Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume5 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 2===

Severely injured by the dark-skinned girl who had appeared inexplicably, Oratorie escaped from the classroom that smelled heavily of ink and moved while dodging people's gazes. It would be best to get her wound treated before she was discovered and a commotion arose. However, that might prove to be a challenge.

Moving along the back of the school building, she peered into every window she came across. After repeating this for a while, she finally found the location she wanted on the ground floor of the school building facing the school yard.

It was the infirmary. Although she did not come here to follow that man's orders, it was the only place where she could stop the bleeding. As far as she was concerned, she was totally not going to abandon her goal and leave the school.

There was no one in the room&mdash;even the school physician was nowhere to be found. This delicate timing was quite a mixed blessing. Either way, whether "threatening someone to treat her wounds then kill off the witness depending on circumstances" or "finding medication to stop the bleeding herself," both were considerable chores.

In any case, Oratorie opened the window that was not locked and entered.

"How troubling. What should I do? Disinfect, inject a hemostatic agent and bandage it? After all, as long as it allows me to move freely, anything is fine... Would taping it be better? Where are the bandages? Ah~ jeez, this is such a chore..."

Just as she was muttering while she ransacked the medication shelves...

"Excuse me&mdash;Doctor, he's not feeling very well, can he come in to rest&mdash;"

Two students had entered. One was a short boy who was holding a schoolbag while the other was a girl who was helping him walk by offering her shoulder to lean on for support. Judging from their closeness, it was only natural to conclude that they were probably a steady couple.

(Ah, the springtime of youth... Well, what should I do? Should I kill them?)

As soon as they started screaming and yelling, it would be too late. Yes, I should go for a preemptive strike. Making this simple decision, Oratorie gripped the wooden oar and turned to face the two students. Just as she took a step forward&mdash;

"G-Good heavens! You're heavily injured! Please don't move!"

"...Huh?"

"Sorry, Ren-kun, why don't you sit on the bed and rest first. I must tend to this person's wound first."

"O-Okay..."

The boy obeyed and sat on the bed while the girl knelt down before Oratorie to examine the wound on her thigh. Very soon, she frowned and said:

"What a severe wound...! Why are you still standing? Hurry up and sit down! I'll treat you immediately but my skills might not be great! Ahhh~ Seriously, so many things are happening today...!"

The girl began to search the shelves desperately. While it would be perfectly easy to take this opportunity to swing the «Tragedy Method» against the back of her head, Oratorie was slightly at a loss as to how to react to the girl's behavior. Also&mdash;

"Umm... I think you'd better listen to Hina-chan and sit down. Here, take this chair and have a seat."

The boy brought a pipe chair and placed it next to Oratorie. Looking like he was trembling slightly, he bowed politely and returned to sit on the bed.

(Hmm&mdash;They didn't go yelling and screaming and she's even helping to treat my wound. Perhaps there's no need to kill them at this moment?)

Spacing out as she pondered such matters, Oratorie was finally won over by the desire to avoid anything troublesome.

"Then thank you. I hope you could work a bit faster, because I've bled quite a lot earlier already."

"Wow, you speak Japanese really well... No wait, now is not the time for this! I-I got it! Uh... Here's the antiseptic, uh... Bandage, where are the bandages? Oh my&mdash;Where has Houjyou-sensei run off to at a time like this... Hurry and come back!"

Now sitting on the chair, Oratorie examined the two students once more. The girl that was called Hina-chan had thick glasses with strong lenses, hair that was sloppily tied behind her head and a skirt that was not very short, combining to give a rather unfashionable impression. However, her personality did not seem especially introverted and her natural assets were actually not bad, what a shame. Keeping these unimportant comments to herself, Oratorie wondered "If she switched to wearing contacts, she'd probably be the type who goes from an ugly duckling to a swan."

As for that boy called Ren-kun, he stood in stark contrast to the girl. His adorable appearance and timid, cowardly impression combined to instill an urge in others to protect him. The type of handsome boy who was like a small pet.

"Got it, this is it! Well then, let's wipe this and disinfect it..."

"Hey little girl, are you one of those health committee students who are in charge of health-related matters? I've heard that there exists this kind of system in Japanese schools."

"Ah, no, I'm not, actually."

"Then why are you willing to treat my wound?"

The girl was wiping Oratorie's wound and applying a piece of gauze with liquid antiseptic on it.

