Aier’s empathy still won out in the end.
She just couldn’t bring herself to leave someone shivering in pain all alone—especially since this person had just (in a very strange way) treated her to ice cream.
Letting out a helpless sigh, Aier resigned herself to fate, stepped forward carefully, and gently supported Donna’s arm, helping her up.
Donna obediently leaned against Aier, but her mouth was still unwilling to concede. “Hmph… It’s not because I trust you… I won’t thank you, and I definitely won’t like you!”
Aier: “……”
Wait, why would you even like me in the first place?
Even Aier, who prided herself on her quick wit, was left speechless by this.
“Yeah, yeah, save your strength and take a break, Miss.” Aier could only reply wearily to this little troublemaker, who was so stubbornly tsundere that she couldn’t forget her pride even in pain. Half dragging, half supporting her, Aier headed toward the infirmary Mary had shown her the other day.
The academy’s infirmary was located in the Potionmaking Department’s exclusive area. Rather than a place for medical treatment, it was more like a fully equipped potion laboratory.
Other than a short-haired female school nurse and four beds, the entire space was almost entirely filled with potion racks, cauldrons, distillation equipment, and crystal bottles and jars containing all sorts of colorful liquids. The air was thick with a mysterious scent that made one feel light-headed.
The female school nurse, who had been searching for something on a shelf, heard the commotion and turned around, her gaze landing on Donna.
“What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
“She ate too much ice cream on an empty stomach, and ate it way too fast.” Aier explained concisely, struggling to help Donna—who was practically hanging on her—onto the nearest bed.
She had just let out a sigh of relief and was about to slip away.
The next second, her wrist was suddenly grabbed tight!
What the—? Aier turned to look.
“You can’t leave, you have to stay with me!” This little troublemaker, who looked like she was about to curl up from the pain, somehow found the strength to grab Aier’s wrist in a death grip—she couldn’t break free no matter how hard she tried.
The next instant, Xie Yier’s icy gaze flashed through Aier’s mind like a reflex!
Aier jolted as if she’d been shocked, instantly shaking off Donna’s hand, leaping back two steps like a startled rabbit!
“What are you doing? Do you think I’m covered in poison or something?” Donna flared up instantly, forgetting even her stomach cramps as she struggled to sit up and argue.
Aier even started to suspect that Donna might be faking it—she sure looked like she still had plenty of strength.
“I haven’t had lunch yet. I’m going to eat now.”
“I haven’t eaten either!”
Aier wanted to cry but had no tears.
She just couldn’t understand why this girl was so clingy with her.
“Young lady, you should take care of your health. Eating a lot of cold food on an empty stomach overwhelms your body’s ability to adjust.” The school nurse, acting as if nothing strange had happened, reached out and precisely picked a delicate little bottle filled with pale blue liquid from a shelf lined with all sorts of strange plants.
She walked to Donna’s bedside and handed her the bottle. “Here, Cold Resistance Potion. It’s made to ease acute stomach spasms and circulation issues caused by cold foods. Drink it and rest for a dozen minutes—you’ll feel much better.”
Then the nurse turned to look at Aier, who was doing her best to shrink into the shadowy corner of the room, as if Donna had some contagious disease she was afraid to catch.
Seeing Aier deliberately keeping her distance, the nurse gave a knowing yet helpless smile, thinking to herself how clueless young people were these days. It’s so hard to find a girlfriend now.
“You, young lady.” The nurse raised her eyebrows at Aier with a bystander’s curiosity, and gestured toward the girl lying on the bed. “Since you brought her here, please keep an eye on her. Wait until she feels better before you go. Don’t worry, classes haven’t officially started today—being a little late is fine.”
Aier: It’s not about class! If I don’t leave soon, even Strongbody Potions will be prescribed for me at this rate!
“Perfect, it’s my lunch break. I’ll bring both of your lunches back with me.” The nurse didn’t give Aier any chance to refuse, and briskly turned to leave the infirmary, even “thoughtfully” closing the door behind her.
Aier: “……”
Nooooo~~~~
The moment the nurse left, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Donna downed the pale blue potion, which carried a cool, minty aroma. The chilly liquid slid down her throat, instantly bringing a wave of soothing relief. Sure enough, her stomach cramps eased as if they’d been frozen by invisible ice.
With her body feeling better, her usual pride returned.
She leaned back against the headboard, shooting a sidelong glance at Aier, who was still huddled in the corner, and raised her chin in an even more awkward tone:
“Hmph! Don’t think I’ll be grateful just because you stayed with me! And I definitely won’t like you because of it! Got it?!”
Aier: “……”
If that’s the case, then can you please stop clinging to me…? These words were already on Aier’s lips, but she swallowed them back down.
She was starting to regret getting involved with this girl just because she was greedy for ice cream.
If she’d known, she wouldn’t have been tempted…
Aier silently dragged a chair from the corner, placing it as far from Donna’s bed as possible—right by the door—then sat down.
With this action, she silently declared her desire to keep her distance.
Donna noticed this little detail, and for some reason, her heart gave a little flutter.
“I want some fruit tea. Go buy it for me.”
In truth, Donna wasn’t thirsty, nor did she really want something to drink.
But her tsundere pride left her clueless about how to ease the awkward atmosphere. Besides, the girl in front of her didn’t say a single word, acting like a block of wood.
Donna just wanted to make conversation, but instinctively ended up asking Aier to buy her fruit tea. The moment she said it, she regretted it.
Why chase her away when she’d finally gotten a chance to be alone together?
Aier took a deep breath. “Where am I supposed to buy it? There’s only one cafeteria in the whole academy, and they don’t even sell drinks right now. Besides, we’re not even close. I… I… Why should I serve you?”
She’d agonized over that last sentence for a long time, finally mustering up the courage to say it.
She just hoped the other girl wouldn’t hit her for it. Donna might look just as petite as she was, but she was strangely strong—like a little lion cub.
But for her own safety, Aier felt it was necessary to draw a clear line.
Awooo~~~ I’m fierce, don’t come near me! (=`^´=)
However, in Donna’s eyes, Aier’s attempt at intimidation wasn’t even worth a sneeze.
Donna even felt a bit relieved, glad that Aier could use this excuse to escape.
Donna continued, “Then be my attendant, the kind that comes whenever I call and takes care of everything for me. I’ll pay you five Gold Coins a month—how about it?”
Aier: “No, no, really, that’s not necessary, thank you.”
An attendant? If Xie Yier finds out, I’ll be dead for sure.