Applied Healing is going to be an interesting class, I think.
The assignment itself isn’t even that bad. We just have to determine the minimum Tier or Class rarity required for each of the four major healing disciplines to unlock full restoration capabilities.
Thanks to the textbook Professor Vaelinne handed out before we left for the hospital, it probably won’t even take very long.
Indexes are amazing.
Sadly, the hospital visit itself was disappointingly short.
We’d barely even gotten a proper look around before the tour was already ending.
Professor Vaelinne guided us through several of the major wings, explained where we’d be reporting for future classes, pointed out a few restricted areas students weren’t allowed to enter without supervision, and then promptly dismissed us.
All in less than twenty minutes.
No dramatic surgeries, amazing feats of healing, or even medical emergencies to be seen.
Not that I wish emergencies to happen... I’m just bored. I was expecting something a little more exciting than a sterile building and quiet residents.
A bit of noise would have done wonders to liven the place up.
Lisa must have thought the same, because she was easily the loudest person in the entire building, subjecting all with ears to her endless curiosity.
But the Professor never scolded her for it. If anything, she seemed happy to see someone so keen on learning.
Still, even from the brief tour, the Academy Hospital is absurd.
Entire wings are dedicated to different healing disciplines, with glowing signs hanging overhead to mark them. Water healers occupied one side of the structure almost entirely, while Nature healing sections looked more like indoor gardens than medical facilities.
One hallway even had actual trees growing through the floor and ceiling.
Because apparently that’s normal.
The place also smells aggressively clean, despite the invasion of nature.
I have absolutely no idea how they managed that, though after asking the Professor in one of the rare moments Lisa took a breath, it turned out to be fairly simple.
Magic. Enchantments meant to keep a place clean and sterilized, specifically.
I felt a little silly after that, but I figure it’s better to ask than not—especially since the Professor seems so willing to answer nearly anything.
After leaving, Lisa somehow appoints herself my traveling companion.
She talks almost nonstop the entire walk, bouncing wildly between topics with terrifying speed.
Healing theories.
Food.
Whether the professor’s antlers are smooth or rough.
If losing a tail would hurt more emotionally or physically.
I shut that last one down hard because I’d really rather not think about it.
By the time we finally reach the dormitory entrance, I’m starting to run out of responses.
Then Lisa hugs me, a soft purr rumbling through her entire body as she does.
Not a gentle hug, either. It’s more like a full-body glomp thanks to her all but pouncing on me.
I freeze like a statue, momentarily stunned and equally confused by the suddenness of it.
Then she pulls away with a grin. “I hope we have some more classes together this week! It’s really fun to break down all those grumpy barriers. Don’t be a stranger, Emilia.”
Before I can respond properly, she’s already wandering off to one of the dorm buildings, tail swishing gracefully as she hums to herself.
How do I even respond to someone like that?
I shake my head, completely at a loss.
She’d probably get along with Cari pretty well.
I have a sudden, terrifying thought, conjuring the image of them both ganging up on me, and it sends a shudder down my spine, straight into my tail.
Nope. Not going to introduce them. That’s just bad news for me all around.
When I step into our suite, Bella is already seated at the table in the central lobby with several textbooks spread around her in organized stacks.
A notebook rests beside her hand, half-filled with neat writing.
She glances up as I enter.
“Welcome back.”
“You started studying already?”
“We have assignments already,” Bella says, pen scratching away at a notebook with a steady rhythm.
I stare at the mountain of books.
Then I groan.
“...Right. Me too.”
Before I can even start moving to the opposite couch to get started on my own assignments, Cari bursts out of her room dramatically.
“Ahh, that’s better. Oh, hey Emi!”
I stop to stare at her, immediately overcome with envy.
Cari looks incredibly pleased with herself.
Gone is the Academy uniform, replaced instead by an oversized cream-colored shirt hanging loosely off one shoulder and a pair of soft dark shorts that look ten times more comfortable than anything I’m currently wearing.
Her hair is messy, makeup washed away, and even her feet are bare.
“That,” I announce, pointing accusingly, “is a damned good idea.”
Cari beams smugly.
“I know.”
Bella pinches the bridge of her nose.
Without another word, I use my bangle to swap outfits.
My Academy uniform vanishes in a shimmer of mana, replaced instantly with soft sleep clothes.
Bella’s gaze flicks up automatically at the movement.
Then it lingers long enough for my stomach to immediately betray me.
By the time she casually returns to her notes, pretending nothing happened, my cheeks already feel dangerously warm.
Thankfully, Cari’s narrow-eyed glare interrupts the mess that is my emotions.
“That’s cheating,” she says.
I grin back at her, taking my way out. Planting my hands on my hips, I puff out my chest smugly, determined to outdo her earlier display.
“I know,” I say, mimicking her.
She huffs grumpily before flopping onto the couch with a pout, mumbling something about buying a storage item.
“That’s not a bad idea, you know,” Bella interjects, apparently having heard her grumpy murmurs. “Most students who attend the Academy are members of wealthy families already—or successful Delvers. In either case, they tend to have a storage item or two.”
Cari stares at her, eyes narrowed. “I’ve noticed. It’s unfair.”
By this point, I’d also reached the couch. I make a point to flop right on top of her.
She lets out a little squeak of surprise before trying to push me into a more comfortable position.
I purposefully go limp, just to make it more challenging.
“Ugh, you’re lucky you weigh about as much as a wet feather,” she harrumphes.
I just let out a pleased little hum, uncaring of her struggles.
A knock interrupts us before Cari can get completely free.
One of the Academy maids enters moments later carrying several trays atop a floating cart.
The smell hits almost immediately.
Both Cari and I visibly lock onto the food like starving animals, and Bella sighs when she notices.
