I sat up in bed as my arm had finally finished reattaching.
"Aura how long are you going to lie on top of me?"
"As long as I can."
"Well, that's fine I guess."
I reclined my bed and let myself sleep for the first time since the attack.
***
*Aurelia's Pov*
Since childhood I had slept near or next to Lucas.
Even as we grew it became a bad habit.
When I saw Lucas lying in bed injured I knew it wasn't right, but I wanted to lie next to him.
So I did.
He didn't say anything, until his arm had reattached completely.
Then he sat up and asked me if I was going to continue.
If he told me to get off so he could rest, I would oblige, but if he didn't I would remain.
And he didn't, so I remained.
I let the tablet on the bedside display a 'Do Not Disturb, Patient inside Resting' outside the door.
Then, I snuggled my arms underneath his as I climbed on top of him, and lied down on top.
I knew his arms were still healing, but the arm that was reattached had no mana, and the shoulder area was numbed, so it produced heat, but he couldn't feel my arms.
He was very warm, and I laid my head against his chest.
His heartbeat was very soothing.
***
*Charlotte's Pov*
After the attack I was brought to the mental wellness ward of the academy's hospital.
I was asked question after question.
They paid deep attention to me, understanding that too many at once, or too many in a row would cause my mental state to worsen, so they took their time.
However, that only exacerbated my anxiousness.
How was Lucas?
I answered the nurses, and doctors' questions properly, and truthfully.
But I had a question for them as well.
"Where is Lucas and the rest of the people assigned to help take care of the demon?", I asked the attending doctor.
"Actually I was attending to him earlier."
"How's he doing?"
"He's doing fine, his Lady is attending to him in my place."
I doubt it, she's probably making advances on Lucas, while I am stuck here.
"Is there any chance I can go see him?"
"Not right now."
"Why can't I?"
"Sorry, your highness, even the other members of the operation, and any personnel below head doctor aren't allowed to visit him."
"So that must mean you are a head doctor."
"Correct."
"So explain to me what's keeping me here."
"Honestly, not much. We just need to see any adverse reactions you're having after the event."
"What are you monitoring my rising anxiety or something?"
"Actually yes, did you have something in mind that caused that?"
"Yes, not knowing Lucas' current condition."
"Well I can check his vitals and see the status of his operation."
"I'd like to see them please."
For the first time since I'd arrived in the room, I sat up and eagerly looked at the tablet in the doctor's hands, by my own volition.
"One moment. Patient privacy and whatnot."
"Yes, I understand."
I was excited and nervous to see his operation.
"It says all his vital signs are stable and he is asleep.""
"His arm has been fully reattached, I wonder why I was never alerted. Ah, the lady set the tablet's reader to do not disturb. I see. She must be tending to him even while he sleeps."
Yeah, right, more like taking advantage of his injuries.
Wait, why did it matter, as long as Lucas likes me more than her it shouldn't matter.
I began to lie down again.
"I see your anxiety levels have taken a drastic drop."
"Lower than that when you arrived."
"Keep this mentality and you'll be evaluated and be discharge very soon."
I was happy.
"Can others come visit?"
"Absolutely, but you have to clear them individually and you have to set a time limit."
"They can leave before it, but they can absolutely stay past it."
"Then can I set the limit to 24 hours?"
"No only hours you will be awake, or hours between 7am and 7pm, and a maximum total of hours of 20 per day."
"Okay can I clear Mark Graves, Celeste I don't know her last name or if she has one, but she is Aurelia's roommate and my friend, and the twins Armoria and Kimoria."
"Very well, I will get that cleared for you in the next 10 minutes and have them alerted."
Then he got up from his seat and left the room.
I began to think about the group Lucas had put together.
In my opinion it looked like he had a plan to begin with, but something messed with the arrangement of his people.
Only 5 of them including Aura were inside the classroom.
The boy Roman and the noble Aisha were added to the medical detail, but they would have been useful in the battle against the demon.
Also the other red haired girl he recruited, Morgan, was with the faculty helping them break the seal around the room.
She clearly had enough mana to throw around some powerful 3rd and 4th circle spells, and even if she couldn't she could have powered up Aura to fight.
It felt like he had to change something mid way through the plan.
So I decided to think about it.
Apparently I had thought so deeply I hadn't even noticed 20 minutes had passed and Mark and Celeste had entered the room.
"Hey princess, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine Celeste, how are the rest of you guys?"
"I'm fine, Mark is alright, the twins are..."
"We're also okay, a little tired."
"Lucas is a slave driver he made me find out the location of the runes around the class the night before, since I knew nothing of runes and he was busy setting up artifacts for use."
"You are Kimoria right?"
"Yes, your highness, I am."
She deadpanned.
"Sorry I know we see each other a lot, but I need to make sure of who the other person is before I make any imperial knight recommendations."
She gasped, and the twins clasped their hands together clearly happy.
"Anyways, why were you 6 the only ones in the class today?"
