Romulus woke up. Bones and muscles were crushed by pain.
[ What happened? The skull cracks like after three dozen bottles of expired ginas. ]
There were three bodies lying nearby. The boy checked their pulse.
[ Alive. This news is encouraging. But meanwhile they are in a coma. Henry, if nothing is done, will die.
I don't know how to use medicines at the proper level. Go for help? Hehe, yes, and leave three comatose people alone? ]
Romulus looked at Susanna, who had lost her lower body.
[ We were very lucky that we were not stumbled upon by bandits who decided to look for profit in the shelters of lanterns. ]
The boy put the wounded on their sides so that they would not choke on vomit or swallow their tongues. Next, Romulus used ointments and tinctures from Chu's satchel.
[ Thank Dral, I'm not a complete layman. Our family doctor taught me something.
By the way, Dr. Chu has a broken finger, we should fix it before consciousness returns. ]
Crunch, and all the help that the boy could provide was provided. Romulus sat up, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
[ What should I do? I can't just wait for them to die. El-ludas! So, I'll sit for a while. If Chu doesn't wake up, there's nothing to do, I'll try to get a doctor. There is a city nearby. ]
Romulus didn't want to leave his loved ones in this state, but he didn't know how long Dr. Chu's coma would last.
Time passed. Soon the boy's stomach rumbled.
"As long as hunger does not cause problems. So shut up, tummy, I'm asking you in a good way."
At Romulus' words, his stomach rumbled even more.
[ My new body is so moody. It will take a lot of work to tame it. Maybe five, or even ten years.]
Footsteps were heard at the entrance. Romulus activated the pae, joined the wall at the entrance, holding his blade at the ready.
A girl entered the cave. The boy saw a sharp and elegant profile. The eye turned to Romulus was filled with yellow sparks.
The girl's step was interrupted. She smiled broadly.
"I can see you. And who came up with the idea of giving a child to play with a dagger. Shee-shee-shee!"
Romulus deactivated his disguise and lowered his weapon.
[ The second rank of the yellow shin? It is better not to resort to battle. I'm too weak. ]
"Shee-shee-shee!"
She turned around, and her face appeared completely: the other half was torn out by ulcers and swollen vessels.
A deep scar crossed the empty eye socket and ended at the exposed teeth. It is very likely that they were once covered with the same fresh lips as on the surviving side of the face.
The girl grinned ominously, demonstrating her "beauty".
Romulus neither flinched, nor recoiled, nor winced in disgust. One-eye's grin faded.
"Boy, aren't you... aren't you afraid of me at all?"
"Not unless you want to attack me, my lady," Romulus bowed.
"My Lady? Shee-shee-shee!" one-eyed laughed into her fist, jumped up to Romulus and put her face in a tight one.
The girl studied the boy's expression intently, looking for hidden disgust.
[ Aborash! Are you thinking of hurting a complexed girl?! Yes, I'll teach you a lesson, little Keon, and I won't look at what a child is! ]
However, she could not find any traces of falsehood, which made her become increasingly pale.
"Do you think me" the one-eyed girl lowered her gaze, "beautiful?"
"Yes, you are the beauty of a thousand beauties, my lady!"
One-eye was silent for a long time. After thinking about something, she turned to the boy again, but now with affection and kindness.
"I have never met such polite and beautiful boys! What's your name, baby?
"Let me introduce myself, Romulus Nola, I'm seven. And what is your name, my lady?"
"Me?" one-eye sighed and lowered her head, but then she smiled sweetly "Call me, sir, whatever you want. I will gladly accept the name you have given me!"
[ Hehe, that's funny. Very funny… I wonder if there are any adequate ones in this world at all? ]
"Oh, I will take it as an honor, my lady!"
[ So, we need to think about it. If she doesn't like it, it will be bad. ]
Romulus' thoughts collided and bounced inside his skull. He went through a dozen names until a few seconds had passed.
"My Lady, how about Tiamoni?"
"Tiamoni? Tiamoni ... Tiamoni! Shee-shee-shee! Thank you, sir. From now on, Tiamoni will be my middle name! I will forget the first one."
One-eye reached out and touched Romulus' cheek.
"Romulus, oh Romulus, little fluffy Romulus... you are seven – I am fourteen… You're so small and cute..."
[ The situation is getting out of control. ]
"What are you doing, Tiamoni?"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" one-eye recoiled. "I ... I'm a little… Your mother must have been a beauty, since her son has such a delicate white skin."
The boy cleared his throat.
Tiamoni noticed three sleeping people out of the corner of her eye. Among them lay a pale woman with no legs:
"Is your mother there?"
"Yes, she's in a coma, like my father and uncle."
"So," the one-eyed woman looked away, "I... no! Although it is more likely yes than no. Sir Romulus, I can relieve the condition of your mother and that man,"
Tiamoni pointed to Dr. Chu.
"But only if my conditions are met. I know that I'm acting as ugly as a smug foxy Target, but we met just a minute ago."
"And what is the condition?"
"Being in the rank of yellow thigh, I will be able to cure your loved ones. For the breakthrough itself, you need to get a couple of gobs and crack one Flashlight of Hope."
"They were created by the Ascended One himself," Romulus chuckled. "Are you sure that it will work?"
"The Lantern Shelters are five thousand years old. Out of more than a million caves, a couple of hundred have survived to this day. In addition, the area of light is my path!
[ She really radiates self-confidence. ]
"And also," one-eye straightened her hair. "I'll need a companion who can keep the flask warm while I perform the exorcism of the Patokion."
"Do you trust me with your own flask? Your life depends on its integrity. And we've known each other for less than a day."
"Um... I don't want to trust a stranger myself, but otherwise, I'm not sure of a quick breakthrough, and being on the orange shin, I won't be able to cure even one hundredth of your father's injuries. He could die tomorrow. Shee-shee-shee!
So do you agree or not? It seems that killing me will not help your family in any way."
"I agree."
"Well, let's go. It will be difficult, but, as it was said in Kela's comedy, "the way to freedom lies through sama and blood."
Who are we to get what we want without making an effort? But before we do this, let's fix the finger. And then such a boy does not go with a severed phalanx."