***

“The fever’s back. You should stay in bed today.”

Looking at Reina, Rose sighed and spoke in her usual no-nonsense manner.

“I feel fine.”

“Your expression says otherwise.”

Rose pressed the back of her hand to Reina’s forehead, then shrugged.

“I’ll at least change the sheets for you.”

When Reina sat up, she felt dizzy. The throbbing in her leg was further proof that her body really wasn’t in great shape today. Rose quickly replaced the old linens with fresh ones and helped Reina back onto the mattress.

“I’ll get some medicine.”

“All right.”

“It’s been ages since you were last ill.”

Rose said, tucking the blanket around Reina.

“I was beginning to think you’d grown invincible.”

The quilt smelled faintly of sunlight and soap. As Reina burrowed beneath it, every muscle in her body relaxed.

“I’ll tell Lord Kaelid you’re unavailable today.”

“He’s not the type to listen.”

Rose’s brow furrowed.

“Leave it to me. I’ll keep him out if I have to – but only after you’ve taken your medicine.”

“Reliable as ever.”

Reina replied, managing a wry smile. She closed her eyes; now that it had been labelled a fever, she could feel the heat pulsing through her limbs. After swallowing the medicine Rose had brought her, she was pulled under by the darkness almost at once.

When she was young, her parents would sit by her bedside and hold her hand whenever she was ill. Those memories were little more than hazy now. Thinking of them, Reina drifted deeper into sleep.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when she sensed someone beside her.

‘Kaelid.’

Her body truly felt awful today. So Rose hadn’t managed to keep him away after all. Not that she had expected otherwise: he had once slept with her when her leg was in plaster. A mere fever would never make him curb his desires.

Reina forced her heavy eyelids open.

Instead of Kaelid’s face, however, she saw a child with tousled black hair. Zephion was sitting in the chair by her bed, his legs kicking idly as he read a book — an unexpectedly endearing sight. A soft sigh of relief escaped Reina’s dry lips.

“Reina, you’re awake?”

Zephion looked up at the sound of her voice. He climbed down from the chair and leaned against the bed.

“Zephion.”

“Rose said you have to take your medicine. And drink some water, too.”

It seemed that Rose had asked him to look after her. The boy handed her the cup and the pills from the table.

Even sitting up felt like a struggle. Reina slowly pushed herself upright, swallowed the bitter medicine and washed it down with a sip of water.

The cool sensation as it slid down her parched throat offered the faintest relief. Her sleepwear clung damply to her skin, sticky with cold sweat — an unpleasant feeling.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t even bring herself to lie and say she was fine. Resting her back against the pillow, she relaxed.

Zephion crept quietly onto the bed and gently placed his small hand on her forehead. On any other day, his touch would have felt warm, but now it felt only slightly cool.

“Rose said you need to sleep a lot.”

“Mm.”

“Should I go and get Rose? You’re sweating a lot.”

“No, it’s fine.”

She wanted to change her clothes, but more than that, she just wanted to lie still. Her head was throbbing.

“Is it because of your leg?”

He hesitated before asking, his voice cautious. Reina slowly opened her eyes.

The boy sat with his head bowed, fidgeting with his fingers.

“No.

“But your leg still hurts.”

“It does, but the fever’s from something else.”

Zephion’s eyes widened. He slid down toward her legs and gently began to massage them with both hands.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said it hurt.’

Reina thought with mild regret. As soon as she mentioned her injured leg, it seemed that he became fixated on it.

But she really wasn’t feeling well today, and her leg was aching more than usual.

His little hands pressed against hers with surprising strength.

“Reina, do you get sick a lot?”

“No.”

“But you’re sick every day.”

Zephion began chattering away beside her, his small voice filling the room.

“Your leg hurts. You have a fever. And you’re always sitting down. Yuta said it would be better if you moved around more.”

“Mm.”

Reina responded absently, then let out a faint laugh. She almost made a biting remark about how much she moved at night, but stopped herself just in time.

“It’d be nice if you could run with me. Yuta says running makes you stronger really quickly.”

“I can’t run.”

“Why not?’

The child tilted his head in confusion. Instead of answering, Reina simply pointed to her leg.

“Oh.”

