I Need the True Ending to Graduate - Chapter 50

As soon as they arrived at the dorm, the first thing Ruad did was call a doctor to examine Lucia.

Lucia insisted that Ruad should be treated first, and even the doctor, glancing at the blood dripping from Ruad’s hand, seemed to agree with her.

But Ruad flatly ignored them both and had Lucia seen first.

Normally, he never dismissed her words or disregarded a doctor, but this time he couldn’t do otherwise.

In the end, Lucia reluctantly gave in and allowed the doctor to examine her.

The results showed that she had only lightly burned a small part of her scalp and skin. There were no serious injuries, and the doctor said rinsing with lukewarm water and applying plenty of moisturizer would calm it quickly.

It was nothing but a relief.

While Ruad stepped back, quietly feeling reassured as he watched her being examined, a servant knocked on the door.

When admitted, the servant bowed his head and reported, “The bathwater you requested is ready. You can go in right away.”

“What about a change of clothes?”

“We’re checking to see if any women’s uniforms are left elsewhere. We’ll bring them as soon as we find them.”

“Then what is she supposed to wear after bathing?”

Ruad’s red eyes flashed sharply as he asked, and the servant replied, “We’ve prepared a robe to cover herself. It’s a man’s robe, so it’s loose, but it should be enough to cover her body.”

“Is that so?”

Composing his expression again, Ruad straightened from where he had been leaning against the wall and approached Lucia. Then he carefully placed a hand on her shoulder.

Lucia, having removed her soiled jacket, was left in just her shirt. Her already slender frame made her shoulders look even sharper.

Ruad thought absently that she needed to eat more than chocolate for lunch, but he put the thought aside and spoke to her instead.

“The bathwater’s ready. You’ve been examined, and you must feel uncomfortable, so go wash up. They haven’t found clothes yet, so I had them put in a robe for now. You can wear that until the clothes arrive.”

“…And you?”

“I didn’t get dirty, so I don’t need to wash.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Lucia’s gaze shifted and quietly landed on his right hand.

Ruad opened his palm to check the wound. The blood had dried to a dark brown crust, but it wasn’t flowing anymore. It seemed to have stopped on its own.

“I already finished my examination, but since the doctor’s here, you should have the wound treated too. Before it gets worse.”

“Thanks for worrying, Lucy. But the bleeding’s already stopped. Later, I’ll just wash my hand. A scratch like this will heal quickly.”

Feeling it was excessive to make a fuss over such a small cut, he spoke lightly. But Lucia let out a small sigh.

That tiny sigh sank onto his chest like a heavy stone.

While Ruad hesitated, Lucia spoke quietly.

“Ruad.”

“…Yeah?”

“While I wash, let the doctor treat you. I listened and got examined first like you asked, so now it’s your turn. Got it?”

With that, she rose as if yielding her seat to the next patient.

“Then excuse me, I’ll borrow the bathroom.”

“No, Lucy. Wait a second…!”

Before Ruad could say anything to stop her, Lucia briskly walked out of the room.

The sound of the door opening and closing rang clearly in the room. Ruad’s cry was erased in vain by the closing door before it could reach her.

“….”

An awkward, uneasy air filled the room. The doctor, fumbling with his bag, glanced timidly at Ruad.

The servant was no different, stealing glances nervously.

Perhaps deciding it wasn’t wise to linger in the room any longer, the servant gave a suitable excuse and slipped out.

“…Then I’ll go check if any women’s uniforms remain. I’ll bring one as soon as I find it.”

The door opened and closed again.

Now only Ruad and the doctor remained in the room.

After some time spent hesitating, the doctor cautiously spoke to him.

“Shall I treat you?”

“….”

“If not, then I’ll just be on my way.”

Startled by Ruad’s red glare, the doctor hurried to grab his bag, ready to flee. Just then, Ruad sat down in the spot where Lucia had been moments ago. He held out his injured hand to the doctor.

“Treat it.”

“….”

“I don’t have a choice. Lucia told me to get treated, so I have to. If not, she’ll be angry,” Ruad muttered indifferently, almost like he was talking to himself.

The doctor cast him a wary glance, then reluctantly unpacked his bag again, disinfecting and applying ointment to the wound.

