Case 02: A Sister with Demonitis

Case 02:
A Sister with Demonitis

Sioux regained consciousness faster than anyone  anticipated.

Cooling her body with a wet cloth seemed to do the trick. She explained that sometimes—during continuous—vigorous exercise, her body overheated, and she lost consciousness.

“My lords, my head hurts.”

“Is that something that started after your illness began, too?”

“Y-yes. Once the horns appeared, the fevers grew more frequent.”

Horns. And headaches accompanied by fever. Those were the Demonitis symptoms that Glenn had confirmed so far. He decided to take the now-awakened Sioux to his clinic. She could sleep in Sapphee’s room.

Sioux didn’t protest. She must have realized she would be found eventually. After all, she hadn’t even really disguised her name. On the other hand, maybe she simply hadn’t thought this far ahead.

For some time afterwards, Sioux stayed at the clinic at night, and worked with the entertainment district’s patrol team during the day.

Just like that, they gained another friend and roommate at the clinic.

***

“Brother, are you prepared for an outing?”

Sioux entered Glenn’s room without knocking.

Glenn had business at the workshop that day. Sioux wanted to get her beloved sword polished, so he planned to take her with him. However, he wasn’t pleased with her barging into his bedroom, even if they were siblings.

“Sioux, please knock before coming in.”

“Er… Western customs are so difficult.”

“Even in the east, you call out before opening the paper doors, don’t you?”

Sioux scratched her head.

Glenn pulled on his white coat and slung the medical bag he always carried over his shoulder. And, of course, he never left home without his dragon-scale amulet.

In contrast, Sioux wore her patrol team uniform. She insisted on wearing it every time she went outside. However, she had added gauntlets to suit her eastern style. She also wore a sword and dagger on her hip.

“Oh… Do you think my patrol team outfit is strange?”

“No, but the captain’s uniform was black and looked expensive. I just noticed that yours is very plain.”

“They say you can dye your clothes when you move up in the ranks. I want to dye mine vermilion.”

It sounded as though there were many rules.

And then there were the horns on Sioux’s head.

It wasn’t rare for monsters to have horns. Ogres, minotaurs, and dragons all did. But Sioux was human. The demons of the east had been similar to, but also different from, the ogres of the west. Moreover, the only demons to be found these days had once been human. In other words, they all suffered from Demonitis.

“What is wrong, Brother?”

“I was just thinking about how to cure Demonitis.”

“No need to get yourself worked up. There must be some way to cure it.” Sioux didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

Cosmetic surgery might remove the horns from her head. But was that really a treatment? Since they didn’t know the cause of Demonitis, it was hard to justify calling the mere removal of her deformity a “treatment.”

“Brother, hurry!”

“You seem very well, Sioux.”

“I have been unable to take care of my beloved sword since leaving the east. It was you, Brother, who said you would introduce me to a skilled professional.”

Sioux might have been sick, but she certainly wasn’t glum.

It sounded as though her work with the patrol team was going well, too. The freedom that Lindworm’s culture offered seemed to suit her. Glenn didn’t know much about Demonitis, but he could imagine how someone with horns might be treated in the east, where non-humans were discriminated against. That was the reason Sioux had been fired from her previous job.

“Brother, this is your clinic, correct? Are you even allowed to leave?”

“I have to go get some tools from the workshop. Sapphee will hold down the fort while I’m gone.”

“I see. Your wife assists you.”

“Not exactly…”

Sioux nodded, pleased with her observation, not even noticing Glenn’s reply.

At one time, the Litbeit household had kept Sapphee in their home as a hostage. Ever since then, Sioux had thought of Sapphee as a sister, and loved her as much as her two other siblings.

“Oh! We do not have time to sit here talking! I must arrive at the entertainment district on time to work the day shift. Quickly, Brother!”

“I know, I know.”

Glenn followed Sioux, noticing how quiet everything seemed. Ever since Sioux had arrived, the fairies had avoided her. Maybe they didn’t like how loud she was. Well, they’d probably come back out once they got used to her.

“Brother!”

His sister sure didn’t seem very sick. But the horns remained on her head, proof that she was, in fact, infirm. Perhaps she had no intention of healing her Demonitis. Glenn’s heart ached at the thought. He had to find a cure so that his sister could dream again.

***

“Let us order!” Sioux’s voice was far too loud.

They had just arrived at Kuklo Workshop, and she had already made herself right at home.

“I would like to get my sword polished.”

“That’s weird. It looks like no one is here.”

“Perhaps they were robbed!”

Sioux rattled her sword in its sheath. She was getting excited—a bit unprofessional for a patrol team soldier.

Normally, the workshop bustled with workers, who greeted customers immediately upon entering. However, today there were no cyclops to be seen, and the workshop was silent.

“First of all, thieves don’t enter workshops.”

“But, Brother, there are weapons and valuables here. You do not think someone threatened and stole the workers, do you?”

“Well, only strong cyclops work here. They may be mild-mannered, but they know the weapons they make better than anyone. And when it comes to protecting their products and workplace, they can get nasty.”

“Ohhh.” Sioux seemed to understand.

The cyclops’ strength was characteristic of giants. They were blacksmiths, so having the fruits of their labor stolen was a matter of life or death. They were formidable when it came to self-defense.

“O-oh. A customer…”

“I found a worker!”

