The Gacha Addict of the Academy

“Oh my… what’s wrong with your eyes?!”

“…”

I didn’t sleep a wink.

Should I say it was because I was excited about tomorrow? Thoughts like, Oh, I can finally enjoy school life with friends! and, Is it really okay for me to get close to them? Who even am I? swirled in my head all night, keeping me awake.

Honestly, was it all just a dream? How could someone like me become close with such a beautiful elf older sister?

Maybe the fact that I ended up in this body was just a delusion too…

“You look so tired. Did you not sleep?” Hyuna asked, her voice full of concern.

If this exhaustion was my fault for not sleeping, why was she looking at me like that? In reality, it wasn’t really my fault—I just couldn’t sleep because of how excited I was. Still, it was hard to explain without sounding ridiculous.

Actually, no.

It’s because I’m such a dweeb. I got so giddy over making a new friend that I couldn’t sleep.

Yeah, this was definitely my fault.

“I just couldn’t sleep…” I mumbled.

How could I possibly admit that I was too excited to sleep?

Hyuna asked if I had insomnia, but I shook my head. If that were the case, I’d have dark circles under my eyes all the time. Insomnia would make every day a struggle.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Ugh. Why is he acting like we’re close?

To be fair, I guess it’s reasonable for him to think we’re somewhat friendly now. But let me make one thing clear: I have zero intention of getting close to him.

Still, I can allow this level of casual greeting—it doesn’t cross any lines.

“Yeah…” I replied.

“Did something happen to you?”

Of course, he’s going to ask.

Are my dark circles really that noticeable?

I don’t think they’re that bad, but to others, I must look like someone who hasn’t slept at all.

It’s true I didn’t sleep much, but I’m not that tired or weak. My body just looks frail, which makes me seem worse off than I actually am.

“You barely eat as it is, and now you’re not sleeping? That’s bad for your health,” Hyuna said, her eyes filled with worry.

It was just one restless night. I didn’t completely skip sleep, so it’s not like my health is seriously at risk.

Sure, I feel a little tired, but that’s all.

Okay… maybe I do feel like I could pass out if I put my head down on a desk right now. But really, that’s all.

“If it’s too much, why not head to the infirmary?” the protagonist suggested, watching me carefully.

The infirmary, huh? Wait a second… if I go to the infirmary, does that mean I can skip class?

Logically, attending class would be better for my future. But let’s be real—when it’s actually time to go to class, who wants to go?

I’m no exception.

Even though I know attending class is beneficial, the idea of sitting through it feels unbearable. Judging by the reactions of the others, I’m sure they’d let me go rest in the infirmary if I asked.

Alright, let’s do it. I’ll act like I’m really struggling and head to the infirmary.

Time to show off my award-winning acting skills—an Academy Award-worthy performance, if I do say so myself.

It was almost too easy.

As soon as the teacher saw me, they practically shoved me out the door, insisting I go to the infirmary.

Curious, I glanced in the mirror once I got there. My pale face, complete with lifeless eyes and dark circles that starkly contrasted my almost unnaturally white skin, painted the perfect picture of poor health.

It was like my face was screaming, I’m sick! Please send help!

…Honestly, it would’ve been more surprising if I hadn’t been sent here.

The others were right to be worried about me.

Especially Reina—she even tried to escort me to the infirmary herself. I barely managed to convince her not to come along.

I could walk on my own just fine, and I didn’t want to burden her. Besides, I was worried she’d see through my act and catch a glimpse of my inner thoughts, which would be embarrassing.

I hope she doesn’t feel bad about it…

“…But there’s no one here.”

For a place called the infirmary, it sure felt strange to find it completely empty.

The absence of anyone gave me a weird sense of freedom, like I could do whatever I wanted here. It almost felt like I had the entire space under my control.

Feeling unusually cheerful, I flopped onto one of the infirmary beds.

The Academy doesn’t confiscate phones, so I could even read a novel or play games if I wanted to. Not that I needed to—my games were already set up to run automatically.

Still, being here with no one around felt oddly refreshing. Normally, the school nurse would always be stationed here. Did something come up?

Even the infirmary beds at the Academy were top-notch. I couldn’t believe how soft and comfortable they were.

“Ah…”

Wait… why am I suddenly so sleepy?

I’d planned to read a novel on my phone, but before I could even start, I drifted off, only to be rudely awakened when the phone slipped from my hand and hit me square in the face.

