kscans

Chapter 289 - Friendship

Hayato contacted Diite via voice chat and asked her to come to their base.

He told her Mist was there, but he didn't explain the circumstances. Perhaps sensing something from Hayato's serious tone, Diite simply replied that she would head over right away without saying anything else.

Esha, Ash, and Ren logged out. They decided there might be difficult things to say or topics that were best kept private.

Rose and Noat were also at the base, but Rose always went to bed early, so that wasn't a problem. Noat likely wouldn't come down unless something extraordinary happened.

So, for now, only Hayato and Mist were in the dining hall.

Hayato was an outsider when it came to Mist and Damian's relationship, but he had stayed at Mist's request.

Mist had said that Diite wouldn't lie in front of Hayato. Hayato had things he wanted to say, but he accepted and waited with Mist for Diite's arrival.

It would be a while before Diite arrived. Hayato decided to talk with Mist until then. She had looked distressed for some time now.

"Mist-san."

"Yes."

"Even if Damian-san was the one who proposed bringing you and Ruth and the others into this virtual reality, what is it that frightens you so much?"

"...Do I look frightened?"

"It's just a feeling."

"You would make a fine doctor, Hayato-san. You're right. I am frightened."

"May I ask why?"

"You could say Damian is my one and only best friend. The first time we met, we were just colleagues at the hospital, but we grew close as we talked about various things through our work. We stayed up all night discussing medicine many times."

Hayato nodded as if in agreement, without saying a word.

"But just because we're friends doesn't mean we know everything about each other. We have secrets. However, I can't understand the reason for hiding this. Why did he bring me to this virtual reality while hiding his reasons? That's what I don't understand."

Mist said this and took a sip of the freshly prepared coffee.

"I suppose I'm scared. Scared of knowing the truth."

"Of knowing the truth?"

"I don't know what Damian was thinking when he did this. But if it was for a malicious reason... I was able to work so hard at so many things in the real world thanks to Damian. I'm not joking when I say I might have died without him. But if all those things weren't from his heart, if they were part of some malicious plan... The thought terrifies me."

Losing faith in something you absolutely believed in is painful for anyone. If it turned out to be born of malice, the shock would be immeasurable.

"Once the medicine is created and everyone's illness is cured, I plan to have them regain their memories. But now, I'm hesitating."

"...Do you mean you might not let Damian-san regain his memories because you're afraid of knowing the truth?"

"That is correct. It's unclear how much of his real-world memories Damian has lost, but he probably has no memory of bringing me to this virtual reality. I don't want him to remember the reason why. That's how I feel."

Those who live as NPCs in this world have had their real-world memories erased for one reason or another.

The reason Damian brought Mist and the others here, as if deceiving them, was unknown, but he currently had no memory of it. What would happen to Damian when he regained that memory? Hayato figured that was what Mist was afraid of.

However, Hayato also felt she might be thinking a little too negatively.

Even without his memories, Damian seemed to genuinely worry about Mist. Hayato knew well that Damian had supported Mist in many ways, both when she went missing in the Necropolis and when they were gathering knowledge for the medicine.

It didn't seem like his fundamental nature would change even if his real-world memories were gone.

Of course, there was the possibility that he had hated Mist, and losing his memories made him normal. But it made no sense to bring her into a virtual reality for such a reason, nor did it explain why he involved Ruth and the others.

"Um, Mist-san, can you think of any reason why Damian-san would dislike you? Something messy, like the person Damian-san liked fell for you instead?"

"Eh? No, I don't think so. I was always cooped up in my lab, so my colleagues, other than Damian, treated me like an eccentric."

"I have my doubts about that... Well then, what if Damian-san was jealous of your medical skills? That sort of thing happens a lot in movies."

"Damian is a more brilliant doctor than I am. Though I pride myself on being superior in certain techniques. Even so, I don't think there's any reason for him to be jealous."

"Then aren't you just overthinking it?"

"Overthinking it?"

"Yes. I've watched you and Damian-san interact a lot, and it felt like he was looking after a troublesome friend. He'd warn you about reading too much and made sure you didn't overwork yourself, right? I don't think you do that for someone you dislike or resent."

When she returned from the Eastern Country, he had told her to rest instead of immediately going exploring. To Hayato, it always seemed like Damian was concerned about Mist's health.

Then, Hayato suddenly realized something.

"Does Damian-san know about your illness?"

"No, he doesn't. I haven't told him."

"May I ask why?"

"The reason is that I don't want to make him worry."

