Chapter 26

Today's first class is an elective medical course, and there are many students enrolled, as the knowledge it imparts is always in demand, no matter the era. As for me, I'm currently caught by a guy with a refreshing smile.

"Hey, Kururi-kun. I heard you made Eliza angry?"

"Could you please be quiet during class?"

I pretended not to hear Rai's words and looked at the equipment for the lesson. Each student was given a set of medical tools. The classroom was arranged with octagonal tables, and four students each stood around them, listening to the instructor.

"Making Eliza angry, that's impressive. Even Prince Arc doesn't speak harshly to Eliza. Of course, I find Eliza difficult too."

"Please be quiet, I can't hear the instructor."

I didn't want to listen to the instructor, but I especially didn't want to hear about Eliza. My stomach started to hurt. It seemed my warning worked, as Rai's voice didn't come for a while. Did he give up?

I glanced sideways at Rai, who was on my left.

What!?

He was looking at me with a smile, but it didn't seem like he was really smiling. This guy is really creepy!

After the instructor finished speaking, each student was given a dead guinea pig for dissection. We were told we could do it in our own way, but there was a medical textbook with the procedure, which we could refer to if we wanted.

As soon as the practical started, Rai slid over to my side.

"The instructor is done, so now we can talk more freely."

"What do you want to talk about? Enough with Eliza."

"Aw, that's a shame. It's the topic I most want to discuss."

"Look, I might make a mistake if I'm distracted, so I'd prefer to work alone."

"Come on, it's fine. I'm doing this for the first time, so I'm nervous. Let's do it together, okay?"

He gave me a wink.

It's my first time too.

I am indeed nervous. Looking around, many students were working in groups, and the instructor seemed to approve, giving advice to each group.

"Sure, let's follow the same procedure."

"Sounds good. Let's start by opening the abdomen. That's quite heavy, isn't it?"

We both used the medical knife to cut open the abdomen.

"Whoa!"

A little blood splattered, and Rai's face tensed. I didn't react much; I've handled sheep before. Plus, I was curious about the internal organs, so I was more excited than nervous.

"Is this the heart?" I poked it a little.

"Whoa, Kururi-kun, stop it. That's too bold. No wonder you made Eliza angry."

Stop bringing up Eliza!

In retaliation, I took out one of the organs and slapped it on Rai's face.

"Whoa, that's terrible."

Even with the slime on his face, his smile didn't fade. Maybe he's into this.

"Why did you come to the medical class, Kururi-kun? You have your own territory, are you planning to become a doctor?"

"It seems profitable."

"Money? Ha, you're really unique, Kururi-kun. I can't get enough of you. Eliza."

Before he could finish, I slapped another organ on his face.

He recoiled, saying, "Whoa!"

"I want to become a doctor in the future. Our goals are different, but let's take this class together. I want to talk more."

I don't want to talk. This guy creeps me out.

"I'm thinking about taking it. If you want to talk, we can do it outside of class."

"Usually, I'm with Arc. He doesn't get along well with others. He's quite self-centered, isn't he?"

Self-centered! I called the first prince self-centered!

He must have noticed my face, as he whispered, "Let's keep it a secret."

"By the way, our self-centered prince has something interesting going on recently."

"Keep calling him self-centered, and he might hear you."

"It's fine, I always say it."

He really does! I almost called him out on it.

"Kururi-kun, do you know a girl named Iris?"

"Yeah, she's a friend."

"It seems our prince is interested in her. He's even taking the same elective to talk to her. He's so innocent."

I see, I thought it would happen soon, but it's good to hear it's going well.

"Right now, it's just a crush, but it could get complicated if he falls in love."

With a sigh, he raised his hand.

"Are you going to stay out of their conversations?"

Rai is also a potential love interest for Iris, so it's strange for him to be a mere observer.

"Well, I'm more interested in the secret relationship between Eliza and Kururi-kun. I've been with the prince for ten years. It's nothing new for him to fall in love, and I always end up cleaning up the mess. I might as well enjoy being alone while I can."

