Waking up, I was once again greeted by the sight of another familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling.
‘How many times am I going to repeat this same process?’ I mused a wry smile tugging at my lips.
At the rate I was going, I’d probably end up memorizing all the different ceilings of all the different beds I’d rested on.
Shaking off my thoughts, I slowly rose from the bed and looked around the room.
The familiar white walls and the white and blue interior design made it clear that I was in the academy infirmary.
The last time I was here was at the end of the first scenario, after the first terrorist attack on the academy.
Thinking back on it, it was quite ironic. I had gained strength and power, yet I seemed to be more injured now than I was back then.
With a soft groan, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cold floor beneath my feet. My body ached with a dull, persistent pain that reminded me of the intense battle I had just endured.
Despite the discomfort, a sense of accomplishment washed over me.
I had won, after all.
Well, it was a shitty way to win, but a win was a win, I guess.
“Agh…”
I groaned in pain as I tried to move my body.
Ignoring the pain, I got off the bed.
I wasn’t sure if it was because my mind was still hazy or because I had grown used to almost all types of pain by now, but it seemed my pain tolerance had grown more resilient over the months of strengthening myself.
‘I guess I passed out, huh?’
It wasn’t a weird outcome considering the reckless thing I had just done.
‘Seo was probably the one who brought me here.’
How many times do I owe her now? She’s been constantly saving my ass in more ways than others.
Although she probably wouldn’t see this as a burden or something that would imply that I owed her, the fact remained that she was the only one I could comfortably rely on right now. No wonder my body immediately fell down the moment I was embraced in her presence. Looking at the clock, it was still 11:25. A sigh of relief washed over me. I could still make it to Seo’s match and, at the same time, prevent that bastard from interacting with her. “Oh, it seems you’re up”
As I began dressing back into my tattered uniform, a woman dressed in white suddenly came in through the open door. She scanned me from head to toe while adjusting her glasses.
Although this was technically our first time meeting, for me, it felt like I’d met her countless times before.
She was Audrey Rose, the medical head of the academy.
Her job was to handle and manage all forms of medical-related issues here at the academy, and she was well-known for being the best doctor there was.
She was as pretty and mature-looking as she was in the game.
Her long, chestnut hair was tied back in a neat bun, and her sharp blue eyes behind those glasses exuded both intelligence and kindness.
She had a composed demeanor that made anyone feel safe in her presence.
“You really shouldn’t be moving around so much after what you’ve been through,” she said, her tone gentle yet firm.
“I’m fine, really. Just a few bruises,” I replied, trying to sound convincing.
Audrey raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “A few bruises? You were brought in here unconscious and with multiple injuries. You need rest.”
Her steps echoed in the white room as her mana expanded, looking at me intensely before sighing even more. “Are you sure you’re okay now?” she asked, approaching me as she put aside the papers she was holding.
“Yes,”
“Hm… it doesn’t seem like it, though. I understand you’re a bit excited right now, Mr. Hell, but it would be best if you took a bit more rest before getting up. Your body is still in the process of healing,” she said as she tried to grab my injured arm that was covered in bandages, but I quickly avoided her hands before she could grab hold of me.
“I’m really fine.”
“You know you can’t fool me, right? Young man, it wouldn’t even take an expert to see that you’re not alright right now.”
I couldn’t deny that. Even from just a glance at the mirror, I could tell that I was really not okay. The strain of mana in my body still hurt, and the amount of pain I was taking was slightly reminiscent of the amount I felt while fighting Raijin back then.
Dr. Rose’s concerned gaze pierced through me, making it clear that she wasn’t buying my attempts to downplay my condition. She sighed again, shaking her head slightly.
“Look, I understand that you have things you need to do, but pushing yourself like this is only going to make things worse. You need to let your body heal properly.”
“No, really, I’m alright, Miss Audrey….”
“Hm, you know my name?”
“Well, you are quite popular in the academy.”
Audrey seemed unsatisfied with my reasoning as she sighed before shaking her head.
“You’re quite the resilient kid, aren’t you? Most of your peers would’ve succumbed to pain the moment their mana became as twisted as yours. I guess it just goes to show your title as being a top-ranked student?”
She then paused, studying me for a moment. “I really shouldn’t be letting you go right now, but I’ll make an exception for today since your eyes intrigue me.”
“Is that so…?”
“You seem unsatisfied. Should I take you back to your bed by force?”
Shaking my head intensely, she chuckled slightly before extending her arms and giving me a bottle containing a glowing red vial.
“Take this. Although it won’t heal all the mana strain inside you right now, it should help in minimizing the pain.”
“Thank you….”
“You’re welcome~ Anyway, you better go on now. You wouldn’t want to be late, would you?”
