Beta read by Shigiya
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-Tokonosu, Takagi Estate-
"Hah, finally some peace."
After a day of trudging around outside and holing up in a wrecked plant, caked in dried blood that had started smelling like something that belonged in a grave, a shower went a long way. Cu dropped onto the wooden stool in front of the long metal table, the surface cool against his skin.
Without wasting a second, he pulled his dirt-caked shirt over his head, tossing it onto a nearby bench. The dim bathroom light highlighted his torso, revealing a chiseled physique built from lean muscle and sinew. Yet this was not the time to check himself out, for his attention then shifted to his lower stomach and left shoulder. There, several angry red puncture marks were still visible, the skin around them swollen and tender.
They were the signs of where he had been pierced, the wounds only halfway through the healing process. The gash on his stomach was particularly nasty; a deep puncture where a piece of rebar had impaled him. The flesh was puckered and bruised, with thin, red lines already beginning to web across the injury, showcasing his body already in the middle of healing. At least some of it had already mended, the worst of the bleeding having stopped, but the debris remained.
A frown creased his brow as he ran a hand over the wounds, wincing at the sharp sting that shot through him. "Something's still in there." He muttered it more to himself than anyone, already reaching for the small metal kit on the table. He flipped it open and grabbed the fine-tipped tweezers, turning them over once in his hand before leaning forward. No point dragging it out. He pressed the tips to the edge of the stomach wound, jaw tightening as he worked them in. A short, clipped grunt pushed through his teeth as he probed around, and then he caught it - a small fragment and pulled it free.
"Heh, so this little thing was causing so much pain, huh..." A broken piece of glass, darkened with dried blood, and most likely something that got lodged within with the help of the rebar. Back there with Saeko, he couldn't just dig into the hole and pull it out if he didn't know it was in there in the first place. "Alright, all done now."
He tossed it into the nearby sink with a metallic clink. Grabbing a tissue, he dabbed at the small trickle of fresh blood that welled up from the now-empty wound that would fully heal without much issue.
The sound of a door sliding open echoed behind him. "Hm?" This ended up being followed by the soft rustle of clothes being removed. Footsteps padded into the large, open bath area, a communal shower room of sorts. This was quickly followed by a startled gasp.
"Ah!" The voice was unmistakably that of a certain dark-haired boy.
Cu turned his head toward the entrance the moment the sliding door opened. Steam drifted through the room in slow waves, clinging to the tiled walls and fogging parts of the mirrors nearby. A light grin spread across his face upon spotting Takashi standing there stiffly with only a towel wrapped around his waist. The younger man's eyes widened almost instantly, clearly not expecting company.
"Sorry!" Takashi blurted out while raising both hands awkwardly. "I thought nobody was in here."
"Relax, lad," Cu replied casually while running a towel through his damp hair. Water still rolled down his shoulders and chest, carrying away streaks of dirt and dried blood that had survived the first rinse. "I'm not some damsel about to slap you just for seeing my body. We're both men, and this is a shared shower room. Had to clean up after the trip. Sweat, mud, zombie blood... after a while, the smell starts sticking to your skin."
"A-ah... hahaha... yeah..." Takashi gave an uncomfortable laugh, scratching the back of his neck while trying very hard not to stare; which made the former Servant of the Spear roll his eyes, the lad was just making things more awkward than they needed to be. Or maybe he was just being squeamish at the wounds on his body? "Yeah... I get that," he muttered before slowly stepping backward toward the door. "I'll just wait outside until you're done."
The attempt to retreat only made Cu laugh.
Before Takashi could escape, the taller man crossed the distance in a few quick steps and threw an arm around his shoulders. The sudden contact made the boy stiffen immediately.
"Ah!"
"What's with that reaction?" Cu asked with obvious amusement. "You act like I'm dragging you into battle."
Takashi looked toward the exit again. "It's not that, it's just-"
"I've heard this sort of thing is normal here." The blue-haired man cut him off while steering him back toward the baths. "Friends relaxing together in hot springs and all that. Good way to bond, isn't it? Besides, it gets boring staying here for an hour with no one to talk to."
Takashi looked deeply unconvinced by that explanation, but those words were the genuine truth. Also, part of him felt the desire to get to know this shy friend of his a bit more. Unlike Igou, he spoke very little with Takashi in comparison. Not that he did not understand why, but the whole Rei situation would make it difficult for either side to behave as if nothing had happened.
