“Huh?”
"Well, the first time we met, you didn't smile at all, so I was confused about whether you didn't like me or if my speech was boring.
But I see you can smile after all."
'...Is this true?'
Damian's expression returned to its normal blank, and he touched his lips.
Liliana looked at him with a slightly dissatisfied look.
“Hey, you said it was nice to see you smile, and now you're back to not expressing yourself?
Smile a little.
You looked more handsome when you smiled!
"You were born with a handsome face, so use it."
'Thank you for the compliment.'
“I wasn't trying to compliment you...”
Liliana was about to say something else when a member of the hospital staff called her name.
"Ms.
Liliana Carnell?
Ms.
Liliana Carnell, please come."
Liliana jumped up and said to Damian,
"Oh, it's my turn.
I'll see you later!"
She waved her hand and quickly walked away.
"See you again!"
It was only after Liliana entered the treatment room that Damian relaxed and relaxed in his chair.
It looked like the storm had just passed.
'Ah... that was overwhelming...'.
Recalling the recent events, Damian couldn't help but laugh.
It wasn't a laugh of discomfort.
Rather, it was a warm, gentle laugh that came naturally when she saw something cute.
***
Damien met with a number of prosthetic manufacturers recommended by the hospital.
As he walked around, trying on different prosthetics and getting price estimates, he had to admit one thing.
“No one has prosthetics as high quality as those of Asher Ollon...!”
Damien finally realized that he had fallen for Asher's sales tactics.
The prosthetics Asher bought were ridiculously expensive compared to others.
The active prosthetics that Asher had bought for fifty thousand herks could have been obtained for half the price, twenty to thirty thousand, elsewhere.
And even this price seemed too expensive to Demian.
Automatic prostheses were 50-60% cheaper than those used by Asher.
But he should have known that when Asher fitted his prosthetic onto Damian's arm to experiment.
After trying the prosthetic used by Asher, he felt the difference in quality compared to others.
Asher's prosthetics were much lighter than usual, putting significantly less stress on the body, and were easy to move at will.
He didn't notice this while wearing them, but after trying other prosthetics, the difference became clear.
Now, nothing satisfied him except the prosthetics he wore from Asher.
Asher had intentionally attached the prosthetic to Damian's arm, with the goal of achieving this.
Furthermore, after learning of the existence of prosthetics with internal electrodes, he wished for a prosthetic with more precise movements than an active prosthetic.
'One hundred thousand...
Hmm...
I think I can manage a hundred thousand...'.
The day after the prosthetic examination, Damian returned to the hospital for rehabilitation therapy.
While waiting, he frowned, lost in thought about the prosthetic arm.
Maybe he could raise thirty thousand hereks with his current finances.
If he decided to, he might be able to purchase an artificial surface electrode by adding his saved military pay and taking out a loan.
But did he really need to go that far for an artificial surface electrode...?
A slight doubt arose, but it was quickly buried under Damian's self-justification.
Yes, this is correct.
This is to improve my quality of life.
Quality of life is important.
The problem was that he wanted the prosthetic Asher used, not the prosthetic he used elsewhere.
The prosthetic he tried briefly was so good it felt magical, commensurate with its high price.
But he did not have even a hundred thousand hercs; How was he able to afford the cost of the prosthetic limb he used, which cost two hundred thousand herak?
'Or should I get an active prosthetic for Asher instead?'
Even though it was an active prosthetic, the movement of Asher's own was better, making it seem more cost effective than getting a hundred thousand hercs for an automatic prosthetic from somewhere else.
While thoughts of Asher's prosthetics, active prosthetics, automatic prosthetics, and tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of Hercats were running through his head, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Hey, isn't that Damian?
We said we'd see each other again, and here we are!"
Damian greeted the person sitting next to him.
"Hello Liliana."
“Oh, you didn't add 'lady' today?”
“You said you didn't like it.”
"This is correct".
Liliana laughed softly.
“Are you here for rehabilitative therapy?”
I asked him after I heard him mention two days ago that he receives treatment every day at this time.
Damian nodded.
“I always feel it at this time.
Do you feel it too, Damian?”
“It seems that way, unless there are any changes in the schedule.”
"Really?
So we'll see each other more often?"
"It seems so."
"Great!
I was getting bored waiting for my turn.
If our schedules overlap, we can chat while you wait!
You must be bored alone too, right?"
“I'm fine, but I'm happy to chat with you if you'd like.”
"What's up with this non-condescending tone?"
Liliana nudged Damian with her elbow.
"Not at all.
I'm more concerned that you might find being with me annoying."
"I don't mind.
If you don't want to, I won't force you.
But you said you were okay with it, so I'll take that as consent."
Liliana rested her chin on her hands and looked at Damian.
“By the way, you seemed very serious earlier.
Is something wrong?”
“There's something on my mind, but it's not a big deal.”
"If it's not important, tell me.
What is?"
Damian hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“I'm trying to get a prosthetic arm...and it's more expensive than I thought.”
“How much do they cost?”
“I need at least thirty thousand Hercs to get one with basic joint movement, so I can have a wider range of motion.”
Liliana rolled her eyes and said,
“Is this… expensive?”
Her truly confused voice left Damian speechless for a moment.
She was in a single room in the hospital, so he assumed she was from a wealthy family, but seeing her ignoring the value of thirty thousand herks confirmed that.
She must be really rich.
But Damian didn't feel inferior.
He had Paul, who considered tens of thousands of hercs to be mere pocket money.
“All rich people are alike.”
Damian explained calmly,
"Well... it's a bit cumbersome for me, and thirty thousand is just a small cost.
If I wanted one with more complex joint movements, it would cost me over a hundred thousand hercs.
Ideally, I would like a robotic prosthetic, but I can't afford anything over a hundred thousand with my current money."
"Hmm...
I see.
What should we do?"
Liliana seems to be thinking of a solution.
“I think I could live without an arm, but it would be uncomfortable, and people would stare at me...”
Damian unconsciously grabbed his remaining right arm with his left hand.
"They are afraid."
Liliana nodded and asked,
"Why?
What's so scary about this?"
"I also wonder why."
Damian smiled wryly.
Liliana was about to say something when the nurse called Damian's name.
“Oh, it seems this is my turn.
I beg your pardon.”
When Damian stood up, Liliana quickly asked,
“Same time the day after tomorrow?”
"I'll be here."
Damian nodded with a slight smile, and Liliana smiled cheerfully.
"great!".