I Became the Academy’s Female Delinquent Chapter 20. Acceptance

Elsie had a dream.

It was a dream from when she used to play Aesir Saga.

However, it was different from usual.

Instead of controlling Elsie from beyond the screen, she was facing the enemy from Elsie’s perspective.

Who was Elsie facing?

‘Black hair… blue eyes…’

Elsie’s opponent was none other than,

Elsie herself.

The figure stood with a faint smile, in the form that had earned her the nickname “Black Valkyrie of the Battlefield” in the game.

“Elsie…?”

The black-haired Elsie giggled, amused by Elsie’s dumbfounded question.

“Kuhut- Elsie, aren’t you Elsie? I’m just your skill, you know?”

“…I guess it really is a dream. If this is what a weird dream is like, it’s a disease.”

“She doesn’t believe me… well, it is a dream, so think what you want.”

The black-haired Elsie simply shrugged at Elsie’s bewildered expression.

“I’m just your skill, after all. So, I only have this to say.”

The black-haired Elsie slowly approached Elsie.

She took Elsie’s hand, who was wearing a suspicious expression, intertwined their fingers, and began to disappear.

“If you want to win, if you want to fulfill your wish, be sure to use me.”

As the black-haired Elsie disappeared, Elsie’s silver hair gradually darkened from the ends.

“It’s still too much for you now-”

_ㅡFwoosh!_

\*

“Ugh?”

Elsie frowned and opened her eyes.

The feeling of exhaustion in her body was the worst.

“Heavy…”

It felt like something was pressing down on her.

Elsie tossed and turned, feeling like she was being held down.

“This weak body, really…”

Something felt off about the weight.

Elsie turned her head sharply and froze, face to face with Thrud’s face.

“Umm… Elsie… eat something… you’re too light…”

Thrud was fast asleep, muttering in her sleep right in front of her face.

Elsie’s mind went blank at the close proximity, where their lips could touch with just a nod.

“Eek!”

Elsie wriggled and squirmed away from Thrud.

To think they were close enough to feel each other’s breath.

Her heart pounded in surprise at the shocking situation.

“Ugh… where is this?”

Elsie slipped out from under the blanket, where Thrud’s arms and legs were resting, and sat on the bed.

The content of the dream bothered her.

“…It’s too much for me now…”

Her dream self, with her dazzling silver hair being invaded by black near the roots.

It was a familiar sight.

The hidden skill she had saved as much as, or even more than, a Divine General Summon in the game.

Elsie clenched her fist weakly.

“Sigrdrífa Transformation.”

The ultimate trump card that draws out the power of Sigrdrífa, the strongest Valkyrie, who leads any battle to victory.

Using that final form in her current physical condition would certainly lead to her own destruction.

But it was also true that she needed to use it to defeat the strong opponents in the Martial Arts Tournament and get closer to her wish.

The advice in the dream was quite accurate.

“But why are there curtains all around? It’s not like this is a sleeping room.”

A white bed, a space with white curtains drawn around it.

It was a quiet place, with only the sound of Thrud’s gentle breathing.

Elsie dangled her legs and looked around, then leaned over to look at the floor.

Beyond her wiggling toes, she saw a pair of small dress shoes neatly placed.

“They’re clean even after all that rolling around. Ah, it was all an illusion, wasn’t it?”

She had fought in a tangible illusion, so she had mistaken it for reality.

“Ugh.”

Swoosh.

Elsie reached out and slightly parted the curtains, revealing various medicines, medical supplies, and several beds like the one she had been sleeping on.

Elsie sighed softly and nodded.

“Infirmary? Hmmm-”

Buff-type Divine Armament Summon, Megingjörð.

It seemed she had lost consciousness because she couldn’t handle the aftereffects of using that skill.

Elsie stretched and yawned, then flopped back onto the bed.

“Haa-”

For some reason, she felt relieved.

It was the comfort she only realized after pushing her body to its limit.

There was no one in the infirmary, and Thrud was sound asleep.

“Peaceful.”

It was the first comfortable feeling she had experienced in the five days since her possession.

Until now, she had felt restless even when she was alone.

“I guess you only see the world clearly after you’ve poured everything out once.”

Elsie suddenly realized that she could finally accept that she was Elsie.

Feeling inexplicably good and relieved, Elsie quietly began to hum.

As she did, she slowly swung her legs, which had slipped out of the bed, and tapped the curtains.

“Ugh, I’m so tired.”

She decided to forget for a while about the Martial Arts Tournament, which was almost obsessively on her mind, and the prize for winning, Ymir’s Horn.

For now, she would simply focus on the curtains that were bothering her toes.

“Heave-ho.”

Elsie, lying defenselessly on the bed, stretched out her legs and finally grabbed the curtains with her toes.

She began to move her legs slowly, trying to pull the curtains open.

“Hmph!”

She spread her legs this way and that.

There was no one to stop Elsie from taking poses that would be unimaginable for a noble lady.

Elsie herself was not even aware of such things.

Of course, it was a private game that was only possible because no one was there except for the sleeping Thrud.

If anyone had been there, she would never have played around in such an indecent pose.

‘If I stretch out a little more, I can open them…’

It was at that moment, as Elsie was having such silly thoughts.

