Ch.1132You Again?

After Lena helped me get properly dressed, she finally went outside the hospital room to inform others that I had awakened.

She then used the excuse that I still needed rest to disperse all the visitors who had been flocking like clouds.

Of course, she didn’t reject all visits completely, and naturally allowed those who had been close to me from the beginning, like the holy maidens or our Hestella’s knights, to visit me.

Well, even then, only about three or four people actually came.

…Just to be clear, it’s not because my reputation is terrible that all my friends and acquaintances skipped visiting me.

It’s not like that.

“Where did everyone go? What about Demian and Millia?”

“They returned to their home countries. Apparently, a stone giant suddenly emerged from the plains and attacked the Wall of Berengaria.”

“A giant? What is that even…?”

My companions didn’t visit me not because my reputation was terrible, but because they were all incredibly busy.

There was chaos in the eastern wall area as giants appeared and they were busy subjugating them, and the Holy State was also preoccupied with the aftermath of the previous battle and border closure issues.

Not only that, but even within Hestella, the frequent appearance of undead monsters had kept the knights and their subordinate knights too busy to catch a breath.

So, I couldn’t be upset that my companions had returned without waiting for me to wake up.

They were all essential forces that couldn’t be spared for such matters. Waiting indefinitely for me to wake up would have been a national waste of resources.

Anyway, for these reasons, the only people who visited my hospital room were those who weren’t field workers and didn’t need to leave for other countries since the Holy State was their homeland.

Naturally, there weren’t many of them.

Oh, of course, there were quite a few people who came not to visit but to nurse me.

Lena said she could take care of me all by herself, but how could I leave everything to her when she was visibly exhausted?

Just addressing my hunger alone was not something that could be solved with just a meal or two, so bringing in additional maids was not an option but a necessity.

Thanks to those maids who diligently brought meals, I was finally able to satisfy my hunger, which hadn’t been remotely addressed by sharing Lena’s meals.

Though everything was low-sodium hospital food and tasted absolutely terrible.

Anyway, after drinking so much water that I felt like a flood might break out in the middle of the night, and stuffing so much food into my stomach that it bulged slightly, I finally felt like my body was moving properly.

Of course, I could only barely move a body that had previously been difficult to even hold up on my own, so I wasn’t able to leave the hospital room yet.

But that’s something, isn’t it?

At least I could eat and wash myself with my own strength. That was enough to be satisfied with for now.

“Uuugh… I guess there’s no choice…”

Lena seemed strangely disappointed about something… disappointed? Why? It was incomprehensible.

—-

Anyway, the maids took care of various troublesome tasks like laundry and cleaning in addition to meal delivery, which freed Lena from chores and finally allowed her to get some proper rest.

She must have been very tired, as she stayed right next to me and at some point laid her head on the back of my hand and started purring.

Her crouched position looked quite uncomfortable, so I carefully lifted her head onto my thigh and left her to sleep soundly.

The maids who occasionally came and went smiled slightly at the sight, lifting the corners of their mouths as if finding it cute.

Yes, our Lena is quite cute, isn’t she? She’s grown a bit taller than before, but she’s still adorably childlike, which I like.

Anyway, I spent several hours idly like that. Occasionally asking the maids to bring me various items.

Things like Mana Herb, Mana Herb, and Mana Herb.

…They wouldn’t bring them. Apparently, such stimulating substances couldn’t be recommended to a patient with weakened strength?

Perhaps because, befitting the cathedral in the Holy City, even the people serving as maids were all clergy wearing nun’s habits, I felt embarrassed insisting that I was fine and they should just bring them to me.

So I just gave up and sat there blankly, occasionally sipping the medicine they brought me.

There wasn’t much else to do.

When I asked for something to read to pass the time, they brought church history books and scriptures.

If Aishan-Gioro Hersella had been awake, I could have at least chatted with her, but perhaps because she had used too much power last time, she didn’t respond when I called for her.

The only moment I briefly forgot my boredom was… when Lacy and Agnes visited?

