As she watched Shasta’s thin lips drawing closer, the still-weak Ximo couldn’t help but push her away. She closed her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest, and shrank back against the headboard.
“W-Wait, wait! If you keep going, I’m going to call for help!”
“What’s wrong with you, kid? Always jumping at shadows?” Shasta, pushed aside, frowned in dissatisfaction. “Can’t you have a little consideration for an old person’s heart? And how am I supposed to check your body like this?”
Shasta sat at the foot of the bed in a duck-sitting position. The word “old person” paired with her cute, guilt-ridden loli appearance created a strong sense of dissonance, but Ximo quickly latched onto the key point in Shasta’s words.
“Huh? Ch-Check my body?”
“What else? You got caught in the battle’s aftermath—your magic circuits overloaded and got damaged. The Forest Lord’s offshoot that bit you was poisonous, plus a bunch of other minor injuries… I’ve been taking care of you this whole week you were out. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you, kid.”
Shasta bared her sharp fangs, then pointed at Ximo’s shoulder. “This method is more convenient for checking. I can judge your condition directly through your blood. Don’t tell me you’re one of those kids scared of needles?”
Ximo then noticed two small wounds on her shoulder and neck, like she’d been pricked by needles. She looked at the white-haired, red-eyed, sharp-fanged little loli in front of her, then at the dim surroundings with almost no sunlight, and a spark of realization hit her.
“S-So you’re a vampire or something?”
“What vampire!” Ximo got a sharp rap on the head right away. “How rude are you, kid? Spouting that insulting term right to someone’s face? It’s Blood Clan—get that straight!”
The blood-sucking monster—Ximo didn’t know that “vampire” in this world was an insulting term for the ancient Blood Clan race, carrying a hint of racial discrimination.
Shasta hopped off the bed in a huff. “Fine, no check-up then. If you’ve got energy to talk smack, you’re probably fine. Sheesh. If the Principal hadn’t asked me—and if I hadn’t just taken you on as my assistant student—I wouldn’t have bothered looking after you for days…”
The Imperial Capital Magic Academy naturally had an infirmary, but Ximo’s injuries were tricky. Overloaded and damaged magic circuits could affect future magic use if not properly rested, and Shasta was an expert in that area, so Ximo had been entrusted to her.
Shasta stormed off without giving Ximo a chance to explain further. Just then, a knock came from above. Ximo instinctively looked up and realized she was in a basement.
“Instructor Shasta, I’m here to pick up… Ah, Ximo, you’re awake!”
It was Melrose. A flash of delight crossed her eyes as she affectionately took Ximo’s hand. “How’s your body? Anywhere still uncomfortable?”
“Hmph, any discomfort is her own fault!” Shasta came back over and handed a small package to Melrose. “Finish these meds, and your body should be fine. Your issues weren’t as serious as this kid’s anyway.”
“Thank you, Instructor Shasta. You’ve been a big help this time.”
Melrose gave a slight bow, then turned to Ximo beside her. “Ximo, I’d love to chat more, but the Student Council is busy now that school’s started. I have to head back.”
“If there’s anything you don’t understand at school, feel free to ask me. You were out cold here with Instructor Shasta during the first few days of term.”
“Come find me at the Student Council office when you have time. I still want to properly thank you for what happened before.”
Ximo nodded dazedly, watching Melrose climb the stairs and leave the basement. Her stalled brain finally kicked back into gear.
Her last memory was blocking the knife for Melrose—which meant she’d been rescued and had been unconscious here for days. And the academy had already started?
During her coma, it felt like she’d dreamed of something related to her past… Thinking about it brought on a slight headache. Just then, Ximo’s gaze landed on something by the door.
“Huh? Why is this staff here?”
Ximo leaned in close and confirmed that the thing casually piled in the corner was the Decayed Wooden Staff she’d sold at the free market. Its presence here meant…
Ximo whipped her head around, looking from the staff to Shasta, who had her arms crossed over her chest. The white-haired little loli’s image gradually overlapped with the bundled-up kid from the market.
“I just didn’t expect anyone in the Imperial Capital to sell a Northern Border Beastmen Clan’s staff. I bought it back to study the magic circuits in their ritual magic.”
Shasta continued irritably. “But that thing’s useless now anyway. If I’d known the rude kid selling it to me was you, I wouldn’t have taken you as my assistant student.”
Ximo’s earlier behavior was like walking up to a Black person on the street and yelling “Hey, n-word”—a blatant provocation. If not for Ximo being an injured patient, Shasta would’ve kicked her out of the lab already.
Ximo hurriedly apologized. Seeing the little maid’s sincere expression, Shasta’s expression softened a bit.
“Now that you’re awake, get going. Come see me for body check-ups every Tuesday and Friday night from now on. And don’t forget to catch up on the classes you missed with school starting—that’s advice from your teacher.”
And just like that, Ximo was inexplicably chased out of the basement. Standing outside the academy’s teaching building, she felt the spring breeze blowing in her face and felt a moment of daze.
Spring had arrived quickly. The campus was now full of vibrant life, surrounded by playful students, while Ximo stood there foolishly, sticking out like a sore thumb.
So her school life had quietly begun just like that?
Following her memory back to her dorm, she sensed students recognizing her along the way. With her assassin’s sharp perception, Ximo noticed nearly half the students sneaking glances at her and whispering.
Weird… Was she that famous at the academy? Besides Melrose and Xiliya, she didn’t know anyone here, right?
Back at the dorm, Ximo realized she’d overlooked one person—her roommate Mira. Guess she still wasn’t that familiar with the overbearing young lady.
“Ximo?” Mira looked surprised to see her return. “You’re back just like that? Your body’s okay now?”
“Oh right!” Mira hurriedly rummaged on the desk for something. “This came to the dorm via the Principal earlier. He wants you to visit his office and talk once you’re awake.”
Ximo took it—a short message in an ornate invitation envelope.
Huh? The Principal?
Ximo was baffled. Why did it feel like she’d woken up as some big shot at the academy? Melrose wanted to see her, the Principal wanted to see her, people stared at her on the way… What the heck had happened while she was out?
