The Worldview Where Everyone is Destined to Die

Chapter 18: A Crack (1)

"What's that?"

I wanted to get up and look out the window, but I couldn't move because Shirley had already fallen asleep with her head on my lap.

I tried to get closer to the window but stopped, realizing that I had no choice but to wait for a doctor or nurse to come help.

'I guess she didn't sleep all week.'

Shirley was usually well-prepared, but she seemed to disregard etiquette, probably because she couldn't leave my side while I was in a coma.

'Tsk tsk. How did you end up getting involved with me?'

Perhaps due to her sleeping face down, I could hear her snoring. Despite my uncomfortable position, I decided not to disturb Shirley, who was already fast asleep.

I was quite curious about the condition of the sturdy windows, but I had no way of finding out.

Instead, I surveyed the hospital room.

'A Vase...? It doesn't seem like Judith's style.'

The first thing I noticed on the table to the left of my head was a ceramic vase with a single white lily, which appeared to have been thoughtfully chosen.

According to the note below, Theodore had sent the vase and flowers.

Next to the vase, there was a gleaming fruit basket, and judging by the well-polished fruits and the pattern on it, it was evident that Shirley had brought it.

On the right, my holster, gun, and ten bullets officially approved by the council president were neatly organized.

This was certainly the work of Judith. At some point, she must have prepared weapons in case she thought my safety was at risk.

'Perhaps someone found that sword during the hunting festival?'

I thought she had come empty-handed, but I was surprised to see that she had brought not only my belongings but also a knife for me.

Lastly, in front of the case containing the gun, there was a small book adorned with rich gold and silver leaf. At first glance, it appeared to be an adventure novel about a village boy fighting a dragon and emerging victorious.

'The only one left through the elimination process is Arthur Usher.'

He had a more vibrant taste than I had expected. Just as I was thinking that, the doctor whom Shirley had called before falling asleep arrived.

The doctor calmly instructed me to slowly close my eyes and inquired about my name, age, and Shirley's name. Afterward, he sighed softly.

"The scars on your face will take some time to heal. It's unavoidable. The best approach is to let the body's natural healing process do as much as it can and then consider other healing techniques."

Healing techniques, huh?

"I suppose it can't be helped. But you mentioned I was stoned; is that true?"

"Yes, well, you'll need counseling for that. I don't treat mental trauma."

"I understand. Is it possible for me to check my wounds?"

"Yes."

I couldn't recall anything after being struck by the stone, but I vividly remembered what I saw as I fell.

Shattered glass and a black seal in between.

'It doesn't make sense that there was a seal there.'

My room was on the third floor, so if I mentioned seeing a figure outside the window, people might assume I had merely imagined it, like the spooky ghost stories told by academy students.

As I contemplated this, I realized that my room wasn't on the first floor when I made eye contact with someone passing by the window.

While lost in thought, the doctor removed the bandage and handed me a mirror.

"Hmm."

"Although the wound appears serious, it's not very deep. Rest assured, all the glass fragments have been removed."

"Yes."

As the doctor wrapped the bandage, the extent of the injury was wider than I had expected. The long scar, which extended from my eyebrow and eye almost to my ear, resembled a child's scribbles.

"You were fortunate. Your cornea wasn't damaged at all."

Despite the facial crack, it felt like a blessing.

I nodded in agreement.

Regardless of the healing process, it would have been challenging to forget the experience of having my cornea damaged.

"How long do we have to stay like this?"

"About two weeks. Don't worry; after that, a priest will treat you. But that person..."

"Ah, never mind. I suppose she got tired of taking care of me."

The doctor appeared concerned about Shirley using my bed, so I waved and interrupted the doctor.

The doctor, still wearing a puzzled expression, looked at me and Shirley, uncertain about whether to override the patient's words or leave them be.

"It might hinder your ability to relax."

"It's okay. Is the examination complete?"

"There are no significant issues. However, if you feel even slightly dizzy or nauseous, don't hesitate to call me immediately."

"Yes."

The doctor replaced the bandage with a fresh one, gathered his things, and quietly exited the room.

Since it was a place frequented by many young people, the doctor had to remain within the academy.

"Now get up."

I gently raised my knees and shook Shirley, who was pretending to be asleep on her stomach.

There were two clear watermarks on the blanket where she had buried her face.

"Uhhh! Senior~! Just sleep with me from now on. I'll protect you!"

"Just come to your senses already."

It was a challenging situation, and I wanted to avoid any further scandals.

