When I opened my eyes again, it was beneath a ceiling that felt familiar and unfamiliar at once and that I never wanted to see again.
To put it simply, it was a hospital.
"Ugh......"
When I braced a hand on the bed to get up, a stinging sensation came from the back of my hand. The strength going into my hand dropped away for a moment.
"Are you awake?"
It was in that moment that another person's voice cut in.
Stopping my attempt to force myself up, I first rolled my eyes. Someone was sitting right beside the bed on the right.
"Uh......"
The first thing that lodged in my eye was hair of a vivid color. Long, flowing cherry-red hair reflexively brought 〈Seong-gwon〉 to mind.
"Hello."
"......Hello."
But the other person was not Seong-gwon. Not only was the voice different, the face I checked closely was very different.
Seong-gwon's features were cold enough that at a glance you might wonder 'is she angry?', but this person had a face anyone could see was easy-going and smiling.
There was also some difference in the age range you felt from the face. Seong-gwon had the face of a girl in her teens to anyone's eyes, but this person had a maturity that let you consider her twenties and beyond into her thirties. She was not Seong-gwon after all.
'It's not that no one comes to mind, though.......'
It was not a part to judge hastily. Leaving aside a hypothesis I could not confirm immediately, I raised my body.
It was not an injury that kept me from getting up, and lying down while meeting an adult felt a bit off.
"There is no need to force yourself up."
"I'm fine, ahem. I am fine."
I lifted my upper body by putting the strength into my waist. I put as little force as possible into my hands, but a little stinging was unavoidable. The cause was the IV line stuck into the back of my left hand.
"More to the point, where is this......"
"This is the military hospital inside the Hwadam Army garrison. Do you remember how things came about?"
Sure enough, the place I was in was a hospital.
Looking at what she said and at the clothes I was wearing, I reflexively frowned.
If my skin color had not differed markedly from my previous life, if the fact that I was living a new life had not been visible to my own two eyes, the displeasure I showed just then would have been thicker than this.
"......Do you not remember?"
"That's......"
『Are you awake?』
『Have you risen?』
Before I could answer her, a new voice forced its way in. Wondering who this was now, I turned my head to the left.
The window a little apart from the bed came into view first, and the object between the bed and the window entered my sight second. It was a table as long as the bed.
"......Swords?"
『Do you not remember?』
『Is your memory not whole?』
"No......"
And on that table, two swords with dragon patterns carved into their scabbards were laid neatly.
A wooden case with a luxurious sheen and silk padding made the already expensive-looking swords look all the more dignified.
"......The Twin Dragon Swords?"
『Correct.』
『Right.』
Only then did my memory of the moment before I collapsed grow clear.
I had been overwhelmed by countless clamoring voices while being led along by soldiers...... and the Twin Dragon Swords had helped me. Though how exactly they did it, I do not know either.
"Ah, ah. Right. You helped me, didn't you. Thank you. I should have thanked you right then."
The more I chewed on it, the more horrific a moment it was. For sounds to overlap enough to make my head ring.
Through this business I learned for the first time that a person can fall into a panic if their surroundings are simply too loud. It was a matter I had not particularly wanted to learn.
『It was nothing much.』
『It was no great matter.』
Separately, the Twin Dragon Swords spoke at the same time in similar tones, as if proving that they were a set of two.
It was a relief that at least the meanings were similar; if they had each said different things, I thought it would be rather hard to make out.
"Still. Thanks are thanks."
I scratched the hollow between my collarbones. The awareness that the person with the red hair was still beside me came after that.
Oops. My head turned back.
"Ah, that was......"
"It's fine. You were talking with the Twin Dragon Swords, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Fortunately she did not take issue with my distractedness. If anything, the way she immediately caught on to what I had been doing, she too seemed to be a person who perceived the existence of Phantasms.
Well...... there was no way a person in a military hospital inside the Hwadam Army garrison would not know about Phantasms.
"Good. Then, back to the main point. How much do you remember?"
"For now I remember everything up to before I collapsed."
Saying that, I explained the contents I remembered, if only roughly. It was because I thought that although she had not asked for it first, she would certainly want to hear it.
"I see...... so you heard a tremendous number of voices."
"Yes."
But maybe because my words had gotten a bit long. My throat was rather scratchy.
When I coughed at my dry throat, she brought me water instead. Her face had a slightly stiffened feel compared to when I had just woken.
"Thank you for the explanation. Then it's my turn to speak."
I lifted the water glass with fingers plastered all over with hydrocolloid bandages and made a face that said I would listen closely. She looked squarely into me.
"First, my name is Hong Seong-hwa. I am a soldier belonging to the Hwadam Army."
