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BGM: Calmly Days Night came to the nearby apartments. Its only merit was a relative silence. Ati thought about returning to the storehouse, but she was already at Gii's apartment. So was Kia. The room's surveillance and protection remained entrusted to that boyish bird. She'd understood a little more about Kia today. She was surprised by how little the girl knew. Now Ati was sure she'd feel uneasy if she ever left the girl alone. 覧Let's stick together. 覧Until Gii returns. She whispered that inside her mouth, so that Kia couldn't hear.  Video: Impasse Gii's expression changed before he could even finish.  ......Ati? Welcome back, Doctor♪Why not praise the two who've been watching the place the whole time yeu were gone?  Welcome back, umm...Actually, Gii, today we... went...   Ahahaha, it's nothing, nothing.Has Gii-sensei had his dinner already? Kia's meatloaf is a work of art, you know. Umm, you know...I just couldn't get it off my mind...  ??? Ahahahahahahaha...Her laugh felt dry and forced. She'd wanted to avoid saying they'd gone out, but... Kia was such an honest girl. Ati couldn't blame her. 覧She can't stand not telling him about Dorothy. 覧I can see it in her eyes. Ati had already half-given up during the long conversation with Dorothy. She was sure it'd end that way. She knew Kia would ask him to heal the girl. She'd make a request of this man. This weird Cracking Doc.   You went outside? Yes. Kia. I left you a note.What did it say? Watch the place......I'm sorry, I should've stayed here.  ......it's fine since Ati was with you,but the City is more dangerous than you think. Be sure to never go walking outside alone.  They were like brother and sister, or perhaps father and daughter. That weird Cracking Doc was becoming domesticated. Ati nearly laughed, but held it in. Even a cat could read this atmosphere.  So, what is itThere's clearly something you want to talk about.  I'll even work at Alisa's place......Surely I can pay the money that way. No, you can't do that.Don't even joke about that.  Yes, yes, forget it, Kia.You'll be unhappy working at that woman's place. ......Ati. ......I'm sorry,I'm the one who took her out. Please don't scold Kia.  I'm sorry for leaving you without a word,but please don't do anything reckless. ......now then, what's your request?Did you get involved in something troublesome?  Ask Kia about that.I can't say whether it's troublesome or not. Kia.覧Gii's gaze was fixed on Kia, 覧And the girl gazed back at him. Rare things did happen. She wore neither a smile nor that mysterious expression. Kia looked at Gii a little differently from before. Her eyes were pleading, wishing for something. [Ati] ( ......I wonder...) [Ati] (How did they get so close in such a short time?) [Ati] (It's not like I'm jealous or anything, but she really is a mysterious girl.) 覧In truth, she was perfectly aware of her jealousy. 覧Ati shrugged her shoulders. There's a person named Dorothy.She lives in a residence in the First Park...  She's in trouble.Please, Gii. Please, help Dorothy.I'm sure she's got some kind of illness, which is why...  I'm sure, you...You can save her. A Host?Gii's gaze moved to Ati. He desired an explanation. What should she say? Even the Phenomenon Equation couldn't do everything. [Ati] (There's no point in hiding it.) [Ati] (And there's no loss in telling him. He wouldn't report her to the Upper Tier Soldiers.) She was an Arboritis host and a fallen Aristocrat. Reporting her would probably net anyone a good deal of cash. However, Ati wouldn't do that. Receiving one-time money had no real meaning. More importantly, she'd never go to the Upper Tier to report it.  The girl's come down with Arboritis.A rather deep case. Vines are clearly manifesting all over her body.She seems to understand what they mean.  [Ati] (Huh? What's that?) [Ati] (Gii, what's with that face?) For one moment, Gii had shown a pained expression. In the past, this man's face had always remained calm and composed, no matter the what sort of Host. He was desensitized to the infections of others. He'd only grasp the nature of the illness and leave it at that. He even said so himself, but now his expression was clearly warped. [Ati] ( ......is there more to it?) 覧Arboritis. 覧Come to think of it, there are those three orphans. 覧Those kids Gii supports. 覧I'm pretty sure they caught it too. ......I see.Arboritis is pretty bad.  Is she near blooming? From what I could see, not yet.But she might think it's close. When did she say? She said she'd be fine tomorrow,but that she wouldn't be here the next day.  ......that's too deep.Even the Phenomenon Equation wouldn't be up to that.  Gii...... Ati?What are you talking about......? That girl's illness.Arboritis progresses rapidly on a weakened mind. If she's given up, then it's already over.  It's a shame.覧Yes, it's already over. 覧The Youki's seeds are fed by the human soul. The forty-one Creatures that scattered calamities across the City. One of them was Youki Blood Tree, the source of Arboritis. It multiplied to no end, eating away at the heart and body, and eventually bursting out of its living host. If discovered in its early stages, it could be dealt with, like he'd done for Parul, Lupo and Polun. Still, that didn't solve the fundamental problem. Arboritis changed a person's way of being. It was a mutation of one's very nature. Infected arms and feet could be replaced with Engine Limbs, but if seeds of its core existence had already invaded them, then vines would eventually devour their bodies.  ......but, Gii...that girl... she's suffering. There's nothing I can do.I just told you that. 覧His voice is... cold.  Do you really have to say it that way?Gii, that's not your usual reaction. It is. Is there something else to this?Do you have some traumatic memory involving Arboritis? I'm stating the truth.That's all. The Equation is meaningless against Arboritis that deep.That's all there is to it. Please stop asking. .........[Ati] (Huh?) [Ati] (What's with this reaction?) [Ati] (He got so heated up over those three children. He even spent a fair number of shillings on them, and yet...) [Ati] (Weird...) [Ati] (It's almost like a normal Lower Tier Citizen.) [Ati] (It's not like Gii.) Ati thought of a question. She opened her lips to ask him, but... The words wouldn't come out. Not after she saw Gii's expression.  [Ati] ( ......huh?) [Ati] ('Don't talk to me, don't ask me anything'... So you can make that face too ......) [Ati] (Oooh, I see.) [Ati] (So that's it.) A very normal reaction for anyone other than Gii. He wouldn't expend money and labor on something he knew to be hopeless. Most of the people living in the Lower Tiers would've had the same reaction. Ati knew that well. She often had to make decisions like these herself, without letting her emotions show. 覧But... 覧This is Gii, the weirdo. 覧No one else. He continued his unlucrative travels day after day, and was always poor despite being an Equation user. And yet he wouldn't stop walking around the Lower Tiers. He was always traveling, as if refusing to give up on something. So what was with that expression? That posture? Those cold words?  ......oh, I see, I get it. I'm going home.覧Going home to where? 覧I have no fixed place to sleep.  [Kia] Don't talk to Ati like that. Kia's the one who didn't do what you said. A white hand grabbed onto Gii's reconstructed cloak. Strongly, as if condemning him. Ati had already started to leave, but stopped when she noticed something was wrong. [Gii] I only told you the truth, Kia. Ati has nothing to do with this. [Kia] Stop. [Gii] Stop what? [Kia] ......okay, I understand. [Kia] If Gii's going to be that mean to Ati, then I won't let you sleep with her. [Kia] Tonight Ati sleeps in the same bed as Kia.  Eh?覧Eh? 覧What did she... 覧Eh? 覧What does that mean? ......I see. No, th-that's not, eh?What are you talking about, Kia??  Now,let's leave this cold Gii and have fun together. Eh?Eh?? Okay? Eh?Eh? Eh? BGM Girl Grins Eh? Why? 