Vol 9 Chapter 31 (1/2)
CHAPTER 3
What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in for how express and adel, in apprehension how like a God – the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! And yet, to hts not me
He had also once invited shi+on to specialize in medicine and work at his clinic
”You'd have no problee and technique I reco the certification exam if you're interested”
It was an attractive offer, but shi+on did not take it up There was no way soes and exiled from Chronos, would be able to pass the exam But he was happy that the doctor had looked out for hier and a mere baker's son―and offered hirateful
In the months that shi+on had not seen him, the doctor had transformed so much he hardly looked like the same person There hite streaks in his beard and his hair, and he looked like he had shrunk a size But in terone a e His hair was completely white, and his face was smeared with blood, dirt, and soot
The small clinic in the outskirts of Lost Toas run by the doctor, a nurse, and a nursing robot The nurse screaroup burst in shi+on yelled over her shriek
”Doctor, please―please, he needs treatment!”
”You could you be―”
”The baker's son Doctor, please Treat hiaze trained on the blood that dripped froency operation”
The nurse sprang into action even before the doctor finished speaking She hastily disappeared into a roo a stretcher
”Please place the patient here”
shi+on laid Nezumi down on the stretcher
”Nezuhtly closed ”Nezumi”
”Please remove your arm Please re the patient to the operating rooed hi, still holding Nezuertips shook violently
”shi+on!” Inukashi+ grabbed his ar the patient Now transporting the patient Entering eblood pressure, pulse, heart rate, blood type”
The doctor swiftly cut Nezurew fro the patient Transporting the patient” The stretcher and robot entered the operating roorasped at the doctor's white coat ”Doctor, please save him Please”
”shi+on”
He did not expect to be called by his name shi+on lifted his face
”I'm a doctor,” the man said fir in ive it to him But this is Lost Town I don't have the equipery”
shi+on knew But as he had told Rikiga, he had no choice but to rely on this doctor
”I see that he's already gotten temporary treatment Was that you?”
”Yes”
”What kind of wound is it?”
”A gunshot A rifle bullet pierced him”
”Pierced, you say,” the doctorroo back
He felt faint He sank to the floor
”shi+on” Inukashi+ sat beside him, and put an arm around his shoulders ”shi+on I just want to ask you, do you do you, by any chance, want me to be with you?”
”Inukashi+”
”Listen,” Inukashi+ said brusquely, ”I've never comforted anyone before I used to think it wasn't worth a crumb of bread Still think so But but if you want ht now if I can co here, then then, I'll be here”
Inukashi+ gently rubbed shi+on's aran to course through his veins again shi+on closed his eyes, and let his head droop onto Inukashi+'s chest
He felt an almost imperceptible soft bump If this was the usual case, he would juht now, he only felt soothed Right here, there was a body to support him, arms to hold him, a voice to murmur to him, and the warmth of another to comfort him This was happiness that could not command a price Was it not?
”Inukashi+ thank you”
Oh, but shi+on bit his lip with his eyes still closed But this is not the war for Not this body, these whispers, nor these ar warm flitted over his eyelids Inukashi+ had licked the off the blood that had dried and caked on them The little s had lain down in a corner of the rooht,” Inukashi+ said ”There's no way he'd die He's not wuss enough to give in just yet I've seen my share of bad people in the West Block, but no one was as cunning, conniving, and dangerous as Nezuuy is the devil hiht He's still the devil he alas, and devils aren't done in so easily Toht back to setting traps for us He's that kind of guy He'll be alright, don't worry”
shi+on opened his eyes, and lifted hirateful Thank you soNezurateful about? You're a hopeless idiot, you know Hopeless”
Inukashi+ turned aside obstinately But he did not hoaaar
A snore rang out,the very air of the room vibrate
”Whoa! Will ya listen to that racket”
Nghoaaaar, nghoaaaar, nghoaaaar, ungh, ungh
Rikiga was fast asleep, lying on his back on a bench
”Just noas saying he wouldn't be able to sleep without so I'hed theatrically Then, he gave a short whistle The dogs got to their feet and approached They nestled close to Inukashi+ and shi+on, and lay crouched on their bellies
”These guys canquarters out of any hole It's time for us to catch a wink, too”
”Yeah”
”We need to sleep, shi+on” Inukashi+ pulled at shi+on's shi+rt ”We won't be able to fight toht is over yet, do you?”
He did not Nothing had been solved yet The fight would still continue tomorrow But if I lost Nezumi, if I had to face a tomorroithout him, then I wouldn't be able to remain a soldier
You're weak Unbelievably frail, he could hear Nezuh at me, Nezumi Look on h, a cold laugh I just want to hear your laughter Let me hear it, please
”Sleep,” Inukashi+ said, almost like an order
The Correctional Facility was burning The flames roared up around it as it crumbled This is a dream, his reason told him You've escaped the Correctional Facility You're already in Lost Town, No 6 That's why―this must be a dream
This is an illusion
The flaly real He could clearly see the tip of each writhing fla air that blew at hi his nose
This is a dream? This is an illusion? Absurd This is unmistakably reality
But does that ht after I escaped the Correctional Facility?
The flaour They roared, wavered, and overlapped He saw them stretch out into thin strips before a black streak slashed through it
shi+on stood stock-still with his breath held All confusion, agitation, and astonishment fell away He si The flames split into two
”A wasp”
The rest failed to materialize as words
It had a coal-black body, a slender curved torso, a long belly, transparent wings eolden antennae and compound eyes; three siiant wasp appeared out of the flaht and darkness shi+on took a step backwards Its beauty was alht to his knees
What is this?
”Elyurias,” a mutter touched his earlobe
”Nezuht beside shi+on He stared unblinking at the fla the Correctional Facility, but at the enorainst it
”Elyurias? This wasp?”
Nezumi did not answer He did not stir He was almost like a statue For an instant, the wasp in front of shi+on faded in his consciousness Nezu there His eyes were open wide His profile expressionless, but blood coursed through that face
”Nezumi, you really did―” You really survived
Nezuhtly A melody flowed forth Gentle music found life as it left Nezureenery The sound of the rustling canopies reached his ears He felt the beating of wings The buzzing of small insects echoed in his eardru its ebb and flow
His body was being lifted up He no longer knehere he was His body and soul were suspended in Nezumi's music shi+on let his whole body relax as he lent hi