"I must admit…" Mephisto was browsing through a book she borrowed from San Ilia's library. "It's… Almost impressive. The mermaids left two days ago for a lunar ceremony that will last the whole month. Alrauna and her servants left for an operation to purify the bodies of water through the world less than a week ago -and without a single info as to how to contact them as well, I should add-, the angels are currently on a campaign to reignite the faith in Ilias on her continent, and I'm not even sure they would help us anyway, and our scientific team is currently studying the other side of the Sabasa Tartarus with Luka, so we can't contact them either." She sighed. "What were the odds for an epidemic to start at that exact moment?"

"Incredibly low, as it happens. This resulted in the spreading of rumors that it is an act of sabotage, and soon after we got quite the paranoia spreading amongst us… Almost as fast as that virus, I would say..." The Grand Noah queen was nervously playing with a strand of hair. "There's no doubt that plague got brought by someone, but incidentally, I don't think it was willingly."

"It's not me this time!" Morrigan defensively raised her arms. "I mean, I remember the whole debacle with the bird-fever virus, and so did most people, so…" She ground her teeth. "You can guess who got unjustly accused."

"I wouldn't be so sure about the unjust part."

"What was that?" The succubus once again grinned sadistically while shoving her face as close to Mephisto as possible.

"What I'm saying, is that people are prone to refer to their past experience when it comes to this, and this past incident weighted quite a lot against you, creating a justified bias."

Morrigan pondered the yoma's word before nodding. "Huh. True. Can't blame them."

"It certainly doesn't have anything to do with the accident that happened yesterday. I mean, it was impressive to see you fly from Succubus Village to Gold Port without your wings…" Mephisto tried to hide her expression, but utterly failed to hide her amusement.

The succubus chuckled too, which in a way, worried both the Grand Noah Queen and her advisor more than any outburst.

"Anywaaaay, that's one weird plague… What the fuck is even that? It makes people drool like idiots, sweat a lot, and I won't talk about slimy monsters! They spread that stuff everywhere! I think that reminds me of something..."

Mephisto sneered. "I'm looking for info on it, but I can't say it's easy… I'm a teacher! Not a doctor!"

She continued browsing through the book with her frustrating growing by the second, until she finally found something that looked like the object of her search.

"Ah. The Sea Cross Sliming Sickness. Comes from biological incompatibilities between some residents of the deepest part of the Northern and Southern seas. Born from the reaction of a bacteria present in the slime both monsters generate to keep their skin moist when on land. Creates an excessive generation of mucus in the affected. Creates a risk of dehydration. Sporadic outbreak in either sea through history. Can be cured with standard herbs mixed with de-love potions. Only affect mucus-generating monsters."

Mephisto closed the book, satisfied. "We have an anglerfish girl for the southern sea who keep getting lost, and elder scyllas from the northern seas that keep putting their tentacles everywhere, so it would match." She exhaled loudly, relieved. "It was only a matter of time before something like that happened. We're lucky it took so much time and it's only a minor disease."

"Huh. I could've sworn it was the Slimbreaker Plague. People tend to mix both."

Mephisto frowned and opened the book to check. "Good grief, now you tell me you had an idea of what it was since the beginning?"

Morrigan shrugged. "I'm smarter than I looked, and furthermore, I noticed that it also affects the harpies."

"Unfortunately she's right. And several beast type monsters also caught it. We even thought they were the one carrying it at first since they were heaving and drooling more than usual.

Mephisto growled. "Ah, Slimebreaker Plague. Origins still unclear. Most monsters affected suffer from excessive mucus generation, except slime who can suffer from total cellular breakdown?!" The yoma sounded particularly alarmed as she read that sentence, but she continued never the less. "Last outbreak recorded in 1029 on the western coast of Sabasa. Can be cured with snow from Mt Horai mixed with holy herbs from the top of Mt St Amos within a healing seashell found on the Northern Sea Coast. Risk of asymptomatic carriers. Doesn't affect monsters of the succubi and vampires bloodlines."

Mephisto closed the book, slightly shocked by her discovery.

"Well, everything is fine then."

"Seriously?" The Grand Noah Queen looked at Morrigan with an inquisitive eyebrow. Her usually neutral expression had turned into an inquisitive frown.

"What?"

"You're going to let ten of your allies die just like that? Ignore every chance of saving them?"

Morrigan shrugged the remark once again. "It's just a small illness! If they're strong, they don't have anything to fear!"

The Grand Noah queen stumbled back. "We cannot run the risk of losing so many lives just because we remained passive. I am appalled by the consideration you give to your allies…"

"I'm sure Luka will appreciate it appropriately once he learns that the great Morrigan was too lazy to help some of his friends. This couldn't rub off on his perception of her, or on their relationship."

