A Time of Many Worries
A Time of Many Worries
Shocked by Max's condition, Flora approached him to examine his wounds.
'He's breathing.'
There were areas wrapped in bandages and others left bare.
Piles of medicine bags sat by the bed, and a bottle of disinfectant lay on its side as if it had been tossed there after use.
Flora searched for the name of the hospital printed on the medicine bags to check it.
'...They use old medical equipment there?'
Among the hospitals located in the Sector 30 area, it was one with a good reputation.
However, compared to the hospitals partnered with Genesis Bio, there was a massive gap. In terms of technology, it was likely a difference of over ten years.
'Did he get hurt doing mercenary work? It looks like he received cell proliferation treatment, but...'
His hand looked as if a hole had been punched through it, with new flesh budding in the center, and the stitch marks on his flank from the suturing were extensive.
The fact that he had to be sutured despite receiving cell proliferation treatment proved the severity of the injury.
"..."
It was often said that the citizens of Heize treated death like a neighbor.
But Flora's life hadn't been like that. The common words citizens spoke like a habit were just noise that never truly reached her.
However, facing Max Steiger made her realize it indirectly.
Beyond his body, which was more trained than a typical mage's, and the traces of him crossing the line between life and death, she realized how blessed her own circumstances were.
'Could I ever live that fiercely?'
As someone nearing graduation from Minerva Academy, many thoughts filled her mind.
She learned most of the outside world from books.
Knowledge made of text required no challenge and held no crisis. It was hard to find situations to apply what she learned, so she lacked confidence in her knowledge.
But Max Steiger was the exact opposite of her.
Despite coming from a prestigious family, he was gaining various experiences outside, expanding his presence and growing steadily.
As proof of that.
'3rd Circle.'
Every time she met Max, his Circle was higher.
Within the Steiger family, it was presumed there were troubles, with people saying Max had no talent or whatever, but it was a situation hard to understand.
'It wasn't long ago when he was 1st Circle. For a child of a prestigious family, his start seemed quite late.'
Even if he was late to the starting line, his growth was faster than anyone else's.
How much time had passed since the day they first met, and he had already reached the 3rd Circle?
"Ugh..."
Max tossed and turned.
Startled, Flora moved away from the bedding. She realized she had been standing too close while observing him.
'W-what should I do? Now...'
Flora went blank.
She had delivered the side dishes and confirmed that Max was alive, so her goal was achieved. Practically, there was nothing left to do.
'Should I just go back quietly?'
Leaving behind a person who had fallen asleep without even being able to lock the door after returning? When she knew his condition was so bad he couldn't even answer the phone?
Even if she locked the door on her way out, wouldn't she feel guilty if an intruder broke in and something happened?
Her mind became complicated.
She remained frozen like a statue for a long while.
Max blinked and lifted his head.
Still intoxicated by sleep, he looked at Flora.
"...?"
Flora could read it instantly from Max's face as he looked at her.
It was an expression that couldn't distinguish between reality and a dream.
"The office door was open, so I came in. No, I mean, I entered..."
"Ugh, it's not a dream."
Max rubbed his eyes.
He swallowed the words 'So I did make it back alive' back down. As he tried to push his upper body up, Flora shook her head.
"Stay lying down. Don't get up."
"It's not a serious wound."
"Even though you were sleeping so deeply you couldn't even answer the phone?"
"The medicine was a bit strong. When did you get here?"
"Just now."
Max chuckled at Flora's answer and grabbed his phone, which he had tossed by his pillow.
He checked the missed calls and messages.
"You sent messages too. Sorry. Did you bring side dishes?"
"I put them on the desk. I'll put them in the fridge now."
As Flora stood up, Max also slowly sat up and perched on the edge of the bed.
"Oh, right. I washed the containers and set them aside. Tell your mother I really enjoyed them and thank her for me."
"Okay."
After confirming Max was taking his medicine with a bottle of water, Flora went out to the office.
She opened the refrigerator to put the side dishes inside.
'There were quite a lot of side dishes I brought last time, but he ate them all. Mother will be happy.'
While putting the side dishes in, something caught her eye.
Cheap energy jellies were stacked in the corner of the fridge.
Flora knew them because she had bought one once. It was labeled as flavorless, but the aftertaste was strangely nauseating and the smell was weird, making it a product she never wanted to eat again.
