Eternally Regressing in Another World

Chapter 19: Square 15: The Old Man in the White Hospital Room

Just flipping through the novel, familiar words kept jumping out at me one after another. Trains, planes, buses, all kinds of transportation. Hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, fried chicken. There was no way the Statue of Liberty would show up unless the writer actually knew about it.

”...You’re reading that awfully intently.”

I had my nerves so focused on the text that I could barely hear anything around me. Whoever wrote this book clearly knew something.

”Wouldn’t you like to meet the author?”

At Elizabeth’s unexpected offer, my head shot up instantly.

”You can arrange that!?”

”Don’t underestimate me.”

Elizabeth puffed out her flat chest with her usual booming laugh. Given the content of this book, I could say with certainty. This author was probably in the same situation as me. If the book had come out twelve years ago, that meant they’d been in this world for at least that long. This person might know the answer to why I’d been brought to a world like this, and who had brought me here.

”...When can I meet them?”

”We could head there right now, if you’d like.”

”Please! Let’s go!”

”Though, I should mention one thing first.”

Elizabeth fluttered her fan with a smug look on her face. Seeing that expression, I had a pretty good guess what was coming.

”...The favor, right?”

”Yes, exactly. I’ll be skipping you straight past the whole process of meeting a celebrity. Don’t you think that’s more than enough to settle the debt?”

I knew it would come to this. A favor built up from a wealthy, absurdly strong noble lady. If I saved it for later, it might turn into something far more valuable down the line. But I didn’t have the luxury of thinking that far ahead right now.

”Fine, that works. Let’s go.”

”Deal struck, then! Tender!”

”Understood!”

The carriage changed course sharply, heading north along the main street. Toward the truth of this world.

After several dozen minutes of travel by carriage. We arrived at a large hospital, different from the one I’d been admitted to before.

”Tender, please watch the carriage.”

”Understood.”

As Elizabeth stepped down and started walking, I called out to her from behind.

”The butler’s not coming?”

”No, it’s not as though I need to grease any palms or throw money around. One word to the hospital director, and I can force my way into a visit.”

So it really was just brute force in the end. Swallowing that thought, we walked into the hospital, book in hand. The interior was built of wood, and the difference from my old world gave me a strange, uneasy feeling.

”Might I request a visitation?”

”Yes, if I could just get your name... you’re... Lady Beyonetta!?”

The receptionist covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide. The people around her seemed to notice Elizabeth too, and murmurs started spreading through the room. Without a hint of concern for that, Elizabeth snatched the novel out of my hands and thrust the cover in front of the receptionist.

”Would you let me see whoever is connected to this book? If there’s an issue, perhaps I should speak with whoever runs this place instead.”

The way Elizabeth said it carried something close to a threat. The receptionist seemed to feel the same, and started preparing a set of keys, looking a little frightened.

”I... I’ll show you there right away! This way, please!”

Elizabeth shook her head at the receptionist’s offer to guide us.

”Just this man will do. Either way, if I don’t smooth things over myself first, it’ll only cause trouble later, won’t it?”

”Huh? Ah, thank you very much!”

She waved off the receptionist’s thanks and tossed the novel back to me. Once she confirmed I’d fumbled my way into catching it, Elizabeth signed her name across some paperwork with a flourish of her pen.

”I’ll show you the way.”

In the meantime, I was led from the lobby to a room close by.

”This is the one.”

The room I was directed to was closed off by a set of double wooden doors. My hand trembled slightly from nerves as I slowly reached for the door.

”Excuse me.”

A plain room where voices and footsteps echoed. By the window stood a single white bed. Lying in it was an old man, notable for his large white beard. His breathing was quiet, his eyes closed. Was he asleep?

”Um, excuse me...”

”I’m awake.”

The old man answered without opening his eyes. Being addressed so suddenly caught me a little off guard. But if he was awake, that worked in my favor. I held out the book I was carrying.

