Ishichi was asking the sorts of questions that made it clear she was very well acquainted with Miyume's case. Despite her apparent youth -- she couldn't be much older than her college-aged assistants -- she went about the examination with a brisk efficiency.

All seemed normal until she asked one question that seemed utterly out of left field, delivered in the same near-monotone she used for everything else: "Did you feel any improvement while the shinmen was active?"