I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. If there's one skill I can say I have, it's whiling the time away.

Hmm? Oh, these are test lenses, I'm sorting them by prescription strength… Indeed, glasses help us to see things clearly, but 20/20 eyesight is far from enough to truly see the land for what it is.

Reunion? I was with them for a brief moment. The bonfire that is life... You see, they still have much flame left; meanwhile, what am I but leftover ashes, cupped in the hand, waiting until I scatter to the wind.

Was I distracted again? Sorry. I was just glancing at the drizzle and mist outside. It's the bane of wanderers. The mud traps our feet and the mist blinds our vision, making every step feel like wading through a bog, and I mean that literally.

I learned Gaulish pugilism as a form of self-defense when I was an apprentice in Lingones. It hardly differed in technique from plain street brawling, and it was already lost by the time Gaul fell. Hm! I might even be the last in the land to remember it.

There's only one way to free myself, and it perfectly coincides with Rhodes Island's goal. That's why I choose to stay, to help others, in hopes that each day, little by little, I get closer to... the end.

In my great-grandson's eyes, you know, I see his grandmother. He visited me, but I wasn't the stranger of the family this time, nor was I struck with pain to see the lines on his face. We've made great progress both. We met, and bid farewell to each other in peace. I could envision no other ending for you and me.

See? Tilt the lens just so, point it at your kindling... and poof, fire. Got the hang of it? Good. Not that I recommend it as a technique, no. All that fussing with sunlight and angles? Just grill with an electric grill instead.

These involuntary flashbacks and déjà-vu are beginning to affect my work. The young lady from Medical suggested I carry a notebook with me, so I could jot keywords down to piece together later. Her other advice was to find someone who could help verify the content of my memories. And well... here I am.

I can prescribe a pair of glasses for you, if you can't read what's on the… Doctor?

I'm Nowell. I've made glasses for your patients, and I know a little about medicine... I'll be spending some time here.

That one's carrying an umbrella, but it's not raining... oh, it's an Arts Unit.

I didn't do anything worthy of this medal, but... Thank you.

I still await death with a passion. It may be that I never repay Rhodes Island for its kindness. Even so, do you still insist on this... reward?

My experience working alongside others is limited.

You don't need me in the rear?

*Sigh* Let's go, then.

Follow me.

Go ahead.

I'm ready.

Alright.

I'll take good care of them.

The light is shining at the right angle.

Hang in there.

If you're wounded, stay behind me.

I'm here. I'll help you.

Will there ever be an end to conflict like this?

We have saved some lives. That's something.

Making mistakes is a human thing.

Go! I have the rear… Go!

Any place to rest is fine.

Unfortunately for me, with age does not come heart disease, Doctor.

Being an optician doesn't mean I have any vision problems. That's to say, I can see you, Doctor. You don't need to get so close.

Arknights.

Happy New Year, Doctor. Once, it tortured me to see doors and courtyards dressed in festive decor, a cruel reminder of time's passage that one could never escape, a far cry from the intended joy. Thankfully, things are different now.

Hello, Doctor.

I've heard it's your birthday. When you blow out the candles and make a wish, don't let anyone hear it, for those with cruel intent might exploit it… Just a joke. Happy birthday, Doctor.

Rhodes Island is a ship that gives sanctuary to those on a long and arduous journey. Those who find this vessel no longer need to wander, to measure their remaining lives with their feet. If only I had... no, it never could have been.