Beast [Irregular at Magic High School fanfic] (Boyxboy)

Chapter 23

My life didn't entirely slow back to normalcy upon my return home.

First it was simply due to my injuries. There was a doctor present every day, checking in to see how things were healing. I allowed my leg to be healed with magic, but I would never allow even healing sequences to be directed at my head. My brain was far too important to risk that. Of course, I'd suffered a concussion, but with the doctor's non-magical assistance it healed on its own.

Second was due to the first annoyance I'd encountered at the event. Dr. Akemi Hiruna. During my healing, he'd already reached out over discussing my previous creations further. To which I really wasn't amused, especially when he suggested the place we meet be where my prototype was currently held. It was clear to me he had no interest in doing his initial investigations of it on his own- he wanted me there to explain the damn thing to him.

Something I certainly wasn't going to do while suffering a concussion, so at least I had the pleasure of delaying him by nearly two months.

Today, I'd be seeing him and my prototype in the closest magical construct warehouse. There were several of them scattered across the country, so make it easier on myself I'd asked for my prototype to moved to one slightly closer to home. I wasn't a fan of travel, and I expected the inspection of my prototype to last several hours. Given that even this warehouse was a three hour drive away, I'd had Hiromoto prepare a hotel room to stay in for the night.

For now, I could only watch in mild irritation from the car window as snow fell in the city. We were only a few minutes away from the warehouse, having dropped off my luggage there to be under guard. Hiromoto had decided for two of my home's perimeter security to accompany us as an added measure, and he himself was driving the small armored car we were in. Ori lay on the back seat with me, a black vest strapped to him. Wolf or not, it was snowing, and he didn't need to be cold while this body of mine was warm. 

"Master Minoru, we've arrived."

Perhaps one good thing from the events of two months ago was that I'd gotten rather annoyed with how helpless I was. I'd started physical therapy again with the help of the same doctor who saw to my healing head injury, so I was capable of using these worthless legs of mine somewhat better now.

I didn't need Hiromoto to assist me out of the car, at least. He still opened my door for me, and I sat in my already waiting chair like normal. Better or not, I couldn't walk long distances, and a warehouse like this one was massive. An attendant takes the car away, and Hiromoto takes me inside. At the front desk, Dr. Hiruna is already waiting. He notices our arrival quickly, and walks over with a polite smile.

"Young Master Yotsuba, I must thank you for taking the time to meet me here today."

"Of course."

I keep my voice as free from irritation as possible, hiding it behind my own polite mask in the same way he hides his own feelings behind his. He glances towards Ori's disinterested form briefly, before 'leading' us towards the front desk. Though he has permission to see it on his own, the warehouse was notified that I would be coming to see it myself. It would have been moved to a different location than normal, out of courtesy. My guardian speaks to the woman at the front desk, and it's only a few moments before she's leading us out of the lobby.

We go down a few hallways, past many doors, before she leads us into a very open and well-lit room. Lots of technical equipment is waiting, with my prototype in its fully-assembled glory on a round pedestal in the center. The pedestal is no higher from the rest of the room than an average stair, but it draws attention to the machine that is no larger than Ori himself is now. The woman leaves, a male attendant lingering to one side of the room in case I require anything not currently present. I let Dr. Hiruna approach it first, his expression shifting to the thoughtful, studious one of any engineer with a subject of interest in front of them. I signal to my guardian, and he doesn't wheel me towards it.