“Eeeek?!”

A young female cyclops, likely an apprentice, came out to greet them. When Sioux addressed her, however, the girl yelped and hid.

“Sioux, keep your voice down.”

“Hmph. How rude. You keep criticizing—‘Sioux this’ and ‘Sioux that.’”

“Eeek! Th-the doctor brought a strange woman!”

The apprentice cyclops peering out from the shadows was none other than Memé Redon. She seemed wary of Sioux. Then again, she was normally shy, and often avoided eye contact.

“Wh-who are you? An ogre?”

“Oh, this is my sister Sioux. She’s just about your age, Memé. You two should be friends.”

“Sister?” Memé cocked her head to one side.

Glenn immediately regretted the introduction. Right then, Sioux’s horns made her look like a monster. Of course that would raise questions. How else could he explain their relationship, though?

“Your sister is an…ogre? Is she your stepsister?”

“It is not strange!”

Sioux stuck out her chest. Memé trembled.

“This town is full of lovers and couples of different species, is it not? So, there is nothing strange about my brother having a demon for a sister. I had heard that this sort of thing was accepted in this town!”

“Is it? Well… I guess it is…” Memé nodded, most likely to end the conversation with Sioux, rather than because she’d had a change of heart.

Hurrying up their business seemed like the best course of action, for Memé’s sake.

“Sioux. Didn’t you have something to take care of?”

“Oh! Yes, I do! Please polish this!”

Sioux detached the long sword from her hip. The curved, one-sided blade had been forged in the human regions, and the guard and sheath were finely crafted.

“L-Let me take a look…”

Even though she was an apprentice, Memé was already a master of her craft. Once she laid eyes on the sword, her shy expression disappeared. She unsheathed the blade to check for chips and dirt.

“This is an eastern sword. We can’t just use a whetstone… I-I think this will take some time. Is that all right?”

“That is acceptable. I am not in a hurry.”

“O-okay then.”

Memé tagged the sword and gave Sioux a receipt.

Glenn cocked his head. Usually, dozens of workers at Kuklo Workshop could handle swords. If the task was too hard for Memé, why didn’t she leave it to a specialist?

Come to think of it—they hadn’t seen any workers besides Memé so far.

“Memé, I came to pick up some tools I ordered from the master. Where is he?”

“H-he’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping?”

“It’s the Sheep Sleep that’s going around! What is happening to everyone?! The master, the elders, everyone is sleeping! That’s why I have to do all the work! Why are you bringing in new tasks when I’m so busy?!” Memé sobbed.

She started hitting Glenn’s chest. Her hands were big, and she was strong, so even though she wasn’t exerting her full strength, it still hurt. Glenn let her take her anger out on him, however. She’d reminded him that he had to think about another rare disease besides Demonitis.

The palm-sized sheep appearing throughout the town were a mystery. Touching them put victims into a deep sleep they couldn’t awaken from. The patients didn’t die, but seemed to be sleepwalking. They could still perform the bare minimum of tasks required to live, so Glenn had thought he didn’t need to worry about the Sheep Sleep too much, but…

But a labor shortage was deeply concerning.

“Look! Look at this pile of tools! I have to repair all of these! And on top of that, this sword that I’ve never even seen before…”

“Yes. Well, we can always go to another workshop.”

“I’ll do it! I-I’ve learned how from the elders! You want me to do it, right?!”

“Should we go to another workshop? Yes or no?!”

Memé and Sioux’s conversation was going nowhere.

It was kind of fun to watch.

Upon closer examination, though, Glenn realized that Memé’s one large eye—twice as perceptive as a pair of human eyes—was bloodshot, with a dark circle underneath. She was clearly exhausted.

There wasn’t enough research available on the small sheep that made you sleep. No one had died of the Sheep Sleep yet, so Glenn had put it on the back burner. He’d been more worried about Sioux.

I should have paid more attention.

He looked around at the deserted workshop and the exhausted Memé.

If the Sheep Sleep was spreading, it was only a matter of time before it affected the city’s affairs. Perhaps there were already other places, besides Kuklo Workshop, where not enough people could work.

“Brother, there is something wrong with this girl, is there not?”

“Stop blurting things out without thinking, Sioux. You’re intimidating Memé.”

Saying whatever popped into her head was a bad habit of Sioux’s. She probably wasn’t thinking very carefully. In many ways, she was the opposite of Memé, who was twice as sensitive to subtle feelings as humans.

“D-Doctor, it’s all your fault! Why aren’t you treating this epidemic?! Get to work!” Evidently, Memé wasn’t thinking through her words, either.

With Cthulhy gone from Lindworm, Glenn was the only doctor certified to treat monsters.

“You’re right. I’ll do what I can to cure the Sheep Sleep as quickly as possible. I know you’re very busy right now, but I appreciate your hard work.” Glenn patted Memé’s head.

“Oh, Brother! That is not fair! Pat Sioux, too!”

“Huh? Why?”

“I am working hard as well!”

“Okay, okay.”

Memé was like a little sister to him, and Sioux was his real sister. He patted both their heads at the same time, not quite sure how he had ended up in this position.

“Heh heh!”

Sioux looked up at him with a grin. He’d thought she’d grown, but she was still a child at heart. Or maybe she was acting immature because he was there.

