Milly's world slowly came back to her.
At first, it was faint a muffled hum, distant voices, the soft glow of sunlight through curtains.
Then, the scent of herbs hit her nose, and she realized she was lying down.
Her eyelids fluttered open.
The ceiling above her was the same pale white as the academy infirmary. The faint smell of mana potions lingered in the air. Her body felt heavy, her limbs numb as if they had been asleep for hours.
"...She's waking up."
The quiet voice came from beside her. Milly turned her head slightly. Two teachers stood near her bed one from the medical division, the other from physical training.
"How long…" Her voice cracked as she tried to sit up, but the healer gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Easy. You've been unconscious for nearly three hours."
Milly blinked, her mind foggy. "Three hours…?"
The PT teacher, an older woman with a strict tone, sighed. "Your students panicked. They said you froze in the middle of training wouldn't respond no matter what they did."
Milly looked down at her hands. They trembled slightly. "I… don't remember. It's all blank."
The healer exchanged a look with the other teacher before speaking softly, "Miss Mila, you've been showing signs of mana exhaustion lately. We've been concerned. You need rest, real rest."
"I'm fine-"
"No, you're not," the PT teacher interrupted sharply. "You've been overworking yourself ever since you took Class S. Between their training, the F class, and your personal studies, it's no wonder your body shut down."
Milly stayed silent. There was no point in arguing they were right.
The healer added gently, "The headmistress has already been informed. You're to take a leave from teaching for at least a week. We'll arrange a substitute for your classes until then."
Milly turned her head slightly, the sunlight glinting off her pale hair. "A substitute…?"
"Yes," the older teacher said. "Someone from the Magic Department. Don't worry they'll handle the classes. You just focus on getting better."
For a long moment, Milly didn't answer. Her eyes stayed fixed on the window, where clouds drifted lazily across the sky.
"…Understood," she finally whispered.
The teachers nodded and quietly left the room, their footsteps fading into the hallway.
When the door shut, silence filled the infirmary again.
Milly exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling.
Her hand rested on her chest, feeling the faint, uneven rhythm of her heartbeat.
"I'm… losing control again, aren't I?" she murmured to herself.
Outside, faintly, thunder rumbled in the distance even though the skies were clear.