Belinda checked her watch. “It’s time for me to take out those needles.” She carefully took out the acupuncture needles and discarded them into a small plastic bin. The ringing was still present in Arcturus’s ears, but they felt much better than before; his headaches were gone.

The doctor took his temperature once more; he still had a high temperature, but she told him it was much lower compared to before; this made Arcturus feel relieved. He didn’t want to be hindered by it for a long time; worry came to him, however. He knew that one of the main factors for his sudden recovery was the Plasmian healing factor that cost him his lifespan. He wondered just how much of his lifespan he had wasted just to recover from the ringing ears and fever.

“Is something the matter?”

“Dr. Mathis, is it possible to know how much longer I have left to live?”

She was concerned. “Do you have an illness? You seem perfectly fine to me.”

Arcturus curled a lock of his scarlet hair. “If you haven’t realized, I am half-Plasmian and half-Laminan. Because of my Plasmian lineage, I am both blessed and cursed with their genetic traits. My strength far exceeds that of a normal Laminan. I am also able to heal a lot faster than the other two races, but that’s at the cost of my lifespan. While I do have a Laminan’s lifespan, the healing factor deteriorates the more I get injured or sick. I’ve gotten injured quite often throughout my journey and I’m just worried how much time I have left to live if this keeps up.”

His explanation caused Belinda to become sullen. “I’m sorry to hear that. However, this is an Ilacian island. Majority of the people here consist of Ilacians, so I’m mainly familiar with their body structures and genetics. I’m afraid I cannot help you there as I rarely get Plasmian patients like you.”

“I see.” Arcturus couldn’t help but to feel a tad disappointed, but he understood why she couldn’t be of help.

Belinda then got an idea. “Why don’t you ask Murphy when he returns? He’s a quarter Plasmian.”

Arcturus’s eyes protruded. “He’s a quarter Plasmian?” He had never met a Plasmian outside of his family and birthplace; this excited him.

“From what I remember, he once said his father was half-Plasmian.”

Suddenly, something started bugging him. “Wait, if Sophia and Murphy are non-Ilacians, how did they come here to this isolated city?”

The sound of the door being unlocked caught his attention. Arcturus was surprised about how well-timed it was. Belinda then started packing up her tools. “Before I take my leave, make sure to change your friend’s bandages twice a day, okay? I’ll leave some bandage rolls here for you to use. Don’t worry about paying me back and such, alright?” She got up. “My clinic’s nearby, so if you have any other pain or issues, come visit.”

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“Thank you, Dr. Mathis!” He felt extreme gratitude for this benevolent doctor.

“I hope to see you two again someday, whether it be due to an injury or not.” She then headed towards the door. She briefly spoke with the couple before leaving for good. Sophia, Murphy and Constance came in with each person having grocery bags in each hand.

Murphy stared at Arcturus. “You’re feeling much better now! That’s great.” He had a deep, but friendly voice; it felt gentle to his ears.

“My ears are still ringing a bit, but I can hear clearer now.”

“That’s still good.” Sophia remarked. She had a loud booming voice that befitted her outgoing demeanor. “I’m sure you’re hungry. We’ll make you a lot of food since Dr. Mathis said that you look a bit malnourished.”

Arcturus started panicking. He flailed his hands frantically. “There’s no need to go that far for us!”

“Nonsense. You’re a guest in our house, so we need to utilize our hospitality skills to its fullest. It’s not everyday we get to have guests as beautiful as you two!”

He was flattered by her compliment, but he still felt bad about imposing on them. “But still…”

Constance spoke up, “The blond one is still asleep.”

Arcturus became frantic as he turned to check up on Nova; he had been too distracted with conversing with everyone that he had forgotten to check up on his companion. Nova looked peaceful in his slumbering state. The upper half of his body was covered with bandages. There was no sign of the tattered sweater anywhere. He tucked the blanket more so that it was covering all of his body. The nervousness he felt dissipated the moment he laid eyes on him. With a small smile, he brushed his bangs towards the side; the bullet wound on his forehead really was gone.

“Nova is very exhausted. It’ll take him a few days for him to wake up.”

“Constance, you heard him. Leave him alone, okay?” Sophia nagged as she headed towards the kitchen. “Help me out with the prep!”

“Yes, ma’am.” Constance rushed towards the kitchen. Arcturus couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A Combat Shiftie like her was not out fighting, but helping a human out in the kitchen. Such roles only applied to Support and Ally models.

“Surprising, right?” Murphy grabbed a stool and sat down next to Arcturus.

“I’ve never seen a Shiftie like her before. She feels so…”

“Human?”

“Yes. Just who is she?”

“She’s Constance, my daughter.”

“Daughter…” Arcturus never heard of anyone who considered a Shiftie as their child. However, it wasn’t an unpleasant sight; rather, it felt harmonious to him. He then realized that this must have been the reason why he chose to go with her; she did not have an ounce of hostility within her.

Murphy called out to him. “Arthurus.”

“It’s Arcturus.”

“Arcturus, may I ask you an important question?”

“Sure.”

He pointed to Nova. “Why are you with the Charlatan?”