act7d5

Okay.

Ansel spoke a lot about his homeland: the look of the mining town, his family, his sister, why he chose to become a doctor, and other such things.

I don't know why, but it felt a bit distant to me, like a memory of what my parents looked like...

Yes, everyone in the medical section talks about themselves on a regular basis. I am familiar with everyone's past. But for me, it is always a very distant thing.

Until then, I had thought it a very normal feeling.

However, this is a problem that does exist.

Now then, it's time to write today's entry. It may be longer than usual this time.

MM DD \ Overcast

I finally returned to Rhodes Island after a rather long trip.

Although I occasionally travel with small teams, this time there were some additional circumstances that caused some difficulties.

Yes. Difficulties.

Zzzzz....

........Excuse me, Ptilopsis?

.......! Was I sleeping?

Yes, I just need to tell you that we ran into a bit of a situation with the extraction and we need to recalibrate our tools.

Do you need my help?

No, thanks. You've been a great help so far, Ptilopsis. It's a purely manual recalibration. No need to bother you.

The captain just wanted you to know that the calibration may not be done today. If you're bored, there's a Kazimierz village not far from here, you could go for a stroll.

It's the only mobile village in the area. It's not that small, and the scouts say there's a fair on today that might have some fun things.

Of course, if you want to keep resting here, that's fine too.

...Yes. I want to see it.

Sure. Here's a map, and some petty cash for you.

Sorry, we didn't really plan for this situation, so that's all the Kazimierz coinage we have.

Kazimierz... coinage?

Ah, well, while most places accept Lungmen dollars, they're not universal. Especially these villages outside of nomadic cities. They usually only take local currency.

...Yes, that sounds correct. There is some corroborating information in the database.

All right, let's get going.

Oh. Are you going too?

Well, yes. This is a small operation, so we didn't establish a base camp, the main point being we can't use our communications equipment.

That means, when somebody without combat capability wants to head out, she'll need an escort.

Not to mention, we all know your physical condition. You definitely can't be allowed out alone, for your own safety.

This is the first time I have encountered this base camp information. Database update required.

Oh, you didn't know that?

No, I rarely go out.

Oh, err, right. I shouldn't have brought it up, sorry...

Why are you apologizing?

Nothing. Never mind. Let's move out.

In retrospect, he apologized to me because he felt he hadn't properly considered my health and had said something that could have hurt me.

In fact, I didn't think of that at all at the time.

And....

Here, I encountered my first problem——It seems I do not know many things that others take for granted.

No, it's not that I don't know, exactly. These things are in my database, but I have forgotten them because I haven't used them for so long.

Yes. I should adjust the wording.

Then, my second problem.

Kazimierz's scenery is quite different from Columbia's, or the view from the bridge of Rhodes Island. The air is clean, and vegetation plentiful.

Most of the villagers were Kuranta, but there were some of other races as well.

The village fair was much busier than I expected.

After a meeting with a logistics operator in charge of procurement, he showed me around and asked if I would like to buy anything.

I thought perhaps I could bring gifts for everyone in the medical section.

What can I get you, Miss?

Hello, Miss?

...I don't know.

Huh? You want to buy something but you don't know what it is?

Ah, sorry, my companion is easily distracted.

We want some local Kazimierz's goods.

At that point, I realized my second problem. I do not know what everyone in the medical section enjoys.

That isn't to say we don't have a good relationship. On the contrary, Dr. Silence and I should be good friends, according to the broad definition of the term.

We've worked together extensively since our time at Rhine Lab, and she's the one who invited me to Rhodes Island.

My relationships with the rest of the medic operators are amicable as well.

But I don't know what they like.

I never thought about it.

After that, we headed back to camp, and the rest of the expedition proceeded without incident.

But on the way back, I began to think about something I had never realized was wrong.

Well.... Of course, I actually slept about half the trip.

On the way to the village, I even fell asleep in the middle of the road.

But to make for an easier read, I will omit those details.

Since joining Rhine Lab and transferring to Rhodes Island...?

Ptilopsis, open up!

Ifrit, what are you doing here?

Silence is busy in the lab. I heard you were back so I came to see you.

It's like, since you're pretty much always here, it was a lot weirder to have you gone. I'm used to Silence being out.

I'm so glad you're back!

Indeed, I rarely go out.

...Indeed, I rarely go out.

Why'd you say that twice, Ptilopsis?

It just occurred to me that I don't actually go outside very often.

Huh? Did you hit your head out there?

No, it was just some unknown error in the system. It has been fixed.

I bought some Kazimierz goods. They're over there.

Really! Let's see....

Wow, this is a cool wooden sword.

Hya! Whew! Shwing!

Check it out. Don't I look like one of those flippy Kurantas?

No.

Eh.... Whatever. I still want it!

Good.

There is a storybook on the shelf. You can read it over there. I'm going to write something.

Sweet!

Phew.... Now then.

It's been a long time since I joined Rhine Lab and moved to Rhodes Island.

I'm completely used to the way things are now and subconsciously consider it normal.

But this trip made me realize that's not the case.

Not that I reject the life I lead. I have just suddenly become aware of this problem.

That is, I am myself quite far from normal.

Is 'normal' the correct word here? Is it my life that is abnormal?

...Broadly speaking, I suppose it is.

And I simply forget.

Even I have a hard time describing what Oripathy has taken from me and given to me.

I can manage that once Silence worked out a treatment plan for me at Rhine Lab, research and sleep gradually took over my entire life.

My body doesn't allow me to do time-consuming work, let alone leave the facility.