"What's this? You were back? You could have at least come by to say hello," Olga remarked, her golden hair catching the light as she blinked in surprise upon seeing Krieg enter the dining hall.
"Now, now. I didn't want to interrupt such diligent studying, did I?" Krieg chuckled. He turned his gaze toward the green-haired girl sitting nearby.
"And Sugar, don't stay pouting forever. Come sit. I apologize for not coming to see you the moment I dropped anchor."
"Hmph!" Sugar huffed, though she promptly hopped into her seat, her irritation clearly softening despite the short response.
"The Boss is quite popular, isn't he?" Gin noted casually.
"Shut up, you plain-looking man," Sugar snapped, throwing a verbal knife his way without missing a beat.
"Sugar, please... watch your language," Monet sighed, gently chiding her younger sister.
"Pi-ro-pi-ro-pi-ro! Why bother? Direct words are much easier to understand!" Dr. Indigo cackled, his eccentric movements punctuating his laughter.
"Fos-fos-fos-fos! Exactly right, Dr. Indigo!" Hogback chimed in, his own unique laugh echoing through the hall.
"Now, Indigo-dono, Hogback-dono... it's better to correct her tone while she's young," Dr. Luc intervened calmly. "Otherwise, she'll face hardships in the future."
"Yes, that's the safe bet," Asier added with a nod. "My daughter has a bit of a sharp tongue herself, you see..."
The dining hall was filled with life. Dr. Luc's wife, Lemo, and their daughter Lami were there, along with Colonel Ryudo—the facility's head of security—and his daughter Yoko.
A Sister from Flevance moved between the tables, checking on the children she taught daily. Most of the people here were survivors of the Flevance exodus, individuals who had lost everything to the Amber Lead.
Krieg clapped his hands together, drawing the room's attention. "Alright, everyone, settle down! I have someone to introduce.
This is Dr. Hogback. Starting today, he will be joining our surgical team to handle the procedures."
"The world-renowned genius surgeon, Dr. Hogback, has arrived!" Hogback declared, striking a pose. "With me at the helm, you can rest easy! Though, of course, I expect to be compensated appropriately!"
"Doctor, I believe I told you the compensation comes from me," Krieg corrected him with a dry look.
"Fos-fos-fos! Don't be so stiff! I did come all this way on your scout's word, after all."
"I thought you came because Miss Cindry said, 'I think doctors who travel far to save patients are so cool'?"
Hogback sputtered, "Wh-where did you hear that!?" but Krieg ignored the commotion and raised his glass.
"Everyone, please, raise your glasses. For those of you from Flevance, the road has been long and incredibly painful. But I want you to know: we have a clear path to dealing with the Amber Lead!"
The room went silent, every eye fixed on Krieg.
"Until now, Dr. Luc was our only surgeon. The progress toward total recovery felt slow, I'm sure. But with Dr. Hogback joining us, the day you are all fully cured is no longer a distant dream! So please, give us a little more time.
I know the world's prejudice against Amber Lead Syndrome is still strong. I know we can't let you leave the facility yet, or let you see the world beyond this island.
I know the courtyard is the only place you can feel the sun."
Krieg's voice grew firm, filled with conviction.
"But! Once you are cured, you will be free! You can play outside these walls. You can leave this island! So for now, let's keep helping one another and doing what we can. Stay strong, just a little longer!"
Shouts of "It's too late for formalities!" and "We're already grateful you got us out!" rang through the hall. Not a single voice rose in dissent.
"Thank you. Now, I've put my heart into tonight's dinner, so I expect you all to enjoy it! To our new comrade, and to all of your futures—Cheers!"
As the sounds of clinking glasses filled the room, Krieg stepped away from the head table to speak privately with the Sister and Colonel Ryudo about the facility's long-term needs.
Black and White Doctors: Rear Admiral Krieg
The following morning, Krieg sought out Dr. Luc (Trafalgar) for a private conversation regarding the "other" survivors.
