An Unfamiliar Ceiling
"An unfamiliar ceiling."
That was the very first thought that crossed my mind when I opened my eyes. A ceiling so obsessively white it was almost clinical, dim lighting, and the faint scent of medicine. The bustling sounds drifting in from the hallway made me realize soon enough that this was the Academy Annex Hospital.
I didn't think Lucia would ever have much to do with hospitals, yet here I am. Well, sure, I did take a fatal wound. Any other supernatural ability user would have died instantly. But I am Lucia, after all! Don't underestimate my Super Regeneration. By the time I woke up, every single one of my wounds had already healed.
Aside from feeling a bit languid and lacking the strength to move my limbs, I couldn't find anything wrong with me. I could honestly be discharged right this second.
"What about the others...?"
Is everyone safe? They should be fine, right? I blocked the surprise attack, after all. Yujin must have handled the rest perfectly. I mean, he's the protagonist, isn't he? A guy practically made of absurdity and rule-breaking is bound to have won. Even if he faced a desperate crisis, he would have dramatically awakened or received outside support to make it through safely.
...Right? Suddenly, I'm getting anxious. The story has already deviated so much from the novel that I can't be sure of anything anymore.
"Oh, you're awake? You recover fast."
It was just as I was crossing my arms in deep thought. The hospital room door slid open, and a familiar girl walked in. Purple hair, deep dark circles under her eyes, messy accessories, and a delinquent-style uniform.
"Regina?"
"Huh? Did I ever tell you my name?"
Ah, oops. Come to think of it, she only extorted a bunch of chocolates from me; I never actually heard her name. Maybe it's because I'm still half-asleep. What a rookie mistake.
"I haven't caused any trouble at the academy... Why the hell does everyone know my name? Is it because I'm in Class D?"
Fortunately, Regina brushed it off. As a troublemaker, she seemed to have experienced similar situations quite often. Someone else knowing her name apparently wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Letting out a silent sigh of relief, I spoke to her as if nothing had happened.
"What about the others? Is everyone safe?"
"Well... more or less? But seriously, you worry about other people the second you wake up? Don't you worry about yourself?"
"My supernatural ability is Super Regeneration, after all."
"Just because you don't die easily and heal fast doesn't mean you can't get hurt or killed, you know? Honestly, every single one of you idiots has zero self-preservation instincts."
Regina dragged a chair over, slumped into it, and frowned. She laced her fingers behind her neck, crossed her legs, and leaned back against the headrest.
"Everyone's safe. The Class A students, the teachers, all of them. Well, some are hospitalized, but since their lives aren't in danger, I guess you can call them safe."
"I see. That's a relief."
"Two teachers are hospitalized. A few students are too. The rest only had minor injuries, so they went home after getting treated."
It really did turn out well. As the lingering anxiety in my chest dissolved, my already languid body felt even more drained of strength. I just wanted to lie back down and fall asleep again. I guess regenerating took a massive toll on my stamina, because I have absolutely no energy.
But wait... Why is Regina the one telling me this? It's not like we're close enough for her to visit my hospital room. Perhaps my thoughts showed on my face, because Regina furrowed her brow and spoke up.
"I used my drugs to save you."
"Eh?"
"I used them on the others too, but your condition was especially critical, so I had to increase the concentration."
Regina used drugs? On me? Ah... I get it. She was trying to stimulate my regeneration.
"I came to check on you in case you showed withdrawal symptoms. It'd be a pain in the ass if you started begging me for a fix."
"Ahaha..."
"You don't seem very shocked when I say 'drugs.' You already know about my ability, don't you?"
"I've heard rumors, so I have a general idea..."
In truth, I knew because I read the novel. But since Regina's ability is so unique, it wouldn't be strange for rumors to spread about it. Regina nodded, seemingly satisfied with my explanation.
"It wouldn't be wrong to say that right now, drugs are flowing through your veins instead of blood. That's how severe your injuries were, and I overused my ability. Honestly, when you got hit by that monster, I thought you were a goner."
Regina pulled a small pouch from her pocket. It was transparent, clearly revealing its contents. Inside were a few marble-like pills.
"Take one of these a day. It'll dilute the drugs in your system."
"Okay, thank you."
"Cut the crap. I don't need empty thanks. If you're really grateful, pay me back with something material."
"I'll buy you chocolates. Lots of them."
"...Hmph."
Regina snorted. Still, she didn't seem to hate the idea, as she didn't say anything else. By the way, drugs, huh... No wonder I felt so incredibly drowsy. Honestly, with Lucia's Super Regeneration, I could easily flush them out of my system even without an antidote. But still, I shouldn't ignore Regina's kindness, so maybe I'll just leave them be.
"My business here is done. I'm leaving."
"Oh... already?"
"It's not like we're close enough to sit around and chat, are we?"
That was true. We had only talked a few times on the bus. To be more precise, I had all my chocolates extorted, and she ate every single one of them. And those were meant for Aris, too. It was a good thing I brought other snacks, otherwise... Wait. Hold on.
"Re-Regina!"
"What? Why are you calling me all of a sudden?"
"What happened to my backpack on the bus?"
