Author's note: Sorry for late update, I was held up by other things (and my notifcations)

True to his words, Xue carried Cecil the clinic room in the academy. The door was open, hence, Xue just walked in and Cecil was quiet the entire time.

She had long given up to struggle, or even plead for Xue to let her down.

The clinic room was quiet, with unoccupied three white beds at the right side of the room with the curtains tucked neatly at corners of the bed. The other side was furnished with cupboards and counters that held medical equipments, herbs and flowers, along with containers were ointments.

There was a table at the end of the room, situated behind the large windows, the bright sunlight filtering through the blinds. There were documents and books scattered across the table, and the chair was empty.

Xue glanced around, seeing no signs of the healer in the room. He walked towards the bed, gently placing Cecil on it.

Cecil was more than eager to get out his arms.

"Xue, I'm fine now, you can go." Cecil forced a smile on her face.

Xue stood up straight, giving her an indifferent stare as he tapped his fingers on his arm.

Cecil was confused for a second, blinking.

His arm...?

Xue glanced down at her arm, and she followed his gaze.

Ah, the wound on my arm.

"It's alright, I'll get the ointment on my own--"

"I'll get it."

Xue walked off without another word, heading towards the cupboard that were filled with small containers, opening it up. It was made up of wood, with its exterior being glass to allow users to see through.

Cecil closed her mouth, furrowing her eyebrows at Xue.

Why is the lord protagonist being so fussy over a small scratch on my arm?

No, in the first place, why is he showing this much concern for me?

Cecil didn't know whether to feel touched at the lord protagonist openly showing his concern, or to feel guilty because this position should belong to Hana.

Xue was still browsing through the containers, looking utterly clueless. Cecil blinked in realisation, she forgot that Xue had no clue when it comes to anything medical.

Cecil got down from the bed, smiling to herself when her legs weren't numb anymore. She shuffled her way towards Xue, standing beside him.

"Let me get it, I've been here enough to know which ointment it is." Cecil stated, her eyes scanning the containers.

The healer always told me, the second row is where the basic ointments are at.

I just have to smell them, to know which one it is.

Cecil stretched her uninjured arm out, taking a container, lifting the cover, smelling it. "Not this one, it was more sweeter."

Xue gazed at the raven-haired woman beside him, the fragrance of herbs and flowers drifting off from her. She inhaled the scent of the ointment, shaking her head when it wasn't the one she was looking for.

"You are interested in medicine?" Xue questioned.

Cecil nodded with a hum. "Ever since I visited the healer after the tournament, I've been learning bit by bit. The medical books, books about herbs and flowers, I just find myself attracted to them, they are so interesting to read about. When we were still in the academy, I keep finding myself back here, asking the healer countless questions."

She babbled on without thinking, and Xue could hear the smile in her voice as she talked. He leaned against the cupboard, crossing his arms as he listened to Cecil attentively.

"Just thinking how one can create such powerful yet lifesaving elixirs or ointments, just using flowers and herbs, it fascinates me. For now, I'm still learning from the books and if I ever have the time, I'll try making some ointment. Ah, I should make ointments for both you and Hana so that--"

Cecil turned to look at Xue, her eyes bright and there was an excited smile on her face. It was then she noticed she had droned on, and the smile on her face froze.

Xue raised an eyebrow, a hint of smile on his lips.

"I...I got too passionate," Cecil coughed, glancing away. "Apologies."

Cecil squeezed her eyes close in embarrassment.

I was carried away! I must have bored him with my talking, yet the lord protagonist still stood there and listened to me!

[ Previous impression points : 59
Remaining impression points : 80
Protagonist "Xue" is ✸✸✸✸✸ ]

Cecil opened her eyes in shock, even with her eyes closed, she could still see the notification.

"What are you saying, AI500?"

[ What do you mean? ]

"I only see weird symbols when you are describing how Xue feels."

[ The notification was automatically generated and translated into your language.
It must be your eyes having problem~ ]

"What? My eyes?! You--"

[ I mean, it must be an error on our end.
We apologise, Cecil Lan, we are currently having some updates in the system~ ]

Cecil didn't want to start arguing with the system now, inhaling deeply.

"Well, this means he is in a very good mood, right?"

[ Yes~ ]

Cecil was gratified.

It was just another twenty more points and her impression points would be back to a hundred!

Xue took the opened container from her palm, his fingers brushing against her smooth skin.

She flinched, snapping out of her daze, glancing back at Xue.

