A day has passed since I completed the Trial of Power.
As soon as I felt that I had finished my recovery, I left the hospital despite the distraught medical staff behind me, who were convinced that I would just get injured again.
I wasn’t really in any pain, and I didn’t think it was a good idea to stay for too long. However, upon seeing me injured, they suggested that it might be better for me to stay a little longer, as they had a nagging feeling that I would end up coming back if I left like this.
Of course, I refused.
What would be the point of staying in the hospital if I had come to the Academy for this?
I heal quickly even if I do get hurt, so why should I stay?
More than anything, I felt that staying here wouldn’t have a good effect on those taking care of me, so since I felt alright, I decided to discharge myself quickly.
Moreover, no matter how much my goal was to act as a Saint while relishing in pain before capturing the Demon King and returning, I had come here admiring the Academy life in the game. Lying in a hospital room all day felt boring.
Well… As for classes, most of the time we are praying solemnly to God and keeping our bodies pure.
As I mentioned before, it wasn’t as severe when I was acting as a Saint, but now that I am merely a student of the Academy, I have to follow the example of other Nuns, which is a real hassle.
Still, I couldn’t say I didn’t want to do it, as that would be utterly absurd for a Saint.
Thinking that I had to hold out until the next trial already made my head hurt.
Anyway…
Ah, and my plan to check what kind of magic was being researched through the residual thoughts left in the book didn’t last long.
For some reason, there were no residual thoughts left in the book, so even if I wanted to read it, I couldn’t.
‘So thorough…’
Was Stella that meticulous?
I had never seen evidence of such a trait in her personality in the game, and it was the same when I actually saw her. The Magician’s residual thoughts are essentially traces of magic power, so if the Magician meticulously erases those traces of magic, they become impossible to find.
In the end, time passed without me gaining anything in particular.
I checked every day, thinking maybe she would forget once, but she seemed to be very consistent in erasing her residual thoughts, and I still hadn’t found any traces.
If only I were not illiterate, I could focus on my senses and somehow try to read the letters.
The writing with a pen is not easy to distinguish, but if I concentrated on detecting divine power, there would be no reason I couldn’t read it. However, the only reason I can hear it is because the residual thoughts flow into me through magic power, which I then sense and understand. Since I can’t see or hear it, I am destined to be illiterate.
Even if I could read the shape of the letters, I still wouldn’t be able to figure out what it meant.
Moreover, it’s about researching magic of all things, so even if I could read what it said, if I didn’t hear it as a residual thought, it would be impossible to understand what it was about.
I never expected being illiterate would weigh so heavily on me.
“Ugh…”
Feeling a slight pain, I flinched for a moment, but then, feeling a subtle pleasure, I smiled faintly and spoke to the student in front of me.
“[Treatment is complete.]”
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, today was training day.
While that may not be the case in the Department of Magic, in the Department of Swordsmanship, practical experience is far more important than theory, so on days like this, many students come in injured.
Most of them aren’t seriously hurt, so other Nuns take care of them just fine, but some students do get injured quite a bit, and those students end up coming to me.
Because of that, the small oasis in my heart, which had grown stark from spending all day in the prayer room, was the day of practical training, which occurred once a week.
Due to the nature of practical training, a lot of students come in injured, so while treating them one by one, I can also enjoy it to some extent.
However, there is one issue.
‘It feels like the number has decreased…’
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like fewer students are coming to me for treatment.
This was only the third time I had treated students after various events, but the number of students coming for treatment was way too low compared to before.
Just to be sure, when I asked what kind of training they had today, they said they were doing sparring, which is quite dangerous, yet this is the number of students I have.
Unless it’s a pretty serious injury, it deeply saddens me that they won’t come to me for treatment.
‘Did someone spread a rumor?’
Upon trying to find the reason, it seems a rumor spread among the students that if they receive treatment from me, they would end up getting the same amount of injuries.
Not only that, but it also spread that I received serious wounds when I faced a Demon that appeared at the Academy, which made many students feel a strong aversion to coming to me for treatment, as it implied they would give me their injuries as well.
Once such rumors spread, there’s nothing I can do about it; no matter how much I try, I can’t prevent myself from getting hurt and bleeding…
Besides, just because I’m used to serious pain doesn’t mean I don’t feel discomfort from minor pain, so I can’t help but let out small groans.
…
Although these are pleasured groans, if I’m moaning while injured, it’s hard to determine whether it’s out of enjoyment or pain, so most students perceive it simply as me being in pain.
Still, it’s a bit unfair since I’m not reacting in a way that’s blatantly obvious, and I only flinch occasionally, so I don’t know how they figured it out.
Moreover, I’m even covering the areas where I’m injured, trying not to let them see.
“I-I’m so sorry…!”
The student who received treatment from me this time bowed their head with an expression full of guilt and hurriedly left.
It looked like they viewed receiving treatment from me itself as a sin…
I wanted to tell them that they didn’t need to be so sorry, but before I could convey my thoughts, they vanished, leaving me without a say.
“Saintess.”
As I was watching, unable to speak, someone approached me.
‘Cough…’
It was Professor Viktoria…
Though she is called a professor, in reality, she is a high-ranking Nun who is responsible for educating the Nuns who have entered the Academy.
“You are providing care for students with a pious heart today as well. However, you have only been discharged for one day, don’t you think you’re overdoing it…?”
Since I had been sitting here treating the students’ wounds almost all day, there was a look of concern in Sister Viktoria’s eyes.
To me, this was a ridiculous statement.
What on earth is this woman talking about?
In this boring world, where there’s hardly anything to do, this is one of the rare things that brings me some joy. How could I resist this?
I find it more enjoyable to treat as many students as I can like this than to sit quietly praying to that gentleman God.
It’s a twofold action; seeing students who are thankful for my treatment or feeling guilty brings me a kind of happiness through the pain!
I could do this all day!
“I’m fine. How about you, Sister Viktoria? Do you need me to take a look at you…?”
“No, I’m really fine!”
Oh well.
“What brings you here?”
“Ah… I came to convey a message.”
“What kind of message?”
“Pope Euster has called for you, Saint Aria.”
“[…!]”
Asclyna called for me?
‘Why would that be?’
There must be a reason she would call for me at this time…
No matter how I think about it, it would have to be about the events that have occurred up to now, right?
Does she have something to question me about?
‘Or…’
I concentrated my divine power downwards.
The gemstone of the glowing ruby was hanging around my neck.
I don’t know the reason for the summons, but from the Pope’s perspective, I’m essentially like a granddaughter, so perhaps she wants to discuss various incidents that have happened at the Academy.
Or…
‘This must be it.’
The glowing ruby.
While I had never shown it in front of Asclyna, considering that I had come to the Academy at least once, the chances are high that she would have seen me wearing it.
If that’s the case, the likelihood that she has something to discuss regarding this is quite high.
I might not know the exact reason, but…
“[I will go.]”
Well, what can I do?
If she’s calling for me, I have to go.
I have all the excuses thought out, so it doesn’t matter.
For now…
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.’
It would be even better if I could see her in her sister form rather than as my grandfather.
Still, like someone my age, I should be able to act a bit spoiled.
