Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139844414118669/episodes/2912051595197426467
The medical wing was filled with a distinctive odor.
In addition to the sharp, alcohol-like scent that stung the back of the nose, the air was thick with the smell of burning and the scent of earth. Beds were crammed along the sides of the corridors, where many students lay.
Healers stood by their sides, holding out their hands to cast healing spells.
Enveloped in a faintly glowing green aura, the injured students’ expressions gradually softened into ones of peace.
But, just as I’d heard, there simply weren’t enough healers to treat everyone.
The overwhelming majority of students were lying in their beds, grimacing and groaning, unable to receive treatment.
They were being treated with non-magical methods like healing potions and herbs, but such things were little more than a placebo. —The miraculous healing power of restorative magic. There was likely no other way to save them.
“…This way.”
Glancing at the scene, I made my way deeper into the infirmary.
Every time she saw a patient lying on a bed, the expression on Elisia’s face—who was leading the way—would cloud over.
She’s a person with a strong sense of responsibility. As student council president, she likely feels a sense of guilt, believing that she, too, bears some responsibility for this situation.
Without saying a word, I moved to stand beside her and took her hand.
“……!”
For a moment, I felt her gaze on me.
It was a look of surprise, or perhaps confusion.
But that vanished immediately, and instead, she squeezed my hand slightly.
Elisia said nothing and turned to face forward. The shadow that had crossed her face moments ago was gone.
We walked on for a while, and eventually, Elisia stopped.
“It’s up ahead.”
Reluctantly letting go of my hand, she pointed to a small private room at the end of the hallway.
“Is she… in quarantine…?”
“Just to be safe… You see, she’s a girl who was rescued from the labyrinth. We don’t know a single thing about her background or why she was there. That’s why she’s in quarantine.”
“It can’t be helped,” Elisia replied to Yu as she stood in front of the door.
Then, after knocking, she quietly opened the door.
The room was quiet, a stark contrast to the hallway.
It was a typical private room in the medical wing—a pristine, white space with nothing superfluous. It was a simple yet clean room, containing only a basic bed, a small desk, and a few chairs.
At the far end of that quiet room, on the bed, sat the girl.
She was sitting up, silently gazing outside through the open window.
A faint breeze drifted in through the window, gently rustling the curtains and the girl’s white hair.
Bathing in the sunlight, her hair shimmered softly, leaving everyone in the room speechless.
“――……?”
The girl had been gazing outside for a while, but she must have sensed the presence of visitors.
She slowly turned toward us and quietly fixed her gaze on us with her red eyes.
It was a gaze that betrayed no emotion.
Yet those eyes were clearly moving, observing each and every one of us.
She continued to stare at us in silence for a while, but then,
“……You.”
She spoke briefly, then pointed at Yu with her slender white finger.
“Huh, me?”
Suddenly pointed at, Yu let out a dazed cry.
Showing no sign of being bothered by his reaction, she nodded and continued in a faint, clear voice like a bird’s chirp.
“…The person who was in the labyrinth.”
Her tone was matter-of-fact.
It was as if a robot were confirming a fact. There was no emotion in her voice, and her eyes, fixed on Yu, remained wide open without a single blink.
It left a strong impression—not so much of wonder, but of eeriness.
“Huh, oh… well, I guess so.”
Yu nodded, though he looked confused.
However, his expression didn’t show the same sense of unease I felt. If anything, he seemed to be accepting her words quite naturally.
Glancing around, I saw that the other three seemed to be feeling the same way I was.
They were staring at the girl sitting on the bed with troubled expressions.
(…So, she really is someone special to Yuu, after all.)
When I looked back at Yuu, unlike the others, she was smiling naturally.
“I’m glad you’re safe. Really…”
Though his words were filled with relief, the girl’s reaction remained as cold as ever.
It seemed she was merely listening to him in silence.
(An albino and taciturn… And, judging by her aura, she’s rather mysterious… I see, so this is Yuu’s—)
Just as I was lost in thought, our eyes met.
Her gaze shifted away from Yu.