“S-so, you’re really brother and sister?” Memé opened her big eye.

She stared at Sioux, as if she finally understood something.

***

“Sapphee.”

“Yes?”

“About this Central Hospital report…” Glenn had promised Memé that he would cure the Sheep Sleep. His days were packed. Between appointments, he read eastern folklore about Demonitis and studied Central Hospital results regarding Sheep Sleep.

He had to figure out the two illnesses simultaneously. Luckily for Glenn, he was a skilled reader. He liked to attain new knowledge.

Today was no exception. He was reading the Central Hospital report as he ate his lunch. He often ate while working. Today, lunch was a sandwich he could consume with one hand. He was taking in nutrients and information at the same time. Sapphee would tell him it was poor manners to eat and read, but Glenn was more concerned with efficiency than manners.

“Oh, the report that said they extracted the component causing the sleeping disease from the sheep in town? That document was cut off partway through, wasn’t it? I wonder why.”

Glenn was silent.

Sapphee’s face looked grim.

She took the report from Glenn and ran her eyes over it, eating her lunch—a hard-boiled egg—in one bite.

“It’s definitely incomplete. If I were to guess, I’d say the researcher caught the Sheep Sleep in the middle of creating the report.”

“I see.” Glenn held his head in his hands.

“What if you caught one, Doctor?”

“I tried, but…those little sheep are quick.”

“How unfortunate.” Sapphee had nothing encouraging to say in response.

The creatures causing the disease were called sheep, but they actually looked like two-dimensional drawings of the common farm animal. Or like moving balls of wool with legs and a head sticking out. Their true form was unknown, which made researching the disease they carried even harder.

“Sapphee, does any medicine completely prevent sleeping?”

“A medicine like that sounds like it would do more harm than good. Of course, if we knew the Sheep Sleep’s cause, we might be able to counteract it,” Sapphee chuckled. “What do you have there, Doctor? Isn’t it the same thing that’s stuck in Kunai’s neck? Eastern literature?”

“Scrolls. All the older texts are in this form. I wanted to research Demonitis.”

“Those don’t look like medical documents. This is folklore, and oral literature… Wait, is this a family tree? Is this your family, Dr. Glenn?” Sapphee picked up one of the scrolls.

It was a record of every generation of Glenn’s family. When he left home, his parents practically forced him to take it. He never thought he’d dust it off to look for a medical treatment, though.

“What is the family tree for?”

“Well, I was looking for information on Demonitis, but everything I found written was so strange. For example, one village reported the disease manifesting in ten-year cycles. In the neighboring village, though, there were no reports. It seems as though only one person per household contracts it. They’re fine as children, but once they reach Sioux’s age, the horns start to grow.”

“So, it’s not infectious?”

“No. Nor could I find any disease in monsters that causes horns to grow. Demonitis is specific to humans.”

“If it occurs periodically in certain regions…does that mean it’s genetic?”

“Well… I don’t know.” Glenn nodded vaguely. He’d pulled out his family tree to see if that might be the case. So far, however, he’d found nothing.

“Look, a name’s crossed off here…and here…and here.”

Names were blacked out all along the tree, no longer legible.

“Yeah. I don’t know if my ancestors did that, or if it was some other human who hated monsters. But it seems like someone wanted to erase Demonitis sufferers.”

“So many people in the east hate monsters.” Sapphee sighed with disgust, probably imagining how someone like Sioux could suddenly be cast out by people who, until that point, had been her family members, friends, and colleagues.

Did the people with blacked-out names all lose their jobs? Were they expelled from their homes? Were they told that they were no longer the same species as their loved ones?

Glenn’s disgust quickly crossed into anger.

It didn’t matter to him if Sioux grew horns, or wings, or even a tail. She was—and always would be—his sister. He believed that Souen and his parents felt the same.

“Looking at the legends, it seems as though the western ogres and eastern demons were different species. There are no more demons, though. Some people say they went extinct, others say that they were chased out of the eastern lands and joined the ogres, but no one is sure.”

“Either way, none live in the human regions.”

The only demons in the human regions these days were those who’d contracted Demonitis.

“That’s right. According to folklore, demons’ children have abnormal strength. They drink alcohol and even snack on humans, whereas ogres in the west are genetically similar to minotaurs.”

“But you never hear about humans or other species turning into ogres.”

“Strange, isn’t it? Occasionally, a woman, blind with jealousy, might turn into a serpent to kill her lover. But that only seems to happen in the east.”

“What? Transforming into a serpent from jealousy? Heh heh!” Sapphee laughed for many reasons.

Such legends were common in the east. Living alongside a lamia known to have a deep relationship with jealousy, Glenn couldn’t say that the concept was completely unfounded.

“Anyway, I tried to establish my own Demonitis hypothesis, but—”

The doorbell rang. A patient had arrived at the clinic. Sapphee jumped up to take care of them.

Glenn’s short lunch break was over, too. He stood, eager to forget about rare diseases for a few minutes. He couldn’t spend all of his time on the Sheep Sleep and Demonitis. Plenty of other patients in town were waiting to be seen.

***

Midsummer nights were lively.

The Giant Squid’s Inn bustled with customers unwinding after work. The kraken madam was busy serving, using her tentacles to punch the rude drunks who tried to touch her. That was how it always was.

