9 Shyla

The hospital was relatively near to the university, but it took them around half an hour to reach it. It was partly caused by the driver's decision of slowing down the ambulance's speed in consideration of the people sleeping at the room behind him. The other half of the cause is the heavy traffic congesting the road that leads to the hospital. The ambulance also did not turn its sirens on since it was not an emergency.

The driver woke Nigel and Rena who were in sitting close next to each other. Rena's head was laid in Nigel's right shoulder when she woke up. Turning her head around left and right, it took her some time to realize that she was leaning on to Nigel. Her face became bright red, and her mind was a complete mess.

Nigel woke up shortly after Rena. Fragrant scent went up to his nostrils and he was feeling a warm and soft sensation in his right shoulder. When he saw Rena was leaning in his shoulder, he remembered that she fell asleep while laying her head in his shoulder.

This awkward atmosphere lasted for a short while until they were urged by the driver to get out of the ambulance. They went out of the ambulance and walked going into the hospital. Nigel recognized this hospital upon their entry. It was the same hospital where he was admitted a few days ago. He was slightly shocked by this coincidence, but he remembered that this place was the nearest hospital from the university.

They went to the information counter and asked the room number of the silver-haired lady. When they were about to inquire the counter lady, they realize that they never knew her name. Fortunately for them, they were able to get the directions to her room after they describe how she looked like. Her silver hair helped them to locate her, as she was the only one currently admitted in the hospital with a hair of that color.

Reaching her room, Nigel knocked on the door. Hearing no reply from his knocking, he swung open the door and the two of them went inside the room. The young lady was asleep on top of the hospital bed. She was sleeping peacefully and calmly.

"We might be here for a while, contact your parents and inform them. I'll do the same thing."

"Okay. I'll do that."

Nigel and Rena called their parents to inform them of their current situation. Nigel's mom was worried about his situation, but he assured her that he will be fine. As for Rena, she called her parents while outside the room. Nigel has no idea about her family, but he had a hunch that she came from a rich one.

Rena returned after a couple of minutes while bringing a couple of plastic bags. Each bag contained some food and drinks. Rena handed Nigel one of the plastic bags as she pulled a chair near Nigel to sat on.

"Thanks, I almost forgot to eat."

"No problem. I was also getting hungry from all the things that we did today."

"You can say that again."

Nigel began to eat the food from his plastic bag while chatting with Rena. They continued on their conversations until they have eaten all of their food. Nigel's phone suddenly rang, halting their conversation.

"Hello, Ian. What's up?"

"…WHAT'S UP!? GOD DAMN IT!! YOU DID NOT EVEN SHOW UP AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS 'WHAT'S UP'!?"

"…oh, sorry."

'No wonder I had a nagging feeling that I forgot something…' Nigel thought while listening to his phone.

"Ah, whatever. The person who invited us didn't show up too. In a sense, you did the right thing for not appearing."

"Sorry, I really didn't mean to. I got caught up with something big. I bet you'll hear about it if you check your social media."

"...WAIT WHAT!? I just opened my social media accounts and apparently, everyone is talking about some new discovery. Also, they mentioned that you were involved in it!?"

"Yeah, that's what's up."

"I was standing for two hours here in the main gate, yet you were having fun with your little adventure! You didn't even invite me!"

"Well, one thing leads to the next until I found myself in the middle of something huge."

"So where are you right now?"

"In a hospital. I was tasked to go here in the meantime."

"By the way, is Rena with you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"…I see I see. So… while I was standing in the cold of the night waiting for you guys, you two were busy having your little date. No! No need to apologize! I perfectly understand. So tell me, how far have you two gone?"

"We didn't! We were held off by the university's security."

"I see, I see. Hold of by the security, eh? Just what naughty things were you two doing?"

"We did not do anything!"

While Nigel and Ian were having fun chatting over the phone, Rena was looking over the young woman who was sleeping on the bed. While she was looking over her, she noticed the young woman's eyelids started to move. After a few more moments, she opened her eyes and she began to observe her surroundings.

Nigel and Rena noticed her waking up, and they stood up to go near her. She noticed their presence and turned her head towards them. She observed them for quite some time until finally opening her mouth.

"Who are you guys? Where am I?"

"Oh, she finally speaks!"

"Nice!"

Seeing their outburst, the young woman had an annoyed expression painted over her face but it was barely noticeable from her normal stoic expression. Nigel and Rena wanted to inform the head of security of her awakening, but they failed to secure his contact number. They decided to contact him through other channels, from the administration office.

"Hey, can you remember anything? Do you have an idea why you here in the hospital?"

"…I was in the library. Bookshelves were falling down …and that's the line thing that I remember. Anyway, who are you guys?"

