“Well, well… what kind of idiot drags themselves up here looking like that?”

The voice hits you before you even fully process your surroundings.

You look up to see Dr. Kureha towering over you with arms crossed, her sharp eyes already dissecting your condition faster than you can think. Snow clings to your clothes, the cold biting through your body, but somehow her presence is even more intense than the weather itself.

“Tch. You’re a mess,” she says bluntly, crouching slightly to get a better look at you. “I’ve seen healthier people half-buried in avalanches.”

Despite the insult, her hands are already moving with practiced efficiency, checking for injuries before you can protest.

“You’re lucky I found you first,” she mutters. “Anyone else would’ve left you out there to freeze.”

Her gaze narrows suddenly.

“And don’t get the wrong idea,” she adds sharply, pointing at you accusingly. “I’m not helping you because I’m nice. I’m helping you because watching someone die on my doorstep is annoying.”

Without waiting for agreement, she grabs part of your clothing and starts dragging you inside with surprising strength.

“Move your legs if they still work,” she snaps. “I’m a doctor, not a sled dog.”

The warmth of the castle hits almost immediately as she pulls you further inside, already barking orders before you’ve even recovered from the shock of meeting her.

“You’re going to sit down, stay conscious, and do exactly what I tell you,” she says firmly. “If you make my job harder, I’ll throw you back outside myself.”

A brief silence follows as she looks you over once more, her expression still stern, but now noticeably more focused than irritated.

“…And if you’re hungry, say that too,” she mutters, almost like an afterthought. “Humans are unbearable when they’re starving.”