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"Hmm..."

"Ah... you're quite hot indeed."

I pulled my forehead away from Miss Claire's, though I found myself lingering at the sight of her flushed cheeks. It wasn't that she was blushing from embarrassment - even without a thermometer, I could clearly tell her body was burning with fever.

"This much... *cough cough*... is nothing..."

Yes, Miss Claire is currently feeling under the weather.

It’s winter, and we’re in our bedroom. The temperature had dropped considerably - it was the season when colds typically spread.

While there was a wood-burning fireplace in the living room, our bedroom, being somewhat distant, wasn't quite warm enough. I had Miss Claire dress in thick clothes and covered her with two layers of blankets. Still, she seemed to have chills, occasionally shivering.

"This won't do. Let's go to the clinic later. It's probably just a cold, but we shouldn't take any chances."

"You're overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting at all. If anything were to happen to Miss Claire, neither I, nor May, nor Aleah would know how to go on living."

One shouldn't underestimate a simple cold. Even in this world with convenient magic, like in my previous life, there's no quick cure for colds. The fact that magic is less effective against illness compared to injuries means that even a simple cold could become life-threatening if it worsens. Well, if we had The Tears of the Moon, that would be a different story.

"Is Mama Claire okay?"

"Her face is all red!"

May and Aleah looked worried too. It was understandable. Seeing Miss Claire, who usually maintained such a dignified and strong presence, in such a weakened state. Even I was concerned.

Nevertheless, May and Aleah were taking turns placing and replacing wet towels on Miss Claire's forehead. They had asked if there was anything they could do to help, so I entrusted them with this task. Miss Claire's fever was quite high, causing the wet towels to warm up quickly, but the two diligently continued replacing them.

"I'll be fine, May, Aleah. I'll get better soon."

She smiled at them reassuringly. Still, they maintained worried expressions. I really hoped she would get better soon.

"Miss Claire, do you have any appetite?"

"...To be honest, not much."

"I thought so. With that temperature, you might have trouble digesting food."

When fever is too high, the body's digestive enzymes don't work properly, making it difficult to process solid food. Solid food would probably be too hard for Miss Claire right now.

"I'll go to the kitchen for a bit. May, Aleah, please look after Miss Claire."

"Okay!"

"Alright!"

With their reassuring replies, I moved to the kitchen.

"Let’s see if there’s anything useful…"

As I peeked into the ice box, which functions similarly to an ice room with a magic stone that has the same effect as ice magic, I thought about what I could make.

"Some vegetables, a few fruits, milk, and eggs… Oh, and there’s sugar too."

With these ingredients, I could make something.

"It’s been a while since I made this, and it’s a bit complicated, but… it’s for Miss Claire."

I took the ingredients out of the ice box and began cooking.

First, I placed egg yolks and sugar into a clean bowl and mixed them well with a whisk. After the sugar dissolved and the mixture turned slightly white, I mixed it thoroughly. Next, I combined heavy cream and milk in a pot and heated it. Once the mixture around the pot started to simmer, I slowly added it to the bowl with egg yolks and sugar, mixing constantly with the whisk. I then strained the mixture through a sieve. Once the mixture was evenly combined, I transferred it to a metal container with a lid, allowed it to cool slightly, and then placed it in the ice box. After about two or three hours, when the edges had started to firm up, I took it out and stirred it with a spoon. I repeated this stirring process every thirty minutes, about four times, to achieve a smooth texture.

As you might have guessed, I made ice cream. Unfortunately, without vanilla beans or vanilla essence, it’s a very simple recipe.

I minced and ground the vegetables and fruits while the ice cream was freezing and added sugar to make a simple smoothie. Without a juicer, blender, or hand blender, it’s all done manually. I wondered if any magic-based cooking tools could be marketed by Broumet or something. I served the smoothie in a glass and the ice cream on a small plate, placing them on a tray. Carefully, I returned to the bedroom.

"Here you go, Miss Claire."

"…You went through the trouble of bringing this. I’m sorry."

"It’s nothing to apologize for. Please, try a little bit."

I first handed the smoothie to Miss Claire. Seeing the green liquid, May and Aleah looked at it with curiosity.

"What’s that, Mama Rae?"

"It’s a smoothie, a vegetable juice with various vegetables and fruits."

"We want to try it too!"

"I have some for both of you as well. We’ll drink it together later. But for now, let Miss Claire have some first, okay?"

""Okay!""

These kids are really well-behaved.

"Well then, let’s try it."

Miss Claire drank from the glass. Her flushed, feverish throat made a soft gulping sound.

"Ah… it’s delicious."

