Translator/Editor : Léabyss
“Chika-sensei! Chika-sensei!”
I can hear they’re calling me, but …
“Wake up! Chika-sensei!
That voice is the voice of the hospital director. Why is it precisely here?
I got up from the desk where I was lying, apparently I had managed to fall asleep.
“You’ve been hanging around here a lot lately, even though you’re off duty.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m checking on an important patient and well …”
“It’s great to work hard, but at least use the break room. All the nurses are concerned. They say that Chika-sensei is about to die.”
“No, I haven’t worked hard for that to happen. Are you going to take the train?”
“Yes, I still have time, but … Just in case.”
“I’ll be leaving now too … in an hour or two. I don’t know. Whoops! It’s so complicated. He has no relatives and is so serious that I do not want to leave him alone.”
“Young Yuki-kun is a very popular patient. I’m sure another doctor can take over, don’t be so overwhelmed by this.”
The director said goodbye to me after placing some tea bags and some handmade rice balls on my desk. What difference does it make? It’s not like someone is waiting for me anyway and besides, tomorrow is my day off. I took a bite out of the rice ball and the mild taste began to spread rapidly through my mouth. I can feel the presence of a slightly stronger salt than usual. Cafeteria food. Whatever.
I look at the patient’s medical history as I eat rice and drink cold water. Yuki Shindo. Ten months ago, when he turned seventeen, he began to suffer from frequent chronic headaches, which eventually led him to come to our hospital accompanied by his school teacher. As a result of a careful examination, the reason was found to be a malignant tumor in the brain. Cancer. Even if we can remove it completely by surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy cannot be avoided … Maybe even he cannot be saved. I was very worried about whether the adolescent could understand this cruel event, what was happening, what he would feel and what his daily routine would transform into … But he listened silently without crying. I do not know who complained, he did not get angry. He didn’t even ask me questions. Even after being hospitalized, he was lying on bed every day without communicating with the nurses or anyone else. Sometimes he looked out the window, sometimes he read a book. He seems to have given up all his will to live. He didn’t want anything, he didn’t get excited about changes in his environment, and he didn’t have any expectations. His father, who works in a trading company, rarely stays in Japan because he lives abroad. His mother passed away and he has no uncles or siblings. The father sent a letter from his attorney and an attachment containing a legal statement to pay for all the treatment. In addition, if necessary, the consent form for the operation was also sent by post. He never showed up … Because he wasn’t really interested.
He was a son of a bitch.
I’ve been a doctor for a long time, but it may be the first time that my blood boiled to impressive levels.
“I was surprised that Chika-sensei was so angry … But I felt a little better knowing that my thoughts were the same as yours.”
The nurse who was with me at the time, laughed and said that it had seemed very intimidating. ” Congratulations. It was good that I put him in his place! “
He dropped me.
It was … an infinitely sad situation.
And so, every day I visited his room in the hospital.
I would go, knock lightly on his door and wait for his answer. You have been assigned a special private room because he has no financial problems. Your health insurance also covers everything you need.
“Come in!”
I heard a very effusive response from within.
“Yuki-kun, how are you feeling today?”
“As bad as your face, doctor. Does he never sleep?”
“Didn’t you learn not to be rude? However, if you are comparing yourself to my face you must be really wrong. I already told you that if you feel something strange you have to call a nurse immediately.”
“Yes, but the nurses often come to see me without having to press the button.”
“The nurses want to come see your face because you are so handsome.”
He has a beautiful face, even speaking from my point of view as a man.
“In a phone call, your father said you were identical to your mother.”
“I don’t want to look like that woman … I don’t want that guy to say something about me.”
“Yuki-kun …”
“I wish Chika-sensei was my father. I would like that man to die too and I would like that …”
“Do not say those things. Don’t even think about it … Well, it would certainly be fun if you were my son.”
I replied with a bitter smile. He no longer needed someone to hurt him anymore.
“Well, haven’t you thought about getting married, Chika-sensei?”
“What’s wrong with that question so suddenly?”
“Nothing, I’m just curious.”
Unexpected questions make me suspicious of unexpected behavior as well.
