It turned out the injection therapy was indeed far more effective.
After just one course, the four sisters' conditions improved greatly.
As for the fifth sister—though she joined the treatment—her heart still leaned toward corruption. She never asked Lloyd to cleanse it.
Even so, empowered by the strength he provided, the corruption within her changed form. The ugly crimson hue shifted into a butterfly-like pink, and the festering sores across her body turned into exquisite patterns—though, in return, she grew a number of insect-like joints.
Lloyd didn't mind.
He'd handled such things before. Compared to certain Witches, her degree of insectification was mild. It was a familiar procedure.
In fact, from past experience, just touching those joints was enough to make her tremble endlessly. Eventually, she pressed against him, the tips of her limbs brushing his chest, showing that corruption indeed resonated with him.
"By the way, you went to the Land of Shadow, didn't you? Did you meet our Holy Maiden...?"
"The Goddess is there. She's been waiting for your arrival since long ago..."
After the treatment ended, Lloyd went once more to the Land of Shadow—to find the Holy Maiden he had previously missed, along with the essence hidden within her.
The process wasn't complicated: travel, find her, talk, then fight.
Even while suppressing his strength, Lloyd's overwhelming power made short work of the corruption before him. After her defeat, she willingly offered her essence and her Law, proclaiming Lloyd as her "King."
And so, another corrupted deity appeared in Lloyd's castle—one that, by her nature, could only be called an insect goddess.
"...Why does this feel like catching Pokémon?"
After muttering this, Lloyd returned to the Haligtree.
This time, however, he wasn't there to continue the others' treatments. He went specifically to find his Little Red Flower.
Since her corruption had already been purged long ago, she hadn't taken part in the recent sessions.
Of course, Lloyd hadn't neglected her. He'd even planned to begin with a "post-treatment checkup," but she refused.
Her reason was simple: she didn't want to delay her sisters' recovery just for her own sake.
And now...
Looking at the bashful Little Red Flower before him, Lloyd's expression grew faintly complicated.
Was this child... a little too pure?
By now, he'd been involved with quite a few others. But considering who they were—mad flames, witches—even the seemingly proper Melina turned out to be a concealed O-type woman. And the first one, that golden-haired figure with few details...she was a heavyweight—her condition even worse than Chaos's.
But that wasn't the point now.
The point was that, after staring at the shy Little Red Flower and thinking for a long while, Lloyd couldn't come up with a single "special quest" he could give her.
She really had no issues.
No past to atone for, no flaws in character. As a Blade, her combat skill was solid. When not aiding at the Haligtree, she spent her time training in the Waterfowl Dance Sword Style. Her path and purpose were clear.
She was already content. Every gap in her life had been filled by him. She was obedient, gentle, almost angelic.
But in that case...
"Um, I don't need any special timeline."
When Lloyd asked her about it, Little Red Flower shook her head.
"I'm already fine as I am. I don't need a separate timeline. Just being by your side and helping you is enough."
But the more she said that, the less Lloyd could agree.
As the saying goes—why should good people be the ones punished?
Good children deserved more rewards, not to be brushed aside just because they were good, while others were compensated for making trouble.
The problem was, this child was too good.
So much so that Lloyd couldn't think of a proper way to reward her.
Then, as he pondered, fragments of his past experiences came to mind—Frenzied Flame, the Great Caravan, her wish to help him...
Lloyd raised an eyebrow.
He had an idea.
"Um, Millicent, would you be interested in trying a different kind of life?"
Millicent: ".......Huh?"
Let me briefly explain Lloyd's plan.
Although he had resolved most of the problems across the Lands Between and things were gradually improving under their own arrangements, that improvement was isolated. There was little interaction between regions, and the scars of war had left deep divisions among them.
Given the current balance of power in the Lands Between, Lloyd could easily suppress these divides with his physical might, but that was hardly a lasting solution.
To promote regional exchange, commerce was an ideal approach. It not only encouraged communication but also stimulated the economy, improved living standards, and, if handled properly, could forge mutual interests to dissolve the rifts born of war.
