﻿\setgamedatatitle("Minerva_09")

\text("Goblin Child")
She didn't eat again...
\endtext

\text
The goblin child caretaker sighs as she pulls out the meal
plate from the slot beneath the bars.

\endtext

\text
She quietly peeks inside―normally, if she's caught peeking,
a terrifying yell and flying objects would follow, but
today, there's none of that.
\endtext

\text
She's not sleeping either... Just sitting on the bed,
hugging her knees, staring blankly into space.
\endtext

\text
Yes, Minerva is even refusing to sleep.

\endtext

\text
Her face is pale, she's become thin and frail, and all her
former spirit has vanished.
\endtext

\text
And yet, she's still beautiful―
\endtext

\text
Now, with a fragile air as if she might disappear at any
moment, it almost makes the rumor that this prisoner is a
battle maiden from the heavens feel true.
\endtext

\text("Goblin Child")
Onee-chan... I'll leave your new food here, okay?

\endtext

\text
Placing the still-steaming meal plate in the slot, the
goblin child heads back down the hallway.

\endtext

\text("Goblin Child")
Ah...! Demon Lord-sama.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Is that Minerva's meal? She hasn't eaten again, has she?

\endtext

\text
The goblin child nods, her face pleading for help.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
And she hasn't slept either, huh. Seriously, that stubborn
woman...
\endtext

\text("Goblin Child")
Demon Lord-sama...
\endtext

\text("Caym")
I know. I need to do something about this soon... Leave it
to me.
\endtext

\text
After giving the goblin child's head a gentle pat, Caym
heads toward Minerva's cell.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
I heard. You haven't eaten again, have you?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...Caym, huh...
\endtext

\text
Still hugging her knees on the bed, Minerva barely turns her
face toward him.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
If you have something to ask... you should do it now...

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Soon... I probably won't even be able to speak...
c-cough...!
\endtext

\text("Caym")
...Honestly! Why are you acting like some tragic heroine?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...Caym?
\endtext

\text
If it weren't for these bars between them, he'd have gone in
and smacked her on the head by now.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
(If I can't do that... maybe I'll try pissing her off a
little first.)
\endtext

\text
With a huff, Caym crosses his arms and puts on an
exaggerated smile.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Pathetic. If you really had no regrets left in this world,
you'd just end your own life. Why haven't you done it?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...I don't know.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
You don't actually want to die, do you? Even if you're
suffering, you still have some attachment to life, don't
you?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Let me give you some advice. ...If you keep stubbornly
ignoring your body's needs, you'll end up doing something
you can't take back.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...That's exactly what I want. Besides, I have no intention
of accepting charity from my enemies.

\endtext

\text
Minerva's voice, if not outright angry, is starting to sound
resentful.
\endtext

\text
Internally, Caym thinks, Good... and continues.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Charity from the enemy, huh? That's old-fashioned... But
that's also a pretty human way of thinking.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
W-What...?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Isn't it true? You Structors pride yourselves on being
logical, unaffected by emotion, right?

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Food is food. No matter who gives it to you, the taste and
nutrition don't change.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Unless you think this food is poisoned or something... but
there's no reason for that. If we wanted to kill you, we
could've done it anytime.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...!
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Face it. You've already become human, both in body and mind.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Saying you won't sleep or eat just to stay a Structor is
nothing but foolishness. ...Am I wrong?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
No... I no longer have Structors, Diabolica, enemies, or
allies.
\endtext

\text
Turning her face away, Minerva mutters.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
There's nothing left... Everything I believed in has been
overturned.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
There's no reason left for me to live. ...There's no meaning
in me continuing on.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
That's exactly why you should eat this food. Eat, sleep, and
take care of your body.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Survive. No matter how many times you fall into despair, as
long as you're alive, you'll find something new. That's what
life is.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
―Otherwise, the ones you've killed, the lives you've taken,
won't be able to rest in peace.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Th-the ones I've... the ones I've killed... the lives I've
taken...?

\endtext

\text
Reacting to Caym's words, Minerva stares at her own hands as
if they still have blood on them.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Ah! Ah, ahhh... ahh...!
\endtext

\text
She nearly vomits, clutching her mouth and doubling over,
sobbing over and over... but there's nothing in her stomach
to throw up.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Hah, hah... hah...!
\endtext

\text
With only a little stomach acid on her hands, Minerva
breathes painfully.
\endtext

\text
―Instead of offering comforting words, Caym lifts up the
still-steaming bowl of soup for her to see.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Look, Minerva. This is meat soup. Inside is the flesh of a
beast that was killed.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...!
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Do you get it? In order to live, we inevitably have to kill
other lives―
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Even if you don't eat meat, it's the same. Just like any
other living thing, you found the grass and trees of this
world beautiful, didn't you?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
――That's just what we are. And now, you're one of us.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
All you can do is try your best to live. ...Am I wrong?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
..................
\endtext

\text
Minerva glares at the floor, biting her lip.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...Why?
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Why do you go this far for me... why do you make me suffer!

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Can't you just... leave me alone...?

\endtext

\text
Caym lets out a small laugh.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Isn't it obvious?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Because you're a great woman. Sex with you was incredible.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
I want to do it with you again when you're back to your old
self. ...I'll be gentle this time, and spoil you, okay?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
..............
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
G-Go away! S-So stupid...

\endtext

\text("Caym")
I'll do that. Just for today.

\endtext

\text
Saying he'll be back, Caym turns his back to the cell and
leaves.
\endtext

\text
Left behind is Minerva, biting her lip, her cheeks just a
little flushed――
\endtext