After settling into Harrison Memorial Hospital, Louis finally entered a period of relative stability, both in life and in study.
During the day, he followed Dr. Gayle, assisting her in caring for the injured while learning practical medical knowledge.
Debridement, wound cleaning, bandaging, suturing, and the proper usage and dosage of basic medications. Louis studied everything with exceptional seriousness. In an apocalypse, these skills were far more valuable than something like History of Magic.
Dr. Gayle taught without reservation, patient and meticulous.
Since Louis was mentally an adult who had already attended university, his learning speed was astonishing. It was not just fast, it was far beyond what could be expected of a child his age. In fact, his progress in medicine was noticeably faster than his progress in magic.
This inevitably led Dr. Gayle to misunderstand his true level.
More than once, she sighed and shook her head, calling him "a medical genius stifled by the apocalypse," which left Louis feeling more than a little embarrassed.
Unexpectedly, this medical training also fed back into his magical practice.
When attempting the Episkey spell in particular, having a clear understanding of human anatomy allowed him to guide his magic with far greater precision.
Although he still could not cast the spell successfully, Louis could feel it. He was very close. Just one key obstacle remained, and that made the delay all the more frustrating.
Of course, he never neglected his most reliable spell.
The Levitation Charm.
After relentless practice, he had finally achieved silent casting.
While silent casting consumed noticeably more mental and physical energy than verbal casting, eliminating even a single spoken word during a crisis could mean the difference between life and death. That alone made it a tremendous improvement.
Unfortunately, his progress in Transfiguration remained dismal.
At best, he could temporarily turn a steel bar into a steel needle, and even that transformation would quickly revert. He probably had not even reached Ron's level yet, hovering somewhere around "half-step Neville."
Whenever he thought of Professor McGonagall casually turning desks into animals, or of Animagus magic that allowed a wizard to transform their own body, Louis could only sigh.
Slowly. He would take it slowly.
Given his age, environment, and the fact that he was completely self-taught, reaching this level was already impressive enough. Louis decided to stop being overly harsh on himself.
During his free time, he often chatted with Paul and Karina.
Once Paul's injuries began to heal, his naturally talkative and boastful personality emerged in full force.
Despite that, his combat ability was undeniable. His strength, agility, situational awareness, and use of the environment far exceeded that of ordinary survivors.
Louis immediately realized this was a rare opportunity.
He began relentlessly pestering Paul.
"Paul, can you teach me how to fight?"
"No," Paul replied firmly. "You're still a kid. You shouldn't be exposed to that."
"But I've already taken down a Walker," Louis protested. "And I'm an orphan. If I can't even protect myself, I won't survive."
Between persistence, logic, emotional appeals, and sheer stubbornness, Paul was eventually worn down.
During his recovery period, he began teaching Louis basic combat fundamentals.
How to generate power efficiently, how to strike vulnerable points on the human body, simple dagger parries, and basic firearm safety and usage.
Meanwhile, Karina revealed another unexpected talent.
Before the apocalypse, she had been a fairly well-known outdoor livestreamer.
She possessed a wealth of practical wilderness survival knowledge. Improvised water purification, identifying edible plants and fungi, and even using plant properties to create insect repellents or simple wound treatments.
To Louis, this knowledge was like opening the door to an entirely new world.
His magic books contained an entire section on Potions, but without cauldrons or magical ingredients such as Mandrake, he had never been able to begin.
But he had never truly given up.
What if plants in this world possessed properties similar to magical ingredients?
Even simple blood-replenishing potions or antidotes would be incredibly valuable in an apocalypse where medical resources were scarce.
And more specialized potions offered even greater possibilities.
An Aging Potion could allow him to temporarily escape the physical limitations of childhood, letting him act with the body and appearance of an adult when necessary. Whether for scouting or interacting with unfamiliar survivors, this would be invaluable.
The potential of Polyjuice Potion was even greater.
