I slightly opened my eyes and stared at Dante’s sleeping face.

His sleeping brow was furrowed.

What kind of nightmare could he be having?

I raised my hand and gently rubbed his brow, and it smoothed out as if ironed.

Seeing that peaceful expression, emotions welled up inside me.

“……I’m sorry.”

For not knowing anything, for misunderstanding you, for being afraid.

For hurting you.

“I’m sorry for leaving like that.”

Even though it hadn’t happened yet, I felt so sorry that I resented myself.

After offering an apology that Dante, already asleep, couldn’t hear, I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

Not long after Serpina forced herself to close her eyes, Dante’s closed eyes quietly opened.

His gaze fell on Serpina’s back as she lay turned away.

He had woken up when she gently touched his brow. He didn’t open his eyes immediately because of Serpina’s somehow melancholic voice.

……She’s sorry?

If he hadn’t misheard, she definitely said she was sorry for leaving.

What did she mean by leaving?

Could it be…

Dante’s eyes began to waver aimlessly.

Today, Serpina’s back looked especially fragile. As if it might turn to ash and disappear at any moment.

Dante wanted to reach out and embrace her right away.

He wanted to hold her tight and beg her not to go anywhere, not to leave.

But there was nothing he could do.

All he could do was clench his fists tightly and hold his breath so that no words would escape.

And so the night passed with neither of them able to easily fall asleep.

“Ah, ah, achoo!”

The loud sneeze drew everyone’s attention.

Dante, who was eating across from me, Ena who came to check if the food was alright, and even Barhan who had come to make an urgent report.

Thankfully I didn’t have food in my mouth.

I was greatly relieved at the flood of gazes all at once.

I had nearly made a terrible spectacle in front of everyone.

If I had shown such a sight, I would have wanted to abstain from food and drink for days.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. It must be the change of seasons making my nose itchy. I’m sorry for interrupting the meal.”

With an awkward smile, I wiped my nose with a handkerchief, and everyone tactfully turned their heads away.

It was clear they were being considerate, not wanting me to feel embarrassed.

It had already been about ten days since the successful conclusion of the tea party.

In that time, the weather had shifted from early autumn to full autumn.

Perhaps due to the rapidly cooling weather, I was troubled by frequent sneezing and a runny nose.

No. Is this all because of the change of seasons?

What about my dignity as a human being? Sniff. Sniffle.

I shivered, my shoulders cold, as I blocked another trickle of mucus.

It wasn’t until two days later that I realized this was the precursor to a seasonal flu.

“Oh no, my lady. Are you very ill?”

I answered Siena, who asked with a tearful voice, by waving my hand.

“Siena, I told you not to make the lady speak.”

“But I’m worried…”

“The more worried you are, the more you should help her rest.”

I faintly heard Siena whimpering at Mari’s stern advice.

I could feel that both of them were worried about me in their own ways. Ah, I want to thank them, but I can’t get my voice out.

Cough, cough.

I don’t understand why I can cough so much when I don’t even have the strength to speak.

Every time I coughed, it felt like my throat and lungs were being torn apart.

My eyes, feverish and swollen, hurt beyond just being hot, and I felt a tingling pain along with the heat in my ears.

Ah. I’m dying.

I really might die at this rate.

At first, I thought it was just a simple cold, but from dawn two days ago, my condition rapidly deteriorated.

I could feel Dante urgently calling me, woken by the sound of my coughing. I pushed him away with a weak hand.

A sigh full of worry was the last memory of that dawn. Feeling my breath become hot and labored, I passed out right then.

Since then, I had been repeatedly falling into unconsciousness and waking up.

I couldn’t even guess how time was passing. Every time I opened my eyes, I saw different people.

Sometimes Siena was there, sometimes Mari.

Barhan came to check on me with concern, and Ena visited with cooled soup.

They said Markops had put the flowers in the vase.

I think I saw Heterson at some point too…

Ah. I don’t know. I’m dizzy. It hurts so much. Someone please save me.

“Sob. Waaaah…”

As the fever rose, tears came too.

Sweat and tears mixed together, making my face damp.

