... Just how many military forces do you have?"
Celia: "Not ours... Sam Guimereas's."
Sophie: "Ugh."
Celia: "That village was on the border between our two kingdoms, Villicia and San Guimereas... To be honest... they ordered their soldiers to kill them too... So... I have to admit... I'm glad they did it for us."
Sophie: "I thought you resigned."
Celia: "I wanted to... But my father said... until we find someone to replace me. Besides... he accepted the whole... (blushes)... starting a family thing."
Sophie: "Ugh... Did you find someone?"
Celia: "(Blushes)... Yes... Actually... a long time ago... It's... well... one of my former soldiers... Martinez. But that's not important now... (Cough)... I want your help."
Sophie: "Hahh... I mean... Marta being free is partly our fault."
Fiona: "Fine by me... But I have to discuss it with the Master."
Meliodas: "I've been listening. You have my permission."
Fiona: "(Sweat)... Stop eavesdropping on us!"
Sophie: "Hahhh... Okay... You heard him. We'd be happy to help, Celia."
Celia: "Thank you. By the way... you don't have to blame yourselves... No one could have known Marta had three... or four... or however many hearts she has. Besides, it was the Hunters, not you... You were trying to stop them."
Sophie: "And we failed."
Meliodas: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Yeah... We failed."
Celia: "...(Cough)... Well... um... I want you to meet me in my office tonight... Alright?"
Sophie: "Sure."
Fiona: "Alright."
Rosika: "Hmm?"
Celia: "Hello, Rosika. How are you?"
Rosika: "I'm fine. Hehe... And you?"
Celia: "Doing well."
She gently stroked Rosika's cheek before leaving.
Siegfried: "Man... I thought things were finally going to calm down."
Fiona: "Yeah."
Sophie: "Well... nothing we can do."
Meliodas: "Alright, but first come have breakfast... Lina is coming back from the hospital today."
Rosika: "Yay!"
Violet: "Hey."
Violet suddenly appeared at the door.
Sophie: "Huh... Ugh... Lina."
Lina: "Hey."
Sophie: "Lina... Are you alright?"
She looked at Lina's hand... It had apparently been amputated.
Sophie: "I... I heard your arm was going to be okay."
Violet: "No. There was a blood infection, so they had to do it... Instead, Dark Umbrella gave her a robotic arm."
Lina: "I'm okay, Sophie... Really..."
She walked inside. Violet helped Lina sit down on the sofa.
Lina: "I'm sorry... for making all of you worry."
Fiona: "Ghh."
Fiona quietly went into her room.
Sophie: "Huh?"
Violet: "Psst... I think Fiona believes it's her fault... After all, that letter was the reason Lina came back."
Sophie: "Yeah, but... none of us knew she'd go looking for it..."
Violet: "You know Fiona... She always blames herself. Why do you think she's looking more exhausted every day?... Honestly, Sophie... I think you should talk to her."
Sophie walked to Fiona's room and opened the door. Fiona was sitting on the bed with one hand against her forehead. She didn't say anything, only looked at Sophie. She was wearing an undershirt, and the tattoo on her waist was visible... a red rose.
Sophie: "Fiona..."
Fiona: "What is it..."
Sophie: "Are you blaming yourself again?"
Fiona stood up and walked over to the documents.
Fiona: "...I left that letter lying around."
Sophie: "No... You gave it to me... I told you to leave it there because we didn't need it... It was my fault."
Fiona: "It was my damn fault!"
(Crash!)
She threw a glass onto the floor. Water spilled everywhere.
Sophie: "Ugh."
Fiona: "Hahhh... Damn it... I'm sorry."
Sophie: "...Hahh."
She closed the door.
Sophie: "Let me help you."
She helped Fiona clean up.
Sophie: "...You look exhausted, Fiona... How much have you slept?"
Fiona: "The better question is... how often have I actually slept lately?"
Sophie: "Ugh... Just tell me."
Fiona: "I've only been sleeping about half an hour a day for the last five days... Sometimes an hour..."
Sophie: "Are you serious?"
Fiona: "Hmm."
She stood up and threw the broken glass into the trash. Inside were old flowers... and gifts Remy had once given her.
Sophie: "...Hmm?"
