Leisurely reading books during my hospital stay was short-lived after regaining consciousness.
With my injuries settled and only gradual recovery left, visiting restrictions lifted, and that free time vanished.
“Vim!”
The first visitor today is Abel.
“I’ll leave a change of clothes here.”
“Oh… thanks.”
“Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I-I’m good… got more than enough actually.”
My bed’s in the middle of the room. Visitors sit in the round chair between the bed and door.
And on the opposite side, between the window and bed, a veritable mountain of get-well gifts I’m not sure I can finish.
“How are you feeling?”
“Um… a lot better, thanks.”
“That’s great!”
Abel comes almost daily. Even though he’s busy as the Shield Unit’s young captain, he’s taken it upon himself to help me.
“Vim, I’ve said it so many times, but really, thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
He seems to look up to me for some reason too. He says this every time we meet.
I don’t feel bad about it, but it’s still kind of embarrassing.
“S-sorry, I’m not very good at giving compliments like this but… the Vim back then looked so incredibly cool!”
“Ah, thank you, haha…”
The next visitors are from the Rear Guard and Scouting Units.
“Vim, how are you holding up?”
“Much better now, thank you.”
“You look much healthier! Your face is fuller than last week!”
“Haha… I hope so.”
Mr. Zimon… and the woman next to him, what was her name… oh no, nothing where I have to call her by name.
Not just her – even with this many visitors, there are plenty whose faces and names I can’t match.
…No, no excuses. I’ve always been bad with faces, but at this rate it’ll hinder future dives.
” Well……thank you all. Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule. I feel better “
I have to try my best here. At least be friendly.
“I brought some flowers. This new lily variety apparently has a calming scent.”
“Thank you. Um, you can stack the flowers over there, and the nurse will water them…”
“These are olives from my family’s orchard. Pickled so they’ll keep.”
“Oh, thank you! I’ll slowly enjoy them.”
“This novel is selling well lately. I heard you’re quite the reader.”
“Th-thanks. I’ll give it a read.”
And so, before I knew it, the mountain of gifts grew larger.
At this rate I’m not confident I can finish it all.
Could a socially adept person suggest eating it together now?
Absolutely impossible for me, so I’ll quietly take it all home, slowly eat what I can, and respectfully dispose of anything that spoils, I guess…
I wonder if anyone could secretly eat it with me.
I don’t have friends, but one person comes to mind.
Come to think of it, Heidemarie never visited.
I shake my head. I foolishly held some sort of expectation that she’d come see me. Felt ashamed at my presumptuousness.
No, she’s a important profession, a Sage.
Not only tirelessly diving the labyrinth as Rear Guard Leader despite her youth, she does magical research taking requests from nations through the Sage Society. She pays attention to a country bumpkin like me only because we’re from the same town. Of course she’d have no time to coddle me.
I’ll deal with these gifts myself, I decide.
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Since then, The visits continued nonstop.
Night Dragonfly has over a hundred members alone. With subordinates included, it’s easily over a thousand people. And with my life saved in the last big survey, even employees’ family and lovers came to greet me.
Camilla’s supposedly filtered the meetings, but some are apparently so eager to express gratitude that I can’t refuse them.
“Pleased to meet you. I lead Night Dragonfly’s affiliate branch, Sunset Mud Snail, Gereon.”
“Oh, um… pleased to meet you too.”
“On this occasion of your great feat, I wanted to pay my respects on behalf of my secondary branch…”
Crass as it sounds, he gave a gloomy, ill-omened impression. He tended to look down, some invisible wall in his conversation.
I unilaterally felt this way, yet oddly, I sensed a comfortable familiarity bordering on reassurance towards this man. More relaxing than being cheerfully approached by a stranger.
“Though I’ve only recently been appointed leader, teeheehee…”
Ah, I really feel a kinship. He definitely has no friends.
“This is a trivial gift, but please accept it.”
“Ah, thank you. Sorry, I’m requesting gifts go under the window there.”
