My High School Nerd Rival - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 26
“Are you out of your mind?!”
He snapped it out.
Quinton dragged Ibi toward the tap at the front of the Chemistry Laboratory, and turned the water on with such force that it made a mockery of the “Save Water” sign posted right beside it.
Water poured violently over the stainless steel basin and splashed in all directions, but he paid no mind, drawing Ibi’s hand down beneath that cold stream.
“Ah.”
Only then did the stinging pain register. Ibi grimaced slightly as she finally looked properly at her own hand.
When the Sodium Hydroxide first splashed onto the back of her hand, she felt nothing, registered nothing.
Or rather—to be precise—her mind had been elsewhere, so she hadn’t fully grasped that it had splashed at all.
But now it was unmistakable. The back of her hand had begun to swell a little, an angry redness spreading across it, and the needle-like stinging had become far sharper.
Since all of this had happened during the experiment, Ibi glanced back over her shoulder.
Mr. Chen was keeping the other students calm, guiding them to focus on their own work, and the spot where Ibi had been standing was…….
“Underwood.”
She’d only twisted her body slightly to try and see their experimental station, but Quinton, still gripping her wrist, pulled her arm back to the faucet and issued a warning.
“Please, just stay still.”
Ibi looked up at him.
Her partner this semester, assigned by Mr. Chen.
She had actually disliked working experiments with Quinton. If they received the same score, she wouldn’t be able to compete fairly with him.
The path to standing with him at the experimental bench had been anything but smooth.
It had creaked from the very start of the first experiment’s preparation.
‘Quinton! Please focus on the textbook. Why are you putting every single variable into the plan?’
‘Because it’s science.’
His experimental plan had been impossibly rigid. And deciding on roles had been a problem too.
‘I’ll pour the solution into the Burette and adjust the Stopcock.’
Ibi had scoffed.
‘You’re going to do the most important part? No. I can do it better.’
‘The Burette is fifty centimeters tall. Considering the height of the experimental table and the desk, its opening sits at around one hundred sixty centimeters. And how tall are you, exactly?’
He was over one hundred eighty centimeters tall—enviably so—and he looked down at her as if she were a dwarf. She’d wanted to poke out those smug, triumphant eyes.
‘There’s a step stool in the classroom.’
‘You mean that wobbly thing? I have no interest in adding unnecessary uncertainty to my experiment.’
‘It’s my experiment too, you know?!’
Their argument had been so heated that Quinton and Ibi had received their first warning from the librarian since enrolling at the school.
Of course, they hadn’t been in constant opposition.
There was one and only one point on which they’d agreed during that argument—something the librarian added at the end of scolding them.
‘You two should try not to be in the same group if possible.’
At that, both Ibi and Quinton had nodded simultaneously.
‘Yes, really.’
‘Yes.’
But there was something disheartening about this situation too. Eventually, they would have to work together as experimental partners for the rest of the semester.
So they needed to exercise at least some patience, even if they didn’t particularly care for each other.
She couldn’t throw away a valuable learning opportunity and grade just because she didn’t like her partner.
And then came the day of the experiment.
Ibi had one goal.
‘I won’t let Quinton look down on me!’
He had an uncanny ability to point out even the smallest mistake.
She should have known it from the moment he’d caught a typo in the printout she’d made!
He would definitely make a fuss about Error/Deviation if she so much as spilled a single drop of solution.
For high school chemistry, being that meticulous was almost a talent in itself.
If she let him look down on her today, she’d be dragged around by him all semester long.
With that in mind, Ibi had decided to observe him carefully and point out any flaw she found in return.
But the situation she’d been expecting never really materialized. His movements were flawless.
He completed filling the Burette with solution without error.
And as they’d agreed beforehand, Ibi would handle adjusting the Stopcock. That had nothing to do with height, after all.
‘Underwood, focus on the Color Change. Don’t let your gaze waver for even a moment. Don’t blink. The instant the color changes, turn the Stopcock.’