Inside that bag were Lucia's severed limbs (or what was left of them). I was planning to dispose of them during the field training... and I completely forgot about them until now!
"Your backpack? Ah, was it expensive? If so, my condolences."
"...Huh?"
"The bus blew up. During the fight with the monsters. And it didn't just blow up normally—it got caught in the skill of that guy, Yujin? The one you saved. There was nothing left but dust."
"I... see."
"It's a shame, but you should give up on it. There really was nothing but ashes. The bus itself vanished without a trace, so it's not like your backpack would have fared any better."
Regina patted my shoulder comfortingly. She told me to take care of myself, reminded me not to forget the antidote, and left the room. I slumped back onto the bed, completely drained of energy.
Yujin. I'll grant you two wishes.
I thought I'd be able to get discharged immediately, but it looks like I'll be stuck in the hospital for a while. It's because of the drugs remaining in my body. The nurse told me I couldn't leave until the drug components were completely out of my system.
...Should I just use Super Regeneration to get rid of them? At this rate, I won't even be able to do any drug-addiction self-harm. Ugh, and I was looking forward to it...
But then again, I can't exactly self-harm in a hospital room. Even if it's a private room. And if I want to get discharged, I have to wait for the drugs to dilute anyway, so either way, I can't do it. After pondering for a moment, I decided to just leave the drugs alone. I didn't mind this languid feeling, anyway. It felt like I was floating softly on a cloud. Besides, with Regina's antidote, I should be out of here within a week. I might as well take a good rest in my room for now.
While staying at the hospital, I found out that Yujin was also among the hospitalized students. It seemed he had sustained various injuries while fighting the high-tier monster directly. Apparently, after reinforcements from the 2nd Unit arrived and wrapped up the situation, he collapsed on the spot and fainted. Aside from him, Leo was also hospitalized. I heard he threw himself at the high-tier monster and got absolutely thrashed. Fortunately, other than those two, the rest of the students were in good condition, meaning only three of us were hospitalized, including myself.
Lying on the hospital bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling. Back then, the situation had been too urgent for me to think deeply, but now, time was the only thing I had in abundance. The smell of medicine filling the room made my tipsy, alcohol-like drowsiness feel even heavier. With a slightly hazy mind, I recalled the events of that moment.
"Astaroth..."
The name slipped past my lips. The mastermind who turned what should have been a minor field training incident into this absolute disaster.
Those were the words left by the girl in the Red Fox Mask. I chewed over that statement again and again. It wasn't a very long speech, but it hid several crucial clues.
The 'other guys' Astaroth mentioned must refer to the other Mains. Judging by her tone, they definitely have memories of the 'previous turns,' just like her.
Who on earth is 'that person'? Who could possibly be so formidable that even transcendents are wary of them? At this point in time, they haven't even awakened, yet the transcendents are holding back solely out of fear of accelerating that awakening.
...It's obvious. It's Yujin.
The story of Dawn Swordsman revolves around the protagonist, Yujin. He is the hero chosen by the gods, after all. A literal incarnation of favoritism and absurdity. The natural enemy of the otherworldly monsters, and the savior of humanity who will subjugate all monsters by the end of the story to bring a close to the long war. If there was anyone the Mains—who likely know the future—would guard against so fiercely, it had to be Yujin. Furthermore, Astaroth's intervention had caused Yujin to grow at an unprecedented, explosive rate, proving that the Mains' wariness was far from groundless.
But if that was the case, a massive question remained. Why not just kill Yujin right now? To the Mains, the current Yujin, who has yet to grow, is nothing more than an insect. Nip his talent in the bud. They could easily cut off his windpipe before giving him any chance to grow, so why are they leaving him alone? The Mains are not fools. If they are taking the long way around when there is an easy shortcut, there must be a reason.
What if it's not that they won't kill him, but that they can't? What if even the Mains don't know who 'that person' is? Astaroth acted as if she knew about the future but lacked detailed specifics. She knows she died in the previous turns. But as for the process and the exact reason why she died... maybe she doesn't know? If she knew everything, she wouldn't have used vague phrasing like "it seems like."
Besides, the four gods protecting this world are neither incompetent nor foolish. There is no way they would just sit idly by and watch time regress. In short, the Mains have limited information as well. Even if time is wound back, their memories aren't perfectly preserved. Whether that is due to a lack of ability or the interference of the gods remains unknown.
...Well, they're all just hypotheses.
I don't know what the truth is either. I tried my best to deduce it from the few clues provided, but it was nothing more than my own speculation without any solid evidence. Perhaps there are other circumstances at play, or maybe Astaroth deliberately lied.
"What should I do from now on...?"
Every single plan I had made up to this point is scrapped. How am I supposed to navigate a future that has become a complete blank slate? I racked my brain over it, but no answers came. Perhaps due to the drugs flowing through my veins, my vision began to blur. I yawned and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. Let's take the antidote Regina gave me first... Oh, it's surprisingly tasty? It tastes like chocolate. Let's think after a quick nap. Good children sleep early and wake up early. Lucia is a good girl, so she's going to sleep early. Eu-he... taking the antidote actually seems to make me even sleepier. Goodnight.