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Chapter 21
Seeing Lucia’s face, soft and small like a kitten’s, Herwin let out a faint chuckle and pushed himself up.
“Ugh…!”
“Don’t get up, lie down. Your whole body is bruised, it’s going to hurt.”
“Ah, no wonder… I kept feeling pain.”
Despite Lucia’s protest, Herwin stubbornly raised his upper body and sat up.
“Aren’t you hungry? You haven’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday. I thought you’d be starving when you woke up, so I brought a sandwich…”
While Lucia rummaged for the sandwich, Herwin glanced around as if searching for something.
“…Lucia.”
“Yeah?”
“Where’s Arista?”
“Arista? Why?”
It was strange that the very first thing he asked about after waking was Arista. Watching the unusual look in Herwin’s eyes, Lucia suddenly realized something.
“Ah! Because Arista saved you? Arista’s in the infirmary too. She hasn’t regained consciousness yet though.”
Herwin’s brow furrowed. Thinking he was worried about Arista, Lucia quickly added,
“Don’t worry too much. Aside from being a little fatigued, she’s not injured at all. She’ll wake up soon just like you…”
Before Lucia could finish, her blue eyes widened in shock—Herwin was trying to get out of bed.
Lucia didn’t even notice the sandwich fall to the floor as she scrambled up.
“Herwin! You can’t get up yet!”
“…I have to go to Arista.”
“What? In this condition? You can’t even walk properly with your ankle in a cast.”
“Lucia, help me up.”
“No, I won’t. You just woke up, how could you—”
“Please.”
Lucia was about to refuse firmly, but when she met Herwin’s unwavering red eyes, she was at a loss for words. She could see his determination shining through.
At last, Lucia sighed helplessly and supported him.
“Just this once. You have to promise to lie back down right after seeing her face.”
“Yeah, I promise.”
With nearly twenty centimeters of height difference, it looked less like she was supporting him and more like he was leaning on her, but Lucia did her best.
Thankfully, Arista’s bed wasn’t far away.
“Huh? Lucia, Herwin.”
To their surprise, Arista was already awake and sitting up. Lucia gasped.
“Arista! You’re awake! When did you come to?”
“Just now. Is this the infirmary?”
“Yeah, we brought you here right after you collapsed. How’s your body? Are you hurt anywhere—”
As Lucia fussed over her, the hand on her shoulder suddenly tightened.
Feeling Herwin’s grip, she turned to him.
“Lucia, sorry, but… can I talk with Arista alone for a moment?”
“…Huh?”
“There’s something I need to say.”
He didn’t even look at her—his gaze was fixed on Arista. An invisible wall seemed to rise between them.
Startled, Lucia instinctively stepped back.
“O-okay, I’ll step aside…”
“Thanks.”
Herwin pulled the curtain around the bed, blocking them from view.
Throb—
An unfamiliar unease crept over Lucia, smothering her chest.
What if… Herwin likes Arista…
Why was Bianca’s warning suddenly echoing in her mind? She didn’t know.
Time passed. It had already been two weeks since the day Herwin and Arista went missing.
For a few days, the entire academy was in an uproar, but soon the students’ attention wandered elsewhere. Apart from their close friends, no one paid them much mind anymore.
Arista had returned to daily life almost immediately upon waking. She had only minor bruises and fatigue—there was no need for her to remain in the infirmary.
Herwin, however, had to stay for a week due to extensive bruising, a fractured ankle, and mild concussion symptoms.
Lucia volunteered to look after him every day. Their friends—Brian, Ethan, Christine, Bianca—often came along, and even Lucas paid him a visit.
Outwardly, Herwin seemed unchanged from before the accident. But Lucia noticed he acted differently toward one person in particular.
“You’re still in a cast? How much longer?”
About a week after leaving the infirmary, Arista approached him. His right foot was still bandaged.
“They said one more week.”
Had it been Ethan or Brian asking, Herwin would have answered curtly. But now, he smiled softly.
Lucia felt her chest tighten. Before, Herwin and Arista had been playful friends, teasing each other casually. But this smile—this warmth—was something one showed only to someone special.
Seeing them together filled her with unease. Even their light conversation, simple greetings, grated on her nerves.
