Noah woke to the scent of antiseptic in the air around him.
His eyes fluttered open slowly, and for a few seconds, he wasn't sure where he was.
But soon enough, the white walls and the soft linen beneath him gave it away.
He was in the infirmary.
His head still felt heavy, and his chest ached faintly with each breath, but it was better than before.
"You're awake."
The voice came from his left.
Professor Cecilia stood beside his bed, arms crossed, her expression somewhere between concern and mild exasperation.
"You fainted in the cafeteria," she said. "You're lucky Arlo was there to catch you before your head hit the floor."
Noah groaned, trying to sit up, but she pressed a hand on his shoulder.
"Easy. You're suffering from mana fatigue, Noah. Your mana pool's been overworked, and your body shut down to prevent permanent damage."
Mana fatigue. He should've expected it after the Othello fight, but he hadn't realized how deep he'd gone.
