Lungmen, after lunch, Fuyuki Shop.
The children in the kitchen were cleaning up the mess they had just made, then each took a cup of chilled winter melon tea and sat at the kitchen table to rest.
After all, it was lunch break.
Rope and Shirou stayed in the shop area, since someone still needed to watch the storefront.
"Hm? So, Shirou, you are planning to take me to that… what was it, that island place for treatment?"
Holding a rag and wiping the shelves, Rope asked in confusion.
There was nothing much to do anyway so she treated it as post-meal exercise. Besides, people online said that keeping a clean storefront made customers more willing to spend.
While tidying up with Shirou, he had suddenly brought up this "Rhodes Island."
Rhodes Island? It sounded strange. Was there really an island near Lungmen's docks?
"Yeah. And it is not just 'some island.' It is called Rhodes Island."
Beside her, Shirou gently wiped down the products with a dry cloth. Compared to the shelves, the items only needed light cleaning as long as no dust was visible.
Still, he had to be careful not to damage anything, which was why his movements were so precise.
When it came to treatment, Shirou took it seriously. The sooner it was resolved, the sooner he could stop worrying about it.
So after learning about Rhodes Island yesterday, he brought up the idea of taking Rope there today.
He had already contacted them in the morning and they said the afternoon would be fine.
"Hmm… but I need to watch the shop. Maybe take one of the other kids instead?"
Normally, if Rope heard she could receive treatment she would have jumped up in excitement.
But now… she felt that some of the others needed treatment more urgently. She herself was not afraid of pain but some of the others would cry out whenever their Oripathy flared up.
"You are the most serious case in the shop. If not you, then who? Are you afraid of seeing a doctor?"
Hearing that, Shirou assumed she was just afraid of doctors.
He could understand that. Kids often went through that phase. Some people even carried that fear into adulthood.
That kind of thing could turn into a psychological shadow.
"Huh? I will go if I go. I am not scared! I will call Phal to watch the shop and look after the kids!"
Feeling underestimated, Rope protested.
It was just seeing a doctor. She was not afraid.
"Alright, alright, you are not scared. Then it is settled. I will go and prepare what we need and then we will head out soon."
With the plan confirmed, Shirou put down his work and headed toward the kitchen.
He had intentionally left some extra food at lunch. Although it was made by the kids, not him, it was still something to show goodwill.
Packing the food into lunch boxes, Shirou also poured the remaining winter melon tea into an insulated bottle.
Phal would have to make do today with no food and no tea.
Shirou believed Phal was a mature adult and could accept this reality.
After quickly packing everything, Shirou checked his items.
Lunch box, thermos, Lungmen currency and Rope's previous medical report.
He also brought the inhibitors he had been giving Rope. Even though he was not well-versed in medicine, bringing these related items was better than going empty-handed.
"Yo, I heard you two are heading out on a date?"
Just as Shirou was checking if he had forgotten anything, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, accompanied by a teasing voice.
He did not even need to turn around to know who it was. He would recognize that voice even if it turned to ashes.
"It is not a date. We are going to see a doctor. If everything checks out, I plan to bring the other kids there for treatment as well."
As he spoke, Shirou packed everything neatly into his backpack.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I am just trying to liven things up. By the way, you really are popular with kids. You looked pretty handsome in those photos."
Seeing the lunch box and drinks, Phal could guess Shirou was planning to bring something along for them.
He was familiar with this kind of thing. After all, he, Hoshiguma and others often received Shirou's kindness.
"Do not bring that up."
Hearing that, Shirou felt a headache coming on.
That morning, people had already been pointing at him and whispering. Now he could not even go out without a mask and a hat.
"So you can get shy too?"
Seeing Shirou unwilling to talk about it, Phal assumed he was just embarrassed.
After patting his shoulder and telling him to stay strong, Phal skillfully walked past him toward the stove.
This was the perfect time to come, he could eat whatever leftovers the kids had not finished and save some money.
Sometimes Shirou would cook too and that was pure happiness.
But when he walked over, all that remained were empty pots.
"Hm? Where is the food?"
Turning back toward Shirou, Phal asked in confusion.
"Right here. You will have to make do today. I think there are some instant noodles you brought in the cabinet."
Shirou, who had just been teased by Phal, patted the backpack on his shoulder and let out a light chuckle.
Revenge was sweet.
If Phal had not teased him like that just now, Shirou might have told him what was in the fridge that could be reheated.
But now?
He could go eat his instant noodles, plain with no eggs or vegetables.
"Sigh… life is short."
Hearing Shirou's words, Phal felt a bit regretful, then obediently went to the cabinet to grab a cup of instant noodles.
Still, it was only regret over losing a proper meal. At least there were noodles to eat.
He had endured much harder days before. Why would he be bothered by this?