Zephion’s hands, which had been gently massaging her leg, suddenly pressed down with more force.

“Then it’s my fault you’re always ill.”

“I may not be as healthy as you, but that doesn’t mean I’m weak.”

It had been a long time since she’d had a fever like this. Judging by Zephion’s expression, however, he clearly didn’t believe her.

To be fair, she did look more fragile than most. She knew it herself. Perhaps her pale complexion and faint colouring created that impression.

“I’ll ask Yuta if there’s a way to get stronger without running.”

“Alright. Sounds good.”

Reina leaned fully back against the pillow. Her head throbbed dully.

Zephion continued to massage her leg with his small hands and started chattering again, talking about everything and nothing. What he had learnt lately. Little things that had happened with the servants. He mentioned all the warnings Rose had given him before leaving him to care for her.

Guess “keep quiet” wasn’t one of them.

A steady stream of words drifted through her hazy mind like birdsong.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

It was like a bird that just wouldn’t stop, preventing her from falling asleep.

“Zephion, could you be quiet for a bit?”

She frowned slightly and whispered in a tired voice. Zephion’s eyes widened and he nodded earnestly.

“Okay, I’ll be quiet. You should sleep more. Rose said you need plenty of rest when you’re ill.”

“…”

“Oh, and I told my teacher that I couldn’t study today because I had to take care of Reina. Since your leg might be making you unwell, I thought it was my job to help. Rose said—”

“You’re noisy, Zephion.”

Reina couldn’t hold it in any longer; the words slipped out like a groan.

“I’m noisy? Is it my fault you can’t sleep?”

Chirp, chirp, chirp…

“You’re like a little bird, chattering away.”

The thought came to her unfiltered and tumbled out of her mouth. She sighed; her fever clung to every breath. Her mouth felt dry and parched.

Zephion clamped his lips shut and lowered his head. He looked so dejected that she felt a twinge of guilt.

“Haa…”

Reina closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again. With effort, she lifted her heavy hand and ruffled the boy’s black hair.

“Pipi. That name suits you.”

“Pipi?”

“Yes, you keep chirping non-stop like a little bird.”

“Pipi.”

‘Even suits the name Zephion.’

“But I’m not a bird.”

“Well, since you’re keeping me awake, you’re not that different.”

“I’ll be quiet now.”

“Pipi.”

Reina smirked and mimicked a bird’s chirp, earning a pout from the boy.

“I really will be quiet now.”

“All right, Pipi.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m ten now.”

He spoke as if he were proud of his ability to count to ten on his fingers, as if that entitled him to be treated like an adult. Ironically, this way of thinking only made him seem more childish.

“Mm, alright.”

“So names like Pipi don’t suit me anymore.”

But looking at his little, puffed-up face, she thought the name Pipi suited him more than ever.

“Sure, Pipi.”

When Reina spoke, the boy pulled a sulky face and burrowed deeper under the covers.

‘Now he really looks like a little bird.’

He looked like a tiny bird the size of her fist, showing how upset he was in his own stubborn way.

With her head sinking into the pillow, Reina let out a long sigh. The effects of the medicine were kicking in — her eyelids felt heavier than ever.

“Are you going to sleep now?”

“Mm.”

Her answer came in a faint whisper, barely audible.

She shut her eyes tightly as a small hand gently brushed across her forehead and cheek. Despite being the touch of a child, it was comforting. It was something she hadn’t experienced in years, something from a distant past.

Exhaling a long, hot breath, Reina finally drifted off to sleep once more.

***

“Mmh…”

She could feel something pressing down on her arm. She stirred and shifted uncomfortably before slowly opening her eyes.

Her entire body was drenched in sweat. However, after taking her medicine and resting all day, she felt much better.

Freeing her arm from whatever was pressing on it, she reached up to feel her forehead and exhaled quietly.

‘The fever’s gone.’

Only after her skin had cooled down again did she look down to see what had been pressing on her arm.

“…”

Zephion was curled up beside her, fast asleep.

If he had wanted to sleep, he could easily have used the empty space on the other side of the bed. Instead, he had chosen the narrow edge of the bed, so close to the floor that the slightest movement would send him tumbling down.

‘How long had he been there?’

Glancing out of the window, Reina saw that dusk had already begun to settle in.