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There are generally four scenarios for getting sick.

You might have a poor condition, a bad nutritional state, a dirty environment, or just plain bad luck.

Of course, this varies from person to person.

Some might catch a cold just from taking a shower in cold water, while others can go a week without washing and still wake up feeling fine after a short nap.

The same goes for magic power users, who, despite having poor dietary and lifestyle habits, rarely fall seriously ill thanks to their self-discipline, mana manipulation, magic tools, and spells.

But the world is indeed fair.

Even a person with an unbreakable body, like a living fortress from an ancient tale, can suffer severely from a simple cold.

This is a fate that even the majority of those wielding powers like Swordmasters, Grand Wizards, Druids, Dark Sorcerers, Necromancers, and Priests cannot escape.

Karem, buried deep under the blanket in a bed ventilated by wind magic, listened to Catherine’s tiresome explanation.

“Can’t we heal it with magic or magic tools?”

“Don’t even think about it; with a cold, neither magic nor tools nor divine powers can help.”

“Eh?”

“Ha, ha-choo!”

Catherine, the bundle of blankets with her head poking out, shuddered.

“Hem. A cold is classically one of those diseases impossible to heal with magic, potions, or tools. Divine power has its remedies, though.”

“Then just drink that remedy, won’t you?”

“It doesn’t work if you’ve already caught it. Right now, all we can do is eat well and rest.”

With that said, Karem scooped a spoonful of the chicken soup that had been simmered all night into a semi-paste and fed it to Catherine.

Catherine accepted it like a baby bird waiting for its mother to feed it.

As the thick broth slid down her throat, she let out a sound of relief.

The rich, oily taste of chicken seeped into her body.

The savory essence of the chicken.

The sweetness of the broth infused with weakened vegetables.

Catherine’s foggy mind began to clear as she was filled with fuel, recalling the situation before she collapsed.

And she realized what was happening.

Never mind Catherine’s state, Karem put aside his embarrassment and continued to feed her the chicken soup.

“Ah— you should eat. You’ve only had a few bites.”

“Wait! Ha, ha-choo! Now that I think about it, where’s Mary, and why are you here?”

“I was asked to help. They said they didn’t have enough hands to sort the explosion site and do this.”

Buried with Catherine in her research office/bedroom, Karem fell asleep, half worried and half relieved, only to see the explosion site the next morning.

And the scene was vastly different from the usual accidents at the tower.

Five rooms, including the personal laboratory and warehouse, had collapsed.

The personal lab, the epicenter, had completely burned down.

Not a trace remained.

All that was left was the dark soot resembling the shape of a sun, indicating an explosion.

Mary, who had been with the wizards organizing the site since the previous night, was also caring for Catherine, as Karem learned through Narque.

If it were a usual explosion, she could handle it alone.

But the buried magic tools and ingredients said otherwise.

Thanks to that, Karem was directly handed the morning task of looking after Catherine, who was bound to be groaning.

Well, it was more amusing that he had been changing the damp towel on her head and replacing her blankets in between the tasks.

“What kind of madness are these wizards pulling…?!”

Upon hearing everything, Catherine clutched her head.

The dry towel, which had become hot with the heat from her forehead, fell to the ground.

“The peak wizard among those magic users is having a meltdown…?!”

“Am I not allowed to lose it?! Ha, ha-choo! My research lab is burnt down? Five rooms collapsed? Where the hell am I supposed to get the funds to recover that?! Ha-choo!”

“Calm down. You’re going to faint again like yesterday.”

“Does it look like I can calm down?!”

Catherine attempted to leap up but eased her body and lay back down.

She buried herself deep in the blankets and began to inhale and exhale deeply.

“B-but, ha-choo! I definitely feel some fondness.”

“Fwooo—”

“Kuhm. What’s with you? Are you catching a cold too?”

“No. I just suddenly relaxed from the tension.”

In the worst case, she was even considering rejection. The sudden easing of tension nearly caused her divine power to overflow. Karem, who had been worried about the embarrassing antics from the previous night, let out a long sigh.

He cautiously put down the bowl and covered his face with his hands.

With the tension gone, he could feel his face burning red.

“What’s this? After such a passionate confession, you’re now shy and anxious about it?”

“Not regretting it is one thing, but thinking about it makes me feel embarrassed.”

“I was the one who was dumbfounded hearing all that.”

