I love time travel the most!

Kimberly spoke highly of her, but her tone was full of resentment, indicating that she was very angry that her student had to ask others for help when she was injured.

After obtaining consent, Glass operated the blindfold and used the X-ray glasses to observe the rabbi.

She had mentioned to Kobayashi that the eye patch allowed her to directly see the flow of magic. Although it wasn't as useful as the "Five Visions" ability, it was still one of the ways she could quickly grasp the current situation.

Kobayashi, who had worked with her before, cut off a lot of Frey's hair to use as thread to suture Rabbi's wound.

Next, Shoko untied the chains binding her waist and surrounded the rabbi.

It's a barrier.

Xiaolin didn't understand this behavior, but it seemed to be a defensive and calming action, probably something to increase the success rate of the surgery.

Incidentally, he stole this trick.

Because I always feel like I'll need it someday.

Then, Glass's [hand technique] began.

Her movements were incredibly skillful, without a single unnecessary motion. More importantly, she didn't hesitate for a moment; she seemed to understand perfectly what to do in every situation.

These require a large amount of knowledge, which is a skill that Kobayashi cannot learn by stealing.

Just like watching a pianist's skillful fingering, the onlookers seemed to barely have time to catch their breath before the surgery was over in less than ten minutes.

All in one go.

No matter how many times you watch it, you can't help but be amazed by its exquisite technique and profound knowledge.

There's a reason he's called the first.

Finally, Kobayashi took over the task of suturing and bandaging the wound.

With his divine touch, he was extremely skilled in this area, and quickly and perfectly stitched up the wound. He also used healing magic when bandaging it to speed up the healing process.

"Pretty!"

Kimberly, who was watching, exclaimed with genuine amazement, "You two have such perfect teamwork. Now, that automaton should be able to survive, right?"

"Not necessarily, it might be impossible."

"...That's a really unexpected answer."

"After all, the internal organs are already a mess. If the heart (magic circuit) becomes like that, I'm helpless."

This answer made my heart sink.

Even with such outstanding skills and techniques, nothing could save it...

"No, that's enough."

Kobayashi interrupted, drawing everyone's attention to him.

“I have used magic to restore Rabbi’s internal organs, and Miss Glass no longer needs to do woodworking to carve an oak tree and repair the damaged parts.”

"……What did you say."

Hanayagi Shoko squinted her eyes.

He instinctively wanted to take a peck at the pipe, but found that she had already extinguished it because it was the infirmary.

Xiaolin smiled but didn't reply.

The mature woman in the kimono stared intently at him, paused for a moment, and then said, "I'll wait for you outside. Let's have a proper discussion (about the payment)."

After saying that, she turned and left.

After checking on Rabbi and Frey, Kobayashi stood up and said to them, "Teacher, could you please look after Frey? I need to have a proper chat with that mature beauty."

"Wow, that's a really warm invitation. I'm so envious!"

Dr. Krull, the lecherous doctor, sighed, seemingly wanting to replace Kobayashi in having a deeper conversation with Hanayagi Shoko, though his idea of ​​a deeper conversation was somewhat different.

Is your brain only filled with pornographic material?

Before Kobayashi could speak, Kimberly grabbed his ear and angrily berated the indecent Krull.

"It hurts, it hurts -"

The lecherous doctor gasped in pain, forcing himself not to scream in agony so as not to disturb Frey and Rabi who were resting.

In terms of professional ethics, he is qualified.

Stepping outside, Hanayagi Shoko leaned against the doorway. After seeing Kobayashi, she turned and led the way, walking down the corridor with an unbelievable familiarity with her surroundings.

Finally, she went to sit on the deserted balcony.

He took the small box from Irori, took out tobacco, lit it, inhaled, exhaled, and poured out the ash.

Shoko looked very relaxed after finishing her work. Kobayashi, who had worked with her briefly, knew that she had this habit, but her silence was unsettling.

It's too depressing.

Is he deliberately using silence to exert pressure in order to gain control of the conversation?

Kobayashi raised an eyebrow.