The uncomfortable look on his face only grew worse once Cu casually grabbed another towel and shoved it against his chest. For several long seconds, the younger survivor stood there debating whether refusing would somehow make things even more awkward than they already were.
Eventually, defeat won out.
"...Fine."
"That's the spirit!"
Not long afterward, both men were seated inside the large artificial hot spring built into the Takagi estate grounds. Steam curled upward from the surface of the water while the filtration system hummed quietly somewhere beyond the stone walls. The bath itself had been designed to imitate a natural outdoor onsen despite being entirely man-made, complete with uneven rocks, small decorative plants, and moss spread across the edges to give it a more authentic appearance.
Takashi leaned back carefully against the smooth stone, letting out a slow breath as the heat soaked into his muscles. Across from him, Cu looked far more comfortable, one arm resting lazily along the edge while the water reached just below his chest.
Even sitting still, the difference between them felt obvious, with him sensing the other side observing his body closely. His eyes lingered on one particularly nasty cut near the stomach before quickly looking away.
Cu noticed anyway.
"Worried?" he asked casually.
"It looks painful."
"It was."
The answer came so quickly and matter-of-factly that Takashi almost laughed.
"It'll heal soon enough. Another day or two and it'll be gone completely. No scar either."
"...That's not normal."
"Just chalk it up to magic; it will save you the headache."
That response visibly left the younger man unsure how to continue the conversation, though the older soul stayed patient. Silence settled over the bath afterward, broken only by the sound of water shifting whenever one of them moved slightly.
Takashi normally did not mind quiet moments, but this one slowly became harder to sit through. Fortunately, Cu spoke first again. "Things are about to become more dangerous. Especially with the undead."
The statement immediately pulled Takashi from his thoughts.
"More dangerous? Aren't they already dangerous enough? I can't imagine this getting any worse."
The grin faded from Cu's face slightly. Not entirely, but enough for the mood to shift.
"Ooh, it'll be easier explaining this to everyone together," he said while staring up at the rising steam above them. "But we've probably been lucky so far."
Takashi frowned. "Lucky how?"
"The undead we've dealt with until now were mostly straightforward. Slow thinking. Predictable. Ugly bastards, but manageable once you know how they move."
The younger survivor's expression tightened slightly. "You're saying there are others?"
"Yup, though it will save time to give the details when everyone else is gathered. I wouldn't be that worried since those can still be killed if you don't drop your guard. But still, something to look out for."
His comment only deepened Takashi's confusion, but the boy didn't pursue it, just nodding. "Aside from that, something came to my attention... Things between you and Saeko felt a bit different since you came back," he said cautiously, looking at the Irishman with a side glance. "I even saw her just now asking Kohta about how to use guns. It even surprised him, given she's been so adamant about not using them and just sticking with her swords. She even went to talk to Shizuka and asked about any spare supplies she could keep on herself."
At first, Cu visibly tensed at the question. The reaction lasted only a second, but Takashi still caught it. The former Lancer's shoulders stiffened slightly beneath the hot water, as if he had prepared himself for a completely different discussion the moment Saeko's name came up. Instead of suspicion or accusations, however, all Takashi had done was mention her recent behavior.
A quiet sigh escaped Cu afterward.
"Well," he muttered while rubbing the back of his neck, "having an entire ceiling collapse on top of us and watching me nearly die probably stirred something in her."
Takashi blinked several times. "Hold on." His expression shifted from confusion to disbelief almost instantly. "The ceiling collapsed on you!?"
"Aye. Boiler room explosion," Cu explained while leaning further back against the smooth stone behind him. "One blast led to another. Pipes burst, walls cracked, then eventually the entire bloody ceiling started coming down."
Takashi stared at him for several long seconds before finally speaking again. "And both of you survived that somehow."
"Barely."
The younger survivor let out a breath through his nose, still trying to picture it. "Hold, now I get the Shizuka part, but I'm still not understanding how that led to Saeko talking to Kohta about using guns. If a ceiling is collapsing on someone, what exactly is a gun supposed to do there?"
"Nothing."
The blunt answer caught him off guard.
Cu closed his eyes briefly while resting his head against the rock behind him. "But that's not really the point. I think she felt powerless back there and wanted to avoid that outcome. Or rather, avoid ever having herself get into such a situation and having others rescue her. That's my guess anyway."
Takashi remained unconvinced. "Because she couldn't stop a building from falling apart?" He shook his head slowly. "Nobody could."
