CHAPTER 90: NURSE’S FAVOURITE

"Someone should quickly take the injured combatants off the stage and get them to the hospital for treatment!"

Elric displayed displeasure as no one stepped forward to take us off the stage.

Suddenly, a student rushed into the inner circle and lifted the injured Windcrest Clan’s Descendant off the stage.

Elric nodded.

He turned to me.

No one came forward to help me up.

He sighed defeatedly.

Suddenly, the system’s notification echoed.

[ System Notification. ]

[ Calculating Rewards.. ]

[ You have lectured twenty-five Windcrest Descendants...]

[ Base Rewards: +75% in Weapon Mastery: Sword. +250% Wind-related spell proficiency. ]

[ Bonus Rewards: +15% in Weapon Mastery: Sword. +50% Wind-related spell proficiency. ]

I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked at the base and bonus rewards.

[ Rewards Calculated.. ]

[ Rewards: +90% in Weapon Mastery: Sword. +300% Wind-related spell proficiency. ]

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness flow through my mind as I looked at the rewards.

I didn’t claim the rewards yet.

I couldn’t do it in the open, while I was vulnerable and unsure if anyone would try to sneak-attack me.

I attempted to stand up on my own.

"Do you need help?"

I looked up to see who had spoken.

Milas!

I was instantly wary because I hadn’t sensed his presence.

Perhaps it was because I was still weary from the duel, dulling my senses, which made it difficult for me to sense him.

Still, I didn’t trust him.

I pushed my body upright, but I kept falling back on my knees each time.

I looked at Milas’s outstretched hands once more and sighed.

Milas smiled and winked at me.

I had no other choice, so I grabbed onto his outstretched hand.

He pulled me up and placed my arm over his shoulders, and supported my body onto his with his other arm.

I looked at the students surrounding us who were still on the training platform. Their gazes were fixed on me as they whispered among themselves.

I dismissed their gazes as we walked out of the training platform.

***

The battle of Ezekiel and the twenty-five Windcrest Descendants and their defeat spread across the academy.

Many students had taken up their phones to record the battle and shared it in the forums for others to watch, which elicited shock and disbelief throughout the academy.

Instantly, the videos gained popularity, eventually becoming the number one most discussed in the Magical Swordsmen Department.

It also ranked high across various other departments.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel and the Windcrest Clan descendants were taken to the hospital for treatment.

***

Grand Avalon Academy Magical Swordsman Department Hospital.

I sat on the hospital bed with my hand outstretched as Cynthia wrapped a bandage around it after treating the wound.

"I thought that something was fishy since you hadn’t been to the hospital for an entire week. But the moment you did, you came with the twenty-five grievously injured Windcrest Clan descendants, with only you having the less threatening injury," Cynthia remarked.

"I never thought that I would ever see you enter this hospital without a stretcher. Do you have any idea how shocking this is?"

I didn’t know she was praising me or doubting my abilities.

"Anyway, I didn’t know that you cared about me that much. Even if I hadn’t mentioned it, you still noticed. Since you had put in such tremendous effort, I’ll accept it."

She gently tapped my shoulder of my uninjured shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

I looked at her, confused.

"I don’t understand what you are talking about."

She sounded serious.

The problem was that I didn’t know whether she was making something up to tease me.

"The nurses regularly make fun of me because it’s either that I’m too busy treating your injuries or preparing to do so. Added to the fact that you were previously a loser and have been the number one public enemy for several weeks, I’m not welcomed in their discussions, and neither do I fit in with their gatherings."

"However, now that you’ve done a good job of defeating all the twenty-five Windcrest Clan Descendants, to this extent. And having learnt of your other achievement, such as defeating Jaran and becoming the Class Three Third-Ranked Magical Swordsman."

"They are all wary of you and frightened that I might inform you of the plots they had to carry out for their patients to harm you while you were injured and unconscious. The nurses of the Descendants of the Windcrest Clan are worried that you won’t stop targeting them."

"Oh! I didn’t know that was happening." I wasn’t interested in learning about the politics transpiring within the hospital, nor did I care.

Knowing Cynthia, she must be sharing all of these things because she also doesn’t care about them, but instead sees them as an interesting topic to bring up.

"Yeah, it was. You would be surprised by the number of things happening within this hospital. Some of them are troublesome, and only a few of them are entertaining, so I tend to avoid them," Cynthia responded.

"But you don’t need to worry about anything, all you need to focus on is continuing to send over some of those lousy descendants to the hospital so I can have a good laugh at some of their nurses."

Suddenly, the system panel sprang open.

[ ◆Nurse’s favourite.

Quest: Your reputation has caused your personal nurse to be disliked and ridiculed within Grand Avalon Academy Magical Swordsman Department Hospital. She may not care, but your support will aid her through this difficult challenge.

A happy nurse holds the key to a happy and prolong life. Send any descendants of the Magical Swordsman Department to the hospital for treatment.

(0/25)

Reward: +10% Increase in rank (Magical Swordsman Path).

Note: This quest cannot be refreshed.

Accept/ Decline. ]

I was shocked.

I thought that she was joking. However, I hadn’t agreed to fulfil her request, yet I already had a quest. Was this a snowball effect from the Windcrest Clan’s tutor quests?

This was the second quest I had received that rewarded me with a rank strength increment. It was six per cent higher than my first quest reward.

I accepted the quest.

"Okay. I will do everything within my power to fulfil your request," I responded, my voice serious.

Cynthia’s eyes widened in surprise at my words.

I realised that she hadn’t expected me to take her request seriously, nor had she expected me to agree to it.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on her lips as she gently slapped my bandaged arm.

I looked down to see that she had placed a sticker of a shooting star on my bandaged arm.

"I’ll give you more treats if you fulfil your promise," Cynthia said, putting away her equipment on the tray beside her.

"But don’t go injuring yourself unnecessary just to accomplish that. As much as I’m happy putting those nurses in their place, I don’t want you going back to being admitted to the hospital on a stretcher every single time. That would defeat the entire purpose of it."

This was the first time I had seen her so happy.

I looked at her left hand and saw a ring on it. Coincidentally, it exuded the same unique aura as the storage ring that I received as a gift from Chioma, which I’m currently wearing on my left hand.

That was probably how she had gotten the sticker out so fast and placed it on my bandaged arm.

The reason I had picked it was that I could use it to carry my cybernetic beasts at all times stealthily and summon them easily when needed.

Even with a fifty per cent discount, my merit points weren’t enough to cover the bill, so I needed to take on more quests as quickly as I could to gather enough merit points to make the remaining payment.

Storage rings were among the most expensive portable storage spaces on the market. Not only were they smaller and more portable than storage bags, but they could be disguised as jewellery.

They were less noticeable and less likely to be stolen, unlike storage bags, where anyone or opponents could notice every moment of their actions weren’t subtle or well-hidden enough.

However, in terms of storage capacity, a storage bag is far superior to a storage ring and is more cost-effective. Otherwise, several noble descendants won’t need it.

"Take the opportunity to rest before you leave the hospital. As much as I hate to say this, I don’t trust you not to do something stupid, such as going to train despite your injury," Cynthia said, her expression stern.

I nodded in understanding.

I lay back down on the bed with her support.

After that, Cythnia ensured that the pillow was comfortable before taking the tray filled with medical waste and pushing it through the door as she exited the room.

System.

I summoned the system interface.

[ Claim rewards. ]

I claimed my rewards.

[ You have gained +90% in Weapon Mastery: Sword. ]

[ You have gained +300% Wind-related spell proficiency. ]