Chapter 112
Chapter 112
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Unconscious (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Even amid the threats closing in moment by moment, there was no one to help us.
The only way to save ourselves was to arm ourselves and fight back.
Didn't the Aegis Knights do just that?
A holy order made up of swords, spears, and the "book" symbolizing prophecy.
They survived in despair and crawled up from the pit of hell.
*I'm starting to think in more religious terms...*
As that vague thought crossed my mind, I realized I'd been led out of my room by someone.
"Theodore?"
The one leading me was none other than Theodore.
He didn't even turn around at my call, just hurried off toward somewhere.
"No way? You came all the way here without your coat... I'm cold. What's going on?"
"Unexplained nasal bleeding, overactive sympathetic nervous system, sudden rise in body temperature—this is just like 'Ethan Usher'..."
"What? Are you even listening to me?"
In the blink of an eye, I'd been dragged out of the dorm without even grabbing my coat, and now I was being hauled along by Theodore, who kept muttering to himself nonstop.
Despite our difference in build, his grip was so strong that it was hard to force him to stop.
*Why is he doing this? But if it's Ethan Usher... no way.*
I'd heard the name "Ethan" somewhere before.
Given the Usher name, he was undoubtedly related to Arthur Usher...
*Ah.*
Then it hit me—the child named Ethan who had died at five.
It was the name Arthur, half-mad from the ban, had mumbled in a daze.
"Theodore, I'm fine. But did that kid Ethan maybe cause some big incident like this?"
I kept tugging at his arm, trying to get a reaction, even though I knew he wasn't answering.
This guy was a mage, after all.
Provoking Theodore in this panicked state might send me to Lord Aegis's side even faster than the guy he'd stabbed with a fork.
"Ugh, it's cold. You're half out of it and not even listening. Hey, Theodore. I don't know where we're going, but can't you just teleport us there or something?"
If anyone was at fault, it was me for letting myself get dragged this far.
After being pulled along by my arm for what felt like forever—grateful at least that I'd managed to slip on my shoes along the way—Theodore finally stopped.
His destination was none other than the infirmary.
"You little... When I wanted to go, you refused to budge even if it killed you."
"Is anyone here? Nurse?"
"What in the world is this?"
Coming all the way to the infirmary just for a nosebleed.
Talk about overkill.
Of course, back when I was around ten, even minor changes in my condition often meant life or death, so this kind of fuss was normal then. But not now, at twenty-four.
I twisted my arm free and gave a quick bow to the nurse at the reception desk.
"You had a nosebleed? It seems to have stopped now, but just to be safe, let's take a look."
With magic use permitted, far fewer cadets were being carried in as patients, leaving the infirmary eerily empty.
The all-white surroundings already felt stark and desolate, and with no one coming or going, it almost seemed like time had stopped.
After faithfully answering the doctor's few questions, I got a clean bill of health and stood up immediately.
I wanted to check on Theodore's injury too, but I doubted he'd want that, and it might reopen emotional wounds, so I held back.
*He's a noble young master, after all.*
Uncovering the White family's skeletons would weigh heavier than digging into the Cruise family's.
The Cruises were a rare case of commoners buying their title with money, so in the public eye, their dirty laundry was already out there.
"Sorry for the disturbance. I had a sudden nosebleed, and Cadet White got a bit startled."
"That's understandable. Don't take even a small scratch lightly—come in right away."
"...Yes, got it."
But was the doctor always this friendly?
The academy infirmary had rotating staff, so it wasn't always the same person, but I'd never had one this kind to me before.
Feeling awkward at the unfamiliar warmth, I grabbed the dazed Theodore and headed out.
"Arma Cruise."
"Now I'm scared when you say my name. What now? Let go and tell me."
I'd thought it was over, but apparently not.
This time, Theodore dragged me to the Thorn Crown House underground workshop.
Even on my second visit, the workshop's labyrinthine layout was as confusing as ever; after descending three flights of stairs, I had no idea which direction we'd entered from.
*First time since that day, huh.*
A lot had happened since I got the [Theodore Special] here.
I hadn't slept well many nights since, but somehow I'd survived.
"So what are we doing here, Theodore?"
"......"
