The doors of the medical room slid open.
Warm white light spilled into the corridor.
Marianne Dante was already there.
She stood beside the examination table, sleeves rolled up, dark hair tied loosely behind her head. There was nothing rushed in the way she moved. No panic. No surprise.
Only quiet preparation.
She looked up as Ludwig entered.
"You took your time," she said calmly.
Ludwig crossed the room and laid Mia carefully onto the table.
"Forest isn't exactly paved."
Marianne's eyes had already moved to the woman's face.
For a brief moment something flickered in her expression.
Recognition.
But it vanished just as quickly.
She stepped closer and gently pushed the wet hair away from Mia's forehead.
"Temperature is dropping," she murmured.
Ludwig stepped back, giving her space.
Marianne's hands moved with practiced precision. She checked Mia's pulse, lifted an eyelid, listened to her breathing.
"Severe exhaustion," she said quietly. "Dehydration. Muscle trauma."
Her fingers paused lightly against Mia's wrist.
Then she frowned.
"That's… unusual."
Ludwig leaned against the wall.
"Define unusual."
"Her pulse."
Marianne looked again, more carefully this time.
"It keeps changing rhythm."
Ludwig crossed his arms.
"She woke up for a moment in the forest."
Marianne glanced toward him.
"Oh?"
"She talked."
"What did she say?"
"Not much."
He hesitated.
"Just asked where we were."
Marianne nodded slowly.
"That sounds normal enough."
Ludwig shook his head.
"No."
He met her eyes.
"It didn't feel normal."
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Marianne returned to her work, attaching small medical sensors to Mia's chest.
The monitors flickered to life beside the table.
Numbers began to scroll.
"Odin," Marianne said calmly, without looking up.
"Yes, Doctor Dante."
"Full neurological scan."
"Processing."
A soft humming filled the room as the scanner activated.
Ludwig watched in silence.
Marianne studied the data as it appeared.
Her expression grew thoughtful.
"Interesting…"
"What?" Ludwig asked.
"Multiple activity patterns."
"Meaning?"
Marianne didn't answer immediately.
She was looking at Mia's face again.
Not the celebrity.
Not the patient.
Something deeper.
Then the door behind them opened quietly.
A tall figure stepped into the room.
Aster Roth.
He stopped just inside the doorway, hands folded behind his back, observing the scene with composed curiosity.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then his eyes moved from the monitors…
to Mia.
And finally to Ludwig.
"So," Aster said softly.
"I hear we've received a visitor."