“My lady. My lady!”

With Mari and Siena’s cries, I closed my eyes once again.

How long did I swim through the dark unconsciousness?

…Ah. What’s this? It’s cool.

A coolness like sweet rain touched my burning body.

Cold and firm.

I slowly opened my eyes. Through my feverish gaze, I saw someone’s face.

“Serpina.”

Ah. It’s Dante.

Even in the darkness, the contours of his face were clearly asserting themselves.

Hehe. He’s really handsome even when I’m sick.

As I let out a silly laugh, the moisture that had gathered at the corners of my eyes rolled down my cheeks.

The cold, firm hand that had been on my forehead quickly wiped away the tears.

My mind was still hazy.

Is this a dream or reality?

As I blinked my eyes, Dante whispered softly.

“Go back to sleep. It’s hard for you to be awake, isn’t it?”

“…Is this… a dream?”

“Yes. It’s a dream. So close your eyes again.”

“Ah. So it is a dream.”

I thought so.

I giggled and closed my eyes as Dante told me to.

But I didn’t close my mouth.

“Can’t you touch my cheek?”

“…”

“It feels nice and cool…”

Unsatisfied with the lack of response, I opened my eyes again.

Why isn’t it going the way I want even though it’s a dream?

As I strained my fever-ridden eyes, tears reflexively trickled down again.

Once more, a large hand wiped my eyes.

See. It’s so cool like this.

Afraid the hand might move away, I tightly closed my eyes and pressed my cheek against it.

“…It’s cool.”

The hesitant hand slowly caressed my cheek.

I fell into sleep with a foolish smile.

It was around dawn that day when I realized this wasn’t a dream.

I came to my senses feeling my hot breath become much lighter.

The dim sky outside the window came into view.

It’s dawn.

I slowly sat up. Perhaps because I had been lying down sweating all this time, my back was very damp.

Ah. I want to wash up.

The fact that I was having such thoughts made me feel like I was finally getting better.

As I slowly raised my upper body, I felt something heavy on my hand.

Hm? What’s this…

I turned my head to look at my hand and was startled.

On top of my hand was a large, white hand overlapping mine.

It was a familiar hand.

Slowly following the hand with my gaze, sure enough, I saw Dante sleeping with his head on the bed.

At the same time, I remembered the recent dream.

The dream where I had held onto that hand, saying it was cool and pressing it against my cheek.

No way.

“…Was it not a dream?”

Oh. My goodness.

I touched my forehead with an empty hand. Still hot.
…Right. I’m a patient, so it’s possible. When patients are very sick, they’re not in their right mind.
I successfully managed to gloss over my recent embarrassing history.
After a moment of awkwardness passed, gratitude welled up next.
Did he nurse me here all night until dawn?
I clearly told him he didn’t need to come because he might catch it.
But seeing him staying by my side like this makes me feel grateful…
People are truly fickle.
Until now, others have also worried about me and stayed by my side doing their best, but somehow Dante staying by my side felt a little more special.
Even though we’re a couple with a predetermined end, is it because we’re family?
It was the first time since childhood that I’d been nursed by family.
It seemed the significance of that was greater than I thought.
I miss Mom and Grandmother.
Tears and laughter came together at the faces that suddenly came to mind.
I sniffled once, wiped away my tears, then carefully opened my mouth.
“Thank you.”
Really, truly thank you.
“Even if I leave, I won’t forget.”
Yes. Even if we become strangers, today will remain in my heart for a long time.
Perhaps because I’d cried, I felt a hot pressure on my eyelids.
“After I’m gone, I hope you’ll be happy.”
Tears flowed again.
Unable to handle the constantly flowing tears, I lay down.
Heat began to rise again through my blocked throat.
I grasped Dante’s hand tightly.
His hand, cooled to lukewarm, was no longer cool, but I still didn’t want to let go.
Oh dear. I must be getting clingy because I’m sick.
I smiled wryly and closed my eyes.
My face and back were damp with moisture. Even as I thought it was unpleasant, I fell asleep in an instant.
And so I didn’t know.
How Dante, who opened his eyes soon after, was looking at me.