“It’s absolute chaos, I’m telling you!”

Vivien tugged at Rael’s arm as she spoke.

“Wait, so you’re going there even though you’re not sick?”

“Come on! I really do have a fever.”

Vivien pointed to her forehead, where she had placed a towel. Anyone else might think it was a cold compress to reduce fever, but it was actually a warm towel.

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“I just want to see his face again. What’s the big deal?”

Vivien led Rael to the infirmary with a spring in her step.

“Look at that! The doorway is already packed with people!”

True to her words, the area in front of the infirmary was so crowded there was barely space to pass through.

“Is this a fan meeting or what?”

Rael grimaced at the sight of the students.

“Let’s get in line.”

“Vivien, look over there. If we line up now, we’ll get in around midnight.”

“Oh, come on! It’s almost lunchtime anyway, so he’ll come out soon! Let’s at least catch a glimpse of him then!”

Rael was about to ask if they shouldn’t be eating lunch at that time too, but her mouth closed at the sound of the infirmary door sliding open.

“Wow!”

“Teacher Juletan!”

“Kyaa! Here, please take this!”

When Juletan stepped out of the infirmary, students began offering him gifts. Vivien also scurried forward, straining to get a closer look at him.

‘What’s so great about that pretty face?’

Rael looked him over from head to toe. His curly black hair did have a sensual quality, but straight, neat hair would be better. Those red eyes with their gentle gaze might look better with a sharper edge.

As she mentally adjusted his features to her preference, Rubellan’s face suddenly overlapped with his.

‘What am I doing!’

Rael’s face flushed red. To think she was looking at the new health teacher and deciding Rubellan looked better. She must be going crazy.

“I haven’t seen you before. Are you here because you’re hurt?”

A gentle voice suddenly addressed Rael. Looking up, she found the health teacher standing right in front of her. His upper body was slightly bent to match her height, bringing him uncomfortably close. Rael took a hesitant step back.

“No. I’m not hurt anywhere.”

Hearing her guarded response, Juletan’s eyes slowly examined Rael from head to toe.

“That’s good. Be careful. There are many dangerous things at the Academy.”

Juletan patted Rael’s head once while staring directly into her eyes, then walked past her.

His action triggered exclamations from the students and drew envious glances. The situation felt awkward and uncomfortable.

“Wow! Rael, did you hit the jackpot?”

Vivien linked arms with Rael while rubbing the crown of her head where the health teacher’s hand had touched.

“…”

Rael stared silently at the floor, her feelings complicated.

“Why are you so stiff? Are you too happy?”

Not a chance.

Rael was stiff because she had goosebumps.

The hand that patted her head had been ice cold.

* * *

“You seem quite interested in the new teacher.”

After the magical pharmaceutics class ended, only Rubellan and Rael remained in the empty classroom.

Rubellan played with Rael’s hair, twirling it around his finger as he spoke.

“Huh?”

“I saw you earlier mixed in with the ant colony in front of the infirmary.”

Rael’s body twitched at Rubellan’s question. When had he seen that?

“Do you like his handsome face?”

Rael broke into a cold sweat at the sight of his eyes narrowing mischievously.

“Vivien dragged me there. I’m not interested at all.”

Why did she feel the need to explain herself so thoroughly? This situation was extremely uncomfortable.

“Hmm…”

Rubellan leaned casually against the desk, looking up at Rael.

“What did that guy say to you?”

“He didn’t say anything special.”

He did say something, but she had forgotten his words because she was startled by his cold hand.

What was it again?

“Dangerous…”

Rael muttered, trying to recall.

“That there are many dangerous things at the Academy?”

“Ah, yes.”

Rubellan’s hand, which had been propping up his chin, dropped. The hand that had been playing with Rael’s hair also fell away.

“That’s right. You should be careful.”

Come to think of it, the Academy had been unsettled lately. There were the student disappearances, and now monsters attacking. Why had the once peaceful Academy become like this?

And above all…

Rael’s gaze fell on Rubellan.

The being in front of her was equally suspicious.

Rubellan, who had appeared out of nowhere. The strange experience of her body heating up when they kissed. And the explosion incident. Perhaps Rubellan was at the center of all these strange occurrences. Such suspicions crossed her mind.