"You're thinking logically. Emotions usually aren't."
That response made Takashi pause.
He continued afterward, speaking more thoughtfully now. "A sword is something she's relied on for years. It's familiar. But against something like that?" One hand gestured vaguely upward as if indicating the collapsing structure again. "Doesn't matter how skilled you are. Steel won't stop concrete from crushing you."
Eventually, Cu shrugged lightly.
"So maybe getting a gun gives her some sense of security. Maybe she thinks having another option will stop her from feeling that helpless again. Even if it's likely she is not planning on using that any time soon." A faint smile crossed his face afterward. Saeko was no foolish woman, and he trusted her judgement. "Or maybe I'm completely wrong and just talking out of my ass."
Takashi looked down into the water for a moment before slowly nodding.
The topic shifted naturally after that, once his eyes drifted again toward the visible injuries covering Cu's body. Several wounds still looked nasty despite already healing far faster than any normal injury should. One scar-like puncture near the abdomen especially stood out.
The younger survivor grimaced slightly.
"I'm still glad both of you made it back alive." His voice lowered afterward. "Especially after... that."
Cu followed his gaze downward.
"Ah. That."
Takashi hesitated briefly before asking, "Were you actually pierced all the way through?"
"Yes." He shifted slightly in the water, causing small ripples to spread across the surface. "Nothing vital got hit, though, so it'll heal. Painful experience, I wouldn't recommend anyone trying to replicate it."
Takashi stared at him as he had just said he caught a cold instead of getting impaled.
"Oi, who the hell is even crazy enough to even think of doing that? That's just insane."
A dry laugh escaped him while running a hand through his wet hair - the boy had a point.
"Seriously, that's not normal. You got stabbed multiple times, and you're already walking around as if nothing happened. Most people would still be unconscious."
A slow smile spread across Cu's face at that.
"Magic."
Takashi immediately rolled his eyes. "Of course, that's your answer."
"That is the answer." Saying anything more would just confuse him for no reason. So, best to just stick with the simplest of explanations. The younger man sank slightly deeper into the bath again before looking back toward him with renewed curiosity.
"Then why even bother using weapons?" he asked. "Or armor for that matter? If magic lets you survive getting skewered, wouldn't fighting normally just be unnecessary?"
Amusement appeared in Cu's eyes immediately. "There are definitely lunatics out there who'd agree with you. I've met enough crazy people who even made me look sane with such a mentality. I wouldn't even call them suicidal at that point, just... inhuman."
The response made Takashi narrow his eyes thoughtfully.
For a moment, he stayed quiet, clearly piecing something together in his head. Then his expression shifted slightly as realization began settling in.
"...Wait." The towel-haired teenager leaned forward slightly. "There are more people like you out there, aren't there? Other magic users."
Ah, it took a second for Cu to realize that small slip-up and who it confused Takashi.
"I told you before, I'm not sure, but there should be. Um... ignore what I said about meeting others, it's complicated." One hand lazily stirred the water beside him. "Besides, this world has mana flowing through it. The fact that it exists at all means someone somewhere has probably figured out how to use it, or even a group of people. I really doubt that there isn't a cabal out there that uses magic."
"Then why haven't we heard about them?"
The question came faster now as his thoughts started racing. "I mean, think about it. The world's falling apart because of zombies. If people could actually use magic, there would've been reports everywhere." His hands moved while speaking, frustration and confusion mixing together. "Videos online, rumors, survivors talking about it, something. People throwing fireballs around would be pretty hard to miss."
That point actually made Cu stop and think.
The joking attitude faded from his face while his eyes lowered toward the calm water between them. His thoughts moved elsewhere entirely for a moment. Back in his own world, secrecy surrounding magecraft had always been taken seriously. The average person was never supposed to learn that magic truly existed. Entire organizations worked to keep it hidden.
Could this world have something similar?
Or perhaps the chaos spreading everywhere had buried such stories before anyone took them seriously. After several seconds, Cu finally spoke again.
"Technically," he said slowly, "we are already seeing supernatural stuff happen."
Takashi blinked.
"What?"
"The undead."
Confusion only deepened on Takashi's face. Cu's expression became far more serious now compared to earlier.
"Yeah, they're infected," he continued. "There's obviously some kind of virus involved. But that's not the whole picture. The undead wandering around out there aren't completely natural... by that I mean there is something supernatural to their existence."
Then suddenly shot upright from the water hard enough to send it splashing over the edge of the bath.
