Hospital Tears and Roadside Demon
I rushed to the hospital. It was a fairly large facility, even by city standards. Sprinting up to the second-floor ward, I found Mom lying unconscious in her bed. And standing right there in front of her was Dad, who'd hurried over just like me.
"You're here, Yufir."
"How's Mom?"
"She's okay now. Her condition took a sudden turn for the worse, so they rushed her into surgery. But it went well—they said she'll wake up soon."
I sat down next to Dad and took Mom's hand. Even to me, she was stunningly beautiful. Her hair, reminiscent of cherry blossoms, cascaded down to her waist. She'd told me stories about how she'd made plenty of guys cry back in the day—including our dad. Seeing someone like that lying there so pale... it hurt my heart.
"Dad, the surgery bill..."
Dad gave me a gentle smile at that.
"Don't worry about it. It's tight right now, but we'll manage the payments next month. Business has been good lately."
I knew full well it wasn't okay, but I didn't have the words to argue. I could vaguely sense that Dad was barely holding it together himself, pretending everything was fine.
"I'll cover it this time."
"You don't have to—"
"That's why I work—to help out when it matters. Just buy the kids something tasty on your way home, Dad."
"Uh... yeah. Thanks."
Dad couldn't bring himself to refuse. We needed every bit of help we could get; one more debt hanging over us wasn't ideal. If he'd kept refusing, I would've gotten mad and paid it anyway.
"Our girl's all grown up. So reliable now."
Dad stroked my hair. It made my eyes well up for no reason. I'd already cried back at City Hall, but these damn tear ducts of mine were impossible to control.
"Yufir, about the kids..."
"Of course I won't tell them."
What happened to Mom today was a secret just between us adults. The little ones didn't need to know yet—especially Seira, who was busy studying hard at the academy. No sense worrying her.
"I'll stay here and watch over her. Head back to work—you just came from there, right?"
"...Yeah."
I'd only just returned after taking those days off because of the terrorist attack. Slipping out again now would draw way too much attention.
"I'll go then. Call me if anything comes up."
"Sure. Get home safe."
On my way out of the hospital, I settled the unpaid surgery bill and miscellaneous fees. Whew, I was cleaned out. These hospitalization and medication costs just kept climbing higher every day.
"Haa..."
A chilly wind greeted me as I stepped outside.
"Heading straight back?"
Leaning against his car in front of the hospital, smoking a cigarette, was Edwin.
"Th-thank you."
"No problem."
The reason I'd gotten to the hospital so fast was because he'd driven me here. Cars weren't something your average person could afford in this world. Did you have to be at least a team leader in the Central Intelligence Agency to get one?
"Back to City Hall? I can give you a ride."
"Eh..."
I considered refusing, but thinking about the hassle of getting back on my own made the words stick in my throat. Edwin must've noticed, because he chuckled and gripped the steering wheel.
In the end, I meekly climbed into the passenger seat.
"Most people get all excited or awkward their first time in a car, but you're handling it pretty well, Miss Yufir. Even buckling the seatbelt like that."
"Uh... well... y'know."
I mumbled something vague. My past life as a driver in the military was a secret, after all.
More than that, the Empire's tech level fascinated me. I got the idea that science had advanced based on magitech, but certain parts stuck out awkwardly. This car was a prime example.
It's probably just because this is all a game anyway.
Treating everything like a game made the inconsistencies easier to swallow. Just look at the ridiculous powers I'd gained—they were already beyond logic.
"Huuuwaa..."
I stared blankly out the window. My mind was a mess.
"Mr. Edwin."
"Yes?"
"Does the agency pay... a lot?"
The words slipped out before my brain could filter them.
"Ah, sorry."
I hurriedly covered my mouth.
"Haha! It's fine. Seeing how down you've looked since leaving the hospital, I can guess what's up."
"My mom's got mana sickness. The money draining out every month... ugh."
"I get it. My grandma passed from mana sickness too."
Edwin spoke casually as he drove.
"But thanks to my skills, she lived a good long life. No regrets there. In a way, joining the agency was a blessing."
It really seemed like they paid enough that money wasn't an issue.
"I know it's poor taste to pitch this right after you left the hospital, but... yes. As an agency agent, you'd never have to worry about hospital bills or meds."
My resolve wavered. It churned like waves.
"But that means throwing yourself into dangerous missions, and giving up a lot of the normal life regular folks enjoy."
"R-really...?"
Edwin nodded.
"For starters, contact with family gets heavily restricted."
"Ah..."
That hit hard. With six siblings, it wasn't like we were a small family. Leaving Dad to handle them alone wouldn't be easy.
"More agents regret not seeing their families often than the danger itself. Once you're in, you learn too much to just quit whenever you feel like it."
Traffic jammed up, and the car came to a stop.