On this particular night, Saphentite was also drinking at the inn. She was a regular customer. Alcohol was an important part of her relaxation process after a long day at Litbeit Clinic. But it wasn’t Tisalia or Arahnia joining her this evening.

“You have a healthy appetite, Sioux.”

“These dragon balls are superb! Nom nom nom.”

“Why don’t you have a drink?”

“I have not yet tried alcohol…”

Sioux’s glass held a clear, blue, jewel-like liqueur that wasn’t available in the east. The kraken madam seemingly collected rare spirits from the mainland. Maybe, as trade expanded, she might import more Ginjo. Sapphee personally preferred wine, but she did want to try the eastern sake.

“Madam! One more!”

“How many have you had now?”

“No idea!”

Sioux seemed to prefer the inn’s snacks.

Glenn was still at the clinic, researching diseases. He’d come up with some new theories, but Sapphee hadn’t heard them yet. He would tell her eventually, if he thought it necessary.

Today, Sapphee had invited Sioux to the Giant Squid’s Inn after her patrol team shift. Sapphee was a heavy drinker, and whenever she wanted to get a story out of someone, she brought them here.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has. You look wonderful, Sister!”

“You sound exactly the same. You even still call me sister.”

“I had to read a lot of old books during my education, and Father often took me to listen to lectures. I know I sound strange… But I cannot stop.”

“It’s unique. You don’t need to stop.”

Reading old storybooks and going to the theater were privileges Sioux had enjoyed while growing up in a rich family. Still, despite her parents’ attempts to raise her to be refined, Sioux had become a skilled fighter.

“When I heard that you had Demonitis, I was surprised. But you look better than I expected. I’m glad.”

“I feel great! I have an appetite, and I can move!” Sioux grinned from ear to ear. She might have been ill, but she wasn’t fretting over it. She looked lively and happy to reside in Lindworm.

That was why Sapphee had invited her to the Giant Squid’s Inn today.

Sioux had left home because of her Demonitis. Now she was a patrol team member in Lindworm’s entertainment district. Something didn’t add up, though, and Sapphee thought that talking over drinks might help her understand.

“But sometimes I get fevers,” Sioux added. “Mmm.”

“I’m sure your brother will find the cause. Come to think of it, I also got fevers back at Litbeit Manor.”

“Brother always panicked, even though he was just a child!”

Sapphee had been a hostage in the Litbeit household. However, she’d enjoyed her life there, playing with Sioux, who was like a sister to her. It had been Sapphee’s first time seeing humans, living among them. Litbeit Manor was also where she fell in love for the first time.

“Things are different now than when we were kids, Sioux. You were always very strong, but I didn’t realize you had such a sense of justice. I’m surprised you joined the patrol team.”

“I was surprised as well! Most of the patrol team members are ogres and minotaurs. But no one minds, as long as I have horns!” Sioux sipped her blue cocktail, looking off into the distance.

Sapphee wondered if Sioux was remembering her home.

“Souen is in business and politics. Glenn ignored our parents’ objections and joined the monster academy. I… Well, it seems as though living by the sword suits me.” Sioux blushed. “It is not the same as being a doctor, but in the end, I help people too.”

“One of our regular patients commented on how well you’re doing as a new recruit.”

“Miss Aluloona often gives me treats. The captain of the entertainment district is also wonderful. I am happy.”

It was strange. At a glance, Sioux seemed blessed, probably thanks to Lindworm’s accepting culture. Sapphee had to keep reminding herself that Sioux came to Lindworm because of her illness.

But to say that she was happy… Who was she trying to convince?

“You’re very positive, Sioux. You’re like your brother in that way.”

“Well, I still have a lot to learn. I may have changed into a demon, but I am having a hard time coming to terms with it. I’m still attached to being human.”

“Attached?” That was an interesting choice of words.

Sioux seemed to have given up any hope of getting better. That made a certain sense, though, considering that no one with Demonitis had ever been cured.

“I would consider it normal to prefer a time when you were healthy,” suggested Sapphee.

“There is no cure for Demonitis. In the east, people often told me that I was a demon, so my only choice was to live as a demon. That is why I made my way to Lindworm. Here, I thought they would have to accept my monstrous body.”

Sioux downed the contents of her glass, the alcohol bursting the dam that had trapped her true feelings.

“You’re still human. You’re just sick.”

“If there is no cure, then this is no different from actually transforming into a demon. Saying I want to go back to being human is rude to monsters, is it not?”

Sapphee examined Sioux’s horns. They extended from her head, but hadn’t broken through the skin. Sapphee thought about what she would do if she had horns; she would probably look like some dragon subspecies. That couldn’t happen, though.

“I want to remain as positive as possible. I have many things to do in Lindworm, so there is no time for idle thought… Sister?”

“Mfeh! Heh-ha!” Sapphee did everything she could to keep from spitting out her wine.

“S-Sister! Please do not laugh! I am serious.”

“Serious, when you say that wanting to be human again makes it look as though you hate monsters? That’s ludicrous.”

“Uh…” Sioux’s face was beet-red. “Do not laugh! I am thinking about everyone from the bottom of my heart!”

“I know. You’re a sweet child. You are so far removed from monster discrimination that it’s hard to believe you were born and raised in the east.” Sapphee was still chuckling a bit.