The succubus snarled. "Why don't you go out yourself then? I'm not the only one not affected, am I?"

"Carriers can be asymptomatic, only succubi and vampires are immune, and your fellows are too busy partying…"

Morrigan groaned, and made her way to Mephisto who was holding out the book. "If you're successful…"

"Spare me the usual speech, I'm not a dog wagging her tail for a treat. Make sure my story in Succubus Village gets snuffed, get sure the hero ends wait in my bedchamber when I'm back, and I won't ruin your life afterward." She grabbed the book and stored it with her sword.

"We thank you."

Morrigan growled one more time as she left, slamming the door violently on her way out.

The Grand Noah queen sighed as part of the tension evaporated. "I wonder how Luka can tolerate her, and what kind of upbringing would result in developing that abject mentality…"

"A radically cultural different one, for sure. And you don't want to meet her mother, trust me on that one."

"I already know, we've seen her sisters, after all, and, even worse, we're living with Morrigan herself." The Grand Noah Queen got up. "Let's get sure this infection doesn't spread out of the castle. Have one of the vampires warn everyone abroad."

"Hello, fellow traveler, have you heard the word of our lord and savior, the Goddess IliAAAASSSS!"

"Be saved from this travesty. Courtesy of a descendant of Minagi, bitch."

Morrigan had arrived to the top of Mt St Amos to find a small congregation of religious monsters praying in front of a statue of the goddess of light in an offering pose. A second later, all of them were incapacitated, writhing in an orgasmic bliss. The succubus looked around for the famed plant, all while cussing at Mephisto for forcing her to do that task.

After checking the mostly desert plateau, she found one that fulfilled the description. She forcefully pulled it from its spot and received an uncomfortable sensation through her hand. She checked it and noticed that the strange herb somehow left a red, itching mark on her hand, likely because of its holy nature. She shook it off with her aura and whistled with displeasure. She put the offending her away with her usual gear, and took one more minute to check the assembly of monsters that ended victim to her bad mood. There were a few succubi amongst them, staining their proud legacy for the sake of a petty pseudo goddess. Morrigan snarled at the statue, and materialized her sword.

"What were those stupid commandments already? Point your sword at the goddess and you shall cry? Whatever…"

She beheaded the statue and positioned the head in one of the hand, carefully stabilizing it. She then accumulated mucus in her tail and sprayed it on the face of the statue, then at crotch level. She then grimaced happily.

"Aaand one statue of the goddess, wet all over and ready to give head."

She somehow heard from afar her sisters calling her out for her immature burst, but that little vandalism relieved her stress quite effectively.

Well, it was that or molesting the unconscious monsters… The thought crossed her mind, but she decided to move on. The faster she was done, the better. The health issue amongst Luka's friends concerned her more than she wanted to admit to herself, and besides, she could use a boost to her reputation…

The Grand Noah Queen was coordinating the few succubi that had recovered from their evening of debauchery to help their fellow monsters. She wanted to make sure that monsters from the slime species, in particular, were well-cared for.

As she waltzed through the castle, she noticed that most monsters were apathetic. Only the few immune ones were really moving around, helping their fellow to the best of their skills. A few ones versed in white magic made an effort to at least sooth the pain of their companions, but their abilities were insufficient to eradicate the illness.

The queen herself didn't feel any of the symptoms inherent to the illness presented, but she had received enough education on the matter to know that it didn't mean anything. She had already cancelled most of her meetings, and had warned her ministers.

Once she got the confirmation that every monster had what they needed to rest appropriately or to care for their fellows, she regrouped with Mephisto, and saw the yoma nervously biting her thumb.

"Is there any problem?"

"Just an enigma that makes myself question my own judgment. Why do we keep relying on Morrigan, of all people, to help us through? She's a walking disaster area, and I spend most of my time praying the Dark Goddess that she doesn't decide to involve her family…"

"If anything, she's skilled, competent, and actually helpful when focused." The Grand Noah queen twirled a strand of hair with a single finger. "So it's best when we keep her busy… Except she's arrogant, hate authority, lazy, and…" The Grand Noah queen cleared her throat as she realize they were just digging deeper. "Yes, I know what you mean."

The duo descended again to see a succubus nurse clothed in black injecting something into a slime. Even if she had only started working a few hours ago, she was already presenting signs of exhaustion. With most of the more skilled healers away, the succubus was one of, if not the only monster both immune to the virus and with the skills to heal her fellows.

Just as she was done with a slime, another one started trembling as if the poor monster was about to blow up. The nurse injected yet another substance from a syringe, and the slime stabilized for a time. Just afterwards, she continued caring for every other monster around as best as she could, her agile hands dancing around and following an all-too familiar pattern.

