Healing the Sick
Luke ascended to Kallandra with his father, crafting a remedy from herbs gathered in the surrounding hills to heal the Red Plague. Thus, all the people were freed from their fear of the Red Plague.
Bearing the medicine, Luke visited Arachne, and everyone he met marveled at his wisdom and responses.
Among them, Lydia, daughter of the guild leader Hybris (Scala in the old editions), recognized at a glance that he was a great one.
Knock knock.
"Guildmaster. You have a visitor."
A visitor? She wasn't expecting anyone today.
The Kallandra Empire was in the midst of its harvest festival chaos right now.
Who would come seeking her out at a time like this?
Using the direct line reserved for private audiences, no less?
"A visitor? Who is it?"
The direct line was a secret path known only to those high-ranking officials who could meet her one-on-one.
Only someone of high nobility could even access it.
Which high noble would seek her out now, and without prior notice? It must be urgent if they skipped the courtesy call.
Surprisingly, the guild member escorted in... a little boy.
A little boy had used her direct line to her?
His clothes were finely made, his bearing noble. Even his skin looked impeccably tended.
He certainly appeared to be a noble child, but no noble would share such a secretive channel with a kid.
The boy entered her room and glanced around curiously, taking in every corner.
He just looked like any ordinary, inquisitive child.
"Welcome to Arachne. I am the guildmaster, Scala Arachne. What brings you here?"
Once the guild member left and they were alone, the boy spoke.
"Hello, Scala. Or should I say Lydia? Lydia Hybris."
!!!!
How did this child know her real name? And the family name she'd buried away!
No one in the empire knew her true identity anymore except Io!
"No need to be so shocked, Lydia. I have no intention of telling anyone about your secret. In fact, I came here because I want to be your friend."
"My... friend?"
She wanted to be friends with her? This kid who didn't even look ten?
"That's why I brought you a gift you'll truly rejoice over."
With tiny fingers fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out a glass vial.
"A miraculous medicine that cures the Red Plague."
"The... Red Plague?"
The Red Plague.
The incurable disease afflicting her one remaining family member, her precious little sister Io.
The extremities rotted red bit by bit until death claimed the victim—a monstrous affliction.
No priest blessed by the gods, no saintess had ever found a cure. And he claimed this was one?
A cure for the Red Plague couldn't possibly exist...
How did he even know she needed a Red Plague cure? Not even her closest aides knew about Io!
"I know it's hard to believe. No one's ever succeeded in making a Red Plague cure before. But this medicine truly heals those infected. I'm giving it to you. The dosage is two spoonfuls, by the way. And this book too."
He pulled a book from his bosom and set it on the table.
"I'll come back in a week. If you like my gift by then, will you be my friend? Oh, right. I'm Luke Perseino."
With that, he left the room.
It had been a visit like a whirlwind.
Perseino?
The empire's sword guarding the north?
He knew not just her real name, but about Io too.
And all he wanted from her was friendship.
What kind of child was he?
She needed to investigate him first...
Her eyes fell on the vial he'd left on the desk. And this medicine.
...Could she trust it?
Give some unknown drug to Io...?
He'd said two spoonfuls was the dose.
For now, find a test subject with the Red Plague and try it.
It was unlikely, but if it worked...
If it showed even a hint of improvement, she'd try it on Io.
The book he'd left behind.
Curious about his identity, she opened it.
Bible for Continent Dwellers — Old Testament, Volume 1
The first page described some divine being.
Why leave a scripture here?
That knowing gaze. The subtle affection in his eyes.
Though it was their first meeting, he'd shown her an inexplicable fondness. As if he already knew her.
A word flashed through her mind.
Yes—avatar of a god.
Myths spoke of gods descending to the mortal realm via avatars—incarnations—for whims like divine leisure, bolstering faith, or sacrifices for creation. They often took the form of children, appearing mature beyond their years.
If.
If he was a god descended like those in myth.
And if he'd come here to save Io.
Then this medicine might actually save her.
...Ha.
What was she even thinking?
Avatar? A god walking the earth?
Such things didn't exist.
Was her judgment clouded by the hope of saving Io?
Unlikely as it was.
If this medicine saved her by some miracle, she would give everything to him.
So please... let it work.
...That wasn't how I'd planned to play it.
I'd meant to leverage prior knowledge for mystique, build rapport, and recruit her.
But the moment I saw her, the Lydia from Deus ex Machina flooded my mind, and I blurted out wanting to be her friend instead.
And stupidly left the book behind.
Ugh, you idiot.
I'll be meeting more Deus ex Machina characters ahead—can't keep acting like a fool.
Scala Arachne.
That's what everyone knew her as, but her true name was Lydia Hybris.
Likely only I knew it in this world right now.
She wasn't part of the protagonist's party or a playable character, but she was one I truly adored.
A woman who'd lost everything in childhood yet built an empire from nothing with love for her sister and her innate Gift.
Who lost her last family to the Red Plague and later invented its cure in tragedy.
Who aided the protagonist's party against the Chaos forces spreading it.
...And heroically died saving them from those same forces.
Lydia's story was heartbreaking, impossible to read without tears.
If some god scripted her life, it felt like deliberate cruelty.
That's why, as a fan of Deus ex Machina, she held deep affection for me. Meeting her face-to-face, I couldn't contain it.
Forgot my lines and rambled instead.
...But seriously, what was that? Wanting to be friends?
She must think I'm totally weird.
...I'd planned to pretend Father sent me on an errand to recruit her smoothly. Now I just look like a creepy kid.
...That cure. Will she use it on Io? She won't toss it out as too suspicious, right?
If she does, Io heals, and she'll be firmly on my side. But I acted so shady...
One week later, I visited Lydia with bated breath.
There she was.
"I've been waiting, Lord Luke. Please, come in."
The famously secretive Lydia was waiting outside the building for me.
She personally led me to the reception room.
"Did you try the medicine?"
"Yes... It was astonishingly effective—beyond belief. To think the Red Plague could be cured."
"Good. Then may I have your answer from last time?"
Stupidly said I wanted to be friends, but it'll be fine. Friendship shouldn't hinder publishing the book.
Thud.
Lydia dropped to her knees before me.
...Huh?
"Lydia Hybris pledges to serve you, Lord Luke—no, Lord Deus."
What?
"I believed all gods had abandoned us, dooming every effort to failure... But you, Lord Deus, are different. You saved us. The only one to save my sister and me. I will follow you from now on."
Deus? Me?
What was this nonsense?
How did Lydia know Deus...? Oh, the book mentioned Deus.
She must think I'm his avatar.
"...Am I wrong? I thought you were Lord Deus's incarnation."
Uh... I've never even met Deus.
Saw her a few times in the game, sure.
She barely appears in Deus ex Machina anyway—how would I know her?
Plus, I'm 100% pure human.
...Where do I even start explaining?
Our first meeting got all tangled up for no reason.
As I stayed silent, Lydia's face fell.
It wasn't true, but... I didn't want to sadden her.
"...Yes. You're right. I didn't expect you'd figure it out."
"I knew it! As expected of you, Lord Luke!"
She beamed with joy.
Ah, screwed up again.
Lies piling up will be hard to unravel later.
...Whatever, whatever.