There certainly was a connection between Sioux’s sweet demeanor, her sensitivity to discrimination against monsters, and the fact that she’d spent so much time with Sapphee as a child.

“But don’t misunderstand.”

Sioux looked confused.

“There is no ‘monster species.’ There are lamia, and centaurs, and arachne, and a ton of others. The term ‘monster’ is convenient, but there are many species.”

Sapphee thought of the women she sometimes joined for drinks here. Many tended to distinguish between monsters and humans. Still, it wasn’t as if all monsters automatically got along. Harpies were instinctually wary of cyclops, and small beast species tended to fear lamia. Plenty of fights over seemingly trivial matters had broken out between monsters in Lindworm.

“But that’s how monsters have always existed. Smaller groups slowly gathered together until we finally had equal status to the human majority in the east. It’s not like we don’t discriminate against anyone, and it’s not like we don’t hate anyone.”

Sioux was silent.

“For example, if someone told me that I would become a centaur tomorrow, I would be very confused. I don’t know how to walk on hooves, and I’ve never even used legs before. I am glad that I was born a lamia.”

Of course, not everyone shared that sentiment. Some monsters were proud of their species. Others felt insecure or even detached. Monsters held a variety of feelings about their origins. That was the point. No matter the species, each individual was different.

“It’s not fun to bundle each person into a category of just ‘monster’ or ‘human,’ is it?”

“Hmmm.”

“You are the same person, whether you grow horns, or wings, or anything else. It’s not as if you were suddenly reborn one day. You are, and always will be, Sioux.”

“Ahhh!” Sioux put her head in her hands and moaned.

It was easy to say that she should accept herself and others as they were. Putting it into practice was much harder, however.

“I don’t know!” Sioux exclaimed, then chugged her drink.

“You’re still young. You have time to learn.”

“I am no good at studying.” Maybe because she was drunk, Sioux put her elbows on the table and started playing with her horns.

“Sister, let us speak about something more fun.”

Sapphee drained her glass of white wine in one gulp. “Why did you come here, Sioux?”

“Like I told you before, I was relieved of my post as guard for the senate, and then…”

“Let me rephrase the question. Why didn’t you tell Dr. Glenn and me that you were here?”

“Um…” Sioux’s face was easy to read.

“It’s not good to lie.”

“I am not telling any lies…” Sioux’s lips quivered as she tried to hide her emotions. She wouldn’t make eye contact with Sapphee. It was clear why she preferred sword work.

Come to think of it, one of Sapphee’s friends, a centaur, was also a merchant’s daughter and had also become a warrior. Like Sioux, she was very frank, and it was easy to tell what she thought. She prided herself on her sense of fairness.

Sioux had a long way to go.

“You won’t tell me? Even though you call me sister?”

“I-It is not the same thing. If you want to play that game, why don’t you just hurry up and marry Brother?!”

“If it were possible, I already would’ve.”

Here Sapphee was, trying to talk about Sioux, and instead, Sioux brought up Sapphee’s stagnant relationship with Glenn. Sapphee had warmed up a bit to the idea lately. Still, the truth was that Glenn had opened his clinic with Cthulhy’s permission, and proceeding with any relationship would only make his teacher angry. Cthulhy was thrilled with her apprentice’s growth, and seemed to appreciate how hard he worked. Even so, however, Glenn and Sapphee couldn’t be hasty.

If Glenn didn’t develop his skills further, there would be no discussion of love or marriage.

“Besides, the centaur princess or arachne thief might steal him out from under me. Molly does whatever she pleases; Skadi is worse. Even Lulala has her eye on Glenn. I’m just a girl who’s been in love with him since childhood, so what can I do?”

“Uh, Sister? It’s frightening when you complain like that.”

“Ugh! Enough! Madam, three more bottles of wine!”

The madam cheerfully complied. She brought the wine and set it on the table with her tentacles. Sioux gawked, but Sapphee wasn’t joking.

“S-Sister, that’s too much for you to drink…”

“What are you talking about? You’re going to help me. This is a contest!”

“Huh?”

The madam placed a glass identical to Sapphee’s in front of Sioux, who clearly hadn’t anticipated getting roped into this. While she sat there dumbfounded, Sapphee filled her glass with white wine.

“S-Sister! Not so much.”

“I’m tired from researching the Sheep Sleep. I wanted to speak with you, but now I’m done. For the rest of the night, I’m just going to let everything go.”

“Ugh. When did you become a sister that didn’t listen to anyone?!” Sioux was one to talk. “I’ve never participated in a drinking contest.”

“We just take turns. If I win, you tell me the secret you’ve been hiding.”

“Er… And what if I win?”

“Then I won’t ask you anymore. You can just stay in Lindworm and do as you like.”

Sioux picked up the glass and put it to her lips.

Perhaps she hadn’t yet acquired a taste for alcohol. When she took a mouthful of wine, her eyebrows knitted, and she stuck out her tongue. But she emptied her glass.

She had accepted the challenge.

“Well then.”

Sapphee emptied her glass, too. She was used to the taste. As a regular at the inn, she had tried every wine they offered. The madam also knew what Sapphee liked to drink, and had brought three of her favorite wines. In other words, Sapphee had a distinct advantage.

