Episode 41: Angel in White?

“Excuse me.”

I knock on the door to the infirmary from outside.

This is a simple task – I just need to hand the paper I received from Kiril-sensei to the infirmary teacher, confirm there are no abnormalities with my body, and I’m done.

Just that. I’m not really sure if there’s even a point to doing this… Well, I suppose the teachers have their reasons.

Looking at the schools from my previous life, it seems like problems can arise from these kinds of small oversights.

“…Excuse meee.”

Anyway, setting that aside, there’s no response from the infirmary.

I raise my voice just a bit and knock once more.

…But there’s no sound of movement beyond the door.

That’s strange.

Is the teacher not here?

Since Kiril-sensei sent me here, it doesn’t seem like they’d be off duty.

…But well, considering it’s her we’re talking about…

She doesn’t seem like the type to keep track of whether people are in or out, and considering today is the entrance ceremony, it wouldn’t be strange if they were on break.

In that case, what should I do with this paper?

Should I try the staff room once?

After being troubled in front of the door for several minutes, just as I decide to go visit Kiril-sensei…

The door in front of me opens slightly.

“Oh! Ah, excuse me. I was told by sensei to come here…”

I reflexively spin out words… but something seems off.

The door is barely open.

Really, there’s only enough of a gap to peek through.

“You, a new student?”

“Eh, ah. Yes. That’s right.”

Maybe the lights aren’t on – the other side of the room is dark and I can’t see.

However, from that darkness I hear an extremely languid voice.

“Hmm… Alright, come in.”

Saying that tersely, the door closes with a clatter.

Rather than closing it, it’s more like they let go of the doorknob.

This is different from what I expected, but I guess I’ve been given permission to enter… is that okay?

“Excuse… me.”

Cautiously, I pull open the door in front of me.

The inside of the infirmary has a dim atmosphere.

Since the sun is still out it’s not pitch black, but conversely, the only light source I can find is faint sunlight.

There’s no such thing as electric lights in this world, but there are things to illuminate rooms fairly well, like light from magic or candle flames.

With that in mind, for it to be this dark, I wonder if there’s some intention behind it.

“What happened on your first day? Injury? Illness?”

“No, there’s nothing particularly wrong with my mind or body, but───”

I’m addressed again with that downbeat atmosphere… a androgynous voice.

I turn toward the voice’s owner and try to explain the situation.

However, what came into view didn’t really seem like a teacher at all.

After all, that person’s clothing was mainly white with red accents on a crisp fabric.

In short, it indicated they were a student in the knight department.

“…Could you possibly be… a student?”

“…I am.”

No, even if you look at me like “what are you stating the obvious for…”

Of course I’d be surprised.

It’s not a teacher but a student responding, and on top of that they’re in the infirmary at this time – there’s plenty of room for questions.

“Um, is the infirmary teacher here? I’d like to receive something like a confirmation signature…”

“Sensei isn’t here right now.”

“Ah, is that so. That’s… troubling.”

I wanted to ask where they were too, but from the looks of it, they probably don’t know.

Well, there are other things I’d really like to interrogate them about, but now isn’t the time for that…

“So, why did you come here?”

They continue the conversation as is, and she… probably she, asks me. The uniform is pants, and the voice and facial features could be either boyish or feminine, so I can’t judge.

…Hmm, I feel like there’s no point telling this person, but oh well.

“Well, I had a duel───”

I explained the gist of things, this and that.

I thought they’d be surprised since it’s something like this on the first day of enrollment, but her expression listening remained a faint smile throughout without changing.

This lack of response reminds me of Eleanore when I first met her… or not.

“Heh. Could you be the valedictorian kid?”

When I finish talking, she asks that.

“…As you say. It seems I’m this year’s valedictorian.”

“Even I’ve heard rumors about you. ‘Test Breaker Arcs,’ right?”

Ugh. To think I’d have to hear that name here too.

I don’t accept that this unwanted nickname has spread.

If I duel in the future, will I have to introduce myself as “Test Breaker”…?

Well, I’d rather avoid duel troubles for a while though.

“Right. That’s why even though you had a duel, you’re perfectly fine. Because you’re strong.”

“Well… I suppose that’s how it turns out.”

I can’t make the argument that I’m uninjured because I’m strong, but I guess that’s the result.

In the end, I didn’t take a single hit after all.

“…So, you want sensei’s signature, right. If you’re uninjured, you don’t need an examination.”

“That’s right. If I could receive it, that would be…”

When I show her the paper I received from Kiril-sensei, she says:

“Then, I’ll write it for you.”

With a flick, she snatches the paper from my fingertips and starts writing something with a pen at hand.

It was such a surprise attack that I couldn’t react, and I couldn’t immediately grasp what was happening either, so I was dumbfounded for just a moment.

“Eh, wait, what are you doing?! Your signature won’t───”

I hastily tried to stop her but it’s too late.

She shows me what she’s written and raises the right corner of her mouth slightly.

“Don’t worry. I have a good memory. I remember sensei’s handwriting, so anyone who sees this will think it’s sensei’s.”

In the signature field on the handed paper, characters are indeed written in expert calligraphy.

Well, it’s just expert calligraphy – I can’t determine if this really resembles the infirmary teacher’s handwriting.

I don’t even know the teacher’s handwriting in the first place…

“…”

“Well, if you get scolded, you can give my name. You probably won’t get scolded though.”

As I freeze while staring at the handed paper, she says that as if it’s nothing.

“Ah, you don’t know my name. ‘Taylor Subnock,’ I don’t know if we’ll be involved going forward, but nice to meet you.”

An unfamiliar name.

I suppose they’re a character not in the main story.

…But wait, what does she mean that I won’t get scolded if I give her name?

I have too many questions building up.

“Well then, I’m going to sleep. Let yourself out.”

However, decisively saying that as if she doesn’t care about my concerns, she gets into a bed installed in the infirmary and swiftly closes the curtain.

…No, she acts really at home here.

Just what kind of person is she… this Taylor?

Though many things remained unclear, I headed toward Kiril-sensei.

To conclude, it wasn’t discovered that she had written the signature.

Whether this reason is because what Taylor said was true, or simply because Kiril-sensei’s confirmation was sloppy, I don’t know.