Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

It’s been a few weeks since new buds sprouted on the tree branches.

Full spring light. The season that doctors, nurses, and even patients of the Frauvian Hospital have been longing for painted the view beyond the window green.

The nurse hummed a light tune.

“The weather is nice.”

The spring sunlight illuminates the side of her face.

How much I’ve missed this warmth.

Moderation is best in everything.

The white paint that makes the hospital interior so neat turns into a white hell as soon as winter arrives.

White indoors, white outdoors. Those days would make even lovers of white stick out their tongues, but that’s over now.

Spring has come.

For the nurse, spring meant two things. 

The end of winter. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

And, the imminent discharge of a patient.

It’s been almost three years since she started working at the hospital. Even for such a nurse, that patient was uniquely extraordinary.

The severity of his injuries and the unusual nature of his visitors were part of it, but above all, his own background was extraordinary.

Knock, knock, knock―

“Doctor, I’m coming in.”

The nurse opened the door of that room without hesitation.

Until a few months ago, she was quite hesitant even to open this door.

Indeed, it was because of the experience of being surprised by the patient’s profile as soon as she opened the door.

After hearing about the patient’s circumstances roughly, that figure even looked like a tragic protagonist from a play. It was quite a commotion.

But.

“…Ah. Again?”

Now, she knew well.

It was foolish to project the emotions of a play onto a scholar, that embodiment of reason and logic.

As if to prove that inference, the room was empty.

The nurse pressed her brow and read the note placed on the hospital bed.

[I’m where I usually am.]

“Sigh.”

With a deep sigh, she strode out of the room and went to the usual place.

That is, towards the room of his fellow scholar.

“Dr. Oslo. How many times have I told you not to leave your room as you please?”

“…That’s why I left a note.”

“That doesn’t mean you can leave as you please.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…I have nothing more to say. Since you left a note, I’ll forgive you this once. After all, I asked you to let me know when you leave, not to never leave. How’s your hand?”

“Ah.”

While being scolded, I glanced at my right hand with its bandage removed.

It’s hard to say it looks good, even as a lie.

At a glance, the position of the fingers might seem normal.

But the subtly twisted angles and protruding tendons inevitably catch the eye.

I should be grateful that all five fingers are still attached and can be moved passively.

“No particular problem.”

“Have you gotten used to using crutches?”

“Yes. It’s much better now that I can use my hand.”

“As a nurse, I’d like you to go easy on forcibly moving your fingers with magic… Well. That’s all.”

The nurse, who had quite seriously finished filling out the diagnosis form, returned to her previous demeanor. A scolding expression.

“From now on, please tell me before leaving your room.”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Isn’t today the day that person is coming? You should return to your room before it’s too late. Well then, enjoy your conversation, you two.”

I bowed my head to the departing nurse. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Then, as I was about to focus again on the pile of papers on the table while twirling the pencil in my left hand…

“Got scolded again, huh.”

“…Werner.”

Werner grinned on the hospital bed.

A brazen face with a brazen smile.

It’s Werner’s trademark, but it might be inappropriate to call it his usual thing.

Unlike a few months ago, a large scar now emphasized its presence on his face, running from his forehead to his left cheek.

Although it was a severe scar that would make observers conscious of it, it was surprising that it now looked natural due to his consistently nonchalant attitude.

I said with an incredulous tone:

“I get scolded because you keep calling me here.”

“Puh. Theorist.”

“What.”

“Don’t blame me when you often come here even when I don’t call you. Anyway, you’re bored of killing time in your room too, right?”

“Well, that’s…”

As Werner’s smile deepened, I twirled my pencil.

I couldn’t deny it.

It’s been four months since the accident.

It’s no exaggeration to say that these four months in the hospital were the slowest passing time since I came to Frauzen.

What’s required of a patient is the will to recover, not visible effort. Effort is the doctor’s role.

Therefore, during the first two months when actual treatment was taking place, there was nothing much to do except lie in bed and conduct thought experiments.

This was far from enough to quench my thirst as someone who had lived like an effort addict.

So, after I could somehow walk using crutches, I often visited Werner’s room.

Now, the situation was that we were being called ‘the two troublemakers’ or ‘the two research-obsessed scholars.’ [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

I honestly admitted:

“Time passes better when I’m doing research with you than alone.”

“Doesn’t this violate the ban on group research?”

“The restrictions have been relaxed.”

