"Trips down memory lane sure would be nice under different circumstances." I comment under my breath as the spiral-tram finally passes into Thrurstradtur's vicinity. Thankfully, it had been a quick and quiet journey. Not that I had any doubts that it wouldn't be. You have the royal family directly ask you for assistance, they'll make sure the roads are clear.
Yet, there was one glaring issue with that. I could not get to know some of the passengers a little better. So I was stuck with whatever staff was attending. A far more challenging endeavour when one considered their need for professionalism.
This would not be so much of an issue, however, because the pretty lady attending me was being reeled in. Unfortunately, the amount of time it took me to get it all sorted meant it would only be a brief chat. So, I decided to make the most of it and I called her over. Smiling at her when she smiled at me.
"Can I help you, Sir?" she asks as she slightly leans over me and rests a hand on my left shoulder.
"Well, for starters, I think the ride has been a bit bumpy. So, I was wondering if you could test something for me?" I ask of her.
"Oh? I assure you, Sir. Our company owners make sure all their spiral-trams are smooth, enjoyable rides." she answers with a wink as I guide her onto my lap. The tight-knitting of her short, thigh-length pencil skirt showed quite a nice shape too.
"See? Bumps." I smirk as she settles into my lap more firmly.
"Hm, I see, there is something bumpy. But I don't think its the vehicle." she giggles as she gets up again.
"Tsk, would've thought a skirt like that would make it hard to get up." I let out as she puts some distance between us.
"Well, those who made it were very kind to leave this here." she points out as she takes my fingers to rub the small triangle cut in the skirt. And while I did not feel her bare skin, it was close enough with those black tights she had on. The slight colour shading from her soft, pale skin even broke through at points.
One small piece of the allure that was the professional serving-woman. Just one of many blessings that the gods have given us. Particularly the goddesses as their teachings encourage this sort of stuff. It was no secret after all that outside of most circumstances, women were primarily there to look good.
A balance I have not seen anyone complain about. After all, most of the ones I ended up taking home I did get through compliments. It was honestly hilarious how far a simple compliment went with most women. And to be honest, I had no interest in the harder-to-get ones.
"Well, unfortunately, it seems we must part ways...?"
"Elizana." she answers with a giggle.
"Take care, precious breeze." I say with a smile after gently cupping her arse.
"You know... I am allowed to come off and take a short break of a few days..." she tells me suggestively as she starts to show the cracks in her professional facade.
"I'll have to catch up with you, then. But, if we go by the time... Might I take you to lunch?"
"Oh, but my mum prepared me something and it's full of love..."
"And I can guarantee that you will get plenty of love over these next few days." I tell her with a confident smirk before I move up to grab my stuff.
"So, what're you doing here, anyway?"
"I'm a surgeon, here for a client." I answer simply and vaguely as I wasn't sure how bad this might get if I spoke of it. It was just an operation, granted. But, given the circumstances of who the client was and who set me on this path... I did not want to put my skin on the line.
"Must be something big going on if they're calling in help, then."
"You know I am not from around here?" I question as I know I did not say anything like that.
"Well, why else would you get on back at Aztraht?" she asks, giggling as she did so.
"Clever." I comment with a smile before I turn to leave.
"Pick me up in an hour?"
"Right here at the station?"
"That would be best." she tells me with a smile.
"See you then, beautiful." I compliment. Something that made her blush with such strength that I could see it through her make-up. And that made me quite jolly indeed. Yet, the sight I saw once I got off thoroughly got rid of that joy.
"All arrivals must present identification and suitable justification! Any who do not will be sent back on their way with minimum reimbursement!" a guard loudly declared to everyone getting off the spiral-tram. Which, naturally included me. So I had to make sure I had everything in order before I joined the queue awaiting inspection. Yet, I was confused as well.
I had not seen anything like this when I was last here. Nor had I heard of anything like this from my colleagues who still worked here. Which, maybe I could see a few. It would be nice to catch up with them. Maybe relive a few nights with the women.
Which, frankly, might as well have been all of them given what I did needed spell-casting... A profession that women excelled at in comparison to us men. Spells were probably the only thing that was practical that women dominated. I mean, despite soldiering being a man's profession, the Valkinvar are a well-known, mostly female organisation.
Perhaps, however, were given what has been in the news lately.
"Present identification." a guard told me as others raised their guns at me. Thankfully, somehow, I was relieved to see this be applied indiscriminately. Even those leaving the city were getting this treatment.
