Talulah looked up to see Hellagur handing her a cup of coffee. A benevolent smile appeared on his weathered face.
Once Talulah took the coffee, Hellagur sat in a nearby chair. He looked at her with sharp eyes, as if observing something very closely. Talulah returned the gaze, studying the elderly Liberi man before her—a figure who, like Patriot, was hailed as a living legend in Ursus: the once-renowned General Hellagur.
"How is your Oripathy, and that of Miss Neon? I believe the medicine I brought should be effective; it ought to alleviate your symptoms."
Neon was Hellagur's adopted daughter, also an Infected. When Talulah brought the medicine, she and Hellagur were the first to use it to verify its efficacy.
"It is very good, thank you for the medicine. Our Oripathy has been well-suppressed, and the remaining doses have given the children with less optimistic conditions a hope for survival."
The medicine Talulah provided had astonished both Hellagur and the doctors at Azazel. Children whose conditions were so severe they were deemed untreatable were suddenly eligible for treatment thanks to this medicine. The doctors here couldn't even understand what it was. No matter how they analyzed it, it appeared to be nothing more than ordinary clean water.
This was natural. What Talulah had brought was merely diluted Holy Water. Because it was so heavily diluted, it had lost the power to eliminate Originium from the body, leaving only the effect of suppressing the disease to prevent it from worsening. It wasn't that Talulah was unwilling to give them pure Holy Water; rather, she worried it would make them suspicious of her motives.
Hellagur looked at Talulah. He understood why she had come here, but his sharp intuition told him she was not simple—she carried far too many secrets.
"Can your friend truly find this place? The map you provided earlier is completely useless now. Do you need me to send someone out to help find where your friend is?"
Hellagur recalled Talulah saying she was waiting for a friend when she first arrived to stay for a while. Under these circumstances, even Infected who knew the address might not find their way here, let alone someone unfamiliar with the city. Taking a wrong turn could be very dangerous.
"There is no need to trouble you. Many of the missing children have yet to be found; you still need your manpower to search for them. I believe my friend will find her way here smoothly."
"That is good then. Smoothness is better than anything else."
Hellagur nodded. Since she had confidence in her friend, he didn't need to worry. However, he remembered her mentioning that she was the leader of an Infected organization from the snowfields, which reminded him of an old friend.
"I remember you said you came from the snowfields. Do you know Buldrokkas'tee? It has been some years since we last met. I heard he also became an Infected; how is he lately?"
As he spoke, Hellagur observed Talulah closely. Thinking back, some of her mannerisms while they were searching for the children indeed carried shadows of that man.
"The old gentleman is doing quite well lately. His Oripathy has been effectively suppressed. With his physical constitution, living another hundred or so years won't be a problem at all. His squad is currently collaborating with us."
Hellagur looked at Talulah with considerable surprise. He hadn't expected this young girl to actually get Patriot to cooperate with her. He looked into Talulah's eyes; what she wanted to achieve was written clearly there. After a moment of hesitation, Hellagur spoke:
"There is a fire burning in your eyes; it is indeed a look full of hope. But every Infected who comes here seeking cooperation has that same look in their eyes. I am sorry, but your trip here this time can only be in vain."
Hellagur's words were blunt. He had seen too many Infected organizations come here seeking cooperation. No matter what high ideals they held, he had turned them all away. This clinic held immense significance for Hellagur; he didn't want anything to go wrong, and it carried the safety of the city's Infected on its shoulders. He couldn't take risks.
It could be said that almost no Infected in Chernobog had not visited this place, leading to Azazel having extremely high prestige among the city's Infected. Because of this, Hellagur had to refuse the various factions that sought him out. It was for the sake of Azazel's continued existence; its influence was simply too large.
The expression Talulah showed upon hearing his words told Hellagur that she had already guessed what he would say. This wasn't just Talulah's own deduction; the nurses working here had dropped subtle hints that the possibility of cooperation was slim while she was helping them.
The people here didn't not want to do it—they were very grateful for Talulah's help during this time—but it was precisely because they did not cooperate with other Infected forces that Azazel had been able to exist in this city for so long.
"I am aware. I only came this time to help my fellow compatriots in Chernobog; I have no intention of seeking cooperation right now. However, I believe we will certainly have a chance to collaborate in the future."
"Perhaps there will be such a day, but it will not be today, Miss Talulah. Regardless, we will pay for those medicines; we cannot accept such valuable things for nothing."
Talulah's response made Hellagur sigh. He knew it would be like this, but he couldn't change her will. He could only ensure she didn't lose out too much. Though he didn't know how they obtained such medicine, its effects were something that couldn't even be bought on the market, let alone priced. He couldn't just let her leave empty-handed after she provided medicine, labor, and manpower for days, only to be dismissed with a "no cooperation." If he did that, the reputation of Azazel would be ruined.
"Mr. Hellagur, you're here too! Miss Talulah, several people have arrived outside. They've brought Kasha and the other two back. One of them says she's your friend. But... she's a bit suspicious. It would be better if you confirmed it yourself."
Talulah's spirits lifted instantly. She hadn't expected Jeanne to return so quickly. Having heard that Laterano was holding a festival, she thought it would take some time before Jeanne could make it.
"It seems your friend really did find her way here on her own. In that case, I won't disturb your reunion. I wish you both a good mood today!"
Hellagur waved his hand in farewell and disappeared down the corridor. There were still many matters awaiting his attention in the clinic; his conversation with Talulah had been a rare moment he managed to carve out.