Angelina gradually regained consciousness. Her voice was still hoarse, and her body remained visibly frail. As for why Yelena chose to bring her home, it was likely because of the girl's age and the severity of her condition. If she had been left alone, her Oripathy might have worsened, pushing her into a moderate stage while she was still so young.
That said, the habit of "bringing people home" still made Yelena a little embarrassed. Back when she was with the Yeti Squad, whenever they encountered an Infected in need of help, they would simply have the team carry them back without a second thought.
Angelina drank some fluids and took several pills. The pain throughout her body gradually eased, though she still looked far from energetic and clearly needed more rest.
Yelena brought her some simple food. Angelina looked pitifully at Felix and Yelena, and only after receiving their nods did she begin to eat ravenously.
"Angelina, are you from Siracusa?" Yelena asked.
"…Yes."
"How old are you? Where is your family?"
At that question, a shadow briefly crossed Angelina's face. Yelena instantly realized she had stepped on a sensitive subject.
"I used to be a high school student," Angelina said after a pause. "Now I'm a messenger."
She deliberately avoided the topic of her family. After swallowing another bite of food, she struggled to move off the bed.
"Um… thank you for saving me. I… how should I repay you?"
If it had been a lone man who rescued her, she would never have said such a thing. She knew all too well that kindness toward the Infected was rare, unless they had something of value to offer.
Angelina might only be of high school age, and until recently she had indeed been a student, but becoming Infected had forced her to understand this harsh world more deeply. She had left her home, trying to survive as an Infected on her own. She had faced hardship and despair, bearing everything by herself. That kind of pressure was far too heavy for a girl her age.
So when she saw a hand reach out to help, and realized that her rescuer was also Infected, she felt a measure of relief. Not to mention the Sankta man standing beside her benefactor. As a mesengger, she often interacted with Sankta, and she could confidently say she had never seen one as striking as him.
"As for repayment… I never thought about that," Yelena said honestly.
Back when she operated as part of the Yeti Squad in Reunion, she had never expected anything in return. After joining Tomorrow's Development, it was even less of a concern. Compared to the past, she now earned a generous salary. The Yeti Squad practically lived in the cafeteria, and both Big Bear and Greg had put on noticeable weight. Had she ever truly expected repayment from those she helped?
"Miss Angelina, your body hasn't recovered yet. It's best that you don't leave," Yelena said gently.
She stepped forward and lightly patted Angelina's shoulder, signaling her to calm down, then continued softly, "What you need now is more rest, and for a longer period of time. Not to go back to work as a mesengger right away. You do understand that overexertion can worsen Oripathy, don't you?"
"…I…"
Angelina was confused. She only knew the most basic facts about being Infected. What Yelena described leaned more toward medical knowledge, which she truly lacked. Hearing Yelena speak so seriously, she obediently sat back down, like a high school student waiting for a lesson to begin.
Yelena rubbed her forehead lightly. At that moment, Felix spoke.
"Miss Angelina, you'll need a full examination so we can determine the proportion of Originium in your blood. Once we know that, we can tailor the treatment and slow the progression of your condition as much as possible."
"We can't promise a cure for Oripathy. In truth, that remains an unsolved problem in the scientific world. But we can help Infected live without bearing such a heavy burden."
"Oh… okay," Angelina replied.
She nodded obediently. She felt no malice from either of them. After all, they had just taken in a homeless stranger like her.
Yelena stayed in the bedroom, talking with Angelina about the experiences and inner struggles of being Infected. She did not want this girl, barely past high school age, to be forced through the same complexity and pain she had endured.
Felix, meanwhile, left the room to listen to reports from another reconnaissance team. It was not only Mountain who was active. The scouting and operations groups had spread across different cities in Siracusa, secretly treating Infected and bringing back those worth nurturing, or those who might one day join Tomorrow's Development.
