Jessie prepares treatment for Rowan's dragon arm, while Rowan recalls the original operation he underwent to have the dragon limb attached. He compliments her medical skills but turns violent once he notices that her Blue Ring has disappeared, surmising she left it with Eagle when he tried to rescue her. Incensed that Jessie would distract herself from her duties as a Blue Doctor by falling in love with a citizen, Rowan knocks her out and vows to destroy Eagle.
Elsewhere, Captain Eagle masses his forces to launch a direct attack on the Garicalege (with Jessie's "kidnapping" having finally motivated the Police Army to strike back at the group). His brother Ray has also arrived with a contingent of elite dragon tamers, Seldia's contribution to the fight. The battle begins with the Police Army and dragon tamers facing off against the Garicalege's alchemically enhanced goons. Eagle charges into the fray wearing Jessie's Blue Ring and swearing to himself he'll return it to her personally.
In Lezak, Randy welcomes the aged leader of the Blue Ramun tribe to his temple, though he questions why she's chosen to lead the main caravan through Lezak while the battle against the Garicalege rages nearby. She in turn questions why he left the army to become a priest.
The Empire's forces have gained ground in their offensive against the Garicalege, with the fighting pushed back into the extensive ruins that serve as the hideout for the cartel. Rowan prepares to battle Eagle one on one. Airi, having arrived at the Garicalege's hideout, taunts a paralyzed but fully conscious Jessie, who has been arranged as bait to draw Eagle out. Rowan repeats his vow to kill Eagle in front of Jessie.
Chapter 13 Provides Examples of:
- The Annotated Edition: In the author's notes for this chapter, Airi's last name is revealed to be Kidman, and her age is revealed to be 23. That would have made her about 11 years old when she witnessed (and possibly assisted in) the fire dragon arm transplant operation Dr. Zai underwent when he joined the Garicalege.
- Artistic License – Medicine: To keep from being affected by the "binding fragrance," Airi and Rowan wear gauzy, transparent veils while in the same room as the paralyzed Jessie. In no world would a flimsy bit of fabric draped loosely over their faces keep particles from the incense-like diffuser of the binding fragrance from getting into their lungs. Might just be handwaved away if they're alchemically enhanced veils or something.
- Badass Transplant:
- The Flashback to Rowan's transplant operation gives readers a bit of insight into the history of medical transplants in the world that Blue Ramun takes place in, and specifically how the Garicalege has worked closely with Alchemists to enhance their members' fighting abilities.
- The Police Army faces off against numerous Garicalege foot soldiers who have animalistic limb transplants designed for combat.
- Bridal Carry: After he knocks Jessie out, Rowan carries her away in this fashion.
- Entitled to Have You: The Inverted version of the trope crops up again, this time from Rowan. When he realizes the strength of Jessie's feelings for Eagle, he rages against her for falling in love with a citizen and turning her back on the Blue Tribe and the calling of the Blue Doctors.Rowan: ...in other words, you left the ring that held my feelings with Eagle. Is that what you're saying?Jessie: That's right.Rowan: Are you in love with him?Jessie: I... don't have a connection with you, Rowan...Rowan: Do you really intend to offend the law and fall in love with a citizen of the Empire? You intend to dirty your Ramun with that thing! I won't allow it!
- Flashback: Watching Jessie prepare treatment for his arm, Rowan recalls the day he went to the Alchemists to have his left arm replaced with a fire dragon's forelimb.
- Hypocrite: When Rowan gets outraged at Jessie for falling in love with Eagle, he asks if she intends to "offend the law" with her love, i.e. the law that prohibits marriages between Blue Doctors and citizens of the empire. This, coming from a career criminal who has no qualms against kidnapping Blue Doctors to steal their blood or killing citizens of the empire who get in his way. A criminal who actively profits off the children of such illegal unions by harvesting their blood and organs to sell on the black market.
- Instant Sedation: Rowan presses a rag against Jessie's face and she instantly collapses — the implication would be that it's soaked with a sedative from the Garicalege's onsite medical facilities.
- Knockout Gas: Downplayed - Rowan uses a modified anesthetic smoke on Jessie that leaves her fully conscious but unable to move. His intent is to force Jessie to watch as he fights and kills Eagle. Airi even comments on what a wicked invention it is:Airi: ...you're pretty vulgar, aren't you Rowan? This is a binding fragrance, right? You must have put a lot of work into it. This is a manipulation of the anesthetic fragrance used during surgery. Whoever is under its influence retains their consciousness... but they have no freedom of movement for their mouth and limbs, huh? You're not planning to do anything perverted to this girl, are you?
- Miniature Senior Citizens: The current leader of the Blue Ramun tribe, Sheddahad Karma, is an old woman who looks like she's barely 4 feet tall. She's about the same height as Priest Randy when he's seated on the ground.
- Power Crystal: Downplayed — Jessie uses a water stone to clean out an infection in the transplant scar tissue on Rowan's shoulder.
- Undressing the Unconscious: Implied — Jessie gets knocked out after Rowan realizes she gave Eagle her Blue Ring, and at the time she's wearing a black halter-top dress and pale boots. Rowan carries her unconscious body away, and when next she appears it's wearing a pale dress, dark boots, and a long veil. She's also paralyzed due to a binding fragrance that keeps her awake and unable to move, and Rowan has positioned her so that she can witness the fight he's about to stage with Eagle. The implication of the scene is that either Rowan or Airi dressed her up for the fight.