He seems to have a lot on his plate. But that doesn't mean he should dig at my wounds. Take that, organ attack!!

"Kururi-kun, you're ruthless. But I like that about you."

"Really!?"

"No, not in that way."

He seems to understand my thoughts.

I won't fall for a guy, no matter what.

"Kururi-kun is interesting to watch. You're so different from everyone else. Your build isn't like a noble's, for example."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No, I'm genuinely curious. So, let's stop here. We can talk again when your wounds heal."

He was about to bring up Eliza again. It was wise of him to stop.

"Let's finish the dissection."

"Sure," Rai responded to my call.

We focused on the dissection for a while. Rai looked a bit uncomfortable, but he handled the organs neatly and efficiently.

"Rai, you have a talent for medicine."

It's no wonder, given his pure motivation to become a doctor, unlike mine.

"I don't know. I think Kururi-kun, who did it without hesitation, has more talent."

"It's just a matter of practice. I think you're more suited for it."

"Maybe. But I have one major flaw. I'm learning medicine to save lives, yet here we are taking another life. It feels contradictory, and I can't reconcile it."

"That's a never-ending debate. By eating animals, humans already sacrifice many lives."

"I understand that, but eating is different. I feel grateful for the life I receive, so it's not a problem. But dissecting, where these animals will just be discarded afterward, seems cruel."

"I see. I think people who can reconcile this are suited for medicine, and those who can't are not."

"Hmm, is that true?"

Rai seems to take it seriously, so I thought about it a bit too. But I couldn't delve as deeply as he did.

"I have a fatal flaw, even though I want to be a doctor."

"You can get used to it gradually. You'll reconcile it eventually, and there are many types of doctors."

"That's true."

"Exactly."

"Maybe you're right. Thanks for listening seriously. Thinking back, it was foolish of me to tease about Eliza this morning."

So it was just teasing.

I'll pay you back someday!

"Let's put the organs back and finish the class."

"Sure."

Rai, with a tense face, worked hard on the final task.

He seemed to have put a lot of effort into it, as he let out a big sigh when it was done.

"Still, the medical tools we use today are difficult. It takes a lot of strength to cut, and suturing isn't easy. Will better tools be available in the future?"

"If you want, I can make them."

I know how to make most medical tools. I found them difficult to use too, so this is a good opportunity. I'll make my own set next time.

"Can you really do that? You're really unique."

"Sure, come to my room next time. I'll listen to your requests."

"That sounds fun."

We finished cleaning up, and the class ended. As students headed to their next classes, Rai went to the instructor.

"Can I take this one?"

"What do you want to do with it?"

Rai held the dead guinea pig we had dissected and sutured.

"No, I just want to bury it since it gave its life."

"Go ahead."

Rai got the instructor's permission and put the dead guinea pig in a burlap bag.

"You called me strange, but you're pretty strange too, Rai." I approached him and commented on his unusual behavior.

"Really?"

"Well, since we're in this together, I'll help you dig the hole."

"Thanks."

After school, we walked to the school gate. A vast land spread out before us, and we could bury it anywhere. We each had a shovel and were ready to start.

"I might keep doing this until I can reconcile it."

Rai said this while digging.

"I think that's fine."

"…Yeah."

The only sound was the shovels digging into the soil.

"Will you help me every time?"

Rai asked.

"Sure, no problem."

Rai laughed softly.

We buried the burlap bag with the guinea pig and finished the task.

"Let's go back," Rai said, about to leave.

"Wait, hold on."

"Hmm?"

"I have something I want to do."

I thought about using the advanced spell from Magic Book 3 to create new life.

I infused the soil with magic and whispered, "Open your eyes."

The soil slowly rose, and a green plant sprouted. I don't know what kind of flower it was, but a new life had indeed been born.

"That's a beautiful spell."

Rai smiled gently.