On the way to the infirmary with Rover, Megumi saw her being pulled aside for a conversation by a woman with long black hair, dressed much like a Japanese high school girl.
Although he couldn’t hear what they were saying, judging from their expressions, they seemed to be old acquaintances.
“Sorry for the wait.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Rover walked back toward Megumi, who had been waiting nearby.
“It’s fine.”
Megumi shrugged nonchalantly, and the two resumed walking side-by-side toward the infirmary.
Even though he hadn’t heard their conversation, Megumi noticed that Rover’s expression had been very relaxed, and she’d even had a smile on her face.
Hmph, looks like she isn’t just a total poker face after all.
As they continued, Megumi realized that this academy was absurdly large.
Not only was it huge, but the facilities and equipment looked incredibly sophisticated.
The whole aesthetic was like something out of the near future, with high technology everywhere.
Hum!
Just then, Megumi noticed the tattoo on the back of Rover’s hand flash, and a fluffy little white thing popped out from it.
The little creature looked like a plush toy, instantly endearing, and it had heterochromatic eyes—one orange and one blue.
What piqued Megumi’s curiosity, however, was the tattoo on its forehead; it was almost identical to the one on Rover’s hand, except it was orange.
Along the way, he had noticed that not just Rover, but several other students had these marks on their skin; clearly, these tattoo-like things weren’t just for show.
“Sniff, sniff… Hmm, your frequency has stabilized quite a bit.”
The fluffy thing sniffed Rover and then nodded its head.
After confirming something, the little creature looked toward Megumi.
“Yo, Rover, you made a new friend so fast? Ugh, so stinky!”
Just as the little thing was smiling and about to approach Megumi, it suddenly recoiled back toward Rover.
Stinky?
Megumi didn’t smell anything himself.
Rover looked at the little white creature with a puzzled expression.
“Are you sure, Abu?”
In Rover’s experience, the only things Abu found’stinky’ were…
“It’s not those things, it’s just that the frequency on him makes me feel a bit dizzy and nauseous.”
Hearing what this ‘Abu’ said, Megumi roughly understood what they meant by’stinky.’
“You mean my Cursed Energy makes you uncomfortable.”
As he spoke, Megumi condensed Cursed Energy in his fist to show Abu.
“Yeah, yeah, yuck! That’s it, it’s so gross.” Abu said, shrinking back in disgust.
Whoosh.
Extinguishing the Cursed Energy in his hand, Megumi adjusted his mindset, relaxing his emotions to ensure his Cursed Energy was no longer active.
“Phew, that’s much better.” Abu breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing this, Megumi had a general idea of what this little thing was for.
Probably Rover’s Shikigami companion or something, and its main function was likely a sensitive sense of smell?
“My Cursed Energy is a collection of my own negative emotions. It’s normal for it to make you uncomfortable, but don’t worry, I can control it.”
After explaining, Megumi and Rover continued toward the infirmary.
However, during the walk, both of them were filled with questions due to the recent interaction.
frequency?
Cursed Energy?
After walking for a short while, the two arrived outside the infirmary Lynae had pointed out.
“Is there no one in charge?”
Megumi peeked around after entering the main entrance.
“There is~”
At that moment, Megumi heard a somewhat electronic, mechanized voice nearby, and then the person in charge…
‘person’?
walked over.
“A robot?” Megumi was quite surprised.
“It’s not just a robot. Ms. N.A.N.A. is also a super impressive primary triage device.”
A voice familiar to Megumi and Rover came from behind them; Lynae had returned.
“It’s little Lynae. Long time no see. But if you want a medical leave slip this time, you’ll have to wait. This student’s injuries look quite severe.”
The robot named N.A.N.A.
reached out a hand toward Megumi and said:
“Alright, first give me your Cassette for inspection so I can check your physical data, then I can customize a suitable treatment plan for you based on that.”
However, Megumi frowned at this.
He had no idea what she meant by ‘Cassette.’
Fortunately, Lynae stepped in just in time to clear things up:
“Ahem, Ms. N.A.N.A., Megumi isn’t a student here, but he’s not a suspicious person either. He helped Rover and me hold off the Void-born Insect earlier.”
“Understood. Then, Mr. Megumi, please head inside the infirmary. Dr. Luuk will treat you.”
Megumi looked back to see Rover and Lynae giving him a thumbs-up, so he walked into the infirmary with peace of mind.
It was just as well that he went in first; he could ask the doctor some common knowledge about this world, using amnesia as an excuse.
Step, step, step.
Upon entering the infirmary, Megumi saw a man with shoulder-length blonde hair that had hints of green at the tips.
The man was very tall and muscular, completely different from the doctors Megumi remembered, but what caught Megumi’s attention was the man’s exposed left arm.
The veins there actually looked golden?
“Looks like a patient has arrived. Sit on the bed and stay relaxed; let me treat you.”
Without much small talk, the doctor glanced at the wound on Megumi’s right arm and began his work.
The process was a bit stinging, but because the treatment was very professional, it didn’t take much time.
Advanced technology really is great; even so many bloody holes could be healed in an instant.
“By the way, N.A.N.A. just sent me a report. You aren’t a student of the academy. Once you’re healed, have you thought about where you’ll go or what you’ll do?”
The doctor asked suddenly after bandaging Megumi’s wound.
Megumi didn’t know the answer to that question himself.
This academy had powerful technology and pleasant scenery; staying here would be the optimal choice, especially since he didn’t know if those monsters called Void-born Insects were common outside.
But if he stayed here, the secrets he carried would likely be exposed sooner or later.
What would happen then?
Would he become a lab rat?
Tch, he always thought of the worst-case scenario.
“I haven’t thought…”
“Megumi will be enrolling with me.”
Just as Megumi was hesitating, Rover walked in and answered Dr. Luuk’s question for him.