Don't Worry. It's a Hospital.

"Nanny... Nanny..."

Like someone hovering on the brink of death, Rubelia could do nothing but endlessly call out for her nanny.

Rubelia's mother had been a neglectful woman. Having married into an unwanted political arrangement, she had zero interest in her household. Rubelia had desperately craved her mother's affection. But on the day she turned five, her mother met another man and abandoned her family.

Afterward, it was her nanny who stepped in to play the maternal role, filling the void left by her father, who was clumsy at expressing his love. The nanny had cared for her ever since she was a newborn.

Yet, having matured early, Rubelia did her best not to burden her nanny. While it was a thoughtful gesture to spare her aging nanny from overexertion, there was another reason.

"Nanny... don't go."

She was terrified of reliving the memory of her mother's cold abandonment.

"Mmm..."

But now, she regretted it. She should have thrown tantrums and acted like a spoiled child. If she had known they would part like this...

"Where is this?"

When she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling. It looked like a hospital room.

"Ah... was I brought to a hospital?"

Rubelia tried to sit up. But for some reason, her body wouldn't move.

"Huh?"

Something was holding her tightly.

"Eh?"

Only then did she realize she had been sleeping in the hospital bed while tightly hugging someone.

"W-Wait! Who are you?"

And the person holding her so tightly was none other than...

"Rubelia. Awake?"

"P-Professor Selene?"

"Relief."

It was Professor Selene.

"What are you doing here... Ugh! P-Please let me go."

"No."

"What?"

An incredibly powerful grip. It was absolutely impossible to break free.

"W-What on earth do you mean by that?"

"Rubelia. Used too much mana with Viera."

"What?"

"Viera is on long-term leave. So she is fine. But Rubelia needs social life."

"I don't understand what you mean..."

"Mana replenishment. Will do."

"What? No, wait, what does that even mean?"

"Patient. Infused lots of mana into patient."

"Ah!"

Only then did the memories of the previous day rush back. Though her memory cut off at some point, she clearly remembered everything right up until that moment. Which meant...

"Ah... that's right."

"What?"

"Nanny is... no longer..."

(Tilts head)

Rubelia's expression darkened as she slumped in dejection.

"Rubelia. Sick somewhere?"

"......"

"Rubelia. Complexion bad."

"Nanny..."

"Nanny?"

"Nanny is..."

Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Nanny is... dead, isn't she?"

Rubelia's body trembled violently.

Tap, tap.

"Huh?"

Just as she was about to plunge into despair, Selene suddenly tapped her on the cheek.

"Nanny. That person's name. Is it Nanny?"

"What?"

Rubelia looked up. Selene, who was still hugging her, pointed to the space beside them. And the person lying there was...

"Ah!"

"Shh."

Nanny. The nanny she thought was dead.

"Nan—"

"Shhhhhh!"

Startled, Rubelia tried to bolt upright, but Selene's strength was Herculean. She tried to call out to her nanny, but Selene's finger pressed against her lips, silencing her.

"Absolute rest. For Rubelia, and nanny."

"Ah... ah."

"Rubelia. Thanks to hard mana infusion. Nanny is healthy."

"Then..."

(Nod) "Will wake up tomorrow."

"Ugh... sob!"

Rubelia's cheeks grew wet with tears. A wave of profound relief washed over her at the realization that she hadn't lost the person who was her true family. At the same time...

"Ugh... Professor. I'm sorry..."

"Sorry?"

"Professor Selene, I'm so sorry. I... I was so rude to you..."

Until now, Rubelia had been afraid of Selene. The fact that she was a Reformist. The fact that she was highly competent. The fact that she was admired by other students because of it. And the fact that she had somehow tried to save her during her conflict with Kyran.

Though their vibes were completely different, looking at Selene always made her think of Cassian. That was why she had tried to distance herself from her. Because Selene was such an appealing person, she was terrified. She was terrified of ending up with the same tragic conclusion as she had with Cassian.

Because of the trauma of her mother's abandonment, she had constantly suppressed her instinct to rely on others.

"I tried to ruin your class. Every time I looked at you, I kept remembering that man, and I was terrified."

"That man?"

"Cassian. Because... because I relied on him, others almost got hurt. I thought you were that kind of person too, Professor Selene. Like a fool..."

