Chapter 9
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The panel spreading out before my eyes, according to Aesis, was called a “status screen.”
It seems my illness has advanced quite a bit.
If it were just auditory hallucinations, maybe I could ignore it. But seeing visual hallucinations too… at this point, even treatment might already be too late.
“Master, are you kidding me? You’re kidding me, aren’t you~~?”
(I’m not kidding. I understand perfectly well.)
“I’m not talking about your illness. After all I told you, you’re still doubting me. Clearly you need some punishment!”
(Wait, wait, wait~~! Aesis, I’m not doubting you! I don’t think you’re a hallucination!)
“Heaven’s Wrath!!”
(Gyaaa! Ouch, ouch!)
(During homeroom, of all times! Damn you, Aesis! Ow ow ow… stop, stooop~~!)
As I writhed in pain at my desk, the student behind me spoke up.
“Teacher, Mikado-kun looks like he’s in pain.”
“Is that so? Mikado, are you alright?”
Mr. Inokuma, our teacher, came over to my seat.
I couldn’t answer properly through the pain.
“Kashimura, you’re the health committee member, right? Sorry, but could you take Mikado to the infirmary?”
“Got it.”
Holding my head, I let myself be led to the nurse’s office by the girl called Kashimura.
Aesis’s punishment had ended on the way, and the pain was gone, but being seen in that state in front of class was mentally exhausting. Resting in the infirmary seemed better.
“Mikado-kun, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve calmed down a bit. Sorry about this.”
“It’s fine. This is part of the health committee’s job.”
Looking closely, I realized the health committee girl was the quiet one who’d come to class first thing this morning.
“This morning you looked like you were enjoying your book.”
“Looks like she overheard you, Master.”
(Aesis, seriously—choose the right time and place!)
“Haha, yeah, you’re right.”
I tried to keep the conversation going.
“Master, your vocabulary is way too poor.”
(Shut up! Be quiet for a bit!)
“Yeees~”
“So, what book were you reading?”
“A light novel, an isekai one. I bought it yesterday, and it’s the first time I’ve read a light novel.”
“Eh, your first light novel?”
“Yeah. Is that so surprising?”
“Well, Mikado-kun, you’re always reading books, so I thought this morning wasn’t your first time.”
“The books I usually read are programming books. I wanted to learn so I could become independent from home as soon as possible.”
“Wow, you’re thinking about the future already. That’s amazing.”
Not amazing. More like forced by necessity…
“Um…”
What was this girl’s name again?
“Kashimura. Kashimura Seria. It’s awful you don’t remember, even though we’re classmates.”
“S-sorry. I’m just bad at remembering names…”
I just wanted to get to the infirmary quickly.
“Mikado-kun, did you want to ask me something?”
“Ah, yeah. Kashimura-san, you often read books too, right? What kind?”
“I only read light novels. Right now, a romantic comedy.”
“I see. But yeah, I just started reading light novels, and they’re really fun. I want to read more, but money’s tight this month, so I’ll have to wait until next month to buy more.”
“If you want, I can lend you some. I’ve got plenty.”
“Eh, really? …Actually, maybe I shouldn’t.”
The urge to borrow came out, but I’m still not good at talking with others.
“No need to hesitate. You like isekai stories, right? I’ll bring one of my best tomorrow.”
Her delighted smile made it hard to refuse.
“No need to be shy. Let’s see… maybe this one for a beginner? Or maybe that god-tier story with the amazing developments~~”
She looked genuinely happy.
But she forgot one thing.
“Kashimura-san, tomorrow’s Saturday. No school.”
“Ah, right. Then I’ll bring it Monday. Look forward to it.”
We talked like that until we reached the infirmary.
I lay down on a bed while Kashimura filled out some forms.
The school nurse looked at me, surprised.
“You’re Mikado-kun, right? Struck by lightning, yet well enough to come to school already? Is that headache an aftereffect?”
The nurse was a woman in her late twenties, exuding mature charm.
“Eh? Mikado-kun was hospitalized because he was struck by lightning?”
Kashimura must have overheard.
Seems that hadn’t been shared with the class, probably due to privacy.
“Yeah. I got hit by lightning on a camping trip.”
“Oh, I said too much. Let’s keep that between us. Anyway, if that’s your condition, you should really go to the hospital. I’ll tell the other teachers. Do you have someone to pick you up?”
“I live alone, so there’s no one I can call. I’ll be fine just resting here, no need for the hospital.”
(It’s Aesis’s fault anyway!)
“Master, so noisy!”
But the nurse replied after checking my condition.
“Still, I can’t ignore this as a nurse. Your doctor is Dr. Misumi at Ken’ō Medical University Hospital, right? I actually work there too. I’ll call a taxi.”
So this nurse was also a doctor from that hospital.
“Sensei, I don’t have much money.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll cover it for now. Just pay me back when you can.”
She handed me about 10,000 yen.
“Anyway, you’re lucky to be alive. You probably don’t remember, but you were airlifted by doctor helicopter. And the doctors on board? Me, and Dr. Misumi, your attending physician.”
What a coincidence.
I even rode a doctor heli… shame I wasn’t conscious.
“I see. Um…”
“I’m Kiriya Saori, a resident at Ken’ō Medical University.”
“Dr. Kiriya, thank you for saving my life.”
I bowed deeply, giving the most gratitude I could.
“I only treated your wounds. The one who revived you was a nursing student camping at the site. If not for her, you wouldn’t be here. You should thank her instead. By the way, how’s your chest? It was a nasty burn.”
“No pain. The scar’s still there, but as long as I ignore it, I’m fine.”
“That’s good. Mind if I check? Go ahead and take off your shirt.”
Eh, here!?
I reluctantly took off my jacket and unbuttoned my shirt.
Spread across my chest was a dendritic scar, called a Lichtenberg figure, unchanged since that day.
“It’s true… that awful burn has already healed. No wonder Dr. Misumi said your recovery rate was abnormal.”
“So he said that? I didn’t know.”
“No memory loss either. It’s practically a miracle. I used to check on you often in the ICU, but once I was reassigned, I never saw you awake. Still, the scar’s impressive… but so are these muscles. You weren’t like this when I treated you…”
Yeah…
Being touched directly was ticklish.
“I did some training, and… ended up like this.”
“Wow, Mikado-kun, amazing~~”
Ah, right. Kashimura was here too.
I just showed off my bare chest in front of her.
The doctor seemed to forget too—her face said “Oops!”
“Um, Kashimura-san, right? Let’s keep this a secret, okay?”
“Yes! I won’t tell anyone Mikado-kun’s secret!”
Not that it’s such a big secret, but better that she stays quiet.
“Hey, Mikado-kun, can I touch your muscles?”
“…I guess, but it’s not that interesting.”
“That’s not true. Okay, excuse me.”
She poked and prodded my chest and abs, saying things like, “Wow, so hard!” and “Amazing, they twitch!”
What is this situation!?
“Alright, that’s enough. Kashimura-san, can you go fetch Mikado-kun’s bag from class? I’ll call the taxi.”
“Aww, too bad. But okay. Mikado-kun, thank you. I’ll be right back with your bag.”
She hurried out of the infirmary.
Back to the hospital again… but I do need the paperwork for insurance anyway, so maybe it’s good timing.
And so, just two days after being discharged, I was headed back to that hospital once more.
