Suella waking up, or rather, her waking up.
There were various emotions that flooded my mind at that single event.
My prediction was that my inner feelings would be dyed in pure joy, but…
“I’m so glad, Suella, truly.”
The reality was more complex than I had imagined.
Joy and relief, followed by an emptiness from the dispelled anxiety, and then a new worry about whether things would be alright like this, all mingled together, enveloping me in an indescribable emotion. That was all I could say.
However, there was no doubt that the joy of happiness was overflowing.
I might be told that adults shouldn’t cry so pathetically, but I sincerely hoped to be forgiven just this once.
“Just as I thought, Jiro-san saved me, didn’t you?”
Without minding the tears that fell on her cheeks, she said that to me with a happy smile.
Suella, who had been asleep for about five days, her voice was hoarse, and she seemed to have difficulty speaking. Yet, seeing the Ore Tree wound around her arm and feeling the flowing magic, she must have somehow understood what had happened.
She removed her weakened opposite left arm from the bathtub and, without wiping away the dripping water, gently reached out her hand.
She didn’t care about getting wet.
As I gently, yet quickly, took her hand, she squeezed it back, a little weakly, but firmly, just like the last time.
That made me so happy that my eyes welled up with tears again.
I wondered if my tear ducts had become weaker, but I wouldn’t scold myself for that action right now.
I had thought about what to say when she woke up, but Suella waking up was enough to make all the words I had thought of fly away.
So, all I could do was hold her hand and smile.
“Um, while I’m incredibly sorry to interrupt your emotional reunion, I would like to examine you soon. Is that alright?”
Breaking the sweet atmosphere, a female doctor, perhaps pushed by Evia, timidly and apologetically spoke to us, having been assigned this thankless role.
“Ah, ah, sorry.”
Hearing the doctor, I was reminded anew.
Just because she woke up didn’t mean her physical condition had fully recovered.
She had only secured a new Magic Power source, and her situation was still precarious. I should have had a doctor examine her first in such a situation.
Though reluctant, I looked at Suella for just a few seconds. She nodded, and I gently released her hand.
Then, I took a step back, and medical personnel began examining Suella, filling the gap.
“I’m jealous.”
“Don’t tease me.”
As Evia moved to the empty space next to me, she playfully teased me with a wry smile.
I tried to treat my four lovers equally, but in times like these, I inevitably prioritized one.
Memoria, Himik, and Evia standing beside me likely understood that, but whether they accepted it was another story.
Unable to resolve their dissatisfaction in the space where Suella was being treated, I had no choice but to accept their subtle jealousy.
“Well, I suppose I’ll be in that situation someday too. It wouldn’t do for me to cause any further disadvantage.”
As if sensing my feelings, Evia relented with her usual smile.
She raised her index finger, saying she’d owe me one, as if to say she’d be saved.
I didn’t know what she’d demand, but I had no choice but to agree.
“Ah, I need to contact Memoria and the others.”
Then, it occurred to me that I hadn’t contacted Memoria, Himik, or Keiri-san at all.
“Thinking of that, I already contacted them. We’ve arranged to meet later to discuss the details.”
However, Evia had already made arrangements, as if she could see right through my thoughts.
“Is that so? Then, after Suella’s examination is finished, we’ll head over there?”
“That’s right, but it won’t be over quickly. After all, this treatment method is special. We don’t know what kind of health damage might have occurred. We’ll be carefully investigating while checking Suella’s condition.”
Even a regular health check-up takes quite some time. A thorough examination could take all day, or even longer.
“…”
So, normally, I would think it best to visit again after checking the time, but I didn’t want to leave this place.
Yet, there was nothing I could do by staying here.
Understanding that, I fell silent and pondered.
And, to top it off, there was a mountain of work that had piled up from skipping it for about five days.
“…”
“I guess I should get back to work.”
To support my family, I had to increase my value at this company.
I was reminded that feelings sometimes get swallowed by the waves of society. I came to that conclusion.
“That would be appropriate. I’ll also return to work for now. I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
Evia, chuckling softly, understood that my opinion was reasonable and agreed.
I wanted to say at least one last word to Suella, but thinking it might disturb her while she was being interviewed, I called out to the doctor who wasn’t interviewing her.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Her examination is likely to take some time, but I’d like to speak with Suella before returning to work.”
“Ah, understood.”
When I conveyed my request, she nodded in agreement and approached the female doctor examining Suella. After a few words, she beckoned me over.
“Please make it brief.”
The female doctor glared at me as if to say that such sweet moments were an enemy to single people, and I could only offer a wry smile.
“Are you alright?”
“I just feel a little heavy, but I can’t move if I leave here and the Ore Tree is removed. So, in reality, I can’t move.”
When I stood by Suella’s side and asked about her condition, she replied that she was better than I had expected.
She said that she wouldn’t be able to get out of the bathtub and would have to continue in this state until childbirth, and then she chuckled.
“I see. I’ll be away for some work, but you’ll be alright?”
“Yes, I’ll miss you a little, but I don’t want to cause trouble for Jiro-san because of me.”
“I’m not a child,” Suella said with a determined smile, giving me a push.
“I’ll visit you every day.”
“Thank you. I’ll be waiting.”
“Yeah.”
I gave her a soft, light kiss, making the female doctor’s forehead develop a blue vein, and then waved goodbye as I left the place.
“Jiro.”
“Nnn!?”
“You forgot something.”
“Sorry.”
