What is it that cannot be ignored? When someone is on the verge of death, what's wrong with saving them by any means necessary?
Of course, to others, it might have seemed like I forcibly revived someone who should have died. Or perhaps they were terrified by her monstrous survival ability that seemed inhuman.
"If someone can be saved, they should be saved."
I embraced Kanna, who lay unconscious.
Her body, which had been grotesquely twisted until just moments ago, had somewhat returned to normal, which was both reassuring and heartbreaking.
"But with her head smashed like that and her neck broken, isn't she dead?"
"Her heart was definitely beating..."
That was all I could answer.
The hero then spoke as if what he had witnessed was also the truth.
"Strange fluid was flowing from her head. Wasn't that brain matter?"
"No, it wasn't. She's... she's breathing."
I denied his words and placed my hand near her face.
I could feel a faint breath from Kanna's mouth.
It was definite proof she was alive.
The pulse that had been barely detectable earlier was now evidence that her heart was beating.
The hero, perhaps accepting my words, hung his head briefly before continuing with a different point.
"Even if she was alive, didn't you put something from a Strange One into a human? Of course, surviving is best if possible. But if the person's life becomes distorted because of that, if something goes wrong, how will you take responsibility?"
Hearing those words, I slightly raised my head.
The hero with short crimson hair swept back neatly.
He didn't seem to be one of the heroes who had been fighting here.
Probably a hero who rushed over as reinforcement from the other side.
At first, I thought he was trying to harm Kanna when he saw her condition, but he was actually scolding me.
He seemed to be shouting that while saving someone is good, how would I take responsibility for that person's life if I saved them in such a manner.
"Even if she's an Academy student who will become a hero who must fend for herself later, in the end, it's that child who has to live that life."
"...I'm sorry. But she's my friend, and I really wanted to save her."
I gently stroked Kanna's head as she lay with her eyes closed.
"...I see."
The hero, seemingly feeling he couldn't say anything more, moved with his weapon in hand.
"What's your name?"
"Sela."
"I'm Ruder. Reinforcements will finish up here, so please tell the other heroes to withdraw and rest for a while."
"Ah, yes!"
Sela, after hearing the hero who introduced himself as Ruder, moved to inform the other heroes. Nearby heroes began carrying unconscious heroes one by one to safety, and I was no different as I hesitantly lifted Kanna.
"..."
My breath and hands trembled.
Without the metal prosthetic arms or legs, her body felt light, which was unfamiliar. Ruder didn't say anything more, probably because he didn't know the full situation, but I was worried because the heroes who had been fighting must have seen what happened.
Come to think of it, I hadn't properly seen how Kanna fought either.
Since all the heroes who had been focused on fighting that crazed Strange One were unconscious, it would obviously be difficult to figure out what had happened.
"Yoon Ha-min."
"Yes?"
I looked up.
I hadn't expected Sela to call me while she was gathering the other heroes.
As I stared blankly into those blue eyes, she lowered her wavering gaze.
"Your friend... how did she do this?"
Her gaze was fixed on the prosthetic arm and leg Kanna had dropped. The metal hidden beneath the blazer, the metal disguised as flesh under stockings, seemed to be imprinted in her eyes.
But I couldn't answer because Kanna hadn't told me anything. Even Kanna probably didn't know much, but I suspected it might be because her body was similar to a Strange One's and had regenerated by absorbing unrefined mana.
"I don't know."
I shook my head.
I knew nothing.
Seeing how the Strange One's fist had regrown after being cut off earlier, I wondered if it was common, or if it required a specific ability.
Therefore, I couldn't even offer a proper hypothesis, let alone a definitive answer.
"...Still, don't worry. This child must have fought hard too."
"Yes..."
Sela seemed to know as well.
That Kanna had desperately unleashed her ability against the Strange One.
And that she had protected people in that explosion.
Whether the Strange One intended it or not, it was fortunate that it ended with just losing consciousness.
"Ah, those Strange Ones are really strong. No matter how much we push them, they don't want to die."
"But we caught one."
"Oh right. We did catch one."