This isn’t how it was before…
When others gossiped about them, Herwin hadn’t seemed to care. She had dismissed it as baseless rumor.
But now… she feared those rumors might be true.
“So does that mean you can use aura properly now?”
“I’m trying, but it doesn’t come as easily as I thought. Still, since I managed it once, I should be able to control it soon.”
“Damn, I thought I’d be the first to use aura… Once I’m healed, I’ll have to catch up to you quickly.”
His tone was regretful, but his expression brimmed with fondness.
Knowing Herwin didn’t show affection to just anyone, Lucia unconsciously clenched her skirt.
“Lucia, are you okay?”
Lost in thought, she looked up to find both Arista and Herwin watching her with concern.
“H-huh?”
“You don’t look well. Are you feeling sick?”
“You seemed fine earlier.”
Herwin’s large hand pressed against her forehead.
The simple gesture lifted Lucia’s spirits.
“…You have a slight fever.”
“What? Really? Is your cold not gone yet?”
“No, it’s almost gone. I’m just warm, that’s all.”
She tried to smile, waving her hands, but their worried looks didn’t ease.
Herwin’s hand pulled away, and just as she felt a pang of disappointment, her forehead was pulled forward—until it touched his.
“You definitely have a fever.”
“N-no, I’m fine…”
This time, he wasn’t using his hand. His own forehead rested against hers.
Lucia froze, unable to look at his face so close to hers. Her cheeks burned.
She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to pull away. Luckily, he let her go. Her face felt scalding hot.
“Herwin, be good to Lucia. Even with her cold, she’s been looking after you with all her heart.”
“I know. Even though she’s unwell herself, she wouldn’t listen when I told her not to push it.”
Herwin’s sigh, almost weary, pierced her heart.
“Lucia, it’s just a cast. I’m not in pain. You don’t need to take care of me anymore. Worry about yourself first.”
“Yeah, exactly. Even if you’re childhood friends, you don’t have to fuss so much. He’s not a child—he can manage on his own.”
Arista chimed in.
Lucia forced her expression into something neutral, though her heart crumbled. Normally she would have laughed it off, but not today.
Don’t you get it? He finds you bothersome. He wants to be alone with her, and you’re just intruding. Stop pretending not to notice.
Dark thoughts whispered in her mind.
Her reason told her it was only paranoia, but her heart refused to listen.
For the first time, jealousy consumed her like molten lava. It made her sick, angry, restless. Worst of all, Arista’s concern now felt like hypocrisy—Lucia found herself starting to hate her.
She had thought she was handling her jealousy well whenever other girls approached Herwin. But this… this was different.
The jealousy she felt now was something else entirely.
Her breath trembled.
“Lucia, your color’s getting worse—”
Smack—
When Arista reached out, Lucia slapped her hand away.
The air went still.
Lucia’s face hardened, then quickly drained of color as she realized what she’d done.
“I-I’m sorry… Did I hurt you?”
“Huh? Oh, no… I’m fine.”
“I must be irritable from exhaustion. I’m really sorry…”
Her eyes softened apologetically. Arista, flustered, smiled kindly.
“It’s fine, don’t apologize. It happens.”
“…”
Herwin, standing beside her, looked at Lucia with a grave expression.
As a childhood friend, could he see through her feelings? The thought filled her with dread.
No… I don’t want him to see this ugly side of me.
“Luci—”
“Lucia!”
Just then, a voice called her from behind.
“Bianca.”
“Lucia, the professor wants to see you.”
Bianca appeared suddenly and grabbed her hand. Surprised, Lucia quickly realized it was an excuse to get her out.
“Uh… If the professor’s calling, I should go.”
She stood abruptly, leaving with Bianca. When she glanced back, Herwin was staring at her intently.
Feeling guilty, she turned her head away quickly.
Out in the hallway, after a while, Lucia whispered,
“…Thanks, Bianca.”
“You looked troubled, so I made something up. Clearly, something happened, huh?”
Lucia couldn’t answer.
Bianca snorted.
“Didn’t I tell you? To be careful of Lady Lydia?”
“….”
Normally, Lucia would have protested at such words, but this time she stayed silent.
Her face was on the verge of tears. Seeing that, Bianca hurriedly pulled her toward a quiet place.
