Rehabilitation Therapist for the Broken Warrior – Chapter 28

Day 2 of the Business Trip Morning.

After spending a night at the Papal Palace, I was on my way to the Rehabilitation Center of the Holy Law Nation with Hero Zion.

“Um… Hop Harvey, how was what you took yesterday?”

Zion asked in a concerned voice about what I picked up from the center yesterday.

That was the patient evaluation charts from the Rehabilitation Center.

I had used all the night after leaving work and eating dinner to review those charts.

“As expected, but still…”

“Is it a complete mess?!”

“No, it’s actually quite accurate and detailed. Maybe even better than mine.”

And the patient charts authored by Hanamana that I reviewed until dawn turned out to be just as I expected—flawless.

That was because when I received this chart yesterday…

***

“Hanamana.”

“Yes, senior!”

“You did well today. Now, can you hand me the charts of the patients currently in rehabilitation?”

“What?”

Hanamana looked startled at my request for the charts.

“Can I ask why?”

“I just want to review if it’s being filled out correctly.”

“Oh, uh, I definitely should give it to you, but…”

“Is there a problem?”

“No! If it’s necessary, of course, I should give it to you, but um…”

Hanamana stammered in a hesitant tone.

Could it be something she’s embarrassed to show me?

Like she’s only drafted them roughly…

“I also need to check it out later.”

So that was it. Of course, she would need to see it herself.

It was a relief that she wasn’t outright refusing to show me.

“I’ll take a look today. Just to review as well.”

“That’s not okay! It’s my responsibility to see my patients every day!”

“……”

Her firm attitude towards her own patients was admirable, but there was no need to check the charts daily…

Could it be she’s making excuses to avoid showing them to me?

“Ah, I’m sorry for yelling, considering I’m just Hanamana…”

“It’s fine. But I can’t review if you don’t let me.”

“Is that so? Hmm…”

Hanamana thought for a while.

“Then, is it okay if I give you a copy?”

“A copy?”

What? A copy?

She doesn’t have a copier, yet she has copies?

Wait, does the concept of having a saved copy even exist in this era?

“Yes. I’m worried that I might lose some valuable charts since it’s just me, so I make an extra one every time I write one up for safekeeping…”

The existence of copies was thanks to Hanamana’s excessive worrying.

It seems she came to the decision to make copies after much anxiety.

“And when making copies, I can check for any errors or oddities too. Though since it’s me, the copies might also be wrong…”

And she was making them while also reviewing them.

That sounded impressive, but instead of being proud, Hanamana only shrank back more.

“Then please give me a copy.”

“Yes, senior!”

Seeing that she was relieved to hear I’d accept a copy, Hanamana beamed with an innocent smile before quickly heading to her office to collect the charts.

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

“It’s not that the center in the kingdom didn’t have copies, and she’s reviewing them daily with such confidence; it’s no wonder it’s all good.”

“Right? After all, it’s Hanamana~”

After complimenting Hanamana a bit, Zion began to puff up with pride.

“Even though she appears like that, Hanamana works hard!”

“I’ll acknowledge that, but that’s still not enough.”

“Ugh, that’s true. I got scolded a lot yesterday. It was so torturous…”

Zion looked exasperated. Did I really scold Hanamana that much yesterday to get this kind of reaction from her?

“I was just pointing out mistakes when they happened, but it sounds like Hanamana makes quite a few mistakes herself.”

“Ugh, that’s kind of true.”

As we talked and walked, the Holy Law Nation’s center appeared before our eyes.

Today as well, I planned to spend the day mainly checking on Hanamana at the center.

“But if it’s Hanamana, I’m sure she’ll do well.”

Zion smiled brightly in the morning sun.

Looking at her steadfast trust in her companion, I couldn’t help but smile too.

“We’ll see.”

Upon entering the center, I noticed the busy staff preparing for the day’s opening.

I realized while checking on the staff yesterday that unlike the kingdom or empire where most of the employees are nursing maids, the Holy Law Nation’s center mostly comprised former clerics.

“Thank you for your hard work, Director of the Kingdom.”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

“I also request that you take good care of our Hanamana~”

“I’m sure the hero will recover quickly if he sticks with the Director of the Kingdom. May the Creator bless your future.”

“Thank you.”

The staff greeted us warmly.

In response, Zion and I offered our pleasantries, and the staff each bowed their heads and clasped their hands, sending us blessings and prayers.

So this is how the atmosphere becomes when the staff are clerics.

As I felt yesterday, the unique solemn and holy vibe of this place will surely help the patients in their rehabilitation.

As the Pope sarcastically stated, prayer or faith itself may not have healing effects, but it’s true that trust and willpower can aid rehabilitation.

“Where is Hanamana?”

“She should be in the clinic room.”

I knocked on the clinic room door to check on Hanamana, who must be preparing for her duties.

– Knock knock

“Hanamana, it’s me.”

