Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

"Big sister, what, what are you saying..."

"A drug to reverse aging...isn't that an interesting invention?"

Vervi took off her hat, revealing various identification documents underneath.

"FBI, CIA, Japanese Public Security, Interpol... I can have as many identities as you need. I don't serve anyone, but I serve many people."

"Who...who are you?"

Conan Edogawa's eyes widened.

"I am Velvi, the one and only Velvi!"

Velvi blinked.

"Don't judge me by your own standards of justice, Shinichi Kudo. I'm only acting for myself."

"Are you really indifferent to the things those bad people do?!"

Conan Edogawa, with his overly strong sense of justice, questioned him.

"I told you, don't be so childish, little brother."

Velvi shook her hat with one finger.

"Is Shuichi Akai a good person? Then let me ask you, how did Akemi Miyano die?"

"That……"

"Is Shiho Miyano a bad person? Not necessarily. She was Möbius's student, and by Möbius's standards, she was a good-for-nothing. In other words, she was a good kid, wasn't she?"

Velvi pouted.

"Standards, justice, luck... Humans are creatures who change their way of life because of the environment. Compared to that, your sense of justice is really boring. Little brother, if I hadn't helped you just now, the organization would have already noticed that something was wrong with you."

Chapter Thirteen: Möbius's mother held the script in her hand.

"Senior Gretsch, what is this painting depicting?"

"It's just a religious painting."

Greta stared silently at the frame, then put down her pen after a moment.

"Melutina is much better at this kind of painting... Compared to this, what are you doing here, junior? Also, you haven't filled out the volunteer survey yet."

"Why is it the senior who is asking?"

Sakuta Azusagawa scratched his head.

"Because I am the student council president."

"Really?!"

"real."

"It's over! This school is finished!"

Sakuta Azusagawa covered his face and said sadly.

"What did you say to the top student in the grade...?"

Greta stood up and gave him a chop to the neck, then went to the pool to clean her tools.

"Because wasn't the senior on the verge of repeating a year?"

"That's because of attendance, not grades."

Gretchen said calmly.

"Also, shouldn't you be all lovey-dovey with that female celebrity senior right now? What are you doing here? I'm really annoyed lately, or I might beat you up."

"If possible, please step on me while wearing stockings..."

"Okay, I've recorded it. Now I'll have something to say when I see Sakurajima next time."

"Please don't! I can lick your shoes!"

"Never."

"Well then, please hear me out."

Azusagawa Sakuta said seriously.

"what?"

"Senior Gretchen, do you know any good doctors?"

"Yes, we know each other. What's wrong?"

"that……"

Sakuta Azusagawa scratched his head.

“I have a friend who has a very serious congenital heart disease.”

"Really?! Azusagawa, how much longer can you hold on?"

Greta was so startled that she dropped her paintbrush on the ground.

It wasn't me!

……

"Let's talk in private."

After looking at Makinohara Shoko, Su said to the two people next to him with a serious expression.

"Yes."

Sakuta Azusagawa nodded and followed Su to the corridor next door.

"to be honest."

Su poured herself a cup of coffee, turned her head, and said with a serious expression,

“The treatment is very difficult, and without a donated heart, she might not survive for long.”

"Um, this might be a bit presumptuous of me to say this... but is this diagnosis accurate?"

“I understand how you feel, but I am a graduate of Harvard Medical School and spent eight years in clinical practice at various top hospitals around the world. I also frequently read the latest medical and biological papers.”

Su shook her head.

"So the doctor at this hospital just now agreed to let me make a diagnosis, didn't he?"

"Yes... I'm sorry to doubt your abilities. But I really want this child to live; she's so young, and..."

“I understand, Azusagawa-kun, I am a doctor.”

Su stopped him from speaking.

"Treating the sick and saving lives is my life's motto. If I can cure her, I would never want such a young child to die of heart disease, even if it means paying for it myself."

"Brother Su is the best doctor I know, and he is also the only doctor I know who often pays for his patients' medical expenses."

Greta replied,

"Brother Su, is there really no other way?"

"...Actually, it's not that there isn't any at all."

Su pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Really?! Is there some difficulty?"

Azusagawa Sakuta asked excitedly.

"Dr. Mebius's artificial heart."

Su spoke up.

"If there were a bionic heart personally created by Dr. Mebius, I would have every reason to believe that it could replace a normal heart and perform its functions."

"Aunt Mebius can make things like this?!"

This startled Greta.

"This was an idea proposed by Dr. Mebius a few years ago, and there have actually been successful cases. However, her own goal does not seem to be this. After sharing the principle with the medical community, she immediately moved on to the next research."

Su explained,

"The biggest problem with artificial hearts is that they need to be customized to individual needs, and currently, Dr. Möbius is the only scientist who can make a perfect artificial heart."

"Möbius, is that Möbius? That 'Alien Doctor'?"

Sakuta Azusagawa seems to have heard of it as well.

"An alien doctor? That's quite a fitting title."

Su said with a wry smile.

"What if I go and ask Aunt Mebius..."

"No, the issue isn't just whether Mebius is willing to help. She spent a huge amount of money creating the artificial heart before, and it wouldn't have been possible without the massive investment from the medical community."

Su shrugged, her expression also helpless.

"Therefore, raising such a huge amount of money is almost impossible; waiting for a heart donation might be a more reliable option."

"Well……"

Sakuta Azusagawa's expression grew even more somber.

"...Should I ask her first? Perhaps Aunt Möbius has a solution?"

"Yes, that's a good idea. Mebius is also a world-renowned medical doctor."

Su expressed his agreement.

“…Um? Is that Aunt Mebius over there? Yes, it’s me, Gretchen… No, I don’t eat candy, I’m already seventeen… There’s something I’d like to ask you for help with, I’ll have Su-ge tell you.”

With that, Greta handed the phone to Sue.

"Yes, it's Su."

Mebius's voice came through.