Rehabilitation Therapist for the Broken Warrior

“Sion? Director?”

Of all times, she had to come in just as I was about to speak.

The situation, with Sion embracing me, could easily be misunderstood.

However, if I explained the truth, it wouldn’t be a problem.

‘Quiet.’

I raised a hand and put my index finger to my lips in a ‘shush’ motion, so Sion, nestled in my arms, wouldn’t hear.

Fortunately, Hanamana seemed to understand what I wanted to say.

She covered her mouth with both hands and quietly observed me.

“Sion, Hanamana is here.”

“Director Hope…”

Sion’s trembling had subsided, and she was breathing deeply, but she still couldn’t lift her head.

“Answer me…”

Sion’s voice trembled as she asked for a response. But…

“I’ll tell you later.”

“…….”

I didn’t plan on telling Hanamana that I was a Regressor and had been their comrade in my past life.

Therefore, I couldn’t answer Sion in front of her.

When I postponed my answer, Sion buried her head deeper into my embrace and clutched the lapels of my coat with both hands.

‘Sion…’

It was a clear sign of fear.

She must have realized that postponing the answer after Hanamana’s arrival meant I wouldn’t tell Hanamana anything.

The lie about the Demon King’s return had motivated Sion to start rehabilitation, but it was a double-edged sword.

The Demon King’s presence was too overwhelming and could burden Sion.

Having observed Sion for a month, I realized that while she possessed a transcendent spirit as a hero, she was ultimately still human.

What if Sion’s spirit broke?

What would I do?

If what I did for her ultimately broke her, I…

********************

‘Director Hope isn’t going to tell Hanamana!’

As Hope predicted, Sion understood his thoughts.

However, Sion’s thoughts were spiraling in a direction quite different from what Hope anticipated.

‘Nao, Hanamana, Airi… they’re all gone now. Next time I fight, I’ll be alone. I have to do it myself. I have to save the world alone, and the Demon King…’

Sion was a hero who rose during the war.

When the war against the demons was raging, the hearts of all humanity were united around Sion.

Everyone rallied behind her, hoping for survival, and she had comrades to share the burden of her destiny.

But now, only Sion was aware of the impending crisis.

With a broken body and mind,

Bearing the secret alone,

Sion was slowly,

Ever so slowly, taking hesitant steps to face the Demon King once more.

‘No, I’m not alone yet. There’s one person. Just one comrade in the world…’

Hope Harvey. The one comrade who told her that she was needed in this world again.

‘I only have the Director now. No one else but Director Hope…!’

Fearful that Hope might leave her alone, unable to even walk, Sion clung to his clothes with all her might.

************

‘Director? What is…’

I had signaled Hanamana to be quiet, so she stood frozen, unable to speak.

But I had a feeling I knew what her gaze meant.

However, I didn’t have the time to worry about Hanamana right now.

I had to comfort Sion, who was clinging to me, and wait quietly for her to calm down.

“Sion, it’s okay. Everything will be alright.”

Hanamana, watching Sion and me alternately, noticed Sion’s slight trembling as she gripped my clothes.

She seemed to grasp the situation and quietly knelt beside us, embracing Sion as if to shield her with her own body.

“It’s okay, Sion. Hanamana is here too.”

Hanamana said, “I’m here.”

It was probably from the manual.

It’s the most common phrase used to reassure patients experiencing a panic attack.

Just being there for someone can be comforting.

But even with Hanamana present, Sion wouldn’t let go of me.

Was she oblivious to her surroundings?

At this rate, Sion would likely remain lost in her thoughts, clinging to me until exhaustion took over, either regaining her senses or falling asleep.

“…….”

How much time had passed?

Sion no longer reacted.

She was still holding onto me tightly, but I gently took her hand and slowly uncurled her fingers, carefully releasing her grip.

“Did she fall asleep?”

“I think so.”

Hanamana stepped back.

I lifted Sion to check, and she was indeed unconscious.