“I … Actually, I’m prepared to live alone. Maybe I couldn’t find the important person that I loved so much, but I guess I’m fine the way I am now because I have my job.”
“Wow, important person …”
And he whispered something that I couldn’t hear.
“What did you say?”
“No, nothing at all. But Chika-sensei seems to have a reputation for being very attractive among the floor nurses.”
“It’s a compliment…? Most of the nurses are younger than I am, but their daughters tell me they like me …”
“Do not be like that. You are an old man, but you have your own thing.”
“… Oh, thanks for that.”
I’m answering in a complex frame of mind, but Yuki doesn’t seem to feel anything.
He’s looking out the window again.
“Chika-sensei … I’d be lying if I said I’m not afraid of surgery, but there are things that are scarier than that.”
“What’s scarier than surgery?”
“I don’t know my dad well, he doesn’t really care about me. My mom died, I’m not good at socializing and I have no friends. Sometimes I am very afraid and then I think: Do I count for someone?”
I stayed without breath.
I have a mother, but I have thought the same thing several times. Sometimes my mind empties terribly and blows away, like it’s a breeze. However, I tried to forget it by finding a purpose in my life … But I was already forty years old, I never thought that a teenage student would have thoughts like that.
“Yuki-kun, you are still young. I understand your feelings of anxiety before this surgery, but I don’t want you to think that way. I will take care of you, I will be the person who needs you right now … And in the future, someone else will need you too. It’s okay? So don’t even think about giving up!”
“Thank you, Chika-sensei.”
At that moment, Yuki finally smiled.
And I realized that the scene in front of me was slowly fading. My conscience is clouded and at times, it turns on again.
“Hey, are you okay?”
When I opened my eyes, there was the same man who hit me a little while ago. Was that a dream? Why do I remember it so vividly right now? Surely, that was something that happened just before coming to this world because, on the way home the next day …
“Did you finally wake up? Humans are damned weak. I never thought you would lose consciousness just from that. And so you call yourself a healer?”
The man looked savage when he saw me.
It seemed that I had stood on top of a collection of fallen leaves. The bandages are wrapped everywhere and I feel like my joints are starting to ache. The fact that there was a slight burning when extending my neck probably indicated a scandalous wound … But luckily, it wasn’t bleeding from anywhere.
The kidnapper sits a few feet from me, with his legs crossed and his arms against his chest.
His hair color is a strong reddish bronze and he rises up like a lion’s mane. The man’s face is lit by the blazing flames of the bonfire that separates us, making him appear stronger and much more intimidating. A virile character full of debauchery and strength … As I look at his physique, which is as well trained as that of my spouses, I wonder how likely it would be that they would beat him. First of all, it can be a mistake to try to fight a dragon.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you … But your escort is strangely formidable. I’m not crazy, Leonidas is full of warriors. Reinforcements would have come … You had to be obedient from the first time.”
He is certainly a strange subject.
“Who are you? What is the purpose of bringing me here?”
At that moment, I felt a completely terrifying sensation on my neck. I reached out and checked myself.
At first I thought it was a bandage to cover the wounds he had inflicted on me with his claws, but … It was … The same slave collar that I had worn until almost a year and a half ago.
“I’ve put it on to prevent you from escaping or refusing or starting to say you want to go home. And if things get bad but you didn’t help me even a little … I want you to remember that the necklace also prevents suicide. Cooperate, will you?”
I can’t think of anything. I can’t feel anything, I can’t breathe … No … Why is he doing that to me? Why again? As long as I have this, my life does not belong to me. God. What will happen to my child then? If I’m wearing it, he won’t even be born. It’s the same necklace and … If I wear it longer … Then I’m going to lose him.
I’m so scared I can’t even cry …
“Why…?”
“Oh yeah, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Gallis. A dragon, as you already saw. A petty guy who just happened to find out that you’re the best healer in the fucking world. Well, there is a human that I need you to heal right now … So you have to save him for me!”
“If you just needed treatment you could go to the city and enter the guild! Why did you have to do something as scandalous as that ?! I would have helped you!”
“Dragons cannot relate to other races, we cannot even enter guilds. Dragons are the type of race that naturally lives and naturally dies. We are cursed, all of us.”
