Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! Chapter 162: 162-They Are Different From Magic

Read chapter 162 of Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! by A_Random_Turtle on NovelPedia.

“This is nasty,” Merlin said, seated beside Nora where she lay in the infirmary. “Was there no other way? What did you even do to yourself?” Nora snorted, shifting slightly on the bed in a rather candid manner like her right arm and ankles weren’t bandaged, and a needle connected to a drip wasn’t poked into a vein on her left hand. “Why not watch the video instead?” she retorted. “Not only have I not had the time—as you can see.” Merlin gestured at the attire he wore, which was not much different from the same one Nora had on, in that they were clinic gowns. “But I’m also here before you, so I would like to hear it from the horse’s mouth.” “Then you’ll be here for all eternity,” Nora scoffed. Merlin’s eyes twitched. He wanted to smack her on the side of her head, but he held himself back. She was obviously in a lot of pain, despite how she tried to act otherwise, and he was not wicked enough to try to worsen it. And he also didn’t want to reopen his wounds by moving too much. Dr. Eleanor, coupled with dragging his mana to nearly its limits, had made a mess of his internal organs. He wasn’t even supposed to be in Nora’s room, Professor Jung’s orders, but no one was keeping him from paying his sister a visit. “Will you be able to fight in the second stage?” Merlin asked. “It’s only a few days away.” Nora raised a brow at him. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Merlin glanced at her arm, inclining his head. “Let’s see. Whatever you did nearly ruptured an artery, which could have killed you. And then there’s the fact that you just narrowly escaped aneurysm, high blood pressure, micro hemorrhages, and—” “I’ve heard enough,” Nora cut him off. “Not like I even understand all those big words. Geez.” “You don’t understand much about Blood Magic and yet you were able to defeat a Blood Mage. You really are something.” “Tell me what I don’t already know.” She grinned. Merlin shook his head. If someone was to listen in on their conversation, they would think Merlin was the smarter of the both of them and more careful. If only that were truly the case. “Sweety!” a voice broke into the room as the door slid open. Aunt Zuzu appeared, panting. “My goodness. Are you all right?” she added, hurrying into the room. “I’m fine, aunty,” said Nora. “It’s just a little scratch.” “Don’t lie to me,” Aunt Zuzu said firmly. “I watched it all. The hotel has good wi-fi, you know?” Besides the fact that making such a point felt weird, for someone who had hurried over from her hotel, she looked quite kept. Merlin would have expected her hair to roughed up, her feet to be covered by pams or sandals, and not wearing any make-up. But Aunt Zuzu was not like other people. She never wanted to be caught off-guard, so she was presented in the opposite of Merlin’s thoughts. Merlin stood up from the stool, and slowly retreated towards the door. It was best he escaped now before his aunt shifted her attention towards him. Nothing good would come of that. He managed to escape just a second before she uttered the famous “cheesecake” nickname she had given him, and he made sure not to look back. Two things were likely to happen in that room. Aunt Zuzu bickering, and then she would call their parents, and they too would, as usual, fill Nora’s ears with complaints. Until he had proven he could handle himself, Merlin didn’t want to be involved in such conversations. And his fight against Dr. Eleanor wasn’t exactly the best of displays. Chatter came from the rooms in the infirmary building as Merlin walked outdoors. He wasn’t keen on heading back to his room which was filled with the smell of drugs and the ambience of loneliness, so he craved fresh air instead. And as he had expected, it really was reinvigorating for his psyche. Merlin inhaled deeply and exhaled. His stomach stung at that, but it was bearable. Then, as he let his eyes peruse the trimmed grasses and bloomed flowers surrounding the building in silence, his eyes fell onto a certain figure seated on a bench. Blonde hair in crown