"Wait a second!" he exclaimed. "You're saying another mage caused all this!?"
Cu's eyes drifted up to the ceiling, his expression lost in thought. "I cannot say yes with certainty," he murmured, "but I also cannot say that magic isn't involved. I'm sensitive enough to sense something supernatural, but I'm not sure to what extent or who exactly created it. It could just be a regular virus that got enhanced by magic. Or a regular virus that was spread around the world through supernatural means. Or it could be a virus that continues to be kept alive and thriving within a human body, with modifications done using magical elements. The possibilities are endless. The only way we can get an answer is if we examine the virus very closely."
Takashi looked at him, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Can't you do that yourself?"
Unfortunately for him, Cu had to squash whatever false hope he had and shook his head. "While I'm quite efficient when it comes to runecrafting, by nature, I'm a warrior, not a researcher. Hell, my skills in magic is subpar compared to most mages and my teacher. My methods won't give us the kind of result we want. I can't just put on a lab coat, create a workshop, then close myself off to the world for a month or two studying the virus and come out with a cure. At most, I can just confirm that there is a supernatural element. That's about it."
The revelation made Takashi sink back into the water with a loud sigh. He looked tired, defeated. "So we're back to square one."
"We're not back on square one. We've made a lot of progress, lad! Thanks to your efforts, and everyone else's, we've made a real difference."
"..."
"If it weren't for our teamwork, if it weren't for us looking out for each other, the number of deaths among our fellow students would have been far bigger. Or even... all of us wouldn't have necessarily survived. Maybe a handful at best. Don't look at the bad side of things. Acknowledge the positives we have."
This made Takashi chuckle dryly. "It's kind of hard to do that in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Especially when we're beginning to deal with troubles that aren't zombie-related, with people starting to create trouble like Shido."
"Oh, that," Cu said, remembering the matters related to Miku and the festering tension among the people inside the estate. "A long time ago, my master once told me that human nature is inherently chaotic. No matter how one tries, whether it be through peaceful ways or more forceful ways or even supernatural ways, humanity will always find a way to... well, fuck itself over."
"Did your master say that, or is that just how you interpret it?"
He chuckled. "She said it in a more eloquent and elegant way, but that's what it basically boils down to. No matter how united we may look from the outside, eventually something or someone will start causing trouble. What we should be focusing on is not how to prevent such a thing from happening in the first place, but rather how to isolate such people and take control before things spiral out of control. People aren't machines. Every person is different. Some are just more prone to causing trouble for others."
With that, Cu stood and left the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist as he walked into the changing room. Takashi followed suit, also coming into the changing area and starting to dress, continuing the conversation. "So you plan on letting Miku somehow control and deal with this problem?" he asked. "You trust her that much to keep everyone safe and stop things from turning into another Shido case?"
Cu pulled his shirt over his head, the fabric still slightly damp from the bath's steam. Looking at Takashi, who was struggling with the buttons on his own clean shirt. "No, I don't trust her with that. But I do trust her ability to manipulate others and temporarily keep them under control until we do something about it. She's a true vixen in human form. Those kinds of girls are usually the most dangerous kind. Underestimate them for a moment, and the next thing you know, you have to deal with an entire army."
"What?"
Cu shook his head. "Nothing. Just personal stuff. Regardless, since I am here, I will obviously keep an eye on Miku, and so will Saya's parents. Make sure she doesn't go around and create her own mini army of followers ready to die for her. She does as she promises, and I will deal with the aftermath later. But for now, I just want to grab a beer and lie down on a bed, on something soft and fluffy."
She was no Medb, not even close, but still... that didn't mean he shouldn't keep an eye on her.
"I'll go check up on Kohta. See if he's busy with something and help him out."
"Sounds like a plan."
But as the two of them left the changing room, they stopped in their tracks. Four people were waiting outside, their postures tense. Rei, Saeko, Saya, and Igou. All four of them stood there quietly, their hushed conversation ending abruptly as Cu and Takashi emerged.
The entire group stood in awkward silence for a moment until Cu couldn't help but ask, "Uh... did something happen? What's with the strange atmosphere?" He looked at Igou for an answer.
The man shook his head. "Everything's fine for now, but we didn't come here for that. Instead, we came here for you."
This confused him. "Me?"
Feeling like he was missing something important, he tried to recall their last conversation. Nothing came up that would make them react like this. "Is this related to the distress signal from Taipei Shopping Town?" he asked aloud. "Because if you're trying to have me not go, you're wasting your time."