After checking her vital signs and confirming she was asleep, I placed her back in the wheelchair and finally took a breath.

“Um, does Sion… often get like this?”

“Do you know what kind of state this is?”

“It seemed like a panic attack brought on by a seizure.”

As expected, she knew. Hanamana was also a Rehabilitation doctor.

It was only natural.

“That’s right. You noticed and helped even though I didn’t say anything. Thank you, Hanamana.”

I was about to tell her that Sion’s seizures were often more severe, but I decided against it. It would only worry Hanamana too much.

Sion’s rehabilitation was my responsibility. I didn’t intend to burden anyone else with it.

“I’m glad I could help. Actually, this is my first time dealing with this. I’ve only read about it in the manual.”

Hanamana let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

Her saying it was her first time probably meant that normally, they would sedate the patient. That’s what the manual recommended.

As expected of Hanamana, with her deep understanding of magic, she seemed to know exactly why Sion needed to be handled that way.

Due to this unexpected situation, we had to take Sion back to the Papal Palace where we were staying. Hanamana’s dinner invitation unfortunately had to end here.

“Since Sion is like this, I’ll head back. The meal was delicious.”

“Um… could I go with you, Director? I’m worried about Sion…”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Director.”

Since Hanamana volunteered, I left Sion’s wheelchair to her and we walked side by side.

“By the way, Hanamana.”

“Yes?”

“Have you learned all the skills and magic I categorized under Rehabilitation Medicine?”

The Rehabilitation Centers in this world were places to heal those broken by war.

Many patients suffered from delusions of persecution, stress disorders, and seizures.

It seemed Hanamana had been relying on Sleep magic until now, so I wondered if she had learned the other skills.

“Almost, but not all of them. There’s one magic spell I haven’t learned.”

“Just one? Which one?”

“Recover.”

Recover.

The magic that provided a small amount of permanent healing to injured patients. It was a convenient spell that could easily provide rehabilitation effects, even if only slightly.

“Come to think of it, the Director of the Empire’s Center didn’t have Recover either.”

“Where did you learn such magic, Director?”

“When I was young, I was helping the elderly in my hometown, and someone told me that a nearby church taught that kind of magic. So I went there and learned it.

The priest who gave me the magic book was quite old and had limited mobility himself. He said the church would be closing soon.”

“I see. Was it perhaps a secret magic passed down only in that rural area?”

For Hanamana to say that…

Hanamana was an elf who had lived for over 200 years.

She had an aptitude for all magic and a deep understanding and curiosity about it.

She actively engaged with human society to study and learn magic, yet she spoke as if Recover was a magic she had never even heard of.

Did that mean it wasn’t just an obscure, forgotten magic?

“The more I read the description in the textbooks, the more peculiar it seemed. I searched diligently, but I couldn’t find a way to learn it.”

“What’s so peculiar about it?”

“It permanently alters stats, not by decreasing them, but by increasing them. Moreover, it only works on stats the target previously possessed, the cooldown applies to the target, not the caster, and the mana cost is almost negligible. It’s a fascinating spell in many ways.”

Hmm… So that’s how Recover was perceived. I needed to adjust my understanding.

In rehabilitation, Recover was merely a supplementary tool.

If it was that difficult to learn, it would be best to remove it from the Rehabilitation Medicine textbooks.

And when I had the time, I should revisit that church to retrieve the magic book or consider teaching it myself.

“Director, since we’re on the topic, could you show me how to cast it?”

“Show you?”

“Yes, if possible. You’re using it on Sion, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s probably not appropriate to cast it on our patients, so maybe when Sion’s cooldown is over?”

“Hmm…”

Sion’s Recover cooldown would be over tomorrow. It wasn’t a difficult request.

“Alright. I’ll show you.”

“Thank you.”

Tomorrow was the last day of my trip.

After showing Hanamana Recover and assisting her with her consultations, my schedule in the Holy Law Nation would be complete.