Rehabilitation Therapist for the Broken Warrior

“Thank you, but I’ll decline.”

‘Well, it was expected.’

I had briefly indulged in the delightful fantasy of rehabilitating the world’s strongest hero, but it was somewhat predictable that Hero Sion would refuse rehabilitation.

“Sion…”

The Princess simply lowered her head without questioning the reason.

It seemed she, too, who knew Sion’s condition better than I did, had somewhat anticipated the rejection.

Because there was no will to rehabilitate in Sion now.

Originally, the ‘will to rehabilitate’ needed for rehabilitation patients meant a commitment to endure endless pain in order to return to daily life, but in Sion’s case, she had a more fundamental and serious problem.

“Nao.”

“Yes?”

“I appreciate you worrying about me, but I wish you’d stop caring about me now.”

“Wh-what? What does that mean?”

Unlike the Princess, who looked greatly bewildered, Sion silently lowered her head and stared at the ground with an expressionless face.

“I won’t come to see Airi anymore. I won’t be seen again…”

“What do you mean by that!?”

The Princess rose abruptly from her wheelchair, stepped forward, and grabbed Sion’s shoulder.

But even that was brief,

“Ugh…”

Soon, her legs trembled, and she fell back into the wheelchair with a thud.

“Sion! Are you really not going to answer me?”

“……”

Sion didn’t answer in the end and moved the wheelchair, turning around and moving away.

‘What, how is she moving? Sion shouldn’t be able to use magic, right?’

Even though she clearly didn’t use her hands, the wheelchair was automatically changing direction and the wheels were rolling and moving.

“How on earth is that…”

“Sion Lorel!!!!!!!!!”

The question of how the wheelchair was moving automatically remained unanswered, but the situation was no longer conducive to asking such questions.

Perhaps angered, the Princess shouted Sion’s full name, loud enough for the cemetery to hear, but the wheelchair Sion was riding in simply slipped out of the cemetery.

It was evening, and the sky was tinged with sunset.

People who had gathered at the cemetery to soothe wounds that could never be healed were leaving one by one before darkness fell.

“Sion…”

But even as darkness fell, the Princess remained frozen in place, looking utterly lost.

‘Hero Sion Lorel’s rehabilitation…’

A sudden silence descended.

I slowly retraced the events that had just transpired in my mind.

Why Sion’s body was broken, exactly what her condition was, why that wheelchair moved by itself, and so on—there were many things I was curious about, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

What I needed to find was a way to create Sion’s will to rehabilitate. I had to find a way, no matter what.

Because…

‘I absolutely have to see that every day.’

Of course, I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Hero Sion’s rehabilitation treatment.

Perhaps the reason I was sucked into this world was to take on this role?

I would somehow persuade Sion to undergo rehabilitation, and then I would become the person who watched her, once the strongest and most beautiful in the world, struggle to return to her daily life every day by her side.

‘Now, what should I do…’

Rehabilitation treatment includes psychotherapy.

Psychological care is especially essential for the rehabilitation of soldiers returning from war.

If Sion was in this state due to wounds sustained in the war, I had to understand her psychology based on this and create the will to rehabilitate.

‘Even so, there are too few clues. I only talked to her briefly.’

Not only was the content of the conversation limited, but the first impression I received from Sion was so empty that I couldn’t figure out what she wanted or desired.

But fortunately, Sion was not just someone I had just met.

I was the person who knew what kind of person she was better than anyone else in this world.

Because I had watched everything she went through in the war from an omniscient reader’s point of view.

Although three years had passed since the ending, if I could fill in the gaps through what just happened…

“Does Sion… think there’s no hope for herself anymore? Is it impossible for even Director Hope to treat Sion in such a completely immobile state?”

Perhaps greatly shocked, the Princess spoke in a trembling voice, her fists clenched tightly on her lap.

Indeed, as I had just confirmed, Sion’s motor skills and muscle strength had dropped to almost zero, making rehabilitation training itself impossible, regardless of modern Rehabilitation Medicine.