The sharp pain shooting through my nose made my vision blur.

“Ow…”

Why am I this tired?

Despite getting smacked in the face, I still felt my eyelids growing heavier. It was strange, almost as if someone had cast a sleep spell on me.

Or maybe this was the delayed side effect of staying up all night finally catching up to me.

Either way, it was impossible to resist.

At least it’s a relief that I’m getting sleepy here rather than somewhere else.

“…I should just sleep…”

On the unnaturally comfortable infirmary bed, I managed to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep—probably the first real rest I’d had since arriving in this world.

“Hey… wake up… come on…”

What the…?

I was dead tired, and someone was trying to wake me up. The annoyance immediately flared.

I’m not the type to take out my frustration on others, but I was irritated enough to squint open my eyes and see who dared disturb my rest.

A blonde girl was standing over me, looking down with a distinctly irritated expression.

“You awake? If you are, write your name on the list and get out.”

…Who are you?

She was wearing the academy uniform, and since she was here, I assumed she wasn’t feeling well and had come to the infirmary for rest. But instead of lying down herself, she was here kicking me out.

“Are you… the nurse?”

“Do I look that old—ow! What was that for, you crazy nurse?!”

“You little brat! Old?! I’m still in my vibrant twenties!”

“A woman’s old once she’s over twenty!”

“Say that again, you little—!”

What… is happening?

The woman I assumed to be the nurse and the blonde girl devolved into a childish argument so quickly it was hard to keep up. The exchange was so petty that I instinctively knew stepping in would be a bad idea.

Honestly, the best course of action here was to make a quiet escape.

“Uh… I-I’ll just… be on my way, then…?” I said, cautiously trying to excuse myself.

“Wait, where are you going? Write your name on the list before you leave,” the blonde girl barked.

“Oh… right, my name…”

As I moved to comply, I paused, surprised at how light my body felt.

“Feeling better?” the nurse asked, her voice suddenly warm and cheerful. Her bright smile was so drastically different from her earlier antics that it left me momentarily speechless. Still, I nodded.

The nurse beamed proudly, as if she’d been waiting for that confirmation.

“See? Isn’t it amazing? That’s my special recovery bed! Just lying on it wipes away all your fatigue in one go! It’s the culmination of my genius research!”

“…Or you could just use my healing magic and achieve the same result instantly,” the blonde girl muttered.

“Shut your mouth!”

Whack!

The nurse, who had just been smiling at me, smacked the blonde girl on the head with a clipboard. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned back to me with a gentle smile.

“If you ever need it, feel free to come back, okay? Oh, and if you could spread the word about my bed, that’d be even better!”

“Don’t listen to her. She’s just a shameless self-promoter,” the blonde girl added.

“Do you ever stop talking?”

Wow… they seem awfully close.

Their dynamic was so natural it felt like they’d known each other forever. Watching their lively interaction, I decided not to involve myself further. Instead, I quietly bowed my head and made my way toward the door. I figured I wouldn’t be seeing them again, so there was no need to ask for names—

New mission: Ask the blonde girl’s name – X1.

…Damn it. Why do these missions always involve asking for names?

As annoyed as I was, the gacha rewards were too important to ignore. I stopped at the door, turning back reluctantly. My sudden hesitation caught both the nurse and the blonde girl’s attention.

It felt awkward to ask, but the rewards were on the line.

“Um… uh…”

“What is it? Just spit it out,” the blonde girl said impatiently.

Don’t rush me! It’s hard enough to get the words out as it is. It’s not like I’m stalling on purpose—I just can’t help it.

As I fumbled for words, the blonde girl’s patience visibly wore thin.

“Hurry up! You’re killing me here,” she groaned.

“Watch your tone, or I’ll kill you instead,” the nurse snapped.

“…Yes, ma’am.”

What have I gotten myself into?

I hesitated for a moment but reminded myself how important this was. Taking a deep breath, I finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Um… what’s your name?”

The blonde girl’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected the question. For a moment, she stared at me, seemingly caught off guard, before quickly turning her head away.

…So she’s not going to answer?

I was about to apologize and leave when I heard a small voice from behind me.

“…Frost.”

It was quiet, but I heard it clearly.

The mission success notification chimed in my head, confirming that my gacha points had increased. With a quick “thank you,” I bolted out the door, not even daring to look back.