After the doctor left, Shirley had nothing to occupy her and cried for about 10 minutes.

I had known that Shirley had been awake for a while, but I hadn't realized she had been crying so much that the blanket was damp.

"There's a lunatic in the academy throwing stones at people. I just can't believe it."

"True."

If Shirley, Judith, or even Arthur had been with me, the incident might have caused them harm.

I was certain that the accident was bound to happen sooner or later, but it took a different form than just a stone.

Considering the dream I had during my unconscious state, it seemed likely that this violent act had origins beyond just physical strength.

"Anyway, let me ask you something. What exactly happened?"

I could tell that leaving Shirley to herself would only result in more tears, so I decided to change the subject and ask about something I was curious about.

Shirley, following my pointing finger towards the window, let out a sigh. "Ah."

"The day the senior fainted, quite a few people were present at the scene. It's understandable, given that someone threw a rock at the window in the middle of the night. This quickly spread the story about the seniors."

"Everyone must have been taken aback. I'll have to apologize to them later."

"Senior? Why would you need to apologize? Well, Machina came and cleaned the scene, and the senior was brought here for treatment. The three of us, who were acting as your guarantors, were notified."

I felt sorry for Theodore, who received the news of a senior being struck on the head with a rock in the middle of the night.

"So, what happened next?"

"Judith and I arrived first, and then Theodore and Arthur came. But something was unusual."

"Unusual?"

"We didn't expect the rumors to spread so quickly. By morning, everyone at the academy was talking about the seniors.

"

To sum it up, here's what happened:

The rumor that I was hit by a stone and fell into a coma quickly spread throughout the Wooden Cross class and then reached the Crown of Thorns class and eventually the entire academy.

"The strange thing starts from there. Many people skipped their classes that day. "

"Why?"

"We still haven't found the person responsible for Kale Ace's death, and then this happened to a senior right after the student trial, so everyone took it seriously."

"I understand for those close to me, but what about others?"

At my question, Shirley just shrugged her shoulders.

But it was strange.

I didn't know if it was because the academy was isolated, but the cadets seemed to follow a strong herd mentality.

Once he got into it, he became fanatically immersed, but I quickly got sick of it.

"A lot of people skipped the first class, and maybe they thought it was fine, but less than half of them showed up for the afternoon class."

"So, they locked us in one by one?"

"Yes, that was the case for all classes except the Black Lily class. I think the Crown of Thorns students were just being disruptive."

The Black Lily class not only specializes in theology but also includes members of the student council. That made it challenging to intervene in this commotion.

"This is what happened on the first day, and from the next day on, I heard the sound of a hammer. It was so noisy that when I went outside, I saw a cadet with a pale face nailing boards to the first-floor windows. That was the beginning."

"And the result of that hammering sound?"

"They were trying to completely board up the windows. Because people were staying in their rooms and unsure about leaving, the academy had to be temporarily suspended.."

Ultimately, the hysteria that started led to windows being hammered.

'That board is typically used to block windows during a typhoon, but...'

I wasn't sure how to react to this.

"I'm asking this without much hope, but did they catch the culprit?"

"They didn't. There were no traces, and I heard that Arthur Usher was there. If that guy can't sense the presence, then I can only conclude that the attacker wasn't human."

"Arthur's account fueled preconceived notions."

"In the end, all the rooms with beds look like this. Is this even a place for humans to live?"

According to Shirley, the series of unsolved incidents against the cadets resulted in the unfortunate situation of academy cadets being confined to their rooms.

Regardless, it was clear that the cadets' stress levels were at their peak when I fainted.

"And what about Student Council President Machina?"

"Well, as usual, business as usual. It's ongoing every day. Senior Judith even confronted her and questioned her, but she didn't even flinch. Instead, she implemented rules until the situation calmed down."

"What kind of rules?"

"Basically, students have to move in groups of 2 or 3. They're not allowed to go out after roll call, which is when the student council president patrols."

Even though it was meant to prevent more victims, it felt a bit excessive.

It's like we're constantly watching each other's every move, except when we're sleeping.

"It's a situation that's inevitably tense, but I'm surprised by how drastically things have changed. You can't imagine how unsettling the atmosphere is."

"Right. So how come you came here alone?"

"..."

Shirley fell silent at this question.

"... How did you get here?"

"... Special students whose majors are based on martial arts or those who are considered 'risk' are constantly monitored in the name of protective measures."

"You're under surveillance?"

I hadn't paid much attention to anything until now, but upon hearing this, it felt like fireworks were going off in front of my eyes.