“You don’t have to. It’s just a mild cold.”

“I hate your cold.”

“Seeing you trembling, I don’t have to be sick in the future.”

Yurina raised her hand and pinched his cheek hard.

“By the way, it’s not like using Aiden’s words as an excuse to secretly kiss someone who is sick. Leave quickly. I want to sleep.”

At the word ‘sleep’, Reynard rose from the bed. He covered her with a blanket and sat down on the chair next to her as if it were natural. Yurina pointed her chin at the door.

“Why don’t you go?”

“I’ll watch you sleep.”

“Aren’t you tired? Hurry up and go to sleep. I won’t be able to sleep because I’m nervous that you’re sitting next to me.”

“And I won’t be able to sleep, because I’m very worried about you. I’ll stay here a little longer. Hm?”

It seemed that he had no intention of leaving.

Yurina closed her eyes, seeing his determined attitude. A cold hand touched her forehead again. Yurina closed her eyes for a moment and then relaxed.

Even at the moment when she was already asleep, she constantly felt a cool touch on her face and neck.

* * *

Yurina woke up the next morning feeling very refreshed, whether it was thanks to the medicine of the doctor who was said to be competent, or the sincerity of Reynard, who nursed her until late at night.

Not only did the fever completely go away, there was no pain in the muscles that throbbed even with a slight gesture, nor the most painful discomfort in the neck. Even if it was just a mild cold, it would hardly have receded without a trace in just one day.

“Your fever is completely gone. What a relief.”

Betsy checked Yurina’s forehead and smiled happily.

“I think it’s because I’m rested. Not only the fever, everything else got better as well.”

“Your complexion is much better now. It must be good, the air is cleaner here than in the capital. By the way, can I bring food to your room?”

“No, you don’t have to. I feel much better, so I’ll go to the canteen myself.”

With Betsy’s help, Yurina took a warm bath, changed into soft clothes, and headed to the dining room. Marchioness Carthia, who arrived first, stood up with a smile on her face.

“Yurina, I just told the chef to send food to your room, but here you’re. Are you okay?”

“Yes, the medicine helped me. But where is Ray?”

Yurina sat down and looked around. Raynard, according to his habits, should have been there by now.

“Yeah. It’s time to come, but it’s still not here. Maybe he went to see if you’re okay?”

“Oh, maybe. Then he will be soon.”

The warm mushroom soup was already in front of Yurina and the Marchioness. According to the most common courtesy, they should have waited for Reynard to arrive. But Yurina took the spoon to eat quickly.

Unlike yesterday, when she had no appetite, now Yurina was drooling even though it was just soup. The pain in her neck also vanished, and Yurina was able to finish the soup in the blink of an eye.

Around the time the servant placed the steaming plate of scrambled eggs in front of Yurina, Reynard entered. He bowed to the Marchioness first, and sat opposite Yurina. Hot mushroom soup was placed before him.

“I went to the room and didn’t find you.”

Reynard, who didn’t pay attention to soup, looked at Yurina and made a worried face.

“I was worried because I thought you would get worse. Glad to see you in good health.”

“The fever is gone and the body is light. I think it’s all right.”

“Then I’m happy.”

It was when Reynard, smiling lightly, took up a spoon to eat the soup. But a dry cough escaped his mouth. Yurina looked at him, forgetting about her omelet.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay…”

Unable to finish the sentence, he coughed again. Even after drinking the water that the servant quickly poured out, he coughed again and again.

“Don’t worry. It’s not big deal.”

However, contrary to what was said, he continued to cough intermittently while eating. He slowly put food in his mouth and ate less than usual. The Marchioness was seriously concerned that he might catch a cold.

“I suppose it’s a cold?” Yurina asked as she finally left the dining room.

Raynard shook his head casually, but as soon as he did so, another cough escaped his mouth. So his words didn’t inspire much confidence.

“You said you’d be healthy.”

“It’s not a cold. Just something in my throat.”

“Even if not.”

She couldn’t believe it. When Yurina reached to his forehead to check if he had a fever, Raynard quickly grabbed her hand and kissed it.

There was no one in the corridor. Betsy, who was always by Yurina’s side, headed to the kitchen to make hot tea.

“How strange. I got better in just one day. And you, boasting of your health, suddenly caught a cold? I thought that story about Aiden was nonsense. But is it true?”

It would be funny to think so, but also too weird to call it just a coincidence.

“Yeah. There were times when Aiden was right.”

“Seeing that you are positive, you must have caught a cold.”

“Um…”

Raynard smiled shyly, but avoided her gaze. Making sure once again that no one was around, Yurina took a step closer to him.

“By the way, Ray. If you want your cold to get better quickly, shouldn’t I bring it back?”

Then Yurina, with a playful smile, stood up on her toes and reached out towards him. But Reynard quickly covered her mouth with his hand. Yurina accidentally kissed his palm instead of lips.

Raynard smiled as he tilted Yurina back and gently patted her shoulder.

“Don’t come next to me for a while.”

And as Yurina looked around the hallway, he hurriedly pulled away.