Fiona: "Hahh... Yeah... Those are his things... I was stupid enough to hope I'd give them back someday... Hahh... You fall in love once... and then this happens... At least I understand it now... A woman like me, with white hair... and a cane... should've known better."
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona sat back down.
Fiona: "Hahh... Could you hand me the painkillers?"
Sophie: "Sure... How about some water too?"
Sophie picked up the pills, but they weren't painkillers. They were sleeping pills.
Sophie: "Here..."
Fiona: "Thanks."
Sophie: "So you've really only been sleeping half an hour... or one hour?"
Fiona: "Yeah..."
Sophie: "I see..."
Fiona: "(Cough)... Sometimes... I wish... my foster parents had killed me back then."
Sophie: "Ugh! Don't say things like that!"
Fiona: "Stop shouting... It's not like anyone would miss me."
Sophie: "Ugh... What about me?... Or everyone else?"
Fiona: "Stop shouting..."
Sophie: "Huh?... What's wrong with you?"
Fiona: "I said stop shouting, damn it!"
She glared at Sophie.
Fiona: "For God's sake... just shut the hell up!... Just shut your damn mouth!"
(Crash!)
Sophie: "Ugh..."
Fiona: "Hahhh... Hhh... Ghhh..."
Sophie: "Okay... Okay."
Fiona: "Ugh... No, wait... I'm sor..."
Suddenly, she collapsed onto the floor.
Sophie: "About time... Sleeping pills."
(A few hours later.)
Fiona: "Ughuhh!"
Sophie: "Shhhh... It's okay... You fell asleep."
Fiona: "Sophie..."
She slowly sat up.
Sophie: "Are you feeling alright?"
Fiona: "...Ugh... Sophie... I'm... I'm sorry... about earlier."
Sophie: "Shhh... It's alright..."
She gently stroked Fiona's shoulder.
Sophie: "It's okay, Fiona... It's alright."
Fiona: "...Hhh... I'm sorry..."
Sophie: "No need to cry now... Good grief... Hehe... Sometimes you're just like a little kid."
She gently patted Fiona's head.
Sophie: "...I'm not angry that you lashed out... It's okay... You just had another outburst... All this stress... is destroying you... That's why I want you... to take a vacation for a few days."
Fiona: "What about the mission?"
Sophie: "...Do you trust me?"
Fiona: "Yes."
Sophie: "Then let me handle it... Okay?"
Fiona: "...Okay..."
Sophie: "And get some rest... Watch TV... Read a book... Alright?"
Fiona: "Yeah..."
Sophie: "Hehe... Alright... Then I'll get going."
She left the room.
Fiona: "Sophie."
Sophie: "Yeah?"
Fiona: "Thank you... You're truly the best friend anyone could ever have."
Sophie: "Hehehe... Of course. Your best friend Sophie will take care of everything else... Now get some sleep."
She closed the door.
Sophie: "Hahh... Good grief..."
She touched her own nose...
There was blood.
Sophie: "...What a mess... I only just had a vacation not that long ago."
(The same evening.)
Celia: "Where's Fiona?"
Sophie: "I'm sorry... She's... completely exhausted... She barely sleeps... and even had a stress attack..."
Celia: "Oh no... Was that my fault?"
Sophie: "No... No... Hahh... Dark Umbrella has been giving us so many missions lately... And well... we're allowed to take vacations... but Fiona isn't... I guess they're still angry with her because of the Eisenheim incident."
Celia: "Hmm... Hey, Sophie... I have a suggestion."
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Celia: "You handle the mission... and I'll lend all of you a house in the middle of the forest... It has a swimming pool... beautiful nature... It's peaceful... All of you should go there."
Sophie: "Oh... That's so kind of you. Thank you so much, Celia."
Celia: "My pleasure."
Sophie: "Alright... Then let's get started... Siegfried and Rosika are coming too... We'll begin the investigation right away."
Celia: "Okay... I'm counting on you."
Sophie: "Hey... Who's your fiancé?"
Celia: "Ugh..."
Sophie: "Is it that young man who just walked out?"
Celia: "Ugh... Yeah... I... used to be his general."
Sophie: "Oh? Looks like you've got a thing for younger guys."
Celia: "Hey! That almost sounded wrong... He's twenty-two."
Sophie: "It's okay. Hehe. I'm happy for you."