Chapter 46

〈 Chapter 46 〉 The Price of Loss (7)

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#15

The ward was originally quiet, but now it was enveloped in a deep silence, with only the intermittent breathing of the three people audible.

"...Visiting?"

After a moment of being at a loss due to the inexplicable cold atmosphere, Yurie, who had been looking at Rubea, broke the silence first.

"Uh-huh."

"...Did you make a reservation?"

"Yesterday. I didn't think you made one, so you're quick."

"Of course. There was no need."

"...Why?"

Rubea expressed her brief confusion.

After the first-year assembly, Rubea had seen the note Tyler left and headed straight to the medical center. There, she hadn't seen even a shadow of Miu.

But Miu was already in the ward where Elio was admitted, and her demeanor suggested she had been there for more than just a day or two.

"When Elio was injured, I was there too. I'm here as a friend and guardian."

"...You were there too?"

"Yeah."

At Miu's answer, Rubea fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

She had many questions she wanted to ask Miu right away. If you were in the same place as Elio, why are you unharmed? What kind of accident did Elio suffer to fall into a coma? And what were you doing there when Elio fell into a coma...

However, Rubea herself had nothing to be proud of. Even if she claimed she didn't know, what was she doing while Elio was caught up in the incident? Wasn't she just worrying and worrying, reassured by Yurie's words that everything would be fine?

"...What happened to Elio?"

"..."

Perhaps recalling the events of that day, Miu's expression, still not looking at Rubea, slightly twisted.

"As you heard. He was in the building when the terrorist attack happened, suffered severe injuries, and lost consciousness. Don't ask any more. My head hurts too."

"No, I will ask."

"..."

Miu stopped speaking and turned her head to the side.

Her gaze, now slightly colder, was fixed on Rubea, but Rubea was looking at Elio, who was lying on the bed behind Miu.

"Will Elio... wake up?"

It had been three days since he was admitted to the ward, and he hadn't regained consciousness yet.

From the outside, it looked like he was sleeping soundly and could open his eyes at any moment, but that wasn't the case. Without a clear method of treatment, he might never wake up...

If that happened, Elio would die. Rubea couldn't accept that reality.

Now that she had finally met Elio again and his original features were gradually returning, if she fell into a deeper and greater sadness than before, she wasn't sure which direction her future would take.

Fortunately.

Miu gave a hopeful answer.

"...Probably, in a few days. I can't be sure, though."

"..."

Did she hear something? It didn't matter.

Rubea felt her heart, which had been tense, suddenly calm down. It couldn't be just empty words. As long as he could wake up without any problems, she would be greatly relieved.

Swoosh.

Miu reached for the watering can next to the vase on the table. She gently picked it up and let several streams of water trickle onto the blue rose in the vase. Water droplets formed and fell from the tips of the leaves, which were now moist like morning dew.

"I welcome your visit to Elio, but it's better not to stay too long. I'm the only guardian he needs."

"..."

Rubea knew that Miu was Elio's ex-girlfriend.

The memory of hearing this for the first time in the back of the ballroom was still vivid. It was a significant shock to Rubea.

From Yurie's perspective, standing there awkwardly without knowing the details, she had a vague sense that something had happened between Elio and Miu.

In that sense, Miu's words to Rubea and Yurie weren't entirely wrong.

However, Rubea felt slightly irritated by Miu's words. Miu acted as if she were Elio's only guardian.

While it was true that Miu had entered the ward as a guardian when Elio was first admitted, it still felt...

From the perspective of someone who came to visit Elio out of concern, being told that they would only be a hindrance if they stayed too long and should leave quickly, was not a pleasant experience.

Why should I listen to Miu and leave quickly? That was how Rubea felt. A rebellious feeling, quite unexpected for Rubea, suddenly arose.

"Stella told me that you skipped your swordsmanship class today?"

The only visitors to Elio's ward that day were Yurie and Rubea. Stella had wanted to come too, but a sudden visit from her family delayed her.

At that time, they saw Stella's delicate brows furrow in a rare display of mild anger towards her family...

"...Stella? Who's that... Oh."

Miu, who had been thinking for a moment, turned her eyes to the side and answered as if it was no big deal.

"Yeah. So what? What's the problem?"

"It doesn't seem like you only skipped one class."

"......What, what are you going to do about it?"

If you're going to skip your own class, what business is it of others? Naturally, you would bear the responsibility for it yourself.

Rubea asked.

"Did you... stay here all day?"

Ah, that's what you meant.

Miu nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah."

Yurie was slightly surprised by this.

Epic Class 1, Miu. A strange child of common birth, granted the number 1 not only for her exceptional swordsmanship talent but also for some other special reason.

When Yurie first met Miu, she wanted to be friends but found it difficult due to the atmosphere. Even now, that atmosphere hasn't changed. Just talking to Rubea, the coldness was palpable. Of course, it wasn't directed at her, but being caught in the middle was quite awkward...

Miu is beautiful. A fact so obvious that no one in the world could deny it.

Her elegant black hair, like a black rose, swayed at her waist, contrasting with her porcelain-white skin, creating a harmony that evoked pure admiration.

Like a delicate ice flower blooming gracefully in the midst of a fierce winter storm, she was a girl of unparalleled beauty.

Despite being a year younger than Yurie, she was a friend that Yurie trusted and relied on.

The way Miu swept her bangs back while watering the plant was so picturesque that it made Yurie feel a spark of admiration.

The desire to be friends with Miu grew, but... why... why was such a sharp girl... skipping all her classes and dedicating herself to nursing a boy from her class all day?

What kind of relationship did they have?

Yurie knew nothing.

"...I see. You've been here all along."

Rubea muttered and continued.