Gulp. The body drinking water nearly choked. It was because the identity I had wondered about really was that person.
'Hong Seong-hwa was...... a figure of the generation before Seong-gwon.'
I quickly recalled the profile of 〈Hong Seong-hwa〉 as she had appeared in the comic.
She was 〈Seong-gwon〉's aunt, and the teacher of 〈Baek San〉, the protagonist of 《Codename: Baby》.
'Seong-gwon took the idol role, but Hong Seong-hwa gave more of the direct teaching.'
《Codename: Baby》 was a story that began with the protagonist 〈Baek San〉 entering the military academy. And naturally, an instructor character to teach the protagonist and his cohort appeared at the academy.
That was Hong Seong-hwa.
If the role the comic assigned to Seong-gwon was to work in the field as everyone's idol and goal, Hong Seong-hwa's role was to step back from active duty and directly train the next generation.
'But why is Hong Seong-hwa in front of me?'
Since the time period is different, I can accept her working as an active-duty soldier rather than an instructor. But why is she in front of me?
I quickly gathered up my bewilderment and took the glass from my lips.
"Nice to me——"
"Don't introduce yourself now. Do it later."
"......Yes, ma'am."
......I wasn't about to say my name, though.
I did belatedly realize we had skipped exchanging names, but I had not been about to launch into introducing myself out of nowhere. And yet to overreact to this degree.
The comic did have a rule about not saying your name in front of a Phantasm that has no contractor, but wasn't that a regulation practically a dead letter anywhere but the Rear World?
At Hong Seong-hwa's reaction I only curled the fingers holding the glass.
"Anyway, to continue on...... you are right now, mm. In a state of being a person of interest, a subject of observation. That is why I am in this seat too."
"......Me?"
"That's right."
"Is it because I was dragged into that Rear World thing or whatever?"
"That is one of the reasons......"
Hong Seong-hwa's gaze reached behind me, that is, the Twin Dragon Swords.
"Do you know what a Phantasm is?"
"......I did get an explanation from a soldier that that is what the monsters living in the Rear World are called."
As with the Rear World, nothing about the definition of Phantasms had been properly released to the public. At best they were vaguely known as something like summoned beasts; where you obtain them, how you form a contract, by what principle they came into being — none of it was disclosed.
So, recalling the explanation I had heard from the soldiers, I played ignorant to a suitable degree.
Hong Seong-hwa, apparently sensing nothing strange in me, unpacked the concept in more detail. That they exist in the Rear World, that you must have a special quality to see and talk with them, that they originate from tales, and so on — an explanation almost identical to what I knew.
"The Hwadam Army has criteria for classifying Phantasms. Of those, the one I will tell you about now is the classification based on 'the tale the Phantasm originated from'...... The first is folktale, the second legend, the third myth. You get the rough idea just from hearing it, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. But as I just said, since this classifies by the tale related to the Phantasm, there is a part of it that is divorced from the strength of the Phantasm itself. To put it simply, it often happens that a Folktale-Grade is stronger than a Legend-Grade, or a Legend-Grade stronger than a Myth-Grade."
"I understand."
"The Twin Dragon Swords are a representative case. The Twin Dragon Swords are classified as Legend-Grade Phantasms for now, but the power they hold is strong enough to be treated as 'beyond specification.'"
After saying that much, Hong Seong-hwa let out a faint sigh.
"Why that is, we will explain in time...... What matters now is that those Twin Dragon Swords have, of all people, chosen you as their master."
"......Ah."
"Let me say in advance, you have done nothing wrong. What is a problem right now is simply the part where you are a civilian minor who has not even enlisted in the Hwadam Army. And on top of that, the part where you have only just received an explanation about Phantasms, and until now were in a position of knowing nothing at all about this side of things."
Only then did I fully understand how things stood. No, more precisely...... it was something I had unconsciously foreseen from the moment I saw the Twin Dragon Swords, so I accepted it readily.
That was the kind of value the Twin Dragon Swords held.
'The reason only Hong Seong-hwa is in this room...... is probably this too.'
Once you get to Myth-Grade Phantasms, there are many cases where they can chew up an entire city like a piece of gum. Meaning there are heaps of beings with power as firm as the word 'myth' deserves.
And the Twin Dragon Swords were an individual pair comparable to, or exceeding, such Myth-Grade Phantasms. Use the Twin Dragon Swords well and you could easily blow away a whole city like any other Myth-Grade Phantasm.
And a Phantasm like that abruptly chose a civilian as its master? And that civilian is a minor, and a person who until yesterday did not know (as far as anyone knew) about Phantasms or the Rear World?
If I had been in their position I would have been just as spooked. This was a situation where one misstep could set off a massive disaster.