"Then we are heading out. Please take care of things here."
Seeing Phal's pitiful look, Shirou felt a bit better.
After reminding the children of a few things, he left with Rope.
"There are so many people…"
Looking at the crowded market street, Rope felt her hands itch. In the end, she clasped them in front of her chest to make sure she would not unconsciously pickpocket anyone.
"Here, hold this."
Noticing her behavior, Shirou reached into his backpack and took out a small gadget.
Rather than a toy, it was more like a little button device.
It was square-shaped, with a red switch on top that could be pressed side to side, making a faint clicking sound and giving tactile feedback.
It was a small toy Croissant sold at her stall. Shirou found it interesting and bought one.
"Oh, you have something like this?"
Taking the gadget, Rope immediately started fiddling with it.
With something in her hands, most of her attention shifted away.
Though it also made her a bit distracted while walking so Shirou slowed his pace slightly and kept an eye on her footing to prevent her from tripping.
"You can keep it. Just play with it when you are bored."
Seeing that she liked it, Shirou decided to give it to her.
Having something to redirect her attention was a good thing. Combined with her own efforts to control herself, Rope had already been pickpocketing much less.
At least as far as Shirou knew, the only "victim" had been Phal and even then, it was just candy he had deliberately kept on him to help quit smoking.
It seemed like Phal had prepared that on purpose.
"Nice! This is great!"
Hearing that, Rope's hands moved even faster on the toy.
The Rhodes Island office was not far from the slums, so the two arrived quickly. However, to avoid attention, they deliberately entered through the back door.
"Mr. Shirou, you are here and is this the patient?"
As soon as they entered, Shirou saw Minmin, fully geared up.
"Yes. I also brought her previous medical report and her usual medication."
Looking away, Shirou took out a document and the inhibitors he bought yesterday from his backpack.
"Thank you for the effort. With these, we can better arrange the treatment. Please follow me."
Taking the items, Minmin led them further inside while flipping through the documents.
She was a medical operator…a doctor. Every bit of wasted time meant more suffering for the patient so she had long gotten used to this pace, even though the current situation was not urgent.
"Wow! This place is pretty big!"
Although the office itself was not large, as they walked further in they could see many pieces of high-tech equipment.
Compared to Aak's place, this looked like something straight out of the future.
Seeing the scene, Shirou could not help but feel impressed.
He had always had some interest in mechanical structures like these.
"Are these all medical devices?"
Looking through the glass at the equipment, Rope felt both hopeful and uneasy.
Hopeful because it looked advanced enough to treat Oripathy.
Uneasy because the machines looked intimidating and she would probably have to lie inside one of them.
"Yes. While not as advanced as those on the main ship, they are more than sufficient to treat early to mid-stage Oripathy."
Seeing their amazement, Minmin felt a bit proud.
There was a special kind of happiness when others appreciated something you cared about.
"…There are even better ones than this?"
Hearing that, Rope's eyes widened.
What she saw already shattered her understanding of the world, yet Minmin was saying there was something even more advanced?
Her worldview nearly crashed on the spot.
"Try to contain yourself."
Shirou reached out and pinched Rope's cheek, effectively "rebooting" her and her wide eyes and gaping mouth finally returned to normal.
Having already heard a bit about Rhodes Island from Rosmontis, Shirou was not as exaggerated in his reaction as Rope, though he was still somewhat impressed.
"I have roughly gone through the medical report. It does not look very optimistic. Just in case, I will run another examination with our equipment. So, Miss…"
Minmin placed the documents down and briefly explained her findings.
Although some details were incomplete, the essential information was there which made things easier for her.
Still, proper procedures had to be followed, especially since the format was not from Rhodes Island.
Just as she was about to ask Rope to change into examination clothes, Minmin realized she had not caught her name.
Before she could look down at the report, Shirou spoke:
"Her name is Rope."
"Rope? Then Miss Rope, please come with me."
After confirming her name, Minmin pointed toward a door.
Rope cooperated throughout and soon appeared on the other side of the glass, now dressed lightly for the examination. Seeing her like that, Shirou considered stepping outside to wait.
"Ahem… normally, unrelated personnel would not be allowed here. But due to the patient's request, Shirou, you can stay."
Minmin gestured for him to remain. When helping Rope change earlier, the girl had made quite a fuss.
Still, Minmin was used to it. The inside looked cold and intimidating so it was natural to feel uneasy.
Most infected patients did not even have someone accompany them, at least she had never seen it.
It made her a little envious.
"…Alright."
Shirou felt a bit speechless.
Who was the one who said she was not afraid earlier?
Well, Rope was still young. It was normal for kids to be inconsistent.
Even though Shirou himself was not that much older, he thought so anyway.
