"Furude-san, thank you for waiting.

We just finished the last test.

She'll be back soon."

"I hope she is able to help..."

"Of course!

Rika-san will help the whole village.

I think we'll be able to come up with a treatment soon.

We're still looking into the structure, but we're finding out how important Rika-san is to the villagers.

People with more serious conditions can't stabilize themselves.

But we've found out if they get close to the queen carrier, they generate some kind of substance in their brain.

This substance has a calming effect, and it seems to have the power to bring their symptoms down.

If we can produce this substance, it'll end up making for a powerful treatment."

"I see...

Rika has that kind of power..."

"Hee hee.

You shouldn't be surprised.

People say that maidens of the Furude Shrine have the psychic power to calm both souls and demons, don't they?

Even before we discovered it, it was already recorded in the history of the last few hundred years."

"That's true.

...I'm impressed with how wise people were back then."

"......Meep.

The tests are all done."

"Rika, good work.

You must be getting tired.

Why don't you take this and go get something to drink?"

"...Meep~!

They took a lot of my blood, so I need to replenish."

Rika took the 100-yen coin that was offered to her and ran out into the hallway.

"...I appreciate Rika-san's help.

If she hadn't offered her assistance, our research wouldn't have progressed this far."

"Rika is very concerned about her friend with the syndrome. She said she wants to help because of her.

...Doctor, please take Rika's feelings into account."

"Of course.

We're taking up her precious time every Sunday,

so we'll make sure to get to the bottom of this...

We may have to put her through some rather rough experiments, but I hope you'll understand."

"We'll never harm her in any way, though.

She's such an important person.

...Hee hee, she's the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama, after all."

"......I wonder how people back then found out about this syndrome,

and how they knew the Furude family were the descendants of the queen.

I'm truly impressed."

"By the way, there's something I have to ask you.

I would like to ask you for permission to collect her cerebrospinal fluid.

Also, there's a chance that we'll have to drill a hole in her skull to examine the inside of her head."

"A-A hole in her skull...?"

"Of course, we'll take every precaution.

Rika-san is the one and only queen carrier.

We'll make sure that she's safe. Her safety is our priority."

"Of course, since Rika-chan is a girl...

we won't shave her entire head.

However, we'll have to ask her to stay at the clinic a little longer so we can keep our eyes on her."

"She can still receive visitors, of course.

You're more than welcome to attend the examination.

I'm sure she'll be more relaxed to have someone she knows nearby."

".........Do you really need to perform this examination?

Is it really safe?"

"I can't absolutely guarantee her safety for either collecting cerebrospinal fluid or for drilling a hole in her skull.

There's always the off chance something might go wrong.

Also, Rika-san may suffer from some physical and emotional discomfort.

...Even if it's this important, we can't perform it without the parents' consent."

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

"Actually, I've already talked to Rika-chan about it."

"...What did she say?"

"She said that it's fine.

Hee hee."

"I've explained to her the possibility of danger.

But we still need your consent."

"......Sometimes, Rika truly believes that she's the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama.

So maybe she feels obligated to sacrifice herself for the villagers."

"...What an impressive child."

"Could you please let me talk to my wife?

She understands the situation, but I still need to explain it to her."

"Sure, of course.

Please talk it over with her."

"So this examination is an extremely important step in the process of stamping out the syndrome, right?"

"Yes.

It will solve the mysteries of Hinamizawa Syndrome for sure."

"At least, it'll be the first step."

"......As I already explained, if something happens to the queen carrier, the whole community here may be in danger.

In other words, it's possible the whole village could end up with terminal symptoms."

"That's right.

According to the studies, within 48 hours of the death of the queen carrier, everyone with the disease will become dangerously sick.

We must prevent that from happening no matter what."

"...If something happens to Rika, the whole village will go insane..."

"Yes.

It's our job to prevent that.

It might seem ironic that we have to put your daughter in danger...

but this is the only way to stamp out the syndrome."

"...Dr. Irie,

I hope you'll succeed in that examination."

"As I said, there are no guarantees in medicine..."

"Sure."

Irie answered with a nod, interrupting Takano's vague response.

"I will succeed.

I'll save Rika-san

and the villagers, too.

I promise."

"...Okay.

I'll talk to my wife.