As if to drive that point home, crackers, poached eggs, and a stewed oil dish appeared without either sister placing an order. The kraken madam seemed to be encouraging Sapphee, and the message was clear: Go for it, rouse some excitement, but don’t make any problems.

“Would you like to know something, Sioux?” Sapphee smirked as she poured the next round of wine into their glasses.

“Wh-what is it?”

“I’ve never passed out from drinking.”

Sapphee shed her normal composed demeanor, calling her win with a glass in one hand and a knowing smile on her face.

***

“Wh-what happened?”

“What does it look like?”

“I don’t know what it looks like! That’s why I’m asking!” Glenn shouted, not caring that it was the middle of the night.

He knew that Sapphee and Sioux had gone to the Giant Squid’s Inn together, and that they were drinking. But once he’d finished his exams for the day, they still weren’t back. Even after he cleaned his tools and paid the fairies, they still hadn’t returned. Just as Glenn resolved to go pick them up, there was a loud knock at the door.

“Sister passed out. I managed to carry her back here.”

“You carried her?”

The bottom halves of lamia bodies were incredibly long and heavy. It would be an impressive feat for a member of even the mightiest species to carry one. For a human, it should have been impossible. Nevertheless, Sioux had draped Sapphee’s upper half across her back, and wrapped Sapphee’s bottom half around her waist. From the side, Glenn could see that Sioux’s center of gravity was off. She was liable to fall at any moment.

“Well, I don’t think we’ll get her upstairs. Lay her on the clinic bed. There’s a big one made for monsters.”

“Okay! Umph!” Sioux was sweating.

The Giant Squid’s Inn was close, but carrying a lamia must have been extremely laborious. On top of that, Sioux had been drinking. Her face was completely red.

Glenn helped lay Sapphee on the bed. The lamia moaned, coiling her long body.

“I apologize, Brother. Neither of us would back down from the drinking contest.”

“Drinking contest?”

As far as Glenn knew, Sapphee had never gotten blackout drunk. Not only did she know exactly how much alcohol she could handle, she could hold it well. How had she ended up like this?

“How much did you drink?”

“Ummm… I think we opened ten bottles.”

“Don’t you know your limits?”

If it had been a contest, Sioux had to have drunk just as much as Sapphee. Even though her face was red, however, she didn’t seem inebriated.

According to the literature, Demonitis patients whose bodies transformed tended to gain a high tolerance for alcohol. Even in folklore, drawings showed demons enjoying wine and other spirits.

Glenn resolved never to drink with his sister.

Sioux panted, shoulders heaving. Sweat soaked through her clothes. Her horn tips were red, and a steam-like substance poured off them. If Glenn didn’t do something, Sioux would pass out, as she had in Aluloona’s vines.

“I am tired. I will leave you now.”

“Wait, Sioux. You’re sweating. Why don’t you rinse off in the canal and come back? I have something I need to talk with you about.”

“S-something to talk about? But I am dizzy from the heat. Cold water might make it worse.”

“No, it will have the opposite effect.”

Glenn hadn’t just been sitting around waiting for Sioux and Sapphee to return. He’d been reading. Cold water was the eastern treatment for Demonitis. He’d corroborated that information by researching the Litbeit family tree.

“If I’m right, a dip in the canal will help. This fever isn’t like a normal one.”

“Uhh… Brother, I can’t understand anything so confusing right now.”

“That’s okay. Just follow me.”

A canal ran right in front of Litbeit Clinic. It served as a road for water monsters, but no one would mind if Glenn and Sioux used it for a quick swim. Glenn lowered himself into the water beside Sioux; he had prepared washcloths and a small tub.

“Let’s start by cooling your head.”

“If you say so, Brother.” Sioux removed her shoulder armor and gauntlets, stripping down to her undergarments. Glenn used the tub to dump canal water over her head.

“Ooooh!” The water felt good.

Sioux’s thin, eastern-style undergarment—a simple shift—stuck to her naked body, her skin visible through the fabric. Even though he and Sioux were related, Glenn’s eyes wandered over her body, which was fit from training. He wet a washcloth, taking care not to stare at her.

“Sioux, when you move, you feel hot, right?”

“Mm? Yes, that is right. Ever since I became a demon, I’ve been gaining muscle. But when I use all my power, I overheat, like today. I was told that, when that happens, I should get into bed and rest.”

“I don’t think that’s good for you.” Glenn wrung out the cloth and applied it to Sioux’s forehead.

“Ahhhhhh!” She let out a relieved cry.

Glenn considered Sioux’s increase in muscle, subcutaneous horns, and sudden fever. Demonitis caused all those symptoms.

No.

“Sioux, you’re not sick.”

“Huh?”

“Your fever… It’s not the kind you’d get from a cold or an infectious disease. Your body built up heat by exerting an abnormal amount of energy. Everyone gets hot if they run at top speed, right? Your fever is the same sort of thing.”

Glenn removed the cloth from her forehead. A puff of steam drifted upwards.

As a demon, Sioux now had a higher capacity for physical exertion. That was clear from the fact that she’d carried Sapphee home. When a feat that a human would normally be incapable of was suddenly possible for Sioux’s body, a large quantity of heat built up to compensate for the excessive exercise.

“You can’t expel all the extra heat, so you end up just a step away from heatstroke. That’s why you pass out. If you rest, you probably will eventually cool down, but it’s more effective to use cold water or ice.”

