Chapter 18: Your Now the Center of Attention

The room felt cold. White walls. The light above flickered now and then. Other patients lay on beds around him, bandages covering some on their arms, some on their faces and some both.

And two girls stood over him.

"Hey, if you don’t wake up now, I will undress you."

Vera leaned close to Ezra, squinting at his face.

"Lady Vera, that’s wrong..." Gena whispered, fidgeting with her sleeves.

"But he’s been sleeping for so long." Vera tapped her chin. "Now that I think about it... this reminds me of that story. The sleeping princess. The prince kissed her to awaken her from her slumber."

"Oh! I read that too," Gena gasped. "It was one of my favorites."

"Ehn? You know stories like that?" Vera blinked, impressed. Then her eyes lowered. "And... your chest is huge."

"Ah! Lady Vera, your hand!"

Vera squeezed lightly, ignoring Gena’s struggle. "Hmm. Yours are bigger than mine. Tsk. What’s your cup size?"

People didn’t dare to stare long at the two beautiful girls playing amongst themselves while visiting someone no one knew due to the fact that one of the two girls was Vera. They all just assumed she was here to visit a member of her group.

"L-Lady Vera..." Gena whined. "We shouldn’t disturb him too much..."

"Since when did

you

get close to him?" Vera hissed, glaring. Her grip tightened.

"Ahhhh—!"

"Did you seduce him with these melons?"

Ezra’s eyes opened, blurry at first. Their voices stabbed into his skull. He tried to move but his body didn’t listen. Only his mouth worked.

"What the f**k are you two doing in my room?" His expression twisted in pure annoyance as his sight cleared.

"He’s awake." Vera said it like she wasn’t surprised.

"Ezra!" Gena gasped. Both hands covered her mouth as tears of relief formed. Her shoulders shook.

Ezra stared at them. "Gena... and Vera? Why are you two together? This combo makes no sense."

"Well..." Gena scratched her cheek, not knowing where to start.

"That’s not the right question," Vera cut in. Her eyes narrowed. "Instead — he should explain what the ’Tf’ word he just used means."

"Huh? Why?" Ezra glared. "You two are in my room acting like it’s normal. How are you even here?"

Vera crossed her legs and sat like a queen. "Dear boy, first... this is not your room. This is the infirmary." She tossed her hair. "Second... I’m here because I want to be here. Am I not a kind lady? Now praise me. Say ’

She’s so kind, I want her to be my big sister from now on.

’ Isn’t that right, Gena?"

Gena froze like a mouse who just saw a cat. "...Yes?"

She forced a smile. "If not for Lady Vera and Sir Veda, Felix would have... killed you."

Ezra paused, eyes widening.

"How? Battles are not allowed after a trial," he said, voice tight.

"Yes," Vera nodded slowly. "But this is Felix we’re talking about. He tried to order one of his dogs to die while taking you out."

Ezra stared; breath held. Not shock... but disbelief that someone could be so twisted, and still be protected by the system.

"That’s insane..." he muttered.

"It was," another voice answered.

Everyone in the infirmary became more tense as Veda walked into the room.

"What is Sir Veda doing here" some muttered

"Not just that, but both him and Lady Vera are here to see somebody"

"Who the hell is this guy that all this bigshot are here to see"

"I can’t see his face well"

"Sheesh, better don’t look."

The infirmary became colder as most visitors left to avoid incurring the wrath of the two big shots by mistake while some patients forced themselves to sleep.

Veda walked towards Ezra’s sick bed, hands in his pockets, footsteps soft, His calm eyes studied Ezra. "Even with guards around... Felix still tried. I had to step in. I can’t order people to throw away their lives, but I had to make an exception and used Felix’s trick to threaten him." He let out a small sigh.

"Sir Veda!" Gena jumped up, trying not to look like she cried.

"Calm down." Vera flicked her fingers, annoyed. "Why are you here, little brother? Did you miss your big sister so much?"

Veda cleared his throat, flustered for a moment. "Y–Yes, Big Sis. Also, I came to check on him." He smiled at Ezra, gentle.

Ezra blinked.

He’s... nicer than I expected.

"You probably don’t know me," Veda said. "But I’ve heard a lot from Pamela and Gena."

"Oh... thank you." Ezra nodded. He looked between him and Vera. "You two look alike. Are you twins?"

"Her?" Vera gasped dramatically, grabbing her chest. "After all we’ve been through..." She wiped imaginary tears.

Ezra ignored her and kept staring at Veda.

"Well, yes," Veda admitted.

"My younger brother," Vera added sharply, giving Ezra a glare that said

don’t mix it up

.

Ezra squinted. "You sure?"

"Ezra..." Vera leaned in; eyes dark. "You ignored me. Then you called me a liar?"

She wiped another fake tear... but her eyes held danger. "Do you hate me? Answer." She moved so close he could feel her breath.

Ezra swallowed. Her energy was too much. "...Sorry, Lady Vera." He looked away.

Gena’s jaw dropped. "He used a title...?"

Vera smirked triumphantly. "I like the apology. But don’t call me Lady. Just Vera."

"Fine," Ezra said, defeated. "How long was I out?"

"Two weeks," Veda answered. "This is the first day of the third week. The third trial starts in three days."

"What?!" Ezra’s eyes widened. He grabbed his hair with his good hand. "Two whole weeks? I missed everything..."

"Yes," Gena nodded. "We already had class about the next trial. It’s not a deadly one. It’s our full awakening — to become Alchemists!" Her eyes sparked with excitement.

Ezra raised a brow. "You seem too happy."

"Of course!" she beamed. "My whole family prayed for this day!"

Veda continued, more seriously. "For lower branches, this is a rare chance. But Miss Freya also warned us about the expected Cognis value we’re supposed to reach after all these trials."

"I know," Gena’s excitement weakened. "But they won’t kill anyone who gets below that value... right?"

"Obviously," Vera replied flatly.

"Eh?!" Gena grabbed her arm, shaking. "Vera! What do we do?"

"Relax." Vera lifted her hand and stroked Gena’s hair. "We meditate. We focus. And we pass."

"So, I’m the only one screwed," Ezra muttered with a dry chuckle.

The door opened, and a medic stepped in. "Visiting hours are over."

Vera clicked her tongue but stood.

"I’ll visit you early tomorrow," Gena said, waving small and shy.

"Okay," Ezra nodded.

"It was good meeting you," Veda said. "Oh... just call me Veda. No ’Sir.’"

Ezra nodded again.

"So... see you tomorrow if I have the chance," Veda smiled and followed the others out.

The room fell quiet again. Ezra looked to his right — more injured kids, still asleep. Some groaned. Some didn’t move at all. Probably because of the presence of Vera and Veda.

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Wolf teeth ripping his arm...

Felix stabbing Peter...

Mary crying in the snow...

A bitter laugh left his mouth.

"...I need to step away from this spotlight I put myself in."

But even he knew — it was too late.

Everyone was watching him now.

Even the dangerous ones.