"This is the ointment?"

Cecil blinked, nodding slowly, until she realised Xue was planning to apply it for her. He was preparing to dip his finger into the mixture, while his other hand was reaching out to her sleeve.

"I'll apply it!" Cecil snatched the container away. "I...I will apply it myself."

She couldn't believe that Xue was helping her to apply the ointment as well! Her heart couldn't take much more kind gestures from Xue.

I can't bear to sully those golden hands any longer! Carrying me all the way to the clinic was more than sufficient...

Xue raised his eyebrows.

Cecil gasped when Xue reached out to the container again, and she recoiled back, her eyes wide.

She was really insistent on applying the ointment by herself.

Xue stepped back, gesturing Cecil to continue, his gaze lukewarm.

Cecil rolled up her sleeves slowly, untying the knot on the bandage as it loosened, revealing the fair skin underneath the bandage. Her skin was slightly red and the blood around the wound was completely dried.

"Ah, I need to wipe the wound..." Cecil mused out, searching around for something to wipe and her hand shifted, causing the container to slip and she gasped.

Xue caught the container in time, fortunately, none of the lotion leaked out.

"Stay here, I'll find something to wipe the wound." Xue stated, walking off.

Cecil blinked in surprise, she didn't expect Xue to still be here while she dressed her wound.

She observed her wound, relieved to know that she didn't need stitches after all. It wasn't a deep wound, but she still needed to use the ointment to prevent any infections.

Xue came back with a damp cloth, and Cecil showed him her palm, gesturing for him to hand it over. Xue casually glanced at her outstretched hand...before leaning down and cleaning her wound with the damp cloth.

"..."

Cecil stood there with her hand still outstretched, speechless.

"...I was telling you to pass me the cloth..."

"You said you would apply the ointment yourself," Xue cleaned her wound gently, his voice light. "But you never said you would clean your wound yourself."

Cecil was speechless again.

She quietly withdrew her hand, staring at Xue in bewilderment. What made her more bewildered was seeing the protagonist cleaning her wound with a tender look on his face, and she didn't even feel the tiniest bit of pain as he did so.

Cecil had no doubt that Xue was treating her this nicely today since he got Hana back by his side. However, there is one thing she didn't understand.

If he is in a good mood, shouldn't he be spending time with Hana?

Why is the lord protagonist by my side instead?

A breeze blew in via the window, causing some of Cecil's hair to cover the wound, disturbing Xue from his meticulous cleaning. Cecil noticed it, hurriedly moving her hair away.

Xue glanced up, catching sight of her sweeping her hair to one side, exposing part of her pale, slim neck. Her long eyelashes fluttered, her eyes downcast as she combed through her tangled, black hair.

Another breeze blew in, causing the blinds to split wide open, and the sunlight streamed in, bathing Cecil in a warm light. She lifted her head up, staring at Xue with her crystalline onyx eyes, and a small smile adorned her plump lips.

"Sorry, my hair got in the way."

Xue's breathing slowed, and he could feel his heart thudding in his chest. His hand holding the damp cloth had already stopped moving.

"Thank you," Cecil spoke softly, taking the damp cloth from his hand. "I can handle it myself from here on, you should go and get changed."

His grey eyes followed her movements, and he did not say a word in response, neither did he move.

Seeing no reaction from Xue, Cecil blinked in confusion, her eyes meeting his grey ones.

"Why aren't you--"

Yet again, Cecil found Xue staring at her in that manner. Back in the hut, and back at the bandit's lair, it was the same impassioned stare.

Cecil felt a tickling sensation in her tummy and her palms, blinking rapidly as she looked away. She hastily placed the damp cloth on the table, taking the ointment, her knuckles grazing Xue's arm.

"I'll...I'll take the ointment first, I still need to get changed." Cecil stuttered out, frowning in confusion.

In the first place...I didn't even need to clean the wound since I would be showering.

What am I doing? Wasn't...wasn't the cleaning pointless then?!

The more Cecil thought about it, the more she realised how she could have taken the ointment and left the clinic immediately.

She looked back at Xue, still seeing the intense stare fixed onto her and she swallowed nervously.

"See you later, Xue." Cecil hastily spoke, scuttling off.

He watched her leave, his eyes never once leaving her until she was out of sight. Looking back at the damp cloth, he saw the stains of dried blood on them and he sighed, resting on the table.

Gazing at the spot on his arm where her knuckles grazed against, he lowered his head.