Hanayagi Shoko exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "Kid, I've healed that wolfhound. Shouldn't we talk about payment now?"

"Oh dear, I thought Miss Shoko had already received her payment... that little bit. Although Miss Shoko's skills are very skillful and exquisite, my eyes can see things that others cannot. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"

Kobayashi answered with a smile, not at all inferior.

"Ah--"

Hanayagisai Glass didn't try to hide it, and openly spread his hands.

In the palm of her hand was a small stone, a small stone engraved with mysterious patterns, which was the magic circuit.

It's obvious whose it is.

Hanayagi Shoko continued to take the initiative with her words, saying, "But you should know that if we don't take it off, that little girl will be at risk of having her magic power forcibly drained."

"That's why you're offering this magic circuit as payment. It's probably something you need, otherwise you wouldn't have been so kind as to help Frey's Automaton Rabi repair it." Kobayashi retorted, revealing her true purpose.

"But that's not enough."

"The magic circuit produced by D-works, Miss Glass saw its power just now, didn't you? Being too greedy is not a good thing."

"Then I'll put it back."

"........."

The two looked at each other.

Hanayagi Shoko's eyes revealed seriousness, as if to say that she really would do it if the pay wasn't increased.

"Alright, alright, I give up." Kobayashi raised his hands in surrender, then asked in a very relaxed tone, "I wonder what kind of reward Miss Shoko would like if I could provide it?"

"Asking knowingly."

"I'm the kind of person who won't understand unless it's explained clearly."

"--magic."

"Ah, that..."

"Don't try to make excuses. You just deliberately showed me your magic to whet my appetite, didn't you?"

Hanayagi Sai Glass seems to have lost patience.

Kobayashi originally wanted to tease her a little more, but knowing that adult women are like wolves and tigers, he simply handed over the healing magic he had prepared to her.

"The thing is here. Whether you can use it on the automaton is none of my business."

"...As expected, you did it on purpose."

Hanayagi Shoko's gaze grew even more dangerous, then she looked into the distance and said, "This is truly unpleasant."

"Ok?"

Kobayashi looked up at her.

"I think you already know, kid, that D Company participated in the night meeting to compare [Gam] and [Angel]."

"Yes, I've heard it from Yomi."

"But that's a smokescreen. It's just a fabricated story to exploit those two children."

Hanayagisai Shoko seems to be seeking revenge.

Looking directly at Kobayashi, he deliberately spoke in a malicious tone: "D-Company's purpose is not to compare the performance of the two machines, although they really want Loki to sit on the throne of the Demon King. However, Frey's existence is an experiment—that little girl's heart has been assembled with magic circuits! The limbs of the babies seen in the basement are actually [parts]."

After a long pause, the audience was left wanting more.

She had hoped to see the boy's excited or angry expression, but his response remained expressionless.

"...It seems you already knew."

"Ah."

What they wanted to showcase at the party was not just the two types of automatons.

After being modified, Frey and Loki's hearts are connected to their respective automatons, enabling them to unleash power far exceeding that of ordinary automatons. This can play a huge role on the battlefield, but the price is naturally the death of the automaton (Frey).

In other words, Frey was a laboratory animal of D Company, including those babies who failed in the experiments; they were merely expendable.

"...This is truly unpleasant."

Hanayagi Shoko repeated, taking a light puff of her pipe and exhaling softly, "Whether it's them or you."

"I?"

Kobayashi frowned slightly.

"It seems you knew about these things all along, and you even did something unseen to try and change things."

"……What's the meaning."

"You recklessly mock others, treating them like pawns in your game. Everything's going according to your plan, aren't you happy? Do you think you can do it? Do you think you already have? Because these people don't 'see' as far as you do, you look down on them? You selfishly do what you think is most reasonable while ignoring the feelings of others, always thinking you can solve everything. You brat, you'd better remember this—"

For the first time, Hanayagi Shoko stared intently at Kobayashi with eyes full of hostility and malice, her alluring voice filled with indifference.

"—That's what they call 'arrogance'!"

"........."

He was speechless for a moment.