Rehabilitation Therapist for the Broken Warrior

“Director, here’s today’s patient list.”

“Thank you. Is Sion on it?”

“Yes, I’ve adjusted it as you instructed yesterday.”

I received the patient list from the head nurse-maid, Mirei, and checked it.

The start of a day’s work begins with checking the patient list.

Originally, hospitals aren’t supposed to operate on a reservation system, but the kingdom’s Rehabilitation Center is the only one in the kingdom.

Even if you expand the scope to the entire world, there are only two institutions, including the one recently established in the Empire, so it’s impossible to accept walk-in patients without reservations.

“Is this person Ms. Sion? You came to work together?”

“That’s right. I’m looking after her at my house to admit her later. She’s an important patient.”

“Ah, hello?”

Nurse-maid Mirei stared intently at Sion, who bowed her head slightly while sitting in a wheelchair.

“Um… Director.”

“What is it?”

“Her name is ‘Sion Lorel,’ and if she’s such an important patient that you’re paying this much attention to him, perhaps…”

It seems she’s caught on to something.

Since Sion said there’s no need to hide it, it would be better to tell her.

“That’s right. She’s Hero Sion Lorel.”

“Oh my…”

Mirei covered her mouth with both hands, looking surprised.

“What happened to the hero… It must have been very difficult for you, right?”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry too much.”

And then, Sion lifted her hand, which was resting on her knee, and held it preciously.

“We’ll make sure to get you better. Let’s cheer up together, Ms. Sion!”

“Thank you.”

“Mirei. Enough with the greetings, we need to start the treatment quickly, so get Sion changed and bring her to the examination room.”

“Ah, yes! Ms. Sion, this way…”

Although we were a little late due to the morning commotion, the treatment schedule began.

The first patient to be seen was obviously Sion, so seeing Sion was the start of today’s schedule.

With the help of the nurse-maid, Sion changed into patient clothes to wear while staying at the Center and entered the examination room.

To Sion, who had politely wheeled herself in, I explained the rehabilitation program for Sion that I had put together until dawn yesterday.

“Sion. In your case, it’s extreme muscle loss, and what we’ll focus on is exercise rehabilitation.

Normally, this kind of rehabilitation has a high success rate, and there’s not much to worry about, but…”

In the case of exercise rehabilitation, the rehabilitation success rate itself is higher than programs like neurological rehabilitation or injury rehabilitation, but the problem is Sion’s condition.

If it was simply a decrease in muscle mass, rehabilitation wouldn’t be difficult, but since Sion’s body had already been neglected for over three years, the prognosis couldn’t be guaranteed.

Moreover, her condition is so severe that not only training but also daily life and even simple movements are difficult for her to perform.

Muscle loss alone is enough to qualify for a disability rating… I’ve never actually seen it, but is this what a patient with a rare genetic disease that I’ve only read about in books would be like?

But in Sion’s case, there was no problem with muscle generation or protein synthesis, so it was fortunate that rehabilitation was possible as long as exercise was possible.

“In Sion’s case, it’s hard to be sure. So I will personally see her unconditionally. Sion’s schedule is also linked to mine, so please refer to it.”

Usually, most of my working hours are devoted to examinations, and rehabilitation programs are often conducted by interns or nurse-maids leading the patients.

But of course, I had to oversee Sion’s rehabilitation. That’s why I brought Sion here.

Of course, it was also natural to attach appropriate medical justifications.

In fact, in this Rehabilitation Medicine Center, I am the law and the truth.

There is no one in this center who doubts the actions I deem necessary, but I was not so foolish as to not know that such faith is maintained only if I maintain the justifications.

“Director Hope. I have a question.”

“Yes, feel free to ask anything.”

“The exercise time is very short, is that because Director Hope is busy? If training is only possible if Director Hope is watching…”

“That’s not it.”

Of course, I am busy, and in order to proceed with the Center’s work normally, I don’t have much time to dedicate to Sion, but, that was no reason to schedule Sion’s rehabilitation in a way that would hinder it.

“There are many reasons, and I have to see the next patient, so it’s difficult to explain right now. I’ll explain it when we start exercising later.”

“I see… Okay.”

Sion mumbled with a somewhat uncomfortable expression, despite answering that she understood.

Does she have something else she wants to say?

“Sion. Do you have another question?”

“No. My examination is over now, right? You should see the next patient quickly.”

“……”

Just now, she was worried about my schedule, and suddenly she’s telling me to see the next patient?

I’ve only known Sion for a few days, but I could already clearly see what she was thinking.

“Sion.”

“Yes?”

“Are you perhaps worried about taking up my time?”

