Ch.157Episode 9 – Old Fashioned

“Are you telling me to discharge now?”

I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. What I was saying didn’t even sound real to me.

“Listen, Holy Maiden. This is the intensive care unit. I need to push an IV stand even to go to the bathroom right there. I can’t even leave without it.”

It was true that my condition had improved, but that was only compared to when I was first brought to the hospital room. I was still receiving daily IV fluids. I could move around, but I generally needed to use the IV stand as a makeshift cane.

So what nonsense was this about being discharged?

But Veronica paid no attention, digging her pinky finger into her ear while ignoring my words.

“That’s more than enough to go. Who said you had to walk to the hotel, Major? I brought a car, so hurry up and come out.”

“No, even so, in this condition…”

My voice trailed off as I lowered my gaze. At the end of my line of sight was the patient gown that advertised “I’m a patient” to anyone who saw it.

Of course, I was wearing a patient gown since I was hospitalized. The suit I had worn to the department store had long since been reduced to rags and thrown into the clothing disposal bin.

Certainly, if I contacted my unit or family, they would bring me clothes, but it was currently dawn. If someone hospitalized in the ICU called at dawn asking for clothes to be brought for discharge, they would most likely think, “Ah, this guy has finally lost his mind.”

“I’ll ask for some wearable clothes once it’s daylight. You should go ahead and—”

“I brought clothes.”

“What?”

“Clothes for you to wear, Major. I brought them.”

Veronica, dressed in her clerical attire, opened a large bag she had brought from somewhere and pulled out a suit.

She confidently held out the suit with a slight smile.

“I asked my sister. She bought one tailored to your usual size. The shoes are here too.”

“…Which sister?”

“Francesca.”

“Ah.”

I was speechless. My mind felt numb, as if I’d been hit on the head.

But regardless of my feelings, Veronica placed the suit and shoes on the bed and urged me.

“Hurry and get dressed. We need to leave before people start going to work.”

Episode 9 – Old-Fashioned

The discharge happened in the blink of an eye.

Normally, a discharge requires the attending physician’s permission, but fortunately, my doctor was on duty.

The attending physician and the military chaplain, who heard the news via internal phone, jumped up from the sofa in the duty room and rushed down to the first floor.

And then they collapsed.

The doctor was shocked to see me standing with all limbs intact, and the chaplain fainted upon seeing that my right thumb was still attached.

I wondered why they were acting like that, but Veronica kept poking my side and pulling my arm, so I had to leave.

“This is ridiculous…”

“You keep saying strange things. Stop talking nonsense and let’s go inside quickly. It’s cold.”

After skipping the complicated procedures and completing the discharge process, we headed straight to the hotel.

*

Foreign dignitary visits are traditionally important diplomatic events.

And there’s always a minor point of contention during these visits: “Which hotel will the foreign dignitary stay at?”

The Hyatt Hotel, a domestic company close to the Yongsan US military base, favored by successive US presidents;

The Lotte Hotel, with bases in both Korea and Japan, where Japanese prime ministers always stay;

The Shilla Hotel, trusted by Chinese presidents and premiers for its historical significance as a state guesthouse and its recognition in the Chinese market.

These are roughly the hotels visited by American, Japanese, and Chinese leaders when they visit South Korea.

They’re all 5-star hotels with separate spaces prepared for receiving state guests, and they all share the commonality of embodying political and historical symbolism.

The hotel provided by the Abas government was no different.

“It’s really spacious.”

The hotel was vast and majestic.

This hotel with its long history had hosted countless heads of state and government leaders starting with President Fatalia, and decades ago, it was even where the Emperor of the Kien Empire had stayed. That’s because it was once operated by the Abas government for state guests.

Moreover, it was a hotel frequented by foreign politicians and celebrities visiting Abas, so its historical and symbolic significance was beyond words.

Of course, those staying at the hotel now weren’t just ordinary politicians or celebrities.

“…Huh?”

Camilla, passing through the corridor, exclaimed in surprise when our eyes met.

“How… I mean, when did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

Camilla naturally opened her arms upon meeting me. Understanding it as a greeting hug, I also opened my arms.

…Impressive.

We briefly embraced each other and then separated.