Mark answered this time.
"Well originally, in the plan all of us were supposed to be there, but Morgan was being a little standoffish with the rest of the magic department."
"From there the vice dean gained a foothold on Lucas. She told him this many students involved could cause serious repercussions. So they negotiated until they were both satisfied."
"In the end, 3 of us were cut, and reallocated."
"Aisha and Roman were assigned to the medical unit."
"He managed to control his ice cast ability by limiting the mana available to it, and used it to help students with injuries from the exerted pressure."
"Aisha has been learning healing magic and went to help the nurses."
"Morgan was sent over by Lucas to learn a few things about rune breaking with the vice dean."
"The rest of us were allowed to participate."
"Truthfully I wished Celeste and Aisha switched. Aisha has defense magic, and Celeste is an okay healer."
"Hey!"
"Calm down, Celeste there's a patient here."
I laughed at his antics.
Celeste was a cool and collected beauty.
Someone Lucas could easily be attracted to, but it seemed he didn't see her like that.
So thankfully I could enjoy her company without feelings of jealousy springing up.
Whenever it was me and Aura alone I wouldn't feel like that, but when Lucas came to join us, the feelings began to well up inside of me naturally.
As her knight he had to lean towards her.
How nice would it have been if he had been my knight instead of hers?
I guess I could only dream.
"Anyways your highness, do you know when you're getting released?"
"Remember, it's Charlotte, but since I don't want you publicly shamed, how about Princess Charlotte?"
"Yes, Princess Charlotte."
"That's better, and honestly it shouldn't be that much longer, maybe a few hours maybe a couple of days?"
Well I didn't know for sure.
*Knock*
"Excuse me Patient Charlotte, I am here for an evaluation."
"Come in."
"I see you have visitors, this is not a mandatory, so I can come back when it's more convenient."
"No, no doctor, we were just about to leave."
"I see."
The 4 of them filed out the door.
"Hello again doctor."
"Please call me Astor."
"Then, Astor, what exactly is this evaluation for?"
"Well it was decided after your first visit that your vital signs were all stable, and the effects of having people around you affected you in the normal ways, we haven't seen if you have been exposed to any deep trauma, but based on our previous questioning and stimuli, we can't keep you here, and risk deterioration of your mental health."
"You mean I'd get dumber."
"For a lack of better terms, you would lose social aptitude, which is critical for someone at your station."
"I understand, doctor."
"Then I will proceed."
He began his final questioning and stimuli and it seems I passed since an hour later I was free to return to the dorm.
Leo and Revonia were waiting for me, apparently made known of the situation.
We talked as I they escorted me to my dorm.
***
*Aurelia's Pov*
When I had woken up it was already the next morning.
I shifted off of Lucas, and moved onto my chair.
Usually he would have been awake and already have something ready for me in the morning, but I guess all his energy was expended in healing.
I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek as he began to wake lucidly before going back to bed.
He tilted his head without warning and our lips connected.
I raised my hand to guide his head towards me.
It was an unexpected turn of events, but I would take advantage of it.
If he was going to try a harem, I was going to be the first and foremost.
Lucas was too kind a soul to allow himself to marry one person and only one, and allow others to feel left out.
So in order to avoid him being unable to even shower me with affection I had to begrudgingly allow it.
So far, only Charlotte posed a threat to me, but I wasn't going to rule out future rivals.
Charlotte, and her sister, Revonia were the only candidates aside from me to be in his harem for now, but the girl with red hair listened to him, and only him it seemed.
From my few interactions with her at the strategic planning meeting with the vice dean, Morgan was completely deferent to Lucas.
It was odd, but seeing as he sought her out for recruitment, it's likely he was her teacher and was a standoffish person from the beginning.
So I could understand if his affections for her went either way, teacher or lover.
I personally liked her personality, it was blunt without being disrespectful.
It was like an art form.
Lucas finally pulled away from me.
"Are you going to keep attacking my lips while I'm sleeping?"
"Well, I was trying to give you a kiss on the cheek, but you moved okay?"
"Well you can try again I'll turn over."
With that he rolled over to his right side, onto his newly attached shoulder.
I could feel him sleep just as easily again.
I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
*Swish*
And the door to the room opened as I sat down.
"Hello Aurelia."
I turned around not bothering to hid my blush.
"Hi, Charlotte, how did you get in here, I thought that I left a do not disturb sign on the door."
"Well, visiting hours are open, and I am the princess, and he is my knight acknowledged by my father."
"You mean that ceremonial sword you handed to him was also allowed by your father?"
"Yes, in fact I had actually talked with him even before the sword."
"Hah. Liar."
"You know that Lucas wants a harem right? You can't stop me Aura."
"You realize it's to prevent us from being hurt right?"
"I know that, but I don't like sharing Aura."
"I know that feeling."
"Here take a seat."
I pulled the doctors chair over to Charlotte, as we sat in the silence of the room.