{17}“Hospital Visit”

  ***

  "Opposed! Absolutely opposed!"

  Calia raised her hand in strong protest. In the middle of the table in Rin's room, a notebook displayed the words 'Haderian Membership Evaluation' in large letters. Seeing Calia's determined expression, Leo clicked his tongue.

  "Tsk. You oppose right off the bat?"

  Shulmaier had an unusually serious expression (slightly distorted compared to his usual expressionless face) as he grabbed Leo's shoulder.

  "I oppose."

  "It's fine, it's fine."

  Leo smiled with his characteristic wide-open left eye.

  "You're still anxious even seeing this refreshing smile? Heheh."

  With his signature uneven eyes and a mouth split almost to his ears, it was a smile that momentarily resembled a madman's. Honestly, seeing it was enough to make anyone anxious who wasn't already. Haderian pounded his chest with his fist and raised his chin.

  "For Lady Rin, this body! Would jump into a cesspool!"

  His vulgar vocabulary was partly due to having lived at the bottom of society for a long time, begging for food while crossing the desert at a young age. Leo grabbed Haderian's shoulder firmly.

  "That ridiculous oath isn't helping the current situation."

  Leo had everyone sit down first. Their gazes still looked confused, but once their bodies were settled, their minds seemed to calm down considerably.

  "Everyone's attention!"

  Leo pulled out a small doll from his chest, and naturally, all eyes focused on it.

  "Let me introduce! This is the concept model of the next-generation Justice Enforcement Machine!"

  The doll was about a palm's height, covered in armor that resembled a knight. It was holding a sword smaller than a fork in both hands, with a long thread attached to its back—a contradictory impression of something both crude and precise.

  "Look carefully. This is how it..."

  Though it was puzzling why he suddenly started explaining his invention, everyone quieted down since it was an interesting object.

  *THUD*

  A dull sound was heard when Leo placed the small knight model on the table. Elrunt adjusted his glasses and asked:

  "What's inside it?"

  "I filled the feet with lead. Otherwise, no matter how much I reduced the gunpowder, it couldn't stand properly."

  "G-gunpowder?"

  Everyone jumped up in shock at the mention of gunpowder.

  "Whoa, whoa, calm down. I really only put in a tiny bit, it's fine."

  "..."

  "..."

  As everyone was backing away cautiously, Leo seemed to decide it wasn't working and directly pressed the end of the thread connected to the doll.

  "You cowards! Fire!"

  *Bang!*

  "Kyaaah!"

  "Aack!"

  Ironically, only Calia and Ned screamed.

  Shulmaier didn't even blink at this level of explosion, having spent time with Leo. Rin had also become rather strong-hearted after seeing plenty of Professor Gernshvatz's inventions during the previous academic investigation. And Elrunt had actually moved closer to the doll, his curiosity apparently outweighing his fear.

  "Still amazing to see."

  Haderian was looking at the doll with admiring eyes.

  "Despite being so small, it perfectly reproduces the charging slash motion."

  Indeed. When Leo pressed the small button earlier, something exploded from the small doll, and it sprang forward as if alive, swinging its sword. Seeing the awe in the club members' eyes, Leo shrugged.

  "This guy has used that move on me so many times that I've memorized it completely."

  Rin, who had maintained her composure, had also watched the demonstration carefully. Though there were many curious and fascinating points, that wasn't what mattered now.

  "So, why did you show us this?"

  Her voice was colder than usual. It was understandable—in a club created specifically to avoid Haderian, there was the bombshell announcement of recruiting none other than Haderian, and then out of nowhere, this explosive invention demonstration.

  Moreover, the doll even contained gunpowder, an explosive ingredient. It would be strange not to be angry.

  "I'm going to make this bigger."

  Unaware of Rin's mood, Leo was quite excited.

  "And for that, I need..."

  Leo patted Haderian's shoulder.

  "This sturdy friend's help!"

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Leo's subsequent explanation could be summarized as follows:

  [First, the Justice Enforcement Machine he plans to build this time is closer to a full-body 'Suit' rather than the previous partial attachment type.]

