Does Spring Come Even for a Dying Esper

“What do you mean…?”

“I was found with the corpses of the organization members who tried to kidnap me. My mother’s ice-covered body was there too.”

“What?”

“It’s true that I was rescued by the Defense Force after collapsing from mana overload, but I’m saying I was the one who dealt with the organization members.”

Lucas’s brow furrowed deeply at the shocking truth he learned belatedly. He waited for the next words with an expression of disbelief at what he had just heard.

“I wish I could tell you more details, but I can’t remember anything beyond this. I think I probably went berserk after seeing my mother’s death. The doctor who brought me here and took care of me said I was in an unstable state due to severe psychological shock.”

Come to think of it, do our eyes look a bit alike? Iberis thought as he looked into the golden eyes filled with complex emotions. The doctor who had taken care of him after being rescued by the Defense Force also had warm, sun-like eyes. For the first time in a very long while, he recalled someone he missed.

‘Doctor, why are you so kind to me?’

‘Kind to you? If anything, I’m sorry I can’t do more for you… And does there need to be a reason to take care of someone?’

‘It’s strange to be kind without any reason. Is it because I’m an S-rank Esper?’

‘What? Haha! No, that’s not it. Your being an S-rank Esper means nothing to me.’

‘Then why?’

‘If there’s a reason, it’s that I’m a doctor and you’re a patient. I’m just doing my best for my patient as the attending physician.’

Now that I think about it, he said something similar to me. He’s also both a military doctor and a Guide, just the same. Iberis sank into old memories with a slightly peculiar feeling.

‘Hello, my name is Armand Allis. I’ll be the one treating and guiding you from now on.’

Iberis entered the Defense Force when he was 10 years old. There, he met the doctor who would be in charge of him. Armand Allis, a man with a gentle face like a puppy, was also the first Guide Iberis met after joining the military.

‘Hmm, what should I call you? You said you can’t remember your name, right? What would you like me to call you?’

‘…I don’t know.’

‘That’s troublesome if you don’t know. Let’s see… Your eyes sparkle beautifully like frost flowers. Until you remember your real name, can I call you Iberis?’

‘Iberis? What’s that?’

‘It’s the name of a flower that resembles your eyes. How about it as a temporary name?’

‘…I like it.’

The temporary name the doctor gave him soon became his real name. Armand volunteered to be Iberis’s guardian and registered him as a boy soldier to protect him. His surname became Hyun, taking his mother’s family name, making him Iberis Hyun.

Thus, Iberis received Armand’s care for several years. He was as warm and kind as he looked, and he took meticulous care of Iberis every time they met. Sometimes he would even give gifts like storybooks or gloves.

Except for the first year in the Defense Force, they only met once a month for counseling, but Armand’s actions were a great source of strength for young Iberis. As time passed, he became curious. He wondered why Armand cared for him differently from other adults.

‘You’re just being kind because you’re my attending physician?’

‘No, wait. When you put it that way, it sounds a bit strange… Hmm, if I had to give a reason, maybe it’s because you’re like a son to me?’

‘A son? Me?’

‘Yes. My wife and I have children around your age. We have a son and a daughter, and our firstborn is the same age as you. Maybe that’s why I feel more concerned about you.’

‘Your son… I’m a bit curious about him.’

‘Want to see a photo? Come to think of it, it would be nice if you two became friends. I’ll introduce you next time there’s a chance.’

‘Okay. Is your son an Esper too?’

‘Hm? No, not yet. Why? Do you dislike non-Espers?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Does “not yet” mean he’ll awaken soon? Iberis was momentarily curious but didn’t bother to ask.

‘Our son is a bit immature… but I hope you two get along well.’

As if already imagining the two children becoming friends, Armand crinkled his nose and gently patted Iberis’s head. However, Iberis never got to meet Armand’s son. Not long after that conversation, Armand passed away in an unexpected accident.

