Plans for Satoko-chan's dissection are moving right along.

I don't want Satoshi-kun to be sad.

I feel pity for Satoko-chan and her harsh circumstances.

I'm still struggling with how much I have to sacrifice for the sake of research.

".......Irie?"

"Eh?

Ah, sorry.

What is it, Rika-chan?"

"......One of my friends has been in the clinic for a long time. Do you think she has Hinamizawa Syndrome?"

"Who told you that?"

"......No one, I just thought about it.

So what do you think, Irie?

Does Satoko have Hinamizawa Syndrome?"

Rika-chan is on our side.

There's nothing I have to hide from her.

Actually, I probably shouldn't keep anything from her.

"......Yes.

The problems with her parents, and then their sudden deaths...

It was all too much for her to bear.

...Maybe that was what triggered it."

"What did the test results say?"

"L5.

She seems perfectly fine on the surface, but her emotions are extremely unstable.

Since the other day, she's even been refusing to meet with Satoshi-kun."

"......Satoshi told me.

He's worried that it's taking a very long time for Satoko to get better.

...Irie,

what will happen to Satoko?"

"..............."

Satoko-chan is Rika-chan's best friend.

How can I tell her that we're planning to dissect Satoko-chan...?

However, even if I don't say anything, she already knows that Satoko-chan's situation is extremely poor.

"......Didn't you find out a lot of things when you examined me?"

"Sure, of course...

We're even testing medicine which might be able to control the symptoms."

"......Can't you give that medicine to Satoko?"

"I thought about it...

but it's too dangerous.

We're still in the trial stages, and trying to gather more data.

We can't use it on someone who's in a delicate situation like Satoko-chan."

"......Then,

if you won't try that medicine, what will happen to Satoko?"

She spoke as if aware of our plans for Satoko-chan.

...No, she must actually know.

I've told her about most of my research.

...She's more mature than she looks, so it'd be easy for her to figure out.

"......If there's even a 1% chance of Satoko getting better, then I think we should take that chance."

"It's extremely risky.

...Worst case, she could immediately display terminal symptoms and hallucinate, or potentially lose her consciousness and spend the rest of her life just staring blankly at a wall.

...Either one would be too cruel a fate for her."

"......So are you saying it's better to have her die in her sleep?"

"............"

"......Irie.

Just like Takano says, there are no guarantees in medicine.

But if we don't do anything, Satoko will die for sure.

I think it's clear what we should do."

"......That's true.

You're right."

But I know too well.

C103, the medicine that's being tested, may not even be something that can be used.

It may not even have a 1% chance of success.

Worse, I can't even imagine what kind of tragic end she'd meet if her body rejects the medicine.

That's why......

...I'm tempted to believe it would be far more merciful to feed her favorite food,

let her gently fall asleep, and after that, dissect her while she dreams.

...I don't want to admit it, but Takano-san is right.

I'm being indecisive and showing a lack of resolve.

...How effective could the medicine made by someone like that really be?

...So, because it was medicine I created myself... I couldn't even believe there might be a 0.1% chance of success.

"......I think we can believe in it."

She spoke as if she read my mind.

Surprised, I raised my head up to look at her... and found her giving me a reassuring look I never would've imagined someone her age capable of.

"......People's lives depend on your job.

It's almost absurd that a human being can control life and death like that.

I can't even imagine the pressure."

Her voice hasn't changed, but I feel like Rika-chan is admonishing me.

Almost as if she knows what it's like to be responsible for human lives.

"...Guilt and regret are a part of that.

That's why you can't use the medicine on Satoko.

Isn't that right?"

"........."

Takano-san said the same thing when she criticized me earlier.

I'm being criticized again.

"But...

that's why I can trust you with Satoko."

"What...?"

"Human lives are precious.

You understand that very well, and that's why you do what you do.

......Without knowing that, how could you heal people?

Do you think I'd trust medicine created by Takano, who thinks humans are just her guinea pigs?

Hee hee hee."

"...Ha... hahahahaha..."

I shouldn't have laughed, but I couldn't help it......

...I felt like I should laugh.

"If both you and Takano each produced different medicine,

I think yours would be the one to cure her.

Because your medicine came from your heart...

Your will to heal people is what cures them."

"...You're absolutely right.

...I can't believe you're admonishing me about medicine."

"I let you use my body for Satoko.

Everything you took out from me is for her.

If you created that medicine with the knowledge of how precious human lives are,

then of course it'll work on Satoko."

...Do shrine maidens take confessions?

If they do, she's doing a great job being a shrine maiden at this age.

"......This will be

a gamble.

...The question is whether Satoko-chan will accept it..."

"We don't need to tell her.

Learning of the Hinamizawa Syndrome will only dredge up the deep scar on her heart again."

What did she mean by those words?

When I realized it later, I was surprised by how thoughtful and perceptive she was.

".........Let's stop plans for the dissection.

We're going to give Satoko Houjou C103...

I'll do my best to increase the chance by even 1%."

"......Don't worry, Irie.

It'll work."

"Hahahahaha...

You shouldn't be so optimistic."

"...I know it'll work.

It's already decided.

That's... a very reassuring prophecy from the Furude Shrine's shrine maiden.

......Go for it,

yay

☆"