Of the three Strange Ones, only two escaped beyond the Wall. The heroes, unable to cross the Wall overflowing with unrefined mana, hesitated before focusing on defeating the remaining monster from a distance.
Watching this, Sela moved again.
I shifted my feet, mulling over Kanna's words about becoming like a star. Her bare white feet, without shoes, were a bit dirty from walking on the bare ground.
Thinking I should clean them when we got home, I trudged away from the battlefield.
I considered going straight home since I didn't want anyone's attention or concern, but looking at Kanna made me realize something more important, so I headed to the hospital instead.
"Is there no guardian or family member who can act as a guardian?"
"Just a moment."
Hearing this, I searched for Kanna's device in her blazer pocket. I opened the phone book in the device, and at that moment, I felt my breath catch.
Homeroom Teacher.
Orca.
Yoon Ha-min.
"...It doesn't seem like there is anyone."
"That happens sometimes. If she's an Academy student, then the homeroom teacher is fine too."
"Yes, yes... I'll contact them then."
I said this and took out my device to make a call.
After making the call, I saw the teacher entering the hospital. Relieved at the sight of the teal hair, I jumped up from my chair to indicate our location.
"Teacher!"
"Oh, Yoon Ha-min! You were here. Where's Kanna?"
"We haven't completed the formal admission procedures yet, but she's lying on that bed over there. Given the circumstances, they seem to have made an exception."
As soon as the Wall collapsed, heroes began to bleed. There was no way to block the Wall from a safe place, so it couldn't be helped.
Depending on the severity, there were certainly people who were injured, and even several who had died.
It would be much faster for those with relatively minor symptoms to find other empty hospitals, as they needed to admit urgent patients, but Kanna was also one of the most critical patients who had fought the Strange Ones and monsters and needed to be checked whether she was dead or alive.
Even if she hadn't died, since her breath had only been temporarily attached and forcibly maintained, I couldn't be at ease.
Whether it was fortunate or not, the fact that she had the characteristics of a Strange One or could regenerate her body after receiving mana and escape from a near-death crisis was truly fortunate.
"I'm just a teacher, so I haven't received a proper report. What exactly happened?"
"...It seems Kanna was trying to protect other heroes while fighting a Strange One when this happened. It was even more serious at the time."
It was literally "it seems."
Only those who had seen it clearly could answer.
Only those who had experienced it could answer.
But in that urgent situation, the only ones watching that Strange One were those fighting it, and they had all lost consciousness and couldn't testify.
Even I, while helping other heroes fight the Strange One, had no idea what had happened to Kanna.
Surely someone must have seen Kanna.
Finding that someone might be a bit difficult, I thought.
"That can't be. But..."
The teacher's eyes wavered.
Apparently, it was hard to believe that Kanna, who couldn't demonstrate proper abilities during the practical exam, had fought like that.
But then, realizing there was no reason for me to lie, the teacher closed their mouth.
"...I understand for now. So I need to handle the hospitalization procedures, right?"
"Yes, since Kanna doesn't have a guardian..."
"Yes, I understand."
The teacher turned abruptly and headed to the reception desk, beginning the admission procedures for Kanna who lay on the bed.
"Yoon Ha-min."
"Yes?"
As I followed behind and watched, the teacher spoke softly.
"Is it going well?"
"...The mentoring?"
"Yes, I was wondering if you're getting along with the hero you were paired with."
"It seems fine."
The teacher, having completed the paperwork, glanced up at me.
"I already know that your practicum time and your mentoring partner's agency are different. That was probably because of Kanna. But Kanna is now the most, the most..."
"The most suspicious one? Or is her very existence dangerous?"
The teacher trailed off, but I could imagine what would follow and felt a surge of anger.
"Before, even before that, and even now... Kanna fought so hard, and you still suspect her? Or do you think she's dangerous?"
As I almost shouted those words, the teacher tightly closed their mouth and turned away, avoiding the confrontation.
"I don't know. As a teacher, I don't want to push a student away, but I'm just a teacher after all. I don't want to burden other students, other heroes, with hasty judgments."
I trembled with clenched fists, but then released the tension and lowered my gaze.