Chapter 256

Ｒ​εａԁ ȯｎ ΚａțЯеаԁｉ​ṅǵＣａｆė

It was the same smile as always.

The same voice as always.

The same appearance as always.

That’s why I was at a loss for words.

What emotions could be hidden behind that vibrant smile, which seemed no different from usual?

I deeply empathized with Eugene’s feelings. Seeing Lucia smile as if nothing had happened stirred up all sorts of emotions within me. The throbbing in my finger intensified. As I clenched my fist, the unhealed wound burst open.

Why hadn’t she told us? If it was so difficult, she could have just told us honestly. If she had just said– ‘Help me’, ‘It’s really painful’ –I would have rushed to her aid without hesitation. She wouldn’t have had to suffer alone. There was no need to hide it to this extent.

Aren’t friends supposed to help each other?

You’ve always helped me.

I want to help Lucia too.

Am I that untrustworthy?

Am I someone you can’t rely on?

Of course, I knew the reason in my heart. I was just complaining about things I didn’t mean because I was so frustrated.

The reason she hid her pain was obvious, wasn’t it? She didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry. That’s the kind of person Lucia is. She’s so altruistic that she would choose to sacrifice herself without hesitation for someone else.

“…”

My throat tightened.

It felt like a sticky rope was strangling me.

Even though I knew it was an illusion, I touched my neck.

“So, everyone was here? That’s not fair~, leaving me out. What were you talking about in such a secluded place~?”

Watching Lucia approach innocently, Eugene couldn’t hide his confusion.

In her arms, she held a girl with purple hair. Judging by the way she was limply drooping, she seemed unconscious. It was a face he remembered. Regina from Class D. This was strange. Why was she in Lucia’s arms? As if she had read the question in Eugene’s eyes, Lucia smiled awkwardly and opened her mouth.

“I ran into her by chance. She suddenly collapsed, saying she was tired.”

…Was that really the case?

Class D was isolated from the other classes – A, B, and C.

Their classrooms were far apart, and their schedules rarely overlapped.

Unless you went out of your way to find them, it was virtually impossible to run into them…?

‘Could it be…?’

Suddenly, I was reminded of the field training. Eugene, whose body was covered in wounds from the battle with the High-rank monster, was experiencing excruciating pain.

His bones creaked, his internal organs were concussed, and blood flowed from his large and small wounds.

It was Regina who had offered a helping hand at that time. She had used her supernatural ability to create painkillers and relieve all the pain.

Supernatural ability, drugs.

Depending on how they’re used, they can be medicine.

But if abused, they can become a terrible poison.

‘No, that can’t be.’

I immediately denied it, but once a doubt took root, it couldn’t be easily pulled out.

Drugs. To be honest, I didn’t know much about drugs. I was too young before the Great Catastrophe, and after that, I lived like a madman obsessed with training. I was so fanatically focused on training that all my relationships were cut off. Naturally, I was ignorant of knowledge other than ‘combat’. I only had snippets of information about drugs.

But I knew for sure that they were very dangerous substances.

I had heard that there were people like that.

People who turned to drugs to escape the pain of reality.

‘…Don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe they really did run into each other by chance.’

I steadied my wavering heart and glanced back and forth between Arin and Alice.

I couldn’t see Alice’s face because she was hanging her head low, but I could roughly guess Arin’s expression.

Her face was shadowed, as if she were having similar concerns to Eugene.

“Ah.”

Just then, Lucia let out a startled voice, as if she had seen something.

Following Lucia’s gaze, Eugene and Arin reflexively turned their heads.

She was looking at Alice’s finger.

Looking at the handkerchief, which had almost lost its whiteness, Lucia’s eyes widened.

“Ah, Alice, you’re hurt?!”

“…Yes, a little…”

“How did that happen?! No, that’s not important right now!”

Lucia hurriedly rushed towards Alice. Her cherry blossom-like eyes were filled with worry.

“I was on my way to take Regina to the infirmary. Let’s go together, Alice.”

“This kind of wound… heals quickly…”

“Even so! It’ll heal faster if you put medicine on it!”

Lucia wore a firm expression as if she wouldn’t allow any refusal.

Skillfully holding Regina in one arm, she took Alice’s uninjured hand with her other hand.

“Eugene, Arin. Alice and I will go to the infirmary. The break is almost over, so you guys go back to the classroom first. Tell the teacher for me.”

Before they could stop her, she led Alice away and quickly ran off.

They blankly watched her disappearing figure.

The sound of her footsteps climbing the stairs faded away, and a quiet silence descended.

“…She tried to kill herself, yet.”

Arin only said that much and pressed her lips shut.

But the unspoken words seemed to echo in Eugene’s ears.

She tried to kill herself, yet she’s so sensitive to other people’s wounds.

◈

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, before we could reach the infirmary.

Perhaps because of that, the school nurse was absent when we arrived.

The academy emphasized practical training like real battles.

