Anna

"Masaki."

Chiba looked up and smiled as she greeted Valenti. "What brings you here?"

"I heard you'd scheduled surgery at the base for today, so I came to see you."

"Don't come over yet," Chiba said quietly.

Valenti obediently stopped where she was. Only after Elu had gathered up all the documents from the hospital bed did she slowly walk over to Chiba and sit down beside her.

"Didn't you say you were going to rest properly for these two months?" Valenti frowned slightly. "You took another assignment?"

Chiba gave Elu a small wave, signaling for him to leave. Elu bowed to Chiba and Valenti, then closed the door behind him as he left.

"A new Chelated Tide appeared in a wasteland in District 5," Chiba said, her voice somewhat hoarse. "It felt a little suspicious. They happened to send out a distress signal too, so I went over to take a look."

"Was it resolved?"

"Mm, it's all taken care of." Chiba looked at her. "You came at the right time. Tomorrow, help me tell Hesta that I'm not going out the day after tomorrow. Have her come stay in my ward instead."

"What do you need her for?"

"Nothing. Just have her stay by my side," Chiba replied. "Otherwise, I won't meet my monthly quota for time spent with her."

Valenti's expression turned solemn. "...Do you even know what a vacation is for?"

"Resting," Chiba answered at once.

She understood what Valenti wanted to say, but the two merely looked at each other for a while. Chiba reached up and ran a hand through her hair. "Can you do me another favor?"

"What is it?"

"My coat should be outside. The head nurse and the others put it away," Chiba lowered her voice. "There should still be half a pack of cigarettes in the inner pocket of my shirt—"

Valenti frowned. "Do you think I'd help you with that?"

"Fine." Chiba leaned back and gripped the iron rail at the head of the bed. "But I'm fine, Valenti. These are only ordinary injuries. I'll be discharged soon—"

"If you keep up this combat pace, you might not even live past thirty-five. That was the diagnosis my father gave years ago." Valenti tilted her head. "Chiba, what exactly are you thinking?"

Chiba did not answer. She stretched her legs straight out and let her entire upper body relax completely, her long hair spilling over her chest.

Without a cigarette at a time like this, Chiba always felt as if something were missing. Her fingers tapped uneasily against the bedsheet by her side.

Chiba stared vacantly ahead. "That's still too long."

A flicker of surprise crossed Valenti's eyes. "What do you mean? Are you trying to slowly kill yourself this way?"

Chiba froze for a moment, then laughed. She waved a hand at Valenti. "Death is unavoidable, Valenti, but I won't walk toward it of my own accord... I would never do something like that."

Perhaps feeling that her question had been too abrupt, Valenti blushed faintly. She stood and began arranging the fresh flowers on the nearby table, avoiding Chiba's gaze.

"My father was talking about you a few days ago. He said that among all the patients he's treated, no one has had a stronger will to live than you."

"That's right." Chiba reclined against the bed. "I'm just unlucky enough to have a few habits that are a little more dangerous than most. You don't need to worry too much... How has Doctor Viking been lately?"

"Same as always," Valenti said softly. "He seems to have gone with the United Army to inspect several southern wastelands recently. At this pace, he may come to Tanyi in two weeks."

"Your father is truly a brave man."

"Then will you meet him when he comes?"

Chiba did a quick calculation in her head and said quietly, "We'll see when the time comes."

The two chatted a little longer. As Valenti was leaving, she had barely stepped through the door before immediately turning back. "Oh, right, Ms. Anna's manuscripts... I nearly forgot to give them to you. It's such a thick stack..."

As she spoke, Valenti took a stack of manuscripts four fingers thick from her black shoulder bag. It was filled with typed sentences of varying lengths, densely packed but exceptionally neat.

The moment she heard the name "Anna," Chiba's expression became somewhat subtle.

"My father is Ms. Anna's attending physician now," Valenti said softly. "From now on, we won't have to go to so much trouble to get Ms. Anna's manuscripts like we used to. He can visit her every month now."

Chiba silently accepted the manuscripts. An extra cover had been added to them, and Valenti's father had written When the Forest Sings, Part 2 on it in ornate script.

"She's still writing this useless stuff," Chiba murmured. "No one would read it."

"But I read it," Valenti argued with a smile. "I found it very inspiring. I've never seen anyone make popular science about forests as interesting as she does."

"How is she doing now?"

"In the short term, she's doing all right. In the long term, it doesn't look very optimistic," Valenti said in a low voice. "She had a minor operation on her knee last month. If she recuperates properly, she'll be able to stand again in the future. My father has raised it with the United Government many times. What Ms. Anna needs in the future isn't continued bed rest, but a return to normal life as soon as possible. Keeping her imprisoned in one place all the time is useless, even if that place is a palace. Fortunately, she can still write. At least when she writes, she is free."

Chiba did not respond. She looked back at the manuscripts. "Should this... still be given to that editor from District 14 last time?"

"Yes. There are two manuscripts here. One is for the editor, while the other Ms. Anna hopes you can keep for her. She's worried that if she keeps the original draft herself, the United Government will simply seize it again during their next surprise inspection."

"All right." Chiba had already quickly found the page marking the division between the two manuscripts. "I understand."

"Is there anything you want me to pass on to her? Like—"

"No."

"It doesn't matter. My father won't arrive for another two weeks anyway, so you can think about it some more." Valenti stood again. "Once my father reaches Tanyi, his next stop will be Core City. He won't stay here for long."

"All right." Chiba looked up at Valenti. "Thank you for your trouble."

"It's nothing." Valenti looked back at her. "I heard from my father that Anna's life is very lonely now. If someone could write her a letter, it would probably bring her great encouragement."

"...You could write one," Chiba said. "When Anna taught us Introduction to Natural History, you were always trailing after her and asking all kinds of questions. She must remember you well."

"I've already written one." Valenti smiled. "But it's been nearly four years since we last met, so there isn't much I can write about. You know life at the base is both regular and monotonous. No matter how I write it, I can't make it sound interesting. But if it were you—"

"I can't make it sound interesting either," Chiba replied. "A lot of what I do isn't convenient to talk about in the first place. If the letter were intercepted halfway, it would bring her unnecessary trouble... Don't try to persuade me."

Valenti sighed softly, but quickly smiled again. "Fair enough. It was only a suggestion. Don't feel pressured."

After Valenti left, Elu returned to the ward. Seeing Chiba organizing the manuscripts, he asked why, and Chiba told him the truth.

"Do you need any help?" Elu asked. "I can mail them for you tomorrow."

"No need. I happen to be going to District 14 next month." Chiba lowered her eyes. "I'll do it myself."