42 – Cold

[Physis's POV]

With a blushing face, Adilun willingly let me touch her horn. The large horns growing on her small face were clearly visible at a glance, shining in blue-white color.

Seeing her like that, I again asked for permission.

“Are you really okay with it?”

“Yes. It’s just a horn anyway, and my senses are weak, so it’s okay.”

“T-then… …Excuse me.”

I slowly and gently reached out my hand and touched her blue-white horn. I expected them to feel a little rough, but they were completely different.

The smooth texture of the horn was felt through my hand vividly.

Curious as they didn't feel hard at all, kike a child, I stroked her horns with my hand. Quite addicted to the touch, I involuntarily focused my entire mind on her horns.

I felt like I finally understood why Princess Lobelia wanted to touch this horn so much.

“Ahh!… … Is it okay now?.”

In an instant, a strange sound came out of Adilun’s mouth, and she grabbed my hand.

“Well? Why?”

“Hey, can you leave them for a second now?”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me down. Then I was able to see her face. Which was turning red like I had never seen before.

“Adilun? Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Aren’t you catching a cold?”

I panicked and checked her condition. Even if she had the dragon’s bloodline, her body wasn’t as strong as the dragon’s yet.

So I hurriedly put my hand on her forehead.

Quite a bit of hot heat ran through my hands, and I could clearly see her flustered.

“Oh, no. It’s not a cold.”

“No matter how you look at it, it looks like a cold… … Let’s talk about the social gathering tomorrow. You should get some good rest today.”

“No! It's not!”

She screamed and looked at me again with a sorry look on her face.

"..."

“Ah P-Physis, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scream. But I really don’t feel sick or cold.”

“But your face is too red for that… …”

“I was just, I was just embarrassed...”

“But I remember that when Princess Lobelia touched you, you didn’t even move… …”

“You dummy, No. Because this case is different from the princess.”

“Is the case different?”

“Just think about it yourself. Eh, first of all, as you said, I need to go back to my room and get some rest. Let’s talk about the social gathering tomorrow!”

After saying that, she walked towards her room with brisk steps which took me by surprise as well.

'… …Is she ashamed? Did I make a big mistake again?'

I started to panic at the thought that she might alienate me again.

'I need to apologize.'

* * *

[Adilun's POV]

My face was hot. I locked the door and grabbed my face.

I felt something... something strange. He only touched my horn, but at the same time I felt quite ashamed… … My whole body started to heat up.

Obviously, when Princess Lobelia touched them, I didn’t feel anything like this, but why? Even then, the situation was similar. Princess Lobelia, who wanted to touch the horns out of curiosity, similarly fiddled with my horns a little and was amazed, and I didn’t pay much attention to them either.

But why… …Why did this sensation spread throughout my body when he touched me?

I stretched out on the bed, hugging myself and calming myself down. However, my body did not calm down easily.

This was because the situation and sensations of the earlier moment continued to disturb me.

When Physis reached out and gently stroked my horn, he caressed them as if he were treating the most precious thing in the world.

Somehow I was worried that he might break it, but slowly and very gently, he stroked my horn… … Strangely, from then on, shame welled up, and my body started to heat up.

'I can’t... Let’s cool down a bit.'

I opened the door to the terrace and started to breathe in the cold air. As the cold wind hit my body, it was only then that my body began to calm down a little.

“Haaaaaa… …”

I sighed. I showed an unsightly appearance, even shaking hands and screaming. I should have explained the contents of the social gathering as soon as possible.

There was a lot of information he needed to know about the social gathering.

To him, who was ignorant of the northern aristocratic society, every little bit of information could be a shield that will distance him from being bitten…

'Tomorrow, I have to apologize and explained the social gathering in detail.'

.

.

.

.

My body was hot and my head was heavy.

“Ugh… …”

A painful moan escaped my mouth, and my stomach became bloated and uncomfortable. A burning pain ran through my body.

At that moment, the door opened and Mina entered.

“Miss. Are you okay…?”

Mina must have noticed that my condition was strange,

She immediately ran to me and checked my condition.

The cold hand on my forehead made me feel a little more at ease.

“Oh my God, the fever… … . Wait a minute, lady!”

Mina quickly left my room. It wasn’t long before it got busy outside and my father and the family doctor came into my room.

“Adilun. Are you okay?”

“Ahhh… … .”

The sinking, cracked voice was not very good even to think about it. The attending physician looked at my condition for a while, then addressed my father.

“She caught a pretty bad cold.” Then he turned to me and said.  “Take a good rest and eat something warm. Please refrain from using magic. It will take a toll on your body.”

