Chapter 33
“Ugh…”
So heavy… it’s hard…
My eyelids were so heavy it was difficult to open them. When I tried to force my eyes open, a raspy sound escaped my throat.
“Ah…”
My blurry vision gradually cleared, and the first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling of my room.
How did I end up lying here…?
I stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to remember.
Let’s see… I think the last thing I remember is collapsing in Havel’s arms. Could it be that Havel carried me here?
At that thought, my already dizzy head began to spin even more.
[Master, are you awake?]
“Ig…?”
My voice came out hoarse and cracked. When I turned my head towards the sound, I saw the red serpent looking down at me.
[You’re not fully healed yet. The energy within your body is still unstable.]
“No, why haven’t you gone back to the spirit world? And what time is it anyway…?”
Quite some time must have passed since I collapsed, but somehow the room was bright.
[It’s morning.]
“Morning??”
The tone of my hoarse voice rose, cracking in an unpleasant way.
“Ah… my throat is completely gone, cough… cough!”
On top of that, a sudden chill seeped into my body, making me cough.
Ig looked at me and pressed its snout against my forehead. A warm sensation spread through my body, and the pain squeezing my lungs instantly subsided.
“Did you not go back because I was sick?”
[Yes. Your body was in this state, so I couldn’t return to the spirit world.]
After confirming my condition was okay, Ig lifted its snout from my forehead and backed away.
I turned my head and scanned the room. Since I had collapsed and been up all night, I expected Hilda and Liche to be curled up and sleeping in a corner of the room. But there was no one there.
“Where did everyone go…?”
There was clearly a basin with water and a wet towel scattered on the bedside table. But since there was no one in sight, I couldn’t help but wonder.
The answer to my question came from Ig.
[They stepped out for a bit. They’ll be back soon.]
They left me alone while I was sick?
No, I wasn’t upset. I just didn’t understand.
Liche aside, Hilda was someone who reacted very sensitively whenever I got sick. Since I had a near-death experience when I was young, she would become extremely anxious at even the slightest sign of something wrong with my body.
For Hilda to leave the room while I was sick…that just didn’t make sense. Unless she herself was sick…
Ah, could it be that Hilda was so shocked by my collapse that she also fainted?
“I… I need to get up.”
I tried to get up but gave up and flopped back down onto the bed. I had only lifted my head for a moment, but the world was spinning.
“Ugh… I’m dizzy.”
[That’s because your fever hasn’t completely gone down yet. Stop doing useless things and lie still, Master.]
“But Hilda… Ig, did Hilda collapse?”
[Hilda? Do you mean the old maid of yours?]
“Yes, that’s right. There’s no way Hilda would leave me alone while I’m sick. She must have been nursing me all night.”
[…It wasn’t Hilda who looked after you all night.]
“What? If not Hilda, then who was it?”
[A magic user I don’t like. The way he looked at you was… dangerous.]
Ig’s body suddenly flared with fire, clearly displeased.
A magic user? What’s that supposed to mean?
I rubbed my throbbing head and asked Ig, who was clearly showing its displeasure with the rising flames.
“What do you mean by a magic user?”
[Literally, a magic user. A very dangerous one. You’d be better off keeping your distance from that magic user. His eyes were overflowing with human desires when he looked at you.]
Desire? A magic user? I couldn’t understand it no matter how much I thought about it.
Did Hilda not call a physician but a magic user instead?
No, there’s no way.
While healing magic users did exist, their abilities were effective for external injuries, not internal ones like this.
And healing magic users were rare, making it difficult to find one.
Hilda, knowing this, would not have spent a lot of money to call a magic user.
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I let out a long sigh. Just as Ig said, my fever hadn’t gone down, and heat seemed to pour out of my mouth every time I spoke.
[Go back to sleep, Master. I’ll protect you from that magic user. So don’t worry.]
I wasn’t even worried. I had no idea what he was talking about, but Ig was burning with intensity, as if we were in the middle of a monster hunt.
If what he said was true, maybe Hilda’s absence had something to do with this magic user…
As I tried to process everything, the door creaked open. I turned my head slightly to look at the doorway.
“Havel…?”
My eyes widened at the sight of the man who had opened the door and entered. He looked just as surprised to see me awake.
“Have you regained consciousness?”
Havel approached the bedside and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at me with eyes full of concern.
“Your Highness, why are you here…?”
But more than his concern, I couldn’t believe that he was sitting in my room, on my bed.
Is this a dream, or am I seeing things because of the fever?
“How could I leave after you collapsed in my arms like that?”
Havel’s hand reached out toward me. Just as his hand was about to cup my cheek, Ig jumped onto my chest.
Fwoosh!
The flame from Ig brushed against Havel’s fingertips. Fortunately, Havel quickly pulled his hand away from the flame, but I was so surprised that I called out to Ig loudly.
