CH 95

Eventually, it came a time where both Heinricion and Sonia had to go about their usual schedule. How could they hide Eristella’s identity as they do so?

Right now, both of them were locked in the same room to take care of Eristella. It would be suspicious to anyone if they were to find out about this. 

Eristella struggled to open her mouth. When she managed to do so, an airy voice came out.

“I think it’s better for me to rest quietly by myself. There’s no need for the both of you to stay here.”

In other words, she wanted both Heinricion and Sonia to go out and do their own thing.

“I took the medicine and now I need to rest. Come back after you finish your work. Since I can’t be alone all the time.”

Heinricion didn’t budge, but Sonia, who read Eristella’s intention to have them leave, said,

“If the Grand Duke continues to stay here, Sir Rowen and other servants will come. I will keep checking from time to time.”

“…….”

“Sir Rowen has already visited you twice.”

Of course, Rowen had already visited Heinricion. Today’s schedule was full, so it would be difficult without Heinricion.

Understanding Eristella’s desire to not leave any room for doubt, Heinricion reluctantly stood up.

“Bye.”

Eristella’s cracked voice sent the two of them off.

Left alone, Eristella stared at the ceiling and smiled.

In fact, even in the midst of her pain, she kept thinking that it wasn’t bad.

In the past, she wanted to know a little bit about the feelings of young Heinricion, who occasionally faked illness to seek her attention.

Back then, she was really harsh on him, saying stuff like ‘What’s so good about pretending to be weak?’

‘Receiving worry and care while I’m sick… It’s not as bad as I thought.’

Recalling the happenings in her childhood, Eristella smiled and pulled the blanket over her.

‘I should get well soon though.’

‘Because I don’t want him to worry too much about me.’

‘Also, the medicine doesn’t taste good.’

Eristella had a bite earlier and barely managed to resist spitting it out in shock. Sonia was sure to do her best to get her medicine until she was healed.

To eat it even just one time less, she must get well soon.

So let’s get some sleep. Anyway, she no longer had the strength to keep her eyes open.

Eristella was about to fall asleep when…

…The door opened quietly.

Pfft. A laugh was heard. Eristella could tell who it was just by hearing the footsteps.

‘Why did Heinricion come back?’

Right now, Heinricion should be with Viscount Diaclen. The viscount couldn’t have gone back already, but perhaps he went away for a while and so Heinricion decided to pop by.

‘Are you that worried about me?’

Even in the midst of drowsiness, the corner of Eristella’s mouth was itching to go up. She decided to tease Heinricion when he got closer.

Eristella remained still, motionless, as if in a deep sleep. Well, it was really quite hard to move because she was so, so tired.

Before she knew it, Heinricion approached and sat down on the chair next to her.

“There’s no way you’ll be okay.”

Heinricion, who was staring intently at Eristella, murmured lowly.

To be honest, Eristella did have a vague feeling that her condition was worse than any one of them thought.

She had no experience of being sick, so she didn’t know how much this was by other people’s standards, but it occurred to her that she certainly wouldn’t suffer this much from a simple cold.

‘Did the things I’ve been overdoing so far explode all at once?’

She wondered if this was why she was so sick.

‘It will be fine after a few days though.’

‘So you don’t have to worry so seriously.’

‘I didn’t know you’d be so concerned about me.’ 

‘I have to tell him I’m fine now.’

Gradually, Heinricion’s gaze felt burdensome.

Eristella tried to lift her eyelids. But at that moment, Heinricion’s hand touched her forehead.

‘What are you doing?’

That question appeared in her mind, but his hand on her forehead felt so cool and pleasant that she didn’t want to open her eyes.

She had no choice but to stay still.

Heinricion began to mutter something in a low tone. But the voice was so soft that Eristella couldn’t hear the contents.

‘I guess it’s a magic spell.’

Heat began to gather on Eristella’s forehead.

But that didn’t make it any hotter. Rather, the heat was slowly dissipating as if it had met a cool breeze through the hands of Heinricion.

‘Could it be…’

For a second, Eristella nearly opened her eyes. She thought she knew what he was doing.

However, before she could move, his hand fell first.

The heat that had been tormenting her had completely disappeared.

In the end, she kept pretending to be asleep, and she heard him laugh lightly.