“Understood. Well then.”
Gereon crouches as he carries the package to the opposite bedside below the window.
“Whoa! Pardon my rudeness, would it be alright if I…?”
He suddenly raises his voice, surprising me.
“This is… Labyrinth Maniac!”
He noticed the magazine I had placed by my left side.
“A kindred spirit, here of all places! And Sir Strauss no less! My, my!”
Kindred spirit?
“Oh, um, you too, Gereon…?”
“Yes! I read it! No, apologies! I contribute at the level of submitting papers!”
I’m shocked.
My first encounter with another Labyrinth Maniac reader, much less a contributor.
Oh wow, I feel strangely delighted.
But when I try expressing that delight, I don’t know how to act.
Of course I should talk about Labyrinth Maniac, but in practice, I’m unsure what’s fun about it or how to share it.
What did I even find fun about this magazine? What is it to me? Can others empathize with that? Or is how I enjoy it selfish? No no, the act of enjoying is inherently selfish…
Huh, what does “fun” mean anyway?
Seeing me fret, Gereon kindly opens his mouth with a smile.
“I had a paper published last year. ‘On Fluorescent Paints for Depicting Transporters’ was the title.”
“Oh! I remember that! No prior research needed to understand, and um…”
I had read it, and it was interesting. Relieved, I try to get the conversation going with momentum from recalling the paper.
“…It was interesting.”
Well, I obviously couldn’t give any insightful commentary.
“Teeheehee. Ah, that makes me happy. I’m still researching it, and it looks like I’ll have another publication soon. I hope you’ll give it a careful read…”
But Gereon gently returns the favor, putting me at ease.
“I’ll… definitely read it, if I can get my hands on Labyrinth Maniac that is.”
“Don’t you worry. Now that I know you’re a kindred spirit, I’ll provide it to you.”
“Oh, um… really?”
That makes me simply happy.
It was always a chore finding copies, so even liking it, subscribing felt somewhat tedious.
“Yes. Actually, I have a special contact…” Hm? Oh, in that case…”
“Yes?”
“Hrm, should I say… Sir Strauss, please wait a moment.”
Just when I thought so, he closes his mouth.
“Forgive my presumptuous question, but I’ve heard you occasionally write papers too, Sir Strauss. Am I mistaken?”
“Oh, yes. Well, I haven’t done anything for about a year now, but once I settle down I’d like to slowly get back into it.”
“I see, I see. Forgive me. Let me just say it.”
He presses his four fingers together into a roof shape and covers the upper half of his mouth, speaking softly.
“I’m actually involved in compiling Labyrinth Maniac.”
“Huh?”
“Yes! Of course, separate from my Sunset Mud Snail duties, just a hobby. I participate in a circle formed from the group that publishes the journal.”
I’m shocked.
Ah, but is that true?
He speaks so quickly I end up doubting it.
Gereon seems to pick up on my skepticism.
“Apologies, apologies. I got overexcited meeting a kindred spirit for the first time. But such opportunities are rare. Let me extend an invitation to our circle. If you’re interested, please.”
Saying “pardon my rudeness,” Gereon rummages through his cluttered bag – the angular shape of its contents visible from outside.
“Aha, here it is.”
What he hands me is a business card. His name on front, and gold print flickering in the light on back.
“Can’t provide a map, so please follow the written instructions. Anytime you feel like it, no rush. We await you on one of the listed dates and times.”
“I understand.”
The wide mood swing from earlier deflated back to the quiet, gloomy first impression.
I felt some deja vu.
Now I’m certain.
This man is a kindred spirit.
The initial affinity I felt wasn’t mistaken.
“And do keep this from Leader Camilla. Just say we paid our proper respects.”
Without changing his ill-omened expression, Gereon quietly left the room.
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Why does he want to hide it from Camilla? Another recruitment attempt? Also about Heidemarie, she, being a stalker, must have figured out that Vim would feel burdened by visits. She could have told it to other members too though.