Chapter 30. Sufficient Warmth
“…No way.”
Even inside the tent, a cold wind was coming in from somewhere. It was different from the chill rising from the ground.
Claude quickly found where the wind was leaking in.
Just when he thought she had improved quite a bit, the corner seam wasn’t properly closed, allowing wind to seep in.
Was she dull or just foolish?
If there was a problem, she should have said something.
Claude quietly furrowed his brow and then reached out to fix the problematic area.
That’s a bit better now.
“Haa… Haa…”
But Seraphina’s breathing was still rough.
No matter how good a winter tent is, it can only withstand the cold to a certain extent, not make it completely warm. Since entering the northern lands, the cold had been getting increasingly biting, as if cutting to the bone.
“Purifier Seraphina. Are you in a lot of pain?”
“Ugh… Cold…”
“Cold?”
“Hng…”
Watching her unable to even string words together properly, Claude slowly swallowed his dry saliva. His Adam’s apple bobbed greatly.
This can’t be left alone.
How could he let the purifier he had snatched from Johann freeze to death on the roadside without purifying even a single undead?
“Hey. Pull yourself together. Endure it as if you’re purifying the undead.”
“Ugh… Can’t… en…dure…”
“You can’t endure? Damn it. Bloody hell.”
It doesn’t seem to be life-threatening, though.
Thinking that if Seraphina heard this, she would retort that it might not be that bad for him, but for an ordinary person, it would indeed be life-threatening, Claude fidgeted restlessly.
Anyway, it’s certain that her physical condition is poor…
“Something to cover her with…”
Claude looked around.
Everything that could be used as a cover was already being used, so he couldn’t find anything useful in here.
He soon went outside and brought a blanket from his own tent. He looked for anything else that could be used as additional cover, but they didn’t have much luggage, so there wasn’t anything particularly helpful.
“What a weakling.”
Watching Seraphina shivering, he seriously furrowed his brow. He thought he only needed to protect her from the undead, but he didn’t know she was also weak against the cold.
Claude’s eyes flickered anxiously as he watched her groaning, then without hesitation, he took off the coat he was wearing. The cold air hit him sharply, but he didn’t mind.
“This is maddening.”
Even this isn’t enough…
Although a fairly thick blanket had formed, it wasn’t enough to provide sufficient warmth for camping in the North.
Claude fell into thought for a moment.
In fact, having lived in the North all his life, he wasn’t unaware of the most effective way to deal with this situation.
However…
“Ah, really, because of this woman.”
He looked at Seraphina’s pained face and irritably scratched his head.
Then, as if he had no other choice, he lay down beside her. It seemed he would have to spend the night together in this cramped tent.
“…How pathetic.”
Feeling an unnecessary tightness below, Claude muttered a small curse. There was no better way to share warmth with someone shivering from the cold.
But for him, it would be a time of torture.
Why was his body reacting like this while holding a sick person?
He felt like trash.
Actually, he had been hiding it until now, but…
When he closed his eyes, the image of Seraphina’s n*ked body that he had seen at the inn on the first day floated hazily before him, causing Claude to open his eyelids again.
Oh, God.
He had never sought God, even because of that crazy Holy Knight Commander…
Claude slammed his head against the ground to hit himself and let out a big breath.
The smooth skin and soft curves of her body that had been in the makeshift bathtub came to mind unnecessarily vividly.
If she knew that he had seen all of her in that brief moment, this woman might kill him. But what could he do about having world-class dynamic vision?
Anyway, holding her was stimulating, but he needed to provide warmth, and it was night so he needed to sleep, but he couldn’t close his eyes.
Unable to do this or that, he felt like he was going crazy.
“Haa. This is driving me insane.”
Exhaling a breath that was boiling up from deep inside, Claude covered his face with one hand. The night seemed like it would be longer than expected. It seemed he would need more self-control than he had imagined.
Is it because it’s been years since he’s been close to a woman?
He hoped that was all it was.
Comforting himself, he fought a silent battle to calm his heated body.
Anyway, she’s really high-maintenance.
But considering the current situation in the Grodes Mountains, this was probably getting off lightly.
Claude tried to focus only on the harsh reality while thinking all sorts of things.
By the way…
It seemed he would need to wash up as soon as they arrived at Hilton Castle.
