“Alex, it’s me.”

I came into the warehouse with food for him to eat.

It was a bit difficult to come out because some people who noticed me leaving in the middle of the night were pressing me, wondering if I was going to meet a lover.

If only I were really going out every night to meet a lover, I wouldn’t feel so wronged.

I’m trying my best to save Count Maynard’s family and our Miss, yet they misunderstand like this!

Grumbling inwardly, I checked where Alex would be. He had his eyes closed, asleep.

“Alex?”

But Alex’s condition didn’t look good. He was taking rapid, shallow breaths and constantly breaking out in cold sweat.

I quickly approached Alex after putting down the tray I was carrying on the floor.

“Hey, Alex. Are you alright?”

I was startled when I unconsciously grabbed his body and shook it. His body was as hot as a fireball.

I pulled my hand away in surprise.

A potion would quickly cure the illness, but unfortunately, I already used the potion I had to treat Alex’s stab wound earlier.

After hesitating for a moment, I took out a handkerchief. Then I dampened the handkerchief with the drinking water I had brought along with the food. It was lukewarm, but it could still cool his fever for a while.

I carefully placed the handkerchief on Alex’s forehead. Alex frowned and shifted slightly.

“Alex, you probably can’t hear me, but wait here for a moment. I’ll check if there’s anything I can bring for you.”

Alex didn’t respond.

After letting out a small sigh, I got up. Then I put on my raincoat, covering myself up to my head, and ran back into the rain.

After running and running through the heavily pouring rain, I finally managed to reach the doctor’s office within the count’s territory.

“Hello! Is anyone there?!”

I shouted loudly while knocking on the door in front of me. But my voice was drowned out by the sound of the rain.

“Dr. Voltaine! Are you inside?!”

I had been shouting so much that my throat was starting to hurt. However, the tightly closed door showed no signs of opening.

Just as I was thinking it might be better to go back to the count’s mansion and try to get some medicine, the light in the previously dark clinic turned on.

“Dr. Voltaine!”

I seized the opportunity and knocked on the door, calling for the doctor.

Soon after, the door opened. Dr. Voltaine looked at me with a surprised face.

“Hm? Aren’t you Miss Veronica’s maid? Come inside for now. It’s raining heavily.”

Dr. Voltaine recognized me and adjusted his glasses. Then he invited me to come inside.

I didn’t refuse his offer and entered through the door. Dr. Watt then handed me a glass of water.

“What brings you here at this hour? Did something happen to… Miss Veronica?”

Dr. Voltaine asked me in a serious voice, his face hardening.

“No, it’s not that…”

Suddenly, I wondered if it was okay to tell Dr. Voltaine about Alex’s existence.

Of course, Dr. Voltaine wouldn’t recognize Alex. But I didn’t know if Alex would think the same way.

What if Alex misunderstands because of me and harms Dr. Voltaine?

“Tell me. Is Miss Veronica unwell?”

Dr. Voltaine urged me when I trailed off and didn’t continue speaking.

I hesitated and then shook my head.

“Miss Veronica is fine. But De, Derrick! Derrick is a bit sick! So I came to ask if I could get some medicine.”

“Derrick?”

“Yes!”

I sold out Derrick’s name to Dr. Voltaine’s question. I felt a bit sorry for selling his name on top of stealing his clothes.

I should get him something delicious later if I get the chance. Though I hadn’t even compensated him for the clothes I stole for Alex yet…

“Where and how is he sick? I’ll go see him myself.”

“No! There’s no need for that. I think just getting some medicine will be enough. The symptoms are… high fever and he’s sweating a lot. And it seems he’s not regaining consciousness.”

Dr. Voltaine’s eyes widened as I continued speaking.

“No, if it’s that serious, I should go check myself…!”

“You don’t have to! I’ll just take some medicine.”

After hearing the symptoms, Dr. Voltaine hurriedly turned around as if looking for his house call bag. I urgently tried to dissuade him.

“It would be better if I examine him to help him recover faster.”

“Couldn’t I just… take some medicine?”

I couldn’t make any more excuses here. I desperately held onto Dr. Voltaine and pleaded.

Dr. Voltaine looked at me strangely for a moment, then nodded.

“Then wait a moment.”

“Okay.”

Dr. Voltaine went inside to prepare the medicine. While waiting, I moistened my throat with the glass of water. The cool water filling my insides seemed to calm me down a bit.