Even in the summer, Lindworm’s canals remained cool.

The heat Sioux emitted was real. The water Glenn poured on her sizzled and evaporated. It looked as though the tips of her horns were slightly red as well. He wouldn’t have been surprised if they burned any human who touched them.

“We should cool your horns, too.”

“Okay!”

Glenn touched them with the wet cloth.

“B-Brother… My…my horns are sensitive…”

“I thought so.”

Sioux squirmed ever so slightly. Glenn wasn’t sure if her hips or knees gave out, but suddenly, she was on all fours.

“If your horns are this sensitive, it means that nerves and blood vessels run through them.”

“What?!”

“It’s not uncommon. Developing deer antlers are called ‘velvet,’ and have sensation. And nerves and blood vessels run through cow horns, even after they stop growing.”

Sioux’s horns were the same. When Glenn touched them, he could feel the heat. He patted them over and over with the wet cloth to cool them down.

“Ahh… Eeek… I-It’s cold…”

“The trade-off for your new demon strength is that you end up with all this heat inside you. Given that, I know why you grew horns.”

“Hmm?! Wh-what do you mean?!”

“On cold days, our ears and noses get cold, right? Body parts that protrude are built to let heat escape. In other words, Sioux, people with Demonitis develop horns with blood vessels for the same purpose. They’re cooling organs.”

The horns protruding from Sioux’s forehead probably specifically protected her brain, which could be damaged by overheating.

Glenn remembered that Skadi, the fire dragon, had horns on her head. If those were also for cooling, it would be consistent with his theory.

“Ahhh… Haaa… Oh… B-Brother, that is enough on my horns.”

“No, we have to cool them properly. It seems as though demons are vulnerable to heat. You need to be careful to avoid fever.”

“Haaa… B-but, Brother, then I can’t work for the patrol team!”

“Your body is more important than work.”

“Ooohh…” Sioux sighed, depleted of strength.

“For now, let’s just cool your body. Next will be the groin.”

“Huh?”

“C’mon, lie down.”

“Are you sure, Brother?”

Glenn lay Sioux down. He balled up the cloth to use as a pillow. Sioux resisted only a little, perhaps out of embarrassment, but in the end, lay down.

Cooling the blood vessels was the most effective way to cool the body. Sioux’s horns were one important area, but her underarms, neck, and groin would also cool her very effectively.

“Aggh!”

“Please, just hold on for a minute.”

Sioux was still overheated. Pouring water over her head hadn’t been enough to cool her entire body. Glenn applied the cloth to her groin.

“Haaa-aaargh!”

“Sioux, please don’t move.”

“Whaaa!” Her voice sounded strange.

She looked like a raccoon dog—an animal found only in the east. Glenn thought this observation might anger her, so he kept it to himself.

“How is it? Does it feel good?”

“Ahhh. It is still cold… No, it is perfect now.”

“Okay, let’s cool the other side.”

“Huh? Ah! Eeek!”

Sioux’s reaction was pretty excessive. Glenn wondered if she was extra-sensitive to cold now. At any rate, the treatment seemed to work, so he continued. He left the cloth on her groin and submerged another. The last spot would be her neck.

“Agghh!”

“Okay, now don’t move.”

“It is coooold!”

Sioux’s body contracted as Glenn gently applied the cloth to her neck. He didn’t know how much she drank, but she smelled faintly of alcohol. Hopefully, the cold water was also sobering her up.

“Haa… Ohh… Brother. I feel cool now.”

Glenn put his hand on Sioux’s forehead. It wasn’t hot; it was normal body temperature.

“Yes. You seem much better. But let’s just rest here for a few more minutes.”

“Okay…”

Sioux lay down next to the canal. Her muscular abdomen showed through her wet shift. According to legend, demons had special muscles that appeared similar to human muscles, but harbored superhuman strength and explosive power.

“Wooo!” Sioux let out a big sigh. The night wind probably felt good on her skin.

“Sioux…”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been thinking… Demonitis makes you grow horns and muscle, right?”

Muscular changes were a symptom of many diseases. But the metamorphosis of Demonitis was more like the creation of a brand-new being. The fever, and heat-releasing horns, seemed more like the bodily functions of a completely unknown animal.

“I wonder if it’s really an illness.”

“If it is not an illness, then…”

“Yeah. I tried to think backwards. Sioux, you don’t have to move, but will you listen to me?”

“Ohhh… What is it?” Sioux remained sprawled out and only focused her gaze on Glenn.

“I looked up the old records. Demonitis only occurs in one bloodline. Most cases appear in children between the ages of twelve and fifteen. Their horns grow longer and longer, and they have fevers. That’s why everyone thinks they’re sick, but it’s just…puberty.”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t catch Demonitis and then become a demon. You were born with demon blood.”

Sioux stared, dumbfounded, with wide eyes.

“Right now, no true demons exist. But they appear in folklore, so they must have existed at some point in the east. Humans chased them out, and they went extinct…or mixed with another species, and are no longer distinguishable as separate.”

If Sioux had been born with demon blood, everything made sense. When she’d developed her new muscles, her demon features had appeared. In that sense, Sioux was similar to Illy, who’d realized she descended from phoenixes when she went through puberty, and the physical characteristics of her lineage finally became apparent.