Both of them must be very busy as representatives of their respective churches, but they somehow made time to visit, wishing me a speedy recovery before leaving.

While I didn’t know about Agnes, I thought Lacy would be out in the field burning monsters, but it turned out she was also recuperating in the Holy City after overexerting herself in the previous battle.

As a result, unlike Agnes who was too busy to talk for long, I was able to have quite a lengthy conversation with Lacy.

What did we talk about?

Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?

The story of Heaven’s Wall, slightly distorted to fit the Church of Elpinel’s doctrine, and the warning that it continues to break down.

An explanation about the source of the undead monsters that have been appearing more frequently lately, the Undead Duke Garmerlic.

And stories about what happened when we defeated Invidius.

To pass the time, I told her in great detail about most of what I had seen and experienced in the great desert.

Of course, I completely omitted the part about fighting while riding Fafnir.

Why did I omit such an important detail? What are you talking about? Of course I had to omit it.

If I revealed that I had become one with Fafnir, one of the four great evil gods, Lacy might have hit me over the head with a scripture.

Although it wasn’t genuine cooperation but rather mutual exploitation, it wasn’t something I could casually mention in front of a devout fanatic like Lacy.

Therefore, all I could talk about was the Undead Duke’s army that appeared after the subjugation and the old man who stood against them.

Well, that alone was enough to pique Lacy’s interest.

“The Holy King of Zarem, Heirek…?”

Heirek.

A mysterious demigod who suddenly appeared to save me from danger and even teleported me to a safe place.

“Yes, do you know who he is?”

“No. It’s the first time I’ve heard that name. A demigod who uses stone techniques similar to our church…”

I thought Lacy might know his identity, but apparently not.

There’s a possibility that his name might be recorded in ancient church documents or forbidden books, but at least she personally had never heard of him.

“It’s worth investigating when I have time.”

She seemed quite interested in the story and said she would personally look into this demigod before leaving.

She said she would let me know if she found anything?

I didn’t expect much, but I acknowledged her offer and sent her on her way.

After Lacy left, I briefly left Lena, who was in a deep sleep, washed myself in the bathroom, and then lay back in bed to try to sleep.

You ask if I still needed sleep after sleeping for over two weeks? Well, perhaps due to my physical condition, drowsiness came over me as soon as I closed my eyes. Sleep is probably best for recovering strength.

So I fell asleep again. With Lena’s head resting on my arm instead of a pillow.

It wasn’t the deep sleep that would keep me unconscious for two weeks like before, but an ordinary sleep from which I would wake up rubbing my eyes the next morning.

…At least that’s what I thought when I fell asleep.

—-

【 Have you finally returned? It took you long enough. 】

When my consciousness, which had sunk into darkness, suddenly awakened, I found myself facing the all-too-familiar hellish landscape.

Along with the equally familiar face of that bastard.

“Ha… what is it this time.”

I let out a deep sigh and glared at him with an expression of utter disgust.

I thought I could finally get some comfortable sleep, but why does this guy have to show up again?

【 Despair if you wish. I understand if you run away. Your nightmare has only just begun! 】

Vanirgand, showing off the wounds he had received from me in the previous fight as if to boast, smiled viciously as he immediately restored himself.

“Despair? Run away? Why would I?”

I smiled back. A vicious smile filled with killing intent.

“On the contrary, I’m quite pleased. This means I have another chance to beat you to death, doesn’t it?”

I summoned Durandal, gripped it with both hands, and unleashed the power of the stars into the blade.

【 I look forward to it. How long will it take for that bluff of yours to scatter like dust? 】

Rising killing intent.

The holy light of the stars and the ominous star of predation, the blue and red divine powers blazed with hatred toward each other.

【 Come, let me hear your death throes once more. Wail pitifully like a trampled insect, like hunted sheep! 】

“This time I will kill you for sure, Vanirgand!”

A nightmare like hell transplanted.

Thus, in this second lucid dream, the bloody battle with the demon-like monster resumed.

– KWAAAANG!

“Keuek…!”

…The result was the same. Damn it.