ardign

*Pant*... *pant*...

Faster... I've got to get faster.

Whoa—

*Cough*, *cough* *cough*... Ouch...

Ah, shoot! My snowboard... Looks like it's still good. Okay, please, hang in there a little longer. There's a car rental place just down the hill... As long as I make it there...

I... I must hurry... or I won't make it...!

Adnachiel... Steward... hang on just a little longer...!

Pardon me! Is there anyone here?!

I need a car! Is there anyone—

Fotze! Do you know what time it is?! Who's knocking!

Ugh, my forehead—

Little girl...? Are you okay?

I-I'm okay... You rent cars, right? I'm sorry for disrupting your sleep, but I need a car that can make it to the city right away!

It's five in the morning... What's the rush? It takes three to four hours to make it to the city from here.

*Cough*... I... I have to leave right now. It's an emergency! Please, sir, give me a car right now! I really, really, really—

Verdammt, what's so important you can't let me sleep?

M-My friends' lives are in danger. I need to find a doctor in the city.

They got in an accident in the mountain range to the north. They only got some simple treatment at the settlement there... I need to find a better medical organization to treat them right away!

You mean you came all the way here from the north?

You crossed the mountain range overnight? And the snowstorm hasn't even let up...

I didn't have another choice. *Cough*... They are heavily injured and can't move. The settlement doesn't have the proper medical equipment or medicine either...

Did they trip or get frostbite? You could've just waited for the rescue team. Why did you have to cross the mountains yourself?

No, normal EMTs won't do it... and we need medicine that can treat them...!

You aren't even explaining yourself clearly. How am I supposed to rent you a car right now?

Please, sir, I can't lose my friends... As long as there's still a bit of hope, I have to go to the city to find a doctor that can treat them! *Cough*... *Cough*...

*Sigh*... Must have been a long journey for you.

I-I'm fine...

Okay, fine. This is their lives we're talking about. Come with me. Let me say one thing, though. Don't be too optimistic, girl. You won't necessarily find yourself a doctor out in the city.

The doctors there, with the kind of salary they get, won't risk heading into the snowstorm to treat somebody.

I was on the Bobsled Patrol Team back home. If you get me a car, I will find a doctor! I have some savings too. I can give the doctor everything as long as my friends get to live—

There has to be a doctor who's nice enough to come treat them. I will find them and beg them to come if I have to. I need to get my friends treated.

Hmph... You're a loyal one.

I hope you find your doctor. Okay, here's the car. It's by the day. Do you have the deposit and documents?

Sorry, mister, I didn't expect this to happen, so I didn't bring much money. Is this enough for the deposit?

If it's not enough, I... I have this necklace. It was a special birthday present. It should be worth some money...! Yeah, uh, and I... let's see...

It's all good. Keep your stinking necklace. Take the car. When you come back, I better see it in one piece.

Thank you, sir! I will be back on time! K-Keep my snowboard as collateral. Once I find a doctor, I'll come back before we head up the mountain!

*Sigh*... I don't know if this girl's simple or just reckless.

Look at the shape the snowboard's in. That's hardly worth anything.

Whatever. It's obvious she's trying to save somebody... Let's just call this doing a good deed.

But still...

Hfff, it's so cold today, and it's pitch black outside. She even came straight here through the most dangerous mountain range there is... How did she do it?

Just what is going on with her friends that she has to go all the way to the city to find a doctor? If they're hurt or got frostbite, there are much better ways to go about it.

It can't be something dangerous like Oripathy, right...?

Hah, that'd be a waste of time. No one would help someone who's bound to die in this kind of shitty weather.

(Okay, time to go.)

(The snowstorm's gotten stronger, but this is nothing. This won't stop me!)

(I gotta do it...)

I... I didn't tell the truth.

If I'd told him Adnachiel and Steward got infected with Oripathy, he wouldn't have let me borrow his car... He would've chased me away.

But... I have to go. I'm so sorry, mister, but I'll come back to return the car for sure—No, I'll give you a new car. I'll work hard and pay you ten times the money back if I need to!

I will come back to apologize...

But now...

Adnachiel, Steward, just hold on a little longer. I'll be at the city by sunrise.

I will bring a doctor who can treat Oripathy and medicine back... I promise.

I promise.

Merry... Have you made it to the city yet?

*Pant*... You... you're awake...

Are you alright...?!

I'm... okay... Adnachiel, Steward, you... *cough*... Wait for me to come back. I'll find a doctor right away...!

It's nearly impossible to find anyone who's infected in this city. You'll have to try a company or medical organization that does research in Oripathy.

I-I'll look it up... That's strange. How come there's so little information on this city?

There's no hospitals here that accept Oripathy patients...? Only a few pharmaceutical companies in the outskirts?!

That's nothing strange... Leithanian cities don't really need that many medical organizations that deal in Oripathy.

Oripathy is an incurable disease, and anyone who's so unlucky to be infected here has no choice but to spend a king's ransom on medication to slow down the spread of the disease.

Merry, you can't afford that medicine, and it's not something you should worry about either.

If you find anyone who can take care of us, just tell us how to contact them. After that...

Yeah... You don't need to come back.

Thanks for dragging us all the way to the settlement. We got first aid... and that's more than enough.

*Cough*... Adnachiel and I will figure out how to survive. Thanks for leaving us the comms, but let's put an end to this, Merry.

What... What are you two talking about?!

I'm looking for a doctor to come treat you two right now. Just hold on! I'll be back with a doctor soon!

Adnachiel, Steward, wait for me. Don't just leave... and protect yourselves. Don't let your wounds get any worse.

But...

No buts! You hear me?!

Yeah... I hear you loud and clear.

That's not enough! Promise me you won't leave me! I can do it! I will save you two!

Merry, thanks for looking after us, but we can't drag you into this mess...

We're friends! Friends are supposed to help each other out! And given the circumstances, your lives are more important to me than anything!

Dammit! I don't want to get mad at you right now, but I will make you two pay for what you just said! Wait for my next call. I'll have some good news!

Hah... Those idiots. How dare they try to leave me all by myself... Where can they go anyway?! I better find them waiting for me!

I'll head to the aid station first. I trucked my way here all night. What's two more kilometers...? Right, I've got to call the hospital too...

*Dialing sounds*

You've reached the emergency room hotline. How may I help you?

Oh, hello, I have two friends who were injured in the snowstorm out in the countryside. They need medical attention right now...

Okay, just a moment...

I'm very sorry, but we have to wait until the storm lets up before we can send an ambulance. Can you describe to me how they were injured?

They got hurt in the mountains. One of them is really hurt in the abdomen and leg areas... Also, they have Oripathy, so they will need Oripathy medication...

Did you say Oripathy...?

Yeah, they...

Sorry, but our hospital does not accept Oripathy patients. Thank you for your call. I wish you a pleasant day.

Hello? Hello??

They hung up...? Why did they hang up? Didn't their website say they treat Oripathy?! Dammit, are there any medical companies here that treat Oripathy...?

*Dialing sounds*

Hello. How may I help you?

Hello, is this Leithanien Woche Pharmaceuticals? M-My name is Merry. My friends are infected with Oripathy, and they need treatment right now...

May I have your name? And where do you live?

U-Uh... my name? I'm from the north...

You're not a local...? What about the patients?

M-My friends are from Laterano and Kjerag. They came to Leithanien during their travels. I left them at a settlement in the mountains outside the city...