Chapter 14
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 14
Infirmary
When I opened my eyes, it was the infirmary, but the memories before closing them were vivid.
I fought with high spirits, but my wooden sword couldn't even touch Iris's collar.
On the other hand, Iris easily landed a blow on me.
Even though quite some time must have passed, the hit area was still throbbing little by little.
I didn't despair in defeat or anything like that. It's definitely not helplessness either.
It was already a natural story that I wouldn't be able to fight and win against Iris.
Going to the end in a fight where losing is certain is inefficient. If I had just declared surrender from the start, I wouldn't have been hurt like now.
Nevertheless, the reason I steadfastly continued the fight was because Aniel's back came to mind.
I thought I would never meet her again except for the entrance ceremony, but we have been together continuously since entering.
I felt like such a person was slowly changing me.
I can't distinguish whether this change is in a bad direction or a good direction yet, but my current feeling was that I didn't dislike it.
Knock knock.
Someone knocks on the infirmary door. Since the teacher had emptied the spot for a moment, I was the only person inside.
Since I heard from the professors to rest comfortably today, I intended to close my eyes and sleep as is, enjoying the rest I felt after a long time.
"It seems you haven't fully recovered yet."
"... Grand Duchess?"
Until a familiar voice was heard.
Since I couldn't be dreaming already, I opened my eyes.
Aniel was in front of me before I knew it.
I tried to get up from the seat for a moment, but due to the pain felt from the hit area, I couldn't stand up.
"Stay comfortably."
"But..."
"Because it's only the two of us here."
I tried to have minimum courtesy, but Aniel pushed me back towards the bed as if she didn't care.
In a state of being laid down in bewilderment, I turned my head and stared at Aniel.
"What brings you here? Did you perhaps get hurt somewhere?"
The thought that she would come to visit me for my sake doesn't occur at all.
Even though we are master and disciple, Aniel is indifferent to others.
Even if I got hurt, it seemed like she wouldn't care much.
So I asked wondering if Aniel had somewhere hurt.
"I don't look for the infirmary even if I get hurt."
Not looking for the infirmary even if hurt, then why come here.
More than that, if hurt, shouldn't one come to the infirmary and receive treatment? Around the time I was thinking such things, Aniel sighed.
"I don't know how on earth you think of me."
How else. I thought of you as an Iron Lady with no blood or tears.
"Your expression is cheeky."
"Ack!"
Whether this thought of mine was read or she even does mind reading like the perfect Aniel she is, she flicked my forehead.
While rubbing my forehead thinking this seemed more painful than the attack Iris threw for some reason, Aniel spoke.
"I came to check what state you are in."
Does the meaning of those words mean she came to visit the sick?
To think Aniel comes to visit me, I can't imagine it well, but I didn't bring up rude words.
Since it's not polite to the opponent who came to visit in person.
"Still weak."
"Because it hasn't been many days since I started training."
Aniel's gaze moved slowly to my stomach, chest, shoulder, and face.
Since she probably wasn't at that spot, isn't she examining if I got hurt elsewhere?
Since she is Aniel who wasn't present because she had urgent business.
"But thanks to the Grand Duchess, I feel that I am changing, although little by little."
"Changing?"
"Yes. Although it's still a terrible body, still, I feel like I'm becoming stronger after doing training properly."
Compared to others, it's a terrible body.
But if I compare the past me and the current me, I was becoming stronger little by little, very little by little.
In that sense, I was thankful to Aniel.
Because she accepted me even though it would be just annoying.
"You say all sorts of things. You still have a long way to go."
"That is true though."
"Just hurry and get better. So we can train again."
Although they were brusque words, looking at Aniel's expression, it didn't seem like she felt bad or anything.
Just like her words, I also looked forward to the moment when I hurry and get better to resume training again.
"Did you eat."
"Ah, not yet."
As she mentioned rice, I recalled that I hadn't eaten anything just in time.
Since I only slept continuously after collapsing, I had no time to eat.
