Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Are You Being Harassed?
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***
*Knock, knock.*
The person knocking on the infirmary door was Adelia's assistant, Erpe.
After Luna persistently demanded to see Adelia in the infirmary, almost to the point of throwing a fit, Erpe had reluctantly knocked on the door.
“Really. Why are you suddenly acting like this... Luna?”
“Millia. I just have to confirm something, no matter what.”
Hearing the sheer persistence in Luna's voice, Millia grew restless.
Even trying to peek into the infirmary using magic from another building moments ago was something that would not end well if they were caught.
Forcibly demanding a meeting now, when access was forbidden, was a far more serious transgression.
Although Luna usually acted high and mighty, she was a student who knew where to draw the line with instructors. Millia couldn't understand why she was being so stubborn now.
*Screee.*
Not long after the knock, Adelia appeared, and Erpe immediately bowed her head.
“Erpe, what's the situation?”
Adelia asked with sunken eyes, and Erpe immediately explained.
“Instructor Adelia. There's a student who keeps requesting to see you. I had no choice but to knock.”
Her words made Adelia turn her gaze, and her eyes soon fell upon Luna and Millia.
Her eyes lingered on Millia, and she tilted her head in curiosity.
While she didn't know Luna, Millia was a familiar face to her.
“Student Luna and Student Millia. So, what is it?”
Despite being exhausted from the treatment, Adelia asked calmly. Luna was the first to speak.
“Instructor. First, I'm truly sorry for coming at such a late hour. But I felt I absolutely had to confirm something.”
At Luna's firm tone, Millia awkwardly nodded beside her.
As Millia saw it, there was no turning back. She had tried to stop Luna several times on the way to the infirmary, but Luna had been so adamant that Millia had no choice but to follow.
“You had to confirm something... Is this about Student Han Cheon-seong?”
Adelia asked back with a faint sigh, and her reaction struck Luna as incredibly strange.
She was oddly composed, contrary to Luna's expectation that she would be flustered.
Still, Luna knew she couldn't stop here.
“...Yes. I'm just so worried. Is Han Cheon-seong inside the infirmary right now?”
“He is. But I'm afraid I have to apologize to you both for coming all this way. Access is strictly forbidden right now, and no matter how worried you are, what's not allowed is not allowed. Student Han Cheon-seong is also particularly exhausted and in no condition to see anyone."
As Adelia spoke with rare firmness, Millia flinched and immediately nodded.
Anyone could see they were being unreasonable. Millia knew this well.
Luna, on the other hand... hesitated for a moment before meeting Adelia's gaze.
“...Just for a moment. Can't we see him for just a little while? You may not know this, Instructor, but we're in the same class as Han Cheon-seong. We just want to see if he's okay. That's all. I'm begging you.”
...As Luna pressed her demand again despite the gentle refusal, the corners of Adelia's tired eyes slowly grew cold.
“Student Luna. You do realize how unreasonable your request is, don't you?”
Her voice, unlike its usual gentle tone, was now cold, causing Luna to flinch.
Yet, she didn't back down.
As if determined to see for herself, she took a step forward, even as Millia grabbed her arm.
*Click.*
Seeing Luna stand directly in front of Adelia, Erpe, who had been listening quietly, narrowed her eyes.
...Even to her, the assistant, Luna's behavior seemed to be crossing a line.
“Yes. I know. Violating a clear academy rule... and coming here at such a late hour are all things I shouldn't be doing. But. Even so... I ask you again.”
Luna bit her lip hard and, in the end, bowed her head completely.
"...!"
Millia, standing beside her, was so shocked she blinked in disbelief.
As someone who had been her friend for a long time, it was no exaggeration to say she knew Luna's personality better than anyone.
The ever-prideful Luna... was now bowing her head to beg.
...And it was all because of her.
Because she had said she wanted to see Han Cheon-seong...
Luna, with her head bowed low, and Millia, staring blankly at her.
“Haaah.”
At the sight of the two students, Adelia let out a deep sigh.
While maintaining her cold gaze, Adelia was truly reluctant.
She herself was exhausted, and so was Student Han Cheon-seong. They were in no condition to receive visitors just because someone showed up.
But a student claiming to be his classmate was repeatedly making unreasonable demands at midnight.
...And beside that student was Millia, whom she had seen before.
Adelia remembered the devotion Millia had shown. The way she had stayed up all night worrying about Han Cheon-seong...
Seeing Adelia lost in deep thought, Erpe stepped forward.
“Instructor. I'll send the students away.”
Erpe said coldly, about to dismiss the students, but Adelia reluctantly shook her head.
“...It's fine, Erpe. What can I do when they're this worried about their classmate?”
“Instructor Adelia. But...”
“It's alright, Erpe. Student Luna, you can raise your head now.”