What if it backfired and became unmanageable?
Setting aside that Lloyd's tangible hand could easily crush any intangible one, even a state of commercial chaos would still count as progress in the Lands Between.
And when it came to developing trade, the Grand Caravan was the most suitable choice. As a neutral force unaffiliated with any faction, they could move freely between territories. From every angle, they were perfect for the job.
Except for one small problem.
Up to this point, the Grand Caravan was still buried beneath the Royal Capital—so deeply that they had practically become part of its foundations.
Expecting them to crawl out on their own and fix things for Lloyd was clearly unrealistic. Judging from their despair, capable of summoning the Frenzied Flame, they were more likely to burn everything down than lend a hand. If anything, they'd sooner pick a fight with the Golden Order Dynasty.
So counting on the Golden Order to resolve this was impossible—the feud between them was already carved in stone.
But then again...
"I'm not part of the Golden Order Dynasty."
"And in a way, I'm the one who toppled it."
Of course, saying that didn't magically solve the problem. The matter of the Grand Caravan wouldn't be settled with words alone.
Piecing together past events and remembering Millicent's words, Lloyd thought of a solution—the same method he used during Ranni's instance. He would pull the souls of the dead into a Dungeon, journey alongside them, and use that shared experience to communicate, understand their true nature, and see whether they could be trusted.
As for Millicent, any proper merchant needed an escort.
Since the girl was focused entirely on combat, bringing her along would not only help Lloyd but also give her a chance to travel—a work trip with a touch of adventure.
Given the reasonable explanation, Millicent didn't refuse Lloyd's proposal.
The two then teleported beneath the Royal Capital. To the mournful echoes of lamenting souls, they entered a new Dungeon together.
That, too, became a journey.
The Dungeon's background followed the altered timeline from Melina's instance—the one where the Grand Caravan's fate had changed.
In this world, Lloyd was a Nomadic Merchant unaffiliated with the Golden Order Dynasty. After the change in fate, he joined the Grand Caravan under the pretense of learning commerce and exploring the outside world. He brought along his bodyguard—and wife.
"Um, I don't really count as a wife, do I...?"
The little red flower still felt a bit self-conscious.
As for Lloyd's response...
"I say you are, so you are."
And that settled it.
Once their identities were set, the journey officially began.
Faced with this sudden outsider who wasn't even from a nomadic tribe, the other merchants were understandably wary. At first, they didn't want to let him join.
But something he had received long ago—and nearly forgotten—suddenly proved invaluable.
It was the token from Kalé, given ages past. Showing it granted discounts when trading with any Nomadic Merchant. Though it seemed ordinary and perhaps useless, it was actually a rare item—a symbol of absolute trust. The merchant who issued it was willing to stake their reputation as a guarantee for its bearer.
Speaking of Kalé...
He had long since arrived at the Royal Capital. Lloyd even knew where he was but had never met him.
The reason, of course, was the matter of the Grand Caravan. Kalé was still deeply attached to it, and meeting would inevitably bring that topic up. Before the issue was settled, whether Lloyd told him or not, it would feel inappropriate either way.
So Lloyd merely asked Old Margit and the others to keep an eye on Kalé and hadn't contacted him since.
But now...
"A token I've never seen before."
"But I can confirm—it's genuine."
With Kalé's token, Lloyd was accepted into the Grand Caravan. Though the merchants remained somewhat cautious toward the unfamiliar newcomer, their attitude was generally friendly.
After traveling with them for a while, however, Lloyd noticed something strange.
This Grand Caravan wasn't quite what he had imagined.
He had expected a grand trading group suited to a fantasy world—possessing mysterious techniques or at least the air of seasoned merchants.
But after spending time among them, Lloyd realized such expectations were misplaced.
A nomadic people who could be buried alive by the Golden Order Dynasty clearly weren't the pinnacle of their craft. And thinking back on Kalé's earlier praise of the Grand Caravan—it all made sense.
To Kalé, even Godrick counted as a mighty demigod, a true "Golden King." So naturally, his descriptions of the Grand Caravan were relative to his own perspective.
