◇Takanashi Haruka’s POV◇
The day Yuuki-san saved us in the dungeon, we were being driven to the hospital by Tsuzuri-san for a medical checkup.
「That was rough for you three, huh?」
「Yeah… I honestly thought we were going to die.」
「Totally. Getting surrounded by goblins and attacked by that silver High Ogre or whatever… That was seriously bad.」
「I’m sorry… I was the only one who ended up somewhere safe…」
「It’s fine, Tomoe-chan! Falling into that pit was just bad luck, and if you hadn’t called for help, we wouldn’t even be here right now!」
「Exactly! Yuuki-oniichan only showed up because of you, Tomoe-chan!」
「Haruka-chan… Touka-chan…」
Tomoe-chan’s wide eyes filled with tears. She must have felt guilty for worrying us and relieved that we all survived thanks to Yuuki-san.
「By the way, Tsuzuri-oneesan, what was that room where all those goblins showed up?」
「That was what’s called a Monster House—a trap where a large number of monsters appear once you step inside. It’s extremely rare for one to show up in a beginner dungeon, though.」
「Huh…」
「I see…」
「You two sound pretty calm about it, but it was actually a really bad situation. In the U.S., a whole squad of special forces got wiped out when they triggered a Monster House in an intermediate-level dungeon. It was full of lizardmen—humanoid lizards that bullets don’t work on. It was a total massacre.」
Tsuzuri-san’s words made our faces go pale. It really hit home just how incredibly lucky we were to have survived that.
「But Yuuki-kun saving you two was a huge relief.」
「Still… Tsuzuri-san, you tried to stop Yuuki-san back there, didn’t you?」
「Ugh… I do have a job to think about, you know…」
「Come to think of it… is Yuuki-oniisan okay?」
「Tsuzuri-san! Is Yuuki-san all right?!」
I’d been so relieved that we were safe, but Yuuki-san had been carried away before I knew it. I knew it was selfish to hope, but… was he okay?
「Ah—there wasn’t any word before we left. I’ll check in when we stop at the next rest area.」
「Okay…」
「I hope he’s okay…」
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
When we reached the rest area, we headed for a short break. Wearing a tracksuit made me stand out a bit, but I couldn’t stop worrying about Yuuki-san, even while eating.
「Come on, you guys. You need to eat properly or you’ll get hungry later.」
「「「Okay…」」」
All three of us were still looking down, barely able to summon any appetite.
—Ping!
Tsuzuri-san’s phone beeped with a notification. She glanced at the screen and let out a breath.
「The hospital just contacted me. Yuuki-kun made it through the worst of it. He’s regained consciousness and is out of danger.」
「「「!!!!」」」
「Thank goodness…」
「Yeah… yeah…」
「I’m so glad…」
—Growl…
Our relief was short-lived as our stomachs started growling in unison. We all laughed together and finally started eating our dinner.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Afterward, we got back in the car and resumed our trip. Partway through the drive, Tsuzuri-san received another call.
「…I see… I understand. Thank you…」
After hanging up, she turned toward us with a somber expression.
「Haruka-chan, Touka-chan… Tomoe-chan’s asleep, huh…」
「Did something happen?」
「I just got some important news… and I thought I should tell you both.」
「Should we wake up Tomoe-chan?」
「No, let her sleep for now. Just listen, okay?」
「「Okay…」」
With a heavy look on her face, Tsuzuri-san began to speak.
「It’s about Yuuki-kun. He survived, but… almost every bone in his body was shattered or broken. The doctors said it’ll take an incredibly long time for him to recover. It might take years… That’s what the doctors just told me. As an explorer… his future looks bleak.」
It felt like I’d been struck in the head. At the same time, it was like the blood was draining from my body. When I glanced over at Touka, her face had gone pale, and tears were welling up in her eyes.
「B-but… there’s still hope. If he undergoes surgery, he should at least be able to return to a normal life.」
「Ugh…」
「But still…」
I wanted to punch myself for feeling so happy earlier. Of course it came to this—he took a direct hit from a monster like that. The fact that he was even alive was already a miracle.
「Also, you two will be staying in the hospital for a few days for tests, just to be safe. I’ve already contacted your parents—they’ll be coming by tomorrow.」
I need to tell my parents about this… and I need to become someone who can support Yuuki-san for the rest of his life. That’s what I can do for him.
「Understood. Come on, Touka—wipe those tears.」
I gently wiped Touka’s tears, trying to reassure her as best I could.
「It’s still going to be a long drive to the hospital. You two can sleep if you want—Tomoe-chan’s already out. Just let me know if you need anything.」
We were stuck in traffic. The navigation showed that we still had about an hour left to go.
Tomoe-chan, who had been quiet for a while, was fast asleep. Drool had soaked into her chest, leaving a little stain on her shirt.
「Yuuki-san…」
He risked his life to protect us. I want to do whatever I can for him.
As I thought about what I could possibly do, drowsiness soon overtook me.
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