覧Why did this suddenly... Ati just wasn't prepared for her to say something like that so suddenly... Ati just wasn't ready for it. She couldn't understand Kia's logic. While she was hesitating, something tugged at her hand. Together, they rushed up to the second floor. Toward the bed, and right into it. Then those pink eyes gazed at her intently. 覧Huh?  [Ati] Eh? ......huh? Is this really okay? [Kia] Huhu, isn't it fluffy♪ I aired it outside before lunch. [Ati] Huh?? [Kia] What's wrong Ati? You look surprised. [Ati] ......we-well... I am. I am surprised. Normally I'm... [Kia] What? [Ati] Forget it, forget it. Yeah, it's fine. Personal stuff. [Kia] And? [Ati] I said it's fine. Be quiet and go to sleep. Good girls don't stay up late. A guest bed. It wasn't made for two adults to sleep in, but the sheets and blanket were much better than those in a cheap apartment. She lay down with Kia. She felt the slender girl's warmth beside her. 覧Like close sisters? 覧Or... a mother and child? 覧Yeah right. Ati looked at the girl beside her. The pink eyes gazed toward her intently. Those big eyes were reflected by her own golden eye. She was trying to say something. Ati noticed that, and realized... That must have been why she stopped her from going home. Kia. The girl who gazed at Gii. Her pink gaze followed the man. That was why she felt so surprised. She'd thought Kia had no interest in her. 覧Her eyes are trying to say something. 覧To me. 覧Why did you stop me? 覧And with that timing...  [Ati] What? [Kia] I have a favor to ask of you. Ah, no, a request to make of Black Cat-san. I heard it has to be a request. [Ati] A request...... [Kia] A request. A slightly weird pronunciation. That probably had to do with where the mysterious girl had been raised. Or was the word just that crude A request. That was the way contracts were made with the Black Cat. But for this girl to... Ati thought it was a strange subject. Quite strange. She'd had requests from even younger children before. And yet, she wondered, 'Why her? It doesn't suit her at all.' Kia. A mysterious girl. Her life had nothing to do with Runners. Ati could tell that from her face and eyes, but... [Ati] ......what do you want to request? [Kia] ......ii. She couldn't hear Kia's whispering voice. Ati cleared her ears and listened. Her hearing was sharper now than when she was human. [Kia] ......don't grow to hate Gii. ......Please? 覧'Don't grow to hate Gii.' [Ati] Eh? Wh-what's that mean? [Kia] You can't? [Ati] I-It's not that I can't...... eh...... ? You did this, you stopped me, just to say that? I-is that true? [Kia] ......you can't? 覧Her pink eyes are looking straight at me. 覧They're gazing at me seriously. [Ati] I can do that. It's not like I ever hated him. [Ati] Besides, Gii won't talk to me when he's like that. I was just thinking that there'd be no point in being near him. Nothing like hating him. [Kia] That's great. Kia smiled, while heaving a sigh of relief. I was just so surprised. Her request was, 'Don't grow to hate him.' [Kia] Then it's a promise. You won't ever hate Gii. 覧Aaah... I give up. 覧I can't resist such a glowing smile.  [Ati] ......you're really sticking to this request. Not that I mind. [Ati] I charge a lot for my requests, you know. [Kia] I'll do my best to pay it off. But...... could you wait a little while......? [Ati] Noon, I can't wait. [Kia] ......I see...... [Ati] I won't wait. Maybe if you prepared some boiled eggs for me tomorrow. Soft-boiled if you can. [Kia] ......eh? [Ati] You can't make them? That's the fee. [Kia] No, I'll make them. I will! Thank you Ati, I love you! [Ati} Ah... you love me... How embarrassing. [Kia] Um...... well, in that case...... ......umm...... [Ati] Something else? Go ahead, say anything. [Kia] Then...... [Kia] Can I ask you one more thing? A request? I'll add it to tomorrow's breakfast! 覧Huh? 覧An additional request?  [Ati] Okay, I lose. ......you're a surprisingly strong woman, Kia. [Kia] Ehehe...... 覧Really... when you make that cute face... 覧When you show me that defenseless smile... 覧I... well, I don't dislike it. 
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