"I..I wish to be left alone."
- With a shaky, barely-audible voice that resembled an out-of-air gasp did the young man respond.
While the blood was running down from his stomach and his cracked skull, Calestro uttered it out without a singular emotion flashing on his face.
"..Alo..ne..? No..No..! Look at what state you are in..!" - Foryan exclaimed. - "You..need to be admitted and attended to..! You sustained multiple fatal..injuries..!"
With a pause, Calestro's mouth went agape before muttering out a response.
"..The..Then.."
- He whispered, slightly making the Female Commandant flinch.
"I..I will oblige..but, I.. I have a request.."
————
Foryan continued to quietly sip her coffee under the late noon sunlight as the noise of Bakzeu's wails and Ignaras' frantic reassurances were drowned out by her flashbacks.
"Hm.."
She hummed, eyes gazing outside to the busy encampment.
"Quite..an odd wish.. Calestro."
————
"..Anaesthetic?"
"..Wait..We're out..!"
"..Disinfectants..Disinfectants..Disinfectants.."
"..Stop running around Mila!"
"Apologies Lieutenant Charlotte..!"
"Lieutenant Charlotte..! Warehouse reports that there remains no Medical Tapes..!"
"Make do with some leftover fabrics..!"
"Lieutenant Charlotte! Should I get hot or cold water?"
"Tepid!"
"Lieutenant Charlotte! The Higher Ups requests a report in regards to Sir Hamilvan..!"
"Run to the dungeon and examine him!"
"...Erm.."
"..."
"..No! You can't torture him!"
"Ow. Killjoy..Bummer..."
"Lieutenant Charlotte!"
"Lieutenant Charlotte..!"
"..Lieutenant Charlotte..!"
"Lieutenant Charlotte..!"
*Scratching!*
"Argghhhh..!! What!?"
"How are you? :)"
"..."
"QUIT MESSING AROUND LAYLA!"
"owww!!! Tee Hee!!"
Foryan, under the illumination of the peak, midday sunlight walked towards a large, white tent; with a red cross sign branded on top of its entrance.
"..!"
"..layl..a..!"
"..No..!"
As she approached the tent, the sounds of muffled female voices entered her eardrums causing her to briefly pause before hurrying.
She then pushed the fabric aside before peeking into the tent.
And there she saw;
"Get back here Layla!"
- A blue-eyed, crisp golden-haired lass was seen chasing around a girl of similar age with short, autumn coloured hair, bangs covering most of her forehead as she squinted her brown-coloured irises; her sticking out her tongue contrasting the gritted teeth and furrowed eyebrows of the Golden-haired lass.
"Don't want to..! :P"
"Grr...!! Mila!"
- The golden-haired lass, of youthful countenance showing on her smooth, glowing yet not pale skin, and a hint of visible freckles around the regions of her nose and lower eyelids. She then glanced at her left with plump eyes, the visible bags under it told countless hours of ignored restful sleep.
"..Ye-yes..!?"
- She called out to a stationary lass, that was previously preoccupied with rubbing a cottonball against the back of a stature filled to the brim with fresh scratches, slashes and sword imprints, some were even still secreting out drops of blood.
This lass possessed black-coloured hair that was twin-braided, with each braid resting above her shoulders.
"..Is the patient dying!?"
The golden-haired lass, which was named; Charlotte remarked, holding enough force to cause the black-haired, seemingly tender young girl named; Mila to flinch and almost drop the cottonball from her hands.
"..Ack! No..No..! Of course not..! We-well.. probably? because.. I'm the one here so.."
She then began to lower her head before tapping her index fingers together.
"Mila!"
Charlotte yelled out, causing the poor lass to flinch once more.
"Ye-Yes!?"
"If he's not dying..! Then stop that and catch that thing at once..!"
- Charlotte pointed towards the girl with autumn-coloured hair that was stuck on the ceiling on all fours, sticking out her tongue at both Charlotte and Mila.
"I..can't..! I really really can't Lieutenant Charlotte...! He will really really really most probably die if I stop disinfecting his wounds..!"
- Mila then held both of her hands up before flailing them into an 'X' like manner.
"Eh? It's just a wound. He won't die from having something grow out of it..!"
"..!"
The wounded stature, seated atop a rectangular, visibly-aged, yet spotlessly clean white table slightly flinched after hearing the Lieutenant's nonchalant remarks.
"..No..! That would be even more terrible Lieutenant Charlotte..! They fought at the hazardous regions of the Sapric Forest after all..! Where most of those plants which secrete out fumes that can enter through exposed cuts are located..! If we leave him as it is, flowers might start growing out of his scars..!"
- Mila exclaimed, her words causing the stature to flinch once more and slightly tremble.
"..? Oh no! He's shaking..!"
Mila blinked, causing Charlotte and the stuck-to-the-ceiling Layla to glance over with curious, wide-eyed expressions.
"..Is he..convulsing..?"
- Layla muttered, causing Charlotte's once fuming expression to devolve to that of solemnity.
"..This..This is bad..!"
Their faces slowly became a breeding ground of terror as they came to their own conclusion of the situation, but before they could lift a single finger;
*Haah..*
They flinched, and was stopped by an audible exhale coming from a presence at the entrance which was;Foryan, She was now entering the tent with an exasperated expression as she slowly made her towards the three near the severely injured stature.
"You all had fun goofing around huh?"
