Camila’s heart skipped a beat, but on the surface, she only showed a perfectly timed hint of confusion and weakness.
She frowned slightly, as if trying to remember, then shook her head gently, her voice sounding a bit weak.
“I… when I saw my sister get hurt, my mind went blank… Later, there seemed to be a blinding light and a terrifying presence… after that, I didn’t know anything.”
She paused and added.
“After I woke up… I was here.”
She spoke half-truths, casting her gaze down to her fingers interlaced on the sheets. The lingering headache served as the perfect cover for her pale complexion and slightly dazed expression.
Korova watched her quietly for a few seconds, her emerald eyes deep, as if evaluating every nuance of her words.
The ward fell silent for a moment, save for the faint sound of the wind outside. Ophelia tightened her grip on Camila’s hand, her ice-blue eyes staring warily at the Academy Principal, silently conveying a sense of pressure.
A few seconds later, Korova suddenly burst into a giggle, and that faint sense of scrutiny vanished with it.
She gave the Miss An in her arms a tight hug and swung her legs.
“Oh my, is that really how it was? Well, never mind. Don’t force yourself if you can’t remember. It’s a good thing the Dark Chimera was dealt with anyway. It’s a pity we don’t know where that Evil Beast Tamer went… but then again, if their status is unknown, they’re as good as dead.”
She waved her hand, appearing as though she wouldn’t probe further.
“As long as you two little ones are alright. You’ve really worked hard this time, especially student Camila. Recover well and make sure there aren’t any lingering issues.”
She hopped off the chair, walked to the door, then turned back and winked.
“The matter of compensation is settled, then. Once student Camila can get out of bed, you can come find me anytime. Make sure to get plenty of rest~”
The small white figure disappeared outside the door, the sound of footsteps gradually fading away.
The ward became quiet again. Ophelia finally relaxed her tense shoulders and let out a soft breath.
She turned her head, carefully examining Camila’s face, her fingertips gently touching the edge of the gauze on her temple.
“Does it still hurt?”
“……I’m okay.”
Camila quirked the corner of her mouth.
“My head is just a bit dizzy, and I don’t have much strength.”
Ophelia was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked.
“Milla, do you really still want to stay at the academy?”
Her gaze was serious and impossible to avoid.
“Don’t worry about the compensation just now, or what I think. If you don’t want to stay, we can leave right now. We can go anywhere.”
Camila was stunned by Ophelia’s words.
Leave? To be honest, after experiencing something like this, she had deep doubts about the security of this academy. Although she had complained while playing the game that it was no better than a certain Kingdom of Light, experiencing it firsthand led her to evaluate it as “not that safe.”
But… if she left, Ophelia would most likely drop out as well.
In the original work, her sister’s growth and key relationships were almost all closely linked to the Mistra Academy of Magic. Although the plot was now heading in some strange direction like a runaway horse, who knew what even more ridiculous chain reactions would occur if they completely left this main stage?
“I want to stay,” she replied, her tone carrying a hint of conflict.
“It’s… actually quite nice here. And, I seem to have… made some friends.”
As she said those words, she herself felt a bit dazed.
Friends? The word was somewhat foreign to her.
In her previous life, she had been all alone, with almost no need for social interaction. After earning enough money to survive from work, the greatest joy in life was playing various games, led by titles like “Tarora Continent” and “ZMD,” until her reincarnation.
In this life, she had spent the first twelve years busy being “self-disciplined” and hiding secrets, and after that, her whole mind was focused on dodging the plot. Unless necessary, building deep connections with people was clearly not in her plan.
But Ophelia’s eyes suddenly lit up, as if a warm sun had abruptly shone onto an ice field.
An unmasked, brilliant smile blossomed on her face. That pure joy almost dispelled the exhaustion of guarding her for days.
“Really? That’s wonderful!”
She carefully hugged Camila again, her movements much gentler this time.
“I’m happier than anything that you can make friends. You used to always stay by yourself…”
If Ophelia was the “cold on the outside, warm on the inside” type, then Camila was the exact opposite—she was the “warm on the outside, cold on the inside” type.
In Ophelia’s impression, her younger sister had always been a lively and cheerful child. There were many people surrounding her, but almost none could truly enter her heart.
And now, Camila actually said she “made friends.” How could Ophelia not be happy?
Camila let her hold her, a complex ripple stirring in her heart. Her sister’s happiness was so simple and direct, just because of the point that “her sister might have made friends.”
After hugging for a while, Ophelia let go, as if suddenly remembering something.
“By the way, are you hungry? You’ve slept for three days, supported only by Magic Potions. Do you want me to get you something to eat?”
Hearing her say that, Camila immediately felt her stomach grow empty and frantic, and her head seemed to spin even more.
“Hungry.”
She nodded honestly, feeling as if she could devour a whole cow alive right now.
“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Ophelia tucked the corners of the quilt for her, checked if the call bell on the bedside table was within reach, and then turned to walk quickly out of the ward, gently closing the door.
The sound of footsteps faded, and the faint voices outside also gradually disappeared. The ward fell completely silent, leaving only the sound of Camila’s own breathing and the extremely faint rustle of leaves outside the window.
Sunlight shone through the glass, casting bright spots on the clean floor. The air was filled with a faint scent of disinfectant.
Camila didn’t move, just silently stared at the ceiling.
A few seconds later, she spoke in a low voice, her words sounding exceptionally clear in the empty room.
“Lilith, are you there?”
There was no response.
She was not discouraged. She waited a while longer and continued.
“I know you can hear me. Come out, let’s talk.”
As the words fell, the air beside her hospital bed seemed to distort slightly, and the light dimmed for a moment.
In the next instant, that enchanting phantom with blood-red hair leaned lazily in mid-air, as if she had been there all along. The tip of Lilith’s projected finger twirled a strand of her long hair, her blood-colored eyes looking down at Camila with great interest.
“Oh my, looking for me so urgently? Did you miss me, my little darling~”
Her voice carried a cloying smile, as if it could drill directly into Camila’s mind.
“You couldn’t wait to see me right after waking up? It’s truly touching.”
Camila had no reaction to her teasing, only calmly looking into those bottomless blood-red eyes.
“What price do I need to pay?”
Lilith blinked, appearing somewhat surprised by her directness. Then, she smiled even more seductively, her illusory body drifting forward until she almost touched the tip of Camila’s nose.
“A price? Hehehe, what I want, I have already obtained~”