Joong looked at Dunk's body lying motionless in the treatment room. His slave clothes, which were covered in vomit, had been replaced with clean ones. The blanket covered his thin body, making him appear even more fragile. Joong's personal doctor, Phuwin, is checking his condition, shining a light on Dunk's eyes one by one. But Dunk still didn't move, his face was pale and looked tired. His body, even though it was covered in a blanket, couldn't stop shaking.
"How is the condition?" Joong asked as Phuwin gave Dunk an injection in his arm. Joong felt guilty when he realized that his arm looked thinner, the bones more clearly sticking out. Dunk's skin, which used to look smooth white, now looks pale and dry, almost transparent. Blue bruises appeared on Dunk's hands, and blackish red lines curled up his arms, probably the result of Dunk constantly pulling at the chains, trying to get them free. Joong turned his head away, somehow unable to see that the skin he had admired was marred by cuts and bruises.
Phuwin deftly injected the medicine and shook his head. "His condition is not good at all, Joong. He's dehydrated and malnourished, so his body can't fight the pneumonia he's suffering from. I've given him medicine, hopefully it's not too late. What's clear is that he should stay here. I still have to give antibiotics and infusions for him, otherwise he will really die." Phuwin glanced at Joong. "If only you hadn't locked him in that filthy place, if only you'd treated him better, he wouldn't starve and get sick like this."
"He's not the first boy I locked up there," Joong defended himself.
"He's a noble, right? You think someone of his stature would just accept being treated like that?"
"Phuwin, I never want to be burdened with those slaves until it's time for them to be sold. My men messed it up this time, and I'll make sure they all get punished."
"How about you punish yourself?" Phuwin asked sarcastically. Phuwin can talk as casually as possible to Joong, because the two of them are good friends, even before Joong started his illegal business, Joong has been friends with Phuwin. "I'm serious, Joong. You should know that he is more fragile than the others."
"Yes, so fragile that he can bite anyone who gets close to him," commented Joong bitterly.
Phuwin smiles, and then grins, annoying Joong. "You can't blame him. He's definitely not used to rough treatment."
"Then how should I treat him?" Joong asked, his voice rising. Dunk stirs in his sleep, making Phuwin glare at Joong for disturbing his patient's rest.
"He has to stay here until his pneumonia is cured," answered Phuwin who then started to move to clean the equipment he had just used. "After that... I don't know what you will do to him but don't lock him up in that place again."
"I won't lock him up anymore," said Joong. "But he can't stay here either. He'll run away when he's strong enough."
"I never want to know what you do to your slaves, you know that, right," said Phuwin as he adjusted Dunk's blanket. "The important thing is that he continues to be well cared for, so this won't happen again."
"Hmm... I think I already know where I will put it," said Joong mumbling. "I'll get him out of this place in three days, Phuwin."
Phuwin's mouth opened wide, shocked. "Three days? He won't get better in three days!"
"No problem," said Joong crossing his arms over his chest. "He needs to be moved while he's still weak. I can inject the medicine myself, you just need to give me the dose."
"But... but he needs to be put in a warm and dry place, I can't let you put him back in-"
"Relax, Phuwin," Joong grinned.