This was an unspoken understanding reached with Lady Sicily. No matter how the future of the new city unfolded, Tomorrow's Development would establish a presence there and form stable trade relations with Siracusa. This was not only from the perspective of Tomorrow's Development, but also from that of Kazdel.
At present, Siracusa had become the second nation, after Yan, to proactively establish relations with Kazdel.
Tomorrow's Development would inevitably deal with many countries, and the attitudes of those nations would, in turn, determine Tomorrow's Development's response.
The trip ended swiftly. Before boarding the aircraft, Felix spotted Ingrid rushing toward them, slightly out of breath. She had changed clothes and looked as though she had overslept that morning.
"Mr. Felix… please take me with you as well."
"Alright."
Felix did not say anything more. Seeing this, Ingrid finally felt at ease. This time, she had not completely severed ties with her family, as there were still debts of favor to be repaid. However, regarding the person responsible for her daughter's injuries, Ingrid had already made up her mind to eliminate him.
In addition to Ingrid, the plane also carried Giovanna, along with several senior members and stewards of the Rossati family. They could not help but marvel at the sheer luxury of the aircraft's interior. On the surface, however, they maintained impeccably proper expressions, which Giovanna noticed and almost felt the urge to kick her subordinates for being too stiff.
The Rossati family, having returned from Columbia, was not exactly a renowned lineage. The fact that they could comport themselves this well was already commendable.
Angelina stayed close to Yelena's side, cautious and timid, like a small animal seeking protection. She had been brought onto the plane without much explanation, her heart filled with unease as she wondered what awaited her next. No matter what, this was all far too novel for someone of her high school age. Before long, her fear faded, replaced by curiosity as she quietly observed the scenery around her, though she still obediently remained seated beside Yelena.
In their brief time together, she had already come to see Yelena as a dependable older sister, listening to everything she said.
Yelena, for her part, felt deep affection toward Angelina. At such a young age, still a high school student, the girl had already experienced drastic upheavals in life. Although Yelena had once had to ask Felix what exactly a "high school student" was, having never known such a thing herself.
Waiting to receive them were Loughshinny, Hellagur, and several senior members of Tomorrow's Development. Giovanna felt a surge of tension. To enter the core of another power so openly was no small matter. It was not just her. The members of her family unconsciously tightened their Lupo tails, afraid that a single wrong word or careless sound might invite catastrophe.
"Please, follow me."
Loughshinny gestured politely toward the Rossati family. She would be the one to handle the upcoming business negotiations with them. However, the moment Giovanna stepped into the interior, she saw someone who should not have been there, someone who existed only in her dreams. A familiar figure she longed for, someone who had once cried for her.
"Cellinia!"
Giovanna lost all control over her emotions. She rushed forward in two quick steps and pulled Texas tightly into her arms.
This scene left Exusiai among the welcoming group completely dumbfounded. Wha… what was going on?
"Cellinia, you're… you're really alright. You're safe."
"Giovanna…"
Texas gently returned the embrace, feeling the tremor running through her friend's body. She let out a soft sigh. Although she had long since left Siracusa, Siracusa had never let her go. It continued to chase her relentlessly. She could neither avoid it nor escape it. The only option left was to face it.
Under Texas's quiet reassurance, Giovanna gradually regained her composure. She coughed lightly, her eyes tinged red, and noticed Loughshinny waiting nearby, offering her a friendly nod.
If this continued, she would gain no advantage in negotiations. Giovanna took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and wiped the corners of her eyes.
"Cellinia, I will come find you."
With that, she followed Loughshinny into the conference room.
In the corridor, Texas thanked Felix.
"Your Highness, I never expected you would bring Giovanna aboard the Venus. She was once my closest friend, but as our families became involved, we lost contact. Seeing her safe and sound truly makes me happy."
"It was nothing more than a small favor."
Felix smiled and nodded. He casually patted Lemuel on the head, then entered the elevator together with Hellagur.
