The face with a smile on it was annoying. He said that he’d give her a choice. Rather than giving her a choice, he was talking about the misfortune she could get by choosing the white snake.

So choose for yourself. He said that he is the only one who can save him from such misfortune. What a mean snake. After all, there was only one thing she could choose. She didn’t want to make Gerald cry anymore.

Secretly, in a time I don’t know. Gerald has been ill too much. If she could give Gerald a hug, she’d give him everything she had, but she’d rather hold the black snake’s hand.

[What should I do?]

[It’s nothing, Louella. You just stay with Gerald…….] The black snake squinted and laughed. [I’ll lend you my eyes.]

She thought that she had an idea. Black Uroboros would surely seek revenge if he was wronged. But what does it mean when he said he would lend her his eyes?  Is there something different about the snake’s eyes?

[What does that mean?]

[It means you’re going to see things that others can’t see. Gerald, who embraces me, cannot go to the sanctuary of Candidum. Don’t you have a temple or something like that? A place that involves deep faith. You need to find the nucleus of something white that’s hidden somewhere.] It was a sweet voice.

The black boy was smiling more brightly than anyone else.

[What happens if I find it?]

[The white snake will lose its power. It is the soul of humans he has collected while holding his breath in the temple. It’s a bead that holds together the souls of those devoured by Nisephor. That’s what helps the white snake use its strength here. He can’t bring out the power of his own body in this world I’ve created.] The black snake went on softly.

[The beads wrap up the white snake’s energy so that it can live. If you break it, the white snake will lose all its rights and power here.]

[The black snake can do it himself. Without knocking down the white snake himself.]

[Ha ha] The boy tilted his head.

Seeing him do that even though he knew his identity, he felt pitiful and small. The boy smiled softly.

[How can a small thing like me do that? You have to be fair. I haven’t recovered all my strength yet. So don’t I need someone’s help?] He spoke smoothly, trying to attract Louella, lacking in Gerald.

The black snake pretended to be pitiful and quivered. [We can’t hurt Gerald anymore. We have to protect him.] The black snake glistened strangely in its eyes.

[You’re saying the same thing as someone.]

That’s probably Gerald.

[But you’re kind.]

[Still, please. She’s been sick for too long.]

Besides, in this life, Louella even bothered. It’s the reward for the past life. Louella hoped Gerald wouldn’t cry anymore. It was quite a heartbreaking event to watch him cry.

[I promise.] The black snake smiled.

Then the white light permeated within her. Maybe it’s a sign for her to go back. The black snake moved away from her. The black snake, which opened its mouth as if it was going to say something, burst into laughter.

[I’m not patient at all, you know?]

What are you talking about?

* * *

Gerald stared at Louella with a cold stiff face. He was still out of his mind. The doctor also visited and asked what happened, but only received a ‘she’s just sleeping’ kind of an answer.

“You’ll wake up soon, right?” Merce held Louella’s hand tightly with a worried face.

“Of course, she will.” Gerald chewed his lip.

It was a face filled with confusion. She was with Gerald when suddenly she heard that Louella had fallen unconscious. Gerald was someone who would never harm Louella Merce patted Gerald on his shoulder.

“Lulu is a strong child, so she will wake up soon. Don’t worry too much, Gerald.”

“Yes…… Duchess.” Gerald smiled bitterly.

One of the things that made him nervous now was that he can no longer hear the voice of the black snake. He felt left alone as if he was standing without seeing any light ahead of him.

He shouldn’t have believed in him. He didn’t trust anyone when it came to Louella. Gerald fiddled with his hand with the bottle he had in his arms. It was the Nisephor treatment made by Billiers.

Will this actually help?