“Th-that’s…”

The Sion I knew from stories… always had a personality of caring for others.

I thought it was natural for her to be like that because she was a hero and good-natured.

But what I’ve confirmed with my own eyes yesterday and today, the degree to which Sion considers others, is by no means ordinary.

“Director Hope is a really good person, and you heal people while sleeping only three hours a day. I wonder if it’s okay for me to receive treatment first like this…”

It was almost the same train of thought as when we were deciding the admission order yesterday.

The level at which Sion worries about the harm and disadvantage others might suffer because of her is almost obsessive or madness.

“Sigh… Sion.”

“……”

When I frowned and sighed, Sion flinched like a child again, thinking she was being scolded.

“I’m not going to scold you this time, so raise your head.”

“I’m sorry. I know my treatment is the most important thing, but…”

“No. It’s my fault for making you worry unnecessarily.”

“Th-that’s not true…!”

“Sion.”

“Yes?”

This problem… if I respond like I did yesterday, it will be an endless repetition.

In Sion’s case, I thought that the psychological aspect was more difficult to treat than the physical one.

Her obsession with order and goodness to a strange degree, frequent trauma-induced seizures, sometimes she’s like a hero, and other times she has emotional swings like a child…

Someday, I had to tie all of this together and find the fundamental cause to treat it.

So, I’ll respond by considering the conversation we’re having now as part of the treatment.

I’ll try talking to Sion in various ways, and at the same time, observe Sion’s reaction.

“You said to me yesterday, right? That if Sion seems to recover within two years, there won’t be a problem.”

“I did.”

“I’ll return those words to you. It’ll be fine if I help with Sion’s rehabilitation without any problems in examining other patients, right?”

What will Sion’s reaction be?

“……!”

Sion’s vermilion eyes widened and she looked straight at me, her eyes sparkling.

‘Huh? This much?’

“Director, Hope…”

It was a completely unexpected reaction, but I kept my composure and looked at Sion calmly.

“Thank you. For trying your best for me.”

Geez… Just now, I thought I could clearly see what Sion was thinking, but now I have no idea what she’s thanking me for.

Was what I just said unexpectedly the right answer?

Did it hit the center of the strike zone like this?

“Anyway, Sion, just focus on your rehabilitation. Don’t worry about me or anyone else. Okay?”

“…Yes. Okay.”

Something went well, but I still don’t know the reason.

I decided to think later about why Sion was so happy, and,

“Mirei. We’ll proceed according to the program written there later, so take Sion and explain the details and prepare.”

“Yes, Director.”

Now it was time to start Sion’s treatment and the patients’ examinations in earnest.

I am one of the most important and busy people in the world.

Since I promised Sion that I would proceed with the examinations of other patients without any problems, I couldn’t afford to waste any time.

************

‘Hope. Hope Harvey…’

Suddenly, a Regressor appeared in front of Sion.

A person claiming to have been Sion’s comrade in a previous life.

Hero Sion desperately tried to recall his name, wondering if any memories from her previous life remained,

‘As expected, I don’t remember.’

It was as if there was no such thing as a past life, as she couldn’t recall any memories.

Sion is a hero.

A person born with a destiny.

A person destined to work for the world and act for others.

I have to act righteously.

I mustn’t disrupt order.

I mustn’t harm others.

And I mustn’t rely on others either.

I always have to be strong and steadfast.

I mustn’t fall.

I mustn’t be discouraged.

I mustn’t give up.

I mustn’t cry.

Every time I falter, someone dies or gets hurt.

Relying on someone means causing harm.

It means imposing burdens and making demands.

Even that is not permissible for a hero who bears the world on her shoulders.

But…

‘Nao, Airi, Hanamana,’

Her companions were different.

They were people she could rely on, act spoiled with, and be honest with as much as she wanted.

They were the understanding people who had decided to bear the hero’s destiny together.

The reason Sion could always be bright was because she was always with these companions.

‘And Hope…’

Was Hope Harvey really Sion’s companion?

Since he had shown Sion proof, Sion had decided to trust him for now, but of course, she hadn’t accepted him as a companion deep in her heart yet.

But those words just now…

He said he would try harder, just like Sion or her companions would have.

Sion, who absolutely couldn’t tolerate others sacrificing themselves for her, had thought ‘It’s okay’ deep in her heart when Hope had volunteered to do more for her without thinking.

After her body was ruined, Sion couldn’t rely on anyone.

This wasn’t a problem that even Sion’s companions could do anything about.

Three years of enduring completely alone.

But if it was Hope…

‘Would it be okay… to rely on him?’

He said he could fix her, and if he was Sion’s companion…