Chapter 2 - Oolong Tea

Cor Leonis walked out from the elevator, advancing his way to a certain hallway on the west of the main lobby. It was the time for him to train the crownsguard, his daily task whenever he stayed in Insomnia. Sometimes, he secretly wished that his task was only to train the crownsguard here without a need to raise his sword to kill anyone outside the Crown City. Didn't mean that he wanted to retire, Cor just yearned for peace.

The citadel staff stopped walking whenever they saw the marshal, bowing down and giving a smile at him. Seeing them, Cor just gave a simple nod without halting his steps. Eyes fixating on his front, Cor kept walking to his destination.

The hallway toward the training ground was quiet. No voice, and no other sound besides his own footsteps. But, as he walked closer toward the infirmary, he heard voices of people who were talking cheerfully. And when he was only one feet away from the infirmary entrance, he frowned as he heard the ruckus from the place which was usually quiet.

Cor ceased from walking as he arrived in front of the infirmary. Seeing three crownsguard members staying there made the marshal frown in puzzlement. He wondered if they hurt themselves when they trained.

One of them was sitting on the bed. Cor caught how the young man's cheek was swollen and now being treated by a raven-haired medic who drew a magic circle on his skin before closing her eyes to murmur the spell. The marshal crossed his arms over his chest, watching the young woman until she finished treating the crownsguard.

Her name was Eira, a young medic who worked in citadel infirmary since a year ago. She was the only one who was capable of using peculiar magic, and the only one who was brave enough to treat Cor's wound. Presumably, the other medics assigned the youngest one to heal him, that was why it was always Eira who treated him whenever he visited infirmary. Cor knew that the other medics seemingly disinclined to heal him, obviously because of his stern look. But the marshal rarely smiled and didn't find it a must to do it only to please others. Also, a smile was something that should be created naturally, wasn't it?

"It's done." Eira said, stepping back from the injured crownsguard.

"How does it feel?" one of those young crownsguard asked curiously to the injured crownsguard.

"It's not hurt anymore?" While the other one poked at his friend's swollen cheek.

"No." The young man shook his head then jumped off from the bed.

"Eira, could you please heal this wound then?"

"Ah! Me, too!"

The impressed crownsguard then began to ask Eira to heal them.

Knowing that they just wanted to be treated by a peculiar magic without actually having serious wounds, Cor stepped inside while clearing his throat, snatching the attention from the young men who bothered the medic.

"The three of you are wounded?" Cor asked. Just a simple question from the marshal shut their mouths and quickly made them turn their bodies to face the marshal. They bowed and greeted him with slightly quivering voices.

"N-No, Marshal! It's only me," replied the blonde young man whose swollen cheek had been healed—it wasn't as purple as a few minutes ago, a proof of how effective Eira's magic was.

Cor knew their intention, they were just curious about her magic. She was the only one who could use it anyway, and those two young men only joined crownsguard last month. It seemed that they were never treated by her magic.

"Is it treated, yet? If it is, better you all return to the training ground. Training session will be started in a few minutes," Cor commanded, unaware about how stern his face was right now.

Those three young men's faces turned white. Without saying any unnecessary words, they bowed then scurried out from the infirmary after excusing themselves to the marshal.

As they disappeared into the hallway, Cor turned his head to face the young medic who was staring at him in daze. "It seemed they troubled you."

Eira blinked in surprise then shook her head, "No. It's fine."

"You can't use magic continuously, right? Don't waste it by healing some grazes and scratches. Surely those two men are just curious about your magic," said Cor, remembering that using magic would definitely tire her. Even though it was different with magic that could be used by Lucis's bloodline or the Kingsglaives, the basic was the same. Using it over and over would deplete the user's power and exhaust them.

"Ah… Um… Thank you for your concern."

Cor stared at her as she gave off a smile with slight blushes that adored her cheeks. Standing this close to her, he just realized how tiny she was. The top of Eira's head was only as high as his chest. Usually he would sit on the bed and let the young medic treat his wound while standing, thus he didn't notice their height differences.

Then he remembered the first time he saw her. It was twelve years ago, so she was stil five years old at that time. Little Eira was hiding behind her mother's long dress, refusing to look at him and then Elaine told him that his face was too scary. He wondered if Eira was still afraid seeing him right now. Well, most of the medics were afraid of him, why wouldn't she?