Gallis’s expression is very serious. At least he’s an honest man.
“So … It’s personal. Has it nothing to do with Leonidas or Catalton?”
“Do I look like someone who is related to cats? I already told you, I became a dragon because of your bloody escort.”
I was a bit relieved to hear that it was not a problem between countries. I still remembered what was rumored, that it was a war, that they were coming for me. That they wanted to defeat King Albert.
At least now, the only one in danger is me.
“Alright. I understand the situation, but I am still not convinced that I can help you. Is it okay if I ask you something?”
“Oh, I’ll answer anything.”
“Are there several people who need treatment?”
“No, just one person. He is my partner and he is going to die … Look, we are really doomed from the moment of birth and we accept it very gladly. But that human doesn’t deserve to be like this! I continue to share my magic and my vitality to keep him alive. We cannot enter any institution and that man does not move, he is a stone that barely breathes. He cannot go alone. That is why I am desperate. I love him, I really love him … So I already tried everything, I hardly sleep and I hardly eat and now we are going to go to hell all together. It’s been almost two years since that kid arrived, and things just get fucked up more and more. I need it to be okay, but I can no longer provide the conditions for this!”
“You mentioned that he lives well thanks to your magic. Can’t you cure his illnesses like this? Can’t you try?”
“The power we have is useless for that. It’s hard to explain … We can only delay death, not stop it. Keep, without changing anything.”
Two years … It’s a tremendous time. No matter how special a dragon is, the physical limit will surely come.
“So if I treat your partner … Will you both be saved?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of illness does he have?”
“I do not know.”
“What?”
“I do not know. I found him one day and suddenly Bam! He fell down and didn’t wake up again … It’s okay if you don’t understand, but I’m not going to abandon him. I don’t even care that he sleeps all the time!”
“By two years? That’s so…”
A comma. There are too many causes for a coma, many diseases, inflammations, something of the brain. Thrombi? Living in that state for two years, without medical treatment, is nothing more than a miracle. No, it’s the power of dragons, I guess. Magical power and life force.
“I understand that my healing ability is necessary, but … I need you to give me more time.”
“Impossible. I’m really on the edge.”
“And … What’s going to happen to me? I’m expecting a baby … I can’t use much of my magic … It’s still a few months before he is born and if I just do it like that, he will be hurt.”
I know that no matter what I say, as long as I have the slave collar on me in the end I will have no choice but to do just what he asks of me.
I’m used to suffering by now, but I want to keep trying to protect my child’s life.
“Lie! You will have a huge belly, but your magic power has not disappeared. You reek of magic, so I’m sure you can use it.”
“Do you understand that even though the scent of magic doesn’t change it doesn’t mean that everything is fine ?! I … I don’t even know how he is and … I’m scared! I’m really scared!”
Gallis, who looks terribly uncomfortable at my words, barely turns to look at me. He says:
“I promise I’ll release you as soon as you help me … Yes? Please. I don’t want to hurt your son either … It’s just, I’m very scared too.”
“When you hit me … This boy’s father was the man who followed us. Usually he is a very gentle and kind person … But now he must be very angry. He is going to kill you.”
“Oh, I guess so. Anyway, I have broken all the rules of my clan just by standing in your village. I’m going to die punished or weakened and I deserve it … But not that human. I will give you my life and anything else if you can save that person.”
Damn, I must be completely crazy.
“How long until we get there?”
“Now we are in Dragnea … It is half the way. It would be faster if I fly like a dragon, but then your body definitely wouldn’t take it. It would be better to walk from here, Chikayuki-san …”
“For now, you can call me Chika …”
“Chika … We’re going to rest a little more and tomorrow we’ll go up the remaining stretch. There’s no point in making you walk right away if you’re not going to do it right.”
“Alright…”
All I have in my head is my little Richt, my Hikaru, and Gale and Douglas. I need them and I feel so alone and lost that I can’t hold back the tears that come out. I realized again how great they were to me, and that I was not brave or strong.
Then he placed something like a fur coat over my chest and abdomen.
“I’m sorry…”
But there was no way of knowing if he was really doing it.
BL snack 