「…I see. So, he still hasn't been found.」
「My apologies,」 Krieg said solemnly. 「I was able to confirm that during a certain operation, he was seen with a young boy suffering from Amber Lead Syndrome... but after that, the trail goes cold.」
「No... just knowing he might be alive is more than I could have hoped for,」 Luc replied, though a shadow of worry remained on his face.
「…If only the man we rescued would wake up, we might learn more. How is his condition?」
「Unfortunately... though the contusions and gunshot wounds have healed completely, he remains in a deep coma. He received emergency first aid before being brought here, but the damage to his head was severe. The chances of him ever opening his eyes are low...」
Krieg nodded. 「I'll have Hogback take a look at him as well. As for the search for the boy who may be your son—I'll keep my agents on it.」
「I cannot thank you enough. In return, I will continue to give my all for the patients here.」
「By the way, I heard Monet is studying medicine. How is she progressing?」
「She has quite the knack for it! She's eager to learn and picks things up incredibly fast. It's a joy to teach her.」
「Does that mean it won't be long before she can call herself a doctor?」
「Hard to say. She is greedy for knowledge... if my guess is right, she'll likely try to absorb Hogback-dono's techniques next.」
「Then it might take a few years. No matter how much sense she has, mastering Hogback's level of surgical skill is no small feat.」
「Ideally, I'd love to send her to study in the Drum Kingdom, given their reputation as a medical powerhouse, but...」
「That's a brilliant idea!」 Krieg's eyes lit up. 「I'll check with her later. Drum is world-renowned for having the latest medical technology. It would be the perfect environment for her.」
As Dr. Luc excused himself to return to his rounds, Krieg watched him go, mentally calculating the timeline of the "Doctor Hunt" in the Drum Kingdom. I'll need to look into the current state of Wapol's reign, he thought.
His train of thought was interrupted by the sight of a round body and spindly limbs wobbling toward him.
「Oh, Doctor, got a moment?」
「Hm? Krieg? What does a genius like me owe for your visit?」
「I wanted to check on your impression of the facility... wait, Doctor, have you lost weight?」
The usually plump, round body of Hogback seemed curiously... streamlined.
「Fos-fos-fos-fos! I'm glad you noticed! Behold the legendary miracle metal, Slim Gold! It's incredibly expensive and mostly only circulates in the New World. I've been trying to get my hands on it for ages! To think you were producing it right here!」
「Well, we are in the New World, and production is strictly limited... I'm surprised you knew about it. I didn't think it was that widely known.」
「'Adsorbs fat and rapidly expels it from the body'—if I combine that metal with my surgical skills, I could perform the perfect liposuction! I've researched it extensively.
You'd be surprised how many wealthy people want to be thin without doing the work,」 Hogback said, shrugging with both hands.
「Anyway, back to business. What do you think of the patients?」
「I was shocked when I realized they were residents of the 'White Town.' I knew it was poisoning and not a contagion, but still...」
「Hoh? You saw through it that easily?」
「Don't insult me! I am a genius! Even if my specialty is surgery, I can recognize basic toxicology. But... are you sure about this? The news said everyone from the White Town died. Is this facility government-run?」
「Sharp as ever, Doctor,」 Krieg said, his tone shifting to something colder. 「This facility and its patients are a secret from the World Government.
Only a handful of people in the Marines even know it exists. The Government intended to bury the truth of Amber Lead in the darkness forever. So, Doctor... if you're ever tempted to let a word slip...」
Krieg reached out and pressed his hand against the stone-brick wall. With a sickening crunch, his fingers sank into the solid rock, gripping it like soft clay.
「…If I'm tempted?」 Hogback stammered, sweat beading on his brow.
「I'm sure you wouldn't. But if you did... assume this would be your head.」
Krieg opened his palm. The stone had been reduced to fine, gray powder that drifted to the floor.
「I—I wouldn't dream of it! I'm being paid handsomely, after all! …Though, that monstrous physical strength of yours is fascinating. Tell you what—I'll lower my fee if you let me perform a quick autopsy on you while you're still alive?」
The threat seemed to slide right off the eccentric doctor.
「No way! Not a chance in hell!」
Krieg turned and walked away at high speed, leaving the laughing genius behind.
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