The snowstorm raged on without end.
Following in the footsteps of Dr. Kureha and her blue-nosed reindeer, they finally arrived at the foot of the white, fairytale-like castle that had appeared in the distance.
The massive doors were pushed open by Dr. Kureha, shutting out the raging wind and snow.
The castle interior was even grander and more spacious than imagined. Tall stone-vaulted ceilings, a winding, massive staircase, and dusty portraits hung on the walls.
The air was filled with a scent of herbs mixed with faint dust. Compared to the freezing cold outside, the castle, though chilly, offered a sense of security.
"Follow me."
Dr. Kureha didn't look back, her voice echoing in the empty corridor. She led them through the corridor to a relatively spacious room.
In the room, a roaring fire in the fireplace dispelled most of the chill, and two sickbeds, covered with clean white sheets, were placed side by side.
"Lie down."
The old woman turned around, her gaze sweeping over both men, finally settling on Tomioka. "Especially you, kid. Those old wounds on you are practically tied in knots. Lie down obediently until I tell you otherwise! No moving around! And absolutely no forcibly boosting your energy with that strange breathing technique of yours!"
Zoro clicked his tongue, seemingly finding it a bit of an overreaction, but he still walked to the outer bed, leaned his swords against it, and sprawled out, muttering, "Such a pain..."
Tomioka silently glanced at Dr. Kureha, a little surprised that she could accurately pinpoint his breathing, but he didn't ask further questions.
He walked to the other bed, slowly taking off his heavy coat, then lay down flat. The moment his body touched the bed, a profound sense of exhaustion truly emerged.
Dr. Kureha deftly opened a large medical kit. First, she checked Zoro's ribs for stability, reapplied ointment, and re-bandaged them.
Then, she moved to Tomioka's bedside, her expression becoming more focused.
She carefully examined the wounds on his left shoulder and chest, cleaning and applying medicine with precise and swift movements. Afterward, she took out a few pills and a glass of water.
"Antibiotics, take them," she commanded.
Tomioka took the pills and water, and as Dr. Kureha tidied up, she said, "Your fever should be caused by something else. We'll know what it is soon."
After giving instructions, she placed some herbs and gauze on the bedside table, then turned and left the room, presumably to prepare other things.
The blue-nosed reindeer hesitated, looked at the two men on the beds, and then trotted out as well... The room immediately fell silent, leaving only the crackling of the fireplace and the wailing wind and snow outside. Zoro also closed his eyes, intending to rest for a while.
Tomioka closed his eyes, trying to relax his body, feeling the slight drowsiness brought by the medicine and the cool sensation of his wounds being properly treated.
However, his extraordinary senses picked up an extremely subtle movement outside the door, tinged with hesitation and curiosity.
It was the reindeer.
He didn't open his eyes or move, just waited quietly, wanting to see what the little fellow intended to do.
The door was pushed open just a crack, very slowly. A furry head cautiously poked in, its eyes nervously scanning the room. Finally, its gaze settled more on Tomioka, who seemed quieter.
Just then, Zoro was also disturbed by the subtle movement and opened his eyes, saying, "Hmm? What's that noise?!"
"Eee—!!!"
The humanoid reindeer at the door was scared out of its wits by the sudden sound, letting out a short shriek, and its entire body abruptly recoiled!
But in its panic, its dodging movements were clumsy and comical. Its body, along with its distinctive antlers, blue nose, and most of its face, was completely exposed outside the doorframe! It was practically hiding in reverse.
Even Tomioka, who was usually expressionless, saw this scene, which was like burying one's head in the sand, and his eye twitched slightly.
Looking at the hiding that was too obvious to be called hiding, he calmly spoke to confirm, "Was that the reindeer from earlier?"
Chopper, behind the door, realized its hiding had failed, froze for a moment, and then timidly nodded, its entire body still tense, ready to flee at any moment.
When Zoro saw it was Chopper, his expression relaxed, and he said with a hint of exasperation, "Hey, what kind of hiding is that? You didn't hide at all, did you?"
Hearing this, Chopper became even more flustered and agitated, almost tripping over the doorframe in its haste.
Zoro, on the bed, scratched his green hair and continued to ask, "Are you a doctor too? Following that old woman?"
"Yes... I am a doctor."
He hesitated for a moment, gathering a bit of courage, and looked at Zoro's bandaged chest, carefully asking, "Do... do your wounds still... still hurt?"
Zoro shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "It's fine, I'm not going to die."
His overly direct, even somewhat crude, answer clearly startled Chopper again, making him shrink back.
Suddenly, Zoro seemed to realize something, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked at the reindeer at the door: "Wait! You... you can talk?!"
Chopper became even more flustered by his reaction, as if talking was some kind of sin.
He instinctively tried to find a place to hide, but in his panic, he didn't run out the door. Instead, he suddenly charged into the room, even rushing to Tomioka's bedside and bumping into the bedpost, which forced him to stop.
Then he curled up beside Tomioka's headboard, like a child who had done something wrong.
The atmosphere in the room became somewhat stagnant. Zoro looked at the dramatic scene, a little exasperated. Tomioka lowered his head, looking at the little reindeer huddled by his bed.
After a moment of silence, Tomioka asked the simplest question in his usual uninflected tone:
"Name?"
Chopper looked up, meeting Tomioka's deep-sea calm blue eyes. There was no fear, no disgust, not even much curiosity in them, which made him feel a little more at ease.
"Cho... Chopper," he replied softly.
Then, as if unable to contain a huge question, he timidly asked in return, "You... you're not afraid of me? I... I'm a monster..."
Tomioka looked at him, and very matter-of-factly, gave his answer:
"I am stronger than you."
There was no hint of boasting or threat in this statement, merely the declaration of what he considered a fact. Chopper was visibly stunned. He had never heard anyone view his difference from this perspective.
Not a monster, not an anomaly, just... a weaker being? This peculiar logic, surprisingly, made his tense nerves relax a little.
....
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