"Maybe he already knows, don't you think? He probably doesn't remember now, but what if he knew you were ill in the real world, and that's why he tried to have you sleep in virtual reality, in cryosleep?"

Mist looked stunned for a moment, then crossed her arms and began to think.

She hadn't told him about her illness, but there was a possibility he knew. She was likely contemplating that.

"Hayato-kun, that's quite an impressive deduction."

The door leading outside suddenly opened, and Diite walked in.

"Diite-chan."

"I know I shouldn't have, but I listened in on a bit of your conversation. Mist-kun, what Hayato-kun said is correct. Damian-kun knew about your illness."

"Diite-san, do you know the reason why? As in, when and where did he find out?"

"As far as I know, Damian-kun has examined your body before. Apparently, it was when you collapsed in your lab. That's when Damian-kun found out you were ill."

"That time..."

Mist had once lost track of time while researching in her lab and collapsed. It was Damian who had found and cared for her.

"Then the contents of that email were..."

"Information from Damian-kun. At first, only Damian-kun was qualified to enter this virtual reality. But Damian-kun said he wouldn't enter this world unless you and Ruth-kun and the others were with him. So he schemed in various ways to get you to enter the virtual reality."

"Diite-chan..."

"I've said it before, but I'm truly sorry. I was a mess back then, so I agreed without thinking too deeply about it. And I had a promise with Damian-kun not to tell you about this, Mist-kun, but it seems Infinity has told you a part of it. What on earth is it trying to do... Well, that's fine. What matters now is you, Mist-kun."

Diite looked at Mist with a gentle expression.

"Damian-kun was always worried about you. He praised you as a doctor far more brilliant than himself. He even said that losing such a doctor would be a failing of the world itself. That's why he asked me to prolong your life with cryosleep until a treatment could be found. He also said that as long as you yourself didn't mention your illness, he couldn't bring it up from his side. He must have respected your feelings of not wanting to make him worry."

"He said such things..."

"I'm sorry for making you anxious. But Damian-kun is probably just embarrassed to say such things to your face, Mist-kun. You're both adults, after all."

"Indeed."

Mist said, a smile appearing on her face.

"As for whether to restore Damian-kun's and the others' memories, you can decide, Mist-kun. If you'd rather, it's also possible to erase your memories and live here. Take your time and think it over."

"...I don't want to erase this memory. And I don't want Damian to forget either. Ruth too, you know, when he was hospitalized, he told me he wanted to become a doctor like me and Damian. In that case, I should have them regain their memories to fulfill that wish. However, if they regain their memories and reject it, may I ask you to make them lose their memories again?"

"Of course, I don't mind. But all of that comes after your illness is cured with the medicine."

"Leave that to me. I know how to make it now, so I'll prepare the highest quality medicine."

When Hayato said that, Mist nodded happily.

"I'll be counting on you. Um, I have one more request, if you don't mind?"

"What is it?"

"May I have some wine? I'm feeling this way, and I'd like to get a little drunk."

"If that's the case, then by all means."

Just as Hayato was about to start preparations, Noat came tottering down from the second floor.

She was often in the dining hall until quite late, so she must have wondered what was going on. Either that, or she was hungry.

"What's everyone doing?"

"Well, we were about to have a little celebration, or rather, we were planning on drinking some wine."

"I see."

"...You're sitting down, does that mean you're joining us, Noat-san?"

"Bring me all the donuts you have. Rose-chan hasn't been bringing me any lately."

"I won't ask what you did, but you should probably apologize properly."

"I'll think about it."

"Noat-san, I know it's late, but may I request a song?"

Mist asked with a smile.

Noat looked a little surprised, but after pretending to think for a moment, she nodded.

"It's a shame the audience is so small, but you've always taken care of me, Mist-san, so I don't mind. What kind of song would you like to hear?"

"Could you sing me a song of friendship?"

"Friendship...?"

"Yes. Right now, I'm filled with a feeling of gratitude towards my friend. I'd like to drink wine while listening to a song like that."

"...Okay. Then I'll sing something like that. But in return, I demand donuts."

Hayato nodded at those words.

"I'll prepare those, so I'm counting on you for the best song."

"My songs are always the best. I'll drill that into your head."

Noat stood up from her chair and began to prepare to sing. In the meantime, Hayato made various preparations.

Once everything was ready, Hayato, Mist, and Diite sat down in their chairs, ready to listen to Noat's song.

After a short while, Noat began to sing. Hayato and the others enjoyed their wine while listening to her song.