Igou scoffed. "Not let you go? It's quite the opposite! No way anyone is going without you there. No, we are here for something else." His expression changed from jovial to awkward. "We heard from Saeko about what happened back there... the thing you encountered."
Understanding finally crossed Cu's face. "Ah," he muttered. "So this is about the mutated zombie."
"Mutated zombies?" Takashi repeated, his head snapping between Cu and the others.
Cu gave a brief summary. "It's a bit messy, and what I mentioned about talking with the others earlier, but the reason the people at the power station were caught off guard and overwhelmed wasn't because of a big number of zombies. It was because a mutated one appeared. One that could run fast."
"That's it?" Takashi asked, most likely expecting something much worse, "Couldn't they just shoot it?"
Cu shook his head. "People who have become accustomed to dealing with zombies that can only walk slowly and can be seen or heard from a mile away would not be prepared for one that can run as fast as humanly possible and not caring for it's own survival. Even the most seasoned of warriors can be caught off guard at a sudden change of the status quo. We can't blame them if we didn't see it coming either."
"Will there be more variants out there? Like, were they here before, or did these variants start to appear after a certain period of time had passed? What are the rules?" Igou mentioned worriedly.
Rather than Cu, it was Saya who answered, pushing her glasses up her nose. "The body should be deteriorating after a while. Those undead are still human bodies at the end of the day, and normally, they should have already started rotting and collapsing by now, with muscle failure and nerves no longer working. Yet here they are, with the zombies still moving around, and now runners started to appear. We already know that this isn't a regular virus. We can already assume that different kinds will appear. Even if it's not guaranteed, it's best to remain careful. Hah... I'm still having a hard time accepting the explanation of the magic of all things."
Honestly, he expected the pink-haired girl to react more when he revealed that fact about him. At first, she simply denied such an explanation, but a quick showcase of runes changed her mind. After that, she just went along with it without much of a fuss.
It did not occur to him until now that, rather than simply acceptance, she was just in the middle of digesting the news and still hasn't come to terms with it.
The explanation she gave made Igou groan out loud. "Who would have thought a scenario from the games I played in the past would actually happen? The last thing I want to deal with is a tank zombie, or one of those that can control an entire group with some intelligence... or one that explodes with guts all over and either killing you or luring even more zombies to you!"
"Don't worry," Cu said, his tone dismissive. "This isn't a video game. As long as you can aim for the head, they'll die; hopefully."
"Hopefully? Come on, man!"
"We'll deal with this matter for certain," Cu stated, turning to leave. "But now, I need to get something to drink." He only managed a few steps before Rei and Kohta stopped him. Rei's left arm came up, her hand placing itself firmly on his right shoulder. Kohta used his right arm, his hand gripping Cu's left shoulder.
This confused him. He looked behind him, only to see both of them locking their arms around his own. They started dragging him backward. "What's going on here?" he asked, sounding confused.
"Aside from all the zombie stuff," Rei began, her voice firm, "we heard about the rest. What happened during your time at the power plant?"
"Dude, it's kind of ridiculous that you can behave so normally as if nothing happened after being pierced by freaking rebar of all things."
As soon as he said that, Cu's gaze shot directly to the purple-haired girl standing silently in the distance. Saeko just stood there, her expression unreadable. "They were being too stubborn to hear all the details. And I also kind of agree with them."
"Agree with what?" Cu asked, a strange sensation of dread creeping up to his mind.
"That you need to get checked up and treated by a professional," Saya answered this time. "A proper one rather than just resting for a few hours and saying magic will handle it."
Her words made Cu freeze on the spot, his eyes widening and looking at the two people dragging him away. "It's not that bad! It'll heal by tomorrow! You don't need to do this!" The words came out with a noticeable edge of dread.
From the back of the group, Takashi spoke up. "Didn't you just dig out pieces of metal from your wound in the shower and groan in pain? It would be best to have it checked up and avoid an infection."
"Shut up!"
"Stop being such a baby," Rei retorted. "There's nothing to be afraid of, it's just a simple check-up!"
These fools, they wanted him to suffer! "I'm not afraid of being checked up! I'm not afraid of being treated in general! But I am not willing to be checked up by that woman! She genuinely wants to kill me!"
No matter what scenario, whether it be just bumping against her or even ignoring her... he always ended up unconscious by the end and bleeding! She was his natural enemy, a sexy but still dangerous one!