“How did you-“
“Fufu, your eyes were quite expressive, kid. Oh, and before you go, take that ragged shirt off and grab one of those spare jackets over there.”
I glanced at the tattered remains of my uniform and then at the neatly folded jackets she pointed to. Reluctantly, I peeled off the ruined shirt, my muscles protesting with every movement. The cool air of the infirmary hit my skin, making me shiver slightly.
As I reached for a jacket, Audrey’s voice softened. “You know, it’s not just physical resilience that makes a great knight. It’s knowing when to push forward and when to take a step back.
Don’t forget that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied, pulling the jacket on.
It was a bit too big, but it would do.
She nodded approvingly. “Good. Now go on, before I change my mind and make you stay
here.”
I gave her a small smile and hurried out of the infirmary, the red vial securely in my pocket. As I made my way through the corridors,
Bowing my head one last time in front of her, I said my final farewells to Audrey. Walking out, I was surprised by the sight that greeted me.
Each room I passed through was packed full of students. I even saw Lucas sleeping peacefully
in one of the rooms I passed, surrounded by at least two other students in each room.
But in my room, I had been the only one there….
Now that I think about it, why was there only one bed? And Miss Audrey didn’t seem to be
attending to other students as well.’
Am I getting some kind of special treatment?’
It was an odd thought. Audrey’s attention and the isolated room felt unusual, almost as if she
knew something about my condition that she wasn’t sharing.
The idea nagged at me as I continued walking, weaving through the crowded hallways.
I glanced back at the infirmary doors, a small frown forming.
It wasn’t like the academy to single out a student for special treatment, especially someone
like me who was just another face in the crowd of their geniuses.
The thought lingered as I moved further away, the noise of the festival growing louder with
each step.
As I approached the arena, I tried to shake off the feeling of unease.
Although I was curious as to why I was getting all this special care.
‘Even if it really was special treatment….’
it wasn’t necessarily a problem in the first place.
….
Back in the colosseum, the audience was once again in awe after another short yet spectacular
fight.
Though they couldn’t understand exactly what had happened, as the match ended so quickly
that it barely lasted three seconds.
All they saw was a blue flash, accompanied by the sound of thunder and lightning strikes that cleaved almost through Seo’s opponent.
“Winner: Seo Gyeoul!” The announcer’s call echoed through the arena.
Seo glanced at her opponent with an apathetic gaze before moving on and making a slight
bow toward the judges.
Her emotionless eyes were even more apathetic than usual. Initially, she had felt quite excited to showcase her family’s swordsmanship in front of the Duke, but now, after witnessing what happened to Riley, a constant blade of emotions tinged at her heart.
She couldn’t understand the emotion she felt, but right now, she was very frustrated. Her victory felt hollow, overshadowed by the turmoil within her.
Walking off the stage, Seo made no single glance at anything else; her mind and eyes were set
straight ahead.
She wanted to see Riley right now. She dashed off like a blur, hurrying her steps as much as she was allowed.
The injuries Riley had sustained weren’t something people could just ignore.
As someone who was closest to him back then, she knew how painful it must have been.
She may have never experienced such a twisted mana strain before, but she could empathize with what Riley was going through based on the twisted lines of his mana veins alone. Recalling the advice from her wonderous, godly book titled How to Make Friends, which was now long gone and burned due to the advice of her maid, another piece of advice in there was etched across her brain:
Taking care of your male friend is always a must if you want your relationship to stabilize.
Although her maid had reasoned not to trust any of the words of advice written in the book, after seeing the effect it had when she took care of Riley last time, Seo reasoned that it wasn’t a book of lies, despite what she had always been reminded of. She continued rushing through the hallways, her determination unwavering. Seo’s mind replayed the moments from the book, hoping that its guidance would help her once more.
Nearing closer towards the colosseum’s exit, Seo hastened even more, slightly coating her body with her lightning aura.
Step by step, she saw the gate nearing in the large halls, her heart racing with anticipation.
Just as she was about to reach the gate, she came to a sudden stop, her eyes widening in evident surprise at the sight before her.
“L-let go of me, you bastard!!!” a man shouted in anger, his breaths haggard and his face turning paler by the moment.
Right in front of her, Riley was holding on to the neck of a very familiar man in her life.
The man had long black hair and crimson red eyes, reminiscent of her own striking looks.
It was her older brother, Hajey Gyeoul, struggling to break free from Riley’s intense grip. ‘Why is he here?’
A bunch of Hajey’s guards were on the ground, kneeling and spouting out blood as they tried
to grab onto Riley’s legs, but their efforts were in vain.
“Riley?”
“Seo….” Riley responded, his blue eyes locking onto hers. They were cold yet warm at the
same time.
“It seems I missed your fight.”
11
||
…..
Seo had no idea what was going on.