Chương 45: In the Name of Protection

The inside of the treatment center was quiet, unlike the outside. People lowered their footsteps, and only the scratching of pens passed between the white curtains. The child who had survived lay on a small inner bed. Another white curtain had been drawn around it, and the blue light of the glass pipes moved slowly over the cloth. The child's parents stood outside the door. The mother held her hands together and stared only at the gap in the door. The father kept touching the empty pouch at his waist.

Kichan looked that way.

"Parents." The royal mage turned the page of his recording board as if he had not heard. Kichan pointed at the parents outside the door.

"Parents. First." Ren translated. The royal mage's smile stopped for a moment. He soon nodded. One assistant went toward the parents. But before the door opened, two sheets of paper and a small ink board came out first. Kichan saw the order. Paper came before the parents. The royal mage turned back to Kichan.

"Could you reproduce the act from earlier one more time?" Ren stopped while translating.

"He says... a demonstration." Kichan did not understand the whole word. But he looked at the recording board, the bed, and the parents outside the door. That was enough.

"Am I a clown?" The people in the treatment center did not answer right away. The clerk waited with pen raised. The royal mage pointed at a blank on the recording board. The healing assistant sent from the temple held the holy water bowl and watched Kichan's mouth. Kichan checked the child's breathing first. The child was alive. Rather, the child had healed too quickly. The thin chest rose and fell regularly, and red had returned to the lips that had been blue a moment ago.

That relieved Kichan, and he hated it at the same time. He did not know what he had done, but the result was too clear. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Water rose slightly from a bowl used to wash wounds. The surface stood briefly in the shape of a small blade, then spread into the shape of a shield. Kichan stopped his hand. The water drop popped. The royal mage's questions continued. Was a drop of blood required? What was the ratio of medicinal herbs?

Would the result change if the patient had no mana? Could he make that incomprehensible sacred voice again? Was the wing-shaped radiance intentional? Could it be repeated on patients at the brink of death? Kichan did not answer. Finally, the mage pushed the recording board a little farther forward.

"Comparison would be faster if we brought the child recovered in the village." Kichan's hand stopped. His gaze moved from the blanks on the board to the royal mage's finger, then to the parents outside the door.

"Don't touch that child." That night, a new document was posted at the treatment center entrance. `Order for protection and additional examination of special recovery cases. ` Kichan could not read the letters. But he saw Ren's face turn white. The investigator tried to fold the document. Kichan caught his hand.

"What does it say?" The royal mage explained directly. It said that the village child and several patients would be brought to the great city for protection and for confirmation of treatment progress. The word forced was not written. Instead, words like protection, examination, public research, and royal permission had been attached. Kichan watched the hands of the people explaining. The royal mage pointed to the upper part of the document, while the investigator kept trying to cover the bottom.

Ren read the lower part and closed his mouth. They spoke politely to the end. Cooperators, special recovery cases, protected subjects. But there were other lines near the bottom of the document. Special observation assets, movement restriction required, securing related patients for accompaniment. Kichan became quiet. So quiet that Ren looked at Kichan's hand first.

"Protection." Kichan repeated the word. He did not smile. The royal mage said softly that one child's data could save countless people. Kichan asked,"Did you ask that child?" Dust flattened itself on Kichan's shoulder. The fragment inside his clothes grew hot. Kichan pressed his throat, but did not make a sound yet. Instead of moving at once, he looked at the document first this time. He still could not read the ordinary writing. But a few lines caught his eyes. Not as reading.

More like they caught inside his throat. `Movement without consent permitted. ` Kichan looked at Ren. Ren lowered his head. Kichan said low,"Why the hell do I keep seeing things like this." He did not fold the document. He did not tear it either. He returned it to the royal mage. Then he spoke very slowly.

"Call him." Ren asked, Who? Kichan looked at the royal mage.

"The highest person." The sound of pens inside the treatment center stopped for a moment, then started again. Ren translated, but the royal mage pretended to look at his recording board. The temple healing assistant looked down into the holy water bowl, and the clerk placed a dot beside the letters he had just written. No one answered. Kichan said low,"Did you not hear me?" Ren swallowed. For the first time, the royal mage was late to answer.