11. Clues – 10

“Have you come to your senses now?”

When Jin opened his eyes again, he was lying on a bed in the infirmary that was so familiar to him.

And next to him were Count Serias, who had an expression full of ‘thickness’ for some reason, Altina, who was looking at him with a worried expression, and Celica, who had an expressionless face.

‘… Celica?’

Why the hell is that woman here? Could it be that he came to visit me after hearing that I was injured?

… why? Celica at this point is not the girl she used to be when she claimed to be his slave like in the past.

She was the vice president of the student council, and at the same time a young princess of the Duke of Wallenstein, she was a woman with lofty pride.

Do you think that such a woman is not the kind of woman who would come to visit a hospital on her own, even if the only junior she knew was lying on the bed?

– Serica von Wallenstein has been by your side from the time you fought the Count until now. At least it means that you are never in the class to make such a rude evaluation in your heart.

‘… So, why the hell is he staying by my side? That woman was avoiding me like a cockroach.’

– Why don’t you ask yourself? At least I don’t know why.

‘… ?’

Leaving behind Erekaya, who said that in a somewhat blunt tone, Jin first checked his own body condition by spinning the mana in his body.

‘Fortunately… Is there any big problem?’

All of the muscle fibers in the body were torn, several bones were splintered, and considerable bleeding occurred inside the internal organs due to excessive pressure, but this was a fairly good level.

– … Is that a level where there is no big problem?

‘You haven’t lost your mind for at least a few days. And this is an injury that can be healed without sequelae with proper healing.’

A very long time ago, when Jin used Exceed for the first time, he had a history of being in a coma for over ten days, so this was a level that could be said to be very good.

In addition, the physical condition is much better than when I used Exceed forcibly with an untrained body two months ago, so there must be a reason that the burden is relatively less…

“How long has it been since I lost my mind?”

To Jin’s question, Earl Serias looked at him with a more serious expression while answering meekly.

“I think about two hours have passed. And you lost your mind immediately after the duel with me. You probably don’t know, but it seems that your fainting was the reaction or aftereffect of the technique you used earlier. Isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Since he had already openly used Exceed in front of the Count, Jin nodded his head obediently because it was not something that could be hidden even if he had to hide it.

“What is that technology? I have also shared the sword with many people and experienced various techniques and intentions, but I have never seen such a technique. A technique that explosively strengthens all of one’s abilities without strengthening the body with an aura… .”

He was asking Jin a question, but the count’s face was not filled with curiosity, but rather ominous feelings and reluctance.

“But the technology is too risky. I think that technique is a technique that establishes one’s own body as a world map and accelerates one’s thoughts according to one’s own image, thereby approaching the ideal speed of one’s own image. Isn’t it?”

“… you’re right.”

He had only experienced it once, but did he understand all the principles of Exceed with that alone?

Jin nodded his head in deep admiration for the Count’s insight.

Certainly, it was as the Count had said.

Exceed is a technique to use one’s own passion and intention as the driving force to approach the speed of an unmanned person that one considers ideal.

Originally, intention is a powerful force that partially distorts the laws of the world with mere human will.

As much as it has powerful power, there are limits to the individual’s will, so warriors who have reached a certain level use their will to further strengthen their own skills, such as so-called special moves, or to force their own laws on the opponent. used to use

But Exceed is different. If other warriors use their will to distort the laws of the world, Exceed uses their will to embody their own images in the present world, not the world.

It defines Jin’s body as a microcosm and world, and uses all his will to realize the ‘speed’ of the most ideal warrior he draws.

At the moment of using Exceed, Jin can realize the ability of his master, one of the strongest warriors on earth he knows, in the present world.

This is a heretical use of the will unthinkable by other warriors.

For ordinary warriors who have reached the master’s level, since they have already ‘completed’ their bodies, ordinary physical strengthening is meaningless or insignificant. It was impossible to use intention to catch up with him.

On the contrary, the state of the body is reset for the first time every time it returns, and pride as a soldier was a skill that was really good for Jin, who had already given it to a dog.

Of course, as much as it boasts such powerful and unparalleled power, the aftereffects of Exceed are truly indescribable.

The world distorted by intention, that is, the body of Jin, inevitably causes errors with the present world, and after Exceed is released, correction power from the world is generated to compensate for this difference.

In other words, in order to correct the body operating beyond the limit beyond the limit, a shutdown is forcibly imposed on the body.

As an analogy, should I say it is similar to the act of pulling out the plug itself to stop a machine that cannot be turned off in any way?

Needless to say, that kind of action brings a great load on the body.

Even if his body is made of steel, if he repeats such actions, his body will wear out, much less using an exceed with an untrained body is tantamount to committing suicide.