“Lying like this makes you feel like a child. But I hope you wake up healthy tomorrow.”

Heinricion spoke affectionately, patting Eristella on the head lightly.

It was a voice as if he was casting a spell so that she could sleep comfortably.

Besides, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

He just took away Eristella’s illness.

With magic.

It was a very inefficient magic.

Despite consuming a formidable amount of magic power, the cold didn’t go away; it just passed on to him.

‘What on earth were you thinking?’

As soon as Heinricion left, Eristella opened her eyes.

The energy that had been dissipating until just now quickly rose.

She couldn’t even tell if it was because of his magic or if she was too surprised.

Aside from that…

Eristella smoothed her forehead with a strange expression.

It was the spot where Heinricion’s hand had touched for a long time.

Maybe that’s why, when his hand fell, she felt something was missing.

‘The only reason that hand felt good was probably because it was taking heat.’

Yes, it was the only reason why her heart was beating like crazy.

Pop—

There was clearly no sound, but somehow, there was an auditory hallucination of something exploding in Eristella’s ears.

When she looked down, she realized she had turned into a fox again.

‘What…?’

At that moment, it was as if Eristella had been struck by lightning.

She was distracted and her thoughts were not in order, but even in the middle of that, something flashed in her head.

‘Wait a second. Ehyyy… no way…’

She shook her head vigorously, but the more she did, the more her doubts grew.

Even then… And now…

The more she replayed the memories, the clearer it became.

A common point that connected all moments. She felt like she finally knew what she couldn’t find no matter how much she tried.

It was when Eristella’s composure was disturbed and her heart raced.

Then and now.

Her face, which had been flushed red, slowly calmed down.

Every instance was clearly organized. And she was convinced.

She placed her hand gently on her own chest.

Irregular beating heart sounds.

Badump, badump.

When she was excited, surprised, confused, or thrilled, her heart beat at a different rate than usual.

“Was this the cause?”

Her voice rang out with a mix of emotions.

At that moment, her heart throbbed.

The time when Eristella turned into a fox was affected by the changes in her heartbeat, from factors like emotions, mood, and tension.

She seemed to know instinctively. The happenings in her own body.

Being swayed by her emotions in this way meant that her body was reaching its limits.

‘I can’t go on like this forever.’

Truly, she already knew that she couldn’t go on with her current life of going back and forth between fox and human form any longer.

But despite knowing that, she couldn’t be impatient about it.

‘It’s best if I go back to my original self.’

‘Even if it doesn’t work, I’ll try to endure it as much as possible with this body.’

She had no choice but to persevere until the limit came.

‘Now that I’ve figured out the cause of the change, I should be careful.’

Well, there was something else that was bothering Eristella right now.

She had already recovered, she felt alive again. So, by now, Heinricion was probably having a fever and was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Now that her condition had been restored, she would not suddenly change back to her original form.

Eristella got out of bed.

‘At this time, Heinricion must be meeting Viscount Diaclen.’

With a feverish body and a nonchalant face, he would endure until his schedule with Viscount Diaclen was over.

‘It’s an overkill if he endured in that state until the end.’

Viscount Diaclen was someone to be wary of, and Heinricion would never show a sick face in front of him.

It was an illness that would get better after a few days anyway, so he didn’t have to go this far.

At least, he could have taken the illness after Viscount Diaclen went back. However, he did not delay it and eased her pain as soon as possible. As if he couldn’t bear for her to be sick, even for a moment more.

Of course, that must not really be the reason.

He must feel it’s dangerous because her appearance kept coming and going.

‘But…’ Eristella jumped lightly on all fours. Her body was light and her mind clear.

It was all thanks to Heinricion.

‘Being grateful means being grateful…’

She couldn’t help it.

Her eyes sparkled.

‘I’m the only one who can make him rest.’

Only Eristella, who had been equally ill until just now, knew how bad Heinricion’s physical condition would be.

‘I did make the decision to not cause any trouble. But thanks to you, my body has gotten better, so I can’t be still, can I? I have to make an exception this time.’

Eristella stretched her limbs and warmed her body.

Then she stepped out of the room with a majestic stride, fully intending to cause an accident.

‘Great. Let’s go to where Heinricion is!’

Credits goes to Kushi for raw providing and Ame for translating.