"I'm sorry, Sara. I know you are giving me advice for my benefit, but I cannot follow it. My heart will not allow me to leave this situation alone."
Emily confessed before she walked away. Sara just sighed as she watched Emily act like her past self. And because of that, Sara knew Emily would learn her lesson hard.
All Emily could do was feel sorry for Sara and watch her from the sidelines. She had no intention of helping or interfering with the situation.
......
"You are ready to be dismissed. I did what I could for your wounds, but there are too many to treat quickly. I do not have a healing ability, so this is the best I can do for you."
The old doctor looked at Maria with a pitiful expression on her face. Being looked at with such care by someone who knew her as an 'elf' shocked Maria.
It forced her to go quiet and not be able to think about what to do next.
"I will take your silence as an agreement. You need to rest now so that I will close the curtains. And if Lea comes here, feel free to kick her out. She is a pain, but her heart is in the right place."
The old lady sounded sincere, and her voice was also soft and comforting. It was all lulling Maria into a false sense of security. But she reminded herself not to fall for the kindness she was being shown.
These people were companions of the demon who killed the love of her life. There was no way she should be feeling anything but disgust for them.
"Do you sympathies with that demon as well? Don't you find her disgusting and unnatural? She has no emotions, but she fakes them all the time. That demon is also dangerous. It would not be too much to see her killing someone off in a crowded place."
Maria reminded the doctor to scare her. She wanted someone to take her side during this argument. She wanted people to hate Lea as much as she did.
But the doctor did not show the reaction Maria wanted her to show. Instead of looking horrified and uncomfortable, the old doctor sighed understandingly.
"I understand you, kid. Lea is not an easy person to understand. And I agree with most of you - Lea is a demon and maybe a monster. But we need people like that in humanity's future."
"Not everyone can make tough decisions based on facts and logic. And in war, making emotional decisions can cost you a lot of lives. That's why I find Lea's presence assuring."
The doctor informed Maria, but the elf did not understand what the doctor meant.
Being sympathetic and listening to people was a good trait. Being cold to others and faking a smile was the worst thing one could do.
So why would the doctor portray Lea's worse points as desirable?
"I can see that you have a lot to think about, child. I shall leave for now. The sun will set soon, and the base is dangerous at night. I would advise you not to try and leave your room."
The doctor advised before she walked out. The door shut behind her, and Maria instantly tried to check it out. The door was locked, and it did not open from the inside.
Maria had been locked inside the room, and she felt enraged. But then she remembered that she was an assassin who snuck into this base.
She should have expected caution regarding surveillance.
Finally, Maria closed her eyes and fell asleep. She braced herself to see the same nightmares she always did in her sleep. The nightmare of her beloved dying had been itched in her memory.
But this night was different for Maria. She slept undisturbed for the next 16 hours, catching up on sleep. No nightmare assaulted her, but the dream Maria had was of hands roaming her body and her pressing someone down on the ground.
It felt vivid, and Maria even felt a pair of brilliant blue eyes flashing back at her.
The voice whispered in Maria's ear was inaudible, but Maria was melting when she was touched.
She remembered nothing but that phantom touch when she woke up. But the evidence of what happened in her dream continued to haunt Maria when she looked at the mess she had made of her bed.
It was drenched in her pre-cum, and even Maria's legs were wet. Her panties had been soiled, and her shorts could no longer be worn.
The elderly nurse opened the door to Maria's room at that exact moment, and Maria felt her face heat up. She did not know how to face the elderly nurse or what to say to her.
"Don't worry, dear. This is an ordinary reaction people give, and then they are sick. I shall also get you another pair of clothes and a new bedding. Then, we can register you at school and get you a formal identity."
The old doctor understood and gave Maria an out for her embarrassing situation. Maria was not sure if she deserved it or not. But she desperately wanted this out. She was willing to do anything.
Even accept the help of someone she considered an enemy.
......
"Ugh, I cannot believe I must head to class now. I wish I could have an extended holiday. Waking up early sucks."
Sara blocked out Lea's voice as she rolled her eyes. Lea was complaining a lot, but that was just for complaining. She did not mean a word of what she had said.
After all, Lea had already been awake for about three hours and finished her morning practice.
She was as sharp as she could be.
"Lea, are you complaining because you did not finish your homework and assignments? I reminded you about them last night. Why are they not finished yet?"
Sara asked while looking at Lea. Her expression looked disappointed, and Lea made a flustered expression in return.
"Ah, about that…you see, I wanted to do these assignments and started them. But I got bored halfway, so they never finished? But I tried to start them, at least. That must count for something, right?"
Lea asked, and Sara sighed.
"By start, do you mean you wrote the first few sentences and discarded the report once you got enough? Lea, I have told you this is not how things work…"
"I can't hear you. I do not understand anything you just said to me, either. Please do not talk to me in human speech."
Lea tuned Sara out, and that irritated Sara. She hated when Lea did this, and she had the perfect counter against Lea's strategy.
"Oh, so you don't want to talk to me? That's fine by me. I will just take this extra copy of the homework I did for you to waste. Since you don't want it, I shall burn it for you now."
Sara held the paper booklet out in front of Lea. It attracted Lea's attention, and she instantly turned toward that booklet.
"Don't be too hastily now, Sara. I never said that I did not want your help. I will be forever grateful for your help and… OK, fine. What do you want in return for this booklet? I will exchange a favour with you if you give it to me now."
Finally, Lea folded in front of Sara. She always did, which was an expected outcome for Sara.
She did not feel happy about focusing on Lea like this, but the rush of power she felt at this moment was more than enough to make her happy.
"What I want you to do is simple, Lea. Just do not cause any trouble today, and remain quiet. All I want from you is a quiet day where I do not have to worry."
Sara bargained, and Lea instantly agreed.
"Of course. I will remain if you want me to stay quiet as a mouse today. There is no need for you to be worried."
Lea promised, but Sara still felt worried about her. She had a feeling that Lea would not follow through on her promise. But Lea's words where the only thing Sara could rely on.
So, she had no choice but to take her words at face value and not question them.
"Fine, I am willing to trust you this time, Lea. But if you break my trust, you will have no future."
Sara promised, and Lea nodded. But they both knew that it would not be the case. Lea would end up in trouble one way or the other. Sara was irritated that it did not even take Lea an hour to find trouble.
But in her defence, the teacher started this mess. She only defended herself, so this did not count as her causing trouble. This counted as self-defence, and Lea would use that expression until he died.
It all started when her teacher decided to pick on Lea and set her up as an example in front of her class. That was the teacher's first mistake.