The next day.
Shikigawa Hospital.
Vodka spent an uneasy night in an unfamiliar place. Fortunately, the night passed without incident.
When he woke after daybreak, a young nurse brought him clothes for going out and smiled at him. "It's time to go out and get some fresh air. Please have breakfast first, then gather at the entrance to the inpatient department."
"...?"
Vodka had wanted to say, "I'm not going," but listening to the sounds of patients from the other wards heading out one after another, he was silent for a moment, then silently began changing clothes.
A familiar place made people feel safe, so his instincts made him want to stay in the hospital, to remain in this ward he had only just gotten used to.
But if he followed that normal psychology... he would probably fall into some insidious trap.
Thinking this, Vodka took a deep breath and decided to go with the flow, act like an utterly ordinary patient, and keep in sync with the people going out at all times.
Not long after, the recuperating patients had gathered at the hospital entrance.
Led by the nurses, they walked into the forest and breathed in the fresh air.
Suddenly, the faint sound of machinery operating rang out in waves.
Vodka pricked up his ears and warily looked toward the sound. The other patients also noticed the commotion and looked over in confusion. "What's that noise?"
A patient who had already been staying here for several days laughed and led them in that direction. Soon, a small basin appeared before them, where several excavators were busily coming and going.
"I asked the nurses before. They said this plot of land has already been bought by the hospital and they plan to turn it into recuperation facilities." The