When Amon mentioned there was a way to treat his younger sister, Meiji didn’t believe him.
As the head of security, Meiji had not only a significant income but also extensive access to information.
He was essentially second in rank only to the Megacorp’s president.
It was unthinkable that someone like him wouldn’t have explored every possible cure for his sister by now.
Meiji had tried countless methods to treat his sister, but all had ended in failure.
No method he knew of could heal his sister.
His sister wasn’t infected with anything nor afflicted with a disease like cancer.
She had simply been born with underdeveloped brain functions.
There was no known treatment for such a condition.
This was why Meiji didn’t believe Amon’s words—until he revealed one critical detail.
“Uh… This is technically classified as top-tier company confidential, but I’ll share it with you anyway. The company has an entity byproduct that’s highly effective for mental and neurological disorders.”
[It might sound a bit unpleasant, though.]
Amon mumbled this, briefly looking away, before meeting Meiji’s gaze again.
“I understand it’s hard to believe, but the sooner you make a decision, the better it will be for your sister’s condition.”
Meiji silently stared at Amon.
‘What is this man thinking? What’s in it for him?’
‘And beyond that, what’s in it for Reketio Corporation?’
‘Is this a ploy to put a leash on me as an asset?’
‘Or do they want me to act as a spy?’
Meiji scrutinized Amon, trying to gauge his intentions.
Amon, noticing the intent in his stare, did not avert his eyes.
Instead, he simply smiled.
An uneasy silence settled between them.
It was Meiji who finally broke it.
“What’s your angle here?”
Unable to decipher his true intentions, he asked him directly, even resorting to formal speech out of apprehension.
To this blunt question, Amon replied without losing his smile.
“If you’re asking about my intentions, then I can only say this: they’re purely altruistic.”
“You know as well as I do, Mr. Amon. In this world, altruism is the emptiest of words. Suddenly claiming there’s a way to heal my sister—don’t you think that’s suspicious?”
“What’s there to be suspicious about? Haven’t you already experienced a miracle born out of altruism, Meiji?”
Meiji thought of his siblings’ faces, his sister’s most of all.
‘Come to think of it,’ he realized, ‘I’m living proof of the very altruism and miracles I’m questioning.’
His lips curled into a faint smile, a mix of resignation and cautious hope.
Speaking as if he had given up yet still holding onto a sliver of faith, he asked, “Can I trust you?”
Amon’s smile widened as he replied, “On my mother’s name, I swear it.”
***
Weeks passed.
A lot happened during that time.
Meiji chose to trust Amon and handed his sister’s treatment over to him.
To his astonishment, his sister’s condition began to improve.
“Levi!? Levi! Are you awake?”
His sister, who previously had to sleep 23 out of 24 hours a day, had opened her eyes during the day for the first time in ages.
Realizing that Levi’s treatment was progressing, Meiji and his brother, George, didn’t hesitate to transfer their allegiance.
Meiji stepped down from his position as the head of security.
After all, it wouldn’t do to keep someone whose family was effectively held hostage in a rival company’s care in such a critical role.
He resigned from his original company and joined Reketio Corporation.
The transition was relatively smooth.
His reputation and value as a security expert meant that neither party wanted to escalate matters.
There were minor disputes over breach-of-contract penalties and a few agreements exchanged, but ultimately, they parted on amicable terms.
Now, Meiji was working as the head of the External Intelligence Division at Reketio.
***
Amon’s life also changed significantly.
Before leaving his previous company, he had been plagued by boredom.
After his return, he barely had a moment to breathe, his days packed with activity.
Most of this busyness stemmed from the orphanage he had recently established.
Under the name of Reketio Corporation, the orphanage and care center bustled with the lively chatter of numerous children.
Despite being newly established, the orphanage was severely understaffed, and Amon was constantly occupied helping out.
“Everyone! No running in the hallways!”
As a temporary teacher, Amon was excellent at managing the children.
His experience as the eldest child in his own orphanage days had honed his skills, and he was great at keeping the kids in line.
The children adored him.
“Teacher! Teacher!”
“What’s the matter, Dahlia?”
“When I grow up, I want to ma—”
[“Shh!” Dahlia’s words were muffled by another child who clamped a hand over her mouth.]
“Dalhia, if you say things like that, the teacher might get in trouble.”
[Before that, he might get into trouble with his significant other.]
Amon suppressed his thoughts and gently covered the young girl’s mouth.
Except for moments like this, Amon’s temporary teaching job went smoothly.
It was busy, but deeply fulfilling.
As another chaotic day came to an end, it was finally time for Amon to leave.
While changing out of his teacher’s uniform in the locker room, another teacher entered.
