Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Nursing (2)
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“Uh, Student Council President?”
The words slipped naturally from Talion’s mouth.
They came out the moment he spotted Elnor walking down the corridor from the opposite end.
Rumor had it she’d been holed up in the training room lately and rarely came out, so he’d gotten lucky catching her outside like this.
“It’s been ages since I last saw you. I hope you’ve been well? Feels like the first time since that exchange student business.”
He followed up with a gentle, affable smile that suited his personality.
“...Yeah. Long time no see.”
Talion tilted his head at the response.
To anyone else, it might’ve sounded like her usual voice, but not to him. Something was off.
“...You okay, President?”
“What do you mean?”
“Something bad happen?”
Elnor tilted her head in return.
“...Is my face that bad?”
“No, you look the same as always on the outside, but...”
Talion scratched his head and continued.
“I’ve heard that when someone fiddles with their ear like that while talking, it means something’s bothering them.”
“...”
Elnor’s eyes widened as she looked down at her own hand.
“...Didn’t realize I had a habit like that.”
“My brother told me. Said you’ve got a bunch of them—”
Elnor’s expression twitched for a split second.
Talion flinched at the sight.
Had he said something wrong?
He watched anxiously as she bit her lip in silence.
How to put this.
She clearly wasn’t in the mood to talk about that right now.
She used to light up and dive right in at any mention of Dawood before.
‘...Did they fight or something?’
Even to Talion, it was obvious their relationship had cooled off lately.
He didn’t know why, but it reminded him of his brother complaining that Elnor wouldn’t see him anymore.
As that thought crossed his mind, Elnor suddenly spoke up.
“Anyway, where are you headed?”
“Oh, my brother asked me to find someone named Faynol—”
Talion clamped his mouth shut in horror mid-sentence.
This was the kind of person who memorized every name of everyone around Dawood. If she heard he was looking for a girl on his behalf—
“...I see.”
But.
Elnor’s reaction was surprisingly lukewarm.
Lukewarm enough to throw even Talion off balance as he stared at her.
“...”
No, not quite.
It wasn’t lukewarm—it was just that her melancholy had deepened.
As if to say, of course it would end up like that.
Her next words made it clear.
“...Maybe that’s for the best.”
Elnor muttered self-deprecatingly.
“Better than sticking around someone like me. Being with other female students might suit him more.”
“...Pardon?”
“From his perspective, I must look pretty pathetic. He might even hate me already—”
“...President, if I may overstep.”
Talion couldn’t help but speak up.
Sure, it was uncomfortable seeing someone so confident beat herself up like this, but more than that—
“What?”
“If you keep acting like this, it’ll just make my brother suffer more.”
“...”
“There’s no way he hates you or finds you pathetic. Did he say something like that to you? Doesn’t seem like it from what I’ve seen.”
“...”
“I don’t know why you’re suddenly avoiding him like this, but why not just talk to him directly? You won’t regret it.”
Of course, Dawood Campbell had plenty of admirers, especially women.
But if you asked who he cared about most, it had to be her.
Elnor blinked at his words, then nodded with a sigh.
“...Thanks, even if it’s just empty words.”
“It’s not empty at all.”
“Got it. You’ve got some solid social skills, eldest son of the Armand Viscount family.”
“No, really. I’m rooting for Eliya, you know?”
“...”
“If I had to pick, you’re fine too, but blood’s thicker than water—gotta cheer a bit more for my friend—”
At least it was the kind of honest answer that proved he never minced words.
●
“...Hmph.”
Elnor sighed and shook out her wrists.
She’d just knocked Talion out cold with a solid chop to the forehead for his rambling nonsense.
She’d gone easy on him since he’d said something helpful.
-There’s no way my brother hates you or finds you pathetic. Did he say something like that? Doesn’t seem like it.
She knew that better than anyone.
She was training, sure, but there was no reason to avoid facing Dawood like this unless...
This was all her own personal issue.
‘...What if we run into each other and...’
She confirmed he saw her in a bad light.
What if she realized his feelings had shifted to dislike.
She wouldn’t be able to bear it.
She wasn’t even sure how she’d handle it herself.
“...”
But according to what that guy just said, her behavior was the one making Dawood suffer more.
‘...In that case.’
Maybe it’d be okay.
Maybe she could go back to hanging out with him like before, no problem.
Maybe she could see that warm smile of his again.
Such selfish desires began to stir within her.
‘...What an ugly woman I am.’
It hadn’t been long since she’d sworn not to get too entangled with him until she had the strength to protect him.
Hadn’t she just thought she couldn’t bear to see him hurt because of her?
And yet here she was.
Unable to hold out, itching to see him again.
Craving even a moment, just a little, of him being kind to her.
“...”
She shook her head and started walking.
No, she couldn’t.
