Chapter 16: An Unexpected Visitor.

My entire body burns with heat.
My breathing quickens.
My eyelids feel impossibly heavy.

I want something cold—anything cold.

Ah.

The moment something warm touches my forehead, a cool sensation spreads across my skin.
“Feels… nice…”

A murmured voice reaches me.
The suffocating discomfort of before vanishes like a lie; my breathing eases at once.
Then, abruptly, sleepiness crashes over me like a wave.

So… sleepy…

“Rachel… good night.”

A gentle voice calls my name?
A familiar, comforting voice—one that makes my heart settle.

A hand strokes my hair—slowly, tenderly, as though handling something infinitely precious.
But… who?
I try to open my eyes, but they refuse.
Before I can fight any longer, I sink into sleep.

♢

“Miss, your fever has finally broken, and the coughing has stopped too.
Thank goodness.”

“Sara… thank you.”

“Ever since that fever started, the cough came next… you’ve been confined to bed for a full week now.”

Yes—today marks one week since that fever struck.
A cold must have combined with it; my temperature rose and fell repeatedly.
Only now has it finally settled.

As expected, this body worsens dramatically the moment anything goes wrong.
I give a wry smile, realizing I really must be more careful—any carelessness could turn dangerous.

“By the way… did anyone visit while I was asleep?”

“Yes—His Highness came.
I’ve arranged the flowers he brought today in a vase here for you.”

“His Highness… he came all this way too?”

“Yes.
The moment your fever spiked, he rushed over.
He stayed by your side until you fell asleep.”

“I see… then I must thank him properly later.”

Sara suddenly lifts her gaze as though remembering something.

“Ah, that’s right—His Highness came with a mage as well.”

“A mage?”

“Yes.
A stunning person with long silver hair—one might mistake them for a woman at first glance.”

Silver hair, androgynous beauty, a mage…

The name surfaces immediately.

Theodore Camus.

Currently twenty-two years old, eldest son of Marquis Camus.
He will inherit the marquisate in the future, but for now he goes by Viscount Frion.
His father was the former commander of the Magic Corps; Theodore himself possesses exceptional mana—rumored to surpass even his father, who was once called the greatest in the kingdom.
Despite being a newcomer, he has already distinguished himself in the Magic Corps.

He and His Highness are childhood friends despite the age gap, so I’ve at least exchanged greetings with him.
Even on our first meeting he was unusually informal—calling me by name simply because I was His Highness’s fiancée.
Still, the age difference meant we never interacted much in my previous life either.

So why would he come to our house?
And accompany His Highness on a sick visit?

What could this mean?

“Ah… come to think of it, His Highness looked quite exhausted.”

“Hm?”

Sara glances toward me while elegantly arranging the flowers in the vase.

“There were faint shadows under his eyes.”

“I see… he did say he’d be busy for a while.
Perhaps that’s why.
Still, coming all this way when he’s so tired… I feel terrible.”

“No, no—he was clearly very worried about you, Miss.
He arrived looking frantic.
And… his shirt buttons were misaligned.”

Sara covers her mouth as though sharing a secret and whispers.
Imagining the scene, my eyes widen.

“His Highness?
I can’t picture it.”

“Yes—I kept sneaking glances, wondering if I’d misseen.”

The ever-perfect Crown Prince…
with misbuttoned shirt buttons.

Somehow… that’s kind of cute.

Laughter bubbles up inside me, unstoppable.
I try to hold it back, but a soft “Fufu… His Highness, really…” slips out.

Our eyes meet—and the next moment, both of us are shaking with suppressed giggles.

After laughing together for a while, a knock sounds at the door.

“Yes?”

“Pardon me.”

Father enters at my reply.
The moment he sees my face, the corners of his eyes soften in visible relief.

“Father—even if it’s your daughter’s room, opening the door the instant I answer is a bit much, don’t you think?”

“Haha… sorry.
Paul told me your condition had improved, so I couldn’t wait to see for myself.”

“Oh my! In that case, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Father’s dark brown hair and gentle, slightly downturned deep-green eyes give him a kind face.
Despite being forty, his youthful features make him look at least ten years younger.
If I had taken after him instead of Mother, perhaps I would have appeared softer too.
Ernest—Father’s nephew—actually resembles him far more.

But I love my gentle mother dearly.
Even during this illness, she stayed by my side day and night, barely sleeping.

Come to think of it…

“Father, I heard His Highness came to visit—and that Viscount Frion accompanied him.
Do you know anything about that?”

“Hm… yes, Paul mentioned the Viscount Frion had come as well.”

Father places a hand on his cleanly shaven chin—a habit he has when thinking deeply.

“It seems His Highness has been spending quite a lot of time with him lately.
He’s as talented as the rumors say—probably assisting with His Highness’s research.”

“Research?”

“Yes… but I can’t say more.
His Majesty has forbidden it.”

Forbidden by His Majesty?
So Theodore is helping with some confidential matter?

“Incidentally, Viscount Frion is also knowledgeable about medicine, so I imagine that’s why he was brought along.”

“He really is remarkable.
Then I should write a thank-you letter to him as well.”

“Yes…
Rachel, I’m very sorry, but… I have to return to the palace now.”

“I understand.
Please take care of yourself, Father.”

“Ah… seeing your color return is such a relief.
But you’re still recovering—don’t push yourself.”

Father lowers his brows apologetically, yet his expression is filled with unmistakable affection.
He strokes my hair slowly, tenderly.

“Yes… I’ll rest a little more today.
Thank you for worrying about me, Father.”

He gives a gentle nod, then leaves the room with visible reluctance.

After another short nap, I ask Sara to bring stationery from the desk to the bed.
I need to write thank-you letters—to His Highness, to Theodore Camus, and to Ernest who also came to visit.

Several days after sending the letters…

A reply arrives from none other than Theodore Camus.
In summary: he wishes to pay a visit.

I can only stare in astonishment.