I'll let you know our decision."

"Yes.

Thank you."

"Hee hee hee hee,

ahhhhhhahahaahahahahahahaha..."

After Rika and her father left, Takano started to laugh.

"What is it?

What's so funny?"

"Hee hee...

Oh, nothing.

I just thought it was amusing to get permission from both the patient and her parents beforehand."

"...Rika-chan is going through something she doesn't have to.

I thought I should as a courtesy......

I would have gotten consent from the man last year, had he been in a normal condition."

"Are you being tormented with guilt ever since you started your research here?"

"......What do you mean?"

This type of teasing was normal from Takano, but maybe she had gone a little too far. Irie made it clear how displeased he was to hear that.

"You can only research Hinamizawa Syndrome by using living beings.

You feel guilty continuing your work because of that."

"...Those guilty feelings are a necessity.

Whether it's a murder or dissection, the fact that you're taking someone's life is the same.

We have to accept that, and at the same time, devote ourselves to our research."

"That's an extremely impressive theory you have there.

Hee hee.

Then, Dr. Irie,

how many times have you gotten consent before you cut into people's brains?"

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

...Irie didn't think Takano knew about that.

"How many brains have you cut up without consent, using your selfish theory that people commit crimes due to mental disorders as your excuse?

Hee hee hee."

".........That is..."

"Common sense changes with time.

Back then, doctors didn't need to explain anything or get consent beforehand.

So I don't think you have to be concerned about the past.

It'd be a problem now, but it was okay back then.

So that's fine.

Hee hee hee.

But you feel guilty, and that's why you want to get consent from Rika-chan beforehand, and why you wanted to get it from him, right?"

"That's not true.

In the first place, the treatment and dissection are..."

"Listen, boy.

What you want is the stamp of forgiveness known as prior consent.

Right?

What you want is some stamp of forgiveness, some deception to fill your heart so you can atone for your past sins.

If you regretted what you've done, then you'd never get involved with brains again.

Yet you're dragging regrets behind as you continue to deal with brains, guilty all the while.

If you truly acknowledged your actions as a sin, then you would've refused to accept the appointment as director.

Isn't that right, boy?"

"......I don't need to listen to this.

Excuse me."

"You must listen.

The field of medicine is constantly won in battles against that era's ethics and social values.

When Dr. Takano discovered the existence of the syndrome, the people in power at the time just disregarded their own ignorance and scoffed at his foresight.

But he didn't stop researching until he collapsed.

He believed that someday he'd be acknowledged.

Even if it was after he died, he still believed in it!

He could do that only because of how strong his conviction was.

If it wasn't for that, he would have given up.

A strong will is what keeps research going.

Only the most determined can achieve a result!

But you don't have that.

You're a coward who still can't decide if he should be proud or ashamed of his achievements.

How could you accept the position of director with such half-hearted determination...?!

You knew from the beginning that this research couldn't be brought to fruition without adding further blood to your already-stained hands!!"

".........I don't know what to say.

Maybe I am half-hearted."

"Then why don't you resign?

You'll still have the obligation to keep things secret, but at least you won't have to feel guilty anymore.

You may be my partner, but you're also simply a person who was requested by my client.

Now that this research institute is fully developed, you aren't needed.

If you don't even have the necessary determination to do research to begin with, you're an especially useless partner.

I'll never quit researching.

I'm not afraid of guilt or regret.

My conviction is what will take me to the future.

Just like Dr. Takano succeeded, I'll succeed alone!"

"......That's impressive.

However, though my determination may not come close to yours, I too have a will, and that's why I'm here...

As you said, I already have blood on my hands.

After I arrived in Hinamizawa, they got even bloodier.

...So I can't just run from my responsibilities.

...I'll probably continue to be tormented by my unatoned sins.

But I won't run.

I'll get to the bottom of Hinamizawa Syndrome.

That's the least I can do for all the people who gave their lives for this research

and also for those who will give their lives from now on."

Irie wore a determined look on his face.

He appeared different from even a moment before, when he was baffled by Takano having brought up those painful memories.

For a short while, Irie's eyes displayed his strong will, and then he turned around.

"...We'll probably get consent for Rika-chan's examination.

So please start preparing for it."

"Yes, I understand...

Director."

They got their consent the following week.