Love Comes After Simulation

Chapter 144

[In the years that followed, you and Mako continued to visit Yoshida Town and Sora no Ike every year. In the earlier years, you drove her to the lakeside. In recent years, it’s been Mako driving you.]

[The little girl has grown up. She graduated from Misaki University’s School of Medicine. She’s a bright child who earned her place at Misaki University entirely through her own efforts. You had hoped she would follow in your footsteps, but after a brief exploration, she chose not to take your path.]

[Instead, she shifted her focus to biology, originally her minor, and eventually became a PhD in the field.]

[After completing her studies, she joined a biology research institute. She became busier, often coming home late at night. When you urged her to find a partner, she told you she had dedicated her entire heart and soul to her career.]

[When you turned 66, Mako had already gained some recognition in the field of biology. She switched to another research institute, becoming even busier. Still, she always found time to accompany you and care for you.]

[You didn’t pay much attention to her career, remaining focused on your surgeries. Over the years, you refined the procedure further, resolving minor issues. However, these were only minor tweaks, yielding limited improvements.]

[You eventually confirmed that the procedure had reached its peak. It was no longer possible to make significant advancements; even minor improvements were scarce.]

[As an elderly man, you began to tire. In the operating room, you only handled the most critical parts of surgeries, leaving the rest to the younger doctors you had trained. You no longer had the stamina to complete an entire surgery.]

[At the age of 70, you retired from the operating room. Over the years, you had trained five disciples. They had mastered your procedure, and you hoped they would bring new advancements to it.]

[You were disappointed. These five disciples merely replicated your surgery with unwavering loyalty. None of them improved upon it. During a birthday celebration they organized for you, you reprimanded them for their lack of innovation. They bitterly explained that your procedure was already perfect; any modifications would only detract from its excellence.]

[Shifting your focus to teaching, you established a training program to help doctors from hospitals worldwide master your procedure, hoping to spark collective innovation.]

[By the time you turned 80, your efforts had borne no fruit.]

[On the first snowfall of November in Yoshida Town, you and Mako sat in your car near the grave, looking at the snow-covered tombstone and the snow-blanketed Sora no Ike. You had grown old, and Mako was nearing the end of middle age. Neither of you could linger outside in the snow like before. You stayed in the car to avoid the cold.]

[In the car, you drank together. You felt dejected. Your energy and strength had declined significantly. Even teaching surgeries had become a struggle. You knew you were nearing the end of your life, and you still hadn’t found a reliable treatment method.]

[You tried to conceal your frustration, but Mako, who knew you well, easily saw through your façade. She began reminiscing about her childhood, especially the time when you first adopted her.]

[She talked about how nervous and excited she had been upon being adopted by you. You were handsome, kind, and approachable. When you visited the orphanage, all the children adored you and wanted to be your daughter. She had been one of them.]

[When you chose her, she was thrilled that her dream had come true. At the same time, she was anxious, wondering if she could be a good daughter. Her imagination, fueled by some suspenseful stories she had read, even led her to briefly question if you were truly a good father.]

[Her words captured your attention. Smiling, you asked her if she now thought you were a good father.]

[The hope she brought reinvigorated your rapidly failing body.]

[Together, you and Mako leveraged all your connections to expedite a surgery. You designed the surgical plan, while your most skilled disciple performed it as the lead surgeon.]

[The surgery was a success.]

[Ecstatic, you, now in your twilight years, threw yourself into the field of biology with boundless passion. With your medical foundation, Mako’s guidance, and the advantage of memorization over understanding, you spent three years mastering the technology your daughter had developed.]

[Mako was by your side the entire time, and when she saw the joy on your face after you succeeded, she smiled.]

[Only then did you think to ask her: was her decision to study this technology a coincidence, or was it because of you?]

[Mako answered that it was half coincidence and half inspired by your surgery.]

[But this was a lie.]

[Even as a young girl, Mako had realized that her father was driven by the desire to cure the illness that had taken her mother’s life—even though her mother was long gone. The first half of your life was about your love for Reina. The second half was about your battle with the disease that took her. Your entire life had been dedicated to her. Even adopting Mako was to fulfill a wish Reina had expressed before her death.]

[Mako wanted to help you. That was why she entered medical school. But she soon realized that you had already reached the pinnacle of existing medical knowledge. She could barely keep up with you, let alone lead your surgery to new heights. So, she decisively abandoned medicine and turned to biology.]

[As for the mother she had never met, though she had developed some understanding and affection for her through your stories, these feelings had little impact on her.]

[Your life had revolved around Reina. Hers had revolved around you.]

[Finally, you were able to resolve the knots in your heart and enjoy your remaining years. Mako stayed by your side.]

[At 97, you passed away peacefully in your sleep. Mako buried you on the hillside near Sora no Ike, next to her mother’s grave. That year, during the first snowfall at Sora no Ike, she sat between your graves and watched the snow.]

[Simulation Ends.]

We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome!

Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw

Enhance your reading experience by removing ads:

Remove Ads Now