Rika has developed a high fever.

A very high fever.

It's not flu season, nor a season for any type of contagious disease.

...I could only think of the suspicious experiments Rika has gone through.

Maybe the fever is being caused by those.

Her growth is rather slow compared to other children her age.

Receiving mysterious shots and going through experiments every week, I'm sure her body is exhausted.

I've asked the staff to go easy on her, but Rika herself is fearless and is willing to go through anything.

My husband, who should be admonishing her for that, truly believes their story that it's crucial to the lives of over 2,000 villagers, and takes our own daughter to that clinic every week.

I'm the only one who's sincerely worried about her health.

That's why I want to ask Dr. Irie to be a little more considerate towards Rika.

Anyway, I have to talk to them about taking responsibility for this.

Right after I called, a staff member came to pick Rika up to admit her to the clinic.

As her guardian, I came with them.

"Please, calm down.

We'll make sure she'll be okay, so please wait for a while."

"How can I calm down?!

Why did she come down with such a high fever?!

Isn't this caused by the experiment you performed last week?!

Rika is just a little girl, you know!?

She cares about her friend, so she's doing what she can for the sick girl..."

"I understand...

There's no way our research would affect Rika-san negatively. Besides, we're being extremely careful so that something like that won't happen."

"Then explain this high fever!!!"

"It's probably due to the change in seasons, and..."

"How could this be a simple cold?!

This is because of the weird shot you gave her!!"

Dr. Irie only told me to calm down and refused to accept responsibility.

My husband told me this is all for the sake of the village, and that's why I've held back my doubts until now.

But I'm at my limit.

Their existence has been suspicious from the beginning.

They're conducting their research in secret, using a privacy policy as an excuse.

...That was shady enough on its own.

It's just impossible.

In fact, I called the Ministry of Health, and was told that wasn't true at all.

Even after I told them I'm Rika Furude's mother.

The clinic even came up with stupid excuses, saying normal workers often don't know of a special institute like theirs.

That doesn't make sense at all.

It's much, much too suspicious.

Also, there are people who don't appear to be researchers working at the institute.

They look like security guards, but they seem so different from normal guards at a normal hospital.

In fact, one time I accidentally saw

that they were armed with guns.

"...That is, well..."

"Are they policemen?

I don't think so!!

Who are you all, anyway?

I refuse to believe you're from the Ministry of Health!!"

Dr. Irie seems taken aback by my intensity, and can't even answer properly.

They're still hiding a lot more from us.

That tells me the research they're working on with Rika isn't anything proper.

"Anyway, I'm Rika's guardian!

Rika is still a child.

It doesn't matter what she says. I won't let her participate in this research anymore!"

"...My, my.

It's Rika-chan's mother.

Hello.

.........Oh, what's the matter? Is everything okay?"

"Ah, well.

...Rika-chan's mother says she won't let Rika-chan participate in the research any longer..."

"......Why is that?"

"Because she's not your guinea pig!!"

"......We've never treated her that way.

You're misunderstanding us."

I'm a little startled.

...Dr. Irie is a weak person who backs down under pressure.

Takano-san is different... I'm yelling at her, but she's not afraid at all.

On the contrary, she's glaring daggers, and looks as if she's about to jump on me.

"Rika-chan's fever is caused by a cold.

We didn't cause it.

When it comes to safety and sanitation, we pay the same level of attention as a national research center.

I don't mean to be rude, but considering you walk around while holding Rika-chan's hands without disinfecting yours with alcohol first, we are far more sanitary."

"......We're not talking about that!!

Anyhow, Rika isn't your toy!!

She'll never come back here again!!"

"You can't decide that by yourself.

You and your husband both signed the statement of consent, didn't you?

We have been depositing money that's by no means a small amount into your account every single month for her cooperation in the research."

"What? I know nothing about any money!

I've never even heard of that before!!"

Rika receiving money for participating in their research really is news to me.

Knowing my husband's character, he wouldn't have used it as spending money behind my back.

I bet he thought of it as a free service for the villagers, and completely forgot about the money being deposited into our account.

...There haven't been any strange deposits in the regular account, so it may be in our savings...

Anyway, I don't care about that!

"If you want to breach our contract, we'll have to ask you to return the full amount of deposits we have made up until this point.

Also, if one party is at fault for the breach of contract--"

"Takano-san!

Please calm down.

Mrs. Furude, you too.

Just as I explained to you before, we must find a cure for Hinamizawa Syndrome so the villagers can continue to live without worries.

For that reason, we need to have Rika-san continue to participate."

"Then tell me, when are you going to find a cure?

It doesn't make sense!!

At first, you said this was for Rika's friend, Satoko-chan, but Satoko-chan has been released from the clinic and is now carrying on happily.

You even told my husband two weeks ago that you've found a cure already, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes.

I think I told him something like that...

But, you see, to solve the mysteries of the syndrome..."

"You didn't mention anything about solving mysteries at the beginning!!

Rika was to participate to find a cure for the villagers.

So now her job is done!!

All the research and experiments you're performing on Rika have nothing to do with the cure. You're doing them out of your own self-interest. Aren't I right?!"

"That's not true,

it really isn't...!

Anyway, this matter of Rika-san's cold is just a misunderstanding.

If you still don't trust us, then..."

"That's enough!!

Since money is involved here, I'll have to discuss it with my husband!

Excuse me!!"

...They were just too shady from the very start.

Because of their exaggerated story, Rika and my husband took their side, but it won't work on me.

Anyhow, I must settle things with them right away

because Rika isn't their toy.

I especially don't trust that woman called Takano.

Dr. Irie seems to me like he's still a doctor, but she doesn't.

...How can I describe her?

...I guess I can say the glow in her eyes is just unpleasant...

She only sees Rika as a guinea pig.

I can feel cruelty emitting from her.

Neither my husband nor Rika have noticed that.

I must protect her.

As a mother, I must protect Rika!

"...That's not like you, Takano-san.

Getting into an argument with her will only makes things more complicated...

It's so unlike you."

"......I know.

Sorry for losing my cool."

Did something happen to put her in a bad mood, Irie wondered.

The heated conversation she just had didn't involve the Takano he knew.