“…….”

I waited a moment after knocking, but there was no response from Hanamana.

“Hanamana?”

What’s going on that she wouldn’t even respond?

I turned to Zion with a puzzled expression, but she just smiled as if it was no big deal.

“Is she perhaps sleeping? She’s not a morning person.”

Come to think of it, that was indeed a character trait of hers.

Since I was supposed to be a comrade, I had to act like I knew that.

“That may be true, but surely…”

– Knock knock

I knocked again, but still no response from Hanamana.

“I’m coming in.”

With no other choice, I opened the door and stepped inside.

What unfolded before my eyes was…

– Zzz…

“Haha, ha ha…”

Hanamana was fast asleep, sprawled on her desk surrounded by piles of papers.

I can’t believe she actually came to work in the clinic room and fell asleep!

“Hanamana?”

“Yeees~?”

As I quietly called her, maybe she was having a good dream, because she stirred and blinked awake with a silly grin.

But the moment her eyes met mine,

“S-Senior?!”

Hanamana jumped up in shock, clearly startled.

Why is she so surprised? I’m here trying my best to not laugh.

“You must be really tired, huh?”

“Ugh, aaah!!”

Instead of responding, Hanamana stepped back and screamed.

“What’s your answer?”

“Huh? My answer?”

“I’m asking if you’re tired.”

“Th-That’s…”

Hanamana, now holding her beloved staff tightly with both hands, shrank back even more.

How many times have I seen this scene since coming here? I can’t even remember it anymore.

“You’re tired… right? I’d say.”

“……”

What am I supposed to do about this?

This isn’t the army, so I can’t give her a pep talk or put her through training; what do I do with this tiny creature trembling in fear and looking so pitiful?

“What were you doing all night?”

“Uh, um… you mentioned you’d review the charts I prepared, so I was worried and needed to review them too… all these papers.”

On Hanamana’s desk lay a huge mound of papers.

The original charts she had given me yesterday.

“You reviewed all of this?”

“Y-Yes? Isn’t that what one should do?”

“How many patients are actively receiving treatment at this center?”

“182 inpatients, 2145 outpatients, totaling 2327.”

“That’s accurate?”

“Y-Yeah…”

She remembers even the units?

I knew there were more than 2,000 charts because I counted them yesterday, but I was going to ask how she could possibly manage to review all that in a day.

Her absurd reply took me totally off guard.

“How could you possibly look through all that in just one day?”

“Isn’t that something you’d do, senior? Did you not review all of them?”

“I reviewed about 100 samples. How can you possibly review 2000 charts in a day?”

“Th-Then, um…”

“And, Hanamana.”

“Yes?”

“Can you check for any errors in the copies you made from the originals?”

“N-No.”

“And if there’s a problem with the copies I have, is it going to be a huge issue? Will I swallow you whole?”

“N-Nooo…”

Is it my imagination, or does it seem like the little Hanamana shrinks back a little more every time she answers?

“Then why are you wasting your valuable time on something unnecessary?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I was just too worried, and I lost track…”

“So if you’ve reviewed all 2000 charts, how much sleep did you get?”

“I didn’t get any sleep. Not a wink through the night…”

“What did you say?”

“Kiieek!!”

She stayed up all night over this?

I raised my voice just a bit, and Hanamana squeaked and shrank back.

I might have scolded a bit much yesterday, but still, is it really this concerning to her?

I knew she had this kind of personality, but even so, it’s going overboard.

I understand that her reviewing documents was a serious task, but is it worth not sleeping over?

“Hanamana.”

“Yes!”

“You’re going to go get some sleep. I’ll take care of the duties for today.”

“Y-Yes, but?!”

Hanamana looked shocked at my command to go rest.

“This isn’t possible…”

“Then what? Do you think you can see patients like that, dozing off?”

“Th-That…”

Hanamana scrunched her eyes shut and mumbled something to herself, then started shaking her head as if she was in pain, and finally let out a little sigh with a defeated look.

“Okay, senior…”

“And if you again mention you couldn’t sleep because of needless worrying, well, you better prepare yourself. I’ll go suggest to the Pope that we need a new Director.”

“Yeees…”

With her shoulders slumped, Hanamana left the clinic room, leaving just Zion and me behind.

“Hehehe.”

Zion was chuckling, as if she found something amusing, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Looks like you’re enjoying this, huh?”

“No, I just thought that Hop Harvey is quite kind.”

“Huh?”

Did I just hear wrong?

“Where was the kindness in that?”

“You let Hanamana take a break.”

“That was because she was in no state to work.”

“She’s so embarrassed~”

Zion seemed to find this all quite hilarious, giggling and chuckling away.

“Anyway, we need to get your rehabilitation done today too.”

“Oh right! I almost forgot that’s why I came along.”

Even with more duties added, it wasn’t like I came here just to relax.

And dealing with the incoming patients might be less tiring than handling Hanamana.