Suddenly, the door of the room slammed open, and a Woman with a blue mask and attire marched inside. The moment she saw Kael's upright figure staring out of the window, she rushed towards him in a frenzy.
"Mr Kael, what are you doing? Get back into your bed this instant!"
Kael turned around, then jolted back at the sudden appearance of the nurse tightly gripping his elbow.
"Oh my goodness, you destroyed the IV drips."
Kael looked at her.
"Lie back down right now." She said, pulling the elbow in the direction of the bed.
"Who are you?" Kael asked.
"I'm your nurse. Get back in your bed."
"Nurse?" Kael didn't understand.
The slightest hint of confusion flickered on her face, which immediately changed to understanding, which then transformed into pity.
"Oh, poor dear." She went up to Kael and patted him on the back, something that earned her a strange gaze.
"I am nurse Phina, and I oversee patients with special requirements, like you."
"Oversee?"
"I help injured patients recover from injuries."
"Huh…" Kael never thought of it, but it did make sense.
"Now, would you kindly lay back down on the bed?" Nurse Phina beckoned at the bed.
Kael complied, and climbed back into bed.
Afterwards, the nurse introduced herself.
"Honestly, what were you thinking? After coming in with so many broken bones and torn ligaments, you expect to heal after just a couple days? You're lucky to even walk." She continued on by explaining, "your limbs, although healed enough, need time to recover from the trauma. Sure, you can stand up, but that will just delay your complete recovery."
"How is my father?" Kael ignored the previous concerns and immediately asked.
The air stretched thin.
"If you're referring to that other man..." The nurse averted her eyes. "He's alive…" She seemed to be hiding something in her thoughts.
Kael let out a huge sigh of relief at the statement.
"Can I meet him?"
"...you can meet him, but you'll have to make an appointment."
"Why?"
"Because for him… he… his condition…" She dared not look.
"Oh…" Kael replied. "Can I at least see him right now?"
"Uhh…" Nurse Phina continued to not look at him. Honestly, this was one of the toughest parts of the job. "I'm sorry, but unless you have an approved appointment, I cannot allow it."
Kael frowned. "What do you mean? I can't even check up on my father?"
Nurse Phina sighed. "Mr Kael, I know this is your first time in the Capital, so you need to understand that there are dedicated procedures for everything. This is to prevent any unfavourable circumstances from both parties." She emphasized on the word "both".
"Can I at least take a quick peek?" Kael was not taking no for an answer, and tried to push himself out of bed again. However, this time, each ounce of pressure he put on his limbs sent excruciating pain through his body. The previous rush of adrenaline from waking up had worn off, and the consequences of pushing his physical body was starting to creep in. Kael quickly retreated his hands from the bed and collapsed back on the bed, unable to massage his arms.
Nurse Phina, seeing this, hurried beside him and adjusted his position to ease his suffering, before taking the blanket and covering his power body.
An awkward silence hung in the room.
After a while, Kael broke the silence. "Excuse me Ms Phina, I haven't asked this, but where are we?"
Nurse Phina replied: "Well dear, you are in the city of Arcalis. This is the Capital of the kingdom."
"How long was I passed out?"
"It's been 3 days."
"Hmm…" He turned behind and pointed at the large tower out the window. "Whats that?"
"Mr Kael, that is Summit Tower, the heart of the capital. It's what keeps the city running."
"That tower keeps the city running?" Kael asked incredulously. Looking at how the tower's tip couldn't even be seen in the clouds, he considered it for a moment.
"Now, If you don't mind, I'll go collect the treatment you destroyed."
"Uhh, wait, miss…"
Kael asked a few more minor questions which were sorted out by the nurse before she left the room and returned a few minutes later with a tray. When she approached Kael with the tray, he yelped and punished the tray out of her hands.
The Nurse, having been briefed on the special circumstances of this patient, left the room again and returned this time with a wooden chopping board.
She straightened the metal table that Kael had knocked down, and placed the wooden board on it.
"This might hurt a little, so bear with me. Please extend your left hand."
Kael followed the nurse's instructions.
The nurse put on some gloves, then carefully extracted the needle of the broken IV drip, before installing a brand new one inside. This process was repeated for the rest of his limbs.
Already, Kael felt the pain in his arms subside.
When the nurse was done, she took out a trash bag and started cleaning up the room, which by now was strewn with medical equipment.
The room was silent throughout, and Kael only lied down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
She picked up the final glove that was strewn on the ground and was about to head out the door.
But then, she turned back and told Kael: "Ah, before I forget, Mr Venther wishes to see you. He will be here in 15 minutes."
"Who is Mr Venther?" The name sounded familiar, but Kael had forgotten. He frowned. What type of person would want to see him? Especially when he had just woken up? Whoever that was, he didn't want to know.
"You'll find out when he gets here." The nurse disappeared into the hallway. 5 minutes later, she returned yet again carrying the wooden chopping board. As this board was set down on the bedside table, a heavenly scent wafted into Kael's nose. Looking down, he could see a bowl of watery white rice on the board. However, the smell from this one simple bowl overrides every single piece of food he had ever eaten in his 16 years at Garbage City.
Perhaps it was the fact that it wasn't half-eaten. Perhaps it was the fact that it was fresh out of the kitchen. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the fact that it wasn't contaminated. Perhaps it was because we hadn't eaten in the 3 days he was passed out. Nevertheless, it was the best thing he had ever seen.
So he picked up the bowl with his two hands, and downed it into his throat immediately.
Besides, the nurse was panicking. "What are you doing! Eat it slowly! It's piping hot!" But Kael was too much in heaven to notice, as his tastebuds tasted food like never before. Sure, his throat did hurt like hell, but god be damned, it was worth it.
He set the empty bowl back onto the wooden board and looked at the nurse expectantly.
"But it's just chicken porridge…" nurse Phina muttered under her breath. Nevertheless, she took the board, exited the room, and came out with another bowl, which Kael promptly devoured as well.
As she went to return the empty bowl to the kitchen, she reminded Kael once again that the man named Mr Venther would be visiting.
Kael passed the time by lying down on the bed, immersing himself in the sheer softness of the pillows and blankets. He felt a cool sensation as fluids entered his body, and listened carefully to the foreign sounds outside, imagining the source of the noise. Back in Garbage City, this was one of the small games he would play to pass the time.
But the thought of speaking with the person called "Mr Venther" sat on the back of his mind, eating away at his mind.
A few minutes later, the door slammed open, and a man sauntered in.
Kael immediately sat up to greet the new person, and widened his eyes in surprise.
"Y…you are… that person from the embassy." Seeing Mr Venther in person, Kael could more easily identify him.
The man smiled and waved politely. "Yes, I am. You may call me Mr Venther."
He strode forward with long steps, and extended his hand out.
"What is your name?" He asked.
Kael stared at the hand, and looked back at Mr Venther, who beckoned with his head. He then slowly extended his hand out as well, and took Mr Venther's hand in a handshake.
"... I'm Kael. Why are you looking for me?" Kael asked in a curt tone, not hiding his wariness.
"I came here to talk." Mr Venther replied, not taking his eyes off.
"About you."