'Hong Seong-hwa also handles a Legend-Grade Phantasm, so it makes sense if they say they deployed only Hong Seong-hwa in preparation for anything that might happen.'
The fact that no nurse or doctor came in even though the patient had woken, and that only Hong Seong-hwa was in the room as a watcher, was explained by this too.
It was not that Hong Seong-hwa was the only person capable of handling it, but that deploying only Hong Seong-hwa was best, and so this arrangement had been staged. With that I accepted the situation entirely.
"Is there any part you do not understand?"
"I don't think there is, particularly. So, um. It's like a very dangerous beast picking someone who isn't even a tamer as its master? Something like that situation, right? So, uh, um, big sis...... soldier, ma'am...... teacher is beside me because of possible safety problems?"
Of course, in others' eyes it was correct for me not to know the exact value of the Twin Dragon Swords right now.
So I explained what I had understood with as cheap a comparison as possible. Fumbling in the middle because I did not know how to address Hong Seong-hwa was a bonus.
Maybe that was a bit funny, because Hong Seong-hwa snickered.
"'Big sis' takes some nerve and 'teacher' is a bit much too, so just call me Major Hong Seong-hwa."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Separately, you understood it well. Though the Twin Dragon Swords are not a being that stops at a very dangerous beast."
It seemed I had gotten past this one well too. I drank a little more of the water in the glass.
"In any case, for those reasons you have been placed on the list as a person of interest and a subject of observation. Have you followed this far?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then I will explain what happens from here."
Perhaps having noticed the glass was empty, Hong Seong-hwa poured more water. I accepted it gratefully.
"First, the third examination you sat has been processed as passed. It was interrupted because you were carried off to the Rear World, but what you wrote down before that was more than enough to pass."
"Ah......"
From the point I was chosen by the Twin Dragon Swords I had expected that enlistment in the Hwadam Army was settled. But leaving it as a guess and receiving a definite answer were very different.
Tension I had not known about myself slipped loose.
I, I was free now. There would be no more being tormented by the orphanage, no more having my whole life handed over to the crime syndicate lurking behind it.
My hand holding the glass trembled and trembled.
"......Then will I be going to the Special Military Academy?"
"Yes."
My eyes closed for a moment. It was to hold back, if nothing else, the welling emotion I could not bring myself to let out. Hong Seong-hwa waited for me.
"Please go on."
After taking a little time, I opened my eyes again. Thanks to Hong Seong-hwa giving me room to manage my emotions, I recovered my composure as well.
"......While you were asleep the dormitory you will move into finished being prepared. So that there would be no problem with you going in right away."
"I see."
So it is true that those admitted to the Special Military Academy can move into the dormitory immediately.
I felt fresh relief at the fact that what I had wanted had truly come into my hands. I had gone through some hardship, but it felt like my life was finally opening up. It was a real relief.
"Ah, and you can be discharged whenever you want. You have a fair number of injured spots, but the wounds are not deep."
"Is that so?"
"First-degree frostbite on the hands, second-degree frostbite on the feet. Shallow abrasions, incisions, and puncture wounds on the thighs, calves, forearms and so on...... was that it? You just have to come in faithfully for dressing changes."
Hong Seong-hwa added that I should hear the details from the military surgeon later. But I was in a slightly shocked state from what I had heard already.
'Whatever else, the frostbite really is unexpected.'
I wondered whether staying up outdoors all night was that dangerous.
"So...... do you want to be discharged?"
"Am I allowed to?"
"I just said so. You can whenever you want."
"Then I will."
"Good."
Hong Seong-hwa took out a smartphone and pressed at the keys. She was probably contacting the people who would be waiting outside.
"Right. Because of your special nature your room has been arranged in a somewhat special place. They will explain when we get there, but I think it is better for you to know in advance, so——"
"Wait, wait a moment."
Separately, as I listened to Hong Seong-hwa something felt subtly off.
"......Do I have to go straight into the dormitory?"
"......Uh, you don't want to?"
"No......"
Moving straight into the dormitory was something I had wanted more than anything. But since waking, had 'I' expressed such an intention?
"......I don't think I ever said I would go straight into the dormitory."
As far as I knew, dormitory residence was optional. Separately from their making immediate move-in possible, whether to move in immediately was clearly voluntary.
So, holding the ambivalent feeling in my hand, I spoke calmly. Hong Seong-hwa's face noticeably stiffened. It was the moment the vague feeling turned into certainty.
"......As I said earlier, you are a subject of observation right now. Because the Twin Dragon Swords are such a dangerous existence."
"I remember that."
"So...... I am truly sorry, but you do not have much choice."
"......Would you tell me precisely?"