  [Second, this machine normally functions like armor, but can employ specific techniques when needed.]

  [Third, it basically operates by contracting wires placed parallel to muscle directions, and normally remains flexible to avoid hindering the wearer's movement.]

  [Fourth, it currently uses 'gunpowder' to generate explosive power, which requires someone with a strong physique who can withstand such strain. This has room for improvement in the future.]

  [Fifth, but since there are no immediate alternatives, they need someone with a strong physique—Haderian.]

  "What do you think? Heh!"

  Leo was now even putting his arm around Haderian's shoulders. Ned opened his mouth with difficulty.

  "Leo hyung..."

  "Hmm? Speak."

  "Do you remember why we created this club in the first place?"

  "Reason? For free research, right? Hehe!"

  Wrong. This person interprets everything in the way that suits him best. Everyone thought this and closed their mouths. While each contemplated how to respond, Shulmaier silently corrected the X mark on Hypothesis 1 to a circle.

  ***

  The next morning. Haderian blocked the doorway of the classroom after geometry class ended.

  "Please accept me!"

  Students passing by the corridor stopped in their tracks, wondering what was happening. And students in the classroom had no choice but to stop because Haderian was blocking them. In front of him, kneeling on one knee, was Rin, looking troubled and fidgeting.

  "Y-you shouldn't do this here."

  "I refuse! I won't move a single step until you accept me!"

  "?!"

  The conversation with many omitted objects was more than enough to cause misunderstandings among the bystanders.

  "Oooh!"

  "Finally!"

  "Haderian is so cool!"

  Rin was contemplating what to do. This class didn't overlap with Calia or Elrunt's classes, so they weren't nearby.

  'Should I run away?'

  No. It's impossible for Rin to escape from Haderian.

  'Should I ask for help from those around me?'

  But these people seem to be misunderstanding this as a public confession, don't they? And even if she cleared up the misunderstanding, the situation wouldn't improve. Haderian would persist to the end.

  'So escape after all? But how?'

  "Hmm..."

  Amidst the frustration, Rin began searching through her bag for anything useful. Then her eyes widened at the feel of a cold glass bottle.

  "I'm sorry, Mr. Haderian!"

  "Huh? What—"

  Instead of answering, Rin took something out of her bag and swung it without warning.

  "Ughk!"

  In an instant, Haderian's face was covered in a pitch-black liquid. It was ink.

  "Miss Rin? What are you—argh!"

  Whatever had hit him properly, Haderian tightly closed his eyes and fell to the floor. Taking advantage of this, Rin boldly used Haderian as a foothold and jumped! She passed through the doorway and fled.

  "Aargh! Wait, Miss Rin! Owww!"

  "S-sorry!"

  "Wait please! Aaah! My eyes!"

  "S-sorry!"

  ***

  Four days had passed since then. During that time, the rumor of the 'Library Fairy Ink Incident' spread quickly, to the point where everyone on campus knew about it. As a result, whenever Rin passed by, students would whisper something, and each time, Rin had to lower her head in embarrassment.

  "Hold your head up."

  Calia, walking beside her, encouraged Rin.

  "It was self-defense, wasn't it?"

  "Yes, but..."

  Rin replied, even more dejected.

  "I didn't know the ink I usually use would be that dangerous."

  "Well... there are many types of ink."

  Indeed. The ink Rin used was a charcoal-based pigment dissolved in high-concentration alcohol, which had the advantage of drying quickly due to its high volatility, but was a substance that causes tremendous pain if it gets into the eyes.

  "Will Senior Haderian be okay? I heard he hasn't been coming to the training grounds since then..."

  "He should be fine, right? It's just like really strong alcohol getting in his eyes? Um... it must be really painful though, really."

  Calia used the word "really" three times, making Rin even more depressed.

  "When I think about how someone who never skipped daily practice is now like that because of me..."

  "Aish! If you're that concerned, don't just worry..."

  Calia grabbed Rin's wrist.

  "Let's go!"

  "Go where?"