"Umm, I'm the type who can't resist helping whenever I see anyone in need. If I leave them alone, it weighs on my conscience... Although my parents and friends always say I'll get taken advantage of like this, I do it because I want to help people, so it's fine. Last time when I helped an old granny with her luggage, my friend even laughed at me for being a 'rare and modern Good Samaritan.' But it's true, that's my style."

"Ah, that's right, that's right. That type of person does exist. Even I know someone who's like that. However, this is stinging quite severely, could you be slightly~ more gentle?"

The girl bowed her head honestly and went "S-Sorry!" What a nice and gentle girl. But it looks like you're currently found the wrong target for your gentleness.

Just as the girl had mentioned earlier, her skills in treatment were not particularly experienced. But compared to doing it herself, Oratorie found this much easier indeed.

"Okay, wrap the bandage tighter, it must be tight."

"Y-Yes. Uh&mdash;Is this okay?"

Thus, the treatment was basically done. Although some blood still seeped out through the bandage, it was many times better than earlier already.

So, now that the treatment is done, how should these two be dealt with?

(Although they didn't really bother me... Whatever, I guess I won't kill them. After all, she did do me a favor by treating my wound. Ufufu, I suppose this would be called a merciful heart.)

Secretly gloating to herself&mdash;

"Thank you, uh&mdash;Hina-chan, was it? Oh~ Even your name is quite similar to Hinai... Hmm, then I guess I'll be off."

"Ah, I'm called Sorashiro Hinata. He's Doumoto Ren-kun&mdash;Eh? W-Where are you going?"

"I have matters to attend to. ''A very important matter''."

"N-No you can't! I don't know what you need to do, but you've suffered a severe injury! Ren-kun, you think so too, right?"

"Y-Yeah. At the very least, you should rest a bit first..."

That's really annoying&mdash;I guess I'll kill them after all.

Just as Oratorie was about to recklessly withdraw her earlier decision, she suddenly thought of asking about that ''important matter''.

With so much time ticking by already, the boy was probably no longer in that classroom. That meant she would need to search for him within the school again... Like finding a needle in a haystack.

(He probably escaped already, right? Then I'll need to find him in the crowd again, what a pain. Besides, running around and tiring out this leg would be a bad idea. Hmm, before I recover sufficient energy to battle, it's best that I avoid wasting stamina on walking as much as possible.)

Then what should she do now? After pondering a bit, she immediately came up with an idea.

Oratorie turned around and returned to the chair. The girl exhaled in relief and said "You finally agree to rest, huh."

"So... Let's be honest here, do you... find me strange?"

"Eh? Well~ Just a bit... Because you're wearing a swimsuit and holding a bloodstained... oar. But then again~ Today is the cultural festival after all, you're probably someone involved in some kind of event? Did you end up getting injured accidentally?"

"Hmm~ Good girl. Ufufufu, or perhaps you are a Japanese whose mind has been brainwashed by peace? But whatever... Ah, I just remembered something very important. Could you get me some water?"

Seeing the water faucet in a corner of the room, Oratorie requested. The girl answered "Understood!" and rushed over there. Thinking "the school physician probably drinks coffee, right?", she grabbed a nearby mug and returned with it filled with water.

Smiling and saying "thank you," Oratorie took the mug and&mdash;

Poured the water over her head.

"Eh, what are you doing?"

"Phew... Nothing much. It's just that if I don't do this, I'll die."

Oratorie continued explaining to the shocked girl:

"Looks like you don't understand. Me... I'm different from you lot. Including my way of life and motivation behind my actions. I'm not gentle like you, nor a busybody like you, neither am I some kind of goody good girl. In other words&mdash;"

Oratorie cast her glance to the other side. Sitting on the bed, the boy was inclining his head in puzzlement like the girl.

"In other words&mdash;Ufufu, I am a villain. For example, I am so bad that I will do this."

The woman swung the wooden oar with one hand. Just as the oar was about to bury itself into soft flesh, she suddenly stopped.

"...Eh?"

Then Oratorie held the cursed tool and pressed it against the cute little pet who was still blinking in puzzlement&mdash;against the boy's throat, and said to the girl:

"I hope you will help me find out where a student called Haruaki Yachi<!--western order, katakana--> can be found~ If you dare say 'no,' I'll obviously do something to this cute little boy&mdash;You probably don't want to see that happen, do you? Let me ask you, whenever you see someone in need, you can't resist helping, isn't that right?"