Chapter 29

Extra Case File 29 Can a Clumsy Girl Become an Admired Person?

“Take care… Ugh, even something like this has to be done by me personally.”

While complaining, Ash precisely retrieved the herbs prepared for her body cultivation from the drawer in the storage room. He felt quite listless at the moment. After all, in the past when he displayed his skills within other dark organizations, didn’t he always receive treatment as a talent at the officer level?

Normally, all he had to do was create plans, conduct evil research, and perform surgery; why should he be bothered with handling tasks with no technical depth like fetching materials and instruments when he could leave those to mindless subordinates? Why does everything have to be by his own hand?

Ah… so troublesome, he didn’t realize it before, but now that he thought about it, it feels so troublesome. When he decided to open the clinic back then, he did it purely as something to do without any intention of having patients show up. It’s just so troublesome now, it makes him want to give up.

But if we talk about subordinates… well, the Riders can’t carry things well, and Bamiya troops don’t listen properly. His usual replicants were all lost in the last world, but assistants don’t need to deal with power issues anyway…

Come to think of it, there seem to be a few Jetnits left in the inventory? The devices are easy to repair with screws. Oh right! I still have lots of storage spheres holding Faceless individuals, half-steals from a gun trader called Umbrella back then, and they surely have quality!

Ash wasn’t the only one daydreaming after being lazy, as Wild Flower quickly grabbed the paper bag thrown by Ash and carefully repacked it with her handkerchief.

“Herbs, herbs, got them all…” She repeated her inspection of the small herbal package Ash selected for her, trying not to repeat the disaster where clumsiness led to things being scattered all over.

She trusted Ash’s medical skills implicitly. The remarkable recovery of her formerly failing health was proof enough! Her insides no longer hurt as badly as they used to, energy levels were restored, and even her memory seemed more stable than ever.

Did the help she once provided to others lead them to help her in crucial times? Maybe that’s what it means to fight for simple yet beautiful moments, whether as Wild Flower or Cure Yellow.

“Right, Hana,” Ash said, already addressing her directly without a title.

“Huh?” Hana stopped patting her pale cheeks with reddening hands when abruptly called to a halt.

“Your white shirt matches your black skirt nicely,” Ash naturally commented, “much better than those simple outfits you wore before. It suits you well.”

“Oh, thanks!” Hana was first shocked, then bashfully touching her cheeks, “I’m glad you like it!”

Some say boys don’t notice changes in girls as easily. Even if dressed differently, she hadn’t actually expected much, especially since he actually complimented her.

“However.”

Ash raised his finger, pointing down at the slit in her skirt from which the pure fabric with cute sakura patterns could be faintly seen.

“Your undergarment is showing.”

“Ahh, really! Ahahahaha… I’m so sorry….”

Only now did Hana understand what Ash was pointing out and hurriedly tried to hide it apologetically.

Wait… so he saw it all?

“Hana,”

Ash called unsurely, seeing her frozen in a smile. Then came the mechanical “click” of her head turning awkwardly, followed by a pained smile bordering tears.

“No… way!”

Instinctively, Hana blurted out a line from another timeline.

I messed up… I really messed up…

Although she had reached a desirable age, the gap between her and becoming the cool older sister she always idolized grew farther. How discouraging…

“Inori, you home?” Hana stopped in front of a house labeled [Hinoki Family]. With discomfort, she adjusted her slightly loose pants and pushed the doorbell.

Regardless of how relaxed she seemed, she couldn’t go out in public with holes in her skirt. Luckily, Ash lent her his jeans; wearing others’ clothes felt weird.

She glanced at Ash, who still looked uninterested, as if indifferent to any external stimuli, making her feel relieved yet saddened.

He seemed neither disappointed nor concerned, but rather preoccupied in his own world. That couldn’t be good.

As a lifesaver, she wanted to repay him. Similarly, as someone who wished him well, she felt compelled to reach out. But how could she, a mere presence named Wild Flower overcome his seemingly closed-off heart?

At least right now, she couldn’t find any solution; the uncertainty tightened her fists.

In any case, what does she represent to Ash? What’s their relationship?

The click of the opening door pulled her wandering thoughts back, and she hurriedly looked inside.