Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Protects the World
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The nurse Pine Cone, who had been tapping away at his laptop at the reception desk, looked at me in bewilderment.
“Patient Kang Ye-na, I get where you’re coming from, but you can’t have regular food yet. Once the test results come back normal, then…”
“So, when might I be able to get discharged?”
“You only woke up two days ago. Even with my skills, we need to monitor you for at least a few more days…”
“I could do a hundred squats right here right now.”
As I started to bend my knees, Nurse Pine Cone jumped up from the reception desk in a panic and grabbed my arm, pulling me back up.
“What are you doing?! You’ll get yourself in serious trouble!”
“I’m telling you, I’m healthy enough to go through discharge procedures right now.”
“Once the test results come back, I’ll help you with that.”
“So I can leave as soon as the results are out?”
“Yes, you can be discharged right away once you settle the bill…”
Ah, the hospital bill.
I flinched at the unexpected word. Right, now that I thought about it, I’d been hospitalized for five whole years.
On top of that, Saebit Hospital, where I was staying, looked like it had top-notch facilities just from a glance. There didn’t seem to be many doctors or nurses, but that was probably thanks to their skills.
Of course, Nurse Pine Cone alone had Nightingale’s Grace…
That meant Saebit Hospital’s fees were bound to be way higher than a regular hospital. Even in Tartarus, getting treated by someone with healing skills or a priest cost a fortune.
And I’d been in long-term care there for five years. In a private room, no less.
No way I’d come back to Earth just to end up in debt, right?
That person probably wouldn’t let my bill slide, but… he must’ve already heard I woke up.
As I waited tensely for a response, Nurse Pine Cone furrowed her nose as if remembering something, then brightened up.
“I’ll check with the billing department right away. From what I remember, you should be good to discharge without any issues.”
“That’s a relief.”
“But, Patient Ye-na, wouldn’t it be too rushed to discharge tomorrow? No, don’t do squats… I mean, don’t you need to prepare for discharge? Like clothes to wear or your phone.”
“Ah…”
Yeah, that was true. Normally, a guardian would bring clothes or whatever, but I was on my own here.
Plus, I didn’t even have a place to stay once I left the hospital. No way they’d kept my old studio apartment all this time.
From the way he was saying it, Nurse Pine Cone seemed to know my situation to some extent.
That I had no guardian coming to pick me up after discharge.
Well, no one had visited during my five-year stay, so it made sense.
“Then get tested tomorrow, and once the results are out, I’ll issue you a day pass. You can head into the city and prepare what you need.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Nurse Pine Cone smiled brightly.
“Seeing you so healthy and getting ready to discharge makes me happy too.”
I hadn’t paid close attention before due to everything going on, but Nurse Pine Cone was much taller than me and had a very youthful face. Maybe she didn’t have much experience yet, getting all proud over a discharging patient.
“I’m the one who should be thankful. For caring this much.”
Either way, being treated well couldn’t hurt.
Come to think of it, I really wanted some fried chicken, but first I needed to check if there was money on my debit card. And I didn’t even know how to get around the city.
I flashed the friendliest smile I could muster and started asking Nurse Pine Cone all sorts of questions.
* * *
The next day, I got the results confirming my body was perfectly normal.
Maybe because it was a long-term care hospital, there weren’t many patients needing detailed tests, so I didn’t have to wait much for either the tests or the results.
Nurse Pine Cone stood proudly behind the doctor the whole time I was hearing the results. A stark contrast to the doctor’s businesslike demeanor.
When I asked why the nurse was acting like that, he smiled and replied.
“You’re the first patient under my care to get discharged, Patient Kang Ye-na.”
“Oh, I see.”
No wonder he seemed so thrilled. The doctor glanced at me and Nurse Pine Cone over his glasses.
“Looks like you two have gotten close already. Makes sense, since you’re the same age.”
“Oh, really?”
I’d thought he looked super youthful, but same age as me? Even accounting for my age in Korea, Nurse Pine Cone looked younger.
I examined the face in front of me closely.
Soft, fluffy cheeks that looked like they’d feel that way to the touch, a pale face even for a guy. Round brown eyes that were crystal clear. Not huge in build, but tall, and with those innocent eyes, the overall impression was cute.
…Me and that guy are the same age?
Maybe misreading my expression, Nurse Pine Cone gave an awkward laugh.
