“I’m alive.”
Rubbing her aching head, she sits up and surveys her surroundings.
“Ouch,”
As she touches her neck, it stings, possibly where she had been grabbed by the old man.
Looking around, she sees the familiar hospital setting within the academy.
It seems that the situation has ended positively.
If it didn’t, there was no way she would be here.
Surely, if Aesha hadn’t kicked the man away at that moment, she wouldn’t have been in this state.
‘It must have broken.’
“You’re awake.”
“?”
Turning to the side, she notices a man there.
Of course.
This place is also where the injured are gathered, and she wouldn’t be the only one using it.
“The doctors said to stay still until you wake up, but we were worried when you didn’t wake up.”
“That guard···”
“Yes, unfortunately. He ended up surviving.”
“Isn’t it unfortunate? Being alive is a good thing.”
“Well, maybe?”
The guard showed a wry smile as he looked directly at Noah, and only then did she realize that something strange had happened.
“My arm.”
“Student, don’t worry about it. This was solely a task I needed to undertake.”
Beneath the patient gown, faint scar markings show on her right arm, but it was still attached. However, the left arm was···
“Did the professors say it wasn’t possible?”
“It was too severely torn by that thorn, and moreover, the Magi··· Ah, you don’t need to particularly remember that.”
‘Magi?’
She definitely recalled reading about it in ancient texts.
There were descriptions of how it rapidly decays the body, possessing tremendous toxicity, yet strangely, its existence has vanished, and there are no more occurrences of Magi infection.
The fact that a Magi infection occurred in a place like this means that the person wearing the mask must have done something.
“Student, you seem to be thinking about something. You really don’t need to remember that.”
“…Why?”
“Well, there are some things it’s better not to dwell on. It’s a lesson learned from my life, which has been miserable but long.”
“…Okay.”
The guard’s expression looked serious enough that she could only nod in acceptance of his suggestion.
Or perhaps it was that the guard seemed to be self-deprecating about the long life he had lived, which would be a show of respect towards someone who had protected her.
“By the way, do you remember?”
“If it’s about remembering···”
“My salary increase. I found out you’re the student council president in your second year. You fought hard! Just say that much. The principal recognizes students in strange ways despite his awful personality…”
“Ah, of course. But why is it that money is···”
Noah quickly realized that even though she had asked, it was a foolish question.
There are far more problems arising from having too little money than from having plenty.
So why ask why she needs to earn money? It was such a stupid question.
“The cat food at my house is a bit expensive.”
“Yeah? You clearly said it was a puppy···”
However, the guard kindly answered Noah’s question.
“The name is Puppy. The breed is a cat.”
“Ah···”
It was an unusual name.
“Why that name?”
“I wanted both a dog and a cat, but it would cost too much to raise both. So I wanted to feel like I was raising both.”
“That’s a unique··· idea.”
It was a way of thinking that one wouldn’t easily imagine.
The guard was actively engaging in the conversation beyond her thoughts, so since there was still plenty of time, Noah decided to continue the conversation.
Normally, she wouldn’t have the interest, the time, or the leisure to, but since her body had forcibly become this way, she couldn’t work anyway.
“Do you know the principal well?”
“Yes, that person is··· well, has a pretty nasty personality.”
“The principal?”
The great hero of the world, the head of the world’s best academy.
To think that she has such a bad personality made Noah curious about what grounds there might be for such a statement.
“Species War. You know about it, right?”
“Don’t tell me, you participated back then?”
“Yes.”
However, that question was answered in an instant.
A war that occurred decades ago in a dimension, almost completely hidden from the public aside from the Beasts.
It was not the realm of spirits, nor the realm of angels, nor the realm of beasts, but a fourth dimension whose danger was so serious that it involved gathering people secretly to completely sever connections with other dimensions.
Due to the degree of danger, the problematic aspects, and aspects that shouldn’t be known, those who perished during that process were not recorded in history.
Even she would not have known about its existence if she hadn’t barely found records of it in her family’s library.
“But how do you know I know···?”
“You can tell by looking. The ‘Arka’ clan has certain characteristics.”
And with the next tidbit of information, Noah couldn’t help but focus even more.
“I’ve seen that vividly colored blue hair during the Species War.”
“Were there people from our clan who participated there?”
“Yes. They should still be fairly well-known today. The head of the Arka clan, after all.”
“····!”
The head of the Arka clan referred to her father.
“That person··· participated in the Species War···?”
It was something she could never have imagined.
The image of her father that she held was always that of someone who only engaged in actions beneficial to the clan.
Perhaps he had participated in that war because it brought advantages to the clan and was willing to face death.
