"The rest of you, come with me underground—to rescue the hostages and search the area——"

  "Ugh——!"

  A faint groan of pain echoed.

  Though soft, the vice-commander heard it and turned to Arthur.

  "Alice——! Alice, what’s wrong——!!?"

  Arthur held Alice in his arms, desperately trying to wake her.

  But Alice’s eyes remained tightly closed. Her expression of pain only grew more intense, and......

  the purple veins, now spreading to her right hand, became increasingly distinct.

  "A healer! I’ll take you to a healer right away!"

  Arthur lifted her up in a panic.

  "My palace has royal physicians! Follow me to the palace!"

  Alicia said immediately.

  "Really?! Thank you!"

  "No need for thanks! Martina, quickly take them to the carriage."

  "As you command, Your Highness!"

  "Everyone, please follow me!"

  Martina led the group toward Alicia’s royal carriage—a spacious vehicle more than enough to hold everyone.

  Alicia glanced back at the vice-commander of the Garrison Knight Order.

  "Vice-Commander, I leave this place in your hands!"

  "Your Highness, rest assured—we will bring back every student safe and sound!"

  "Good!" Alicia nodded, boarding the carriage as well. "Return to the palace!"

  At her order, the luxurious carriage raced toward the upper district, escorted by a team of knights riding Swiftbeasts.

  ......

  The Ninth Princess’s Palace.

  A group of royal physicians gathered in Alicia’s bedroom, all with furrowed brows.

  On the large bed before them, golden-haired Alice lay unconscious.

  Alicia and the others waited nearby.

  Growing impatient with the physicians’ hesitation, Alicia asked:

  "Gentlemen, please speak frankly—how is she?"

  The physicians exchanged glances. Finally, the oldest and most experienced physician stepped forward as their representative.

  "Her Royal Highness the Ninth Princess, this young lady... her condition..."

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  The elderly physician hesitated, struggling for words. Arthur, overcome with anxiety, rushed forward.

  "What’s wrong with my sister?! Aren’t you the best physicians in the empire? Please save her—save her!"

  "Arthur, calm down!"

  Clea hurried to pull him back.

  The elderly physician hung his head in shame and said:

  "Your Highness, though we have treated countless illnesses... we have never seen nor heard of a condition like this young lady’s. We do not even know what ails her—how can we cure her?"

  "Yes, that’s right......"

  The other physicians nodded in agreement.

  "This......"

  Alicia had not expected this. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do.

  "Can’t be cured......"

  Arthur collapsed to the ground in despair.

  "How could this be...... Alice......"

  "No——! I refuse to believe it!"

  He threw himself beside the bed, clutching Alice’s hand tightly.

  "I refuse to believe it! Alice, open your eyes—please open your eyes!"

  "......"

  For a moment, the only sound in the spacious bedroom was Arthur’s helpless pleas. Everyone else fell silent.

  As the atmosphere grew heavier, Hulim suddenly thought of someone.

  "Perhaps......"

  Her words broke the heavy silence.

  "......there is someone who knows what’s wrong with Alice."

  ......

  In the lower district, at an unnamed magic potion shop.

  "I said...... do you know what time it is?"

  Irus opened the door, looking at the large group outside with a speechless expression.

  "Irus, I’m sorry to disturb you, but you’re the only person I can think of who might help."

  Hulim apologized.

  Arthur quickly begged: "Please! Please save my sister!"

  "Sigh~."

  Irus sighed.

  "Fine, come in...... And Hulim, you owe me a favor for disturbing my sleep."

  "......I understand."

  Inside the shop.

  Arthur helped Alice lean against a chair.

  Irus only glanced at Alice once—no further examination needed—then walked to the back of the shop and rummaged through some items.

  "It’s only natural you don’t know what’s wrong with her."

  At these words, a glimmer of hope ignited in Arthur’s eyes.

  "You know?! Please save her! I’ll agree to any request if you can save her!"

  Irus shook her head, returned to the counter, and began mixing something.

  "......I’m sorry, but I can’t save her."

  "What——"

  Arthur froze, as if doused in cold water from head to toe.

  Alicia was also shocked. After thinking for a moment, she hesitated to ask:

  "Do you mean...... Alice has an incurable disease?"

  "Incurable disease? No, it’s nothing like that!"

  "This little girl—she’s not sick at all!"

  "Huh——?!"

  Arthur, who had been teetering on the edge of despair, felt as if he’d been pulled back abruptly.

  "Not sick...... What does that mean?"

  Irus finished mixing a potion, slowly walked over to Arthur and Alice. She glanced at the confused Arthur, then gently forced the freshly made potion into Alice’s mouth.

  "Parasitic Demon Seed."

  "??? "

  At that moment, not just Arthur, but everyone in the room was filled with confusion.

  "That’s the culprit behind your sister’s condition."

  "Um...... May I ask what a Parasitic Demon Seed is?"

  Alicia asked.

  "It’s only natural you don’t know."

  Irus returned to the counter with the empty bottle.

  Just then, Alice—who had been unconscious—suddenly stirred.

  "Ugh......"

  The purple veins spreading across her body began to fade slowly.

  "Alice——!! You’re awake——!!!"

  Arthur shouted excitedly.

  "Ugh...... Brother Arthur, where am I...... Ugh...... Did I have another episode?"

  "I’m sorry...... Brother Arthur, Alice is causing you trouble again......"

  "No! How could you be trouble! Alice, you’ll never be trouble!"

  Seeing Alice wake up so quickly, Irus spoke again:

  "Sigh~, it works quite well. Seems it’s not some new variant at least......"

  Hearing her voice, Arthur came to his senses. He stood up and bowed deeply to Irus.

  "Thank you so much! Thank you for saving Alice——!!!"

  But Irus shook her head.

  "You’re thanking me too soon. As I said before, I can’t save her."

  "Huh......" Arthur froze. "But...... Alice has recovered, hasn’t she?"

  "This is only a temporary suppression."

  "A Parasitic Demon Seed is a special ability possessed by a small number of High-Rank Demons. They can create seed-like avatars of their power, which they parasitize into humans. The seed then gradually takes over the host’s body, eventually transforming them into the demon’s demonized servant!"

  "Logically speaking, such a thing should only happen during times of great war......"

  Irus thought for a moment, then continued.

  "Perhaps it’s the work of some High-Rank Demon sealed during the last great war—who left Parasitic Demon Seeds in certain places. She must have accidentally encountered one and been parasitized."