The medical wing was thick with a distinct, pungent odor.
The scent of alcohol stung the nostrils, mingling with the heavy smells of scorched earth and charred debris. Beds were packed tightly along the corridors, nearly every one occupied by a student.
Recovery mages were huddled beside them, hands outstretched as they cast their recovery magic.
Enveloped in shimmering green membranes, the injured students finally saw their pained expressions soften into something more peaceful.
But just as I had heard, there were clearly not enough recovery mages to go around.
The vast majority of the students were still groaning on their beds, faces contorted in agony as they waited for treatment.
They were being tended to with recovery potions, medicinal herbs, and other non-magical means, but those were mere placebos in the face of such injuries. There was no true salvation for them other than the miraculous healing of recovery magic.
"…This way."
I walked deeper into the wing, keeping that grim sight at the edge of my vision.
With every patient we passed, Elysia’s expression darkened.
Given her strong sense of responsibility, she likely felt that as Student Council President, a portion of this burden rested on her shoulders. She was probably being eaten alive by self-reproach.
Without a word, I moved to her side and took her hand.
"…!"
I felt her gaze snap toward me for an instant.
There was a flicker of surprise and hesitation in her aura.
However, that quickly faded, replaced by the slight pressure of her fingers squeezing my hand back.
Elysia looked straight ahead without saying anything. The shadow that had loomed over her face just moments ago was gone.
We continued for a while until Elysia finally came to a halt.
"She’s in here."
Reluctantly releasing my hand, she pointed toward a small private room at the end of the hallway.
"Is she… in isolation?"
"Just as a precaution… Since she was found inside the labyrinth, we don’t know who she is or why she was there. We haven't been able to determine a single thing about her. Hence, the isolation."
Elysia answered Yuu’s question with a look that said it couldn't be helped, then stood before the door.
She gave a light knock before quietly pushing it open.
Unlike the chaotic hallway, the room was deathly silent.
It was a stark, white space typical of medical wing private rooms—devoid of any unnecessary clutter. It was a simple, clean room furnished with nothing more than a basic bed, a small desk, and a few chairs.
Deep inside that quiet room, the girl sat upon the bed.
She was propped up, silently staring out of the open window.
A faint breeze drifted in, swaying the curtains and the girl’s white hair.
Her hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, a sight so ethereal that it robbed everyone of their breath.
"—…?"
The girl gazed outside for a long moment before finally noticing her visitors.
She turned her head slowly, fixing her red eyes on us with a quiet, steady intensity.
It was a gaze entirely devoid of emotion.
Yet, her eyes were definitely moving, as if she were carefully observing each and every one of us.
After staring at us in silence for a few moments, she spoke.
"…You."
She uttered the single word and pointed a slender, white finger at Yuu.
"Eh, me?"
Being singled out so suddenly caused Yuu to let out a confused, half-hearted yelp.
Ignoring his reaction, the girl gave a small nod and continued in a voice that was thin and clear, like a bird chirping.
"…The person in the labyrinth."
Her voice was flat.
It was as if a robot were merely confirming a fact. There was no emotion behind her words, and her eyes remained wide, fixed on Yuu without a single blink.
Rather than "mysterious," she struck me as decidedly eerie.
"Eh, ah… well, yeah, I guess that’s right."
Yuu nodded, looking bewildered.
However, he didn't seem to feel the same sense of wrongness that I did. To the contrary, he appeared to be accepting her presence quite naturally.
I glanced around and saw that the other three were like me.
They were watching the girl on the bed with grim, guarded expressions.
(…So she really is a special existence for Yuu, then?)
When I looked back at Yuu, he was smiling, looking perfectly at ease.
"I’m glad you’re okay. Truly…"
His words were heavy with relief, but the girl’s reaction was lukewarm at best.
She simply listened to him in silence.
(An albino who doesn't talk… and she’s got that whole ‘mysterious’ vibe going for her… I see, so this is Yuu’s—)
As I was lost in thought, my eyes suddenly met the girl’s.
