Volume 10 - CH 2

The Seven Stars Sword Art Festival is over, and the somewhat late summer vacation came to its participating players.

On that day, Shizuku took a different route at the train station as Arisuin returned home; she went to Hiroshima using the linear motor train alone.

She went to visit Yakushi Kiriko, a third-year student of Rentei Academy.

Of course, the other party was a busy doctor. So an appointment was properly made in advance.

The visit of Shizuku was surprisingly well received.

Shizuku went through the front entrance of Yakushi General Hospital while pulling a rolling suitcase filled with clothes to spend some time here.

And then she started talking to the clerk who was sat at the “General Reception” counter.

– Excuse me. I am Kurogane Shizuku and I came from Tokyo. I was told by Kiriko-san to come to the General Reception and give my name when I arrived …

The clerk replied towards those words with「Oh, it’s Kurogane Shizuku-san. The director told me about it」and took out a brochure.

– Sensei is currently doing her round on the third floor of the special ward, is it possible for you to head there directly? Here is a map of the hospital.

– Thank you.

Shizuku received it and returned a brief bow then moved through the large hospital by following the map.

And then she entered a special ward that was after 2 large wards and across the courtyard, and went up to the third floor using the elevator.

Once she got there――

– Eh…?

Shizuku felt puzzled due to the view before her eyes.

The third floor of the special ward was, in a nutshell, a view that didn’t seem to feel like a hospital.

It didn’t have the nuance that the interior was luxurious like a VIP purveyor’s hospital.

The interior itself was the same as the other wards, but the mood of the people who were inside didn’t give a vibe of being patients at all.

Because not a single person wore hospital gowns, there was a woman getting a makeup, people were chatting happily here and there, and even figures of children playing a card game while eating sweets on the sofa.

It was a very lively place.

Although Shizuku felt a touch of anxiety about whether she was really doing her round here or not, the map didn’t lie.

So she decided to take a look at all the rooms there.

――The result: the target was found in the third room.

《White-Robed Knight》Yakushi Kiriko was grasping the wrist of an old man lying in the bed.

At first she thought she was taking his pulse, but she understood that she was using some sort of magic because the facial expression of Kiriko was extremely concentrated in it and because a fleeting sky-blue magic light was overflowing from the grasped wrist.

That was probably a healing technique.

If so, it wasn’t good to disturb her, so Shizuku silenced her voice that was about to call out to her and stared at the work of Kiriko from the distance.

– Alright. That’s all for today’s treatment. How are you feeling, Yoshioga-san?

– Well. The pain ended up going away a little. Now I can go and eat with my old lady. Thank you. Sensei.

– Fufu. You have to drink alcohol in moderation, otherwise it’s no good, okay?

– Hehe. Then I’ll remember to get drunk!

Kiriko shrugged her shoulders towards the hold man who smiled broadly and showed his yellowed teeth.

– You truly are a patient beyond help, huh.

However, her gesture wasn’t either angry or sad, she seemed to smile instead.

(Will I be good as a doctor? And)

When Shizuku was wondering so,

– Kiriko-chan! How are you going? Would you like to have a cup of tea with me when you can rest a bit? My family bought me a cake that is popular these days.

– I’m sorry. Actually, I have an appointment with a person after this――oh my.

The eyes of Shizuku and Kiriko who turned around to talk with a patient of another bed met.

– Shizuku-san. You’re here already.

– Yes. … I arrived just now. … This is quite a very bright hospital room, isn’t it? … For a moment I thought “Did I get lost in the Staff’s dormitory?” I was bewildered.

– Hmm fufu. I apologize for how loud is getting here.

Kiriko put a finger on her lips and laughed sophisticatedly.

Then she stopped laughing, excused herself briefly and said to Shizuku.

– … thank you very much for finally coming here, but can you wait a bit longer? My round time is slightly pressed for time, and I haven’t been able to do a rotation yet. The patients of this room are the last ones.

