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''But what should I be looking for? I doubt she'll start acting like an automaton.''
Your parents looked to each other.
''Unfortunately, we can't tell if any odd behavior from your friend would be due to grief or the entity influence.'' Your dad extracted his hand from your as he faced you and your mother with a grave face. ''My first instinct is to straight up run away and inform the few people in my order I've grown to trust because we have no idea what this <span class="mu-r">Outsider</span> is and we clearly have its attention, but I doubt you'd accept that, right?''
''I...'' You fight the temptation to look away from his inquisitive blue gaze. ''...think Shigeko would stay behind if we leave, and we should at least help Augustine and Olin.'' You paused to breathe. ''And the Mamonos, too. Yesterday was real, at least. I need to see what Thibault has to say.''
''Right.'' Your dad's expression worsens into a tight grimace of unease. ''I think an inspection of our food reserves will reveal if we truly lost a week; we ate just enough to avoid getting sick, but five frugal people still make a dent. I don't think we should ask people about that missing time.''
''Indeed.'' Your mother nodded and also let go of your hand. ''You've suddenly confronted that entity and likely disrupted its hold on our house; it's impossible to tell now what kind of influence it could have in Eichenwald. Perhaps Augustine is an unwitting victim, too.''
''Those people that Belmont showed me...''
''Looked to be victims, yes.'' Canaan nodded. ''But we only have suspicions. How this disease came about and how Belmont somehow missed seeing something so foul would be interesting to discover... as is the reason why nobody else has fallen into this coma after that initial crisis. <span class="mu-g">If we decide to take the initiative and hunt that freak, if the hundred patients are somehow connected to it, they'll all die.</span>''
''Some Outsiders have been known to be smart enough to rival our minds. Most feed on souls, others on bodies, but the most insiduous ones try to engineer situations through hypnosis or influence on souls to create certain emotions and feed on it...'' You try your best to remember your studies, but there's a fog in your head that makes it difficult. ''...This tree-skin thing could have tendrils all over the city, afflicting all kinds of people.''
''And since we know for certain it can manipulate memories, those afflicted could come here at night and harm us if the creature so chooses, without them remembering anything in the morning. Perhaps it might completely change how hypnosis is supposed to function.'' Your mother continues. ''And that's the <span class="mu-s">best</span> scenario I can think of. <span class="mu-s">It might have genuine cultists.</span>''
You remember Jules' muffled comment through the door. ''Prepared the vapor'' he said...
<span class="mu-i">Didn't I hear a strange whispering voice in the basement of the church, too?</span>
