Anna

"Masaki."

Chiba looked up, smiling as she greeted Valenti, "What brings you here?"

"I just heard you had surgery scheduled at the base today, so I came to see."

"Don't come over yet," Chiba said in a low voice.

Valenti stopped obediently where she was. Only after Elu had tidied up all the files from the patient beds did she slowly walk over to Chiba and sit down.

"Didn't we say you were going to take a good break for these two months?" Valenti frowned slightly. "You took on another mission?"

Chiba waved gently towards Elu, signaling him to leave. Elu bowed to Chiba and Valenti before closing the door behind him.

"A new Chelated Tide appeared in a wasteland in District 5," Chiba's voice was a little hoarse. "It felt a bit strange, and they also sent out a distress signal, so I went to check it out."

"Did you resolve it?"

"Yes, it's all resolved." Chiba looked at her. "You've come at the right time. Tomorrow, help me tell Hesta that I won't be going out the day after tomorrow, and have her come to my ward."

"What do you need her for?"

"Nothing, just to stay by my side," Chiba replied. "Otherwise, I won't meet my quota for spending time with her this month."

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

"Rest," Chiba answered immediately.

She understood what Valenti wanted to say, but they just looked at each other for a moment. Chiba reached up and ran a hand through her hair. "Can you help me with something else?"

"What?"

"My jacket should be out there; the head nurse and the others put it away," Chiba lowered her voice. "In the inner pocket of my shirt, there should be half a pack of cigarettes—"

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

"Fine." Chiba leaned back, reaching out to grip the iron railing by the head of the bed. "But I'm fine, Valenti. This is just a normal injury. I'll be discharged soon—"

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

Chiba didn't answer. Her legs were stretched out straight, and her upper body relaxed completely, her long hair pooling on her chest.

In this situation, without a cigarette, Chiba always felt like something was missing. Her fingers tapped restlessly on the bedsheet by the side of the bed.

Chiba gazed blankly ahead. "That's still too long."

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

Chiba paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. She waved her hand at Valenti. "Death is inevitable, Valenti, but I won't walk towards it actively... I would never do that."

As if realizing her question had been too abrupt, Valenti blushed slightly. She stood up and began to tidy the fresh flower bouquet on the table nearby, avoiding Chiba's gaze.

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

"That's right," Chiba leaned back on the bed. "I'm just unlucky and have a few habits that are a bit too destructive. You don't need to worry too much... How's Doctor Viking doing lately?"

"Same as usual," Valenti said softly. "He's probably gone with the United Army to patrol some of the southern wastelands. At this rate, he might come to Tanyi in about two weeks."

"Your father is truly a brave person."

"Will you want to meet him then?"

Chiba quickly calculated the time in her mind and said in a low voice, "We'll see how it goes then."

They chatted for a while longer. As Valenti was about to leave, she turned back just outside the door. "Oh, right, Ms. Anna's manuscript... I almost forgot to give it to you. It's quite thick..."

As she spoke, Valenti took out a stack of manuscripts about four fingers thick from her black shoulder bag. They were filled with sentences of varying lengths typed on a typewriter, densely packed yet very neat.

From 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 so much trouble getting Ms. Anna's manuscripts. He can go see her every month now."

Chiba silently took the manuscript. A cover had been added to the manuscript, on which Valenti's father had written "When the Forest Sings, Part 2" in calligraphy.

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

"I read it," Valenti argued with a smile. "After reading it, I felt very inspired. I've never seen anyone write about forest science in such an interesting way."

"How is her health now?"

"Good in the short term, but not optimistic long-term," Valenti said in a low voice. "She had a minor surgery on her knee last month. If she recuperates properly, she should be able to stand in the future. My father has suggested to the United Government many times that Ms. Anna doesn't need continuous rest, but rather to return to normal life as soon as possible. Keeping her confined to one place, even if it's a palace, is useless. Fortunately, she can still write; at least she is free when she writes."

Chiba did not respond. She looked back at the manuscript. "This... are you still giving it to that editor from District 14 last time?"

"Yes, there are two copies in here. One for the editor, and another that Ms. Anna wants you to keep for her. She's worried that if she keeps the original manuscript with her, it will be snatched away again the next time the United Government conducts a surprise inspection."

"Okay." Chiba had already quickly found the dividing page in the stack of manuscripts. "I understand."

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

"No."

"It's fine. My father won't be here for another two weeks anyway, so you can think about it again." Valenti stood up again. "After my father arrives in Tanyi, the next stop is back to the core city. He won't be staying here long."

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

"It's nothing." Valenti looked back at her. "My father said that Anna is living a very lonely life right now. If someone could write her a letter, it would be a great encouragement."

"...You could write one," Chiba said. "When Anna taught us Introduction to Natural History, you were always following her around asking questions. She must have a deep impression of you."

"I've finished writing it," Valenti said with a smile. "But it's been almost four years since we last saw each other, so there isn't much I can write about. You know life at the base is so regular and monotonous, no matter how I write it, it won't be anything special. But if it were you—"

"I wouldn't be able to write anything special either," Chiba replied. "A lot of what I do isn't convenient to talk about, and if the letter were intercepted, it would cause her unnecessary trouble... Don't try to persuade me."

Valenti sighed softly, but she quickly smiled again. "That's true. I was just making a suggestion, don't feel troubled by it."

After Valenti left, Elu re-entered the infirmary. Seeing Chiba organizing her manuscripts, Elu asked for the reason, and Chiba told her truthfully.

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

"No, thank you. I'll be going to District 14 next month anyway," Chiba said, her eyes cast down. "I'll do it myself."