Camilla looked at me with an expression of evident surprise, as if still bewildered.

“Weren’t you seriously injured? What on earth happened? I heard you were hospitalized, but couldn’t reach you…”

“Ah, it was a place where it was difficult to contact the outside. I couldn’t even contact my family.”

“Were you badly hurt?”

“I’m fine now. Can’t you tell from seeing me discharged in one piece?”

“That’s a relief. I was really worried.”

Camilla smiled after finishing our greetings. It was a smile suggesting she was finally relieved.

As I was happily chatting with Camilla about various things, I suddenly felt a piercing gaze from beside me.

At the end of that gaze was Veronica, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Since when did you two become… that kind of relationship…?”

“…What?”

Camilla questioned as if asking what she meant, and Veronica narrowed her eyes and gave me a strange look.

I wondered why she was suddenly acting this way, then remembered that she was a noble from the Empire.

In the global community, hugs are accepted as greetings, but in this area, people rarely embrace unless they’re as close as family or friends. Especially for nobles who value etiquette, rather than commoners.

Of course, these days there are cases of hugging as a light greeting, but Veronica was far from such a person. What madman would dare request a hug from a Holy Maiden? Even the Pope wouldn’t do such a thing.

So it’s natural for Veronica to react that way.

“Ah, Holy Maiden, you don’t know. This is just a greeting.”

“…Between a man and a woman, not between the same gender?”

“Um… it’s a proper greeting in England?”

“…Are foreigners working as civil servants these days?”

“You’re from Abas, not England,” Veronica said gently. Actually, if we’re being precise, I’m Korean, not English.

I shrugged my shoulders to avoid answering and moved on.

After that, the people I was going to meet were obvious.

“You’ve arrived. I received word that you had departed, but I apologize for not being able to greet you earlier.”

“Not at all. It’s been a while, Administrator.”

“I’m glad to see you too, Military Attaché.”

Francesca smiled gently.

She greeted me with a rather friendly attitude and smoothed the collar of my suit with her finger.

“I’m glad the suit seems to fit. I was worried since it was obtained in a hurry and I wasn’t sure about the exact size… but it seems my concerns were unfounded.”

“It’s thanks to your good eye, Administrator.”

I shook hands lightly with Francesca and then turned my head toward another person.

“Holy Maiden Lucia, it’s good to see you too. Have you been well?”

“I’ve been fine. Have your injuries healed? I hope you’re not pushing yourself…”

“Ah, I’m fine. See, I’ve been discharged in one piece.”

I smiled awkwardly at Lucia’s concerned question.

The doctor hadn’t actually said I could be discharged, and strictly speaking, Veronica had just taken me out on her own, but since I was physically intact, there didn’t seem to be any problem.

And with two Holy Maidens present, what was there to worry about? While Veronica might be a different story, Lucia wasn’t the type to stand by and watch a patient die.

Lucia left me with instructions to come to her if anything seemed wrong, and I promised to get a check-up someday as I took her outstretched hand.

“Huh? Your finger…”

“Hmm?”

In the middle of our handshake, Lucia suddenly muttered as she noticed something unusual.

I then raised my right hand to show everyone.

“Oh, this? Thanks to Holy Maiden Veronica’s treatment, it’s completely healed.”

“I see, I thought I felt divine energy…”

“You have a good sense for it.”

I exchanged greetings with Camilla, Lucia, and Francesca, discussing what had happened during my absence.

It really is good to be discharged.

“When I was lying in the hospital bed all day, I was depressed, but it feels good to be out. Why didn’t you come earlier?”

“Blame the Ministry of Defense. Or the Foreign Ministry.”

They say if you’re upset, curse your workplace. They say you can even curse the president if no one’s listening, but I was a bit reluctant to badmouth my company when someone might be eavesdropping.

So I just smiled.

“Well!”

Veronica clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention, changing the atmosphere.

“Instead of just standing around, let’s go inside. Now that the Major is here, let’s have a party.”

“You could just say you want to drink…”

“Who would say that outright? Just take the hint, okay?”

“Ah, yes…”

After quietly whispering with Veronica, I entered the room with the four of them.

*

While I was in the middle of drinking with the group.

A call came from Clevins.