“Yes…”

A bad cold. It might be because I had been overdoing it recently. After The National Foundation Day, paying attention to the great duel, and practicing magic… …The things about Physis kept messing with my head and kept me awake at night.

'Social gathering… …I have to explain to him.' I thought this was a bit overkill.

I drank the hot soup Mina had brought, took the bitter medicine my doctor had prescribed, and fell asleep, on my own accord.

* * *

[Physis's POV]

After completing the training, I could feel that the castle had become even more noisier. I wondered what the hell was going on, so I stopped the maid passing by and asked.

“What?! Adilun has a cold?”

“Yes. She has been working hard these days… …She must be very tired.”

As soon as I heard that, I immediately headed to Adilun's room.

Outside the door, Mina was standing upright. She looked at me and said.

“Ah, Sir Physis. What did you come here for?”

“I heard that Adilun has a bad cold…”

“Are you planning to visit her?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, that's great. I also had to leave for a while because of the lady’s medicine. Sir Physis, I know it’s a rude request, but could you please stay by my lady’s side?”

“I will gladly do that.”

“Thank you. Just open the door and go in. My lady is sleeping soundly right now, so please go inside carefully.”

I nodded and opened the door.

When I opened the door and went in, I saw Adilun, who was soundly asleep. I took a chair next to her and sat still.

I guessed it was me that made her catch a cold. From the moment her face turned red, I felt something strange.

As I was looking at her with an apologetic expression, she suddenly let out a moan and began to suffer.

“Ahhh… …ugh.”

Just in case, I put my hand on her forehead, and her forehead was as hot as a ball of fire. I moistened the small cloth beside her with water and placed it on her forehead.

“Ah, water… …”

Then she suddenly opened her eyes and started looking for water.

I checked the water jug next to me and poured the water from the jug into a small cup and made her drink a little.

Hearing a gurgling sound and conforming that Adilun has indeed drunk some water, I felt much more at ease, made her fell back to sleep.

When someone was sick, just being by their side was reassuring.

Even though she was sleeping, she would be much more relieved if there was someone holding her hand when she was awake in pain for a moment.

She might hate that I am by her side.

'When will Mina come?'

It won’t take long for it to be the time to take the medicine.

Well, something must have happened. 

I didn’t have anything to do anyway, so I decided to stay by Adilun’s side and take care of her.

* * *

[Adilun's POV]

It was painful.

The severe cold that I had been experiencing for the first time in a long time made me suffer more than I expected. At first, I was able to maintain consciousness, but after a while even that was difficult.

After sleeping and waking up in a hazy state, I suddenly felt a cool hand on my head and a cold towel on my forehead.

Oh, it seemed that someone was taking care of me.

As soon as I recognized that fact, the thirst that came from my hot body overtook me.

I asked for water without even realizing it, and someone who was caring for me poured water into a cup and poured it into my mouth.

As I drank the water mindlessly, I felt the pain in my throat go away a little bit. Leaving myself in that small comfort, I fell asleep again.

'Who is next to… … I guess it’s too late. I should say thank you when I wake up.'

.

.

.

.

When I opened my eyes, I began to see the dim scenery outside through the window. The pain I felt earlier had already gone, and my body was quite lively.

The damp towel on my head was cold as if it had just been removed... It was probably Mina.

“… …Mina?”

“Ah, Adilun. You’re awake. Are you feeling better?”

“Physis… …? Why are you here?”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear you say that.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been taking care of you since daytime, but it’s a bit disappointing to hear the name Mina pop up all of a sudden.”

He deliberately showed an exaggerated sadness and spoke to me as if playing a joke.

'No way. the cold hand on my head was of Physis?'

'Did he keep feeding me the water and changing the damp towel on my head?'

“ah… …”

“I'm just kidding. Anyway, I’m glad you’re feeling better, Adilun.”

The words that were handed over with a gentle smile made a big ripple in my heart.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“I shouted at you yesterday… …”

“Oh, what are you saying? you must not apologize. No matter how you look at it, I think it’s my fault that you caught a cold. The one who should apologize is me. I am truly sorry, Adilun.”

“Oh, no.”

Rather, the way he gently apologized to me, honestly, I couldn’t help but be moved.

“Here, have some soup, and lie down a little longer. There are cases where you feel like you are getting better, but you can make things worse by recklessly moving, so take a good rest today.”

“Yes…”

I drank the soup he handed me. My body felt more at ease as I felt the warmth circling around my painful body.

Was it because I ate warm food, or was it because I felt relieved that Physis was by my side? Suddenly, drowsiness began to set in.

“If you are sleepy, go to sleep. I will always be by your side.”

“Yes… … . Thanks, Physis… … .”

I fell asleep and thanked him in my sleep.

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