Chapter 45: A Quiet Collapse

When Ilu woke up, it was almost evening. She groggily got up from her bed in the infirmary.

By the time Yilu woke up, it was already near evening. She groggily sat up from the bed in the infirmary.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to come back to her senses for a long time, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

In her field of vision, Teanya popped her head in.

“You’re awake?”

Seeing Yilu not responding, Teanya called out to the side.

“Tif, she’s awake, but she seems a bit dazed.”

“What do you mean dazed? If you can’t speak, just say less.”

Tif also walked over and looked at Yilu.

“Feeling any better?”

Yilu still sat there dazed. After a long while, she raised her hand and looked at it.

A trace of crimson bloodstain remained on her sleeve.

“That’s Lyr’s.”

Tif explained, thinking Yilu couldn’t remember who that red belonged to.

“Lyr…”

Yilu’s eyes widened, and she murmured under her breath.

Although everything else was blurry, in that bloody world, only Lyr’s figure was intact, which left a deep impression on her.

Struggling to sit up, Yilu rubbed her forehead, then stared straight at Tif and Teanya.

An intense splitting sensation in her mind caused her great pain, making it hard for her to tell if what was before her was real.

‘Was this the real world, or would it immediately turn into a different scene in the next second?’

Tif picked up the cup nearby and handed it in front of Yilu.

Yilu hesitated for a long while, then finally shook her head and didn’t accept it.

Her entire face was ashen, as if her soul had been drained, staring blankly.

Tif hesitated for a moment, then still spoke.

“Yilu, what’s wrong with you? This isn’t like your usual self.”

Ever since that Academy punishment, no matter how excessive Beiyao was, Yilu had always been restrained.

Not that Yilu couldn’t fight back, but her look today was like a completely different person.

To describe her as a beast, rather, she looked exactly like a beast.

“My usual self… What should my usual self be like?”

Yilu laughed coldly. For some reason, her smile was pale and eerie.

Beiyao’s expression at the time appeared in her mind. This should have been what she most wanted to see, but now she felt a sense of loss.

As rationality slowly returned, Yilu herself wondered: if she really had killed her then, would everything have gone as she wished? Would that eerie scene have ended?

She had no way of knowing the answer to the latter.

But as for the former, Lyr had actually told her long ago.

Now that she had almost really done it, she understood the true meaning of those words.

Acting without regard for consequences, in the end you still have to face the consequences, even more severe ones.

But what should she do? What kind of self should she maintain? Yilu had never been so lost before.

Tif and Teanya exchanged a glance, not knowing how to comfort Yilu.

They didn’t even know what Yilu was thinking, let alone help her.

“Ah, what a hassle.”

Lyr scratched his head as he walked in. As soon as he entered, he saw Yilu sitting up.

“You’re awake.”

“Awake, but not fully awake.”

Teanya didn’t know how to specifically describe Yilu’s current state, so she just said that.

Tif directly asked.

“How did it go?”

Just now, Beiyao’s family came over, and Lyr went to explain what exactly happened.

“The Academy Councilor was there, so it was okay, but I felt they only let it go because of the Councilor’s sake.”

This matter could be considered big or small.

It was just two students sparring, and it led to this situation. Fortunately, neither Yilu nor Beiyao was injured.

Especially since Beiyao was taken home after waking up.

If you really look into it, it was that girl’s own provocation. She was outmatched, so she couldn’t blame anyone else.

Tif sighed in relief.

“That’s good.”

This was already the best outcome.

“But with her like this…”

Lyr could see that Yilu was very off.

“How about we take her back to our place tonight? It’s the weekend anyway.”

This weekend was something Lyr had been looking forward to for a long time, but he never expected this to happen beforehand.

Before Tif could respond, Yilu spoke first.

“No need. I don’t want to trouble you anymore.”

“But you…”

“Let me be alone for a while. I’ll go back to the dorm by myself later.”

Tif’s unfinished words were cut off by Yilu. For some reason, she could sense the resistance in Yilu’s tone.

Just like her past self, solitary, detesting help from others.

At a loss for words, Tif didn’t know what to say.

“Alright then.”

If she pressed further now, it would only backfire.

Tif got up and left with Teanya. Before leaving, she said to Lyr.

“Lyr, come here for a moment.”

After the others left, Yilu watched the door close and slowly let out a breath.

That nightmare-like scene—she didn’t know when it would reappear. She was afraid that if she fell into that state again, she might hurt Tif and the others.

How could she shamelessly go to someone else’s home again.

Staring at the closed door, she gave a bitter smile.

‘That version of myself must have looked like a madwoman, right? Or maybe I’m a madwoman at heart.’

If no one had stopped her, she would have received Academy punishment again, just like last time, and then directly left this place.

At that point, the Shiga Family would have no face left.

In the end, she couldn’t accomplish anything; instead, she only caused trouble for others.

Outside, Tif looked at Lyr.

“What should we do? Are you planning to leave her alone here? Her current state is really worrying.”

Yilu’s stubborn personality—she was really afraid Yilu might do something.

Lyr paused. Others didn’t know Yilu’s specific situation, but he vaguely guessed some of it.

And for some reason, those strange curse sounds from himself had disappeared, but Yilu was like this instead.

It was highly likely related to what that person had said earlier.

“You two go back first. I’ll stay here. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been alone with her.”

Hearing this, Teanya first leaned her head back. Lyr’s words were very interesting.

Not the first time? So what exactly happened the first time?

“Okay.”

Tif nodded, finally approving of Lyr’s approach for once.

“But I still say the same thing: don’t say things like that carelessly. If others hear, it could still be troublesome.”

Last time, when she made Yilu come with her and deliberately avoided Lyr, it still caused quite a stir.

Today’s incident could even be partly attributed to that.

“Later, I’ll have the maid bring some food. If that doesn’t work, then we’ll really have to bring Miss Yilu over.”

That way, at least we can ensure Yilu won’t have any problems.