In the silence that enveloped the room, Annie finished her bowl of hot porridge.
After the little girl completed her meal, Xiao Mu Yu remained silent, standing impassively as he took the bowl and turned to leave the room.
Observing his retreating figure, the little girl finally stammered out a question that had been troubling her since she awoke, "Um... Big Brother, why did you save me?"
"..." His footsteps paused momentarily, and after a brief silence, Xiao Mu Yu did not turn around; only his cold voice reached her, "The reason is... there is no reason."
With that, he indifferently opened the door to the hospital room and exited, leaving the little girl behind.
Leaning against the pillow, the little girl felt a twinge of frustration; no matter how she pondered, she could not fathom why this seemingly aloof older brother had chosen to save her.
If it were for her wealth, she had none to offer, appearing as destitute as a wandering orphan. He could not possibly know that her family was affluent, thus the notion of him coveting her riches was untenable.
Yet, could it be that this older brother was simply a good Samaritan?
The memory of his cold, despairing eyes, reminiscent of the darkest abyss, sent a shiver down her spine, making it hard for her to believe he was the benevolent sort.
However, apart from these possibilities, the naive little girl could not conjure any other explanations. Wait...
Suddenly, she recalled a similar plot from a knightly novel she had read—where the protagonist, a princess, found herself on the streets for some reason and encountered a seemingly cold-hearted but warm-hearted hero.
That hero, much like this older brother, appeared frigid on the surface, yet he fell in love with the princess and silently supported her quest to reclaim her kingdom.
Could it be that this seemingly icy older brother was in a similar situation?
Had he fallen for me?
Oh my goodness!!!! How embarrassing!
The thought made her blush, and she buried her face under the covers, as if to hide her innermost thoughts.
Just then, the cold man's voice, seemingly devoid of warmth, pierced her reverie, "Why are you clutching your stomach? Is there something wrong with the porridge? Did you upset your stomach?"
The little girl stiffened, feeling slightly embarrassed as she lifted her head, only to realize that Xiao Mu Yu had returned at some point during her daydreaming.
He stood coldly at the foot of her bed, observing her as she bent over, her face hidden beneath the covers.
"..." The little girl felt awkward as she met his gaze, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Are you running a fever? Your face is so red," he remarked, scrutinizing her flushed cheeks. After a moment, he nodded, as if coming to an understanding, "Has the fever not subsided? How could it have returned so swiftly? Is it indeed the porridge from that place outside the hospital? I won't buy from there again."
After a few seconds of silence, Xiao Mu Yu stated coolly, "Wait here; I will call the doctor to examine you."
Seeing him turn to leave, the little girl became anxious, waving her small hands in a flustered manner, "It's fine... I'm fine, Big Brother. There's no need to call the doctor."
"..." He turned back, pausing as if choosing his words carefully. After a few seconds, he replied indifferently, "You needn't force yourself."
"I... I'm not forcing myself," she stammered, her gaze darting around the room. Spotting the tightly shut windows, her bright eyes blinked, and she finally thought of a plausible excuse, "I'm just a bit warm and feeling a little stuffy... Hehe, really, it's not a relapse of the fever. You needn't worry, Big Brother."
"..." Xiao Mu Yu noticed her wandering gaze. He pondered for a moment before saying, "The windows cannot be opened; your body has yet to recover. Exposure to cold air is not good for you. How about I open the door to let some fresh air in? That should suffice."
"Um... That would be fine. Thank you, Big Brother." What else could Annie say? She could only nod awkwardly in agreement.
Then, she watched as Xiao Mu Yu expressionlessly opened the door to the room, took a seat on a chair, and once again, silence enveloped them.
In this stillness, the little girl shifted uncomfortably, seeking to break the ice, "Um, Big Brother, my name is Annie, Annie von Einzbern Haster. What is your name?"
"..." He lifted his cold gaze slightly and replied tersely, "Xiao Mu Yu."
"Oh, may I call you Brother Mu Yu?" Annie asked.
"Yes."
"Where are you from, Brother Mu Yu?"
"Demacia."
"Then how did you end up at the War Academy? Are you headed somewhere?"
"I'm passing through on my way to the Shurima Desert."
"Ah? The Shurima Desert? Are you seeking out ancient ruins, Brother Mu Yu?"
"Yes."
"Really? But I've heard that those ancient ruins are quite dangerous. What tier are you as a practitioner? I'm at tier seven, heehee... though I only barely reached the standard for a tier seven sorceress last month."
"I'm tier nine."
"Wow! That's amazing!" The little girl exclaimed in admiration, though she lacked the usual awe and trepidation that ordinary people felt in the presence of a tier nine practitioner.
After all, she had encountered many tier nine practitioners in her daily life, and familiarity had stripped away the mystique they held for most.
She was merely surprised that this young older brother was a tier nine practitioner.
"..."
"So, Big Brother, why did you save Annie? I don't believe you when you say there's no reason. Do you know my father?" The little girl remained troubled by this question.
Initially, she thought this older brother was sent by her father to secretly watch over her, but given that he was a tier nine practitioner, that possibility was eliminated.
After all, tier nine practitioners held a prestigious status; her father could barely be considered a tier nine sorcerer himself, and he was not a king who could command such a practitioner. Thus, the only possibility left was that this older brother was a friend of her father.
"..." After a moment of indifferent silence, as if realizing that failing to provide a concrete reason might affect their relationship, Xiao Mu Yu finally "confessed," "Perhaps, if I told you... you might not believe it, but... you resemble my sister."
It was a clumsy explanation, yet the little girl's face instantly flushed—just as the cold male protagonist in the novel had said when the exiled princess asked why he had saved her.