"Then, I don't see why I can't do the same. Do you have a reason to stop us from visiting Elio for a long time? I'm worried about Elio just as much as you are..."

Miu immediately cut her off.

"Are you planning to crowd around the patient? I said I'm the only guardian he needs."

"..."

"And, when you made the reservation, wasn't a visit time set? It would be at most 30 minutes."

"That can be extended."

"...You're persistent."

Miu frowned, clearly displeased.

Rubea's words weren't entirely wrong, but Miu didn't want Rubea to stay in the ward where Elio was admitted.

To begin with, Miu didn't particularly like Rubea.

Most importantly, seeing Elio lying unconscious on the bed brought back the memory of Elio covered in blood, and with it, the cause of that memory.

Rubea must know. She must have known and wanted to apologize to Elio. Yurie, who was standing beside her, spoke in a voice that had become noticeably colder.

"Even if you were there and are now Elio's guardian, do you have the right to arbitrarily stop people from visiting? We didn't say we would stay long, so why are you treating us like a hindrance and trying to drive us away?"

"..."

"......You said before. You were Elio's ex—"

Before she could continue,

Rubea glanced at Yurie.

Yurie, who was holding a bouquet of flowers, was silent, her expression slightly hostile.

She knew nothing.

Although Miu didn't like her, Rubea didn't want to reveal this fact in front of someone who didn't know. So, she swallowed her words.

Miu, however, had a rough idea of what Rubea was going to say. Perhaps that's why she bit her lower lip lightly.

...Is it really right for me, of all people, to act as Elio's only guardian? No, I don't think it's right. But that's precisely why I need to stay here.

"...No matter what, I need to stay here and take responsibility. And you should think about what you were doing when Elio was in the most pain. This time, you were like that too. Think about whether your continued presence here will help anyone."

"..."

No need for a perfect excuse or a reasonable reason. Only the result remains. Rubea wasn't there that day. Miu was.

She tried to protect Elio when he was in danger, and although she failed—she stayed to take responsibility for it.

Rubea said nothing.

...Tap, tap.

Instead, she placed the gift she brought on the table. It was on the opposite side of the table where Miu's vase was. After placing a green incense burner and infusing it with some mana, a beneficial aroma began to rise, enveloping the patient.

The fresh scent of the blue rose in the vase was soon overwhelmed by the stronger aroma.

As the aroma rose like smoke, Rubea looked at Elio, who was lying on the bed, sleeping soundly, neither comfortable nor distressed. It was the third day of his deep sleep.

The gentle breeze that blew through the slightly open window mixed with Rubea's calm voice.

"...I have a lot of questions for you, Miu."

Rubea turned her head to look directly at Miu.

Miu did the same.

Their green and purple eyes met in a straight line.

Miu's lips slowly parted.

"I don't want to answer your questions, and more importantly, I have nothing to be curious about from you, Rubea."

Why do they seem to be fighting?

No, maybe they are...

Yurie asked cautiously.

"Hey, guys. We came to visit... right...?"

"..."

"..."

Rubea and Miu turned to look at Yurie simultaneously. Yurie, taken aback by the strange atmosphere, blinked her red eyes.

She was the only one free from the tangled relationship. Yurie had planned to simply follow Rubea, leave the gift, and go back, but now she was caught in an unexpected tension, holding the bouquet of flowers in her arms.

Rubea made the first suggestion.

"It's disrespectful to Elio and Yurie to argue here. How about we go outside and talk?"

"I have nothing to talk about with you."

Sighing, Miu continued.

"Let me be blunt. I don't like you, Rubea."

"..."

Indeed, they are fighting.

Yurie stomped her foot in frustration.

And so did Rubea.

Perhaps for the first time, she said such a thing.

"I don't like you either, Miu."

"......Hmm?"

After that.

Their cold gazes met again in the center of the ward where Elio was lying.

Whoo...

The sudden silence felt eternal, and the temperature of the breeze blowing through the window seemed to drop. What's happening? I didn't come here to do this. Yurie, who had been aimlessly fidgeting with her fingers, felt very uncomfortable.

"Hey, hey... guys? Why are you like this? Don't fight..."

Can't they just get along?

Somehow, the image of her parents arguing in front of her as a child came to mind, and Yurie, who was trying to mediate between Miu and Rubea with a tense hand, looked at Rubea.

"...I think the information we have is a bit off. Before Elio wakes up, don't you think we need to clearly understand what we did wrong in the past? Most importantly, Elio wouldn't want us to act like this. It's better to clear up any misunderstandings."

Rubea said this while looking directly at Miu.

Perhaps she had come to some understanding.

Maybe she thought that continuing this pointless argument would only harm Elio and Yurie.

Sigh.

Miu, who had closed her eyes and sighed, answered.

"...Fine, let's go outside."

Then, the two of them started to head out of the ward.

"......Huh?"

At that moment, Yurie, regaining her senses, spoke.

"Hey, hey... guys. I, I...?"

Rubea turned to look at Yurie.

"...Sorry, Yurie. Can you stay here for a moment? Or you can go back to the dormitory if you want. I was the one who asked if you wanted to come with me... I'm really sorry. I didn't expect things to turn out like this."

"......It's not your fault... but... Ah, I understand. Still, don't fight too much...?"

"We're not fighting. We're just talking."

It doesn't seem like it. It definitely doesn't seem like it.

I remember hearing the same thing from my mother when my parents had a fight in the middle of the palace...

Click—thud.

Regardless of Yurie's anxiety, Miu and Rubea closed the ward door and stepped into the corridor.

Thus.

"......What exactly have you been doing?"

Left alone in the ward with the unconscious Elio, Yurie, who had been looking at Elio with a truly exasperated expression, eventually sat in the chair Miu had been sitting in and let out a deep sigh.

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