“You be careful too.”

“Are you worried about me?”

Rubellan stood up and approached Rael. A faint sweet scent wafted from him as he drew near.

Rael swallowed hard.

“If something happens, will you protect me?”

Rubellan’s cold hand traced Rael’s jawline. His lowered eyes moved to her lips. Rael quickly stood up from her chair.

She absolutely could not let those lips touch hers! What would happen afterward was all too predictable.

“I don’t have that kind of ability. Take care of yourself.”

Honestly, even the guard dogs at the Academy knew that Rubellan’s magical skills far surpassed her own. She turned away firmly.

“How cold. After we’ve been so intimately entangled.”

“Hey!”

Rael turned back to Rubellan, looking around nervously to see if anyone had heard.

“Yes, senior?”

Rubellan smiled with a proper face, displaying no hint of his previous vulgar remarks.

“W-watch your words.”

Rael pressed her hand to her forehead and headed for the door again.

That incident was clearly the worst mistake she had ever made. Who could she blame? Why had she sought out Rubellan because of mere curiosity?

“Sigh…”

Everything was a mess. The Academy, her own affairs.

Would her Academy life be alright like this?

* * *

Bang!

“Ah!”

Rael, who had been drawing a magic circle, curled up in surprise at the explosion. The wood couldn’t withstand the magic circle and burst, showering her with debris.

“Rael!”

Startled students rushed toward her.

“…Oh.”

Fortunately, she had covered her face with her arms, resulting in only scratches and burns on her arms. Had her reaction been slower, the scars would have been on her face.

“My goodness, you’re badly hurt.”

“Rael, are you okay?”

The surprised teacher examined Rael’s body.

“Just my arm is a little injured.”

Rael grimaced as she looked at her bleeding arm. The pain was so intense she couldn’t tell if it felt hot or cold.

“Go to the infirmary right away.”

“Schmir, take her there.”

“Yes.”

Schmir supported Rael. She moved with heavy steps, feeling the pain radiating from her arm.

Lately, her mind had been scattered in too many directions. That was clearly why she couldn’t concentrate on drawing the magic circle.

“Huff…”

A sigh escaped her from the frustration.

* * *

“Oh my. That’s quite an injury.”

Juletan looked at the outstretched arm with a concerned expression.

“It’s just burns and light scratches. Just apply some medicine.”

Rael spoke, dismissing her injury as insignificant.

“But that might leave scars on your beautiful skin. I’ll heal it with magic.”

“It would heal on its own anyway.”

“Patients just need to hold out their arms.”

Juletan buttoned his loose white coat with a solemn expression.

“…Alright.”

There was no reason to refuse when he offered to heal it with magic. She could have asked Bastian for help with this level of injury, but for shallow external wounds, healing magic was sufficient.

No, as she said, simply applying medicine would heal it cleanly except for faint scars.

Juletan pulled his chair over and sat in front of Rael. She perched on the bed and extended her arm.

Come to think of it, on this bed…

Suddenly, an embarrassing memory surfaced.

Juletan held her wrist and raised his other hand above her arm, careful not to touch the wound.

Magical healing always gave her a creepy feeling. Forcibly mending flesh felt different from the pain of being injured, but it definitely felt unpleasant.

“I told you to be careful.”

“Pardon?”

“I said there are many dangerous things.”

She had thought it was just a passing comment. More surprising was that he remembered their brief interaction.

During the treatment, Juletan remained quiet. Rael slowly examined his lowered face.

Indeed, his appearance was worthy of the female students’ admiration. With his smooth skin and soft facial features, he could pass for a woman if his hair were longer.

Rael’s gaze moved to his wrist. His hands were still cold.

“Your hands are cold.”

The thought she had been keeping to herself slipped out. Juletan’s eyes lifted at her words. He was observing her, trying to gauge the meaning behind her comment.

“Are there many people with cold hands…”

Didn’t most people maintain some body heat? Especially now in summer.

“I have poor circulation in my hands and feet. Your hands are quite warm, Rael.”

His thumb brushed across her palm.

“Oh.”

Poor circulation. Then perhaps Rubellan’s cold touch was simply due to the same reason.