"I am not human."

"Sob... I'm sorry. I will never disrupt your class again."

Selene moved her hand. Fearing she was about to be scolded, Rubelia flinched. But the soft hand gently stroked Rubelia's head, warming her.

"Class. Not ruined."

"What?"

"Rubelia. Student with many questions. Good for students to have many questions. Because student."

"But..."

"Skipping class also fine. Not Rubelia's fault."

"But I was so hostile to you, and yet you helped me like this... How can I ever repay this debt..."

"Fine."

And so, Rubelia clung to Selene's chest and wept for a long time.

"Rubelia is my student. Protecting student. Natural."

After crying for a long time, Rubelia fell asleep from exhaustion. Once Selene confirmed that Rubelia had completely stabilized...

"......"

She quietly slipped away from Rubelia and stood up from the bed. She turned her gaze toward the window.

A crow. A crow was staring intently inside the hospital room.

Its eyes met Selene's.

"Go."

The moment Selene uttered that single word.

Crunch!

The crow's body instantly twisted, disintegrated, and vanished into nothingness.

"Argh?!"

The moment his magically created clone crow vanished, Cassian let out a sharp shriek.

"C-Cassian, are you okay? Did something happen to the clone crow?"

"That bitch... did she know from the start? How did she sense the presence of my clone crow? I infused it with the bare minimum of mana..."

"Cassian... let's just rest. You lost your right hand, you're pushing yourself too hard—"

"Shut up!"

"Kyaah!"

Hiding in their new safehouse, Cassian violently shoved Seria.

"Why... it was almost complete... she could have been mine again..."

"Cassian..."

"Why is she clinging to that bitch instead of me... Why is she being comforted by that bitch instead of me..."

"Cassian... stop... please calm down."

"Calm down?"

"Hic!"

Cassian's face was completely devoid of reason. As their eyes met, Seria let out a small whimper.

"Haa... Right. She's just a woman anyway. If worst comes to worst, I'll just make both of them mine at once..."

"...Cassian."

"Hey. Seria."

"Y-Yes?"

"Yes. Just as you said, I need to calm down."

"Eh?"

"Come here."

Cassian sat down arrogantly and beckoned with his finger.

"Comfort me."

"Ah!"

At Cassian's words, Seria's face brightened again.

"S-Should we begin then? Ah... I don't have the wig today, so if it's alright, just as I am..."

"No."

Cassian pulled something out from his chest. Seeing it, Seria's expression froze.

"Disguise? No need for that anymore. Now I have this hair."

"......"

Cassian brought the lock of blonde hair to Seria's mouth.

"Begin."

"...Yes."

"Welcome back, Rubelia."

"...Yes, Cassian."

The next day.

"Oh my? Lady Rubelia. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes. As you can see, I am perfectly fine."

"To think a gas leak accident would happen in a place like that..."

"...Yes."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The newspapers were already explaining the incident that way. So Rubelia decided to go along with it. There was nothing to be gained by bringing up Cassian.

"Anyway, what a relief. Your father's issue has been resolved as well."

"Yes. Thank you."

"Of course. The Estel Family being part of the revolutionary forces? That made absolutely no sense."

And whether by coincidence or not, her father had also been cleared of all charges.

"Honestly, this is why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we shouldn't associate with those Reformists."

"No, everyone."

"Huh?"

But after that day, Rubelia had made up her mind.

"It is the revolutionaries. Specifically, the radicals among them who are the problem."

"Uh..."

She would cast aside her obsession and prejudice.

"It is dangerous to lump the Reformists together with them. Isn't it just as strange as lumping the Conservatives and radical theocrats together?"

"Well, that is true."

"Lady Rubelia is right."

"Besides, the ones who protected the students in this incident were the Student Council President and the two professors."

"And those two professors are rumored to be Reformists."

"Exactly. If they were truly Reformists, and if Reformists were the same as radicals, they would have left me, a noble, to die."

"That's true."

She decided to view the world in a more nuanced light.

"Shall we head to class now?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to today's theory class."

"Indeed. I am looking forward to Professor Selene's class as well."

She would be grateful to her savior and learn from her teacher.

But a short while later...

"Pleasure to meet you. I am Alios, and I will be teaching Basic Theoretical Magic."