  "To visit Haderian in the hospital."

  "W-what? Ah!"

  Rin quickly tried to resist with both feet.

  "Hey! It's no use!"

  However, there was a significant difference in strength and build between Rin and Calia, who had trained in the Holy Knights' barracks since childhood.

  As a result, the arm with the grabbed wrist was completely pulled, her head was bowed, and her hips pushed way back, being dragged along. It looked just like an adult forcibly dragging a tantrumming child.

  "Instead of worrying, move!"

  Calia recited one of her favorite 'Empire Proverb Series' as she vigorously pulled Rin.

  "That's what my father would always say during his speeches to the members. It was so funny when he'd have everyone lined up unable to move and say that, hee hee."

  "..."

  ***

  The dormitory area was close to the main gate of the academy.

  "This is my first time here."

  Entering the men's dormitory hall, Rin's eyes were filled with curiosity. It seemed like a lie that just a moment ago she had been resisting Calia and being forcibly dragged. Though she had lived at the academy since childhood, there were many restrictions on her movements.

  That's why she was moved by even these small things now that she was an official student. But that was only momentary. As they climbed the stairs and approached Haderian's room, said to be on the top floor, Rin became dejected again.

  "Do we really need to go in person? Maybe later I could write a letter..."

  "A letter? Haha, what a joke! Let's see... room 418, so... here it is!"

  Calia checked the number on the door and stopped.

  "Hey! It's no use!"

  She quickly caught Rin, who was trying to escape at the opportunity. Then, without hesitation, she knocked on the door.

  *KNOCK KNOCK*

  "Who is it?"

  As the door opened, a rather small-built male student poked his head out. Calia asked in return:

  "Who are you?"

  The male student frowned deeply.

  "Shouldn't you identify yourself first?"

  "Oh!"

  Calia immediately realized her rudeness.

  "I'm Calia, a freshman. Isn't this Senior Haderian's room?"

  "Yes, it is."

  "Then why are you coming out?"

  The student frowned even more.

  "Because I'm his roommate."

  Calia tilted her head.

  "He has a roommate too?"

  "The dormitories here are basically double rooms, you know?"

  "Really? Why didn't I know that?"

  While saying this, Calia looked past the student's shoulder into the room.

  "Hey! Why are you peeking..."

  "Where's Senior Haderian?"

  The room seemed to have only the male student. He clutched his head, seemingly angered that everyone was thoroughly ignoring him.

  "If you don't have any business, please go—Ah?"

  The male student, who was about to close the door, exclaimed in surprise when he spotted Rin hiding behind Calia.

  "Is that the Library Fairy? What brings you to such a humble place..."

  His tone and expression completely changed. The attitude that had been treating them as unwelcome visitors until just now instantly transformed into something like a ceremony welcoming an honored guest.

  "Hmm."

  Seeing the student's tone change completely, Calia seemed to realize something and nodded unnecessarily.

  "Actually, I'm helping Rin here find Senior Haderian..."

  "Oh, if that's the case, you should have explained from the beginning! Hahaha!"

  "Hahaha!"

  Initially, Rin had been concerned that Calia, being a noble, might accidentally make a mistake with a commoner, but she was perplexed to see the conversation unfold in an unexpected direction.

  Then her mouth fell open at the room interior visible through the doorway.

  [Lily of the Valley Knights]

  A large inscription in the center. And around it, somehow made to resemble Rin but dressed like a goddess from myth or legend with flowing clothes, and even a halo behind her head—various portraits that were closer to religious art.

  And not just one or two such pictures, but many hanging all over the interior of the room. And decisively, even on this male student's top, there was a small badge that read 'Lily of the Valley Knights.'

  ***

  "Haderian went to the Engineering Department! Hahaha!"

  "Oh, thank you! Hahaha!"

  Rin and Calia declined the male student's offer to serve them tea, and headed toward the Engineering Department. Beyond escorting them to the hall, he now came outside to wave at them, and without anyone initiating it, they both started running. Then they burst into laughter that they had been holding back.

  -To be continued-