The Heroes After the Finale (Part 2)
"Haa, haa…"
"Director Hope?"
I must have been breathing heavily without realizing it, caught up in my excitement. The princess tilted her head curiously, turning to look at me.
To let something like that slip so carelessly—but it was impossible not to get thrilled by a sight like this…
"I-I'm fine. I was just a bit startled."
"Well, hearing that's Sion… anyone would be surprised."
Fortunately, the princess didn't seem to notice anything off.
"Nao, who's this guy?"
"Hope Harvey. He's the director of the kingdom's rehab center. You've heard of him, right, Sion?"
"No."
Sion's voice came as a faint whisper, utterly devoid of strength or will. It was hard to believe she was even curious about who I was—more like an empty echo than a voice. No, it felt less like speech and more like breath carrying words along.
Was what she was uttering truly words from a human mouth?
Words hold meaning, meaning stems from intent, and intent arises from life itself.
I'd had some inkling of Sion's condition, but hearing her voice confirmed it completely. It wasn't just her body that was broken beyond movement—her mind was shattered too. That's why her words carried no will; her life held no hope or purpose.
As a rehab specialist living my second life, this was the first time I'd seen someone so thoroughly wrecked in both body and soul.
"He's the top expert in rehabilitation medicine, the hot new medical field these days. He might be able to heal you, Sion."
I see. So that's why she brought me here—to show Sion to me? Just like she'd shown me her own state on the first day, to let me confirm what Sion was like?
"……."
Sion slowly lifted her head after the introduction, looking up at me. I steadied my trembling heart as best I could and met her gaze.
The moment our eyes locked on her vacant crimson pupils, I realized: It's not about showing Sion to me… she brought me here to show me to Sion.
The princess's goal was the exact opposite of what I'd thought.
Introducing me, the foremost authority in rehabilitation medicine, to the utterly broken Sion. That way, she might hold onto hope that she could recover…
Was Sion's mind truly that far gone?
"Nao."
"Yeah?"
Sion glanced at me briefly, then turned back to the princess as if I meant nothing to her.
"Standing must be tiring. I'm fine, so don't push yourself."
Huh? For a split second, there was something in Sion's expression… Up until now, her face had shown nothing, but just then, it felt like I'd glimpsed her genuine concern.
"Ah~ this? I've been working hard on rehab therapy, so I can walk a little now. Wanna see?"
The princess leaned forward on her crutches and took a few shaky steps.
So that's why she'd insisted on standing and coming all the way here—to show this.
But her legs right now…
"Princess, please don't overdo it…"
"It's fine. This much is…"
Was she really trying to walk like a normal person? She handed me her crutches and took a step forward—
"Wh-whoa!"
"Princess!"
"Nao!"
Her legs gave out, and she pitched forward. I swiftly caught her body.
An inevitable result, given her leg condition. I'd anticipated it, so I prevented her from slamming into the floor.
"Lady Nao!!"
A maid rushed back in, wheeling a chair.
"Lady Nao, please sit down right away. Here…"
I passed the princess to the maid, who helped her into the wheelchair.
"Director Hope. Forget me—help Sion, please! Hurry!"
"Pardon?"
At her urgent plea, I turned to where Sion had been.
She'd lurched from her wheelchair and collapsed onto the floor, trembling.
"Th-this…!"
Did she reach out to help the princess too? How unsteady must her body be to tumble like that?
I approached the prone Sion carefully and reached out to help her up.
"Let me assist you."
"Don't touch my body!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"?!"
Just before my hand touched her shoulder, she shrieked with unbelievable sharpness. I flinched back in shock.
The hero Sion… screaming like that?
In the novel, Sion never snapped at anyone, not even a single complaint.
Yet here she was, yelling like this?
The princess, barely settled in her chair, looked just as flustered and hurried to Sion, extending a hand.
"I'll help her. Director, step back for now."
I had no choice but to obey the princess here.
"Sion. You okay?"
"Nao…"
"Come on, up you get."
Sion squeezed her eyes shut, head bowed, and with trembling arms that barely obeyed, grasped the princess's hand in the wheelchair.
"Kuhhh…"
Gripping Nao's hand like a lifeline, eyes and mouth clenched tight, she let out a grinding scream and dragged her body up into the princess's embrace.
"Haa, haa…"
"Sion…"
The princess held the gasping Sion close, closing her eyes with a sorrowful expression before lifting her fully into the wheelchair.
These two women, slumped across from each other in their wheelchairs, heads bowed—the hero and mage of the party that saved the world. And now, hauling their war-ravaged bodies to lament their powerlessness at a comrade's grave!
I was savoring an intense thrill unlike anything I'd ever feel again in my life.
Aah, what will they say next?! How will they comfort each other's wounds? Or will silence stretch on? No way… will they cry? If I could just see one tear from either of them… aaah!!
It took everything to scream only in my head, to hide this ecstasy. If they caught on, I'd worry how to live the rest of my life—this dizzying haze was that potent. But for now, I basked in it fully.
I had to etch this scene deep into my memory; missing it would be an unforgivable loss.
"Director… Hope, was it?"
"Ah, yes."
Sion's call snapped me from my ecstatic delusions.
She'd steadied her breathing, back to her hollow, expressionless face, looking up at me.
"Sorry for snapping earlier. I didn't mean to…"
An apology, huh.
"It's fine. I'm used to it."
"You… are?"
"Treating broken bodies is my job. It's weirder if the mind's intact when the body's wrecked."
"……."
In truth, such sharp reactions weren't common even at the rehab center, so I wasn't truly used to it. Just a white lie to reassure the patient.
Telling them others hurt just as much could be comforting.
But how did the hero Sion end up like this?
According to the novel, the mage princess Nao got leg damage from the Demon King's attack in the final battle. But Sion took heavy damage there too—yet no mention of lasting aftereffects.
There were clear scenes of victory celebrations and Iri's funeral after the war. Why…?
"Hey, Sion. Wanna grab dinner together after so long?"
"……."
The princess's sudden, refreshing proposal.
Sion bowed her head silently, then looked back at me.
"Him too?"
"Yeah. Truth is, I brought Director Hope because I want you to try rehab therapy too."
I'd half-expected this flow since first seeing Sion's state, and sure enough, the princess had brought me here to pitch rehab to her.
"Sion… talk it over with the director and find a path forward together. I have to stay in the empire, but you could head to Nodun if needed, right? The kingdom's rehab center has tons of success stories, and with Director Hope personally overseeing it, you'll definitely recover. Yeah? What do you say?"
Rehab for the hero Sion? If she came to the kingdom's center as the princess urged…
I'd get to see this every day?
Daily views of the shattered hero Sion Laurel and her rehab training! The supreme swordsman who sliced through space and broke the sound barrier, now trembling over mere chopstick practice or walking, desperately clinging to rehab equipment, panting for breath—every single day…
"Nao."
Sion finally spoke.
If she just accepted, those dreamlike days could be mine…
"Thanks, but I'll pass."
Ah.
Looks like it wouldn't unfold that easily.