Towards this, Shizuku,

– Please don’t worry about me. The one who barged in when you were busy was me.

She returned, got into the hospital room with a step and pulled to the side so as to not be a nuisance and studied by observation the medical treatment of Kiriko.

During her hospital round, Kiriko was talking with the patients all the time.

– Sensei! Hey umm, I’ll go to a display of fireworks with mom and dad tomorrow!

– Hee. How nice. Are you going to wear a yukata for that moment then?

– Yup! I was wondering! Wouldn’t Sensei go with us!?

– Hmm. … Yeah, why not? I don’t have plans for tomorrow night anyway.

– Yay!

– Are you also taking acquainted little children with you?

– Yup!

From elderlies to small children.

The incredibly big thanks and trust from the smiles that everyone turned towards her were felt by her.

It was a charming scene that she saw from beginning to end.

——But,

– Sensei…. I will always, always be grateful…. Thanks to you, I could see the faces of my grandchild, now I have no regrets…

– Eh?

One of the patients that surrounded Kiriko. Shizuku wondered about the words of the elderly woman.

– “Have no regrets…”

How does she say that, even if it’s at such age?

Towards the question of Shizuku,

– Oh my, the young girl doesn’t know?

An elderly woman who was reading a book in the bed closest to Shizuku gave her the answer.

– All the patients on this floor are nothing but people who have no hope, who can’t be saved and have no life expectancy.

– Eh…!?

Shizuku revealed amazement at this fact.

– D-does that mean that little kid too!?

Towards that, the elderly woman nodded slowly and returned an affirmation.

– Everyone possesses a disease that can’t be undone by current medicine. Essentially it’s just a life where you spend your short remaining years in bed. But with the power of Kiriko-sensei, we deceive our bodies until the last moments of our lives. Thanks to that… we can eat with our families, we can be fashionable, and we can go out to have fun. We can enjoy our lives until the last moment. … That’s why everyone is grateful to Kiriko-sensei.

(Oh, I see…)

Shizuku understood.

For that reason, at that time, Kiriko didn’t really remonstrated the excessive drinking of the patient.

Because from the start they weren’t in some kind of physical condition where they would be moderated at this point of time.

– There is a lot of strong and weak battles in the world, and what they talk about is the talent of Blazers… but that’s not just what knights are. In fact, 《White-Robed Knight》is a hero to us, more than any other great knight. That’s why, study by looking properly at her, okay? 《Lorelei》  -san.

– You know me?

– Even though I may look like this, I was a Blazer that went to the top of the National League. I also watched the broadcast of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. The young kids nowadays are really on another level.

While Shizuku was talking to the elderly woman, Kiriko ended all her rounds and came to the side of Shizuku.

– I kept you waiting. I’m sorry for that. The gossips of everyone were getting too long.

– … Don’t apologize. I’m grateful that you are making some time while being busy.

Kiriko waved her hand like saying “Don’t worry about it”,

– It’s fine, it’s fine. After all I had some business with Shizuku-san.

She had said so.

– Eh? With, me?

– Yes. … Well first of all, let’s go to another place. We can’t talk at ease here after all.

Shizuku descended to the basement of the special ward via elevator while being guided by Kiriko.

When the door opened, a space of about 12 tatamis that had light suppressed was spread there. There were bookshelves lined up on the walls of raw concrete filled with spines of books from which one could understand at a glance that those weren’t Japanese and there was a plain bed as if that was made by combining iron plates and iron pipes in the center of the room.

At first glance the space looked like an operating room…

– What is this place?

– My private laboratory. It’s like my room, you know?

She replied and went to the coffee maker that was in a corner of the room.

– Make yourself comfortable. Would you like to drink coffee?

– No. Please don’t worry about me. I didn’t come here to chitchat after all.

– Yeah. If I remember correctly, you said you have something to ask me.

Shizuku nodded, gave a step to approach Kiriko and told her about the matter.

– I… I want you to teach me the healing techniques, the water magic of Kiriko-san!

