Chapter 43 - 42: I Have Already Found the Answer

Chapter 43: Chapter 42: I Have Already Found the Answer

As it turned out, reverse psychology—though a simple tactic—was undeniably effective. From the girl, Lucian received an answer that was unexpected yet entirely reasonable.

The infirmary.

Lucian arrived at the door to the ward just as a doctor in a white Magic Robe stepped out.

"Lucian?" The doctor recognized him as well. "What brings you here? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I’m looking for someone."

"Looking for someone? That first-year named Lilia?" The doctor smiled. "Are you here to see her, too?"

Lucian paused in his tracks. "...What do you mean by ’too’?"

The doctor jutted his chin toward the adjacent ward. "Go take a look and you’ll see.

"You know the rules. Patients need rest, so only one visitor is allowed at a time. Also, no loud noises, and you can’t take the patient out without my permission."

These were the usual warnings, and Lucian nodded to show he understood. His mind was now entirely occupied by the doctor’s words: "Are you here to see her, too?"

Who else besides him would come looking for Lilia? Caius? No, he had just been at the training grounds. Those "best friends" of hers? But Cecie had already returned to Zone S. Who could it be, then?

Filled with questions, Lucian quietly approached the door to the ward. The door wasn’t shut tight, leaving a narrow gap. While it was impossible to see clearly inside, the voices from within could be heard perfectly.

"Lilia, are you all right?" It was a completely unfamiliar male voice. It sounded young, likely around Lilia’s age.

"Actually, there’s really no need for you to push yourself so hard. Your Constitution is too weak, and your talent is... Even if you work hard, it will be very difficult for you to become an outstanding Mage.

"But that’s okay. I already know about Lady Beaumont’s proposal. I... I..." The young man’s voice softened, as if he were feeling a bit shy. "We can do as Lady Beaumont suggested and spend more time together on a daily basis. As long as you’re willing, I promise I’ll treat you well."

Outside the door.

Lucian suddenly let out a faint chuckle.

Inside, the young man’s voice was accompanied by the soft scrape of a moving chair. "It’s almost noon, Lilia. What would you like to eat? I’ll go buy it for you."

"There’s no need. I can go to the cafeteria myself later," the girl politely declined.

"How can you do that! The doctor said you can’t walk yet... All right, I understand. I’ll come see you again this afternoon."

As his voice faded, the sound of slightly dragging footsteps followed. The slow, hesitant rhythm made it obvious how reluctant he was to leave.

With a soft CLICK, the door opened from the inside. Just as Lucian had guessed, a young man who looked sixteen or seventeen walked out of the infirmary, his reasonably handsome face filled with lingering attachment. Had Lilia not insisted, he probably would have stayed with her right up until school ended.

The young man had just turned around when he nearly bumped into Lucian standing off to the side, startling him. He hesitated, seeming to want to ask something, but Lucian showed no intention of striking up a conversation. The smile on Lucian’s face was polite yet aloof, clearly indicating no desire to engage.

The youth opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself, ultimately leaving without a word.

Lucian dialed back his smile and pushed open the infirmary door.

Inside the room.

Lilia was reading a book. To ensure the patient could rest well, the curtains of the ward were drawn tight, completely blocking out the light from outside. Lucian walked over to the window and pulled the curtains halfway open. Sunlight pierced through the window, painting a long, gilded river across the pristine white hospital bed.

Lucian sat down in the chair by the bed. Lilia finally finished reading her page and looked up at him. Their eyes met. Lucian leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture, his gaze seemingly landing on the girl’s face with casual indifference.

Her face was a bit pale, but her expression remained as placid as ever. Only, compared to the bright and cheerful demeanor she showed to outsiders, she now carried an aloof coolness that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Lucian looked at her for a moment before speaking up first. "What did the doctor say?"

"Over-exhaustion. I need rest." Lilia closed her book and set it aside. "It’s nothing serious."

"You’re in the infirmary, and it’s nothing serious?" Lucian smiled. "Given how much Caius cares about you, I thought he’d refuse to leave your side after you ended up in the hospital.

"Now it seems... to him, his course credits are still more important."

Lilia was speechless. His words carried a distinctly passive-aggressive tone, as if he were deliberately trying to drive a wedge between her and Caius.

"I was the one who told him not to come," Lilia said.

"Because you knew I would come?" Lucian asked.

Lilia remained noncommittal.

Lucian looked around. "To be honest, I thought I’d find you in a classroom or the library... I never expected we’d actually meet here.

"The infirmary.

"Just how weak is your Constitution that you managed to land yourself in the hospital?"

"...It was an accident," Lilia replied. Her Constitution was [25/100], which was indeed below average, but it wasn’t so fragile that she would shatter at a touch. The reason today’s situation happened was that she had underestimated her limits. Even when the teacher had told her to rest, she had still tried to go to the private training grounds to train. The result was self-evident: she nearly fainted from pure exhaustion.

Not wanting to continue on this topic, she asked, "How did you find this place?"

According to her plan, she was supposed to go out of her way to wait for him at the library after her morning classes ended. At Lien Academy, discovering her whereabouts wasn’t difficult. As long as one had the intent, simply asking a few passersby would suffice. Rather than a difficult test, it was more of a threshold that Lilia had set.

Humans were always like this. They never cherished things they obtained easily, nor did they pay mind to answers they learned without effort. Only when they invested time and energy would they feel it was truly worthwhile.

Lucian’s answer was concise and to the point. "It’s a long story." That was his way of saying he didn’t want to go into detail.

"However..." He smiled. "Regarding what you said, I think I understand now."

Lilia tilted her head. "What did I say?"

"Answers leave a deeper impression when you find them yourself," Lucian replied.

Over the course of the morning, he had searched for her from the Student Council office to the infirmary. During that time, he hadn’t spoken a single word to Lilia, nor had he heard much about what anyone else thought of her.

Yet, when he pushed open the ward door and saw her quiet figure sitting on the hospital bed, looking down at her book... he suddenly felt as if he understood her better. As if he had already known her for a very long time.

"In that case, do you still want to ask me that question?" Lilia asked. "About why I’m helping you."

"There’s no need." Lucian smiled. "I think I’ve already found the answer to that question, too."