"Cecil Lan." He whispered out, his sensual lips touching the spot on his arm, and the same pair of lips curved into a smile.

Meanwhile, Cecil was still running down the corridor to her dorm room, still as puzzled.

***

"I can't see anything! Damnit Xue!"

"Of course you can't, he shut the connection off, didn't he?"

"I wanna see Cecil..."

"What did he shut off? What connection?"

The soul fragments on the inside were chatting among themselves.

Kai ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly, sighing. "Is he...is he getting his revenge back on me?"

"That sounds like something Xue would do." Alric nodded.

Kai narrowed his eyes at Alric and Zasiok. "It's because you guys didn't want to volunteer to help find Cecil, it was only me!"

"Bu-but, there was already someone else leading the way," Alric cowered. "I...I would faint if I had to talk alone to Xue. I would be of no use."

"Cecil would be fine either way," Zaisok shrugged. "And if it's any of us, we wouldn't stop until he gets Cecil, just like Xue."

"You were busy playing chess!" Kai pointed accusingly at Zasiok. "Stop acting confident!"

Zasiok cleared his throat.

"Did you seriously think I would hurt Cecil?" Leonaut raised his eyebrows, smirking. "Since all of us are the same, you should know."

"Shut it, this all started because of you." Kai glared at Leonaut.

Leonaut shrugged, still smirking. "So what does connection mean anyway?"

"Basically, it allows us to see Cecil. No connection, no Cecil," Zasiok stated calmly. "And it's truly your fault by the way, Kai is right."

"What?!" Leonaut dropped his smirk, his face twisting. "So that means we can't see Cecil anymore until Xue allows us to? Why?!"

"Whose fault do you think it is?!" Kai grabbed Leonaut by the collar, shaking him.

"What does me kidnapping Cecil and Hana have to do with this problem?"

"Everything!"

"Bullshit!"

The two men got into another scuffle.

Zasiok rolled his eyes. If Xue needed them, he would reconnect the link again, and they would see Cecil.

He didn't understand the need for panic.

Alric tried to play the mediator by taking out his chessboard and chess pieces. "Uh, ho-how about some chess? You don't need to fight again..."

"Chess?" Zasiok straightened his body, eyeing the chessboard eagerly. "Let's play, Alric."

Alric hesitated. "Ag-again?"

"Yeah, come on, put it down!" Zasiok rubbed his hands together, grinning. "This time I will win."

Alric wanted to cry without tears.

Zasiok has been saying that ten times in a row, and he never won once. Moreover, everytime he lost multiple times, he would throw a tantrum.

"What's wrong, Alric?"

"I-I got it, I got it," Alric nodded weakly. "Let's play some chess."

Alric wondered if he should let Zasiok intentionally win, just once...but Alric was afraid Zasiok would notice it.

In the end, Alric felt at a lost.

***

Cecil was in her dorm room, and every student had a room of their own. Moreover, every room was furnished with simple designs.

Cecil sat on her bed, her hair still slightly damp from the shower. She applied the ointment on her wound, mentally reminding herself to bring back the ointment to the clinic.

She was dressed in the academy's casual uniform and black shoes. The design of the uniform was similar to a kimono, but it lacked the flowery patterns, and it was completely plain. The top of the kimono was white in colour and the skirt represented the division a student was from.

Since Cecil was in the earth division, the skirt of her kimono was green.

Her backpack, which had been claimed back from Leoanut after he robbed them, was left open on the table. She had been organizing her things halfway.

She put down the ointment on the table, moving on to pack her backpack and she caught sight of a wooden flute. Bringing it out of her bag, she stared at the wooden flute broken in half.

"I can't believe I really brought it back," Cecil sighed, smiling helplessly. "Since I already did so, I should get it fixed and give it back to Leonaut."

Cecil started to organise a schedule in her mind, planning when she would head down to the town, and find an artisan to fix the flute for her.

***

《 start 》

Is she always this beautiful?

I...I never noticed it before.

Were her touches always this nice?

I never realised it.

Being this close to her feels nice.

I never realised it either.

Cecil Lan.

I never knew how pretty her name sounds.

...I...

I didn't know...

I didn't know liking someone can feel this wonderful.

《 stop 》

***

Author's note: I just realised how every soul fragment, and Xue, has carried Cecil in their arms. It's only Alric that hasn't, since he doesn't have the strength to do it in his original body, poor guy 🤧.