“Hmm. Indeed, it would look strange to attach supervisors and impose restrictions when they’re trying to semi-deify you.”

Werner strokes his chin and nods.

“It would be nice if you could help with my research with that quick understanding of yours.”

“Isn’t providing a place also a form of excellent help?”

I smiled slightly and shook my head.

I answer like that, but in fact, there’s not much that Werner, an experimental magic scholar, can help with in writing this paper.

He doesn’t even have the mathematical knowledge that Professor Müller guided me with.

In short, the paper I’m writing with my left hand has nothing to do with Werner. In other words, there’s no particular reason to visit Werner’s room.

Just having someone to chat with…

That’s probably the main reason I knock on the door of Werner’s room.

“If you win the Russell Award with that, share some with me. I need a lot of research funds to restart the experiment.”

When he says things like that, I sometimes wonder if I came for nothing, but one way or another, time passes well when we’re together.

In no time, the paper was filled with equations and writing.

“Ughhhhh……”

After looking at that paper with satisfaction, I stretched.

Then, I saw Werner lying down in a posture unbefitting a severely injured patient.

He must have been hurt much worse than me, but apart from his face, he looks fine on the outside.

“Werner.”

“Hmm.”

“When are you getting discharged?”

“Well. Probably in about three to six months.”

“That’s quite long.”

“I might look fine on the outside, but inside, I’m a mess. It’ll take a few more months just for me to walk. But well, anyway, I’ll look better than you, so it’s my victory.”

“Huh.”

Werner grinned at my dumbfounded expression and spoke again.

“More importantly, theorist. You’re about to be discharged.”

“I suppose so.”

“Have you thought about what you’re going to do?”

“You mean the conference? Hmm. To be honest, there are still many flaws in the paper’s content. But the idea itself is quite groundbreaking…”

“No.”

“No?”

“Not about the conference or paper. You know.”

Only then did I realize what Werner was talking about.

A bitter smile formed involuntarily.

“I said I’ll be discharged soon, but I still need to undergo rehabilitation.”

“Hmm. Rehabilitation?”

“Yes. I need to learn the unique magic [Walk Assistance]. If I limp onto the stage at the conference, I can’t act as a ‘scholar who overcame an accident.’ So, to answer your question…”

I picked up the box placed on one side of the table.

A box that fits snugly in my hand, with a soft velvet finish on the outside.

I continued speaking while squeezing the box in my hand. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“I should give it before being discharged.”

“Oh. That’s unlike you.”

“It’s already too late. I’ve postponed it for nearly a year…”

It was about time to give it now.

I had to give Julia what was inside the box.

“I hope she’ll be happy.”

I’ve postponed it for too long.

If I give the contents of the box in a situation without tact or atmosphere, as I usually do, I might be disliked a bit.

So, this time, I made a plan.

After learning [Walk Assistance] from Julia, when I can finally walk on my own two legs again… That’s the moment I’m aiming for.

In the field next to the hospital, with the pouring twilight as a background…

Clatter―!

At the sudden sound from outside the room, I stopped myself from sinking into fantasy.

“What’s that sound?”

“Who knows. Maybe a nurse is coming to my side too.”

“I see.”

Even if we want to check, there are only two severely injured patients in the room.

I put the box back into my pocket and picked up the pencil again. I’ve become quite accustomed to using my left hand, so the movement was quite natural.

“That’s enough about me. I’m curious about your future plans too.”

“Hmm.”

“Werner. You were popular as an undergraduate, so you should have one or two people to take with you, right?”

“I’m already married to experiments.”

I shook my head.

‘Did I go unnoticed?’

…

‘I went unnoticed.’

The relief that came with that judgment took the strength from her two legs.

Swoosh― 

Julia Müller sat down in the hospital corridor, leaning against the wall.

Then, she slowly cupped her cheeks.

Her cheeks were hot.

Indescribably so.

“Haaaaa……”

Ten minutes ago…

When she faced an empty room after bringing a basket filled with fruits and snacks, she wasn’t like this. Rather, she repeatedly pondered how to tease Eugene.

But now, Julia had no room for such leisure.

Quietly… [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

In a voice only she could hear, she repeated.

“I should give it.”

“Give……”

She exhaled a heated breath and removed her hands from her cheeks.

Julia stroked her left hand and thought. 

The blood flow from her pounding heart seemed to rush particularly to one place.

The reason her left ring finger was especially hot must surely be because of that.