She had to stick to her resolve. For her sake, and his.
So her fallback was the same as always: watching him from afar.
Like smokers chewing on something to quit—just gazing from a distance to hold back the urge to talk to him.
She’d gone so long without seeing him that withdrawal-like symptoms were creeping in anyway.
And.
The result was this.
Elnor bit her lip until it bled at the sight of Dawood collapsed unconscious on the bed.
She’d rushed him here to the infirmary after he collapsed in the hall just moments ago.
-Elnor’s the most important.
-I’d love to see her even once.
-There’s something I really want to tell her, but I’ve been so swamped lately...
“...”
Those words she’d overheard replayed in her mind.
Had he wanted to see her that badly?
The doctor said it was temporary fainting from exhaustion. Like always, he’d probably been running himself ragged fixing something.
Even in the midst of all that, he’d been desperately hoping she’d spare him a moment.
But.
Once again, she hadn’t been there to help him.
“...Sorry.”
She took the hand of Dawood, lying there with eyes closed, and whispered.
“Sorry, Dawood.”
Truly, there was nothing else to say.
No other words to describe the heavy weight settling in her chest.
How much damage was she causing this man?
As she stroked his hand with those thoughts—
“...Mm...”
Mumbling in his sleep, Dawood stirred.
His innocently sleeping face came into Elnor’s view.
And right then.
“...Ah.”
Her heart sank with a thud.
Her pulse raced. Heat flooded her face.
He was just asleep, oblivious to it all.
“...”
But she.
Without thinking, she gently caressed Dawood’s face.
‘What are you doing, Elnor?’
The thought pierced through her fading reason.
She had no right to do this.
Who did have the right was another question, but it sure wasn’t her.
It was the kind of thing the worst kind of person would do.
Apologizing profusely, then giving in to impulse like this—it was contemptible, bottom-of-the-barrel behavior.
Her head knew it.
“...”
But.
Her heart.
The churning energy inside.
It wanted him.
She couldn’t control it. Just this skin contact was enough to unleash all the pent-up desire she’d suppressed.
She’d missed him so much.
Missed seeing him, touching him, feeling him, hearing his voice.
How long had it been?
Breathing a little raggedly, she gazed down at the soundly sleeping Dawood.
Call it what you will.
Right now, looking at him like this.
Her mouth watered.
“...”
Just a little.
Just a tiny bit.
Wouldn’t that be fine?
As long as it didn’t show, just a light touch.
She swallowed dryly.
“...Sorry.”
The low voice echoed softly.
“Really, truly sorry. I’m such a bad person.”
The words were the same apology.
“...Truly, sorry.”
But the meaning behind them was entirely different now.
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[Hey.]
“...”
[I know you’re awake already. Why keep your eyes shut? You enjoying this or what?]
‘Shut up for a sec.’
He shot back while desperately keeping his eyes squeezed shut.
Come on, man.
How was he supposed to open them in this situation?
If he sat up now and said, “Actually, I’ve been wide awake the whole time!” Elnor would snap his jaw without a second thought, and it wouldn’t even be a joke.
But seriously, what the hell.
Why was she suddenly groping him all over?
He’d woken up to this mess and had no idea what was going on...!
‘...Still, though.’
Considering her type, it’d probably end with a innocent little kiss while he pretended to sleep.
No way she’d go further—
[Oh, her hand’s sliding lower.]
“...”
What?
[Looks like she’s trying to undress you. Lips? Please. You think she’s satisfied from that one time before? You’re being way too soft.]
“...”
At this point, he didn’t even care about a kiss.
Anything beyond that, though... well...!
[She seems super nervous too. Can’t even get the buttons right, fumbling around.]
“...”
[You good? You’re gonna get eaten at this rate.]
Don’t narrate it.
Please, he was trying to figure out how to escape this himself.
‘Gotta do something...!’
As that thought hit him.
The situation resolved itself abruptly.
In a way he absolutely did not want.
“Dawood! I heard you collapsed from overwork! Are you okay?!”
“Dawood, a-are you alright?!”
The infirmary door burst open with those voices.
Elnor jolted up in panic, flipping the entire bed and sending his body tumbling to the floor.
“...”
Silver lining, sort of.
One of the voices belonged to Yuria. At least his bare face stayed hidden.
But.
“Ah.”
“Uh.”
Lucien and Yuria scanned the room with blank stares.
More precisely.
Him sprawled on the floor, clothes completely disheveled.
And Elnor, face flushed, breathing heavily, looking like she’d been groping him up until a second ago.
“...”
“...”
Silence stretched as their eyes met.
“...Tristan Duchess.”
Finally.
The Saintess spoke in an icy tone.
“What exactly were you doing here?”
“...”
His stomach.
His stomach hurt.
Why did even collapsing from exhaustion lead to crap like this?
Give him a break.
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