There were three paths in the woods: one led to a dead end, one was covered in thorns, and one was a wide, open road.
Percher stood at the crossroads, contemplating which path to take.
Around her, all the villagers held their breath, their eyes filled with a complex mix of shock, greed, anticipation, and fear.
Some doubted Su Mo could perform such a miracle, viewing it as a devil's temptation.
Some saw Percher as a saint who had received a divine revelation, believing that Su Mo could truly grant God's grace.
Others simply gazed with sorrow at their deceased family members, hoping for a miracle, for the dead to truly be resurrected.
Regardless of their thoughts, no one dared to disturb Percher's contemplation. Their instincts told them that would be a self-destructive choice.
But for Percher, this wasn't much of a dilemma. The reason was simple—
"When I was a child, I did dream of a future where I could live a carefree life with the wheat fields," the little girl, not yet ten, said with a serious expression, which Su Mo found rather amusing.
However, for girls of this era, precociousness was inevitable.
Without the need to learn a vast amount of knowledge, people naturally contemplated their own lives and took charge of them far earlier than children in modern society.
Thus, Percher saw things clearly.
"Thank you for your kindness, but ever since I became your handmaiden, I can no longer be content with that future."
Her gaze swept over the important passersby in her past life as she spoke with complete honesty.
This wasn't a case of forgetting her roots in favor of new gains, nor was she currying favor with the powerful.
Unlike the greedy lord, while she did enjoy the delicious pastries and beautiful clothes and books Leticia brought, these luxurious pleasures were not enough to dictate her life's choice, let alone make her accept a dangerous fate like challenging a Demon King.
The reason Percher said she couldn't go back was simple.
"Even if the dead are resurrected, even if I can have my own land, I can no longer happily share my achievements with others."
Having experienced the recent crisis, she could no longer face her former father, nor these villagers who had raised their butcher knives in desperation.
Among the slain were friends she had known, and among the attackers were also her friends. After what had happened, even if the dead were brought back to life, no one could face these people as they had before.
As if he had expected her to say this, Su Mo spoke at the right moment. "If you wish, I can reverse time, sending everyone back to a week ago, even erasing their memories."
At first glance, this sounded very considerate, but Percher gave him a half-reproachful look. "Even if you say that now, I can't just pretend nothing happened, can I?"
Being betrayed by her father, being nearly killed by him—these experiences were a huge mental blow to Percher.
Even if time was reversed and everyone else forgot, she could not continue to enjoy her peace and happiness. Nor was she willing to abandon her memories and face the future in a state of ignorance.
Therefore—
"You should have known that I only have one path to choose. Why make me choose myself? Even if I don't understand the meaning of those words, this is the only suitable option." Percher raised her head slightly, boldly meeting Su Mo's gaze.
Hearing this, Lamia's eyes lit up with joy. "That's great, Percher! I knew you couldn't bear to leave me!"
"..." Percher's mouth twitched slightly.
Just then, Su Mo shook his head and said, "You're wrong."
"What?" Percher was taken aback.
"That's not the only choice." Su Mo looked at the corpses scattered around. "You can also choose to have it all."
"!" Percher's eyes widened, shining brightly.
The villagers, who had been on the verge of despair, now looked on with immense excitement. Did this mean that no matter what Percher chose, Su Mo would resurrect the dead?
"Is that really possible?" Percher confirmed. If she could have it all, who would choose just one? Even if she could no longer stay here, these were people she had known for so many years. She naturally didn't want them to die just like this.
"Of course." Su Mo nodded casually, then changed the subject. "But before that, if you want to complete my task as a human through conventional means, the way we treat your Black Death needs to be a little special."
"A little special?" Percher tilted her head, not quite understanding.
"You wouldn't mind becoming a Cursed Child like Enju, would you?" Su Mo said, tapping Aihara Enju on the head. Two fluffy rabbit ears immediately popped out from the red-haired girl's twin-tails.
Seeing this, Percher was startled, then realized that it wasn't just the Lamia sisters who weren't human; Aihara Enju and the other two didn't seem to be purely human either.
Seeing that she wasn't particularly afraid, Su Mo continued to explain. "Enju and the others are human, too. They've just been infected with the Gastrea virus and have acquired the traits of other creatures."
"After being infected with the Gastrea virus, the body's physiological activity and resistance to various viruses increase dramatically. Even the Black Death can't affect the human body."
The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, was fatal to humans and many domestic animals, but it was harmless to some species. For those infected with the Gastrea virus, a virus of this level couldn't break through the complex infection mechanism of Gastrea.
"So, you're saying you plan to use the Gastrea virus to treat my Black Death?" Percher asked for confirmation.
"Mhm." Su Mo nodded. "Do you have any objections to this method of treatment?"
"Not at all." Percher glanced at Senju Kayo and shook her head.
At most, she would just become like the three little ones. Although she didn't know what the Gastrea virus was, it was clearly not very harmful.
But that wasn't the point. The point was—
After voicing her thoughts, Percher took a deep breath. "It's just that, after accepting your arrangements, could you please explain in detail what I'll be doing next? To be honest, there are still many things I don't understand."
So much had happened in such a short time. Whether it was the Black Death, Su Mo's requests, or terms like "Demon King," Percher was still completely bewildered.
She had made her choice out of trust, but she needed more information to decide her next move.
Naturally, Su Mo would not refuse. "No problem. Close your eyes. When you wake up, I will explain everything to you!"
"Okay!" Percher obediently closed her eyes.
Then, unlike before, she felt her consciousness gradually open up in a warm sensation before drifting into sleep.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she awoke from her warm slumber. The first thing she saw was Su Mo.
Just as Percher was drowsily rubbing her eyes, trying to determine if the Su Mo before her was real or a dream—
Lamia's voice suddenly echoed eerily. "You're awake. The surgery was a success. You're a boy now!"
"!" Percher's entire body jolted, and she was instantly wide awake.