- Foryan declared, voice staying ever so solemnly on the three; causing them to slightly lower their heads and avert their gazes with a drop of sweat sliding down their cheeks. Though their expressions varied, Mila's shut eyes countenance was apologetic, Charlotte's gritted teeth was guilty while Layla resembled that of a mischievous kid that was caught stealing biscuits from the jar.
"Apologies.. Miss Foryan."
- Charlotte lowered her head even further, catching Mila off-guard.
"I'll Accept.. any punishment..!"
With a face proliferating with sweat, Charlotte's hands clenched into fists as they trembled.
Layla, taking notice of the situation had her face soften from a caught child to a tender, empathetic one.
.
.
.
.
*Haah..*
- Foryan heaved an exhale, causing Charlotte's eyes to clench even tighter.
"..Raise your Head Charlotte. Nevermind that for now."
- Hearing Foryan's dismissive, yet exasperated tone; Charlotte blinked before cautiously raising her head to meet the gaze of the Fourth Division Commander.
Foryan then diverted her gaze from the three towards the idle stature sitting atop the table, staring mindlessly to the floor.
"..How is he?" - Foryan gestured over to the stature.
"...Well, Mila disinfected his wounds while Layla and I have followed up with Healing Magic. So far, it has been going.. decently, at least."
- Charlotte clicked her tongue, gaze landing on the numerous wounds the back of the figure had, various wooden splinters were still attached on some areas while a few were already closed off.
"Decent is plentiful." - Foryan replied before stepping closer to the figure.
"..Miss Foryan?" - Mila squeaked out.
"How is the interrogation proceeding?"
- Foryan turned her head towards a sweaty Charlotte.
"..Erm.." - Charlotte fiddled with her fingers
"On Calestro, this guy. Not the other one."
- To which was stopped by Foryan pointing her thumb towards the frozen stature.
"Oh..!" - Mila beamed up.
"..Well.. It's..It's.." - The lass continued before trailing off, causing the commander to heave an exhale before;
"It's alright. With or without progress I won't raise my voice, I am not in the mood for scolding someone at the moment.."
Mila glanced at her eyes for a few seconds before opening her mouth again;
"..Mediocre to say the least.. Miss Foryan.."
Foryan then grasped her head and heaved yet another sigh.
"Figures.. Why is that?"
Mila diverted her gaze from Foryan's irises towards the stationary young man, slightly squinting both.
"..Well..For starters.. He seems to be..mentally damaged.."
- Foryan blinked, whilst Charlotte and Layla had their eyes glance over with a raised brow.
"..Mentally..Damaged?" - Foryan pondered for a second. - "..Is it because of the trauma..?" -
Mila paused before nodding slightly. -
"At least that's what we..think, Miss Foryan.."
"Hm.." - Foryan analyzed the stature for a brief second.
"..'we'? You got assistant from.."
Mila nodded once more - "Yes. I asked Private Yenna to assist me."
Foryan gestured a long nod, picturing the implications.
"I see.. And with Yenna's assistance.. you two deduced the fact that.."
Mila nodded once more.
"He is mentally damaged."
"...I see. So just like the others.. huh?"
"..Yes.. Miss Foryan."
In the mention of the word "others", Charlotte and Layla's eyes dropped to the floor and grew slightly more grimer.
"When shall he will be deemed okay?"
"..Frankly, even Private Yenna had no idea, Miss Foryan.. But after considering some data from previous recoveries.. I would say.. probably a week, or a month from now depending on the severity.."
"..How severe is it, anyway?"
"..We'll be certain once he makes a recovery Ma'am.."
- Mila slightly bowed her head with a voice devolving of that into a small squeal.
Foryan heaved yet another exhale before she stepped in front of the unresponsive Calestro and crouched to lock her gaze with his.
"Hey.. Are you there?"
No Response.
"..Hey.."
Silence.
"Calestro? Can you hear me? It's Foryan."
Stillness.
Foryan calmly closed her eyes after she peered through the lifeless, fish-like eyes of Calestro that made her feel as if she was gazing into a starless void.
"...It doesn't seem great.."
- Charlotte chimed in.
"..It does." - Foryan sighed before she stood up.
"Well.. Continue your job, girls."
- Foryan uttered, gaze never leaving Calestro.
"..I must assess.. that guy now." - Foryan released a forced chuckle, causing the three girls to slightly flinch.
"..That reminds me.." - Foryan looked at a surprised Mila. - "Where's Yenna..?"
"..Um..—"
"I sent her to Sir Hamilvan, Ma'am.."
Charlotte then chimed in before Mila could speak.
Those words made the atmosphere intensify a little, the three feeling the suddenly increasing weight of the air around them as Foryan remained quiet upon hearing such a response.
"..Perfect." - With just a singular assurance from Foryan, the air suddenly lightened allowing the three to once again look at her without any worry present on their faces.
"I was just about to venture there.. I must converse with her.."
Foryan muttered, before looking once more on the unresponsive Calestro.
"..If you need something.. don't hesitate to ask."
Foryan then turned around, as she was just about to reach for the fabric of the entrance.
.
.
.
.
"Then."
- A coarse, whisper-like voice that felt as if it hadn't known rest for hundreds of days emanated through the tent. Causing the three to jerk up from their positions and Foryan, to abruptly halt on her tracks.
The stature's head tilted upwards slightly, its mouth going agape for a second before shaking and then finally releasing its dried-up tone;
"Can..I request a place where I can be left alone for a while..?"