Bao Bei was walking through the fortress while restlessly looking around as he followed behind Jihl.
He was wearing a shirt and pants that Jihl had brought for him anew. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up multiple times and the waist was tied with a cord. The pants were half-length shorts, but even so, they were still too big on Bao Bei and the cuffs were folded up too.
Even though it was the smallest size available, it was still clearly too big for Bao Bei, who had done his best to wear it somehow. Seeing this, Jihl couldn't help but letting out strange sounds as his shoulders trembled.
Is he mocking him? How rude.
The base and first floor of the fortress seemed to be made of stone, but the second and third floors, which had been added on later, were made of wood.
The fortress was located at the border of human country and the beastman nation, and the forest nearby was a dangerous area inhabited by magical beasts.
Although it was called a fortress, in fact, it was large enough to be called as a small castle.
Originally, it had only been a lodging and training facility, but through repeated expansions and additions, the interior had become so complicated it was easy to get lost in.
Nowadays, the fortress also served as a kind of administrative office, overseeing the traffic that passed through from Gustglen of the beastman nation, granting permission and issuing certificates to those crossing the border.
Naturally, the inhabitants were not limited to knights and soldiers. Many civil officials dispatched from the royal capital also worked there.
As a result, the surrounding land was being developed, the roads were being maintained, the nearby towns and villages were monitored, and diplomatic negotiations—mostly with Gustglen—were handled.
The roles the fortress served were steadily increasing year by year.
As they walked down the corridor, soldiers and officials they passed would straighten their backs the moment they saw Jihl.
They gave slight bows or respectful nods with somewhat tense expressions and when they noticed the small figure of Bao Bei, their eyes widened in surprise.
Not used to being around so many humans, Bao Bei was nervous and he gripped tightly onto the hem of Jihl's coat without he realized.
He tried to hide behind Jihl's large body and giving a quick bow of his head before scurrying along to keep up with Jihl's pace in little quick steps.
He could see that the people they passed looked at him with warm and gentle gazes.
The infirmary was located in a separate building connected by a hallway at the far end of the first floor.
Since it also included a hospitalization room with many beds for patients, it was a fairly large area.
The layout allowed for direct patient transport from the road behind the fortress.
There was also an herbal medicine room and a research room attached, with several medical personnel working there.
When they opened the door to the hospital room, Wilde was sitting on one of the lined-up beds. The bandages were tightly wrapped around his legs and chest.
"Uncle Wilde!"
Bao Bei ran over with light steps. Just before he could leap into Wilde's arms, Jihl caught the scruff of Bao Bei's neck.
"He's injured."
"Shorry."
Realizing it with a start, Bao Bei's ears and tail drooped down as he apologized.
"It's alright, Bao Bei. I'm much better now. Someone your size—no problem at all."
Wilde smiled gently and held out both arms, so Bao Bei softly embraced him. Wilde gently patted his back to soothe him.
"They said Judy is okay too. He's getting treated somewhere far away."
"I see. That's good to hear."
Having his head patted, Bao Bei squinted his eyes in comfort and then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked in a worried tone.
"Uncle Wilde, will Kasi going to be okay? You really did get paid, didn't you? You lost the money for my sake, didn't you? I'm so sorry."
"You're a perceptive boy. You realized it, huh? I'm was about to do something bad. There's absolutely nothing for you to apologize for, Bao Bei. If anything, I should be the one who apologize to you. I'm sorry for putting you through such a frightening experience. I caused Judy to be terribly injured, too. No matter how many times I apologize, it won't ever be enough."
"Uncle…"
Wilde bowed his head deeply to Bao Bei. Seeing this, Jihl spoke up.
"Will you tell me the story?"
"Yes."
Wilde stood up from the bed with Bao Bei still clung to his hand.
"Uncle Wilde, where are you going?"
"I'm going to have an important conversation with this man here."
Hearing that, Bao Bei stepped in front of Wilde as if to shield him while glaring at Jihl.
"You mustn't bully Uncle Wilde!"
"Haha, it's alright. This man won't bully me. Look, I've been treated so carefully, and I'm feeling much better now, aren't I?"
Wilde gently patted Bao Bei's head and then walked out of the treatment room with Jihl. As Bao Bei watched them go, a gentle voice suddenly called out to him.
"You're Bao Bei, right?"
A slightly older human woman in a white outfit was beckoning to Bao Bei.
She had long sky blue hair that was tied at the back of her neck and her blue eyes was smiled kindly at him.
The beauty mark near the left corner of her mouth gave her an alluring charm, making her popular among the men in the fortress.
She was Layla, thirty-two years old, the head of the medical division and a well-known healer.
As chief of the department that dealt with many injuries from monster extermination missions, she was known for being a demon in the infirmary. She calmly and efficiently doing her job without hesitation or mercy, no matter how much blood was gushing or how loudly someone screamed in pain.
"There are some delicious sweets. Shall we go to the dining hall?"