However, since there were skills in this world that could solve such problems, Sion’s rehabilitation was not impossible.

“I don’t think so.”

“Is that so? So even Sion in that state can receive rehabilitation treatment. As expected of Director Hope.”

“That’s true, but… the reason Sion refuses rehabilitation isn’t because she thinks there’s no hope.”

“Pardon?”

What’s important in deciding whether to engage in rehabilitation training is not whether rehabilitation is possible or not.

Of course, for an ordinary person, the possibility of rehabilitation would be an important factor in deciding on rehabilitation, but,

“Princess. Is Hero Sion Lorel… a person who gives up easily if she thinks something is impossible?”

Hero Sion was not like that.

“Ah…!”

The Princess must know too.

Hero Sion was a person who would do whatever it took to get the job done, no matter what.

So, the reason she refused rehabilitation was not because she thought it was impossible, at least.

‘Okay. I’ve decided what to do.’

Thinking was over. Now all that remained was action.

“I’ll follow her and talk to her. She couldn’t have gone far yet.”

“Please… Please do, Director Hope!”

“I’ll do my best.”

Leaving the Princess behind, I quickly ran in the direction Sion had gone and began to chase after her.

The time I had spent thinking about Sion wasn’t very long, and I had roughly followed her with my eyes and confirmed where she was going, but I had to catch her without losing sight of her in order to talk to her.

**&

“Sion!”

Fortunately, I was able to catch up to Sion not far from the Empire’s National Cemetery.

“……”

Darkness had fallen, and the road was deserted.

Sion quietly turned to look at me when her name was called.

“Sion?”

“Did you say ‘Sion’?”

“Is the Hero here?”

And people who heard Sion’s name in the middle of the road also showed interest, but,

“……”

Upon confirming who the person called Sion was, they scattered back to their respective paths with a feeling of ‘there’s no way that’s her’.

Come to think of it, the Princess had also said, “Anyone would be surprised if they heard that’s Sion.”

So, the current state of Hero Sion Lorel was not yet known to the public?

“Did Nao send you? To bring me back?”

“Half correct. I do intend to bring you back, but the Princess didn’t send me.”

“Bring back…”

– Whoosh…

‘Wind?’

“If you think you can do something to me just because I’m in this state, I’d like to tell you that you’re mistaken, Hope Harvey.”

The wind that just swept through this area was not created by intimidation or force.

It was clearly a wind caused by the Hero.

It seemed as if she was showing me her abilities to warn me.

‘Can she still use the Hero’s Authority?’

Hero Sion Lorel.

According to the novel, her Authority wasn’t the wind she just created… but rather ‘Pressure’.

She adjusted the pressure as she wished and created wind from the resulting difference.

Space, it seems empty, but is actually filled with air.

Unless we are in outer space, the faster we move, the greater the resistance we will face.

And this ability to control pressure was precisely why she was called the fastest swordsman.

Sion could move and attack by erasing the pressure where her sword and body would pass, so there was no limit to her sword speed.

If she could use her abilities, the question of how the wheelchair moved automatically could also be resolved.

It was probably a special device with a pressure-driven mechanical device attached.

“I’m a rehabilitation specialist. I came here to recommend rehabilitation treatment for Sion, not to harm you in any way.”

Sion stared at me expressionlessly. Her vermilion eyes were still cold and distant.

“Didn’t I already refuse that?”

“No, this is not a matter you can refuse.”

Hero Sion Lorel.

She was a hero with an indomitable will, but now she was completely broken.

I didn’t know why she had become like this, but I would revive her.

“What kind of nonsense is that…”

“I’m a Regressor. I know everything that will happen in this world. Past, present… and including the future.”

“What?”

Sion’s eyes widened in disbelief at the unbelievable story.

Of course, she couldn’t believe it. Because what I just said wasn’t the truth.

“Hero Sion Lorel. You need to receive treatment. And you need to return to your former self.”

I…

“Before the Gate opens again in two years.”

I decided to deceive the Hero.