“If the principal’s nasty personality was recognized because he was in command back then, then that person··· just didn’t have a great personality.”
“Is that so.”
“That’s how it was.”
Creak.
“····.”
However, that conversation had to come to an end at some point.
The cold air in the hospital room.
“I can’t listen to this anymore.”
“…Father.”
A man with the same colored hair as Noah.
His eyes descended to an icy coldness, and his imposing height made even anyone who looked at him feel a sense of terror.
She hadn’t expected him to come for her visit, and for a moment felt flustered, but considering her condition, it seemed unlikely he came simply to check on her health.
And sadly enough, that thought was accurate.
“I hear you were among the ten injured this time?”
“That’s··· well.”
“You foolish girl.”
With that one remark, the feeling she had improved while talking with the guard instantly plummeted.
“····.”
“Here you are, finally becoming the student council president, and you get involved in this kind of incident. I thought it would be a help to the clan, but you’re a daughter of a fool.”
“I··· I···”
“Act in a way that contributes even a little to the clan. Follow your younger sibling’s example.”
The cold stare from his eyes left the girl with no words.
How long had she been striving to gain her father’s acknowledgment?
Yet all that effort crumbled in an instant.
She needed someone to blame, but Noah was not wicked enough to blame an innocent person.
She simply felt the gnawing sensation in her heart and silently remembered the harsh words of the one she respected and the one she desperately wanted acknowledgment from.
“Tsk, if you had at least a fraction of your younger sibling’s capabilities, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”
Despite there being others in the hospital room besides the guard and Noah, her father continued to criticize her presence and mistakes as if to make sure everyone heard.
“You ought to curse your mother.”
“How can you··· Father··· at least the person who was your wife···”
“Can you call a woman shoved on you through a political marriage to bolster the clan’s power your wife? Fool.”
With that sneer, Noah found herself at a loss for words.
Already, she knew.
That her mother was merely a wrapper for the present given to bolster the clan’s influence, having to marry the clan head.
It looked good from the outside, but once the real purpose was achieved, she would be discarded.
She was all too aware of that.
‘I didn’t want to become like that; I worked hard, I tried so hard.’
The sense of being forced to start all over again consumed her mind.
“Therefore, you···”
“Stop it, there are other people here.”
Yet the man’s caustic remarks were interrupted.
“…What? Were you here too?”
“It’s not like I’m ignoring someone present.”
Seeing that the head of the Arka clan was openly confronting the man filled Noah’s father with rage, yet an unexpected response followed.
“Let your family quarrels be later; the more you do that, the more you tarnish your image.”
“Does a man with only one arm have much to say?”
“At least I lost something in order to protect something, so I have no regrets.”
“If you keep this up, you’ll end up losing everything: honor, power, wealth, influence.”
“That personality of yours is··· still the same.”
It was surprising.
Surely, the head was speaking from a position of superiority, yet at least they were engaging in a semblance of a conversation.
“Besides, this is the academy··· I hope you wouldn’t cause more trouble. Otherwise.”
“Otherwise?”
“I might have to fight you, being in a position that receives money.”
“You think a man without a spear or an arm can fight with me? A frail old man who received lethal injuries from merely a low-grade beast?”
“It’s not about fighting to win.”
“Ha.”
With that response, it seemed he had nothing more to say. After briefly looking at Noah, the head simply slammed the door and left.
“I’m sorry, student. I never intended for you to be related to that scum···”
“Ah··· yes.”
“I learned that family matters should not be touched. So.”
“It’s okay. I’m grateful for your help.”
The guard sighed and leaned back against the soft pillow.
“I hope you won’t be too disheartened. The world you know isn’t likely the whole picture.”
“····What?”
“Sometimes, while living in this world, people frequently get derailed and change from their originally set goals. And… occasionally, people appear who help you with that.”
“What do you mean···?”
“If there’s someone who hates you infinitely, there’ll also be someone who loves you just as much.”
Would there really be such a person?
Someone who would like her, who felt so miserable and foolish…
“Senpai!”
But soon, her train of thoughts was interrupted by a girl who opened the door.
“Here! I brought hospital fruits!”
“What’s this···?”
The basket contained not fruits but various snacks and drinks with fruits depicted on them.
“Ah, you know? Recently, fruits at the store have been expensive? So, I got snacks with fruits on them! And nowadays, a drink with 1% fruit juice is called a fruit-flavored drink.”
“Ah···.”
“Speaking of which, a person with a really bad impression just passed by; was there something that happened?”
Seeing the girl asking her, Noah could only smile.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Looking towards the guard, she saw that he had buried his face in the blanket, asleep again.