“I really am sorry about that.”

Having put a faintly exhausted Catherine who was battling a cold through such distress was something Karem would rather not talk about, so he held his tongue and lowered his head.

Though he did it with his face still covered.

Catherine, like a cold-stricken hamster, lightly coughed and gently patted the blanket.

“As I said earlier, I can’t be sure if this is love. I’ve never had a confession like this before.”

“Yeah.”

“But it’s clear that my fondness is more than just friendship.”

“Then it doesn’t mean there’s no possibility.”

Huh? Catherine looked up in surprise at this unexpected revelation.

Surprised by her own words, her eyes swirled, but she looked directly at him.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but my feelings won’t change.”

So.

“I’ll make an effort.”

“That’s all you’re going to say?!”

“However, since you haven’t wholeheartedly accepted it yet, isn’t pushing a bit premature?”

“I’ve heard it all! It’s too late! You confessed so desperately in the kitchen! Not to mention that—”

There was someone who saw everything from the start.

Narque Escarna, that annoying elf?!

Catherine stood up suddenly, realizing something was wrong.

“That cocky little brat! Narque! You were hiding and spying on everything yesterday, weren’t you?!”

“Narque?”

Karem recalled the moment when he laid Catherine in bed last night.

“Ka, Karem. You’re not thinking of giving up, are you?”

“That now depends on Sir Atanitas’s feelings.”

“W-what if you’d reject my confession?!”

“Oh, I’ll keep trying unless you outright refuse me! Agh! Saying it out loud makes me feel so embarrassed!”

“Then, how about I give you a word of advice as your senior?”

“Eh? Senior?!”

“Never give up on that feeling.”

Before leaving, Narque had spoken with a calm, serious face, unlike usual, without stuttering or doubt.

He departed, leaving behind a hint of bitterness.

But Catherine didn’t think she wanted to hear any of this.

“You didn’t say you’d keep it to yourself.”

“…Really?”

“And besides, I’m not a kid anymore. Didn’t you hear? I’m an adult, considering my reincarnation. An adult.”

Karem grumbled slightly, but Catherine carelessly slapped her forehead. As her head cooled down, the events of the previous day gradually began to come back clearly.

There were many reasons for her fainting, but the primary factor was the humiliation of being watched from beginning to end. And the shocking fact of being a reincarnator.

Even the former was astonishing; the latter?

Fainting in this state was inevitable.

“Back when I was a kid, it might have been different, but now I’m fully grown, right?”

“Don’t say nonsensical things! I haven’t even undergone my coming-of-age ceremony, and you’re calling me a mere child! Are you the only reincarnator in this world?!”

“Eh?”

“Do you seriously think you’re the only reincarnator in this vast world, no matter how rare they are?!”

Saying that made Karem have no further arguments. Upon reflection, it was true.

With gods, magic, Swordmasters, Undead, and even ghosts in existence.

“There’s the hero Fitzgerald who defeated the Demon King and is a known reincarnator. You can’t think you’re the only one with reincarnation memories. There are even wizards who can transfer their bodies through reincarnation.”

“Really?”

“Very rare, but there are indeed more than reincarnators.”

Of course, as mentioned earlier, the number is still very low.

In the long history of Europa, there are only a few.

Karem paused momentarily at the shocking truth before regaining his senses.

“…So can you retire that ‘little brat’ title?”

“Not a chance. You’re still just a mercenary.”

“That’s rough.”

“Suit yourself; just sit here.”

Catherine patted the bed lightly.

It was an unmistakable signal to come closer.

“Alright. Maybe I can finally realize a dream I’ve had for ages.”

“A dream?”

“Yeah. Tell me more about your previous life. Where did you live?”

“Uh… Earth? The continent of Asia?”

“Earth? Is that the name you came up with in your previous life?”

Catherine’s face lit up with curiosity as she bombarded him with questions about politics, geography, countries, and culture such as clothing and cuisine.

It was shallow knowledge obtained from novels, internet surfing, and experience, a mere fraction of knowledge, but that was enough to make her happy.

And naturally, the conversation led to historical and military topics.

“…What’s that? You killed and were killed among your own kind? You folks sound like the Demon King’s army! The Geneva Conventions… what? That’s what you did? And the world’s still alright? How?”

Catherine was astonished.

“…Come to think of it, it does seem odd.”

Karem couldn’t deny it.

 

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