"I’m glad. With such a high fever, you must have been sweating a lot, so I thought it was important to get some fluids in you first."

A smoothie provides various vitamins, so it’s a double win.

"This… it has lemon squeezed into it, doesn’t it? And there’s a hint of some spice."

"I added a little ginger. It helps warm up the body."

If you use too much ginger, it can become unpleasant, but if used well, it’s a nice touch. Think of it like ginger ale. Some people don’t know, but the "ginger" in ginger ale is actually ginger. Of course, you should use it sparingly in a smoothie.

Miss Claire finished the whole glass. She must have been quite thirsty. Her body might have also been craving nutrients.

"And this white thing?"

"It’s ice cream, a frozen dessert."

"May I have some?"

"Of course."

When I handed her the container, Miss Claire tried to scoop it with a spoon.

"Hmm… it’s difficult…"

It seems she can’t scoop it well.

With a high fever, muscles don’t function properly, making it hard to exert force. Homemade ice cream is also firmer than what you’d get in the twenty-first-century Japan.

"Miss Claire, let me help."

I took the container from her and scooped out a spoonful of ice cream.

"Here, open wide."

"…I suppose there’s no point in being embarrassed now."

She opened her mouth as she glanced at May and Aleah.

"Ah… delicious…"

Her face softened with a smile.

"It’s cool and sweet… it feels like it’s spreading through my body… It’s really delicious…"

"It’s likely because of the high fever. If you eat too much, you might upset your stomach, but for a fever, this is perfect."

Eggs also provide some protein, and more importantly, it helps replenish the calories lost. In my previous life, when I caught a cold, my mother would bring me ice cream.

"Could I have a little more?"

"Of course."

Afterward, she finished a second serving as well. I was glad she enjoyed it so much.

"We should sell this at Broumet. I'm sure it would be popular."

"You think so?"

"If we advertise it as a cold remedy, it would sell like hotcakes."

"That would be false advertising, and there are preservation issues. Not every household has an ice room."

"Then, as a Broumet dessert-"

"Miss Claire."

I interrupted her words.

"Please don't think about such complicated things right now. Just lie down."

"...You're right. I'm sorry."

"We'll go to the clinic at noon. Until then, please get some sleep."

"Yes. Thank you for the treats, Rae."

"You're welcome. May, Aleah, come on. Let's have our snack."

"Smoothie?"

"Ice cream?"

"That's right."

"Yay!"

After making sure Miss Claire was tucked into bed, I left the bedroom with the two children.

◆◇◆◇◆

At the clinic, they confirmed it was indeed just a cold, as suspected. While doctors aren't knowledgeable about everything, knowing it wasn't a serious illness was a great relief.

By the way, I took the day off from the academy. Even though it was just a cold, her symptoms were somewhat severe. I hesitated to leave May and Aleah in charge of her in this condition.

It was now past 2:30 in the afternoon. After returning from the clinic, Miss Claire was back in bed. The twins were having their nap time in the children's room. I sat in a chair beside the bed, reading a book while changing her wet towel.

"...I had a dream."

Miss Claire, whom I thought was sleeping, suddenly spoke.

"What kind of dream?"

I asked while changing the wet towel.

"A dream of the past. When I was little, I once caught a cold and was bedridden."

It was when her mother was still alive, she continued.

"Normally, noble children are cared for by their wet nurses. But I was such a spoiled child then... they kept their distance. I suppose I brought it upon myself."

She spoke in fragments, almost mumbling. Her childhood personality varied depending on the period. There was the time when she was completely spoiled, trying to get her parents' attention. Then the period right after Melia-sama passed away, when she was almost too well-behaved. And finally, the villainess period, when she recovered thanks to Manaria-sama and was doted on by Dole-sama. What She was talking about now must have been from that very first period.

"My wet nurse, who was usually so distant, was very kind only during that time... Looking back, it's obvious why. The usually spoiled me was quiet due to the cold, so she must have been relieved. But still, that kindness made me very happy."

Her gaze was fixed not here, but on the distant past. I wonder if she could see the wet nurse in her mind's eye.

"She too left shortly after. I wonder why... if only I had..."

Her blue eyes wavered with regret.

"Hey, Rae. You won't go anywhere...? You'll stay by my side forever...?"

Miss Claire's upward gaze from the bed was surprisingly fragile. They say sick people become emotionally vulnerable, and it seems she was no exception.

"Of course I won't leave. I'll always be by your side."

"Really...?"

"Yes. Even if Miss Claire gets tired of me, I'll stick around and never leave."

"...What about May and Aleah...?"

"They're the same. At least until they grow up."

"..."

At that point, her words trailed off. I changed Miss Claire's towel again.