Finishing his reminiscence, Iberis wore a bitter expression. If it weren’t for Dr. Armand, who had comforted him when he was lost after losing his mother, Iberis wouldn’t have been able to put down roots in the Defense Force. While he couldn’t say his military life was happy, he was still grateful that they had taken in and protected him when he had nowhere else to go as a child.

If he hadn’t become a boy soldier then, he would have surely become a target for villain organizations again or been bothered by people trying to secure an S-rank Esper. In the worst case, he might not have survived until now.

In that sense, Armand was his lifesaver. Since Armand’s wife, Nadia, had also rescued him from the scene, he owed a debt of gratitude to the couple.

Because of this connection, when he heard the news of their deaths, he considered visiting their bereaved family. He wanted to repay even a little of the help he had received to Armand and Nadia’s children.

But when he made the difficult trip to the hospital, he was told that the siblings’ condition was too serious for visitors. After hearing that they had been taken in by relatives, the whereabouts of the children became unclear. A few years later, he happened to learn about the son, Lucas’s, recent situation, but by then he didn’t have the courage to reach out. He thought it was too late.

“Why didn’t you raise an issue about the record being different when you knew about it?”

“Huh? Ah…”

The sharp voice piercing his ear brought Iberis completely out of his reverie. Realizing he had been lost in old memories in front of Lucas, he apologized with an embarrassed look.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment… So, why didn’t I raise an issue? I only found out recently that the record differs from my memory. And what good would it do to point out the differences now? There must have been a reason they did it that way back then. Probably to protect me.”

“Even so…”

“Even if that action was truly wrong, I have no intention of stirring up past events. My memory isn’t completely intact, and the person involved has already passed away. I don’t want to tarnish the honor of the deceased.”

At the mention of someone who had already passed away, Lucas’s face hardened even more. Though he was certain it was his father, he had secretly hoped it wasn’t, but having it confirmed by Iberis made it difficult to control his expression.

“By any chance, was the name of that doctor Armand Allis?”

“That’s right. How do you know him?”

“…He’s famous among military doctors.”

“Ah, I suppose so. He was a military doctor and Guide like you…”

Iberis accepted Lucas’s vague explanation without any particular suspicion. He assumed someone must have told him, given that it’s not common for someone to be both a military doctor and a Guide.

“He was such a good person… Thinking about it again, it was such a sudden and tragic accident.”

Lucas was struck by a strange feeling as he watched Iberis deeply regret Armand’s death. He felt proud that someone still remembered his father, but at the same time, an unavoidable sadness welled up.

“Maybe the reason I’m soft on you, Captain, is because of him.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No, I didn’t realize it until we talked today… but strangely, you seem to resemble Dr. Armand.”

Iberis stared at Lucas’s face intently. Then he tilted his head slightly.

“Your appearance and aura are different… Is it because your eye color is the same? The way you talk is a bit similar too.”

Iberis muttered softly, as if talking to himself. Noticing that Lucas’s expression had darkened slightly, he cautiously observed him.

“Did I offend you? By saying you resemble a dead person?”

“Not at all. It was an interesting story.”

Lucas quickly composed his expression and replied nonchalantly. Being told he resembled Armand was actually a compliment.

“Our conversation went on for so long that the soup has gone cold. Let’s finish the rest except for that. Come on.”

“Alright, I’ll eat. I’ll eat.”

Iberis moved his fork, pouting his lower lip at Lucas’s urging. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he spoke up.

“You know about the N-sector commanders’ meeting this afternoon, right? You need to prepare to attend too.”

“I know. You told me yesterday.”

“Did I? Anyway, you’ll be introduced to the commanders there as the new head of the medical office and Guide team leader for the N-0 unit.”

“Understood.”

“But are you really okay with this?”

Iberis asked in a concerned voice. It was understandable, as Lucas taking on both the roles of medical office head and Guide team leader was not part of the original plan.