“Ahaha. I must look older than you, Patient Ye-na.”
“No.”
“Uh…”
“So, can we proceed with discharge tomorrow?”
“Yes, Nurse Pine Cone, please contact the billing department.”
“Ah, yes. Got it. This way, please, Miss Kang Ye-na.”
I followed Nurse Pine Cone’s guidance back to my hospital room.
“Wait here a moment,” she said, then returned with a shopping bag from somewhere. It had the logo of a famous porridge franchise.
“What’s with the porridge?”
“It’s not porridge. I went home yesterday and grabbed some clothes from my little sister.”
“Huh?”
When I asked in surprise, Nurse Pine Cone smiled shyly.
“You were already in patient garb when you transferred to Saebit Hospital, and your belongings were just a phone and wallet. You’ll need clothes to go into the city.”
I’d planned to just wander out in patient clothes and buy something, so I stared at the shopping bag she held out in a daze.
I barely stopped myself from swatting it away, dredging up memories from Korea.
In Tartarus, you’d absolutely refuse something like this on suspicion alone.
But here in Korea, I was a long-term patient who’d only woken up three days ago, and the guy in front of me was just a super kind nurse!
I’m broke, and he’s a good guy.
After repeating that to myself three times, I finally managed a thank you.
“Thank you so much. I needed this. I’ll buy some clothes in the city and return them right away.”
“Oh, no need to return them.”
“I can’t just take them. Feels bad for your sister too.”
Inside the bag were baggy hoodie sweatshirts, comfy track pants, and a warm-looking jacket. Consideration as soft and fluffy as that face.
“It’s fine. Clothes I don’t wear anymore…”
Seeing my shocked face, Nurse Pine Cone waved her hands frantically.
“Ah, don’t get the wrong idea. I outgrew them.”
Oh, right.
Thanks to Nurse Pine Cone’s kindness, I was able to leave the hospital in warm clothes. My belongings were just the old phone and wallet, as he said.
In Korea, that’s all you need, right? Sure. But my waist felt empty without a belt—actually, without the sword I always carried, I felt uneasy.
Even the bus I took after so long rattled and roared way more than I remembered, making me nauseous. Way better than a carriage or horse, sure… but the mechanical smell stung my nose.
So by the time I reached the city center after about an hour on the bus, I was suffering from motion sickness.
“Urk…”
I’d planned to rush to a chicken place right away, but in this state, no way. I sat on a bench at the bus stop, holding back dry heaves for a while.
I definitely used to take the bus to school back in the day. What happened? Or had my organs weakened from five years in bed?
“Oh dear, miss. You okay?”
It was bad enough that a passing old man worriedly checked on me. Ah, this was the K-nosiness I’d forgotten. Nice.
I sat on the bench for a good while until the nausea subsided.
The nausea was one thing, but sightseeing was fine.
Wonju city center in Gangwon Province.
I’d never been, but it felt somewhat familiar. Gray roads, straight-lined buildings, occasional cars, lit-up signs… Your standard Korean cityscape.
“Doesn’t look like much has changed…”
Not a world I missed much, but seeing it like this stirred some emotions. Compared to Tartarus, this place was definitely convenient in a lot of ways.
I pulled up my smartphone screen and searched right away for nearby places to buy clothes. The ancient relic of a phone still worked fine.
A mart just a 10-minute walk away. With a smartphone and no map needed, even on a first trip, no asking directions… Everywhere with blasting-fast internet… Is this real life? I’m tearing up…
Sniffling with a tingling nose, I looked up at the sky—pale clouds and blue. Damn fine dust.
“Dungeons have popped up, but why’s the fine dust from next door still flying over?”
Someone should’ve stormed in and smashed their factories by now.
The fact that most countries kept their old systems even after dungeons appeared was inconvenient in ways like this.
I stewed over the fine dust tormenting my lungs for a bit, then stood once my stomach settled.
Of course, destination: the mart. Only 10 minutes away, so I’d get there quick.
That’s what I thought, but unused to Korea’s modern navigation, I got lost.
I must’ve looked totally lost, because grandmas and grandpas on the street kindly gave directions without me even asking. K-nosiness for the win.
“Getting lost around here takes talent.”
One foul-mouthed grandma told me the way as she passed. Leave me alone, lady.