CH 57

This kind of person, is he really sick?

She would never have believed it if she hadn’t directly witnessed his precarious state that made him have difficulty breathing when they met for the first time. That the grand duke is sick.

Who would believe it? This… look at his body.

Elusiana’s cheeks heated up as if she was burned by the flexion of his muscles vividly felt under the palm of his hand.

“Elusiana? Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Only then did Elusiana, realizing she was held tightly in Aster’s arms, push his chest away. Her heart trembled. Her cheeks burned, and butterflies rose on one side of her stomach.

Oh my god. Whose arm did I just fall into? Even though she had fallen, she could feel the warmth that touched her fingertips. Even the touch of the muscles that wriggled sensibly every time they moved.

Elusiana smoothed her reddening cheeks and bowed her head. She couldn’t bear to see the grand duke’s face in this state.

At that time, a low groan escaped from the mouth of the pushed grand duke.

“Keugh.”

Surprised, Elusiana raised her head. Aster, who was leaning his upper body with his hands wrapped around his chest, was seen gasping for breath. It looked like he was shaking from unbearable pain.

I-is that because I pushed him? That made Elusiana stuck closer to Aster.

“Your Excellency, are you okay? A-are you in severe pain?”

“Gasp, gasp. B-breath…”

Aster staggered as he clutched his chest. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Elusiana supported Aster with a blue face. What should I do? It must have been because of me.

Elusiana bit her lip and led him under a large tree. She carefully sat him down under. His pale face looked like he could stop breathing at any moment. If he stays like this, he might die. What should I do now?

Elusiana listened to Aster’s quickening breathing and squeezed her modern knowledge. Ah! That’s right. I have to lay him down at an angle for now. She was busy making ends meet in her past life, so she knew basic first aid.

It is said to secure the respiratory tract first. Fortunately, that thought came to her mind. But how do I lay him down at an angle? If she leaned him against the tree, he would end up sitting too straight.

While Elusiana hesitated, Aster once again coughed loudly.

“Keheug. Cough. Cough. Huu…”

Aster grabbed his neck and curled up as if he was about to die. Elusiana hurriedly approached him and pulled him into her lap.

“L-lay your head here.”

Aster’s shoulders flinched. His body stiffened as he lay down on her leg. However, Elusiana was distracted by examining his condition and never noticed it.

After a while, Aster’s rough cough stopped like a lie.

It’s… working. Elusiana was delighted and relieved inside. It was a clear memory, but it had happened a long time ago, so she wondered if she remembered it correctly. However, seeing that it worked, she must have remembered it properly.

Then I need to supply oxygen now. Inspired by a slight sense of accomplishment, Elusiana, who had been actively moving, stopped her actions. He hasn’t stopped breathing, so is there a need to supply oxygen?

If she wants to supply oxygen… don’t their lips need to collide?

Elusiana’s gaze, shaking her head, unknowingly turned to Aster’s lips. His lips, crushed between his teeth, look particularly red as if he was forcing himself to hold back the pain. She swallowed her dry saliva.

Ummm, he’s breathing, but if it stops… it might be dangerous. Our posture now is a bit bad too. Then… let’s think about it a little more.

Elusiana, who tried to avoid the situation, checked his condition. Fortunately, his breathing seemed to be more stable than before, so it didn’t seem like she had to do anything more.

Still, I need to check his temperature. She could relax a little more if he didn’t have a fever. Didn’t the disease get worse as they got a fever?

Elusiana reached out to Aster’s face. I don’t know anything else, but it’s fine as long as his body temperature is similar to mine. She, who put her hand on Aster’s cheek, wrapped her other hand on her hand. And she closed her eyes and felt the temperature difference.

Hmm, I think it’s similar… Huh? It was that moment. The temperature on Aster’s cheek rose sharply.

“…Why is this? It can’t be like this all of a sudden…?”

“Cough, cough.”

“Your Excellency!” exclaimed Elusiana in surprise. She thought he was definitely getting better, but what was this sudden temperature difference?