It seemed to Ibi that she’d never heard Quinton speak at such length.
‘I know. I’m focused.’
She answered irritably. Perhaps because everyone was concentrating, the Chemistry Laboratory had become relatively quiet.
And that was the problem.
She could hear the casual conversations of other students.
‘My cousin who works at the palace told me that the Princess……’
Surely she hadn’t been found out?
Ibi flinched and lifted her head, and in that same instant, she turned the Stopcock a bit too far.
‘……!’
The solution began falling rapidly into the Beaker, and in her panic, she pulled the Beaker off the experimental table. In that instant, Quinton seized her wrist.
‘Underwood!’
While Ibi froze in shock, Quinton plucked the Beaker from her grip and set it down, then turned the Stopcock closed to prevent more solution from spilling.
Even in that chaotic moment, Ibi’s attention remained fixed on the conversation taking place across from her.
‘What did I just hear? Does someone know something?’
That anonymous message she’d nearly forgotten came rushing back.
[Is your secret being kept safe?]
But Quinton immediately brought her to the tap facilities on one side of the classroom, so she never heard the rest of that story.
And that was precisely…… now.
“Stay still, Underwood.”
Even hearing this nagging—the kind of thing you’d expect to hear from an adult scolding a child, telling her not to cause any more trouble and to behave—she couldn’t argue back. It was too pathetic.
“……Sorry.”
Ibi lowered her gaze and apologized softly. It was only natural, since it was her fault the experiment had been ruined.
Whether because she’d apologized or because she looked sufficiently calmed down, his hand finally released her.
Meanwhile, the stinging in the back of Ibi’s hand was growing increasingly acute.
“Let me see.”
Mr. Chen approached and examined the back of Ibi’s hand, then furrowed his brow with concern.
“You should go to the School Infirmary and get it treated first.”
“It’s not that bad. I can redo the experiment.”
Ibi answered carefully, watching for Mr. Chen and Quinton’s reactions. She was worried about her grade, but more than that, just imagining Quinton’s response if they had to stop now made her blood run cold.
“No, that won’t do.”
But Mr. Chen was just as firm as when he’d assigned Ibi and Quinton as experimental partners.
“Quinton. Would you do me a favor?”
He responded at once.
“Yes, sir.”
No!
Ibi wanted to object, but Mr. Chen was already turning his attention back to the other students with fresh warnings.
In the meantime, Quinton handed Ibi a damp Towel.
“Wrap it.”
“I’m fine now, ow——”
The moment she pulled her hand from the rushing water, the pain that had been dulled suddenly came flooding back all at once. Ibi quickly wrapped the back of her hand in the cool Towel he’d provided.
“Don’t let the Towel slip off.”
Quinton walked ahead of Ibi, and now she had no choice but to follow him.
Ibi grimaced as she hugged her wrapped hand to her chest.
“Stairs.”
As they descended to the first floor, Quinton took hold of one of Ibi’s arms.
“Be careful.”
He issued the warning firmly. Though Ibi was too distressed to answer properly.
He said nothing more, simply supporting her.
She had to admit, she felt a little grateful.
When they finally reached the School Infirmary with difficulty, they were greeted by a sign on the entrance.
[At the Gymnasium.]
Someone must have gotten badly hurt during sports. The fact that they’d actually taken a teacher along suggested as much.
So they just had to wait? Honestly, this was hard to bear.
“Underwood.”
Quinton, who had by then released Ibi’s arm, was turning on the tap inside the School Infirmary.
“Hold your hand under here for now.”
A welcome sound. Ibi unwrapped the Towel and quickly placed her hand under the cold water.
The relentless, throbbing heat gradually subsided beneath the stream.
In the meantime, Quinton casually opened the medicine cabinet door and was rummaging through the Ointment.
“You’ll get in trouble.”
“Maybe.”
To her worried remark, he remained unfazed, efficiently pulling out a Neutralizing Agent, Gauze, and Ointment in succession.
“Give me your hand.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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