This was to maximize the students’ combat abilities during the three years.

Naturally, there were many injuries during class, so the school nurse was always on standby nearby to provide first aid.

I carefully laid Regina on the bed. As expected of the academy, which spared no expense with the full support of the government, it had a luxurious and plush mattress. I covered her with a blanket and neatly arranged her purple hair. The face that had been hidden by her hair was revealed to the world.

Regina had always had faint dark circles under her eyes, but now they were so dark that you could skip rope with them. Her complexion was pale, and her cheeks were gaunt, as if she hadn’t eaten in days.

How much mental anguish had she been through?

Torturing me under Astaroth’s orders seemed to have been a deeply traumatic experience for Regina.

“How is it, Alice? Are you okay now? Does it not hurt?”

After laying Regina on the bed, I applied ointment to Alice’s finger. Yeah, as expected of the academy. All the supplies were expensive. Thanks to that, I could trust the effectiveness. If I added Alice’s regenerative power to the effectiveness of the medicine, she would be able to recover quickly.

“…Yes, I’m okay.”

Alice nodded silently.

While tidying up the shelves that I had messed up looking for medicine, I tilted my head.

Which one is the current Alice…?

She’s calling me ‘Lucia’ and using polite language, so it’s Alice… but she’s not stuttering.

But it’s not Frey either. The atmosphere and impression are different from Frey.

It must be Alice, right? Come to think of it, she said that she had corrected her stuttering habit when I was kidnapped. But the habit returned as soon as I came back.

To overcome her stuttering habit.

Ehehe, that’s my Alice.

She’s grown so much while I wasn’t looking.

I knew you could do it. Yes, Mom (self-proclaimed) is happy.

…I can’t just gloss over it, can I?

‘How far will the small ball that Arin threw roll…?’

I have to prevent the rumors from spreading any further.

It was a mistake to try to slowly resolve the misunderstanding over time.

I didn’t know her mouth was so light.

The plan that was based on the premise that Arin would keep the secret was completely scrapped.

At this rate, I don’t know how far the rumor that I tried to commit suicide will spread.

I’m disappointed, Class President.

To break the promise you made with me so easily!

Of course, I’m the one who caused it!

Strictly speaking, I was the one who broke the promise first!

I shouldn’t be resenting Arin, I should be resenting my own thoughtless actions!

Anyway, Arin is bad!

‘Instead of glossing over it, I need to have a serious talk and clear up the misunderstanding.’

I should have done that from the beginning.

I postponed it because I didn’t think she would believe anything I said, but that was the root of the problem.

Well, whatever.

I had my own plans.

First, I was going to show a healthy appearance for a few days to reassure Arin, and then smoothly clear up the misunderstanding.

If I hadn’t done something that tested Arin’s ability… I was too short-sighted.

Looking at it now, it seems that Lucia, not Arin, was the one who kicked off the ball.

To realize that now, is the aftereffect of being tortured by Regina still lingering?

‘Well, I’ll worry about that later…’

It’s a priority to solve the problem that’s right in front of me.

I looked at Alice, who was fidgeting with her fingers.

Alice was looking down at the bandages that were thickly applied.

While applying the ointment, I closely observed Alice’s wound.

It was a wound that had been chewed, torn, and crushed by teeth.

How do I know so well, you may ask? I know because I’ve done it myself.

When you bite it with your teeth, that’s the kind of wound you get.

‘It’s cute that Alice bit it, but I don’t think Eugene or Arin really bit her… so Alice must have hurt herself…’

It wasn’t difficult to guess what kind of conversation the three of them had in the deserted hallway.

It must have been a shocking story for Alice.

It wouldn’t be strange for her to have panicked and unconsciously bitten her finger.

One self-harming heroine is enough.

To try to take away my precious identity, Alice is such a cute and greedy girl~

Unlike me, Alice doesn’t have super regeneration, right?

You shouldn’t make wounds carelessly.

What if it leaves a scar?

I gave a bitter smile and looked around the infirmary bed.

Regina was breathing regularly and sleeping peacefully.

She looked so tired that she wouldn’t wake up for a while.

I wasn’t planning on going back to class right away.

Alice was much more important than the academy’s classes.

The quiet infirmary was suitable for having a secret conversation, but I didn’t want to disturb Regina, who was sleeping peacefully.

Should we go to the rooftop? There wouldn’t be any other students there during class, so we could have a heart-to-heart talk. I smiled brightly and turned to look at Alice. I held out my hand and opened my mouth.

“Hey, Alice. We…”

“Lucia.”

Cutting me off, Alice raised her head, which had been lowered.

I was startled.

Alice’s eyes, which should have had two colors coexisting – red and blue – were completely painted red.

“Do you have a moment?”

There’s something I want to talk about.

Author Note

A/N (Translator’s note):
By the way, Lucia is usually dumb, but when the switch is turned on, she becomes even dumber.

Idiot.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Let’s feed Regina lots and lots of Lucia meat~