“Ig!”
[Master, he is a dangerous man.]
So the dangerous man overflowing with desire was Havel? Does that mean Havel really carried me here and even nursed me?
Yes, if it was Havel, then neither Hilda nor Liche would have been able to stay by my side.
As I began to understand the situation, my mind reeled, and Havel was looking directly at Ig.
Ah, he can see him.
He wasn’t a spirit user, so he wouldn’t have been able to see Ig, but Ig had revealed himself.
“Ig, stop. He’s not a dangerous person.”
I said to Ig in a weak voice, but Havel and Ig remained locked in a silent stare-off.
Despite my plea, Ig wouldn’t back down. I looked at Havel with a troubled expression.
Surprisingly, it was Havel who stepped back first. He stood up from the bed.
“Serira, your spirit is incredibly loyal.”
“I’m sorry… Are you hurt?”
“There’s no need to apologize. I wasn’t hurt, and such a deep bond with a contractor is a good thing, except for the part where he hates me so much.”
“Ig doesn’t usually hate anyone…”
In fact, he never showed interest in anyone besides me.
I took Ig in my hands and gently removed him from my chest.
“Wait here for a moment. I’ll go get the physician.”
“Okay.”
After Havel left, I looked at Ig.
“Ig, what’s wrong? He’s not a dangerous man. Did you reveal yourself because you were so suspicious of him? You hate being seen by people.”
[Master, spirits certainly dislike showing their bodies to anyone other than their contractor, but this wasn’t a situation where I could care about that. Every time that man looked at you, his eyes were overflowing with desire. Burning hot desire.]
“Burning… desire…”
Ig was serious, but when I heard that, my face flushed as a strange thought popped into my head.
[Master, is your fever rising again? Your face is red.]
“No! That’s not it! It’s because you said something ridiculous!”
I quickly shook my head to dismiss the impure thoughts and glared at Ig, but Ig tilted its snake head as if it didn’t know what I was talking about.
[I didn’t say anything ridiculous. I spoke of something very important, that man to you…]
“Stop, stop it. He’s not that kind of person. It’s true that he has feelings for me right now, but those feelings are actually my fault… Anyway, he’s not a bad person, so you don’t need to be so wary. And if he gets hurt, we’ll be in danger too.”
[…I figured as much. I saw your people freeze up around him. That’s why I only gave a warning and didn’t really attack.]
Ig stared at me, flicking its tongue. For some reason, Ig’s scary red eyes seemed to sparkle.
Could it be that you want me to praise you for not attacking?
“…Good job, Ig.”
I weakly reached out and petted his long body.
Fwoosh!
This time, a flame, clearly a happy one, blazed from Ig’s body.
[It’s a spirit’s duty to protect its master.]
He looked so proud that I couldn’t help but smile. Just then, the door opened, and Havel entered with an elderly man who appeared to be a physician.
“Let me examine you for a moment.”
The physician used a transparent mana stone created with magic to scan my body from head to toe.
“You’re much better than before, but your fever hasn’t completely gone down yet.”
“Why isn’t she recovering even after giving her the medicine?”
Havel, not me, asked the doctor sharply from behind. Seeing Havel’s displeased expression, the physician bowed.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I don’t know what caused the young lady to overexert herself, but as a result, the fatigue and stress that were latent in her body have exploded all at once. She will need to rest for a day or two to show progress.”
“I’m fine, Your Highness. I can’t even tell if I had a fever right now.”
I sat up from my lying position. Just as I was about to lie back down, feeling no strength, Havel’s hand wrapped around my shoulder.
“Don’t push yourself.”
“…This much is nothing.”
The distance was so close that if I turned my head, my lips would touch Havel’s face.
Burning desire… Why am I suddenly thinking of that?
I cleared my throat and scooted away from him. Sensing my intention, Havel also withdrew his hand and stood beside the bed.
“Then, Your Highness, I need to get a few more medicines, so I will be visiting the Imperial Palace’s Medical Office for a moment.”
“Do so.”
The Imperial Palace’s Medical Office? Did he just say the Imperial Palace’s Medical Office?
The physician left, and I looked at Havel, raising my head.
“Don’t tell me… that physician was from the palace?”
“I only called the most skilled physician in the Empire.”
Which means he is the royal physician, doesn’t it? To call the royal physician, who only examines members of the Imperial Family… Wait, if he’s the most skilled doctor in the Empire, then…
A chilling thought suddenly struck me, and I looked at Havel with trembling eyes.
“Your Highness, he’s not… His Majesty the Emperor’s personal physician, is he?”
“…”
Havel didn’t answer. But his silence was as good as an answer.
Oh, my god, this man must be crazy.
I couldn’t help but curse to myself as I watched Havel, who was subtly avoiding my horrified gaze.
