Fortunately, Shahin burst through the door with a crash, unintentionally breaking the tension.
"What's going on? Why do you all look so grim?" he exclaimed, panting. "Dad, hasn't anyone tended to your wounds?"
At that moment, as if nothing had happened, everyone sprang into action to help Ogai.
Averkane and Shiro broke their stare.
"Good heavens," Ginji exclaimed, "you're gravely injured!"
"It's nothing," Ogai replied. "Leave it be."
Ginji arranged some cushions under the injured man's head as Ogai lay back with a deep sigh. His hollow eyes scanned the faces of the men surrounding him. Shiro, as usual, took a seat on the windowsill. The others grabbed chairs and sat around the dying man. Averkane leaned against the wall, and Akimitsu lay on his cot. Ogai turned his gaze back to the men he hoped would carry out his mission and spoke in a calm tone:
