Chapter 144: How?

Though at first, I thought I was screwed, the nurse didn't actually do anything and just gave me a plate of salad and a glass of broccoli juice. My favorite.

And it was delicious too…

.

…

…..

No, it wasn't!

Why would it ever be?

I so, so wanted to groan.

Wasn't she the one who told me to eat meat? So why was she giving me veg? I still ate and drank everything though. Too hungry.

"Your mother is going to come tomorrow." The nurse was checking her things. So, the lights were on because she hadn't left?

I guess I kind of made her life a lot harder than it should have been.

"You haven't told her right?" I trod very carefully. 

"No, I haven't but I do intend to."

I controlled my raging heart and my breathing: it wasn't over just yet. "I'd appreciate it if you told her tomorrow when she comes here. I don't want her to worry too much."

If it was inevitable for mom to learn, then it was better for her to not know in the middle of the night and stay awake for the rest. 

"How thoughtful of you. In that case, would you mind not getting into trouble in the first place?"

"Trust me that was the plan. But it almost feels like someone invisible thing is pulling some strings and making me get into trouble. Does God hate me? Is there even a God in the first place?" 

The nurse sighed. "Let's not worry about beings who may or may not exist. Anyway, you should be healed properly or at least enough by tomorrow, so rest well."

At least enough huh? The nurse sure didn't seem confident. 

"I see." It almost felt like I was forgetting something… forgetting, oh! "I think I might have something wrong with me?"

The words came out a bit too flat. I guess I didn't actually believe something was wrong with me. But I knew there was. How? Because I couldn't remember what was wrong with me to begin with. 

"That being?" The nurse was actually about to leave but she quickly came back and grabbed my face, tilting both sides to get a better look. 

"I'm forgetting things rather fast. I can't even remember what was wrong with me." It was very hard to speak while she held my face like that. 

But I guess it was kind of obvious what was wrong with me considering I couldn't remember. 

"Hmmm…." She continued to observe me. "Could be a side effect of using a memory instiller for too long. How long do you usually use it?"

"I only used it once for seven hours and for four subjects I think? I still remember everything about the subjects."

She gave me a bit of a disgusted glare. "Are you serious? Didn't you read the warnings that you shouldn't use it for more than two hours and just one subject a week?" She sighed. "I'm amazed you didn't go into a coma."

I was both amazed and glad I didn't end up in a coma too. 

"I can't remember." I might or might not have read it. 

I shrank more and more. Yeah, this probably was my fault. 

"I think my lunch with your mom would be amazing tomorrow." She gave me a satisfied smile and moved towards the door, turning of the lights. 

I almost wanted to cry right now but yeah… "Is there any cure?"

"Just rest for the rest of the month. It'll get better as long as you don't use the instiller for the next few months. Yeah, probably."

'Then what the hell am I going to do with it?'

And why the hell was she of all people not sure?

I sighed and just lied down, a hand on my forehead. Something just had to go wrong no matter what.

"I'll keep the doors locked and come back tomorrow morning. Don't bother going outside." The nurse was actually in the process of locking. 

"Why are you locking, something happened?"

"I heard there's some unusual activity in campus: seeing flying lights, people disappearing. Though it's probably just some freshman pulling some stunts. But you can never be too careful."

That certainly didn't sound like some freshman pulling pranks, nope. 

With that said, she went ahead and locked the door from the outside. 

Oh well. Now that my belly was a bit full, I could at least relax.

'Why I'm doing this huh?' I actually wanted to think about my answers to Marg's questions, but- it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

***

The curtains fluttered and lights came in. 

It was morning. Nine to be exact. Lately, I'd been oversleeping a lot more than necessary.

And yes, I was late. 

"Morning." The nurse was already in her seat. "You're free to go. So head back, get fresh, eat something and be at the gym by ten." She actually didn't give me a glance. Her focus was on her Holo. 

"Shouldn't you have woken me up? What if I get late?"

"Then you lose." Yeah, no shit. 

Her words were not comforting.

My head throbbed a little and my body was still sore in some places. So much for being fully cured. I was healed enough to walk around, but it wasn't enough for me to not feel the pain. 

"Thanks for everything." But yeah, I couldn't be an ungrateful brat forever. 

I was about to head out when the nurse grabbed my arm. "I shouldn't do this but-" She continued to jab me. It stung like hell. "Should be enough to relieve your pain for twenty-four hours. Though after that, you'll probably feel like staying in bed for the next forty."

That did not sound good, but I did feel a little better. This stuff worked fast. But I still wished she'd at least given me a warning first. 

And boy DID IT STING!

I grumbled a little but- "Thanks,"- left.

"You're welcome." I could hear her cheerful voice but didn't look back. 

The painkiller was good but my body felt a bit too numb. I guess everything had a side effect. 

***

I reached the dorm and strangely the washrooms were free. So taking a shower didn't take that long. I made extra sure, it didn't take long. 

Merin wasn't here. He was probably at the gym, securing front-row seats. At times, I really didn't understand the guy one bit. 

Sigh.

I ate a minimal breakfast. Nothing fancy. I didn't feel like eating at all for some reason. Nervousness?

I didn't know. 

But one thing I did know, I had to do this no matter what. 

***

Everything was done so I headed for the gym. I still had ten minutes but I'd barely make it even if I hurried now. 

'Well, it's not like I'm ever early these days.'

I still ran, more like jogged. I was asleep for quite a while so I needed some warming up anyway.

And my body was kind of numb from whatever the heck the nurse had given me. So I needed all the warming up I could get. 

I reached the gym at 9.57 with three minutes to spare.

As I walked down the stairs, I felt it. This place was at least twice as big as yesterday and there were all sorts of people here today, even reporters. Yeah, I had a bad feeling about this. Nay, a very bad feeling. 

The headmaster's seat was in the far south and as usual, there were four seats by his. Two on his left, two on his right. 

I took a deep breath and kept on walking to the stage.

When I was just about to enter I heard a voice from my left. It was Elsa's.

And if she was here- I took a look- yup mom was here too and she was sitting right next to Merin and the nurse. 

Was I screwed?

Her glare seemed to indicate- YES!

'Shit.'

I took another deep breath, kept on walking.

At the center, there was Rose and Marg. Strange, I didn't see Dick around. 

I didn't care though.

"I'm certain I don't have to explain any rules to you?" We both nodded. "Alright then, those five gentlemen would be today's judges and we will begin shortly start after erecting a barrier." Rose's voice was loud and rather pleasant to hear. I guess she practiced for this.

But those five? My uncle was among those five and so was a criminal! Then again, uncle was a villain too.

Wait, weren't all those people technically bad guys? I didn't know about the headmaster but that Rodwich guy seemed like a pretty bad guy to me. 

Well, complaining now wasn't going to get me anywhere. So, I just rolled with it. 

"I thought you wouldn't show up," Marg said. 

It was already two minutes past ten.

The barrier kept on forming, almost complete: it wasn't invisible. 

I took my saber in one hand and the sword in the other. "Well, I owe you some answers and so do you. So, couldn't afford to not show up."

"Feel free to use your powers. There's no time limit, you either pass out or give up. GO!"

"I see." A faint smile crept up Marg's lips as she disappeared and punched me solidly in my stomach, appearing just before my eyes. 

'How?' I was already using both alpha and beta particles. And it wasn't like I'd let down my guard either. 

So the question did remain, how? 

And more importantly, why didn't she just use this chance to hold the saber at my neck instead?