In regard to this, Kiriko sipped coffee and「… Well, I kind of understood it was going to be like this」

– Our point of contact is that we are at least《Water Users》.

– Of course I’m not saying anything shameless like teaching me for free. I was wondering if there was something I can do. Even being the subject of an odd human experiment, anything…!

– Hee. … You sure have resolution. Alright then, let’s say that I get you be the experiment of a new technique style. In order to destroy the cancer cells that got into the lymph, it would be a good idea to take out all the lymph fluid for a moment and clean it.

– I don’t mind.

Shizuku replied immediately.

She was serious.

The reason was that it wasn’t a good move for the knights to reveal their techniques to others.

It was different when a Mage-Knight had gathered pupils, but for her, to pester Kiriko who was a student just like her, it was absurd.

She was asking her to incline to that. That was the level of resolution that Shizuku had.

Kiriko showed a bitter smile towards this resolution of Shizuku.

– … fu. I’m kidding. I learned my lesson with Moroboshi-kun already, so I’m going to attempt all the dangerous experiments on my own body. So that has to be enough. There’s nothing in particular that I want Shizuku-san to do.

So,

– I don’t want you to give anything in return. I’ll teach you my healing techniques for free.

– Eh, I-is that true!?

Shizuku raised her voice in surprise due to the words of Kiriko.

– Is it really that surprising?

– B-because knights have a foundation and that is not wanting to teach people their techniques.

– But I’m not a knight.

Kiriko declared quite indifferent.

The spread of medicine was a valuable thing.

She had no reasons to be stingy about it.

– Besides, Shizuku-san seems to have some qualities, so Sensei will teach you with pleasure.

If that was the case, then everything went as expected for Shizuku.

She bowed very deeply and gave her thanks.

– T-thank you very much!

But——

– … However.

Then, Kiriko changed the tone of her words.

She placed the coffee cup that still had coffee in it on the desk and walked up to Shizuku,

– You don’t have to give anything in return, but there’s only one condition.

– A condition?

– I want you to receive some treatment before studying. It’s the reason why I have business with you and why I tried to summon you——you see.

*Tsun*

With a strength of a degree that touched her lightly, very lightly with her fingertips, she poked the solar plexus of Shizuku.

– !?!?!?!?

In an instant, a lightning was generated in the body of Shizuku and ran from the fingers of her feet to the brain.

-〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜ーーーーーー!!

Intense pain.

An intense pain like a lightning that won’t let a scream come out.

It was born from the place where Kiriko had placed her fingertips.

Shizuku couldn’t stand the excessive pain anymore and fell from the knees,

– What, was…!?

She distorted her look that got wet from the cold sweat that gushed out and glared at Kiriko.

Kiriko replied to Shizuku.

– I did nothing in particular. I just poked you lightly. However, this much was painful. … That’s because there’s a distortion in your body.

– A dis, tortion…!?

– You can also call it a fissure. Your Noble Arts makes your body transform into vapor to invalidate physical attacks…. It’s too premature to say this, but it’s a technique equal to resurrect oneself who died once. In order to execute it, extremely high magic control power and very deep knowledge of the human body are essential. You don’t have enough knowledge of your body. So there are a few number of distortions in your body when it reconstructs. I poked one of those distortions now. You haven’t felt any discomfort until that was poked by me, but if I leave them as they are, they will certainly cause fatal damages to your body. And those aren’t too far of accomplishing so.

– …

– My job is to get you a treatment for that. If you study in depth my healing techniques, then all the more I can’t postpone this. … Well, in the first place, I don’t have the intention of allowing a patient to disappear without getting completely cured before my eyes.

Kiriko immediately took out a small plate-like machine from a pocket of her white robe and pressed a button installed on its plain surface.

Then a barrier wall went down between this room and the elevator.

She was serious.

Shizuku realized.

If she were to show rejection, then she would get her by the use of force.

But for Shizuku, there was no reason to decline the proposal of Kiriko that was going to cure her.