Her gaze had drifted away from Yuu.
The moment those crimson eyes locked onto me, her entire demeanor shifted.
"—…!!"
Her small shoulders jolted.
The red eyes that had been so vacant just seconds ago were now wide with terror. She gripped the blanket with white-knuckled intensity, scrambling backward on the bed.
Despite the limited space, she pressed her body against the wall as if trying to put as much distance between us as possible. She looked like a herbivore cornered by a predator.
"…Don't… come… near me…"
The next words out of her mouth were a clear, sharp rejection.
She was trembling, looking up at me with eyes overflowing with primal fear.
"Eh…?"
Yuu was the first to speak.
He looked back and forth between me and the girl, his face a mask of confusion.
"W-What’s wrong? Did Rai do something…?"
There was no one there who could answer him.
Actually, I had a vague inkling of what was going on, but I chose to keep my mouth shut.
The atmosphere in the room had warped into something profoundly abnormal.
"Don't… come…!"
Still trembling, the girl thrust both of her hands toward me.
In that instant, mana began to pool in her palms. A glow as deep red as her eyes converged, forming a sphere of fire the size of a tennis ball—
"It’s useless."
I spoke curtly and held out my own hand toward her.
I used light magic. I altered the spell, which was originally meant to create a barrier wall, to instead form a shimmering light membrane that perfectly encapsulated the fireball forming in her palms.
A moment later, the fireball burst with a muffled "pop" and dispersed harmlessly.
"…!"
Her shoulders shook again.
Was she shocked that her magic had failed? Or was she reacting to the realization that any resistance against a threat like me was futile? Either way, it wasn't a pleasant thing to witness.
She had only just regained consciousness and shouldn't have had any mana to spare.
The strain of forcing the spell must have taken its toll; the little color she had in her face drained away entirely. Her breathing became ragged, and it looked as if she were on the verge of fainting.
And yet, she still tried to raise her trembling hands toward me again.
She was going to try to squeeze out the last of her mana for another spell.
Her eyes were still filled with an overwhelming fear of me.
"Lord Rai."
With a low voice, Lene stepped in front of me.
Placing herself as a shield, she manifested her greatsword and glared at the girl.
Seeing her take a clear combat stance, I gave her a brief order to stand down, telling her it was fine.
"But—"
"She’s reached her limit."
The moment the words left my mouth, the girl’s body swayed. The magic she was trying to manifest dissolved into particles of mana and vanished before it could take shape.
"…!"
With a faint gasp, she collapsed onto the bed like a doll whose strings had been cut.
The tension left her body as she fell into a deep, unconscious sleep.
"…H-Hey!?"
Again, Yuu was the first to act.
He rushed to the girl’s side and gently supported her. After checking her breathing and her complexion, he let out a long, quiet sigh of relief.
"…It looks like mana depletion."
"Most likely."
She had just woken up and hadn't had nearly enough time to recover her reserves.
Trying to force a spell in that condition made it inevitable that she would collapse from mana insufficiency.
"…What happened? Why did she… toward you…"
Elysia knit her brows as she looked at the girl lying limp on the bed.
"Who knows… I couldn't tell you the reason, but at the very least, it seems she can’t stay calm as long as I’m in the room."
I turned my gaze back to the girl.
Her face was still pale, but her breathing was steady. Her life didn't seem to be in any danger, but it was probably wise to call a professional.
"…I’ll go find a recovery mage."
"Rai."
As I turned to leave, Elysia called out to me.
There was a distinct note of suspicion in both her voice and her expression.
"…Do you have any idea why she reacted like that?"
It was a quiet, pointed question.
Her gaze was sharp, yet there was a trace of vulnerability in it. It was a look that struggled to balance her suspicion as Student Council President with her trust as my fiancée.
"I haven't done anything, if that’s what you’re asking. As you know, this was the first time we’ve ever met."
"…I see."
After a brief silence, she simply said, "Please do," and stepped aside to let me pass.
I gave her a small nod and walked out the door.