The teacher waved enthusiastically upon seeing Amon.
“Oh, Amon! Are you heading out?”
“Yes, and you, George?”
Amon returned the wave and greeted him.
George Bread.
He was the original version of Meiji, the security chief, who had swapped places to care for their younger sister.
His face was identical to Meiji’s, but unlike him, his body wasn’t mechanical.
As soon as George heard there was a way to treat their younger sister, he immediately joined Reketio Corporation.
Now, using his experience as a caregiver, he worked with children.
George hung up his sunflower-patterned apron in the cabinet.
“Yes, I’m off too. Levi is waiting for me.”
George would head straight to his sister’s hospital room after work.
Though it must have been exhausting, George’s face was nothing but cheerful.
In an excited tone, he added, “Meiji said she’ll be a bit late today.”
“Sounds like she’s busy.”
“Probably. She always looks half-dead when she gets home.”
“I see. I was planning to visit the hospital myself—shall we go together?”
“That’s a great idea. Let’s go.”
The two men exchanged casual conversation like friendly coworkers as they prepared to leave.
Shortly afterward, George got into Amon’s car, and they headed to the hospital.
***
At the hospital, they made their way to Levi’s room.
The room was far too spacious for just one patient.
Beep, beep.
The regular sounds of various machines filled the space.
At the center of the machinery was a woman with gray hair, sleeping peacefully with a brain gear on her head.
George stared at her silently.
Beside him, Amon observed her condition in silence.
‘Vitals stable… The oxygen mask… is gone.’
Just a few days ago, Levi had needed an oxygen mask.
Now, it had been completely removed, a sign of her improving condition.
Amon’s gaze followed the tube connected to her neck.
The tube led to a container filled with green liquid that was periodically injected into her spinal cord.
‘Recti… something, wasn’t it?’
The medication was called Rectinion, but Amon couldn’t recall the exact name.
He simply referred to it as the “green substance.”
This green substance was a secretion from the “Wise Snail,” which expelled it intermittently when glimpsing into the future.
Considering that a snail’s structure combines its mouth and anus, the nature of the secretion was…
‘Eh, whatever. It works, doesn’t it?’
Technically, since the snail didn’t consume anything, it was just a special substance produced by its body.
Either way, this green substance was the key to Levi’s treatment.
The substance stimulated the regeneration of nerves and brain functions.
By injecting it directly into her nervous system and stimulating her brain with the brain gear while she slept, Levi’s treatment was progressing steadily.
In addition to the brain gear, devices attached to her body continuously stimulated her nerves.
Thanks to this regimen, Levi was gradually recovering.
At this rate, a full recovery within a year wasn’t just a dream.
‘Things are going well.’
Amon’s visits weren’t just casual check-ins.
In this world, hospitals couldn’t be fully trusted—not even when they were working under Reketio Corporation.
Greed could always lead to questionable actions.
To ensure nothing went wrong, Amon visited regularly.
So far, he hadn’t noticed anything suspicious.
Satisfied with his observations, Amon nodded and turned to leave.
He wanted to give George some private time with his sister.
That’s when it happened.
“Mm… hmm…”
Levi woke up at that very moment.
Caught off guard, Amon awkwardly turned back toward her.
Since she was awake, he figured he should at least greet her.
Levi’s silver eyes, now free of the brain gear, met Amon’s gaze.
After briefly studying his face, she greeted him emotionlessly.
“Hello.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
“No, I woke up because it’s meal time.”
Amon checked his watch.
It was indeed time for dinner.
While Levi usually received treatment involving the brain gear and green substance, she still needed to eat three meals a day to maintain her gastrointestinal functions.
She would have woken up around this time regardless.
Levi sat up and began detaching the devices connected to her body in preparation for her meal.
Finally, she removed the last attachment from the back of her neck, stepped off the bed, and slipped on her slippers.
Now ready, the expressionless girl turned to Amon.
“Would you like to join me for dinner?”
“Unfortunately, I already have plans.”
“I see.”
Levi nodded indifferently.
Her lack of warmth might have seemed rude to someone else, but Amon didn’t mind.
After all, Levi’s brain was still recovering, and several of her emotional and cognitive functions were yet to fully return.
Understanding this, Amon left the room for real this time.
Levi quietly watched the door close behind him, tilting her head slightly in thought.
‘What a strange person…’
She couldn’t understand why someone like him would help her and her siblings.
No matter how hard she tried, her still-recovering brain couldn’t grasp his motives.
Eventually, Levi gave up thinking.
Just like when she was younger, she held her brother’s hand and headed to the dining hall.
Her emotions may have been faint, but this simple, peaceful routine was enough to make her happy.