He wasn’t sure whose body it was coming from, but the smell lingering in his nose wasn’t pleasant.
* * *
Strangely, it felt like I slept deeply.
It feels unfamiliar.
I hadn’t felt this cozy in recent times.
As we moved further north, things were getting more barren day by day.
Cold, hungry, sleepy…
Come to think of it, I sound just like a beggar.
I knew that being a purifier fighting on the frontlines would be tough, but looking back, Johann’s special training was really at a cute level.
To think I’d be shivering from cold even while sleeping like this. To feel this cozy with just this much warmth.
Ah.
My life is getting tougher by the day.
If I had known I’d suffer this much, I wouldn’t have volunteered.
That’s right.
I didn’t volunteer.
Maybe that thing in Yoon Ji-ah’s body… Haha. Do you know how much I’m suffering because of you?
“If you’re awake, why don’t you open your eyes?”
As I tossed and turned a few times in my sleep, I heard Claude’s voice from beside me. His breath on my cheek was hot.
…Huh?
Why is his breath on my cheek?
The moment that vivid realization hit me like a slap to the back of the head, I opened my eyes wide.
“Huh!”
“Seems you’re back to normal.”
“Why is Your Grace here…! Ow!”
I sat up abruptly and hit my head on the pole supporting the tent. Claude looked at me as if I was pathetic.
I held my head with both hands and cried out with an aggrieved face.
“Why are you here? What about Your Grace’s tent?”
“It’s standing fine next door.”
“Then why are you sleeping with me? Are you crazy?”
“What? Crazy…”
Claude let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn’t believe it. Then he became serious.
“Purifier Seraphina.”
“What!”
“Don’t you take care of your health properly?”
“You crawl into someone else’s bed and suddenly bring up health care?”
But I stood my ground and questioned him sharply.
He always makes people afraid with that cold expression and then does whatever he wants, but this is too much! He’s crossed the line!
“Is it okay to secretly lie down next to a sleeping person? Are you a pervert? Do you know how weird that habit is?!”
I fired off questions like a machine gun.
It was because I was shocked.
But they say people always regret later thinking ‘I should have held back.’ That was me three seconds later.
Claude’s red eyes quietly moved to the blanket I was clutching tightly.
Following his gaze, I lowered my head. Only then did I realize the situation I was in.
What?
This isn’t a blanket, it’s…
“Why am I…?”
My voice came out even more cracked, already hoarse from the morning and now shocked on top of that.
Anyway, I realized I was tightly wrapped in the coat Claude had been wearing until yesterday and was dumbfounded. Moreover, underneath it were blankets piled thicker than usual.
“What’s going on here…”
After thoroughly examining my condition, I looked at Claude. Things I hadn’t noticed because I was surprised suddenly came into view. In this mid-winter, he looked so cold.
“It’s freezing enough as it is, what are you doing with just a shirt on?!”
This isn’t being rude.
It’s because I’m worried.
Ah, really, I’ve shouted too much first thing in the morning and now my throat hurts. Why is there a series of shocking things as soon as I open my eyes?
But this was worth commenting on.
In this weather, and at night when the temperature drops even more, to endure in that outfit.
As we moved north, no lie, it felt like my nose hairs were freezing with every breath. That’s how cold it was.
“If you catch a cold like this… Ah, I mean…”
As I was speaking, a realization flashed through my mind.
That maybe the one who should be worried about catching a cold might be me, not Claude…
“Seeing how good your voice is, it seems you’ve recovered.”
“Cough.”
“…Or not?”
“Uh, yeah. My throat feels a bit scratchy.”
“……”
A dry laugh escaped from his mouth.
Soon, Claude snatched his coat from me and bent down to go outside. Then he gestured at me with his chin as if to say, ‘What are you doing, not coming out quickly?’
Of course.
I’m coming out right away.
As I crawled out, I was dumbfounded once again.
“What time is it now?”
It was bright outside.
We always set out at the crack of dawn and rode horses diligently all day long…
There had never been a day when we slept in like this…
I couldn’t see my own expression, but it must have been quite peculiar. Because that’s how I felt.
Coming out of the tent, I saw things I hadn’t noticed before.
The area under Claude’s eyes was dark.
As if he hadn’t slept a wink all night.
“Were you worried about me all night? Is that why you waited until I woke up?”
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