It was the ultimate disguise. Infiltration, intelligence gathering, or escape. In extreme cases, he might even be able to turn into a Walker and blend into a herd, becoming a true "super Whisperer."
As for Veritaserum, in a world where trust was fragile and lies were deadly, its value needed no explanation.
Of course, all of this remained long-term planning.
For now, his priority was simple. Lay low. Grow stronger. Develop within the protagonist's group.
He had not even mastered a handful of spells yet.
So, on the second day after settling into the hospital, Louis casually raised the topic he cared about most.
While helping Dr. Gayle organize medical supplies, he spoke in a tone befitting a curious child.
"Dr. Gayle," he said, holding a roll of gauze. "I heard Officer Shane mention that his partner is also in this hospital. Another policeman. Do you know him?"
Dr. Gayle paused mid-count, then looked up at him in surprise.
"You mean Rick?" she asked. "Yes. He's still here. Is he a relative of yours?"
"No," Louis shook his head, his expression carefully balanced between concern and innocence. "Officer Shane saved me. He's very worried about his partner."
"If possible, I'd like to go see him. That way, when I meet Officer Shane again, I can tell him how his friend is doing."
The reason was sincere and filled with goodwill.
Dr. Gayle's heart softened. Without much hesitation, she led Louis to a private ward.
The room was quiet, broken only by the steady beeping of medical equipment.
A man with a resolute face and curly brown hair lay motionless on the hospital bed. Tubes and wires were connected to his body, making it clear that he was still in a deep coma.
It was Rick Grimes.
"His condition is stable," Dr. Gayle said softly, her eyes lingering on him. "I can only do my best to maintain his vital signs. As for when he will wake up, or whether he will wake up at all, no one can say."
She had expected the boy to feel frightened or saddened by the sight.
Instead, Louis simply stood there quietly, watching Rick for a long moment. Then he turned back to her and spoke gently.
"Dr. Gayle, you don't need to worry too much. I think he's actually very lucky."
"Lucky?" Dr. Gayle looked at him in surprise.
Louis nodded, his blue eyes calm and thoughtful. "Even though he missed the chance to reunite with his family after being shot, that also meant he avoided the most chaotic and bloody period outside."
"He's still alive and stable now. That means his vitality is strong. I think he'll definitely hold on until the day he wakes up."
Those words reignited a faint spark of hope in Dr. Gayle's heart.
Yes. This child.
Even if his insight regarding Paul had been partly luck, the fact remained that he had brought hope and indirectly saved two lives.
Perhaps this time, he was right as well.
Peaceful days, however, never lasted long.
A few weeks later, Paul's injuries had fully healed. He and Karina decided to leave the hospital and search for other survivor camps farther away.
"Dr. Gayle, Louis, come with us," Paul said earnestly before departing. "It may be safe here for now, but this place is isolated. With more people working together, survival is easier."
Dr. Gayle smiled and shook her head, casting a firm glance back at the silent hospital behind her.
"My responsibility is here," she said. "There are still patients who need care, and I want this place to remain a last refuge for those who have nowhere else to go."
Louis also declined their invitation.
"Thank you, Mr. Paul," he said politely. "But I need to stay and take care of my uncle's friend. When he wakes up, maybe we'll come find you."
He gestured in the direction of Rick's ward.
Although reluctant, Paul and Karina understood.
"Take care of yourselves," Paul said.
"You too," Louis replied.
After a final round of hugs, the couple drove away from the hospital in a fuel-filled off-road vehicle.
Louis stood on the hospital steps, waving as he watched the vehicle disappear around a distant corner.
Just as he turned to head back inside, a familiar figure entered his view.
It was the middle-aged woman he had saved earlier.
She was being supported by a burly dark man. On the man's back was a child who appeared feverish and unconscious.
Their steps were unsteady, their faces etched with anxiety and desperation. It was clear they had traveled a long distance.
"Excuse me," the man called out hoarsely when he saw Louis. "Is there still a doctor here?"
"There's a kid who needs help."