Ch.190190. Return (1)

Under the midday sun, a slightly chilly autumn breeze slips through the curtains.

Yet it was warm enough to wake the eyes of the boy sleeping soundly in the hospital room.

“Ugh…”

My body feels unbearably heavy.

My eyelids are heavy, and my limbs ache and feel like they’re being pressed down by thousands of pounds.

Nevertheless, Junon grabbed the support rail on the bed and struggled to bend his waist.

“Haa. This is killing me. I thought I’d never have to go through this again.”

It’s frustrating, but I’m starting to feel like I’m getting used to my body breaking down.

“I didn’t think I’d just be sitting back and reaping the benefits. But still, this isn’t right.”

How many times has this been now?

The third-year first semester evaluation. The Osoptera War. Cayden’s Dubevan terrorist incident. The Shit Extermination War. And now this.

If I include the times I had to step up even when I wasn’t injured, there seem to be even more instances where I had to take action directly.

It was enough to make me sigh deeply.

“But why is it so noisy outside?”

I noticed it when I was getting up, but it’s too loud considering we’re near a hospital.

Since silence is required for patients, there aren’t many situations where people’s voices would be echoing like this.

Could monsters have invaded? That was my thought, but when I pulled back the curtain, there was no sign of monster invasion.

It doesn’t seem like a fight broke out or an accident happened either.

Feeling something was off, I tried to approach the window, and at that exact moment, the hospital room door opened.

“Senior? When did you wake up?”

The one who came looking for him was a silver-haired girl full of goodwill and justice, the only one he could lean on in the place called Shelter.

“Not long ago. Right now, I’m just, ugh.”

“Don’t move. The doctor said you shouldn’t move from your bed until your body recovers.”

She puts her hands on her hips and imitates the doctor’s voice, saying, “Make sure to stop the patient if he tries to get out.”

“Pfft. Is it that doctor again? Unbelievable.”

“This isn’t funny. Do you know how often he’s been here that he knows what kind of person you are and laments about it? Geez.”

“Alright. I’ll restrain myself until I’m better.”

She corrects him, raising her index finger and saying it’s not restraint but prohibition! There’s no stopping her.

‘Before, Adel used to come instead of Renias.’

Even the hospital room happens to be the same. I recall Adel coming with apples at this time, in this place.

Thinking about that time, I wonder what happened to Adel. I find myself curious from time to time.

She was a hostage once, and I was so focused on subduing Demian that I didn’t get to check on her properly.

I didn’t even hear her voice until I closed my eyes, so I ask to confirm.

“Renias. Come to think of it, what happened afterward?”

I asked to confirm, but Renias’s body, which was arranging the curtains by the window, momentarily stiffened and froze.

I didn’t see that instant directly, but her response was quite delayed, causing me to turn my head involuntarily.

“Renias?”

When he asked again, Renias slowly walked to the hospital bed, sat down gently, and took both of Junon’s hands.

“Senior. You need to listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you, okay?”

“Huh? Oh… sure.”

Junon answers with a bewildered face. Renias tried to begin calmly, smiling as usual.

But she couldn’t easily start.

She was at a loss for where to begin and how much to say.

“Senior… um…”

This isn’t like Renias.

Her vibrant and cheerful image. Her words that energize just by hearing them. Her beautiful smile that spreads happiness.

Her face now was the opposite of that silver rabbit girl’s usual appearance.

“Just remember this. You did nothing wrong, Senior. Understand?”

“What?”

Clunk!

At that moment, the door opened, and an unexpected visitor entered the room where silence had fallen due to the puzzling statement.

“Ha, finally awake, I see.”

This is a hospital room with a patient.

Entering without permission from the guardian or the patient is grounds for complaint.

“I don’t think I invited you in, Erika.”

I didn’t particularly want to see her or talk to her. But she seemed to have a lot to say.

“You’ve been lying unconscious for four days, and that’s what you have to say?”

Four days? I was asleep for that long?

It happened before too, but it seems like each time I collapse, I sleep longer.

Anyway, right now, this is more important than how long I slept.

“Isn’t it rude to enter a patient’s room without permission like that?”

“Rude? Is that the issue right now? After causing all this trouble, you’re worried about that?!”

“Senior is still a patient who the doctor said needs rest!”

A tense confrontation forms between Renias and Erika.

Junon was just watching, not knowing what was going on, but he needed to ask what her business was before sending her away.

“What are you so dissatisfied with that you came here?”

Actually, even without asking, there were a couple of things that came to mind.

One was if Erika had heard about Aris’s issue during the faction war.

If not only Senia but also Erika knew about it, it wouldn’t be strange for her to come like this.

The second was that I had asked Mishel and Tembris for help in this operation.

Given the situation where they had to get directly involved, she could be coming to call me out for breaking my promise with her.

‘But then how would I have rescued the hostage?’

If she considered the circumstances and testimonies, she would probably understand the situation and back down.

After all, a person’s life was at stake, and there were special conditions that left no other choice but to act as I did.

However, all my expectations were wrong.

“Do you even know what state Adel is in because of your unilateral actions?!”

“…What?”

Erika was bringing up Adel’s name.

‘What state Adel is in? She was a hostage, but… wasn’t she properly rescued?’

Raising her voice even more, Erika continued, looking like she might slap him again like before.

“She’s as good as dead…! She’s become a vegetable!!”