Mephisto and the Noah queen looked at the monster. She deserved a proper reward afterward too… Before she could consider anything else, the succubus turned toward her.

"We're going to need more herbs."

The queen and Mephisto decided to act themselves. Just because they were nobles reigning at a high level didn't mean they couldn't pitch in the effort to help their friends, all the more since they couldn't do anything else.

"Seashell, little seashell , where are you so that I grab you , if I don't find you I'm going to rape you-r family… That sounded better in my mind…"

Morrigan was flying over the coast of the Northern Sea looking for the Healing Shell. She carefully checked every spot, before finally finding the object of her search: The small item was lying on the middle of an isolated stretch of beach, surrounded by a remarkable amount of nothing. There were no rocks, not even pebbles in a radius of several yards around it.

Morrigan sighed. It was so obvious a trap it wasn't funny. She could feel the huge monster patiently waiting underground. It was time to throw her a bone…

The succubus walked in and rapidly grabbed the seashell before flying away, just out of reach of the huge pincer that suddenly lifted itself from the sand. A huge, crab-like monster appeared.

"DAMN IT! I WILL AVENGE MY SISTER FROM YOU FILTHY SUCCUBI!"

Before the crab girl could do anything, the succubus was already at eye level, grinning maniacally. Now it was time to yank that dog's chain…

"Whaaat?" Morrigan tilted her head sarcastically.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB! YOU TOOK MY SISTER AWAY!" She tried to slam the succubus with a claw, but Morrigan nonchalantly sidestepped the assault.

"Pfft… Can't even say I remember." The succubus dodged once again another attack in the blink of an eye. This was all a game for her.

"STOP PLAYING AROUND! I WILL TEACH YOU TO RESPECT ME!"

"Respect you?" Something tilted in Morrigan. When the crab girl attacked again, Morrigan materialized her sword and counterattacked violently, creating a crack in the appendage and making the crab girl shout in a surprised pain.

"THAT'S RIGHT! RESPECT MY POWER! I'M THE DESCENDANT OF ONE THE GREAT CHARYBDA!"

"Mmmhh…" Morrigan snapped her fingers just as she dodged a barrage of pincer strikes. "Oh yeah, I remember her! Pff… She's a weakling."

"HOW DARE Y-" Her sentence was interrupted by a powerful sword strike that knocked her backward. Before she could balance herself, Morrigan struck her again, flipping the monster who had to rely on her human part to position herself back. Before she could move again, Morrigan was standing on her throat, her sword pointed at one of the terrified monster's eyes.

"Ever heard about Minagi?" The monster shook her head negatively. "Then maybe Hiruko?" Once again she got a negative answer. "Oh come on! Give me something to work with! Well, I'm the fucking niece of your great, great ancestor, the one you owe your entire existence to! And in case it's not clear, I could make you beg to be drained until you die!" She stimulated the monster with her aura, making her shiver in pleasure to prove her point. "So how about we make a deal? You disappear, praise the mercy of Morrigan to your friends, or I'll turn you into sashimi! Good? Goooood…"

She let got of the crab girl who disappeared. Now, on to Mt Horai… That was going to be simpler, she just needed to scoop some snow...

And if one of those elves stepped in, well, that was too bad for them.

Morrigan was already back in the courtyard of the Pocket Castle, slightly disappointed by the lack of elves to play with on her way.

"All right! I'm back with everything! This better be worth it!"

Just after arriving, Morrigan was greeted by Lucia who was walking down from the labs.

"Good, I'll take it, thank you." She grabbed the equipment from the hands of the succubus, the latter being dumbfounded by what was happening. She shook her head and made her way to the royal quarters to see the exhausted Grand Noah queen and Mephisto drinking tea, almost wallowed on their chairs.

"Sooo, the science team is back."

"You noticed…" Mephisto didn't say anything more.

"Sooo, what I did…"

"…We sincerely thank you for that, since they themselves said that no other cure had been studied, and they needed those products both as samples for testing and to cure the victims. Still, it's not over. They said we must find where it comes from and how it reached us, or we'll play fetch with the medication until the end of times. Apparently, there would be a link with people travelling in the desert west of the Gold Region."

"…And I suppose it's up to me once again to check what's going on."

"We'll make sure Luka gets told of the great job you did."

Morrigan snarled and started stepping away, but Mephisto called out to her before she could leave.

"Morrigan?"

"What?" She felt ready to lunge at the yoma who assumed a relaxed posture.

"If you, say, find out that this is indeed an illness that has been introduced maliciously into our ranks… You're free to do as you please with the one responsible."

Morrigan started grinning. "Weeell, you just made my day."