The Next Day, in the Afternoon
At Carlin's home, Lyra personally cooked a bowl of beef noodles for Veil.
She was someone who always kept her word.
If she said she'd cook for Veil—
Then she'd make sure it happened.
No matter the time, no matter the place,
Maybe she'd be late, but she would never forget.
Now that he was well-fed and refreshed, it was time to get down to business.
It took nearly an hour, but Veil once again performed a full acupuncture and massage session for Carlin.
Afterward, she was drenched in sweat.
Her long dress clung to her skin, slightly translucent, outlining her graceful figure.
Lying on her stomach, she looked back at Veil with a grateful expression.
"Big Brother Veil, you're amazing. Those needles looked so thick—honestly, I was really scared at first. But it was just like you said, it only hurt a little at the beginning. Once I got used to it, it actually felt kind of... good."
And after just two sessions, even though she couldn't stand or walk yet, Carlin could feel something—something she hadn't felt in years.
She pinched her thigh hard.
It hurt.
Not much, but enough to confirm the truth:
She really could feel her legs again.
That brief pain during acupuncture hadn't been an illusion.
It meant her legs were starting to regain sensation—
Without the need for any needle stimulation.
Just two treatments, and this was already happening.
What if she kept going?
Would she—could she—one day walk again like a normal person?
How many years had it been?
How many times had she dreamed of standing up and walking?
But every time, she'd wake to cruel disappointment—
Until she no longer believed in miracles. Only hopeless despair remained.
But then Veil appeared.
It was like she had been locked in a pitch-black room, alone, sinking deeper and deeper...
Then, suddenly, the door creaked open, and a warm light poured in, shining across her face—
Letting her see hope again.
"Big Brother Veil, I'm so sorry for bothering you twice already… and making you come to my house like this…"
Carlin desperately wanted her legs to heal—
But she wasn't blind to Veil's efforts.
Her own parents struggled to take her to and from school sometimes, let alone bring her for regular treatment.
She couldn't expect them to neglect the family noodle shop just for her sake.
And Veil—he hadn't asked for a single cent in return.
Her gratitude was real.
So was the guilt.
Veil just smiled, lifting a hand to gently pat her on the head.
"You're calling me Big Brother, aren't you? Helping a little sister get better—what's there to complain about? I'll come again tomorrow."
"But… I've got school tomorrow…"
Carlin's face twisted in frustration. The weekend was over, and she had to return to classes.
Lyra, still dressed sharply in her white tee, fitted black pencil skirt, and glossy high heels, adjusted her glasses and chuckled softly nearby.
"Carlin, I've got some good news for you."
"What good news?" Carlin asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Lyra didn't drag it out. With a faint smile, she glanced at Veil.
"I hadn't thought about this before, but last night I asked your homeroom teacher for the class roster. I wanted to see if any new students had transferred in. And guess what? There are two new transfers in your class—one of them is Veil."
"What a coincidence?!"
Veil widened his eyes in feigned surprise.
Even though he had arranged everything through Kai behind the scenes, he now had to act the part—stunned, confused, and totally caught off guard.
"You're kidding, right? That can't be real!"
Lyra scrunched her nose with a playful scoff.
"You think I'd lie to you? Or are you saying I pulled strings to get you into my class?"
"No, no! Of course not!" Veil quickly waved his hands. "I just think... well—"
He looked at Carlin, letting out a helpless smile.
"If it's true, then I guess Carlin and I really are fated to meet. This will make it easier for her treatment."
Carlin bashfully turned her face away.
There was something magical about Veil's smile—
The more she saw it, the more it lingered in her mind, and the harder it became to ignore.
To hide her embarrassment, she looked toward Lyra instead.
Lyra crossed her arms and teased, "You think you'll just happen to find time and a quiet place for your treatments at school?"
But despite her words, her tone was gentle, and she wore a warm smile.
"I could let you use my staff dorm. But still… shouldn't you at least pretend to hesitate a little?"
"Then thank you, Miss Lyra. I'll be counting on your help from now on."
Veil gave a slight bow, his tone respectful.
Lyra nodded in satisfaction, her smile deepening.
"Now that's more like it."
Carlin, still lying on the bed, glanced between the two of them—
Lyra and Veil.
Something felt... off.
She knew Lyra well.
At school, she was cold and distant, even toward high-ranking faculty members.
She had always been aloof—especially toward men.
Even the most persistent admirers couldn't get a second glance.
So why…
Why was she acting like this in front of Veil?
Like a different person entirely.
Unable to hold back, Carlin blurted out the question gnawing at her heart:
"Miss Lyra… Big Brother Veil… are you two dating?"
The words slipped out before she could stop herself.
What the heck was that?
Why had she even asked that?
She wasn't even thinking about that—
It just tumbled out of her mouth!
"You little rascal," Lyra scolded playfully, walking up and tapping Carlin lightly on the forehead with a finger.
"Weren't we just saying whoever starts dating has to be the first to tell the other? You think I'm the kind of teacher who breaks promises?"
But just as she turned to walk away, her expression suddenly twisted in pain.
A deep, biting cold surged up from her chest, spreading rapidly through her body.
She clutched her heart with a trembling hand. Her chest made it hard to press directly against her skin, so she grabbed a little higher, twisting the fabric as her whole body shook violently.
"Miss Lyra! Are you okay?! Is it that time again?!" Carlin cried, panicked.
Veil narrowed his eyes.
He knew exactly what was happening.
Lyra's old condition was flaring up again.
After all—
In stories where the divine doctor descends the mountain, how could the female lead not have a mysterious illness?
If the heroine herself wasn't sick, then surely someone in her family had to be.
Otherwise, how else would the protagonist shine like the chosen one?
This was just how these tropes went.