"Sigh. Fine, do your thing."
Half the time I talked to him, he didn't respond—was that just my imagination?
I watched Theodore dart busily between the massive bookshelves that partitioned the workshop like screens, then sat on the lab table by the window.
*Tap, tap.*
Bored, I drummed my fingers on the desk and looked around.
With classes out, the workshop was deserted.
Still, traces remained of the occasional Thorn Crown cadet burning the midnight oil—leftovers haphazardly tidied.
The display cases around the desk held vials of reagents, manufacturing samples, and dried herbs, neatly arranged by purpose.
Or so I assumed, anyway.
*Thud!*
While I looked away for a second, Theodore returned carrying a stack of books half his height.
"What's this?"
"Arma Cruise, you have no idea what you said earlier, do you?"
"Said? What did I say?"
To be honest, I had zero recollection of speaking.
There were too many things I couldn't control.
His words killed any urge to joke; I just watched quietly as he worked.
"It was an incantation."
"No way."
I was in the Wooden Cross Class, the one with the lowest magical aptitude out of Aegis Academy's three classes.
On top of that, as a wealthy non-mage, my understanding of magic was abysmal.
My classes were all theory—no practicals—so I couldn't even fake a spell.
"-What kind of incantation?"
Cold sweat started beading from tension.
Theodore seemed at a loss for how to answer, pondering.
The longer the silence stretched, the more my seat felt like a bed of thorns.
"Probably ancient Aegis tongue. And its nature... I suspect an awakening incantation directed at Arma Cruise herself."
"I don't remember a thing."
"Of course not. No matter what I said, you didn't respond at all. I couldn't intervene with magic either—didn't know what kind of backlash it'd cause."
The reason he said that was because my body was still under the guardian angel's influence.
Going against the one who'd wrecked Makina and nearly killed her would be foolish.
Without thinking, I put distance between me and Theodore.
Not for my sake, but to protect him.
"What did the incantation say? Did you understand it?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out now."
I'd completed up to level two of the academy's advanced ancient Aegis language courses.
But the ancient tongue was notoriously difficult, with grammar unlike modern speech—even Professor Melberry, an expert, had devoted his life to just translating prefaces of ancient texts.
In that context, there was no way we non-experts—especially me, who didn't know the first thing about magic—could decipher an incantation in ancient Aegis.
"If it'd at least been standard tongue, I might've caught a word or two. Seems mixed with dialects, though."
*Flip, fli-flip.*
Theodore grabbed a book and rifled through it like skimming.
I wondered if you could call that reading, but he must've memorized it already.
"I'm confused."
"......"
After devouring half the books he'd brought and still no answer, Theodore furrowed his brow and spoke.
"Whether these feelings are mine or not. Sometimes Arma Cruise feels like someone very close. But she's not, is she? We've known each other's faces for a while, but real conversations only started recently."
"Right."
"But why—why am I so certain that you'll 'die again' if I don't stop it? Where is this anxiety coming from?"
"......"
"Why do I brush off everything else as passing, yet feel I must prevent your death above all, Arma Cruise?"
*Thud.*
Finishing, Theodore deliberately slammed the book shut and looked at me.
His right eye was covered by a bandage wrapped with unprofessional sloppiness.
Yet somehow, I could sense the expression beneath it.
"I want to ask why you're stirring up trouble again. If I could, I'd isolate you somewhere far from all this. And yet, I feel this contradictory urge to keep you close, Arma Cruise."
My chest ached.
Not from guilt.
The magic circle Theodore had inscribed was heating up like it was on fire.
*No...*
It was a sign that his poorly sealed memories were straining to break free.
"If only I could recover my memories. The demon of the White family would be perfect for this—"
"Theo."
His despairing monologue had crossed into dangerous territory.
I smacked the desk—not hard—to get his attention.
"I'm not dying easy. Why would I? Do you know how much money I've sunk into keeping this body going?"
"Not in the mood for jokes right now."
Theodore stubbornly shook his head at my non-persuasion persuasion.
To prove my will to live, I pulled out a card I'd never normally play.
"I'm not joking. To keep this life going, I burned another soul as fuel besides mine. Want to hear an old story?"