Glenn rubbed Sioux’s horns as he told her all this.

Her eyes filled with tears as big as raindrops. “Waahhh! Ohhhh! Ahhhh!”

“Sioux, why are you crying?!”

“Hic! Waah! Ahhhh! Why am I crying? Of course I would cry! D-does that mean our parents are not my real mother and father? A-are you not my brother? Waaah!”

Glenn grew flustered. “No! Of course I am! I told you, Demonitis only appears in a certain bloodline.”

“Hicc! Waaah! S-so, whose child am I?”

“There were many Demonitis cases in the Litbeit family tree. Mother married in, so it must be Father’s bloodline. Even Souen and I are carriers of monster blood.”

There was no way to confirm it. It was just a theory. Still, it all made sense.

Of course, Demonitis didn’t only occur in the Litbeit family. It was possible that many families in the human regions unknowingly carried demon blood.

How ironic that the inhabitants of the human supremacist east carried demon blood. Monsters hadn’t left the east. They’d simply changed their form.

“Our faces look a lot alike. There’s no question that we’re siblings.”

“W-will you grow horns as well, Brother?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think that it’s completely impossible, but the horns seem to grow during puberty, so I probably won’t get them at this point. We are still the same species, though.”

Further research might prove that they even carried dragon blood. Perhaps, if Glenn trained hard, he could build demon-like strength. It was all just a theory. However, it was enough of a theory to turn the eastern regions’ traditions completely upside down.

Maybe I should publicize it.

Glenn stopped himself from continuing with that train of thought. First, he needed to write a paper on the topic, as a doctor. He could leave the rest to his brother, who was already involved in politics.

“If you really hate the horns, we can remove them surgically, but you’ll be left with scars. I wouldn’t really recommend it. Your horns and ability to overheat are part of you now. If you learn to live with both the advantages and disadvantages of being a demon—”

“Ohhhh! Brother!” Sioux embraced him, her strength knocking him over.

She rubbed her face against his chest, soaking him with canal water and tears.

“Brother, you idiot! You had me worried! I thought I was an orphan abandoned by my real family!”

“No! Of course not! But would you mind not hugging me when your body is all wet?” Sioux’s forceful embrace had nearly broken Glenn’s back. “You are my sister. No matter what.”

“I know, Brother,” she giggled.

Sioux smiled at him, just as she had when they were kids.

***

“Thank you for letting me stay here, but today, I move to the patrol team dormitories. Do not worry about me!”

Sioux’s voice was as loud as ever. It was too early, and Glenn wished she would speak more softly. Sioux had decided to leave Litbeit Clinic, saying that she wanted to learn how to make it on her own.

“Be careful. Work hard. If you need anything, just ask. And make sure you write a letter to Father, Mother, and Brother. They’re worried about you.”

“You have some nerve telling me that. How many years did you go without writing a single letter to us?”

“Uhh…” Glenn didn’t have a comeback to her sly remark. Although he sometimes wrote to Dione and Dr. Cthulhy, he was generally a poor letter writer.

Sioux left the clinic and looked up at the second floor. Glenn followed her gaze, searching for the lamia who wasn’t there.

“Brother, is Sister all right?”

“Yes, she’s fine. I’ll look after her.”

“But…” Sioux seemed worried.

Sapphee hadn’t opened her eyes since the night of their drinking contest.

“It’s my fault,” Glenn said. “I thought she’d just drunk too much. It never crossed my mind that she might have contracted the sleeping disease.”

“Will she wake up?”

“If it’s a mild case, she will wake in a few days. But there haven’t been many such cases lately. The symptoms are getting more and more severe.” Glenn had received a number of new Sheep Sleep reports. The illness had suddenly become more serious over the past couple days.

The townsfolk were starting to worry that their loved ones might never awaken.

“And the cause is…”

“Yes.”

A flock of pocket-sized sheep had entered the canal near the clinic. They’d transformed into some kind of wool raft and were now moving along the water. The fact that they could do something like that proved that they weren’t ordinary sheep. Every day, the number of sheep increased, and with it, the number of sleeping patients with ever-worsening symptoms.

“Sapphee was researching the Sheep Sleep’s cause. I’ll pick up where she left off to see if there is anything I can do.”

“Well then, I’ll leave it to you. If you need strength, call on Sioux.” The rookie patrol team member smiled at him.

With Sapphee asleep, Glenn was sure he’d need to call on Sioux sooner rather than later.

“I have to go! There is a shortage of patrol team members, too, due to the sleeping disease. Goodbye, Brother!”

As Sioux walked away, Glenn reminded himself that she wasn’t a demon, she was a person.

No, that wasn’t right. She was both a demon and a person.

When he’d left home, Sioux was just a child, but at some point, she grew into a woman. Since coming to Lindworm, she’d already become something of a celebrity around town—even more so than Glenn.

“Well then.” He returned to the clinic.

Sapphee was still sleeping.

Glenn turned the door sign to the side that read “Examination in Progress” and started his daily tasks.

It would be fine. He had the fairies. He wasn’t alone.

“I need to focus.” He slapped himself hard in the face.

He had solved the Demonitis issue, but the Sheep Sleep was a bigger threat.

Sapphee was sleeping, and Cthulhy wasn’t there.

It was up to him.

He had to give it all he had, just like his baby sister was doing.