"Shizuka is a kind nurse who is constantly worried about you and everyone else! It was just bad luck, it won't happen twice!" Rei argued back.
They weren't listening to him...
"She nearly killed me three times by now! She's the Grim Reaper disguised as a healer!" Cu screamed, trying to break away from their hold. He put a bit of real strength into it, making them struggle to pull him.
Rei looked at the others behind her. "Come on, help us bring him there!" she growled.
Cu, on the other hand, was shouting at the others. "Help me break away! You know about my condition! I won't die! I'll be healed by this by tomorrow!" His words were ignored. In the next moment, Saeko and Takashi each grabbed one of his legs and pulled up, lifting him completely off the ground. With all four of them now rushing towards the infirmary, Cu's screams echoed through the halls.
"You're leading me to my grave!"
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Shizuka looked cutely and confused at the scene in front of her. She tilted her head slightly, a finger resting on her chin, as she looked at the group standing beside the bed. She pointed at the figure secured to it. "Why is he in chains?" she asked, indicating Cu, who had been tied to the bed with chains on all four limbs, each locked to the bed frame.
Rei sighed and apologized first. "We had to do that. He was resisting staying here, so we had to take extreme measures."
"Scared?" Shizuka repeated, before chuckling. A sweet smile spread across her face. "There's no need to be scared. If he's afraid of needles, then I have a perfect way to get past that issue. I have plenty of experience, even with other students who have their own phobias. I've learned and adapted, and I'm certain I can handle Cu! And there's no guarantee I'll even need to use a syringe."
Her response received no validation. The group just looked at each other awkwardly before starting to walk away. Igou stayed behind, scratching his head. "He's not afraid of syringes," he said to Shizuka. "He's rather afraid of you. By the way," he added, looking at the chains, "are those even going to hold him back? This is the same guy who-ouch!"
Rei pulled him by the ear, cutting him off. "Just shut up, we don't want him to change his mind and actually break away from those chains!" she hissed.
"Oi, I can hear you..." The Irishman mentioned dryly, pulling on the chains slightly and already feeling the bonds tying him being easily breakable if he so desired. But the issue came not from the fact that he was enchained in the first place, but rather why they went so far to do so. "I keep telling you all, I'm fine! I heal fast."
The group excused themselves, filing out of the infirmary until only Cu and Shizuka remained. The nurse stood there with a pout, looking almost sad, as if she were about to cry. "Do you hate me?" she asked, her voice quivering as if she was about to cry at any moment.
"No, I don't hate you," Cu said, his voice flat. "Hah... I'm just afraid of you."
Shizuka looked visibly shocked, unable to comprehend his words. "Afraid of... me? Why?"
He just continued. "Forget about it. Just have a look at my wounds yourself. Fair warning, it's not a pretty sight." He wanted to drop the matter, and a part of him felt bad for the woman, knowing she wasn't necessarily a bad person or deliberately trying to kill him.
"Alright!" A smile then spread across Shizuka's face, so bright it was almost blinding in its purity and innocence. The body of a succubus, with the demeanor and the face of an angel! This woman was dangerous in several ways. She hummed jovially and walked towards him. "You might end up topping the charts of the worst kinds of wounds I've had to deal with ever since I became a nurse."
"I'm surprised I haven't topped the chart already," he said jokingly as she pulled up his shirt. "I heard that you were quite popular at-"
"Kyaaaaa!"
Then, she screamed loudly and stumbled backward, falling to the ground. The reaction startled him. "Ouch!" He was about to ask what was wrong when she got up and slapped his stomach, making him yelp in pain. "What the fuck is wrong with-"
"-Why weren't you here the moment you got back!?" Shizuka's voice cracked with something caught between fury and disbelief as she cut him off entirely. "Do you have any idea how bad this is? Infection! Internal bleeding! Or something even worse! You probably should have died! How are you even moving right now, let alone fighting off four people who were trying to drag you here!?"
She didn't wait for an answer. She was already moving, yanking open cabinets and pulling out supplies with practiced efficiency, muttering under her breath the entire time. Then she turned back toward him, scissors in hand, and Cu went very still.
"C-Calm down," he told her. "
She didn't listen, quickly cut through his shirt, exposing his torso completely, and started applying bandages and preparing stitches. "I thought it would be something small, like a broken bone or a cut, but nothing like this. How are you even able to move without buckling down in pain?"
