Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Followers (1)
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In my dream, I hadn't killed anyone.
What I was looking at was myself in the mirror.
I was surrounded by a golden halo like a saint, which rippled like waves before gradually shrinking and seeping into some part of my body.
"Executor, you need to wake up."
I opened my eyes at the sound of Collette's knock.
Collette muttered that my wounds had improved a lot, treated the burn area simply, and left with the cart.
'I think I can walk around now.'
The searing pain was almost gone, and my newly forming skin itched but was bearable.
I took a few experimental steps before wheezing my way back to the wheelchair parked in the hallway and sitting down.
No matter how it happened, I could now use the wheelchair on my own.
That meant my mobility was secured, at least.
I could leave the hospital ward under my own power now.
-Rattle.
As I wheeled myself alone to the entrance of the hospital ward, a small murmur reached my ears.
"Oh my, Cadet Cruise. Have you recovered enough to get around now?"
Turning toward the voice, I saw a soft-featured nurse with brown curly hair smiling at me.
She didn't seem overprotective, so she must be from a different category than 'Collette.'
I gave the most gentle smile I could muster and exited the hospital ward.
'It's cold today too...'
The season had now passed the peak of winter.
The sharp, biting cold made my hair stand on end.
Wrapped in a dark red wool coat and a black cashmere scarf, I rubbed my numb hands to warm them as I pushed the wheelchair.
"Executor, let me help you."
Then another unidentified cadet grabbed the handles of my wheelchair.
"Ah, it's fine."
"Don't refuse."
Judging by the low baritone, it was a senior male cadet well past puberty.
And since I didn't know who he was, he was clearly from some influential noble house with real power.
"Where to?"
"Really, it's okay."
"Tree Cross Dormitory annex? Or the main Crown of Thorns Class building?"
"...Crown of Thorns."
"Yes."
There was no resisting when he gripped the handles like that.
In the end, I let the cadet behind me guide me toward the main Crown of Thorns Class building.
But after a short while, as he quietly pushed the wheelchair, he suddenly spoke up.
"Executor."
"..."
"The devil of House White is dangerous."
"What?"
-Screech.
"Executor? It's danger—"
"Devil of House White? Is that something you say to a fellow alumnus?"
"Yes? No, that's not—"
"That's enough. Thank you for the help."
It was absurd. Only then did I realize this nameless cadet had been biding his time just to sow discord like this.
I pushed the wheelchair myself to pick up speed.
I didn't even want to look back.
The cadet who'd pushed me introduced his name (I didn't catch it) and bowed.
'I'm so sick of this, really.'
They hated me for no reason before, and now they follow me for no reason.
Aegis Academy cadets were incredibly fickle and eccentric.
Anyway, storming into the Crown of Thorns Class dormitory so boldly was fine and all, but the problem was I still had no way to climb the dormitory stairs.
'If I were Sir Reynolds, I'd start by shoving those stairs aside.'
As I grumbled in frustration, someone approached from behind.
"Business with Theodor White?"
"Eek!"
He hadn't tried to hide his presence, so I wasn't tense, but I couldn't help being startled by the unfamiliar voice right by my ear.
"My apologies. Dorm residents don't react much, so I didn't expect you'd be so surprised."
Turning toward the voice, there stood Izmel.
Izmel wasn't wearing the robe that Crown of Thorns majors draped over themselves like a second skin. Instead, he was dressed flamboyantly in a robe embroidered with delicate patterns, adorned with various magic tools like jewelry.
He even carried the sharp, herbal scent that somehow reinforced prejudices about Crown of Thorns majors. He looked exactly like a dark wizard.
"Izmel Carol, dormitory monitor. Pardon the intrusion."
"Just call me Izmel. I'm younger anyway. So, what brings you here?"
His actions seemed friendly, but his tone was prickly.
Realizing Izmel was standing with his legs crossed, waiting for my answer, I replied.
"Yes, I have business with Theodor White. I didn't send word ahead."
"That guy's been on edge lately. Wouldn't it be better to leave him alone?"
"That's why I'm here. To ask why he's so on edge."
"Ah, tougher than you look."
Izmel quirked up one corner of his mouth playfully and snapped his fingers.
The rings on his thumb and index finger clinked together, sparking flames.
"He'll be here soon."
"Thank you."
"Shall I escort you to the reception room?"
"Please do."
Izmel wordlessly positioned himself behind me and pushed the wheelchair.
He then flipped the reception room sign to 'Do Not Enter.'
"Convince that guy properly. Want to borrow a few of these?"
