Chapter 165: The Beautiful Nurse

The atmosphere in the room instantly became friendly. Seeing everyone’s smiling faces, Rod felt greatly comforted, knowing that his efforts over the past time had not been in vain! He had finally achieved the results he had envisioned, which was also a contribution from his side. What was even more important, Rod was well aware that since his efforts had paid off, it was as if he had repaid Kiro’s favors—reducing the debt he owed him.

“Hey, you guys came too?” Kiro’s voice came from outside the door, and the others arrived at Rod’s ward at that moment. Although they had followed the medical staff to bring Rod here, he hadn’t asked them to stay. He knew everyone attached great importance to the outcome of this match, so he simply told them to return to the arena to watch. Now that the match was over, they naturally came to the medical room right away.

With their arrival, the room became lively, filled with laughter and chatter, a stark contrast to the gloomy expressions of the students from the Wind God Academy in the next room.

In such circumstances, time passed especially quickly. Night fell over the entire academy. With the arrival of the medical staff, it signaled the time for rest. Anna no longer had anything to do, so she had no intention of staying in this place filled with the pungent smell of medicine. It was already late, and the others also didn’t want to disturb Rod’s rest. After saying goodbye reluctantly, they slowly left the cozy room.

However, the looks left by Alice and Lucia as they stayed behind left Rod feeling a bit confused, as if he could see too much in their eyes.

As everyone left, the room returned to its peaceful silence. Alone in the empty room, he felt a sense of emptiness, as if he had lost something. His heart hung in limbo, feeling heavy.

With a sigh, Rod realized the match was over and his mission complete. But what to do next felt uncertain, like a child separated from his mother’s arms. Though his time at the academy had been less than a month, it had allowed him to experience warmth and comfort he hadn’t felt in a long time. The thought of leaving filled him with reluctance.

Yes, I ultimately don’t belong here and will have to leave eventually. With the Continental Combat Tournament over, there’s little time left before I depart. Viski, Anna, Lucia, Kiro, Alice, Anderson, and Roy… One by one, their images flashed through my mind, eventually settling on Lucia. A strong sense of reluctance and attachment arose, and this feeling confirmed what I had feared before—I had developed feelings for Lucia. Although I’m in my youth and prone to emotional reactions, there are still too many things waiting for me to accomplish. It seems this emotion came at the worst possible time. After sorting out my thoughts, I barely managed to outline the tasks ahead. First, I must raise my military rank as soon as possible. That damned pursuit mission is still pending, and it seems the pursuer has become even more formidable. Now that I’m at the Holy Light Academy, and with the tournament’s announcement, word must have spread. More and more people will know where I am, putting me at a significant disadvantage—enemy hidden while I’m exposed. As long as I stay inside the academy, all dangers will follow. On the other hand, improving my strength remains crucial; it’s essential to get stronger right away! Then there’s Lucia—how to deal with these feelings I’ve developed is a difficult problem. Thinking about this, my mind became chaotic again. With a sigh, I understood why there’s a saying that “even heroes struggle with beauties”—because there are no real heroes in this world. So-called heroes are merely created by others; they do the right thing at the right time and receive proper recognition. Otherwise, they’re just ordinary people. Shaking off my chaotic thoughts, I planned out the remaining two tasks. After forming a rough outline in my mind, I finally breathed a sigh of relief—though I also felt a bit tired. A sharp pain from my wounds reminded me that I was still injured. With a wry smile, I realized I’d need to recover here for some time.

However, thinking about the military rank and the pursuit reminded him of that man in black from that day. He didn’t know exactly who he was, but it seemed he wasn’t from the empire or any particular family, which only increased Rod’s confusion. With this thought, his eyes lit up—he might as well take some time to find that person.

Unaware of it, it was already ten at night. Looking outside the window, everything was pitch black, with the occasional rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves. He felt a rare sense of fatigue.

The competition was over, and he had achieved the results he wanted. Coupled with his recent progress in cultivation and the injuries he sustained today, he decided to take a day off to enjoy some much-needed sleep.

……

A beam of sunlight entered his eyes, causing Rod, who was in darkness, to feel a sting. He gently opened his eyes. Outside, the sun was high in the sky, and it was already bright—just one night had passed.