"Rae... you're so kind."

"You think so?"

"Yes, you are. There aren't many people in the world willing to put up with someone as difficult as me."

"Huh? Didn't you say before that being liked by people was your default state?"

"Default...?"

"Ah, sorry. It means that's the normal state."

Despite trying to be careful, I still sometimes slip into using words from my previous life.

"Back then... I didn't understand yet. That people liking me was just an illusion. The people who flocked around me were looking at my family status, not at me."

Saying this, she smiled self-deprecatingly.

"That's not true at all. Miss Loretta and Miss Pepi are still your friends, aren't they? They even came to the wedding."

"..."

"As you say, there might have been many people who were attracted to your status and family name, but not everyone was like that. There were people who saw you for who you really are."

"...You think so?"

"Yes, I do. ...Actually, Miss Claire."

"What is it?"

I decided to say something I'd been thinking about for a while.

"Since the revolution, you've become too nice. You should be more selfish. It's lonely, you know?"

Her essence is undoubtedly that of an old-school noble. But I think her spoiled and haughty villainess side is also an important part of who she is. And I love everything about her, including that part.

"I'm still really selfish even now, aren't I?"

"Not enough! You should go all out! At least with me!"

I want to be troubled by her more. I want to trouble her more. If we're talking about difficult personalities, I'm quite difficult myself.

"Fufu... Rae is really just being Rae, aren’t you?"

"Ah, it's been a while since I heard that description. Please say more. It's a reward in our industry."

"Again with things I don't understand."

"But I believe my affection gets through."

"Fufu, indeed it does."

Miss Claire said this with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad I met you. It was truly a miraculous encounter."

"What's going on, Miss Claire? You're being unusually honest today. You can look down on me and scold me more, you know?"

"Don't jest. Really, I'm grateful to you, Rae. Come to think of it, I've never properly thanked you."

"Thanked me?"

"For saving my life during the revolution."

Ah, so that's what this is about.

"You don't need to thank me for that. I acted purely out of my own selfishness, not out of goodwill. It was purely desire, not kindness."

I simply wanted to live together with Miss Claire forever. I didn't want her to die. That's all there was to it. It was completely my ego.

"Even so, I want to thank you. Not just for saving my life, but for showing me a new world."

"A new world?"

When I asked, she nodded and continued.

"You taught me that the world isn't just made of cold logic. Money, power, dominance, desire... you showed me there are warm things beyond just those."

"..."

"I thought love was just an illusion. That romance was just a game played with humans. But I was wrong. Meeting you, my world regained its vivid colors."

"You're praising me too much."

"Fufu, you're embarrassed? I love that about you too, Rae."

Miss Claire smiled up at me from the bed. Her face, flushed with fever, somehow looked seductive and-

"Um, Miss Claire."

"What is it?"

"If you tempt me too much, I won't be able to hold back."

"?"

"Please don't say such adorable things. It makes me want to kiss you, regardless of your condition."

"...Fufu."

So please don't make such an alluring face with that expression.

"They say a cold gets better faster if you pass it to someone else, don't they?"

"That's an urban legend. Please don't say silly things and get some rest."

"...Won't you do it?"

"I won't. I can't trust my self-control."

"But I want you to."

"Please don't be selfish."

"That contradicts what you said earlier."

"Oh, you got me there."

Maybe she's starting to feel a bit better? Though her cheeks are still red.

"Then, please make do with this."

I gave her a light kiss on the cheek. She closed her eyes, seeming ticklish.

"Well done. I'll praise you for that."

"This isn't quite the direction I was hoping for though."

"I know. Think of today's me as being a bit whimsical due to the cold."

"Well, you're cute like this too, but I'd prefer-"

"Prefer what?"

"Please wait until you're healthy. Then I'll shower you with affection to your heart's content."

"...hehe"

Even when teased, Miss Claire just laughs. Ah, geez. This is throwing me off!

"Please get better soon, Miss Claire, really."

"Yes. After all, I need to receive Rae's affection, don't I?"

"I'm seriously about to pounce on you, so please just go to sleep."

I raised the white flag. Standing up from the chair.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to replace the water for the towel. It's gotten quite warm."

"I see... Come back quickly."

"...I'll cool my head off while I'm at it."

"Hehehe..."

I left the bedroom as if fleeing.

After that, Miss Claire recovered steadily, and her cold was gone in about three days. When I teased her about how cute she was while sick, she gave me quite an entertaining reaction. However-

"You're quite brave. Shall we make it clear which one of us is truly cute?"

And so, I was thoroughly showered with affection by a fully prepared Miss Claire. I learned my lesson. No matter how I struggle, I can never win against her in many ways.