Unlike his flashy attire, Izmel acted boldly and casually, quickly removing several rings from his fingers and offering them to me.
Was he suggesting I wear these magic tools and give Theodor a good flick on the forehead?
"I'll try talking him down."
I couldn't bring myself to torment Theodor too, so I declined the offered rings.
Each one was probably worth a small mansion, yet his attitude was so nonchalant.
"By the way, Cadet Cruise, you really go looking for trouble."
"Second time I've heard that."
"Someone beat me to it."
Izmel swiftly drew the reception room curtains, cleared the table that the previous occupant hadn't tidied, bowed his head, and poked half his body out the door as he said,
"Tell him to roll up his left sleeve."
"...Got it."
As expected of a dormitory monitor, Izmel left with a meaningful piece of advice, clearly having seen something.
Moments later, Theodor entered the reception room, switching places with Izmel.
"Stubborn one's here?"
"Yes."
Theodor sat across from my wheelchair, responding seriously to my joke as always.
I pondered how to broach the subject with Theodor, who sat there with a deeply furrowed brow, before opening my mouth.
"Roll up your left sleeve."
There was nothing else to say.
Theodor scowled and looked away from me.
"Even if you obediently rolled up your sleeve here, it'd still be weird."
My wheelchair-handling skills had improved these past few days.
In an instant, I wheeled around the table corner, parked beside Theodor, and yanked up his left sleeve.
"Is this because you don't want to make a big deal out of it?"
It was unmistakably a mark of violence no matter how you looked at it.
Theodor's arm bore not just the marks I'd seen yesterday, but a profusion of fresh bruises swelling red and turning purple.
"Honestly, I don't think there's any reason I have to respond."
"Why?"
"Why did Arma Cruise let the situation slide back then?"
"Uh, no argument there."
Because I didn't really care how those guys acted.
Coming to Aegis Academy had been a form of escape and rebellion for me, and I was pretty worn out mentally and physically.
"But isn't our situation pretty different? I was a total weakling with no means to fight back."
"It's not different. Arma Cruise didn't find a reason to bother with them, more than being weak."
He had me dead to rights; I had nothing to say.
I was pretty miserable back then, and it stung that Theodor understood that state of mind so intimately.
"But what you're doing is a form of... self-harm. Even Izmel's been worried about you."
"I'll tell him to mind his own business."
"Don't, please, I beg you."
Had puberty hit him late or something?
I pulled Theodor's sleeve back down and sighed.
"I've been through it myself, so I know—it's not a good approach. This is from personal experience, so don't do it."
"..."
No response...
But I didn't entirely dislike Theodor's unexpected stubbornness in this.
I was just curious why he was clamming up like this, refusing to talk at all.
"Anyway, as a senior, I can't just sit by while a junior goes through something rough. If you don't want to drag me into it, find someone to help on your end. Izmel seems willing."
"I'll think about it."
"Alright."
Better than insisting nothing was wrong; he'd even said he'd think about it, so I'd done all I could.
For Theodor's usual personality, bending enough to even respond was a huge concession.
I decided not to press him further.
"Now take me back."
"Yes."
It wasn't far from Crown of Thorns to the hospital ward, and nameless cadets and Izmel had done the pushing on the way here, so I wasn't tired.
Still, I asked Theodor specifically because I wanted to minimize his alone time as much as possible.
-Rattle.
"Push slower; I'm getting motion sick."
"Yes."
"You have counseling with Izmel today, right?"
"No."
"Not budging, huh."
"..."
Theodor shut his mouth, apparently deciding not to respond to my petty chatter.
I went quiet too, to give him thinking space, and that's when I started noticing the surrounding sounds I'd usually ignored.
"...devil of House White..."
"Why with the Executor..."
"...maybe that devil..."
A fierce winter gust blew by just then, so I couldn't hear perfectly, but those whispers were clearly about Theodor and me.
"Theo."
I called out to Theodor from my stationary wheelchair.
My mood had soured sharply, making my voice drop low.
"..."
Theodor didn't respond, sensing something.
I gripped the wheelchair wheels to stop it, twisted my body, and looked back.
"Are you getting bullied because of me?"
Theodor never saying a word about himself in front of me.
A stranger calling Theodor 'devil of House White' and picking a fight.
Izmel, the dormitory monitor—more overseer than regular cadet—not intervening in the matter.
And the murmurs I'd just heard.
Putting it all together, there was only one conclusion.
"You're getting nitpicked just for being around the Executor?"
I asked again, but Theodor still didn't answer.
But I knew what his silence meant.