– I, understand…. I’m under your care.

– Obedient patients are my favorites. So, can you take off everything except your underwear and then lie on the bed, looking upward?

Shizuku followed the instructions obediently.

She took off the clothes on the spot and put herself on the designated bed with just her underwear.

At the same time, Kiriko turned on the surgical light on top of the bed.

Shizuku asked Kiriko while narrowing her eyes due to the white light that was lighted in the room where ligh was suppressed all of a sudden.

– Approximately how long will it take?

– Half day of work. But don’t worry. It will be an instant for you as I’ll use magical anesthesia.

She would lie on the bed but everything would be over once she woke up.

Shizuku said with an earnest look to Kiriko who told her so.

– … thank you very much for your kindness, but could it be possible to do it without anesthesia?

– Huh?

Kiriko showed a flabbergasted expression on her face that one couldn’t imagine could be there from her image that usually didn’t hide the height of her intelligence.

But that wasn’t impossible either.

Because it was a proposal that she didn’t understand at all.

However, that’s the story from the point of view of Kiriko.

For Shizuku, this proposal made a lot of sense.

She said.

– So that I can experience the healing technique of《White-Robed Knight》, Japan’s number one doctor in my own body. I don’t want to waste such a unique opportunity.

Kiriko made a somewhat displeasured expression show on her face and,

– … hold on. Have you forgotten the pain just now? From now on, I’ll be turning and thrusting my hands into painful places against your will even if only I had to poke them lightly from outside, you know? And there’s a lot of them. It’s not a pain that you can stand while conscious. I can’t say yes to your request because you could act violently and things can go wrong.

She refused clearly.

This proposal was no different from a laparotomy without anesthesia.

As a doctor, this wasn’t a proposal that could be accepted at all.

But,

– I can do it.

Shizuku didn’t withdraw.

She appealed to Kiriko with a cornered and desperate voice.

What time did this point to?

It was transmitted to Kiriko who was the person concerned.

At that time, when Shizuku couldn’t do anything but just cry in front of the operating room.

Even though she was continuously thinking that she wanted to be helpful to Ikki, longer than anyone else and stronger than anyone else――

At the most important time, she didn’t have the ability to accomplish that.

Luckily, Ikki was saved due to an excellent doctor named Kiriko who came running, but if Kiriko wasn’t there… Ikki would have lost his life now.

A world without Ikki.

Her head was just getting full of that just by imagining it.

She couldn’t forgive herself.

There was no we she could forgive herself.

Then, what should she do?

The answer was one.

– I… I want to be stronger…! Enough to cure any injury and strong enough to save Onii-sama from any predicament! ——Even if it’s a second faster!

That’s because she was the only one among her companions that could use healing techniques.

Because it was something she had to do.

Kiriko remembered――the expression of the strong determination of Shizuku.

She was the same as her before, the figure of a fellow that completely got rid of every obstacle in order to do the things she had to do.

– … Haa. You knights are truly all the same, aren’t you? You never hear doctor’s advice.

While Kiriko sighed as if she was dumbfounded,

– But… it’s not just about cherishing life but how to make use of our lives…

She took out the belt to restrain the patient from under the bed.

And she used it to fasten the four limbs of Shizuku.

She accepted the will of Shizuku.

– Thank you. Sensei.

– Don’t thank me yet. You’re going to regret this if you don’t die immediately. Come, hold this in your mouth.

Finally, Kiriko made the small mouth of Shizuku to hold a gag and fixed it.

Without this, she would certainly end up biting her tongue.

And once preparations were ready,

– If it gets too dangerous then I’ll forcibly drop it according to my judgment, so keep that in mind firmly if you don’t want me do to do so.

Kiriko activated the magic technique for healing in her right hand.

When she touched the distortion of the abdomen like she was doing earlier with the fingertips that were cladded in sky-blue magic light,

The base of the fingers sunk into the abdomen of Shizuku as if pressing against mud.