"If I mention it's because of magic, would you believe me?" Cu asked with a small smirk, only to regret his words when, for the third time, he was slapped again on the stomach. "Argh! Stop that!"
Shizuka glared at him. "Don't make me slap you on the stomach again for the second time if you keep joking around!"
"You hit me three times!" Cu then realized that, unlike the others, the nurse was also unfamiliar with his ability to use magic. He now understood why she was behaving so radically. "I'm just durable." After that, the Irishman just lay there quietly as she stitched him up and cleaned his wounds.
Nearly an hour passed, and things went without a hitch, surprisingly enough. Shizuka swiped the sweat from her forehead. "There, done," she said, looking proud of herself. "It's a miracle you didn't get infected. You're very lucky none of your vital spots were injured, and you didn't bleed to death. You should really count your lucky stars."
"Don't worry, I do know how lucky I am,"
Despite saying that, Shizuka didn't seem satisfied and crossed her arms beneath her large breasts, which swayed with her movement. Then, she looked at him sternly. "I've decided. There is no way I will leave you alone."
"Eh...? I don't understand."
"During your next trip, I will be coming along as your doctor, in case you get wounded again!" Shizuka announced, much to his dismay.
"What? Hold on, that's just take a few steps-"
She cut him off. "-No! I've already met a few of them in the mansion who have medical training. They can take my place while I'm gone for a bit. Unless it's something very serious that requires surgery, my presence isn't really that crucial."
"Why not just send those people instead of you coming with me? It's quite dangerous outside," Cu reasoned.
"Because of this!" Shizuka shouted, slapping his stomach again.
"Oof!" He screamed in pain and flinched, his arms and legs still bound by chains. Forget about finding a way to push to the brink of death; this was just torture!
"I stopped looking at you for one second, and the next thing I know, you're somehow on the verge of death!"
"It's because of you!" Cu yelled back
"It doesn't matter," Shizuka declared without being affected by his words. "As long as I'm around, you will not die on my watch!"
"You're exaggerating. I can manage myself."
"I will also make sure the others don't die!" she countered. "When you went out with Busujima-san, she also came back with some superficial wounds, but still dangerous if they were to get infected!"
This made Cu quiet... she had a point. He then realized that perhaps having her along to keep watch on the others could also work. Just having him rely on his runecraft to heal others all the time wasn't really efficient. Not that it wouldn't work, but in the long run, it just wasn't a good idea to have everyone completely rely on him for such things, and having one more person along who could treat others was a bonus regardless.
"I also know how to fire a gun," Shizuka added.
This made Cu curious. "How did you even learn that?"
Shizuka smiled. "I learned it from my friend, Rika, the same one that car belonged to. And speaking of which, I also want to find my friend again. The mall is close to the airport. I could get in contact with her if we were to pass by."
This made him hesitate, closing his eyes in defeat since trying to argue against her wouldn't help him much, given that once again, he agreed with her reasoning. "We do owe that lady a favor for giving us the car. Fine... You can join us."
"Great!" Shizuka said, practically jumping out of her seat. "Let me prepare my items and the little gadgets I prepared for this excursion."
"Gadgets?" Cu saw her put several things in her bag, including a large syringe filled with some sort of strange black liquid. "What even is that?"
"It's something like a drug I experimented with. I found several interesting items within the basement in this mansion, some compounds that are technically illegal in Japan... But still useful! I want to see if it will work on the zombies.
That immediately got his attention, "Like a cure?" Even though he said that, there was little to no confidence in it being such a case. For he doubted a simple cure could be the answer, given the presence of a supernatural element. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try with him, even seeing if he could help out in any way.
"No, just something to put them to sleep. It's strong enough to even put a dozen elephants to sleep!"
This confused him. "Why would you even have such a thing? Why would you even want an undead to fall asleep?"
For a brief moment, the bright smile on her face visibly dimmed with one worried expression soon overtaking the woman. "To tell you the truth, I have been trying to contact Rika and even managed to get in touch with her. But... she went completely quiet, and no matter how many times I tried, she wouldn't answer. She did mention being a bit busy killing those things at the airport, but I'm really worried about her. So... If my friend really did turn into one of those... I don't want to give up on her. I'll use this on her and capture her, so that one day they can find a cure and bring her back!"
A positive way to look at things, but there was one important factor that he wanted to remind her of. "You do realize that all those who have turned died before the transformation, right?"
"I know," She answered without hesitation. "Again, even if that's the case, I cannot give up. If there is really no way to turn her back if she were to be a zombie; then I hope that at least we can use this to put her down without having to blow her head off. So that I can bury her properly."