Evia called out to me as I was about to leave, caught up in the heat of the moment. When I turned around, she lightly touched her lips to mine with a naturalness that no one noticed.
Satisfied with the act, she nodded and then disappeared, returning to her own work.
As for me, I returned to work, accompanied by the gaze of the medical team and the chuckling Suella in the center.
“And so, I apologize for making you worry, but Suella has regained consciousness. Although her situation is still critical, she is out of immediate danger for now.”
Upon returning, Keiri-san caught me, and Himik and Memoria were also there. As if it were a given, my Party Members, who were curious about her condition, had all gathered.
Apparently, they had been staying there, thinking they could come to the Party Room even if it wasn’t their shift, and had been waiting for me.
“Perhaps we can finally breathe a sigh of relief?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Keiri-san, my best friend, let out a sigh of relief. Memoria and Himik, too.
“In that case, we must hold a celebration when Suella is discharged from the hospital!”
“It will probably be impossible until she gives birth, but it wouldn’t hurt to prepare.”
They listened to my report in a cheerful atmosphere.
“Finally, back to normal operations, wouldn’t you say? It was tough without you, Jiro-san. My frontliner was almost overworked to death.”
“Indeed, Gozaru. Kaido-senpai looked so painful watching him transform and get exhausted every time, Gozaru.”
“Amī-san wasn’t here either, so my sense for traps and scouting felt different.”
“Senpai! I’ll treat you to a fancy meal next time!!”
“Alright, alright. Thank you all for your hard work while I was away.”
After the tension left their faces and they said, “That’s good,” they began chatting as if everything was back to normal.
I could only nod genuinely at Kaido’s invitation.
“By the way, I piled up your present from your older sister on your desk.”
And then, reality is cruel.
I tried not to look, but my desk was in a terrible state.
Well, it was only natural that if I abandoned my work and focused on other things, this would happen.
Holding back a sigh, I picked up one of the documents piled on my desk. It was a handwritten report, detailing the depletion of supplies. There were also numerous documents awaiting my approval.
“This is even less than what was here. I processed what I could, so please review it within three days.”
To think that this amount was considered “less.” I felt a slight despair at how much could accumulate in just five days. Then, with a wry smile, I nodded at Keiri-san, who then gave me a cute wink.
I thought it had only been a few days, but it felt like a long time since I had sat at this desk.
“Speaking of which, Valse-san accelerated time for me, so it’s been a while, I suppose.”
In reality, it had been five days, but in the Sage’s Library, I had experienced over ten times that duration. So, it was a long time ago in the usual sense.
I panicked slightly, wondering if I remembered how to handle paperwork, but I was relieved to find I could process it normally.
With my enhanced cognitive abilities due to the Magic Crest, I sorted through what could be approved and what couldn’t. I quickly reviewed the reports from the newcomers, attached sticky notes to the parts that were lacking, and divided them into those that needed resubmission and those that were acceptable as they were. The task itself was simple, so it wasn’t difficult.
“The sheer volume is the problem, though.”
It wasn’t just the papers on my desk; when I turned on my PC, there was a mountain of data that had been sent to me.
In the end, I processed documents with my right hand and operated the PC with my left. Normally, this would be slow, but my physical abilities far surpass those of modern humans, so it wasn’t difficult.
However.
“Section Chief, could you approve these?”
“Section Chief, I have a question regarding the upcoming Dungeon raid.”
“Section Chief, the Second Division has a request for information.”
I couldn’t believe I was acting like Prince Shoutoku.
“Leave the approval documents there; I’ll check them later. Regarding the Dungeon raid? Ah, it’s difficult for Mages in the Lunaria’s territory, so if we prepare the scouts’ equipment, we can avoid some surprise attacks. Please tell the Second Division to wait; I’ll respond within this week.”
While busily working with both hands, I issued instructions and considered how to respond. My mind was becoming quite strained, but it was just the consequence of abandoning my work.
Watching Kaido and the others cast sympathetic glances at me, I asked with my eyes if they would help, but the Party Members scattered like startled rabbits.
I didn’t think they were heartless.
I had to deal with the consequences of my own actions. I told myself that and continued working.
“Hm?”
Midway through my work, I noticed a document that caught my attention.
“A report on Magic Beasts?”
I recalled having seen similar documents before and, after finishing a portion of my work, I began to read it.
“…”
As I read on, my brow furrowed.
The report was about abnormal behavior of Magic Beasts. It described sightings of Magic Beasts that normally wouldn’t gather in groups, and instances where their actions seemed coordinated. The possibility of an entity capable of commanding a pack had appeared. While not frequent, it wasn’t an entirely unusual occurrence. So, what was the problem? The occurrences were happening near the Dark Elf settlement, more specifically, near the settlement I used as a base when I made a contract with Valse-san. That place had suffered considerable damage during the rebellion and should not have been fully rebuilt yet.
“I hope nothing happens.”
For now, there was no real damage, but I continued with the subsequent processing, hoping for the best. After about two hours of work, I finally saw the end in sight.
“Ahhh…”
Even with my enhanced physique, sitting in a chair for too long would cause stiffness.
With some satisfying pops and cracks, I stretched my body and moved to the last remaining task. As I reached for our party’s schedule, I suddenly realized.
“Ah, what about my weapon?”
Since I had entrusted the Ore Tree to Suella, I was now without a weapon.
Realizing this, I considered myself foolish.
Today’s Quote:
Results achieved through reckless abandon are not bad.
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*The first volume of the physical book is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 1918.
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