Exusiai took a long time to come back to her senses. Her face was flushed, her heart beating a little too fast. She did not know why, but she deeply missed the sensation of having her head touched. No, more than that, what she truly yearned for were the embraces and whispered intimacy she had seen in Columbian romance films between the male and female leads. She wanted to experience more.
Texas waved a hand in front of Exusiai's face, finally snapping her out of it. Exusiai's cheeks were still red, making her look like a ripe apple.
"What's wrong?" Texas asked curiously.
Exusiai scratched her head and let out a silly grin.
Oh no. Had Exusiai really gone stupid?
Texas felt puzzled by Exusiai's condition. Since the meeting would likely take several more hours, she tugged lightly at Exusiai's sleeve.
"Ah!"
"Let's go have some afternoon tea."
"Huh… sure! Apple pie is what I want most!"
The cafeteria was always bustling, no matter the hour. Open twenty-four hours a day, it served everything from steaming breakfasts in the early morning to late-night bowls of zhajiang noodles fragrant with scallions, all of which earned unanimous praise from the operators. Exusiai's favorite place, however, was Uncle Tom's Dessert House. It was especially popular among the small number of Sankta operators and those with a fondness for sweets.
Uncle Tom was the brother of Old Jack, the owner of the pizza shop next door. Old Jack was a pizza chef who had trained in Siracusa before returning.
This time, after a long-awaited return to Siracusa, Old Jack did not visit the mobile city where his former master worked, nor did he go to any of Siracusa's mobile cities at all. This came as a surprise to many diners, and some could not help but feel a sense of regret.
Exusiai and Texas were regulars here. Sitting in front of Uncle Tom's shop, Texas noticed that after Exusiai finished ordering, she seemed absent-minded. Concern crept into her voice.
"Exusiai, what's wrong?"
"I… I don't really know."
Exusiai spoke softly. "My heart keeps beating really fast. It feels kind of sweet, but also a little troubling. I've had this feeling for a few years now, but lately it's been much stronger. Texas, do you think I'm sick?"
"Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
"Um… it's just that my heart feels kind of strange."
Exusiai scratched her head, growing a bit irritated. She could not find the right words to describe how she felt.
During their conversation, Uncle Tom brought over Exusiai's apple pie and Texas's lemon fruit tart. The two of them began eating in small spoonfuls.
Exusiai felt that no one truly understood her worries, and they were hard to put into words. Even her beloved apple pie no longer tasted sweet. As she was troubled by this, a pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes from behind.
"Guess who I am?"
"Ah! It's big sis!"
Exusiai turned around and saw her sister Lemuen, dressed in a travel coat, along with Mostima and Fiammetta. They looked dusty and travel-worn, as if they had just returned from a mission.
Texas pulled over three chairs, and they all sat down. Lemuen took the seat beside Exusiai, holding her hand and gently rubbing her head as she shared the warmth of reunion. Fiammetta, on the other hand, was hungry and quickly began ordering from the menu. Though she was not a Sankta, years of living in Laterano had gradually shifted her tastes toward sweeter flavors.
"Lemuel-chan, did something happen?"
The Sankta's sensitive empathy allowed Lemuen and Mostima to sense that something was off. As for Fiammetta, she simply pretended not to notice, lacking such empathy herself.
"I…"
Exusiai opened her mouth, her face turning red once again.
Texas quietly added, "Exusiai had her head patted by His Highness earlier, and she's been like this ever since."
"Oh."
Lemuen and Mostima drew out the sound, exchanging glances and sharing a knowing smile.
They could "taste" the sour and sweet blend of joy and turmoil in Exusiai's heart.
Lemuel-chan had grown up~
____
Announcement
I'm very sorry to inform you that updates for this fanfiction will be on hold for now. and unfortunately, due to circumstances related to the source material, I won't be able to continue updating for the time being.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting this translation. I really appreciate everyone who has followed the story up to this point, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
I hope to bring you more updates in the future.