With his arm propped on the table, chin resting on his hand, Ruad’s profile looked indifferent. Even as the wound was cleaned and ointment applied, he didn’t flinch at all.

Anyone watching might have thought the doctor was treating someone else’s hand entirely.

And yet, there was something in Ruad’s expression that seemed faintly pleased. As if he were humming a tune inwardly.

Whether it was true joy or just a fleeting mood, the doctor couldn’t tell, even after finishing the treatment.

“It’ll sting for a while. Use your hand as little as possible, and apply ointment every day.”

As the doctor tied off the bandage and gave his instructions, the servant who had fled earlier knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

At Ruad’s curt permission, the door opened and the servant entered.

Ruad barely spared him a glance, just flexed his bandaged hand and waited for him to speak.

The servant bowed respectfully and handed him a neatly folded set of clothes.

“Fortunately, we found a spare uniform. If you give me the soiled jacket and clothes, I’ll wash them and return them.”

“I understand that, but why give these to me? Why not to Lucy directly?”

“Ah, well…. Since this is the men’s dorm, all the servants are male. It seemed improper to enter while the young lady is using the bathroom, so I brought them to you instead. If it’s inconvenient, I can deliver them to her myself…”

“No. I’ll deliver them myself.”

The servant, watching Ruad’s expression as he explained, began to pull the clothes back. But Ruad snatched them swiftly, like an eagle seizing its prey.

Then, without another word, he rose from his seat.

“Thanks for the effort. If I need anything, I’ll call. See the doctor out on your way.”

“Ah, yes… understood….”

Leaving behind the servant’s startled face at his sudden change of attitude, Ruad headed toward the bathroom that Lucia was using.

In truth, he despised trivial matters like this, but no matter what, he disliked the idea of a man entering the bathroom while Lucia was inside.

Even if that man was a lowly servant working in the dormitory.

‘In that case, it’s better if I deliver them myself.’

With that thought, he arrived at the bathroom door. But just as he was about to open it and hand over the clothes to Lucia, his chest started pounding and tension crept in.

Outwardly, he might be acting like a friend, but the truth was he had already had a wet dream about Lucia.

He had no intention of using this chance to sneak a look at her naked body. That would have been nothing but a stupid act that shattered all the trust he had built up until now, even if by lies.

And yet, he couldn’t stop his mouth from going dry or the sweat from beading in his palms.

Just the simple fact that Lucia was undressing and bathing beyond that door made his heart race.

‘Calm down, Ruad Rochef. Getting worked up over just delivering clothes, letting yourself get swayed by something as petty as lust… pull yourself together. All I have to do is act like her friend, like I always do.’

After harshly berating himself and chanting inwardly, Ruad finally managed to knock on the bathroom door.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Lucy. It’s me, Ruad. I’ve got something to give you. Can I come in?”

“….”

For some reason, there was no reply from beyond the door.

Wondering if she hadn’t heard him, Ruad knocked again.

Knock, knock.

“Lucy. I brought new clothes for you to change into. Can I come in?”

“….”

Still no answer.

Feeling something was off, Ruad pressed his ear close to the door, straining to catch even the faintest sound.

“Lucy?”

But there wasn’t a single sound from inside. Not even the splash of water in the tub. No footsteps, no breathing, only silence.

‘Is she not inside? Why is it this quiet, like death? Something’s wrong. Could something have happened…?’

The strange sense of unease gripped him, and Ruad immediately opened the bathroom door.

At once, the damp, lingering citrus scent rushed into his nose, and sunlight revealed the sight of Lucia’s naked body.

She was standing quietly in front of the bathtub, not a single thread covering her.

Her hair and her pale white skin were wet, glistening as if she had just stepped out of the bath. Her bare feet were soaked, puddles of water spreading beneath them.

Ruad’s grip on the clothes in his hand tightened. His pupils dilated, and his heart pounded faster than it ever had before opening that door.

‘I shouldn’t be looking….’

He knew full well that staring at her bare body without permission was a stupid betrayal of the trust he had built with her. And yet, Ruad couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Like a man nailed to the spot, he just blinked dumbly, forgetting even to swallow the saliva pooling in his mouth.

His gaze drifted without him realizing, from her straight waistline down the cascade of brown hair, to her small, cute bottom and long, slender legs. Just then, sensing his presence, Lucia turned to face him.

“…Ruad?”