How was it like to be sick?

That was a question that felt faraway to Roel. It had been a long time since he had last fallen ill.

There were times that his body would collapse under the side effects of his spells, but those had specific symptoms and required specific cures. This was his first time catching a common cold in a long while, such that he failed to notice it when he first woke up.

Feeling his dull pain afflicting his feverish forehead and his incredibly heavy limbs, Roel let out a silent sigh. All of a sudden, he heard the door open. Knowing that Nora had returned, he hurriedly closed his eyes.

He could sense her slowly approaching him, so he maintained his sleeping guise. The vision through his eyelids was darkened, but he could vaguely tell that she was now standing before him. He waited for a long while, but the figure looming in front of him didnt leave.

Instead, he felt a hand touching his cheeks.

I ordered you to sleep, but you need not feign it. My intention is for you to have a good rest, not humor me.

Roels body stiffened up. He hesitated for a moment before slowly opening his eyes. He saw Nora sitting on the chair next to him with a look of certainty on her face, confident of her own judgment.

How did you notice? I even adjusted my breathing.

How many times do you think Ive seen you asleep? We have been sleeping together for the past few days. The least I can do is to discern whether youre truly asleep or not.

I dont know whether Im impressed or not.

Besides, have you forgotten that my mana is still inside your body? You cant lie to me, so dont even think of trying that ever again, especially when it comes to your health.

Yes, Your Highness.

With a spy in his own body, Roel had no choice but to give in. Only then did Nora finally retract her warning gaze and give a satisfied nod. She reached out to touch Roels forehead once more and was gladdened to find that his fever was slowly subsiding.

I checked the supplies you and Count Hanks brought, but there isnt any medicine that can bring down your fever. Ive already cast my healing spells, but theres only so much I can do. Youll have to rest up and slowly recover on your own, Nora said apologetically.

Dont worry. Id feel ashamed of myself if I cant recover from something as minor as this when youre here taking care of me, replied Roel.

It wasnt too surprising that there wasnt any fever medicine in their supplies. The inquisitors and heretics who came to the eastern border with him were Origin Level 5 transcendents at the very minimum. Given their enhanced constitution, it was highly unlikely that any of them would fall ill.

Due to that, most of the medicine they prepared was for external wounds.

Ironically, they actually had medicine to raise a persons body temperature in view of Glacier Touchs side effects.

Arent you worried that you might catch my cold?

Roel looked at the hand that was just on his forehead a moment ago as he asked. The latter looked at him incredulously in response.

Are you really asking me that?

Oh. Right.

It was only then that Roel remembered that Nora was both a high transcendent and an inheritor of the Angel Bloodline. Her recent awakening only further enhanced her constitution, making her even more impervious toward abnormal conditions.

So, Roel lay down on his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to garner his drowsiness. Nora stared at Roels slightly reddened complexion and suddenly thought of an idea. She pried up a corner of the blanket and snuck her hand in.

!

This unexpected attack immediately burst Roels bubble of drowsiness. He turned to look at Nora with shocked eyes, only to see the latter calmly sneaking a hand into the blanket. The hand deftly slithered its way into his clothes, assaulting his body with its cooling touch.

N-Nora?

Just as I thought. Youre sweating profusely. Is that why you cant sleep?

Maybe. But it isnt anything much. I just have to endure it a little and itll be over soon.

Endure? Why do you think Im taking care of you? Its so that you wouldnt have to endure any discomfort! said Nora.

With a wave of her hand, she conjured fifteen orbs of light and scattered them all around the room. Each of these orbs emanated warmth into the surroundings, raising the temperature in the room.

This is?

Roel looked at Nora in confusion, not comprehending what she was trying to do. However, when a pail of water and a clean towel appeared in her hands, apprehension started showing in his eyes. He had a good idea what she was up to, and it was quickly verified by the latters words.

Hm, the temperature should be good now Get up and take off your clothes. Ill wipe off your sweat for you.

This doesnt sound appropriate.

Roels face stiffened. He subconsciously tightened his grasp on his blanket.

However, Nora had no intention of backing down on this. She materialized the white shackles once more and gently shook it before directing a domineering smile toward Roel.

Do you want to get up yourself, or do you need me to do it for you? Youre a patient now. Have some self-awareness.

This has nothing to do with my illness.

We dont have any medicine here, and spells dont work well on the common cold. The only thing you can do is to rest up. Arent you have difficulty sleeping due to your sweaty body?

But taking off my clothes is still

His shyness was one thing, but more importantly, he didnt want to show Nora the glaring wound on his chest. He knew how she would feel about it. Unfortunately, Nora refused to back down on this. She quietly shook the shackles to remind him what the other alternative was.

Left with no choice, Roel could only obediently take off his shirt.

On the whole, Roels body was well-toned. His physique was well-proportioned, and there were hardly any faults to pick with his arms and abs. He would have been considered fit in his previous world, but by the standards of the Sia Continent, he was on the skinnier side.

Unlike the office dwellers of the modern world, the Sia Continent was fraught with dangers. There were plenty of physical transcendents who developed their bodies to the extreme, standing brawnier than even the most dedicated gym rat.

In contrast, Roels physique was more inclined toward that of a traditional spellcaster, except for the sheer number of scars that covered his body. There was a particularly huge one located at his chest, roughly the size of a fist.

It wasnt Noras first time seeing it, but she still jolted at its glaring appearance. She visibly froze in place. Seeing that, Roel quietly covered the scar with his hand.

It isnt your fault. This injury isnt even fatal in the first place. I thought it was quite a worthy deal paying this small price to receive the honor of becoming our princess savior.

Nora nodded silently at Roels consolation before she began wiping Roels body with the wet towel. His body warmth and heartbeat reassured her, and only then did the lurching feeling she felt in her chest finally alleviate.

As she moved on to Roels side abdomen, the latter suddenly trembled.

Wait, dont touch that place. Its ticklish

Oh?

A gleam flashed across Noras sapphire eyes, reminiscent of a predator having grasped the weakness of its prey. A mischievous smile emerged on her face, and she lightly flicked her finger across Roels skin.

!

The tingling sensation from her touch caused Roels body to instinctively curl up. He reflexively pulled his arms inward, but as Nora just so happened to be in his arms, it resulted in an unexpected tight embrace.

It caught Nora completely off guard.

Despite their frequent hugs, the knowledge that there was only a layer of cloth between her and Roels bare body filled her heart with a tingling sensation too, almost like the work of karma. It could have been out of embarrassment or excitement, but her face swiftly turned bright red.

Im sorry, it wasnt on purpose! Im not good with that spot

Roel frantically tried to explain himself, but his words werent reaching Nora at all.

Noras heart was beating so quickly that it threatened to leap out of her chest. She raised her head and started deeply into Roels eyes. Before she knew it, her lips were already quivering with desire. However, her rationality quickly kicked in and reminded her of Roels poor condition. So, she took a very deep breath to compose herself before continuing her job.

Everything went smoothly afterward.

Maybe it was because his body felt much more comfortable after the wipe down, but Roel soon fell asleep. It was only then that Nora finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her mind naturally wandered over to what had happened earlier, and her face started burning up once more.