“You two always look completely enchanted whenever food arrives.”
“That’s because rich people food is incredible,” Cari says without shame.
I nod aggressively in agreement.
Even after a week, the food the Academy provides is absurdly good.
Granted, it may have something to do with us being in a noble’s suite, but still. It’s insane.
Large steaks covered in dark brown gravy sit at the center of each tray beside roasted vegetables, mushrooms, caramelized onions, fresh bread, sliced fruit, and tiny glass cups filled with some kind of iced drink.
There’s even strawberry cake.
Cari’s struggles to free herself intensify, and my tail wiggles with anticipatory glee at the absolute feast that awaits us.
“Emi,” Cari whines piteously, “Let me up! It looks so gooood.”
For a while, I force myself to suffer despite the siren call of the food, doing everything in my power to hold Cari captive.
Bella laughs softly under her breath at our antics, and I count that as a victory.
Defending my food from the tentacles after the fact is... significantly less pleasant.
***
The next morning is suffering.
Not because anything actually goes wrong, of course. Quite the opposite, really.
The Academy itself is beautiful this early in the morning, with pale golden sunlight just beginning to break the dark horizon, scattering the stars. A cool breeze brushes past us, ruffling hair, fur, and skirts alike, bringing with it the scents of morning dew.
Sadly, that doesn’t change the fact that I am all but dead to the world.
My body still hasn’t fully accepted the concept of mornings, nor do I intend to anytime soon.
Cari finds this hilarious.
“You look undead,” she says cheerfully as we walk through the crowded pathway leading to the transit platforms.
I moan, not unlike a zombie might.
Bella snorts softly beside me.
Cari grins wider at the sound.
“Oh, she’s getting worse. I think her soul is leaving her body.”
“My soul is still in bed,” I mutter.
Cari outright cackles.
Meanwhile, Bella merely watches me with entirely too much amusement in her eyes for someone who claims to care about me.
The worst part is that she somehow looks perfectly composed despite the early hour. Hair neat. Uniform immaculate. Not even a hint of exhaustion.
I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Perhaps a little.”
Betrayal everywhere, I see.
Cari’s route splits from ours at the transit platforms.
Apparently her Dungeon Ecology class isn’t until tomorrow, while Bella and I have it today.
“Try not to collapse before lunch,” Cari says as she steps backward toward her platform.
I grunt. “No promises.”
She waves, turning to walk away.
Then she pauses to look back at us over her shoulder, a sinister grin splitting her face.
“Oh, and good luck surviving being alone together.”
Both Bella and I freeze solid.
Cari’s grin somehow widens, then she escapes before either of us can retaliate.
I glance at Bella, finding her face flushed and eyes set straight ahead, as if looking elsewhere would be dangerous.
Cari's platform departs shortly after, ensuring her safety while leaving Bella and I alone together.
Or at least as alone as two people can be while surrounded by hundreds of noisy students moving between classes.
For a few moments, neither of us says much. Mostly because I’m still only partially conscious.
Unfortunately, that becomes a problem when I nearly walk directly into another student.
Bella catches my arm before I can collide with a harried boy, gently steering me around him without even breaking stride.
“Careful.”
Her hand doesn’t leave my arm.
“I’m trying,” I mumble.
“You walked directly toward him.”
“As far as I can tell, he materialized out of nowhere.”
Bella laughs quietly under her breath.
Gods, that sound really is unfair.
For a moment, we simply continue walking together through the morning crowds. When we finally make it to our platform, my brain betrays me.
Or... maybe it finally starts working properly.
Either way, after everything that happened during my estrus, and the days following, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to pretend I’m not crushing on Bella rather badly.
And if I’m not completely hopeless, it seems like she might feel similarly.
Probably.
...Maybe.
I shove the surge of doubt deep down before it can settle in.
Nope. I’m tired of second-guessing everything.
Bella glances toward me as we step onto another floating platform.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
You.
“I’m deciding whether or not you’re secretly evil,” I say instead.
“Mm,” Bella considers. “And?”
“The evidence is mounting.”
“How unfortunate.”
I nod solemnly.
“You are suspiciously pretty for someone claiming innocence.”
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them, and just as I’m about to feel embarrassed, Bella’s next step turns into a half-stumble.
Her cheeks gain the faintest hint of color. Her fluster is more than apparent to me, even if she hides it masterfully behind her Princess mask.
“...That hardly seems like evidence,” she says after a moment, voice noticeably calmer than I feel.
In for a copper...
“It is to me.”
I ignore the panic trying to burst to the surface. I ignore my racing heartbeat. I even ignore the overwhelming urge to look literally anywhere but at Bella.
Thankfully, she breaks eye contact before my embarrassment wins out, biting her lip as she attempts to regain some amount of composure.
Then she chuckles softly, the corner of her mouth twitching upward despite herself.
“...You’re unusually bold this morning.”
I give her my best mischievous grin.
“I blame the sleep deprivation.”
“Ah. Of course,” she muses, her cheeks darkening further as she hesitates for a moment.
Then she speaks, her voice barely a whisper.
“I... suppose I shall have to continue accompanying you in the mornings, then. Lest you flirt with strangers.”
Looking at her, I find Bella glancing at me uncertainly, as though suddenly worried about what I might say next.
For a moment, I’m too stunned to respond properly.
There’s something oddly genuine hidden beneath the teasing. Something that feels a little too close to jealousy for my poor heart to handle.
And something warm twists pleasantly in my chest anyways.
More importantly, it feels real.
Not playful teasing or obligatory banter, but interest.
Actual interest.
I grin.
“Mm...” I hum. “I suppose I can live with that.”
Authors note:
<3