"..."
For all her airheaded behavior, he had grown used to seeing this woman hold quite a bit of conviction when it came to this Rika. It made him curious about their history together, but he figured that this wouldn't be the proper time to ask. "All right, let's not get all gloomy. This is only in case she is, and I'm dead. The kind of woman who has so many guns and such a car in her house wouldn't die so easily. I bet she is just a bit occupied with something else and still alive."
The nurse nodded, "Yes, you're right!"
"Still, that's surprisingly quite noble of you," Cu said. "Rika is lucky to have a friend like you."
Shizuka blushed and laughed giddily .
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Rei's voice came through. "Is everything done? Is he still alive?"
Cu rolled his eyes. He got up quickly, snapping the chains that bound his limbs. The sound of metal breaking shocked Shizuka, who looked at him with wide eyes. He snapped the chains with ease and then called out, "Everything's fine!"
The group entered the infirmary. "See? It wasn't that hard after all, was it?" Saya said.
Cu looked down at the several stitches and bandages Shizuka had made. "It wasn't necessary, but I appreciate it. I figure it will help with the speed of my recovery. By the way, Shizuka will be joining us."
"Yes!" Shizuka announced brightly as she sprang to her feet. "I'm looking forward to working with everyone!"
The moment she stepped forward, the heel of her shoe caught on the leg of a folded chair lying near the table.
"Ah-!"
Her balance vanished instantly. Arms flailed wildly before the woman pitched forward face-first onto the floor with a loud crash, her legs kicking uselessly in the air behind her.
"..."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Saya slowly adjusted her glasses. "Are you absolutely sure she needs to come with us?" she asked flatly. "She was already infamous at school for being a complete ditz."
Takashi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Still... having an actual doctor around is pretty important."
"Especially now," Rei added with a tired sigh. "We can't exactly run to a hospital anymore."
Most of the group reluctantly nodded in agreement. But before anyone could continue, Saeko suddenly looked toward Cu. "Cu."
The Irishman turned his head. "Hm?"
The swordswoman quietly pointed downward.
Everyone followed her gaze. "Ah..." The syringe Shizuka had been holding during her fall was now sticking directly through his open wound, where she had initially stitched it back together.
"..."
Another silence followed.
Shizuka's face drained of color. "No! My experimental drug!" she cried before lunging forward and yanking the syringe out of his stomach with both hands.
Takashi stared at him. "Are you okay?"
Cu waved at him with a grin, "It's nothing, I can just use my own magical energy to resist the drug. I don't really feel anythiiiiii...n' ugh... noooo... how's thish-" Cu stopped midway through the sentence.
A wave of exhaustion slammed into him so suddenly that his posture sagged on the spot. His eyes rolled upward for half a second before his entire body tipped backward.
Bang!
The sound of him hitting the floor echoed through the room.
"CU!" several voices shouted at once.
Shizuka immediately dropped to her knees beside him, grabbing his shoulders hard enough to shake his entire body. "Oh no, no no no! Please don't die!" Panic completely overtook her voice as she slapped both sides of his face repeatedly. "Stay awake! That dosage is lethal for a normal person!"
Another slap.
"Wake up!"
Another slap.
"I'm sorry! Please don't die!"
Takashi crouched beside her. "Stop hitting him so hard!"
"Check my bag!" Shizuka shouted frantically while still slapping the unconscious, blue-haired man. "There should be Narcan spray somewhere inside!"
Then she suddenly froze.
"...Wait, I don't even know if that works on experimental drugs!"
Her panic somehow worsened. On the opposite side of the room, the others watched the scene unfold with increasingly complicated expressions.
Saeko folded her arms quietly. "Perhaps he had a point earlier."
Rei gave a slow nod.
Meanwhile, Shizuka had somehow become even more hysterical.
"He needs mouth-to-mouth immediately!" the blonde declared dramatically while trying to crawl over everyone, just seeming to throw sanity out the window. "Everybody move aside while I save him!"
"Absolutely not!" Rei shouted, grabbing her before she could pounce and pushing the blonde nurse's face away. "I'll do it!"
The room dissolved into complete chaos while Cu remained sprawled flat on the ground, completely motionless. His last fleeting thoughts being of bitter regret, he should have known never to lower his guard around this woman.
(Check Chapter 25.2 for next part. Had to cut chapter into two parts cause of word limit.)