"Alright, lie down on that machine. Stay still and just treat it like you are sleeping."
Through a microphone, Minmin gave instructions to Rope from behind the glass.
Shirou stood quietly to the side, observing while also trying to assess the functions of some of the machines.
Whenever Rope looked out, he would wave slightly to reassure her.
He did not move unnecessarily or ask questions and only responded when needed.
Even Minmin felt that this examination was unusually smooth.
In many cases, even cooperative patients would produce inaccurate readings if they got nervous. But this time, everything went quite well.
It was just… the patient's condition was not very good.
Still, with timely treatment, she should be able to hold on.
Looking at the data on the screen, Minmin once again felt that sense of helplessness.
But she understood her role well. Quickly adjusting her mindset, she said, "That will do for now. Please exit through the side door and we will proceed with the next set of examinations."
Shirou did not participate in the next part, since some of it was more private. Even if Rope allowed it, Minmin would not.
Waiting outside, Shirou recalled the data he had just seen.
Individually, he could understand the numbers. But when combined, it became much harder.
Still, judging from the doctor's expression, things were not looking good.
He had been prepared for that, but it still left him uneasy.
He hated this feeling, facing a problem yet being powerless to do anything.
Many things could be solved through action but when it came to a terminal illness like Oripathy, Shirou could not think of any solution.
That made it especially frustrating.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Being here alone must have been boring, right?"
The door opened, and Minmin saw Shirou standing there with his face filled with worry.
She did not point it out, instead asking if he had been bored.
"I am not really bored… but how is Rope's condition?"
Shirou put aside his thoughts and asked.
"We will discuss it together in a moment. The full data is not out yet."
Minmin took a sip of water, then pulled out a piece of bread to eat.
"…That is your lunch?"
Seeing the bread in her hand, Shirou felt that bringing the lunchbox had been the right decision.
He recognized that bread, it was the cheapest kind from the bakery. It had no filling and it only had just a bit of powdered sugar on top. Aside from the sweetness, it had little taste, but it was filling.
"It cannot be helped. Funds are tight. This bread is convenient, it lasts long and provides enough calories and fullness. The downside is that it has almost no nutritional value. If Hibiscus saw this, she would probably make me eat a proper nutrition meal."
Taking a bite of the bread and a sip of water, Minmin complained.
"…I see. Well, I happened to bring a lunchbox. Would you like to have some?"
As he spoke, Shirou took out the lunchbox from his bag and placed it on the table.
"Is this really okay?"
Looking at the lunchbox on the table, Minmin thought it belonged to Shirou and Rope. If she just took it and ate it, that would not seem appropriate.
But after working for most of the day, just eating bread did not feel like it would be enough…
As Shirou opened the lunchbox, her thoughts shifted from wanting to refuse to wanting to eat it, while still feeling that she probably should not.
"We already ate. This was brought specifically for you. Also, I have something I want to talk to you about."
Seeing Minmin take another bite of her bread while staring intently at the food in the lunchbox, Shirou smiled helplessly.
He also took out the drink.
"…Well then, I will gratefully accept."
Looking at the meal full of meat, vegetables, rice, and even a drink, Minmin immediately surrendered.
You need to be full to have energy. No need to be overly polite.
And since things were not urgent right now, she could just eat quickly.
"No one is going to take it from you. Eat slowly."
Seeing her wolfing it down, Shirou could not help but comment.
"Cough… it is a habit."
Hearing that, Minmin slowed down a bit.
The lunchbox was delicious, comparable to Rhodes Island's cafeteria.
The dishes were well-balanced too. If Hibiscus saw this, she would probably skip over it and go find someone eating unhealthy food instead.
"I am out!"
Rope pushed the door open and walked out now back in her own clothes.
The first thing she saw was Shirou feeding someone again.
Was Shirou planning to conquer Lungmen with cooking? Why was he always feeding people?
That was her first thought.
Then she looked at the food in the lunchbox and dismissed the idea.
It was made by the people at the Fuyuki shop. Shirou probably just saw leftovers and packed them along.
As expected of Shirou he was so thoughtful.
Figuring it all out in an instant, Rope plopped down beside him, grabbed a paper cup and quietly poured herself a drink.
Then she poked Shirou in the waist and gestured toward the room she had just come out of, giving an "OK" sign.
Watching her gestures, Shirou took a moment before understanding.
Was she asking if the medical resources here were good?
He nodded.
They were not just good, they were more than sufficient.
And the doctor here, Minmin, seemed highly professional.
At the very least, she was not staring at the data on the screen while grinning strangely.
Just imagine going to a hospital and seeing a doctor staring at your results and laughing to themselves. Anyone would be traumatized.
He could not speak for others, but at least the children who had been treated by Aak definitely had some lingering fear from that experience.