Chapter 21: Celeste’s Unease

The academy’s required courses were few, and with the final class dismissed, the sky remained remarkably bright.

As Celeste gathered her books, preparing to leave the classroom, she suddenly overheard the hushed discussions of several classmates in the hallway.

“Have you heard? Liyang seems to have fallen quite ill; she hasn’t been to school these past few days.”

“Shh… From what I understand, she isn’t sick at all. It seems she was injured, and rather severely at that.”

“Injured? What happened?”

“It sounds like she ran into some trouble, perhaps with some villains? Weren’t there a lot of guards patrolling the streets a few days ago, and even the court mages were dispatched? The rumor is it’s all connected… but I’m just repeating what I heard.”

Liyang?

The image of the Dragonkin girl surfaced in Celeste’s mind.

Indeed, she hadn’t been seen in class for several days.

Liyang was a somewhat peculiar child.

Despite her excellent grades and high magical aptitude, she always kept to herself, rarely conversing with anyone.

In fact, since the start of the semester, Celeste and she hadn’t exchanged more than three sentences.

Naturally, everyone’s personality differed, and Celeste saw nothing wrong with Liyang’s solitary nature.

Dismissing the matter from her mind, she strode towards the dormitory building.

The academy offered complimentary single dorm rooms to students with outstanding performance, yet few girls chose to reside in them.

After all, the daughters of nobility much preferred the comfort of their spacious homes outside the campus to a single dorm room.

Celeste pulled out her key as usual, but as she rounded the staircase corner, she witnessed a peculiar sight.

For some unknown reason, a young girl lay sprawled before her door, seemingly unconscious.

“Oh? Are you alright?” Celeste rushed over instantly.

Gently turning the girl over, she finally saw the pallid cheeks and the two curved dragon horns adorning her head.

“Li-Liyang?”

Celeste froze.

Why was Liyang unconscious at her dorm room door? Could she have been looking for Celeste?

She vigorously shook Liyang’s body, but the girl remained utterly unresponsive.

Having no other recourse, Celeste could only hoist Liyang onto her back and hurry towards the academy’s infirmary.

“Hmm… This child appears to have been subjected to a considerably potent mental magic, and she has yet to recover from its after-effects.”

Inside the infirmary, the white-robed physician concluded this after a thorough examination.

Mental magic, a branch of white magic, is exceedingly difficult to cast, with very few individuals ever truly mastering it.

Correspondingly, dispelling it was no simple feat either.

“You must be Celeste, I’ve heard of you. Thank you for bringing her here,” the physician said, offering Celeste a faint smile.

“However, she has only temporarily lost consciousness; there are no major concerns. For now, let her rest.”

“Understood, thank you for your trouble.”

Celeste nodded her gratitude, and the physician promptly returned to their own duties.

A faint scent of medicinal herbs permeated the air.

Celeste drew aside the translucent gauze curtain, revealing Liyang lying peacefully on the pristine white sheets.

Even in slumber, her face remained exquisitely beautiful.

Her smooth skin and picturesque features, bathed in the setting sun, exuded a unique Eastern charm.

Though puzzled as to why Liyang, in such a weakened state, would seek her out, Celeste couldn’t bring herself to disturb the girl’s peaceful slumber.

She had intended to slip away quietly, but at that moment, Liyang suddenly opened her eyes.

Her eyes, still hazy with sleep, met Celeste’s gaze across the bedside.

As their eyes locked, an awkward expression crossed Celeste’s face.

“Uh, I’m sorry, did I wake you? I’ll just leave you to rest.”

“W-wait a moment…”

Hearing Celeste’s intention to depart, Liyang hastily called out to her.

However, her body remained weak, and her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.

“Hmm? Do you have something you wish to tell me?”

Liyang nodded emphatically.

“…Alright then, I understand.”

Celeste released the gauze curtain, pulled up a stool, and sat beside Liyang.

“What did you want to ask me?”

Liyang pursed her lips, deliberated for a moment, and then finally spoke.

“Um, do you know where Yalin is…?”

“Yalin?”

Celeste was utterly surprised.

She had considered numerous reasons for Liyang to seek her out, but it had never once occurred to her that it would be because of Yalin.

When had these two met? How was it that she knew absolutely nothing about it?

“I heard that you two have known each other since childhood… so I thought you might know where he lives… or something like that.”

“I’m not sure of his exact residence, but I do know he transferred to the Alchemy Department,” Celeste replied truthfully.

“The Alchemy Department… Then, perhaps, it’s not too late…”

Liyang struggled to prop herself up, attempting to rise, but Celeste quickly pressed her back down.

“Wait a moment, you’re not actually thinking of going to find him now, are you?”

“B-but… I have something important I need to tell him…”

“But not now! Please, you’re so weak; what if you faint again?” Celeste exclaimed, her face a mask of exasperation.

What was this girl thinking? Was she truly this impulsive? Celeste had never noticed it before.

“Besides, the Alchemy Department is vast; who knows where he might be? You definitely won’t find him if you go now. You should just lie down and rest!”

“A-alright then…”

Liyang, realizing she had been a bit too eager, could only obediently lie back down.

A brief silence descended upon the room.

Celeste sat on the stool, staring absently at her fingers for a moment.

After a moment of hesitation, she tentatively inquired, “Um, what exactly is your relationship with Yalin?”

“My relationship…?”

Liyang pondered with a hint of bewilderment.

Were they friends?

But Yalin had never once spoken to her.

He had simply rescued her from the priest’s grasp, then vanished without a trace, not even leaving a single word behind.

So, was he her savior?

Yet, that felt somewhat strange to say.

Suddenly, fragments of unspeakable memories flooded Liyang’s mind.

That day, Yalin had reached his hand inside her collar, and then…

“Ugh!”

Liyang’s face instantly flushed crimson, and it felt as if steam were about to rise from her head.

“O-our relationship… it’s a bit difficult to explain all at once…”

“Hmm?”

Celeste blinked.

‘This… this isn’t right, is it?’

‘What’s going on with Liyang?’

‘She’s usually so expressionless, isn’t she? Why does she look like a girl in love?’

‘And what does ‘difficult to explain’ even mean?’

‘What exactly happened between you two?’

“Um, tell me, you two aren’t… in a relationship, are you?”

“N-no, not at all, cough, cough…”

Liyang frantically waved her hands in explanation, but her agitation caused her to choke, leading to an uncontrollable fit of coughing.

“Y-you don’t have to rush. I was just asking casually; I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Startled, Celeste quickly helped her sit up from the bed, gently patting her back to help her regain her breath.

It took quite some time for Liyang to finally compose herself somewhat.

Celeste settled back into her seat.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, a heavy feeling weighed upon her heart, like a stone pressing down.

Her palms felt warm, and Celeste bit down on her lip.

‘There it is again, this feeling…’

‘Why, exactly, is this happening?’

‘Why won’t this vexatious irritation simply dissipate?’

A terrifying thought suddenly bloomed in her mind.

‘Could it be… that I’m jealous of them?’