"I'm a surgeon, I have been called in to help a patient. By order of the Seven-Peaks Union royal family." I tell them, whispering that last part while bringing out what that annoying official had left behind.
"This about him...?" one of the clearly younger guards asked another quietly.
"Probably." his elder answered before they made an opening for me far quicker than anyone else.
"Make sure they're made aware that you have arrived, Surgeon." the one who inspected my details told me before he nodded me off.
"Of course." I mutter quietly as I left the station. Looking about the initial city with a smile on my face as I had missed this place. Of course, my eyes first went towards the single-most iconic part of the city. That over-bearing gnomon that helped one realise that the city was actually always rotating.
But, unfortunately, I had to shake the awe out of me so I could find a hotel. Falling for those attacks on my pride meant I had to pay my own way in this case. Another bout of misfortune as well was that I had to pick some small, shabby one. I had to be near St. Bruttar Brief Recovery and Healing Centre after all.
"It must be exceptionally bad if they have kept her there." I comment out loud as I started to think on such details as I walked. Yet, I was also getting distracted often by the food stalls and shops. I neglected eating so I could read up on this job and to flirt. But I had also promised that bird from before that I would have lunch with her.
So, to what would be short-lived displeasure, I ignored the hunger pangs. I avoided those I could and I checked the nearby maps every now and then. Until I was finally in the area of said place of work. And, I had to admit, it wasn't that bad of an area.
It wasn't particularly grand compared to other parts of the city. But, there was a comfortable beauty to this place. It was noticeably quiet as well given how it was light out. Yet, it did not take long for me to figure it out.
This part of the city was filled with music halls. So there was likely a legal requirement for the quiet. Or, maybe, the people of this part of the city enjoyed the ambience of it all. Can't say I blamed them, it was very soothing for the nerves.
"St. Bruttar Brief Recovery and Healing Centre..." I read aloud once I reached my new and current place of work. But, before I did, I looked down at my watch to check the time. And, I was quite surprised to see that it was much too close to my lunch date. So I rushed on inside to get the meet and greet over with.
"Hello, how can I help?" the reasonably aged woman at the front desk asks me as I approach.
"Surgeon Stolpzhen, I've been called in about a particularly well-bred patient." I declare rather dispassionately. Showing off my required details once again while her eyes went wide.
"You should've turned the offer down... Nothing good can come from helping that girl." she comments with a rather unprofessional attitude. Yet, the superstitious nature of it made me curious.
"Comment anything like that again and you'll be facing a disciplinary!" what was likely her boss snapped as he approached.
"Surgeon Stolpzhen? I'm Centre-Manager Biossg." he greets with a firm shake of my hand.
"Is there a reason for the superstition?" I decide to ask him once we were passed the doors. The damage to which was also a particularly curious thing. Did a wild animal somehow get in...? But what kind of animal would even get this deep into the city...?
"The girl in question was part of Smiling Jhurack's recent string of attacks. The only survivor for some reason." he tells me with a grim tone yet I could only tilt my head in curiosity.
"So he is real?"
"Very much so, and you have seen the proof." he tells me with a gesture towards the Ibenorrocoian device I had mixed in with my stuff.
"Anything you can tell me as to why she has not been healed? Are you under-equipped?" I ask him. Hiding back my disgust for the idea that they might be completely unsuited to handling this.
"No, as our name implies, we serve as a means to quickly get people back on their feet again." he clarifies with some distress before we make a turn into an observation room.
"She is being operated on right now?" I ask as I catch a glimpse of blue-hair and a frustrated doctor beyond.
"The government has put a lot of pressure on us to ensure she is looked after. Even if nothing comes of it."
"I'll have to look over your reports, then, maybe I can catch something you can't." I tell him, referring to what might be the issue. If it would help, however, is another issue as I manipulated the magic personally. Part of the reason I gained my fame was because I was one of the few who could control absurd magic flows.
A very precious commodity given how most with this kind of talent went on to become chapter witches. Because, after all, who would not want to be the hero of the land? Casting mighty spells and decimating the world around you? Who would want to say no to that power?
Well, for starters, me.
"I pray you have better luck than us..." he says as his eyes cautiously eye the damage to the walls.
"Something is making work stressful?"
"Indeed, the city's least popular resident is very close to this girl. And it holds firery rage that keeps burning."
"Then you can thank me for ridding it from your worries as well." I tell him as I leave my stuff here. They can put it where it needs to go after all.
"In a rush?" he asks with a half-hearted laugh as he clearly needed the distraction.
"Yes, got lunch with a lovely woman I just met." I answer with a quick salute before I rush out the building.