"I'm Nigel, this girl here is Rena. We are the people who saved you under the bookshelf that toppled on top of you. You were near danger earlier, but luckily we were able to save you quickly."

Now knowing that they were her savior, the young woman bowed her head down towards them. She thanked both of them, while still maintaining her stoic expression.

"Thank you for saving me. I won't forget this favor, and I'll return it in the future."

"Rather than the future, you can return one now."

Nigel commented on her reply and told her his entire situation.

"I have caused you a huge problem. Don't worry, I will tell them the truth and I will help to set you free."

"Thanks, that's for the best. Anyway, you still haven't told us your name."

"My name is Shyla. I'm a second-year student in the archaeology department."

'Archaeology department again. I might have to deal with them in the future.' Nigel thought after listening to Shyla's introduction.

"Archaeology department? But I don't remember seeing your face there at all, or even in the library. Most of the archaeology students are frequent visitors in the library, so I kinda know almost all of them."

"…It's because I don't go to the library, or archaeology department."

When Nigel heard her reply, a glint appeared in his eyes and looking at her like a hunter who has found his prey.

"You don't go to the library, yet I found you inside the library and the library was even closed at that time. Your story doesn't seem to make sense, and you seem to be hiding something from us."

"Are you accusing me of burglary?"

"No, I don't. I don't think you are in need of cash to cause you to steal something, especially when you are wearing very expensive clothing."

"…"

"Not talking, eh? Then, do you recognize this book?"

Seeing that the girl was not speaking anymore, Nigel showed his trump card against her. The girl was shocked as she saw him pull out the book from his sling bag. While it was a subtle change in her stoic expression, Nigel noticed her shocked. 'This proves that she is related to this book', he confirmed as he put the book inside his bag again.

"Give that back to me…"

"Only if you tell us what you were doing there."

"…"

"Keeping your mouth shut again, huh. Fine, let's do it like this. Look, the security head of the university will be coming here sooner or later, and he will also inquire about the reason as to why you were there inside the library. Now, I think it's beneficial for the two of us to collaborate on whatever reason you tell him, right?"

"…don't forget, I can still accuse you of assaulting me after you dragged me inside the close library."

"Yes, you can do that. But we can also help each other out rather than having this silly fight."

Nigel and Shyla both intensely stared at each other, eye to eye. Neither one of them is giving up and letting the other person win. Rena, on the other hand, was worried and confused as to what to do in this situation. Their intense staring contest went on for quite some time until Nigel finally decided to show his final card.

"Look, we already know why you were there. The hidden room below the library, right?"

"How did you…!"

"It's very simple to deduce, really. We even know that the room belongs to Dr. Perchard, and it contains the drafts of his research articles. What I truly want to know, though, is how did you know about it? And why do you have this book!?"

Upon hearing Nigel's comeback to her statements, Shyla gave up resisting. Letting out a big sigh of defeat while lowering her shoulders, she began to narrate how she came about the book and the mysterious room below the library.

"Do you guys know Dr. Merca?"

"Merca? As in one of the collaborators of Dr. Perchard?"

"He was much more than a collaborator, he was Dr. Perchard's partner and trusted confidant."

""Partner…?""

Hearing Shyla's remarks, it caused a confusion to Nigel and Rena's thoughts. As students of Perchard University, both of them know a fair amount of information regarding Dr. Perchard. One of this information pertains to Dr. Perchard's solo wolf attitude when it comes to working. Now, suddenly someone told them that Dr. Perchard actually had a partner. Its no wonder it caused so much shocked and confusion to the both of them.

"Even if we pretend that what you say is true, that he was, in fact, a partner of Dr. Perchard. How do you even know about this? And what's it got to do with you snooping around the library?"

"Everything. I am Dr. Merca's great-granddaughter."

What she said was like a bomb that exploded on Nigel's mind. Linking the information that he obtained in his short conversation with her, he was able to piece out an incredible scenario that seems like straight out from a movie. It was a wild scenario, but it perfectly explains everything that had happened in the library.

"I see, that explains everything indeed."

"…"

"Hey Nigel, what do you mean by that?"

"Think about it, Rena. If we assume that what she said about Dr. Merca being Dr. Perchard's partner and closest confidant, then we can also assume that he knows a fair amount of secret information about Dr. Perchard. Like perhaps, he knows where his secret research room was. Also, although Dr. Perchard did not have any offspring, Dr. Merca, on the other hand, had a healthy family."

"Wait, no way…"

"Well, for this to work out she needs to prove first that she is, in fact, Dr. Merca's great-granddaughter."

"Yes, that's true. However, the implications of this information are enormous!"

"True, which is why we will keep this a secret Rena. I believe that's what you want too, right Ms. Shyla?"

After speaking, Nigel turned around and looked eye to eye with Shyla, implicitly asking her confirmation.