Chapter 16: The Doctor
——Main Body——
Miyagi Hyakka Academy Medical Room.
A quiet and pristine ward. Wakaba's delicate, exquisite face seemed to have snapped awake from a fright.
She was half-sitting on the hospital bed, her stunning beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
Though clad in the oversized white patient gown, her slender, perfect figure still stirred the heart with a single glance.
Her neck revealed tender, snow-white skin; her slightly rising bosom made it impossible to look away.
“I'm back,” Wakaba said, looking around. The large, tidy bed held only her.
The air carried a faint scent of disinfectant.
Beside the bed stood a robot over a meter tall, which approached upon hearing her words.
Its lower half was a disc fitted with rollers, resembling a robotic vacuum cleaner.
The upper half was a screen, with arms on either side—highly dexterous.
This was the nurse robot of the medical room, capable of attending to daily needs.
“Beep. The current time is 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, 2330, Bright Calendar…” the robot announced automatically.
Wakaba looked at the screen on the robot’s torso and said, “I want to go online.”
“Sorry, this device does not provide internet services,” the robot replied.
“I want to play games.”
“This device includes rehabilitation therapy games, puzzle board games, attention training games…”
“Stop. I want to play online games.”
“Sorry, this device cannot provide online gaming services…” the nurse robot responded emotionlessly.
“I knew it,” Wakaba pouted in displeasure.
She had long felt suffocated by the academy’s strictness from the original body’s memories.
Accessing the internet was impossible; students didn't even have electronic devices, barely feeling connected to the future world.
There was no real entertainment—rather, the stunning students themselves were the entertainment.
“I want to sleep. Close the curtains,” she told the nurse robot, lying down and pulling up the covers.
But the nurse robot froze, unmoving.
Wakaba lifted the blanket again, sat up, and tapped the screen on its torso with her pale, delicate hand.
Still no response.
Just as she wondered what was wrong, the door opened.
Curiously, Wakaba looked up to see a woman in a white coat entering.
She was short, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a graceful figure and a pear-shaped face—pleasant-looking but nothing extraordinary in a place full of beauties like Miyagi Hyakka Academy.
“Little Wakaba, don’t be nervous, it’s me!” the woman said as the ward door closed automatically.
Wakaba eyed her warily, then recalled who she was.
Her name was Ai Kijima.
The original body had escaped from the heavily guarded Miyagi Hyakka Academy thanks to her help.
However, now that Wakaba thought carefully,
The original body was abducted by thugs shortly after escaping... something definitely felt off.
“Oh, it’s Doctor Kijima!” Wakaba feigned surprise.
She realized she could now make any expression she wanted.
It seemed to be the original body’s talent, rivaling a master actor.
“Wakaba, didn’t you leave here? Why are you back?” Ai Kijima sat by the bed and asked.
“I was brought back,” Wakaba pouted, looking pitiful.
“What happened?”
“After I escaped, I ran into bad people and was kidnapped…” Wakaba briefly recounted the unlucky events of her five days on the run.
“Poor child,” Ai Kijima said, stroking Wakaba’s head with sympathy.
Wakaba looked dazed, her large black eyes half-closed in an endearing, innocent way.
“What did the director say to you today?” Ai Kijima suddenly narrowed her eyes.
“They asked what happened in these five days,” Wakaba tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Did they ask how you escaped?” Ai Kijima’s voice turned serious.
“Of course!” Wakaba met her unwavering gaze and smiled brightly, “But I didn’t mention you, Doctor Kijima. I just said I was walking and suddenly got knocked out, then I don’t remember anything…”
“Oh.” Ai Kijima saw Wakaba’s silly expression and did not doubt her.
First, the little beauty was naturally naive, lacking the brain for lies.
Second, if Director Tomoki knew about her involvement, Wakaba would have been caught long ago; she wouldn’t be safe now.
“Wakaba, do you want to leave here again?” Ai Kijima asked.
“I…” Wakaba lowered her head, her exquisite face showing hesitation.
“Wakaba, the outside world is wonderful. It has its flaws, but also many good things—you just haven't had the chance to experience them…” Ai Kijima described the beauty of the outside world.
Wakaba listened, utterly entranced.
“…You don’t have to answer me now. When you’re ready, you can come to me anytime!”
“Okay.” Wakaba nodded, then asked, “Doctor Kijima, when I escaped before, I saw the academy seemed to be on a mountain. What mountain is it?”
“Probably a barren mountain, maybe it has no name,” Ai Kijima thought for a moment before answering.
“Where is that mountain?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know either, Doctor Kijima?”
Ai Kijima shook her head again: “We only change shifts every three months. To come and go, we take a sealed high-speed electric train without windows, so we can’t see outside.
The train takes a full two hours to reach here.
Only the director and a few top officials know the academy’s exact location.
We staff can only guess it’s somewhere north of Sekigawa City.”
Wakaba’s eyes widened in surprise as she asked, “Why is the academy so secretive?”
“Because it’s prestigious!” Ai Kijima answered matter-of-factly. “Wakaba, our academy is a branch of the Kyoto Miyagi Hyakka Academy, rumored to have royal connections.
Such an academy naturally doesn’t appear in the view of ordinary people, like those noble schools outside that don’t show up on maps.
Of course, the secrecy also prevents harassment from reporters and other troublemakers.”
“I see,” Wakaba murmured thoughtfully.
“All right, Wakaba, stand up—usual routine,” Ai Kijima said.
Wakaba was unsure what she meant.
Until Ai Kijima urged, “Just like before, dance for me.”
“Oh.” Wakaba remembered.
Ai Kijima had previously agreed to help the original body escape on the condition that she dance for her.
The original body agreed without hesitation.
After all, the academy’s main focus was dance.
Dancing was second nature to its students.
Wakaba didn’t refuse but asked, “Doctor Kijima, why?”
“You’re so cute and beautiful, Wakaba. I like watching beautiful things dance,” Ai Kijima said sincerely. “I helped you, so just fulfill this wish for me.”
Wakaba was speechless inside.
That excuse sounded like nonsense to fool a fool.
But she was still too weak to offend her.
“All right then.” She got off the bed as instructed.
At the window, she stepped onto an inverted plate and began a difficult and graceful dance.
The little beauty’s snow-white feet, no larger than a palm, effortlessly performed moves like “Water Touch,” “Swallow’s Grace,” and “Spreading Wings.”
She was light and elegant; her slender waist bent and twisted with the rhythm; her long black hair fluttered behind her.
Her exquisite figure was enchanting, her delicate arms lifted and fluttered.
Every move was smooth and flowing, seeming fragile yet brimming with spirit.
One glance evoked the ethereal charm of a celestial maiden passing by or a mischievous sprite smiling secretly.
Though there was no musical accompaniment, the dance remained otherworldly in beauty.
Ai Kijima half-crouched, eyes wide, entranced by Wakaba’s performance.
While dancing, Wakaba glanced at Ai Kijima from the corner of her eye.
Perhaps due to the computational power of her doppelgänger brain, she keenly noticed a subtle abnormal reflection in Ai Kijima’s right eye.
It was extremely faint and could only be caught at a certain angle.
‘Could that be… a camera?’ Wakaba thought.
Still, even if it was a camera, she didn’t mind.
It was just recording her dancing.
She wasn’t a princess; if they wanted to film, so be it—she was indifferent.
When the dance ended, Ai Kijima applauded softly, clearly wanting more.
“Wakaba, you danced wonderfully!” she said sincerely.
She wanted Wakaba to dance another piece.
But Wakaba declined, citing sleepiness.
Ai Kijima didn’t press and left after giving a few reminders.