Or, to put it more precisely...
It was basically a traveling village fair.
"It fits my expectations of the Lands Between perfectly."
Lloyd sighed.
But unlike his disappointment, Millicent seemed genuinely excited about the journey with the Grand Caravan.
Although she and Lloyd had been through countless experiences together—traveling far and wide, witnessing many sights—back then, she had still been plagued by corruption and chaos. She had never truly been able to relax and enjoy herself.
After arriving at the Haligtree, she was always busy helping others, rarely taking a break, let alone going out for fun.
Now, though, she was free. She had no pressing duties, no lingering worries—and she was out with Lloyd. Around her was a caravan filled with all sorts of trinkets and snacks, even if most were cheap.
For her, it was pure bliss.
And after leaving the Royal Capital and taking a brief tour around the Lands Between, the Grand Caravan was preparing to leave the realm altogether—to journey beyond.
For Millicent, who had never seen the outside world, it was thrilling.
Meanwhile, Lloyd's expression grew increasingly complicated when he heard the caravan's chosen destination.
"You just said... where are you headed?"
"Land of Reeds."
"......Was that a long-planned destination, or something you decided on a whim?"
"Planned long ago. The Golden Order Dynasty was the real detour. You've probably heard—no one's had contact with that place for ages. They must be starving for supplies. If we handle things right, we could make a fortune..."
"...Have you ever thought about why that place cut itself off from the outside world?"
"We have. But danger and opportunity go hand in hand. Besides, we're neutral merchants with a good reputation. Even if business fails, as long as we talk things through, it shouldn't be a problem..."
After a long silence, Lloyd sighed.
"Or maybe you should've just stayed rotting underground."
The merchant blinked. "...?"
Then, under the man's confused stare, Lloyd added,
"Oh, and for the record—this dungeon isn't something I'm controlling. It's a 'timeline,' meaning everything inside it actually exists. It's not something I made up."
The merchant didn't understand what he meant, but it didn't matter.
Having spent enough time with Lloyd—and survived several rounds of his mental torture—they'd learned to ignore his strange comments altogether.
But this time, it really didn't matter.
Because soon enough, they would understand exactly what he meant.
...
"Everyone here has gone mad—!"
"Help! Someone help—!"
It didn't take long for the Grand Caravan to reach the Land of Reeds.
At first, everything seemed perfectly normal. The local lord received them warmly, even inviting the entire caravan to stay on his lands and trade.
Then, just after they settled in, the river water the caravan drank was poisoned. When the toxins began to take hold, the lord's soldiers surrounded them.
There were no warnings, no threats. Just chaos. The battle—no, the slaughter—began immediately.
"Even Okina couldn't stand this damned place, and you lot actually came here willingly..."
Lloyd shook his head and sent Millicent to break the siege.
The locals were indeed mad, but their combat strength was pitiful.
Especially in this timeline—without the influence of the Dark Soul Fragment, or at least not that particular one—the Cherry Dragon didn't exist here, and the power of this land was far weaker.
For the Grand Caravan, it was a dire situation. For Millicent, it was nothing more than cutting through weeds.
When the battle ended, the shaken merchants thanked Lloyd profusely. But even after expressing their gratitude, they showed no intention of leaving.
As for why...
"We believe those madmen are the minority."
"Even if they're the majority, this place is vast. There must be someone sane enough to trade with, right?"
The truth, of course, was far more complicated.
Having traveled with them, Lloyd knew just how many Runes the caravan had burned to reach this land.
If such a huge investment yielded nothing, leaving now would only create bigger problems later.
Besides, Lloyd had never visited this place either. Curious about its state, he didn't stop them.
Then...
Then Lloyd realized the merchants were technically right—the mad lord was indeed a minority.
Or rather, a minority that was still vaguely human.
Because the beings they encountered next were even more deranged. Compared to them, that first lord seemed restrained.
Here, finding anyone who didn't attack on sight counted as a miracle.
"Everyone here has lost their minds!"
The merchants were furious and terrified.
