The Head Doctor smiled slightly, almost sadly, in response to the similar questions that Kurogane and Fai had asked. He glanced to Kurogane, arching a brow.

"For a man who's seen as many different worlds as yourself, I'm surprised you wouldn't consider that perhaps this altverse, too, has a whole population of innocent civilians. That is who this whole show is for, not myself personally. I am sure you must find that difficult to believe after everything that you've seen from me, but..."

He trailed off, as if lost in thought for a moment before he looked back to the patients. He chuckled quietly, though there was little mirth in it. "I suppose that there'd be no use in explaining myself, though, would there? Incentive is what interests you, I realize."

He paused, tapping one palm against the table before standing up from it and shifting his weight back to his feet. "As a show of good faith..." he moved his eyes from Tsubaki, to Kurogane, then to Fai, "perhaps I should ask... you what you feel a fair reward would be from me. I can't promise a deal, but I can... consider one."

Almost as an afterthought, he sighed and added: "I would certainly prefer rewarding you to the alternative."