Chapter 23 - Family Imperial Soldier: Dr. Tauran. I have orders from Lord Umarit. Tauran Tiaca: What do you want? I'm busy right now. You wanna know why? Tauran Tiaca: Because that same man whipped people up with fear and suspicion and turned them into a mob in the name of "justice"! Tauran Tiaca: And now ordinary, regular neighbors are paying for it with violence incited towards them! Patient: …Doctor… Please let me stay here… I'll do whatever I can to help… Patient: They’ll beat me up if I go back to town… Imperial Soldier: …Dr. Tauran. I was only sent here to deliver a message. Tauran Tiaca: And I'm only here to treat my patients. What does Umarit want? Imperial Soldier: You mean “Acting Wartime Consul” Umarit… Tauran Tiaca: What are Umarit's orders? Go on. I'll hear you out at the very least. Imperial Soldier: There's a patient who's still moving even though we can't detect a heartbeat. Imperial Soldier: The doctor treating them thinks they might be Echo-Fused, so Lord Umarit ordered us to bring you in… Tauran Tiaca: …Echo-Fused? Lklein Manni: Dr. Tauran, I'm back! Tauran Tiaca: Lklein. How were things down in prison? Lklein Manni: There are a lot of injured people. Some of them will get a lot worse without real, proper treatment… Lklein Manni: And the conditions are terrible. They crammed dozens of people in the tiniest cells imaginable. Lklein Manni: There’s no way disease won’t spread if we leave them like that. It's completely inhumane. Tauran Tiaca: Sigh……… Tauran Tiaca: Tell Umarit I’ll cooperate with him once the prisoners are given decent conditions. Imperial Soldier: But… Tauran Tiaca: Go negotiate it. Imperial Soldier: …Understood. I'll be back. Lklein Manni: Doctor, are you all right? Tauran Tiaca: Yeah. You’re the one who needs to rest, you haven’t stopped all day. Lklein Manni: Neither have you… Tauran Tiaca: It's my job. I'd better be working harder than my assistant, at least. Tauran Tiaca: Besides… Well. Earlier today… How do I put this… Lklein Manni: Yes…? Tauran Tiaca: Well..you know…It sounded like you were saying…you didn't want anything to happen to me… Lklein Manni: Ah…Yes… Tauran Tiaca: ………Honestly, that made me happy. Lklein Manni: …Ah…Okay… Tauran Tiaca: ………. Lklein Manni: Why would you even mention that…? Tauran Tiaca: …I don’t know…Because it made me happy…? Tauran Tiaca: ..It felt like we were family… Lklein Manni: …Family… Tauran Tiaca: ……… Haha…Listen to me, a mere doctor saying that to someone of royal blood. Lklein Manni: No…I mean…I understand… Tauran Tiaca: ……… Lklein Manni: (If this person were my family…) Lklein Manni: (If I tried to avenge my father, failed, and died…would he be sad…?) Lklein Manni: (Would he…? I feel like he’d be the type to not let it show.) Lklein Manni: (But… if he really would…) Lklein Manni: (Then not wanting to hurt him can be enough reason for me to keep living.) Lklein Manni: (Is that selfish of me…?) Imperial Soldier: Dr. Tauran! There's a child among the prisoners who's in critical condition…! Tauran Tiaca: What!? Let me see. Imperial Soldier: He's more of a teenager than a child, but… No one noticed he was bleeding, he’s been out cold the entire time… Thecto Sis: ……… Lklein Manni: Ah…! This guy…! Tauran Tiaca: The boy from Ecolina Village…? Lklein Manni: He's Airio's brother! H-He's white as a sheet… Tauran Tiaca: His pulse is barely there… He's lost far too much blood… Tauran Tiaca: …Given the current situation, there's nothing more we can do for him. Lklein Manni: Wha…! Lklein Manni: (No… If he dies, Airio will…) Lklein Manni: Doctor… He's Airio's twin brother. Tauran Tiaca: …If there were any way I could save him, believe me, I would… Lklein Manni: He might have an aptitude for Echo-Fusion. Tauran Tiaca: Oh……… To be continued...