Footsteps at the door drew Rod’s attention. The door slowly opened, and a young nurse entered the room. Her pure white gown made her skin appear even fairer. The loose robe not only failed to cover her delicate figure but also sparked imagination. It was like the effect of “covering half one’s face while still showing beauty.”

She came to Rod’s bedside and smiled slightly, saying, “You woke up so early?” She looked at Rod and greeted him.

That smile was incredibly charming. She was definitely a stunning beauty. In his mind, Rod couldn’t help but give her a score. If Lucia, considered the top of the academy’s four beauties, could score 95 points, Alice could score over 88. As for this woman, she should at least get 85 points. If she wore clothes, she might not be inferior to Alice at all. The saying “Clothes make the man” is truly true. Her beauty also left Rod momentarily stunned.

“What’s wrong?” She looked at Rod, the man who had become famous throughout the academy and would soon become famous across the continent. Seeing him staring at her, she couldn’t help but ask.

Although that kind of look made her feel embarrassed, she wasn’t annoyed. Most people in the academy looked at her with a lecherous gaze, wanting to pounce on her—she truly despised such looks. But she could sense that the man’s gaze at her now contained no trace of lecherous intent; it was simply admiration, free from any impure thoughts. Such an appreciative look even gave her a sense of pleasure.

“N-nothing… hehe, nothing. I just can’t sleep. I’m used to getting up early!” Hearing the other person’s words again, Rod finally snapped out of it and hurriedly replied.

His face turned red as well. She must have noticed his distraction just now, which made him feel ashamed. Staring at a woman like that seemed like a bad thing to do.

Rod hadn’t realized that over the past year since arriving in this world, his mindset had changed a lot without him even noticing. The rogueish attitude he once had had been almost completely worn away over those years, and the old mindset of “I’m a thug—who’s afraid of me?” was now long forgotten.

“Come on, let me check your injuries! Alright, don’t move. Do you know how serious your injuries are? Lie down quickly, or those wounds might get worse!” Seeing Rod flustered and blushing, Linda couldn’t help but laugh, then comforted him.

She went to the bedside, looked at Rod lying there, lifted his shirt, and examined his condition under his embarrassed expression.

Seeing the wounds on Rod’s body, she couldn’t help but frown. It was hard to imagine how many wounds a person could have, and yet he could still talk and laugh despite such injuries. If it were some nobleman, he would probably be crying out in pain and unable to move.

Moreover, the scars of various sizes on Rod’s body were shocking. Though they weren’t noticeable if not looked at closely, they became clear upon closer inspection. It was hard to imagine how much danger a person had to face and how many life-or-death trials they had to endure to end up with such marks.

She understood that for a man, for a warrior—and since he was also a mercenary—these scars might be their glory, their pride. Thinking of this, her gaze became distant as she looked up at the man, thinking to herself, “Perhaps he should be proud enough!”

“What’s the matter? Do I have a rash on my face? Is it pretty?” Yet his voice made Linda’s face turn red as she quickly lowered her head to continue treating his wound. An awkward feeling made his face flush and his heart race. It seemed this kind of loss of composure was the first time it had happened since he entered the academy.

“Alright, the wound is healing quickly. Rest well— it should be fully recovered in a few days. As for the internal injuries, you’ll have to rely on yourself!” Under the stress and embarrassment, Linda quickly examined Rod’s wound before hurrying to apply some ointment, then leaving the room in a rush. Only after stepping outside did she sigh in relief, as if freed from tension.

At that moment, she remembered her earlier observations and thought to herself that this man was truly extraordinary—his wounds had recovered to this extent in less than a day. It was almost unbelievable, almost abnormal. An ordinary person would likely take a week to recover to such a degree; by then, most wounds would have scabbed over, and even the more serious ones would have improved significantly, with no major issues left.

The battle from yesterday had already spread throughout the academy. Even she, who wasn’t very interested in such things, was well aware of it. Listening to her roommates discuss it, she could imagine how fierce the battle must have been and how great the danger that man had faced. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of pain.

Glancing secretly at the closed door, she hesitated for a moment before leaving. Not far away, she saw a man passing by her. Turning back, she saw he seemed to be heading toward Knight Rod’s room. She opened her mouth, intending to ask or stop him, but ultimately gave up. She quickly turned away from this place that felt somewhat strange to her.

Feeling that Linda had left, Rod smirked bitterly, scratched his head, and lay back in bed, enjoying the rare peace.