Volume 10 - Chapter 32

The Apothecary Diaries

Sleep #

Maomao staggered wearily as she tried to return to the infirmary from Chuue’s bedroom.

(I’m… so tired.)

Exhaustion had reached its peak. After assisting Shikyou, nothing but trouble had befallen him. She had been captured, escaped without understanding why, captured by thieves, and attacked on the way back after forced labor.

Chuue’s surgery had been challenging. The ribs had cracks but hadn’t completely separated, which was fortunate. There was no damage to the internal organs, but the bruising was severe, so Maomao firmly secured everything in place. If the torso injuries didn’t worsen, there wouldn’t be any life-threatening issues.

The real problem lay in the right arm.

It was in a terrible state. She barely managed to preserve the shape of the arm. The bones from the elbow down were complexly shattered, and half of the flesh was torn. Chuue had thought her arm would hold up as a guard, but luck was not on her side. The bear-man, consumed by anger, couldn’t think of anything else in his fury and didn’t fall easily. She had faced an injured beast.

Maomao connected the bones back into their original form, mended torn tendons, and stitched the skin together.

Without anesthesia, Chuue had to bite down on a cloth. Restrained to prevent movement, Chuue, however, showed remarkable tolerance to pain, hardly moving at all.

Ideally, they would want her to rest, but they couldn’t afford to continue camping. If they had to, they would hasten their return to the western capital.

That had just happened a short while ago.

According to Maomao’s diagnosis, Chuue’s right arm would likely be unusable in the future. At least, the sensation from the elbow down was almost completely lost. All Maomao could do was monitor the progress to ensure the connected arm wouldn’t rot away.

(Will the muscles connect properly?)

I’ve connected as much as I could. I believe I’ve done a good job, and I trust that Chuue’s hand will regain its sensation. However, this is nothing more than an imitation of the treatment my adoptive father, Ramon, used to perform. Such practices were not taught during the medical training with the physicians.

She had done what she could. Even for Maomao, it’s pointless to stay by Chuue’s side any longer. She had left it to Baryou, and if anything happens, he’ll call for me.

(Ah, so sleepy, and in pain.)

In the end, I haven’t slept at all. It’s tough, but realizing that there are people facing even more hardships makes it impossible to rest.

Working in this state would be counterproductive.

(Sleep! I must sleep!)

Maomao tried to head to the infirmary but, for some reason, her feet moved in the opposite direction.

Why is that?

(It’s Chuue’s fault.)

Because she said something like a last will.

Ideally, conserving energy is the most important thing to do. Maomao was heading towards Jinshi’s office.

Normally, she wouldn’t go to a room unless summoned by someone like Chuue. It felt strangely intimidating to knock on the door. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and knocked.

…

There was no response.

Wondering if anyone was inside, Maomao tilted her head. At the same time, she felt a bit like she had received a cold shoulder and turned away to return to the infirmary.

The door was violently opened. Startled, Maomao turned around to find Jinshi there.

He looked worn out. Perhaps, she overestimated her staJinshia and pulled an all-nighter again. How many days had she gone without sleep? Depending on the person, it might appear as melancholy, but to Maomao, it just seemed like plain exhaustion.

Puffy eyes, dull skin, lackluster hair, and parched lips.

“What on earth are you staying up for?”

“I could throw that question right back at you.”

Jinshi seemed like she wanted to say something, reaching out. She grabbed Maomao’s hand and forcefully pulled her into the office. With such momentum, Maomao almost fell to the floor but was caught in Jinshi’s embrace before that happened.

(Ah…)

The two of them lay down on the floor, with Maomao on top and Jinshi below. Despite the presence of a long-haired rug, Maomao wondered if it didn’t hurt to collapse on the floor.

“Don’t do things on a whim.”

“I apologize.”

“Think more before you act.”

“…The result of my thoughts led to this.”

A sigh, accompanied by warm breath, brushed over Maomao’s head.

She couldn’t move. Even if she tried to lift her face, it seemed like Jinshi’s jaw was holding down her head.

“I thought it was safe to bring you here, but why does everything backfire?”

“Things don’t always go well in this world. Even if you were in the central area, you might have faced similar troubles.”

“That’s true.”

Why were they both lying on the floor, having a casual conversation?

(I need to close the door.)

It would be troublesome if someone saw them.

(I need to get up quickly.)

How long were they going to cling to each other?

To be honest, Maomao hadn’t taken a bath in days. She hadn’t even changed properly. Wasn’t it strange that he wasn’t bothered by hugging a dirty woman covered in sweat and grime?

(Not only that, he’s actually sniffing.)

“Lord Jinshi.”

“What?”

“Could you let go soon?”

“You can free yourself if you want.”

Maomao grabbed Jinshi’s hand. It felt weighty, but it wasn’t pressing her down.

But…

(I’m sleepy.)

Maomao felt drowsy.

Perhaps the tension had dissipated; Maomao’s body strangely felt at ease. Was it the comfortable rug or the perfectly matched body temperature?

“…Yes.”

He couldn’t seem to shake himself free.

Maomao’s breath slowed down, becoJinshig steady and rhythmic. Jinshi’s breath synchronized with it.

After a while, their breaths turned into gentle snores, and Maomao fell into a deep sleep, not knowing how many days it had been.