In the first place, no one came to take care of me, and there were no visitors at all.
Around the time I thought I should get up and go to the dormitory cafeteria when the pain subsides a little.
"Just in time, that's good. I also haven't eaten yet."
"Yes?"
"Take it."
Come to think of it, there was some basket in Aniel's hand.
I was strangely concerned about what it was, but opening it, there were appetizing sandwiches and milk.
Saliva was swallowed. I didn't know when there was no food, but as it appeared in front of my eyes, appetite that wasn't there suddenly sprang up.
"Is it really okay to eat together?"
But I calmed down the boiling appetite with effort and asked Aniel.
Whether it is really okay for me to eat this appetizing food together.
"If you don't want to eat, forget it. I can just give it to a passing dog."
"No. I want to eat very much."
Whether my desperation reached her, Aniel looked at me as if absurd and said.
"Then eat."
"Yes!"
Reaching out my hand, I tried to pick up a sandwich first. Even though I hadn't put it in my mouth yet, saliva came out wildly inside my mouth.
I offered it first to Aniel who brought it herself for me, but she just observed me closely as if telling me not to mind.
Hearing Aniel's words, I picked up one sandwich from the basket as is.
If someone hadn't interrupted, I probably would have been distracted by eating the sandwich like this.
"Please stop for a moment."
"Eh?"
"How about putting down such crude sandwiches and eating this first."
If someone hadn't interrupted.
It was a huge illusion that weak servants would follow to the end during fights with demons or in dungeons.
Going there, regardless of noble or commoner, one had to do it oneself to live.
So Aniel could also make simple food herself.
In her standards, a level just edible.
If eating alone, unless it was a level impossible to eat, she wouldn't have cared particularly.
But Aniel thought of Allen. It didn't seem like he, who missed classes all day because his body hurt, would have taken care of meals properly.
So while preparing what he would eat together, for some reason it kept bothering her.
Since he is a patient after all, thoughts like wouldn't he want to eat more delicious food kept occurring.
Although from his position, even this would be something to be grateful for.
For some reason, she felt a desire for him to eat deliciously.
When she arrived at the infirmary where Allen was holding the food made like that, Aniel examined his body.
Wondering if he got hurt somewhere. While examining slowly like that, she was slightly flustered when she reached his face.
She didn't particularly intend to examine his face.
"If you don't want to eat, forget it. I can just give it to a passing dog."
"No. I want to eat very much."
The sound of him swallowing saliva continuously as if he really wanted to eat was heard in her ears.
While thinking it was absurd feeling like he was a puppy, Aniel suddenly recalled that he tried to copy her movements at the last moment.
Feeling commendable for no reason, she nodded and said.
"Then eat."
"Yes!"
Although it was only clumsy, still, she thought wouldn't it become natural at some point if he trains slowly.
As Allen grabbed the sandwich in his hand, she waited for the moment of eating.
While anticipating what kind of evaluation he would give.
"Please stop for a moment."
"Eh?"
"How about putting down such crude sandwiches and eating this first."
Until a strange woman interrupted.
As Lucia suddenly intruded on the spot holding a basket like Aniel, she revealed her unpleasant mood as is.
It was already the second time in count that she appeared in this way.
"Get out of here."
Aniel spoke firmly to Lucia.
That if she is going to be noisy, get out of here quickly.
Probably the majority of people would have been scared by such an appearance of Aniel and withdrawn, but it didn't work on Lucia at all.
Wearing a chilly smile, Lucia said.
"Oh my, I am in a state of having made an appointment. To eat together with this person."
Allen had nothing to say. Because the day he agreed to eat with Lucia was indeed today.
Of course, it's not that there are no doubts at all.
Such a thought occurred, but Allen couldn't bear to intervene between Aniel and Lucia.
"You can postpone that to later."
"No. I want to fulfill the promise right now."
"This person is a patient right now."
"That's why I prepared this for the patient, isn't it."
Because he didn't have the confidence to handle that war of nerves going sharply back and forth between the two people.