“Someone else had cold hands too?”

“Ah… yes.”

“A boyfriend?”

“What?”

Rael’s face stiffened at the subtle question.

“Not at all. Just…”

Rael struggled to find the right term to describe him. He wasn’t a friend. There wasn’t a shred of flimsy friendship between them.

Just a junior? Did people normally get intimate with someone who was just a junior? But she and Rubellan were certainly not in a relationship that could be labeled as lovers.

“Just someone I know.”

It was remarkable how few words there were to describe him.

“There, the wound has healed completely.”

At Juletan’s words, Rael, who had been lost in thought, looked down at her arm.

“Oh, thank you.”

The scratches and faint burn marks had disappeared completely. Fascinated, she rubbed her arm with her hand. Watching her, Juletan smiled with crinkled eyes.

“By the way, Rael.”

“Yes?”

Juletan was still sitting in front of her, blocking her way.

“I’m curious about something.”

What could the new health teacher possibly be curious about regarding her?

“What is it?”

“There’s a sweet scent coming from you. I was wondering what perfume you use.”

“What? Perfume?”

Rael tilted her head in confusion.

“I don’t use perfume.”

“Ah…”

Juletan’s eyes widened slightly.

“I see.”

The corners of his mouth turned up significantly.

“Thank you for treating me.”

Rael got up from the bed and hurried out.

“Oh, wait.”

Juletan stopped Rael as she was about to open the door.

“Yes?”

“I forgot something.”

He rolled up Rael’s sleeve again. Then, after muttering something, black writing appeared on her arm.

“What is this?”

When Rael frowned at the eerie sight, Juletan smiled reassuringly and stroked her arm.

“It’s a device that lets me know immediately if there are any side effects. It will disappear automatically in a few days, so don’t worry. Magic treatments often have side effects, you know.”

“Ah…”

Rael nodded at what seemed like familiar information.

“I understand. I’ll be going now.”

“Come again.”

Juletan waved to Rael as she opened the door and left.

Click. The door closed.

After she left, Juletan leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. A sweet scent still lingered where she had been. What irritated him was that another familiar scent was mixed in with it.

* * *

That night, Rael, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly rose and began heading somewhere.

In her nightgown with bare feet. Her eyes lacked focus. She moved like she was still asleep.

Walking barefoot on the dirt path, Rael’s body moved in a bewitched manner. The black marking on her arm had turned red.

Her blue eyes were filled with a dark energy.

Step, step.

Slowly climbing stairs so dark she couldn’t see an inch in front of her, her destination was the infirmary.

At the end of the long corridor, just as she was about to reach it.

“Senior.”

Someone grabbed Rael’s wrist and waist, almost embracing her. Her body, which had been moving in a daze, went limp.

“Senior.”

Rael still hadn’t regained her senses. Her eyes stared blankly into space. Rubellan lifted her body and placed her on the windowsill. Then he rolled up her sleeve.

Seeing the red glowing mark there, Rubellan’s cold gaze briefly touched the infirmary door before looking away.

“Wake up.”

Rubellan supported the back of Rael’s neck with one hand and pulled her chin with the other. Yet her eyes remained clouded with dark energy.

Seeing this, Rubellan bent down. He captured her slightly parted lips in one swift motion.

His red tongue entered her mouth, coiling around hers. Faced with the suddenly wet kiss, the dazed Rael had to swallow the rising fluid in her mouth.

The passionate kiss continued, and the heat that stimulated her consciousness, which had been engulfed in darkness, gradually cleared Rael’s mind. At that moment, the mark engraved on her arm silently disappeared. Through her blurry vision, between strands of black, flowing hair, she could see alluring red eyes gazing at her.

Rael raised her limp hand and pulled at Rubellan’s shirt collar. Whether this was a dream or reality, she didn’t know, but the kiss was too sweet. Not wanting to cool her body, which was heating up with anticipation and desire, she pressed against him. Rubellan’s hand slipped inside Rael’s nightgown.

Heat was rising in the cool, dark, empty corridor.

“Rubellan…”

When the moist voice broke from Rael’s throat, it was no longer Rael whose mind was clouded, but Rubellan.

His hand boldly lifted her nightgown skirt.