“Sorry for the wait. This medicine should help him feel better.”

Voltaine, who came out with the medicine, handed me a bottle.

Inside the small bottle were a few pill-shaped medicines.

“It’s a fever reducer. Have him take this first, and if he doesn’t get better, come see me again. If that doesn’t work either, it would be better for me to examine him directly.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.”

I bowed to Dr. Voltaine and then properly put on my raincoat.

The next destination was the Maynard mansion.

It was important to prepare enough water for Alex to drink, and I didn’t forget to bring towels to help lower his fever.

I ended up filling five water bottles to ensure there was enough.

This should be enough to not run short.

My steps back to the warehouse were heavy because of the bottles. The rain was already hitting my shoulders heavily, and with the added weight of the bottles, I was out of breath after just a few steps.

Having barely arrived at the warehouse like that, I first came inside the door and collapsed on the floor.

I felt like I couldn’t do anything because I was so exhausted.

No, this isn’t the time for that.

Belatedly coming to my senses, I took off my raincoat and approached Alex.

Alex’s body was still hot. The handkerchief I left on his forehead had already become warm.

I removed the handkerchief from his head and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.

His pale skin trembled pitifully. He looked like a porcelain doll made by a master craftsman, but as if he might break at any moment.

I caressed his cheek with my hand, trying to wipe away the water droplets on his face. His hot skin touched my hand, which had grown cold from exhaustion.

That’s when it happened.

Alex furrowed his brow and then struggled to open his eyes.

His sunken blue eyes were staring at me.

“…Claire?”

Alex called my name in a tired voice. Only then did I remove my hand from his face.

“Are you okay, Alex? You don’t look well.”

“Not great. Feels like I have a fever too.”

His voice was detached, as if talking about someone else’s condition. It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t talk like it’s someone else’s story. It’s your own condition, Alex.”

When I chided him, squinting my eyes at him, Alex nodded once.

“I got some medicine. Try taking this.”

I put one pill to Alex’s mouth. However when he opened his mouth, he dropped the medicine.

I looked at the pill rolling on the floor and bit my lower lip.

It seemed like it would be easier to eat if I dissolved it in water.

“Wait a moment. I’ll dissolve it in water for you.”

“……”

I took a spoon from the tray I had brought earlier. I placed the pill on the spoon and carefully poured water over it. Then I gently stirred it with a fork to dissolve the pill well.

The green medicine looked bitter just by looking at it.

Since I wasn’t the one who had to drink it anyway, I immediately turned my head and brought the medicine to Alex’s mouth.

“Open wide.”

Alex opened his mouth slightly as I instructed. I slowly poured the medicine between his lips.

Alex’s brow immediately furrowed at how bitter the medicine was.

“Even if it’s bitter, bear with it. They say good medicine tastes bitter, right? This medicine will lower your fever, Alex.”

“Good medicine tastes bitter, huh… That’s the first time I’ve heard that saying, but it seems true.”

I belatedly realized it was a proverb not used here and felt a bit foolish, but fortunately, Alex didn’t seem to think much of it.

Rather, Alex seemed to be quite talkative, more than I expected.

Even now, while sick, he was trying to keep conversing with me, which clearly showed that.

Since I only knew the main outline and content of the original work, I wondered if he was this kind of character. It seems this childlike side of him was hidden in the details of the setting I didn’t know well.

“Did you get the medicine for me?”

Alex asked after a moment’s pause. I nodded while dampening a towel with water from the canteen.

“You wouldn’t have gotten medicine for me if I wasn’t sick, would you?”

I slowly wiped Alex’s face with the wet towel. Alex closed his eyes with a more comfortable expression.

“Get better soon. Don’t be sick.”

So that I can worry less too.

“Today.”

Just then, Alex mumbled in a small voice. Because it was so close, I couldn’t help but hear his voice.

“Will you stay by my side?”

“…Here?”

“Yes.”

Alex nodded readily, affirming. Then he opened his closed eyes and gazed at me intently. His eyes somehow looked pitiful.

From what I’ve observed over the past few days, Alex was more clingy than I thought.

Like how he said he wanted me to come back before, and how he’s asking me to stay with him today.

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine. You can go.”

When I didn’t answer, Alex closed his eyes again. I stared at Alex for a moment and then shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, since you’re sick, I’ll stay by your side just for today. We don’t know what might happen overnight.”

As I finished speaking, Alex smiled faintly.

“That’s reassuring.”