"Yeah, I definitely couldn't do it."
"Haha, you never know what the future holds."
"Don't people usually give up after this many rejections?"
"The agency's chronically short-staffed, 24/7. When we spot talent, we latch on."
They must be desperate for people.
"Hmm, this is trouble."
Cars and carriages were tangled up ahead; it didn't look like it'd clear anytime soon.
"It's close by—I'll just walk from here."
"Pardon? Wait... we can take the alley—"
Boom!
An explosion rocked from up ahead. Car horns blared, horses panicked and bolted every which way.
"Wh-what the—?!"
"Stay put... Whoa! Watch out!"
The road descended into chaos in seconds.
"Wh-wh-what's h-happening?!"
"Stay here a sec."
"Eek... this feels d-dangerous!"
"That's exactly why I have to step up."
Edwin unbuckled without hesitation and opened the door. He was clearly planning to head over there on foot.
"Here, take this—just in case."
"Huh?"
He pulled something from his pocket. I reached out as he handed it over, and wouldn't you know—it was that folding knife from before.
"I'll be right back."
With that, Edwin hopped out and headed forward.
It's probably nothing...
Yeah, right. Just a minor accident, surely.
I listed off hopeful thoughts. But then—
Thwack!
A massive impact echoed out.
"Huh?"
A person went flying through the air—right into our windshield.
Crack!
"Kyaaah?!"
It was Edwin. ***
Toby was small-time thug trash. He knew it himself, so he was always jealous of the hotshots in his gang.
Then this guy showed up, introducing himself as a demonkin.
—Do you crave power?
Toby figured demonkin were just monsters imitating humans. He thought it was some psycho cosplaying, but after getting one-shotted, his mind changed fast.
—Go wild. Do whatever you want.
The demonkin forced blood into Toby. He writhed in agony—hot, torturous. But once he adapted, power surged through his body.
"Uahaha!"
After a decade as a back-alley punk, Toby brimmed with confidence. He felt invincible. First order of business: smash that cocky bastard who'd been lording it over him. Strength, speed—everything was leagues beyond his old self.
"This is power! Uahaha! Feels so damn good!"
Now he wanted to crush anything that pissed him off—especially those blocking his path.
Beep beep!
Rich pricks honking from their fancy cars. You're the ones who need to move. Toby turned the road into a demolition derby.
"A maniac, huh."
A suited man approached. Even with Toby hoisting a car overhead, the guy's face was stone-cold calm.
"Drunk on power. Won't last."
"What...?"
"You don't get it yet. You're burning your own life away."
That know-it-all tone twisted Toby's face. He hated that type—elites looking down from their high horses. This guy was exhibit A.
"You little shit...!"
Purple veins bulged across his body. The power kept building. He could probably pulp a man with one hand.
"Come on, take a swing. I'll let it land."
Toby didn't hesitate at the bold taunt—he swung wide, aiming to burst that smug head like a melon.
Thwack!
The man flew high, slamming into the car up ahead.
"Kuh...!"
Toby eyed his fist.
What the hell?
It felt like punching solid steel. The man's head hadn't exploded—and now he was out cold on the windshield of the car with that screaming girl inside.
"Hmph, whatever. I'll just stomp him flat."
Step. Step.
He shoved the obstructing car aside and advanced. The closer he got, the paler the girl's face grew. Then she flung the door open, hopped out, and planted herself between him and the man.
"Huh?"
She was tiny.
"D-d-don't... c-c-come any cl-cl-closer!"
Her legs and the hand gripping the knife trembled. It was so damn cute, Toby couldn't hold back the laughter.
"Uk! Uahaha!"
He doubled over, howling. Being this strong let him see shit like this. Omnipotence soaked into his bones.
What could that little knife even do?
"What, gonna stab me? Or slice?"
"D-don't come... cl-cl-closer!"
Swish swish.
She flailed the knife in a clumsy stance. Was that supposed to be a threat? It was laughably harmless, so Toby spread his arms wide and closed in slow.
"Aw, our little kid's never swung a blade before? That's not how you do it."
"N-not a k-kid... and I-I've... actually k-killed before. F-for real! I'm d-dangerous...!"
"Yeah yeah, sure sure."
Ignoring her, Toby grabbed the cocky man's throat from the windshield and hoisted him up.
"E-Edwin!"
"Krkhkh, you know him?"
Toby was thrilled. Being the strong one felt great. No wonder bullies loved tormenting the weak—it was bliss. Everyone who'd looked down on him before must've felt this rush.
"Here's what our little kid can do."
Toby proposed a game.
"Kill me before I snap this old guy's neck. Simple, right?"
A rigged game with only one outcome: his win.
"N-no...!"
"Ready~"
His face bloomed into a grin.
"Go—"
Pluck.
The petals fell.