'Does he only eat energy jellies when he runs out of side dishes? He's not a machine, how can he eat this...'
Furthermore, there was a large container of candy on the desk.
Max's eating habits seemed like a mess.
The person responsible for those ruined eating habits came out of the room wearing a loose T-shirt.
"Aigo, I've slept enough, should I turn on the sign?"
Max stretched and flipped the switch that had been down.
The office brightened, and the sign outside lit up.
"...Are you going to work? Now?"
"I have to. Though I don't know if any customers will come."
Max replied casually and brought over the washed side dish containers.
As he packed them into the bag Flora had brought, he tossed out some small talk to Flora, who still seemed to feel a bit awkward.
"How's life lately?"
"What life?"
"Academy, or life with your new father."
Flora could tell from Max's single sentence.
It seemed Max Steiger also didn't know that her mother wasn't living with Layton Steiger despite the remarriage.
She had intended to ask him someday, but it seemed he didn't know the answer either.
'Maybe I'll find out naturally once I graduate and start getting involved in family business.'
Flora put an end to her thoughts and answered calmly.
"Well, it's... ordinary. Both the Academy and life."
"You're doing well then. Ordinary is peaceful and good."
Watching Max listen lightly and respond calmly, Flora sat on the sofa and muttered.
"...It's the first time I've heard someone say being ordinary is good."
"Why? Because a Crimsonhowl has to be special?"
"Huh?"
Flora, who hadn't expected an answer to her muttering, stopped talking in fluster.
Max took it in stride as he made some coffee and sat in his computer chair.
"In the end, 'ordinary' varies for every individual. Your own standard might be special to someone else, right?"
"Yes..."
Flora nodded slightly in agreement.
Recalling the Flora he had met before his regression, Max curled the corners of his mouth.
"It means you don't need to care much even if people around you pressure you to be special. The standard of 'special' held by those people is likely below the line of what you consider 'ordinary'."
"..."
"And obviously, you don't need to care about what I'm blabbering either."
He wondered if the words of a mercenary who hadn't achieved anything would have any persuasive power in Flora's ears.
But surprisingly, her mouth opened.
"...I'm worried about whether I'll do well after graduation. I get very nervous thinking about having to live in society."
"I think the fact that you're worrying and approaching it so carefully means you're already prepared to head out."
"I hate being fierce... but competition is essential outside, isn't it? Compared to the Academy, sincerity doesn't carry much weight... When I recognize that system, I feel a sense of rejection. I don't know what kind of attitude I should take—."
Flora continued to pour her heart out.
She felt pathetic herself, wondering why she was venting like this to a patient who had just nearly died.
Even as her mind denied that she should continue, her lips and tongue didn't stop, running on their own track.
Was it because the door she had forcibly locked had creaked open, showing a gap? Through that small crack, the remnants she had been piling up for a long time poured out like a flood.
"Huuuuu..."
Flora, who had lost herself and shown her inner thoughts, let out a long breath.
She looked at Max, checking his reaction.
Max gave a short answer to Flora's extensive outpouring.
"Flora, you'll do well."
"!"
Flora's ears perked up.
Looking at the sentence Max spoke, it sounded like the same burdensome words that always weighed on her shoulders, but the underlying meaning was different.
It wasn't some hollow consolation. It wasn't a pushy remark pressuring her to do well.
Max's voice was full of certainty that she would definitely succeed and confidence that his words wouldn't be wrong.
She didn't even believe in herself, so she didn't know how he could speak so decisively.
But still.
It didn't feel bad.
"Pfft..."
A laugh escaped through Flora's lips.
Coming to the Sector 27 office today had definitely been a change of pace.
Flora lifted herself from the sofa and prepared to leave.
"Now that you have side dishes, make sure to eat properly. You need to eat well to get better quickly. Don't eat too many energy jellies."
"I'll walk you to your car."
"You're not well, stay here. I took the subway, so I'm going to the station."
"Subway? Then I definitely have to walk you."
"What if a customer comes while you're gone?"
Flora made Max sit back down as he tried to follow her out, then she opened the door and stepped outside.
Before completely leaving the office, she turned her head and spoke to Max.
"Oppa. I'll come again."
"Anytime."
Max waited until he confirmed Flora had disappeared from sight before closing the office door.
He then made a call to handle the missed calls that remained besides Flora's.