Lloyd simply shook his head beside them.
"Why do you think this land cut itself off from the world?"
Even the Lands Between—broken as they were—could still send "messages carried by falling leaves" to the outside world. But this cursed Land of Reeds? Not a single word escaped. Even Okina had fled this place.
After several failed attempts at trade, the Grand Caravan finally decided to leave.
As Lloyd expected, their massive investment had gone to waste. Though they survived, the caravan suffered heavy losses. Supplies dwindled, morale collapsed, and without Lloyd's help sharing provisions from the system, starvation might have followed.
"It's fine. Once we reach the next place, everything will get better..."
The merchants comforted one another with false hope.
Then...
They arrived in the lands once ravaged by Godfrey's wars—and were promptly caught in the conflict.
"These people have gone mad—!"
"Help! Please!"
Once again, chaos consumed them.
Still, to be fair, this new region was better than the Land of Reeds.
While not exactly civilized, at least there were beings who could communicate, and a few tribes and city-states willing to trade.
But even so, after years of war, the land was barren. What little the merchants gained barely covered their losses.
"...Just hang on a little longer. Once we get past this hurdle, better days lie ahead!"
The merchants gritted their teeth as they spoke.
Then, they arrived at yet another new place.
Fortunately, this time there was no war. The locals were friendly, even welcoming. Some were beautiful young women who cast flirtatious glances at the outsiders, inviting them into their rooms for "conversation."
Having endured two straight nightmares, the merchants—already worn thin—couldn't resist the temptation. Not just the men; even a few women followed them inside.
None of them came back out.
Those women were "Death Sleep Maidens"—their trade was lying with the dead.
Now the Grand Caravan was truly in trouble.
This round of losses was even heavier than what they'd suffered in the Land of Reeds or the war-torn regions.
And since the merchants had gone willingly—and since the Death Sleep Maidens were part of the local custom—the caravan couldn't protest their deaths, much less declare war. Even if they did, there was no guarantee they'd win.
"...Maybe we should just go back to the Golden Order Dynasty."
After a long silence, someone finally said it.
But Lloyd frowned slightly.
"Why go back to the Golden Order Dynasty? You've been wandering for so long. The places you've been before..."
"Either dangerous, or ravaged by war, or outright hostile to us," one of the Nomadic Merchants sighed helplessly.
"Otherwise, why do you think we're called the 'Wandering Nation'? Why do you think we've been roaming endlessly?"
"Why are they hostile toward you? You don't seem like the sort to stir up trouble everywhere you go—or betray those who offer you shelter."
After traveling with them for some time, Lloyd had learned that these Nomadic Merchants weren't bad people. There were a few troublemakers among them, sure, but overall, their morals were sound—by the standards of the Lands Between, even admirable.
At Lloyd's words, the merchants raised their brows, wondering what kind of compliment that was.
Still, knowing he meant no harm, they didn't take offense. After a brief silence, one of them sighed and pointed to his eyes.
"Because of this."
Inside, a maddened flame flickered.
It was the lingering mark of an ancient Great Plague.
"......You're the descendants of the plague's survivors?"
"I don't know."
The merchant shook his head slowly.
"Our people lost everything long ago—including our own history."
"We don't know where this flame came from, or why it torments us. We only know that others hate it—hate us—for bearing it. They see it as a curse, an omen of disaster."
"So wherever we go, we can only stay for a short while. Once someone notices the flame, we have to move on."
But there was one exception.
In that faraway kingdom surrounded by seas, known for its gentleness and tolerance, they discovered something extraordinary—those blessed by the Golden Law were unaffected by the flame.
They didn't understand why, but it gave them hope unlike anything they had ever known. Because of that, they placed their complete trust in that kingdom—and in its goddess.
...
The night deepened, and the fire crackled softly.
After a long silence, Lloyd raised his head. His gaze cut through the flames toward the merchants.
Within their eyes, faint golden madness flickered—burning with poison and despair.
"Return to the Lands Between," he said calmly.
"I'll take you back."
"Then," he continued,
"I'll teach you how to do business."