The moment her deep red eyes locked onto him, her demeanor changed completely.
“——…!!”
Her small shoulders shook violently.
Her red eyes, which had shown no emotion until then, widened, and she clutched the blanket tightly, backing away on the bed.
Even though she was on a narrow bed, the way she pulled herself all the way to the wall to create distance made her look just like a herbivore cornered by a predator.
“……D-don’t… come…”
Next, a clear word of refusal escaped her lips.
Trembling as if frightened, she looked up at me with eyes filled with terror.
“Huh…?”
It was Yu who spoke up first.
Looking confused, he glanced back and forth between me and the girl.
“W-what’s going on? Is something wrong with Rai…?”
No one there could answer Yu’s question.
Well, I had a vague idea of what was happening, but I chose to remain silent.
The atmosphere in the room had clearly turned eerie.
“Don’t… come near me…!”
Still looking terrified, the girl held out both her hands toward me.
At that moment, magical power gathered at her fingertips. A glow as crimson as her eyes converged in her palms, and just as a ball of flame the size of a tennis ball was born—
“It’s useless.”
Saying that briefly, I held out my hand toward her as well.
I used light magic. I altered the spell, which normally only creates a wall, and a shimmering membrane of light unfolded on the spot, enveloping the ball of fire that had gathered in the girl’s palm.
Immediately afterward, with a small pop, the ball of fire burst and dissipated into mist.
“……”
Her shoulders shook violently once more.
Was she surprised that the spell had failed? Or was this a reaction born of the realization that resistance was futile in the face of a threat like me? Either way, it wasn’t a pleasant sight to behold.
She had only just been protected; she surely had little energy left to cast spells.
Yet, perhaps due to the strain of forcing it, the already pale, lifeless color in her face seemed to fade even further. She was breathing heavily through her shoulders, looking as if she might pass out at any moment.
But even so, she raised her trembling hand toward me once more.
She was gathering her magic again to cast another spell.
Her eyes still held a deep, intense fear of me.
“Lord Rai.”
With a low voice, Liene, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward to face me.
Standing there as if to shield me, she materialized her greatsword and fixed her gaze on the girl.
Seeing her clearly ready for battle, I briefly said, “It’s fine,” trying to stop her.
“But—”
“She’s at her limit.”
It was the very moment I said that.
The girl’s body, which had been gathering magic, shook violently. The magic in her palm dissipated into mist before it could take shape, vanishing into particles of magic.
“……”
Letting out a faint sound, she collapsed onto the bed as if a string had snapped.
The tension drained from her body, and it seemed her consciousness had completely faded.
“……H-hey!?”
As expected, Yu was the first to react.
He hurried over to her side and gently supported her body. After checking her breathing and complexion, he exhaled quietly, as if relieved.
“……Looks like she ran out of magic.”
“I guess so.”
She’d just woken up, and her magic hadn’t fully recovered yet.
If she tried to use magic in that condition, it wouldn’t be surprising if she collapsed from magic depletion.
“……What’s going on? Why did she…?”
Elisia furrowed her brow as she stared at the girl lying limp and lifeless on the bed.
“I don’t know… I don’t know the reason, but at least as long as I’m here, it seems she can’t stay calm.”
I turned my gaze toward the girl lying on the bed.
Her complexion was still poor, but her breathing was steady. It didn’t seem like her life was in danger, but just to be safe, it might be best to call a healer.
“…I’ll go get a healing mage.”
“Rai.”
Just as I was about to turn away, Elisia called out to me.
Both the tone of her voice and her expression betrayed a hint of suspicion.
“…Do you have any idea what might have caused this?”
It was a quiet question.
Her gaze seemed sharp, yet slightly fragile. It was a look where her suspicion as student council president and her trust as his fiancée seemed to be in conflict.
“At least I didn’t do anything. As you know, this was my first time meeting her.”
“……I see.”
After a brief pause, she spoke, then said briefly, “Please,” and stepped aside to let me pass.
I gave a slight nod and walked straight out the door.
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