The exhausted Adelia finally managed a faint smile. Luna slowly lifted her head.
Adelia looked back and forth between Luna and Millia, then stepped aside.
She gestured lightly, as if inviting them in.
“So, you two will really just check on Student Han Cheon-seong's condition for a moment and then leave?”
“Yes. Thank you so much.”
Compared to Luna's perfectly calm reply, Millia nodded dazedly.
“Thank you for granting... such an unreasonable request, Instructor Adelia.”
“...It's fine. I know very well how much a student can worry.”
As the faintly smiling Adelia slowly led the two inside.
The three of them held vastly different thoughts in their hearts.
Adelia, who, despite her exhaustion, found the two students' concern commendable.
Luna, who was determined to confirm the scene of an instructor about to assault a student.
And Millia, who felt grateful to Adelia for accepting their unreasonable request and also thankful to Luna for pushing the matter.
It was almost strange how different each of their thoughts were.
***
*Screee.*
Along with the sound of the door closing, faint voices could be heard.
Cheon-seong couldn't even make out the content of the conversation.
“......”
With his eyes closed, his vision was filled with darkness, and his body was more exhausted than ever before.
But he just couldn't fall asleep.
*'She said five more hours.'*
A bitter laugh escaped him as he recalled Adelia's words.
Even though the senses in his entire body had been blocked, a strange, searing heat was delivering sharp pain from all over.
It wasn't an external pain.
A chilling pain, as if rising from the very marrow of his bones, pierced through his blocked senses.
He felt like he was finally beginning to understand what Adelia had said.
What she meant when she said he had to endure the flesh-burning pain from before to avoid an even more horrific pain later...
The prelude was now clearly circulating throughout his body.
That's why he could feel it so clearly. This unbearable, tickling pain from his bones was the *lessened* version...
“Just a moment, please. I'll let you see him after I get him situated.”
Hearing the voice, a thought drifted into his dazed mind.
*'Did Adelia come back with someone else?'*
He wondered if perhaps an injured student had come to the infirmary.
“Student Han Cheon-seong. Excuse me for a moment.”
Along with Adelia's gentle voice, the curtain was drawn back.
And soon after, he felt his upper body being lifted.
*Rustle.*
Opening his eyes to the feel of soft fabric brushing against his skin, he saw Adelia helping him into some clothes.
As he blankly accepted her help, he carefully opened his mouth.
“Did... another student come by?”
“Yes. A student who was worried about you came. I tried to send them away, but they were so concerned that I let them in for just a moment.”
He was surprised to hear that a student was worried about him.
Suddenly, Glacia came to mind.
The girl who truly considered him a friend and had acted strangely around him.
Or...
*'Leonhardt?'*
That guy was so kind-hearted. It was possible he might have come to see him.
With Adelia's help, he was able to compose himself somewhat.
"I'll let you see them for just a moment. Will that be alright?"
"...Yes. I'm fine."
"Still, don't push yourself too hard to entertain them, okay?”
“Yes. I under...stand.”
A faint breath escaped him as he replied.
He didn't know who it was, but they had come to see him out of worry at this late hour. He didn't want to show how much pain he was in.
He was grateful for their concern.
*Swish.*
Immediately after, Adelia slowly stepped out from behind the curtain and began to speak.
“...Student Han Cheon-seong is extremely exhausted right now. It'll probably be difficult for him to even hold a proper conversation.”
He heard a conversation that seemed to be explaining his condition.
As he tried to focus his consciousness, his eyes hazy and half-asleep.
*Screee.*
As the curtain was drawn back again, through his blurry vision, he could see two people looking at him.
The first thing he saw wasn't blue or gold hair, but pink.
*'...Luna?'*
The distinctive, impressive pink hair was so unexpected that it snapped him to his senses. Before he could even be surprised by the unexpected visitor, he saw Millia standing next to her.
“......”
“......”
Both of them were staring at him, blinking blankly. Beside them, Adelia could be seen smiling gently.
*Click.*
Then, Luna suddenly approached him, and Millia quickly followed suit.
...As he stared blankly at the two approaching women, trying to clear his head.
“Han Cheon-seong.”
He blinked at Luna's strange tone.
“...Yeah.”
“Hold on. Just stay still for a second.”
Luna slowly drew closer, her voice still sounding very peculiar.
...He wondered what this was all about, but he didn't resist.
*Swish.*
Her signature pink hair brushed against his face for a moment, and as she came unnecessarily close, he couldn't help but feel flustered.
*'What's gotten into her?'*
He could understand Millia coming out of concern... but he had no idea why Luna was here.
*-Huu.*
He felt the faint sensation of Luna's breath on his ear.
“Are you, by any chance, being harassed by the instructor?”
I really...
...had to hear the most unexpected thing.