I really hated being fobbed off with vague words. Things like 'let's go home after ten more nights' sleep,' or 'if you just take this medicine you can get better.'
Even if my circumstances would not change, having the facts properly disclosed was better than a flimsy lie. That, at least, was easier to accept.
"......It means that even if you want to go home, we cannot let you go. The moment you are discharged you have to go to the dormitory. Because you need to be in a space crowded with people who can respond to any situation."
"Is that all?"
"......Even after you enter the dormitory your range of activity will be somewhat limited. And going out will only be possible once permission comes down. Because not everyone can follow you around."
Of course, hearing only the truth did not make the unpleasantness disappear entirely.
Considering the danger of the Twin Dragon Swords, I knew this was truly an unavoidable, necessary measure...... but knowing and feeling the regret kept being separate things.
"The limits are not going to go on forever. Once it is proven that you can properly control the Twin Dragon Swords, then you can go out as freely as you like and do everything you want to do. I handle a Legend-Grade Phantasm myself and I wander about as I please."
Of course, I could not call this the worst. Compared to a previous life where I could not even leave the hospital, or the original Ya-hwi who fell into being a criminal without any choice at all, this much was practically an angel.
It was not as though they meant to bind my whole life; they were asking me to wait only until safety was proven.
'This much really is good. It is good, but.......'
Still, it was a shame. It was a shame.
Going to a café and trying a chocolate frappuccino with drizzle whatever, going to a snack shop and ordering every item on the menu, playing for a score on one of those punching machines you see when you walk along the street...... doing that sort of thing would mean waiting several more months to several more years.
"Ah, that does not mean we are just going to shut you up, absolutely not. Indeed not, of course not. This is not something that happened because you wanted it; if anything you are the one who got caught up in it, aren't you?"
"Then......"
"Novels, comics, anime, games...... tell us anything you want. We will put all of it in the dormitory. Any food you want to eat, we will order it right away the moment you say it. School, mm. You will not be able to go, but in exchange we will let you take any online lectures you want, and......"
Hong Seong-hwa strung together all sorts of things as if to soothe me.
But none of those things were all that appealing to me. Because when it came to amusements you can enjoy in a room, I had already enjoyed them to the point of being sick of them in my previous life.
'If it had not been for hospital life it would have been quite tempting.'
Was there truly no way? I could wait, but was waiting really the only answer?
Rrrrmble.
"......!"
Then at some point, the air began to shake a little. As Hong Seong-hwa rose roughly, her chair was pushed back as if it had been kicked.
『Why do you submit and only submit?』
『Why do you steel yourself only to endure?』
The voices ringing out quietly within it belonged to the Twin Dragon Swords. My gaze slowly swept over the Twin Dragon Swords in their wooden case.
『We are with you.』
『Your path is our path.』
『Loyalty and devotion are not the same as sacrifice.』
『You shall sacrifice no more.』
The Twin Dragon Swords caught the tail of each other's words as if trading them back and forth. Each time, the wall surface crumbled away in flakes like a broken biscuit.
『Where do you wish to go?』
『What do you wish to do?』
The cause of my being set to have my daily life restricted for a certain period was in fact 99% their fault...... but to be angry at that when those voices were caring about no one but me.
I let out a small laugh and stretched a hand toward the Twin Dragon Swords.
『Seize what you desire.』
『We shall guard you.』
And when my hand touched their scabbards, the sensation I had felt in the Rear World swept over me once more.
What I held was plainly a sword hilt, yet strangely as though I held a single fragment of the world, that.......
"......I don't mind going straight into the dormitory."
In that state I spoke to Hong Seong-hwa, who had been put on the back burner for a moment. She still had not lowered her guard.
Unable to bring herself to draw her weapon and yet unable to let go of it, she stood two steps from the bed and swallowed dryly.
"I can also accept living in a somewhat special place in consideration of my special nature."
Whether the military or the government, they have no choice but to be wary of the Twin Dragon Swords' danger. I understand that. I could make allowances for their situation too.
"But things like limits on my range of activity and limits on going out — those I really do dislike."
But having the freedom I had longed for postponed by several months to several years, that I really did dislike. Call it a child's unreasonableness if you like. Either way, in my previous life or this one, I had failed to reach twenty all the same.
"That's......"
"Major, in the end all that is needed is for me to be able to control the Twin Dragon Swords, right?"
"......"
"I'll pull it off. I can do it."
I took the two Twin Dragon Swords out of the wooden case and hugged them to my chest. The swords were so long that it probably looked a little ridiculous, but I did not care.
"Going to a coin karaoke room and an arcade was my dream, you know."
There would not be so very many in the world who would look down on the Twin Dragon Swords and their master.
Tab 11