第１４０１堀：本来の姿 (Part1)
Chapter 1401: True Form
Side: Yayui
After enjoying a delicious lunch and gathering valuable information at the shop owned by Lari and her companions, we found ourselves at the Weed hospital. Our objective for today’s dark guild intelligence gathering was to speak with Lyushi, the individual at the center of that incident, who was currently a patient here.
But…
"U-um, how exactly should we approach Lyushi-san?"
I couldn't help but ask Lady Fiora as we walked down the long, white-walled corridor. My question brought everyone to a halt.
"It is certainly a concern, but… hasn't Lady Nina already cleared this with the staff?"
Lady Fiora said, turning her gaze toward Lady Nina. Ah, she was right. We had arranged to speak with her beforehand, so Lady Nina was the one we should be asking.
"I cleared it, but I wanted to consult with Rurua first. The nature of the things we need to ask is… well, it’s a delicate matter."
"Indeed, that is wise. Lyushi-san is still undergoing treatment. We cannot simply ignore the attending physician's judgment and do as we please. That is why we are currently heading to see Lady Rurua. She will likely give us instructions on how to handle the situation, so please listen carefully to what she has to say."
I nodded at Prol-san’s words and resumed walking down the hall. Since the director's office was on the upper floor, we passed through various wards, and I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as the nurses and doctors we passed turned their gazes toward us.
"Ahaha, those stares are a bit intense, aren't they?"
"Are they~? We’ve actually visited the hospital with Yuki-sama quite a few times, haven't we~?"
"Hovis, Yuki-san isn't here today, you know."
"Well, that is true. But more importantly, Lady Nina and I are here as well."
"An unusual combination. Though, it’s a group that’s been common lately. Ah, there it is."
As we chatted, we reached the director's office. Lady Nina knocked on the door.
"Come in."
At the response, we entered the office. Inside, Lady Rurua was working, surrounded by even more paperwork than we were.
"Yahoo, Rurua."
"Welcome, Nina-san. And everyone else. Please, wait just a moment."
Lady Rurua stood up, intending to prepare tea, but we couldn't let her do that, so we moved quickly.
"Lady Rurua, please, let us handle the tea."
"Oh? Then, I shall leave it to you."
I was relieved she accepted so easily. I knew that people like Lady Milly, Lady Ratz, and Lady Eris wouldn't have taken "no" for an answer if they had decided to brew it themselves.
"Then, I shall bring out some sweets."
Lady Rurua retrieved snacks from her item box and set them on the reception table. Since the tea didn't require much preparation, we quickly made some instant tea from the supplies in the office and placed it on the table.
"Once again, Lady Rurua, thank you for giving us your time today."
"Not at all. Thanks to everyone's hard work, my husband has had more breathing room lately, so as his wife, I am truly grateful. I don't mind helping out with something like this."
Lady Rurua replied to Prol-san’s greeting with a beautiful smile. However, something she said caught my attention…
"U-um, Lady Rurua, is it true that Yuki-sama has more breathing room? Are we actually being useful?"
I couldn't help but ask. Lady Rurua smiled warmly.
"Yes, it is true. My husband says he is helped greatly by the fact that you all are assisting him. In fact, he has had to work late into the night much less frequently lately."
"Work late into the night?"
When Orelia tilted her head in confusion…
"Yes. After dinner and once the children were asleep, he used to have to do some work. Well, everyone still does if there is an emergency, of course. But those instances have decreased, and we have certainly felt the increase in time we can spend together."
"That is wonderful~."
*Hmm, "time spent together," that implies… you know.* As I was thinking that, Prol-san steered the conversation back on track with a smile.
"I am glad to hear we are of service to you and Yuki-sama, Lady Rurua. Now, may we move on to the business at hand?"
Ah, sorry.
"Yes, indeed. I would love to keep chatting, but we don't have that luxury. So, I heard from Nina-san that you wish to speak with Lyushi?"
"Yes. Lady Rurua, I believe you are aware that we are currently gathering information on the dark guild. We would like to hear what Lyushi has to say. It may seem trivial to her, but it could be a vital piece of the puzzle."
When Lady Fiora stated this, Lady Rurua nodded.
"I see. A change in listener often brings a change in perspective. I agree with that sentiment, but the problem is Lyushi’s mental state, isn't it?"
"Yes. We are all aware of the unspeakable horrors Lyushi has endured. It would be no surprise if she were contemplating suicide. We have no desire to force information out of her against her will. However, to not ask at all would be a selfish decision on our part."
These kinds of situations are difficult. We had indeed discussed the possibility of not asking her, as Lady Fiora mentioned, but Prol-san had told us that doing so would be our own selfish judgment—that if Lyushi herself wished for a resolution, we would be denying her that chance. That is why we were here talking to Lady Rurua.
And as for Lady Rurua’s reaction…
"I understand what you are all saying, Fiora-san. Well then… you heard them."
For some reason, Lady Rurua turned her gaze toward the door leading to the archives adjacent to the director's office. The archive wasn't very large, mostly used for storing important documents, but as I watched, the door opened.
"Yahoo."
"Make sure you don't overdo it, alright?"