episode_0022

“Anyway, please don’t overexert yourself for a while. It would be quite sad to see Si-an student here again.”

“Ahaha… I understand.”

“About three weeks… no, since you’re a scar bearer, just be cautious for about a week. You can push it until… the tournament. You can push it, but please don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Got it.”

The bodies of scar bearers are much sturdier and have higher recovery abilities compared to those without scars.

Scars are blessings from fallen stars. Unlike other sorcerers who borrow or trade the power of stars, scar bearers are fundamentally different.

“Still, it’s fortunate. The midterm exams are in two weeks, so by then, you can push yourself a bit more… Huh?!”

With a crisp sound, Claudia’s swift blow struck my head. The pain hit me half a beat later.

“In the game, Claudia doesn’t appear as a combatant. If even the academy health teacher has to engage in battle, it means the academy’s existence itself is in danger.”

Hence, perhaps Claudia hadn’t deeply considered her helpless side. So, I could only hold my head, letting out a foolish groan as I received the blow.

“Isn’t it a bit audacious to confidently say you’ll come back after getting hurt again, Si-an student?”

“Ugh… but I feel like something might happen during the midterms…”

I wasn’t wrong.

The academy’s first midterm exams are always a perfect time for a terrorist attack.

After all, the academy is where children of various prestigious families and future leaders gather. It’s a place where promising youths from various countries come together.

Even though my scar’s ability isn’t omnipotent, it can quickly heal minor wounds. However, for slightly severe injuries, it can only accelerate recovery.

Nevertheless, to Claudia, who was unaware of this fact, Si-an appeared merely as a naive child. Overly eager, always returning injured.

Claudia sighed lightly, placing her hand on Si-an’s forehead to heal the reddened mark.

“Anyway, take care of your body. This incident is unavoidable, but if we meet often at the infirmary, it might be a bit sad.”

“Yes…”

Claudia’s admonition continued for a while. With a sense of guilt, I quietly listened to her words.

The Arcana Academy is by no means a peaceful world. Since fundamentally, this world was originally a game, various events are bound to occur.

“So, it’s a promise. I’ll take better care of my body from now on.”

“Yes…”

Therefore, my voice replying to Claudia’s words was subdued. I’m not good at lying in general.

Even as Claudia looked at me with eyes that seemed to doubt me, she couldn’t keep me here forever. Thus, she bid me farewell with a sigh.

“Anyway, be careful.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Exiting into the hallway, I quickly walked while soothing my still throbbing forehead.

The conversations with Claudia had taken longer than expected. I had said I’d return soon, yet I had already been sitting there for thirty minutes.

“They’re… well, they’ll be fine.”

Neither Regina nor Yerena were bad people.

If their personalities had been off, they wouldn’t have been able to appear in the original game.

“That’s right… there’s no need to… for Si-an…”

“…Ah, just like that…”

As expected. It seems like Yerena and Regina have become fast friends, chatting away.

Although I can’t quite make out what they’re talking about. When friends chat, the topics are usually similar.

“So, about Cyan, together…”

“Hmm?”

A timid voice as soon as the door opens. However, for some reason, it felt like my name was mentioned.

Curious about their conversation, I hugged Regina from behind, suppressing my presence, and asked, “Did you call me?”

“Eep?!”

Regina, startled, jolted in my arms. With a cute squeal, she looked up at me with moist eyes.

Regina’s ruby eyes trembled slightly. In her eyes, which seemed to regain some life, my reflection appeared.

Finding Regina’s appearance adorable, I chuckled and sat between them.

“Oh, um… it was Cyan, right?”

“Ah, Cyan?”

Surprised, Yerena, who had been taken aback, quickly composed herself, her lips forming a faint smile.

If Regina was startled by me, why did Yerena seem surprised too? With this question in mind, I cautiously asked, “By the way… what were you two talking about earlier? I think I heard my name mentioned.”

“Oh, that… well…”

As usual, Regina stumbled over her words in response to my question. I looked at Yerena while petting Regina’s head, wondering if it was just my imagination that Yerena’s eyes looking at me were sharp.

“We didn’t talk about anything special. Just how we met you and simple self-introductions, you know?”

“I see.”

Well, when it comes to new friends meeting, there wouldn’t be many interesting topics, especially for two girls whose human relationships have been completely shattered. The easiest topic to bring up would probably be about me.

Internally acknowledging this, I faced Yerena, noticing a hint of something she seemed to want to say in her silvery eyes.

“Why?”

“Do you feel good doing this?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes. Holding you like this feels like hugging a big doll. Regina, you’re cute. You’re pretty and create a vibe that makes me want to take care of you. That’s why.”

“Uh…?”

Regina, who had been quietly nestled in my arms, suddenly shook as she received an unexpected barrage of compliments, making a cute sound of surprise.

In the endless cycle of time, she had never genuinely received compliments before.

The repeated praises from parents, students, and teachers had become so routine that she had memorized the patterns.

Therefore, the girl with almost zero tolerance for compliments covered her blushing face with both hands and let out a silent scream.

“Oh, Regina?”

“Uwah…”

“It seems like your words broke her.”

For the first time, she heard a genuine compliment. Moreover, it was in front of others. This new stimulus came to the girl who had worn away and forgotten everything.

Carefully, I sat Regina beside me, responding to Yerena’s question.

“Does Cyan like what you’re doing?”

“Yes. It feels comforting to hold Regina. Huh?!”

Suddenly, Yerena moved closer. Her delicately sculpted features slightly furrowed. After their breaths nearly touched, she stopped. The sweet scent of shampoo, not matching her cold demeanor, brushed past my nose. Her beautifully crafted gem-like eyes stared directly at me.

“Um… is that so?”

“Wait, just a moment?”

At some point, it seemed like the distance between Yerena and me had significantly decreased.

Yerena, who blushed and was flustered at the mere contact. Seeing her approach me so naturally.

The issue seemed to be my inability to adapt to Yerena’s beauty to that extent yet.

“…”

Her indifferent expression as a beautiful girl. It was fatally captivating for someone lacking in femininity like me. I swallowed hard, frozen, and remained still.

As Yerena quietly scrutinized my frozen body. She silently approached from behind and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Huh?!”

Feeling Yerena’s strong self-assertion from behind, the warmth of her body, and her breath near my neck. Unintentionally, I let out a foolish whimper.

I ended up resembling how I held Regina before. However, this time, the difference was that I was the one being embraced.

“Hmm… Indeed, you’re right. Cyan.”

Regina leaned her chin on top of my head. In a nonchalant yet soft voice, she continued speaking.

“It feels oddly comfortable when you’re like this.”

“Oh, haha…”

Awkwardly laughing, I leaned into Yerena’s embrace for a while, tightly shutting my eyes.

It was embarrassing, but not unpleasant. When else would I get to cuddle with Yerena if not now?

“Just a little longer, can we stay like this?”

Yerena casually threw out the question as if it were nothing. Faced with the request of the smiling girl leaning on me, I couldn’t possibly refuse.

“Oh, yes!”

Although there were things I wanted to do with Yerena and Regina originally. Right now, none of those thoughts crossed my mind. I just wanted to savor this moment.

The sound of my heart pounding with embarrassment felt overwhelmingly loud. Anxiously wondering if Yerena could hear it, we sat in the ward for a while.