As the morning sun shone against the stone walls of the headquarters, the infirmary was filled with warm golden light. The gas lamp that had burned throughout the night had finally been extinguished, replaced by the soft morning sunlight filtering through the window.
The distant sound of birds could be heard outside.
But inside the infirmary, a careful silence still remained.
Yuki lay quietly on the bed.
Those terrifying black veins that had put the entire headquarters on alert the previous night…
Those thin dark lines that had spread from her neck to her shoulders and down her arms…
Had completely disappeared.
As if they had never existed.
Yuki's breathing was much calmer now. The painful expression on her face was gone, replaced by one of exhaustion… but peace.
Standing beside her bed was Mitsuni.
In one hand, he held a notebook. In the other, a small metal stethoscope. He adjusted his glasses slightly.
First, he checked Yuki's pulse.
Then he gently lifted one of her eyelids to examine her pupils.
Then he looked at her arm again.
Then back at his notebook.
"Hmmm…"
He tapped his pen against the page thoughtfully.
"Last night, the black veins spread across her entire arm…"
He wrote something down.
"Her body temperature rose…"
He wrote again.
"Her heartbeat became unstable…"
Then he stopped.
He pressed the pen against his lips.
"Kuiri energy…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Or… is it really Bam Syndrome…"
He stayed silent for a few more seconds.
Then he sighed.
"…Honestly, I'm still not sure."
At that moment, he didn't realize he had leaned in too close.
While examining Yuki's arm, he leaned forward.
A little more.
And a little more.
Then—
THUD!
"AAAAAH!"
Mitsuni had slammed his forehead against the metal frame of the bed.
He immediately jumped back.
Both hands flew to his forehead.
"Ahh! Damn it!"
His eyes were even watering.
"Science really is painful…"
Just then—
Click…
Click…
Click…
The sound of heels echoed from the hallway.
Mitsuni's entire body instantly froze.
He knew that sound.
Very well.
The door slowly opened.
The commander of the headquarters, Liyanna, stepped inside.
The morning sunlight shone behind her, casting the shadow of her long coat across the floor. As always, she looked calm, confident, and powerful.
Mitsuni forgot how to breathe for several seconds.
No…
No no no… calm down…
Act normal.
Liyanna glanced at the medical reports.
Then looked at Mitsuni.
"How is she?"
Mitsuni tried to answer.
"S-s-s-she—"
His throat went dry.
He coughed.
"Ahem!"
He tried to stand straight.
"Her condition is… medically… I mean…"
Liyanna raised an eyebrow.
"Mitsuni."
Mitsuni stood straight as a board.
"YES!"
He shouted so loudly that several glass bottles lightly rattled.
Liyanna stared at him silently for a few seconds.
Then a very faint smile appeared on her lips.
"There's no need to shout."
Mitsuni's face turned bright red.
She smiled.
At me.
I'm dead.
He took one step backward.
At that exact moment, his foot caught on his notebook.
"Oh."
One second…
And then—
"AAAAAH!"
THUD!
This time he fell flat on his back.
His pen flew into the air.
Papers scattered across the floor.
The room fell silent for several seconds.
Then Liyanna let out a quiet sigh.
She slowly walked toward him.
"Give me your hand."
Mitsuni froze.
"…What?"
Liyanna calmly repeated herself.
"Your hand."
With trembling fingers, he reached out.
Liyanna pulled him back to his feet in one smooth motion.
Mitsuni's heart felt like it was about to explode.
"Th-thank you…"
Liyanna brushed the dust off his coat.
"A doctor should have better balance than this."
Mitsuni's brain had completely shut down.
She touched me.
She touched me.
I'm definitely dead.
At that exact moment—
Yuki's eyelids twitched slightly.
She wasn't fully awake yet.
But she could hear everything.
She opened her eyes just a tiny bit.
First, she looked at Mitsuni.
Then at Liyanna.
Then back at Mitsuni's face, which was now as red as a tomato.
The corner of her lips curled upward.
"Heh…"
Then another tiny laugh.
"Hehe…"
Yuki quickly pulled herself together.
She closed her eyes again.
Pretending to still be asleep.
But her shoulders trembled ever so slightly.
Mitsuni didn't notice.
But Liyanna did.
Before leaving the room, she glanced at Yuki one last time.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"So… you're waking up."
She said it so quietly that only she could hear it.
And for the first time in many long hours…
The infirmary felt alive again.