But it felt like something worse than a slap had already hit him.

‘A vegetable? What nonsense is that?’

He thought it was absurd, but then he recalled why it was so noisy outside.

There was no sign of monster invasion, street fights from disputes, pickpocketing, fraud, or any other accidents.

‘That means… all these loud voices are…?’

The focus in his black pupils blurred.

At this moment, his mind became a blank white sheet.

The time spent thinking about what to do after recovering.

The future he would face next.

Even the thought that he should wear a coat because it was getting chilly outside and he might catch a cold—all of it was erased.

Except for the only command from his brain: find Adel’s hospital room.

“No, Senior! If you get up now…”

“Move.”

“Senior!”

Renias tried urgently to stop him, but it was useless.

He was already staggering forward, leaning against the wall, taking one step at a time toward the hospital room where voices filled with sorrow were echoing.

The angry junior ended up slapping her.

Slap─!

“Huh…! How dare you…!”

“I’d like to sew that rude mouth of yours shut right now, but I’m restraining myself with just this.”

“What did you say? Hey, have you lost your mind?! Lady Lantana!”

Renias barely suppressed her boiling anger and ran after him. Right now, Junon’s mental care was the priority.

She had planned to gradually, very slowly, convey the facts to lighten his burden.

It would have been fine to tell him after his body recovered. No matter how strong a person is, their heart can’t be equally strong.

She could have let him hear the facts directly and then explained the circumstances to reduce the shock and prevent misunderstandings.

Also, it was right to avoid the current situation where everyone was hostile toward him.

But Junon’s steps were too quick.

***

People say in unison.

No matter how many good deeds you’ve done, one big mistake ruins everything.

It’s not wrong. Whether it’s small acts of helping people or risking your life to save someone else’s, it’s the same.

One big failure stemming from a single mistake eats away at everything about that person and turns all the previous praise into bare bones.

That experience.

That time.

That past.

The man had carried it for far too long.

“…”

As he approaches, what felt like commotion transforms into something different.

He wants to believe it’s not true, but why does he feel so uneasy?

Still, he moves forward with a sliver of hope. Junon hoped that the voices of those crying out weren’t the ones he knew.

“Hey, look…!”

“Isn’t that Junon?”

“How dare he show his face here?”

“Unbelievable!”

Groups whisper while fixing their gaze on Junon as he approaches, staggering.

Surely many among them have benefited from him, but rather than remembering that, they turn their backs on him, bringing up the issue at hand.

“Really? He’s the one who said not to let anyone in where the hostage was?”

“That’s what I heard!”

“Come on, does that even make sense? That’s too far-fetched.”

“Hmph. That’s why he’s being cursed now, isn’t it? He brought it on himself.”

From questions to slander. From slander to speculation, which soon inflates into “fact” without even considering Junon’s situation and choices.

This is happening even though there’s hardly any established fact since eyewitness accounts haven’t even been added yet.

“…”

“How dare you come here?”

“He’s vicious. Does he want to see Adel’s mother and the former guild officials heartbroken?”

“What are you trying to do to Adel now! Stop him, everyone!”

Why did you do it?

Why did you do such an absurd thing?

It’s all because you carried out that reckless operation.

That’s what they were saying. Those people who weren’t even directly involved with the scene.

“Stop it right now!”

“Seems like you’ve forgotten this is a hospital. Who’s criticizing whom here?”

As soon as the commotion outside the hospital room started, Mishel and Senia stepped in to cut off the one-sided slander and criticism.

Renias, who had run down from the corridor where she had just encountered Erika, also arrived, buying some time.

“Haa, haa…”

“Senior. Let’s go back, okay? I’ll tell you everything…”

“…”

“Senior…”

Despite Renias’s concerns, Junon continues to move his legs without yielding.

He still couldn’t believe it and wanted to confirm it himself.

The reality that Adel had become a vegetable because of his choice.

“Please disperse. Those who aren’t related to this matter.”

“You let that guy into the room, but why should we…!”

“Listen. Don’t you know Junon is also a witness? Frankly, what changes by just raising your voices here?”

“T-that’s…”

“Renias needs to support Junon, so she’ll go with him. Either disperse, or we’ll immediately respond to your protest.”

They still look like they might stone the staggering Junon, but they couldn’t ignore the voices of Mishel and Senia, who were watching with fierce eyes.

After a while, when they dispersed, Mishel and Senia, who remained in the corridor, immediately suspected one person.

“…The timing matches perfectly with when Erika disappeared, right?”

“Yes. If she told him right after he woke up, the timing would be just right.”

“Tch. We told her to wait.”

Both of their expressions turned grim.

They had planned to tell Junon about Adel’s condition when he was able to make sound judgments.

Erika had ignored this opinion and acted on her own.

Now they were certain. They had stopped at suspicion before, citing lack of concrete evidence and only having circumstantial evidence, but Erika had made the first move.

Clearly, with Junon in mind.

“…I’ll go.”

“Are you sure?”

Can you be harsh to a fellow party member? That’s what Mishel is asking.

“Harsh words have always been my role. And… this time, I need to draw my sword completely.”

“I’m counting on you.”

A sharp glint appears in Senia’s eyes. It’s not just my imagination that her steps are quick.

Mishel anticipates that Senia will deliver a fierce threat to the person who created trouble that didn’t need to happen.

Yet he doesn’t stop her.

Because it’s a necessary response.