"U-Uh?"

Rubelia realized something was wrong.

"W-Wait a moment. This class was supposed to be taught by Professor Selene."

"Ah, Student Rubelia. Not anymore. Professor Selene will no longer be in charge of this class."

"What?"

"From now on, Professor Selene... well, in any case, she won't be teaching this class."

"This is a conspiracy!"

"Conspiracy?"

Having suddenly lost her assigned class, Selene was spending her time in leisure. Just as she was about to take a nap, Mona burst in, shouting in a fit of rage.

"Those wicked old geezers framed you, Professor!"

"Conspiracy? Why?"

"Because you are highly competent, Professor Selene! They are jealous!"

"......"

"Are you not even angry?!"

Seeing Selene stare blankly at her with an expressionless face, Mona grew even more furious on her behalf.

"I know everything. You're pretending it doesn't matter, but you're furious inside, aren't you?"

"No."

"......"

"......"

"Class. Was it not fun?"

"Fun?"

"Even though it was a theory class, you painstakingly prepared practical exercises every single time, didn't you?"

"Painstakingly..."

"Yes!"

"Then not fun, right?"

"Of course not! Who would force themselves to prepare extra things they don't have to do if it's hard? People only do that because they find it fun! Because they enjoy it!"

(Tilts head)

"Professor, you are a natural-born educator! Teaching students brings you so, so, so much joy!"

(Tilts head?)

"Now, repeat after me! 'I enjoy teaching students!'"

"...Enjoy?"

"Yes!"

"Not bothersome?"

"Ughhh..."

Failing in her attempt to gaslight her, Mona grabbed Selene's hands.

"Think about it carefully. You're a professor, yet you have no classes. What is this? How do you feel right now?"

"Comfortable?"

"No, no, no! That's not it! Look, Professor, you've just been targeted by political scheming."

"Political scheming?"

"Yes! Because of political scheming, you'll be dragged here and there, falsely accused, and subjected to endless noise! They'll shout right in your face!"

"Like Mona?"

"......"

"......"

"A-Anyway, it's going to get extremely bothersome!"

"Bothersome?"

"Yes!"

At the word "bothersome," Selene's face scowled ever so slightly.

"Dislike that."

"Right?"

"Then. How to avoid?"

"Avoid what?"

"Political scheming."

"Hehe. As expected, you catch on fast! Avoiding political scheming is simple!"

"Mm-hmm."

"You just need to build power!"

"Power?"

"Yes!"

Mona rolled up her sleeves and clenched her fists.

"No one dares to touch the strong! So, build your power! If the world changed just because a powerless person complained, it wouldn't be called a chaotic era! Ah, by the way, this is a famous quote from my favorite novel—"

"Strong person?"

"Yes!"

(Tilts head)

"For instance, who do you think is the strongest person in this academy? Who has the power to make the most noise at a professor targeted by political scheming?"

"Mona?"

"The Principal and the Chairman!"

"Oh?"

As if realizing something, Selene nodded. Then, she suddenly stood up and grabbed a claw hammer Mona had brought for nailing.

"Huh? Why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grab that all of a sudden?"

"Mona. Said to become strong."

"Yes! You understand!"

"I. Going to fight."

"Eh?"

"Fight. Win. Will become strong. Will not be bothered."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?"

Her eyes gleamed as she tightly gripped the claw hammer.

"I. Will become Principal."

"Eh?"

A few hours later.

Rumors were circulating around the academy. And having heard the truth directly from a high-ranking official, Leonia immediately headed to Selene's dormitory.

"Professor Selene! Is it true that your lecture was taken away and you've been assigned to teach Swordsmanship..."

She flung the door open.

"Ah! Student Council President! Please stop the professor!"

Leonia's eyes locked with Selene's, who was holding a claw hammer.

"Huh? What is going on here?"

"Student Council President student."

"Yes?"

"I. Assigned to Swordsmanship class?"

"Uh... it seems so?"

"If do that. Can become Principal?"

"Principal? Well, it is a popular class, so it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠does help with promotions..."

"Then..."

After asking Leonia a few more questions, Selene nodded.

"I. Will do Swordsmanship."

"Eh?"

Though barely noticeable, a faint gleam shone in Selene's otherwise expressionless eyes.

"Because... will become Principal."