”Um, about this book...”

”I don’t do autographs.”

He cut me off, almost as if refusing to have a conversation at all. But this was finally a real lead, one I’d been chasing after. There was no way I could back off now.

”Actually...”

My words caught for a moment. A flicker of anxiety crossed my mind, what if he simply said he didn’t know anything?

”What, going quiet on me now?”

Was I scared... of something this small? Think about what I just did, I took down Nest. There was nothing standing in my way anymore. Push forward!

”Are you... someone from this world?”

A few seconds of silence passed. A breeze slipped in through the gap in the window, stirring the curtain. For the first time, the old man opened his eyes and turned his face toward me. For a moment, it sounded like a sound had escaped him. But he immediately covered his mouth with his hand. ...No, that wasn’t quite it.

”...I see... so that’s how it is.”

He was crying. Tears spilled over from his palm, dripping down and soaking into the blanket.

”Wh... what’s wrong!?”

Flustered, I looked around for a call button to summon a nurse. But thinking about it, I had no idea if this world even had something like a nurse call button. While I fumbled around in confusion, the old man’s tears began to settle.

”...This book, it was written to call out to people like you.”

”People like me?”

I couldn’t quite grasp what he meant. I couldn’t process the situation properly. The old man quickly scrawled something on a piece of paper nearby.

”I want to talk properly. Come to this address tomorrow.”

The paper he handed me had an address and a rough map of the way there.

”A small cabin out at the northern edge of town. There’s a windmill, so you’ll find it easily.”

”Um... aren’t you hospitalized here?”

”Not hospitalized, just coming in for treatment. My heart’s a bit weak. The doctor’s got me coming in once a week for recovery magic treatment.”

The phrase ”recovery magic treatment” still felt strange to hear, no matter how many times I heard it. But I supposed that was just how hospitals worked in this world.

”If you see a sign that says Old Man Beard, that’s my place.”

”...Old Man Beard?”

”Yeah, exactly what it sounds like.”

Old Man Beard stroked his large beard and let out a hearty laugh.

”Understood. I’ll be sure to visit.”

I bowed deeply to him and left the hospital room. My steps grew lighter, unable to hold back my excitement. I might finally be able to escape this endless retry loop. Just thinking that, I couldn’t help but smile.

Outside, Elizabeth and Tender were waiting for me.

”You’re late!!”

”Lady Elizabeth, coming out after only ten minutes is actually quite fast, isn’t it?”

Ten minutes, was that all it had been? I checked my watch. The hands pointed to 12:03. Right in the middle of lunchtime. Come to think of it, since arriving in this world, all I’d eaten was hospital food and the apple Yu had cut for me. Thinking about that suddenly made me crave something genuinely good to eat.

”Man, I’m getting kind of hungry...”

Right as I said that, my stomach let out a loud, embarrassing growl, practically announcing itself. Mortified by how pathetic it sounded, I couldn’t help but look down.

”Pfft! Ahahahahaha! What a sound that was. My stomach hurts from laughing. Ahahaha!!”

She was laughing way too much. Glancing at Tender, his face was bright red as he looked away. That was almost more irritating in its own way.

”Ahaha, well, can’t be helped. Tender, let’s head back right away.”

”...Y-yes, ma’am.”

”Huh? Wait, does that mean you’re feeding me?”

”Of course. When it comes to getting the truth out of someone, a full stomach and a good mood works far better than an empty one and a sour attitude, don’t you think?”

That was exactly what I’d been hoping for. An invitation to dine with a filthy rich noble. And with hunger seasoning the offer perfectly, there wasn’t a single reason to turn it down.

”Now then, get in! We’re off to my sacred, beautiful, elegant, gorgeous mansion! Ohhohohohohohohoho!”

The carriage carrying us turned southeast. Heading toward one of the grandest estates in the capital of the Parrot Kingdom. The Beyonetta mansion.