Isn’t this like the calm before the storm? Elusiana shook her hands as she smoothed Aster’s cheek.

It was then. Hiiing— Along with the scream of a horse, heavy footsteps were heard from behind.

“There you are. I almost missed it.”

Elusiana turned her head and looked up at the man from behind. A man with melancholy eyes was smiling happily at Elusiana.

“Sir Logan.”

Why did I forget? The fact the grand duke was driving his horse like crazy was because he made a bet with Sir Logan.

The delighted Elucsana told him urgently. “Just in time, Sir Logan. His Excellency is breathing unsteadily right now.”

“Breathing unsteadily?”

Logan looked at his lord, who was lying on Elusiana’s leg, with an expression, ‘Is that even possible?’

“First of all, I did first aid. He was fine until a while ago, but his temperature suddenly went up…”

“Hmm.”

Logan smoothed his chin and narrowed his eyes. His lord, who is stronger than himself, was now in a state of ‘breathing unsteadily.’ But what did he find? Everyone can see that he’s perfectly fine.

Logan shuddered at Aster’s eerie red eyes that glared at him. No matter how stupid he was, there was no way he didn’t know what that signal meant. Logan, who was about to say, ‘I’m afraid you’re mistaken,’ quickly changed his mind and replied.

“There is Your Excellency’s medicine in the basket I brought.”

“Medicine? Did Sir bring the medicine? Ahhh— That’s a relief. Thank you very much, Sir Logan.”

“The medicine was provided by Heilla.”

“He-Heilla?”

“Yes.”

Logan immediately took a large basket hung from the back of his horse and put it down in front of Elusiana. She quickly opened the lid of the basket. As Logan had said, she saw a black glass bottle the size of two fingers overlapping.

“Ah! It’s really His Excellency’s medicine!”

Elusiana picked up the bottle with tears in her eyes.

“First of all, he needs to take this, then we need to watch his progress. It seems His Excellency has difficulty moving right now.”

Elusiana, who was opening the bottle lid, flinched for a moment. What kind of medicine… in a star shape? The glass bottle contained colorful pills shaped like star candy.

It’s just like the star candy that kids eat, right? Elusiana couldn’t hide her confused look and looked at the black glass bottle once more. She hadn’t had a chance to check what was inside it, but looking at it now, it seemed this was why the glass was black.

“Heuk.”

“Ah! Your Excellency.”

Aster groaned and curled up. Elusiana quickly raised him up with the black glass bottle in her hand. Perhaps she felt sorry for thinking uselessly in front of a sick person, but her touch toward the grand duke was full of caution.

Logan, who had been watching the two of them quietly, snorted. “What on earth are you doing?

Elusiana, who barely sat Aster next to her, looked back at Logan belatedly. “Sir Logan, what did you just say?”

“…No, I’m talking to myself.”

Elusiana tilted her head as Logan turned his head away from the stinging gaze. Obviously, I think he said something. Did I hear it wrong?

It was when Elusiana was staring at Logan’s big back. Aster, who was sitting next to her, staggered again with a groan. She urgently stretched out her arms and hugged Aster as if she was supporting him. They were so close, but it wasn’t important to her, who was paying all her attention to the safety of the grand duke.

“Wait a minute, Your Excellency. I will give you the medicine right away.”

Elusiana took her eyes off Logan and picked up a star-shaped pink pill with her finger. “Your Excellency, open your mouth.”

“…Thank you.”

Aster obediently opened his lips. Just like a baby bird opened its red lips slightly as if receiving food, a star-shaped pink pill squeezed through the gap. He chewed the pill.

Elusiana stared at his lips without taking her eyes off him. Then, when she heard a gulp, she asked again. “Would you like some water?”

Aster nodded slowly. Elusiana turned her head to the side and called Logan back. “Sir Logan, could you take the water bottle from the basket? As you can see, I can’t take it now.”

Looking at Aster in Elusiana’s arms as if about to attack him, Logan put on a puzzled expression.