The Infirmary

“Number?”

The receptionist didn’t even look up as she spoke.

A large pair of round glasses rested low on her nose as she flipped through a thick ledger of numbers and names.

Hermann studied her curiously.

She looks older than the others. Early thirties, maybe.

The woman turned the pages with her left hand. Where her right hand had once been, there was only a simple wooden prosthetic.

“J4289,” Tong said casually, leaning over the counter.

The receptionist froze for a moment.

She slowly raised her head to meet her grin.

“You again…” she sighed, tilting her head toward the back. “Ward 2B.”

Tong pushed off the counter and nodded.

“Thanks, Flurry. See you next time!”

“My name is Flurestina…” the woman muttered tiredly, giving Hermann a brief, curious glance before returning to her ledger.

Hermann scratched the back of his head.

Looks like they’re regulars here.

A short while later, they stood before a large double door.

Tong took a deep breath, then pushed it open.

A familiar smell hit Hermann instantly.

Blood. Sweat. Pus.

Thick and sickly sweet, it lingered in the stale air of the ward, where rows of beds lined both sides of the room.

“Good God…” Hermann muttered.

His eyes moved across the young faces.

Some had only minor injuries, bandaged heads, pained expressions, the occasional groan.

Others weren’t so lucky.

Hermann stopped beside one of the beds.

Something clenched in his chest, forcing him to grip the frame to steady himself.

A small girl lay there, utterly still.

No arms. No legs.

The wounds had been cleanly sealed with magic, but nothing had grown back.

Her chest rose and fell faintly, each breath a weak rattle. Her eyes stared blankly into nothing.

Tong stepped beside him and glanced at the chart.

“Only survivor from her squad,” she said flatly. “Poor thing. Might’ve been kinder if she hadn’t made it.”

Hermann’s expression darkened, his hands tightening around the frame.

“She… she can’t be more than fourteen…”

His voice sharpened.

“Who… is responsible for this?”

A few heads turned and even Tong seemed caught off guard by the edge in his tone.

“Sending little girls into battle… against those things…” he went on. “Who ordered this? It’s… it’s abhorrent!”

Something flickered in Tong’s expression, and for just a moment, she looked shaken.

Then it was gone, her face hardening.

“I already told you.”

She raised her hand slightly. A faint glow flickering to life in her palm once again.

“Our magic peaks between menarche and around twenty. After that, it fades. By our mid-twenties, it’s gone completely.”

The light faded.

“If we girls don’t fight… there’s no one else who can.”

A brief pause.

“Humanity would end.”

Hermann spun toward her.

“Then maybe it should end!”

The words rang louder than he intended, echoing through the ward.

Two guards in black dresses and berets rushed over, magic crackling in their hands.

“What’s going on here?!”

Tong immediately raised her hands.

“It’s fine!” She clapped Hermann on the shoulder. “He’s just a bit shaken. Not used to the front lines, you know how it is…”

The guards studied him for a moment, then let their magic fade.

“Then keep him under control. Men don’t belong here.”

Once they were gone, Tong grabbed him by the collar.

“Are you out of your mind?!” she hissed. “Get it together, or I’ll knock you out myself!”

Hermann’s gaze lingered on the girl’s pale face and for a brief moment, another image forced its way into his mind.

Boys in oversized uniforms. Helmets slipping over their eyes. Fingers clumsy around their rifles.

His jaw tightened.

This is different. We are men. Soldiers.

Finally, his grip around the bedframe loosened and he gave Tong a brief nod to show he understood.

She said no more and approached a nearby healer.

“I’m looking for my squadleader. J4289. Name’s Singe.”

“If she’s not here, she’s in detox. Second door on the left.”

Tong nodded and gestured for Hermann to follow.

“Come on.”

Hermann said nothing as they left the ward.

***

The detox room was small.

Stone walls, creaking wooden floorboards, tables cluttered with vials, herbs, and ceramic containers.

Warm lamplight flickered across the room, as behind a curtain, three silhouettes moved.

“Singe, please stop squirming… you’re only making this take longer…” Linly said.

“I’m not doing it on purpo... Mmph!”

A muffled sound, like something was shoved into her mouth.

Tong didn’t hesitate and yanked the curtain aside.

“There you are.” 

Heads snapped toward her.

Linly sat on a stool beside the bed, her hands resting in her lap.

A healer in a long white robe held a tube, channeling shimmering magic and some kind of liquid through it.

The tube led straight into Singe’s mouth. 

She clutched it with both hands, writhing on the bed in nothing but her underwear.

When she saw them, she froze.

“Mmh!”

She yanked the tube out. Liquid splashed, dribbling down her chin.

“Pwah!” she coughed, immediately pulling the blanket up.

A faint blush crept across her cheeks as her gaze flicked to Hermann.

“Ever heard of privacy?!”

Hermann crossed his arms and deliberately looked away.

So at least they still have some sense of modesty here...

Tong just shrugged.

“Don’t make a fuss,” she remarked casually before adding, “Commander Zirka wants to see us…”

Singe nodded, as if she already knew.

Then she noticed the rifle slung over Hermann’s shoulder.

“Is that it? The thing he used?” she asked eagerly, nodding toward Linly.

“Yes…”

Singe’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Then what are we waiting for?” She jumped up and pulled on the fresh set of clothes that had been laid out beside her.

But the healer waved her arms frantically.

“Wait! You were exposed to a large amount of toxin and your magic is still exhausted. You should remain under observation until...”

But Singe simply waved her off.

“Oh, it’s fine. I feel good as new! You did an amazing job healing me up! There are no toxins left, I can feel it.”

Then she turned to her squadmates.

“Come on, let's show the commander our new wonder weapon and claim our promotion!”

Tong grinned, and even Linly managed a relieved smile, as if she were glad to have her squad leader back to her old self.

Once Singe was dressed, she nudged Hermann with her elbow, who was still looking away.

”Come on, you’re part of this too now.”

She smirked.

”The commander’s probably got plenty of questions for you…”

He raised an eyebrow.

Their commander, huh? Another girl I suppose...

At last, Singe put his helmet on her head, causing Hermann to frown.

“When exactly did I say you could just take my helmet like that?”

Singe pouted.

“Well, I did save your life, after all, didn’t I? I figured that was a fair reward.”

“Have you already forgotten I saved you too? We’re even. So give it back,“ Hermann replied, stretching out his hand.

“Not a chance!” she shot back, crossing her arms. “You promised you’d tell me the rest of that prayer.”

“Well, you couldn’t get my machine back either!“ he shot back.

A smug look spread across her face.

“That wasn’t part of the deal. You only wanted us to bring you there, and we did.“

“You...” Hermann stopped himself, exhaling sharply through his nose.

For a moment they just stood there glaring at each other, neither willing to back down.

After a moment, Tong let out an exasperated sigh.

“Save it for later...”

She grabbed both of them by the collars and dragged them toward the door. 

Behind them, Linly apologized to the irritated healer and hurried after them.

Hermann stumbled along, then slowed as they reached the corridor, adjusting his shirt in silence.

“You shouldn’t act like that,” he muttered.

Singe tilted her head. “Like what?”

“Like none of this matters.”

For once, she didn’t answer immediately.

Then she grinned again, stubborn, almost defiant.

“Then I guess I’m good at acting.”

She stepped ahead of him, then glanced back, sticking out her tongue.

What kind of girl is that? She almost died. She has to fight these horrors. How can she still be so... carefree?

Singe was still walking ahead of them, hands clasped behind her back, humming softly to herself.

Hermann watched her go.