“… Reckless. Originally, warriors are those who consider their lives as expendable for the sake of martial arts, but in your case, that tendency is even more severe.”

Saying that, the Count sighed as he looked at Jin, who was unable to move due to all the muscle fibers in his body being severed.

“Technology is essentially the ultimate form of self-defense for the weak against the strong. But, as in your case, the meaning of self-defense itself is lost only when the user is put to death.”

“Did you say that your master made that technique? Judging from the theories and principles that form the basis of technology, he must be a powerful military man worthy of being called a master. But it is also certain that it is a cursed skill that will one day disintegrate your body and drive you to your death.”

“You are still young. You can use that level of will at the age of only a teenager, and it is safe to say that there is no one with as much combat experience as you. What on earth do you miss so much that you have to use the technique of shaving off my own flesh?”

“…..”

Even if you think about it yourself, you know that using Exceed is truly reckless. How could he not know that he has been using Exseed for decades?

But, to put it another way, Jin’s use of Exceed would mean that he needed strength even at that kind of risk.

… Yes, just like before.

“… jin.”

As Altina looked at him with a pale face for some reason and chanted his name, Count Serias looked at his daughter and Jin in turn, then opened his mouth to Celica, who was standing next to her without saying anything.

“It looks like Altina has something to say to him. So we think it’s better to go out for a while, but what do you think? Princess Ballenstein?”

“… I will follow the count’s words.”

Celica nodded calmly at the words of Count Serias.

As the Count and Celica went outside the infirmary for a while, Altina’s face as she looked at Jin began to change slightly.

Something that could be said to be an expression appeared on her face, which had been hardened somewhere, and soon something cracked as if a crack had formed.

The mask that had been worn on her face until now has disappeared, and Altina is revealing her raw expression… I was in the middle of crying.

“Why did you do that, why… . It’s just, I just have to hang out with my father moderately and then surrender… . The reason why you have to fight until you’re in such a state of disrepair… It’s nowhere… .”

Saying that, Altina quietly grabbed Jin’s right hand, which was drooping.

“Was it like this last time?”

“… last time?”

“You know… when you saved me At that time, I was lying on the bed like this and couldn’t even move. Could it be that you used that technique back then?”

I wanted to say no because I felt like it, but unfortunately, it seemed that Altina had already seen through everything about what was going on.

“do not do that. no. I hate that you hurt like this. And… I’m scared. Because of me, because of me alone, because of me, you get hurt and end up lying like this… I hate it.”

“…..”

Altina’s hand was not warm enough to be hot. I didn’t have any strength in my whole body, but I realized that Altina’s hands were trembling slightly.

But in the end, I couldn’t give Altina any answer.

I wanted to tell you that this wasn’t your fault, that this just happened because of my greed, but I soon realized that it meant nothing.

Even if this wasn’t the case, as long as it was certain that the end was lurking within Nineveh, something might happen in which I would sacrifice myself to save Altina.

“… Does it hurt a lot?”

Altina, who held my hand and cried for a long time, carefully asked me if she had calmed down.

“very.”

“But the healer said that earlier, and he said that the treatment was all over. He said there were no visible excessive injuries.”

“Exceed’s recoil isn’t something that can be solved with healing magic. This is the kind of problem that time can solve.”

At my words, Altina showed a restless expression, then looked at me and spoke very carefully.

“… If so, does that mean that your pain is a little less when you sleep? At least when you’re asleep you won’t feel any pain.”

“It is, but… I can’t sleep at all now. And even though it hurts like this, I don’t think I will be able to sleep easily.”

At my words, Altina looked like she was thinking about something, and then her face turned red.

… Why are you doing that? Could it be that he is even blaming himself on the inside?

“That… There is something I heard from my mother a long time ago… There is one very good way to put a boy to bed… .”

“… How to put a man to sleep?”

When I asked back with a slight but bewildered expression, Altina’s face turned red as if it would explode at any moment.

“That… Shouldn’t I be misunderstanding? I’m just talking about one of the methods, and since I have a certain amount of responsibility for what happened to you, I want to pay off the debt somehow… And since I can’t stay still like this, I want to do something… .”

Altina, who uttered incomprehensible words in an instant like a rapid-fire cannon, took off her shoes and immediately climbed onto the bed where I was lying, knelt down on her knees, and assumed a straight posture.

“… ?”

What is he trying to do now? Before even asking the question, Altina looked at me and cautiously opened her mouth.

“No, lie down.”

Are you still lying down? Where are you supposed to lie down? No, in the first place, I’m in a situation where I can’t lift a finger right now?

“That, not that. Hey, lie down here. here.”

As she said that, Altina’s fingers were pointing toward her knees.

“No, I’ll give you a lap pillow. He and I will take care of you and put you to bed.”

“… What?”