Creak!

Without any warning, the door to the infirmary opened.

Coincidentally, the door was in the direction where Elsie was defenselessly playing with her legs.

Elsie, who made eye contact with Doyun, who appeared through the infirmary door, was startled and instinctively waved her hand.

“Oh, Han Doyun! Ah- this…”

Then she realized her strange pose.

A beat late, Elsie reached out and covered her buttocks and groin.

Of course, it was a futile gesture.

“Ahaha… I didn’t expect anyone to come.”

It’s embarrassing when someone shows up while you’re playing alone.

Elsie scratched her head, embarrassed, and sat up straight.

Doyun, who had witnessed the shocking sight, was frozen in place.

“Han Doyun? What are you doing, not coming in?”

“Uh, yeah…”

Doyun, his ears red, only answered and didn’t move.

From outside, they began to urge him to go in quickly.

It was a frustrating sight.

Eventually, someone outside, unable to bear Doyun’s slowness, pushed him in and entered the infirmary.

Flowing navy-blue hair tied together, sharp eyes with resolute black pupils.

It was Radgrid, one of the Valkyries of Aesir Saga.

“What are you doing blocking the entrance? How’s Elsie’s condition?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m just weak.”

Radgrid patted Eir’s light green hair next to her and shrugged.

“Han Doyun was… here before us- judging by that dazed look, it seems like he still has aftereffects from the illusion?”

Doyun’s face was red, and his pupils were frantically darting left and right.

“White…”

“……?”

Randgrid glared sharply at Doyun’s muttering voice.

She smoothly swept back her long navy-blue hair and smacked her lips with a blank expression.

“White is Jötunheim Snowflake Bread-!”

“…Don’t mind what Randgrid says. More importantly, Eir, hurry.”

Radgrid gently pushed the hesitant Eir forward.

“E, Elsie. If it’s okay, I’d like to restore your energy…”

Eir looked harmless as she spoke hesitantly.

She seemed concerned that she hadn’t been helpful in the illusion.

‘Eir was a Valkyrie with outstanding healing abilities even in Aesir Saga…’

It wouldn’t be bad for Elsie if the fatigue from operating Megingjörð was relieved to some extent.

When Elsie nodded, Eir’s face lit up and she reached out her hand.

Her moist, light yellow eyes began to calm down.

Soon, the power of healing was unleashed from her fingertips.

Restoration Magic: Light of Healing, Sál.

Whoosh!

A warm, light green energy symbolizing spring poured over Elsie.

Soon after, Elsie could feel vitality rushing into her body.

“Oh- amazing!”

Elsie moved her body around and looked at Eir with surprised eyes.

Her energy was being restored to a noticeable degree, even if it wasn’t complete.

This was beyond expectations.

“E, Elsie…”

“Yeah?”

However, unlike Elsie’s surprised expression, Eir’s face was strange.

“Are you really okay?”

“What do you mean? I feel like I could fly thanks to you!”

Eir tilted her head and frowned.

“Umm… Ah, it’s nothing. I must have been mistaken.”

The light of healing, Sál, diagnoses the target while healing injuries and restoring energy.

In the brief moment when she diagnosed Elsie’s condition, Eir felt an unknown sense of unease.

It was the first time she had experienced this.

She couldn’t figure out what the unease was.

Was it really a mistake? If not?

“Elsie, if you’re okay, I’ll cast another healing spell!”

Uncharacteristically, Eir clenched her fist tightly and nodded solemnly.

Elsie, who had been stretching, tilted her head at the sight.

“I’d love to have my energy restored quickly, but… are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine! I’m just a little worried with just one.”

“If you say so…”

***

Elsie, whose hands were held by Eir, rolled her eyes around in embarrassment.

Eir’s hands were fiddling with her small hands.

She felt a tickling sensation in a corner of her heart.

Even though she knew this was to cast a healing spell, she still felt uncomfortable.

“…Do you have to hold hands?”

“It’s more effective this way.”

Eir was firm.

Having no choice, Elsie averted her gaze and opened her mouth, conscious of the gazes pouring down on her.

“Well, it’s a little embarrassing since everyone is staring like that…”

Not only the Rad and Rand sisters, but also Han Doyun and Thrud, who had woken up, were sending curious glances.

“There’s nothing else to do but watch.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with Thrud’s brazen answer.

‘Then why don’t you watch Eir? Why are you all staring at my face? Are you trying to have a staring contest?’

She was dumbfounded.

In the end, Elsie was the loser of the staring contest. 4:1 was as good as having no chance from the start.

Elsie, her face flushed, lowered her head.

All she could do now was wait for Eir’s healing spell to end.

“All done.”

“That was quick. Thank goodness-”

Listening to Elsie’s relieved voice, Eir looked down at her own hands.

‘Was I mistaken after all?’

In the end, she couldn’t figure out what the unease she had felt at first was.

At first, she suspected it was some kind of poison that she was unaware of.

But if that were the case, she should have found it when she diagnosed her body, and the symptoms should have appeared outside the body as well.

Elsie’s bright expression, full of energy as her vitality was restored.

She looked too healthy and bright to be poisoned.

With that, Eir’s doubts quickly faded.