Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 3 Paradise

Chapter 71 Strength

<Basel Clinic>

Kallen stood alone by the clinic door. She could hear the whispers of the street. The countless praises of her name rattled in her mind. She could bear it for now, but one day it would steal her appetite and staple her stomach. Lethargic was the perfect word to describe her current state and she couldn't pinpoint why her bile churned.

"It's the attention," Kallen muttered. "The sun is warming and the sky is bright. Calm yourself. There's nothing to be wary of."

She twirled the handle of the door, metal and embedded. Her heart skipped beats and to her horror, she tore the door from its hinges. Sunlight floored in the dreary place. There was no lobby room just a collection of curtained cots. The counter by the door was a simple coffee table too short to be a desk. The floor was made of the palest of stones and the walls were built with jet black bricks that stole all the light from the room. How many cots were there, 30? The central walkway divided the cots and at its end stood a door.

"I'm sorry," Kallen squeaked.

Setting the door aside because she knew she couldn't fix it, she invited herself in. Groans and snores occupied the gloomy clinic. The only redeeming feature the clinic had was its cleanliness. Kallen's shadow paced around the curtains as she waited. Soon a groggy woman appeared before her.

"What are you doing?" Olivia hissed. The medical Valkyrie's bloodshot eyes drew Kallen's concern.

"You've cried. What's wrong?"

"Cried? Me?! You're mistaken I'm merely sweating through my eyes!"

"If you're making jokes. Then it's because you've been rejected?"

"Ah, I can't hide anything from you captain! When did you get so observant? You're a dunce!"

"Keep it down there are patients here." Kallen smiled, ignoring Ovilia's insults.

"I'm also a patient. I'm here to heal my wounded heart!"

"Well, 'Patient' is the apothecary in?"

Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes as she ran past Kallen. Her weeping and whining carried out into the street. Polarizing the atmosphere between the clinic and the city. Kallen carried on before a patient from behind a curtain spoke.

"She's gone? Ah finally. Thanks for that."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"No, you've done us a favor. She pined for the apothecary's son. A decent bloke around her age but it's too soon to propose. They hadn't even met for five minutes. She came to stock up on potions, medicines, and herbs. Once she saw his face, his age, and heard of his single status she let her affection rain on him. It was terrifyingly desperate. I almost prayed to the lord to steal away my hearing. Reckon he'd give me some quiet."

"I'm sorry she disturbed you. I'll discipline her later."

"You? What's your rank?"

"I'm - I'm a lieutenant." Kallen lied.

"Ah, I see. You do have the ability but aren't the authority of medics only below captains and their vices?"

"That's only in battle. Discipline is maintained by the lieutenants who report to all the members above including vice captains and captains. It's designed so that Valkyries can survive and fight another day. In Olivia's case, I think she's competent on that front, she's just..."

"Desperate. I can understand that. I got no wife. No kids. These days I'm living off the charity of others. A scant few others. I was once a private guard and now I'm just some cripple. Lost use of me legs and now not even a harlot would want me."

"Is there no way-"