Cor crooked his eyebrows, still staring at Eira who was now glancing down while fiddling with her fingers. Somehow he felt guilty after seeing those crownsguard troubled her. The marshal needed to thoroughly tell them about not to trouble the medics unless it was a serious injury. Eira and her magic skill were precious, he didn't want anyone to exploit her recklessly like that. Also, he didn't want the crownsguard to become a bunch of spoiled kids who repeatedly ask her to heal them with her magic because it was faster for their wounds to be healed than without the magic. They would deliberately choose Eira over any other medics, and it wouldn't be fair for her because her workloads would be increased and the other medics would lose their work.

"Anything I can help, Sir?"

Eira's voice made him blink and realize that he was lost in thought.

"It's fine. Thank you for your work." Cor turned his body to leave the infirmary. But then after a few steps he stopped and looked at her again, "Do you want some drink?"

"Eh?" Eira tilted her head and looked at Cor in puzzlement.

"What would you like?" he asked, but didn't explain to her that it was to thank her for her work. Also, a kind of apology because his subordinates just troubled her before.

"Eh? No… No, it's okay. You don't need to." She waved her hands and shook her head, politely refusing his offer.

"It's a treat," Cor insisted.

Biting her lower lips, Eira then fiddling her own fingers again. With a soft voice she then replied, "W-Well… Anything is okay, then. Thank you."

Cor unwittingly raised the corner of his lips after hearing her answer. He moved his long legs to leave the infirmary, walking toward the small yard that connected the end of the hallway to the training ground. There was a vending machine there, often used by the crownsguard to buy their drinks after the training. Also, there were a lot of citadel staff who ate their lunch here. Sometimes, Cor also saw Eira having her lunch here with her fellow medics. She usually sat under the maple tree on a certain corner of the yard that was not too far from the training ground entrance. The laugh would escape her small lips whenever she talked with her friends, but then when Cor saw her, she often noticed it and gave a sweet smile at him.

Taking three coins from his wallet, Cor inserted them to the vending machine then frowned as he looked at the beverage on display. He didn't know what she liked. Scanning them from the top right, he slowly moved his blue eyes to the left, to the second row until the fourth one, choosing what would suit her taste. Probably she liked the sweet one. But, what if she preferred the bitter one?

Making a strategy to take down his enemies was easier than this. Definitely.

That was why Cor didn't have any lover in his life. He found it difficult to face women, and all of his past lovers dumped him after a few months.

He stopped his gaze on a bottle of oolong tea, unsweetened, but not too bitter. A neutral and safe choice, perhaps. He pressed it, then as he heard the sound of the bottle that fell to the take-out port, he realized that it was a cold autumn day. Why wouldn't he choose something warm? Like milk tea for example.

He took the oolong tea after putting three other coins to the machine slot. Standing straight with the cold bottle in one hand, he pressed the button to buy the milk tea only to curse the machine because he didn't realize that it was sold out. Sighing, he scanned the display. Coffee, coffee, another coffee, sports drink, mineral water, peach water, green tea, juice, milk, corn soup, hot coffee. Nah, his choice was the best. Probably.

He cancelled his payment, took his coin back, and returned to infirmary. Of course, Cor could buy all the options. But it would trouble the medic more. She wouldn't be capable of drinking all of them, would she? Well, she could keep it for later. But, it seemed that she would be reluctant if he bought all of those drinks.

Cor would also hate it if someone bought him dozens of canned drinks, though.

When he arrived in front of the infirmary, Eira was sitting at her desk while typing on her computer. As he stepped inside, she quickly stopped typing and raised her head. She gasped, then straightened her back.

"I don't know what you like." Cor stretched his arm and handed the oolong tea to her.

"You really bought it?" Eira blushed, hastily stood up and stared at the bottle in his hand.

"It's oolong tea. If you dislike it, I can buy another one."

"N-No! No need!" she stuttered. Then with a sheepish smile she added, "It's my favorite. Thank you."

Eira took the bottle with both of her slightly trembling hands, but then the tip of her fingers met his skin. Cor flinched at the sudden warmth, but managed not to lose his composure and successfully gave the oolong tea to her.

He raised a corner of his lips —an attempt to smile—before walking out from there.

Weird. The trace of her soft touch lingered on his skin. Just a split second warmth, but it didn't disappear even until he almost arrived at the training ground.

Weird. There was something foreign in his chest when he saw her smile a minute ago. Probably, because it had been a long time for him to interact with a woman. Funny. Most of the medics were women and there were also female crownsguard, like Monica for example. Perhaps, because his interaction with Eira was too awkward so he became conscious about it?

Or perhaps, she had just charmed him with an unknown spell?

Cor gave off a small chuckle, mocking himself because of thinking about a young woman who was twenty-four years old younger than him.

Weird.