EEA Chapter 39

The next morning, Clint looked visibly unwell to anyone who saw him. He was breaking out in cold sweats, as if what he had eaten the day before was still sitting heavily in his stomach.

The problem was that Clint had never once in his life caught a cold, suffered from indigestion, or experienced any symptoms other than external injuries. He was born with an invincible constitution.

So he didn't think there could be a reason for the cold sweats.

As promised, Clint went out to the commercial district with Ailea. When the carriage stopped in front of the jewelry store, Ailea said to Clint with concern.

"Just stay home, I told you. You look terrible."

"I'm fine."

"You're breaking out in cold sweats too. Are you sure you're not sick somewhere?"

"I've never been sick anywhere."

"What do you mean? Like a cold?"

"I've never caught one."

For Ailea, who used to live with colds every winter, this was a shocking world.

Clint always got out of the carriage first to take Ailea's hand. But after getting out first, he swayed, unable to steady himself. Ailea was startled and grabbed onto him, but was pulled by his weight and staggered even more severely. Clint quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and steadied her.

Having tried to support him only to end up needing support herself, Ailea wore an awkward expression. Then she was surprised to notice that Clint's hand gripping her arm was cold.

"Why are your hands so cold?"

Clint didn't answer and entered the jewelry store first. His reaction made Ailea anxious. Why was that gentle person being so cold today? Could it be that what I said yesterday made him feel like his freedom was being taken away, and he's angry?

While Ailea worried, Clint said to the jeweler.

"Bring out what we talked about before."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The merchant took out a case from a drawer behind him. When he opened the velvet case, there was a dazzlingly beautiful diamond inside. Even to someone who didn't know much, it was clearly a size that ordinary people could never obtain. Clint asked.

"How do you want it done? Tell me what you want. We can split it up and use it, or just make a necklace or tiara with the whole thing."

"I... don't need such a large jewel."

"What are you talking about? Don't you like jewelry?"

"I do like it. I really love jewelry. I was moved to tears wanting to receive jewelry at the imperial palace."

"Then why?"

"But we're not well-off right now."

"Just the money that came to me from the Rishers family is enormous. Don't worry about that."

"Someone who tries so hard to reduce taxes shouldn't spend a lot of money on jewelry. I don't need that many dresses or jewels."

Ailea said this and then pointed to a necklace in the display case to the merchant.

"Ah, I like this one. Please give me that necklace instead."

It was aquamarine. It was a necklace on a platinum chain, but no matter how many of those she bought, it wouldn't even come close to the budget Clint had in mind.

However, seeing that Ailea couldn't take her eyes off the aquamarine that truly lived up to its name with its beautiful water-like glow, Clint thought he should definitely buy that one. In addition, he bought a pair of earrings that Ailea had chosen - long strings of very small diamonds arranged in a line. Since her claim that she liked jewelry was certainly not a lie, she couldn't take her eyes off the two-strand earrings either. If there's something she wants to have, she should have it. Clint sometimes found the overly principled Ailea frustrating.

Well, he had secretly paid for the diamond that Ailea had refused to let him buy anyway. Maybe it was just physically frustrating... His stomach was actually feeling tight, so Clint grimaced.

As Ailea carefully put the jewelry into a silk pouch and handed it to Clint, she said.

"I think I'll buy some more of that bread we had yesterday. Mary seems to be running short."

"Alright, let's go."

"You look terrible. You stay in the carriage."

Clint's face, which had been pale, now looked almost blue. He too seemed to be suffering, so he had the knight who had followed the carriage go in with her, and he got into the carriage himself. Ailea entered the bakery and bought a lot of bread. While waiting for them to be bagged, she heard other people's conversation.

"I'm telling you! As soon as he heard that that bastard Vicke talked about cows where Lady Excalize could hear, the Grand Duke's eyes went wild!"

"And then?"

His eyes went wild?

Ailea was listening in surprise when they continued.

"So he dragged that bastard Vicke and slammed him into the stone floor and kept stomping on his face with his boots! That's why that disgusting bastard hasn't been going around lately."

"Oh my, how satisfying."

What did this fool do!

Ailea's face turned bright red. At least it was good that this Vicke fellow seemed to have a bad reputation, but if he had touched someone with a good reputation... that couldn't be possible. He's a secretly smart man after all.

She hurried back to the carriage. As she put her hand on the door, she heard a pained groan.

Ailea opened the door in surprise, but Clint pretended to be fine and made his usual joke.

"Should I buy that bakery for you?"

Whether she thought it was good that he had the energy to joke, or whether she was happy that he, who had been cold all day, was making a joke, Ailea laughed a little louder than usual.

The carriage quickly returned to Excalize. Ailea tried to follow him into his room to nurse him, but Clint blocked her and said.

"I'm tired."

"I'll take care of you."

"No need."

He spoke curtly and went into his room. He didn't want to show even the slightest weak side to Ailea. He had never been weak before.

Driven away by Clint, Ailea didn't know what to do and just stood in front of his door. Shortly after, Joaquin, the doctor, came hurrying up to Clint's room. For Joaquin, who lived as comfortably as if it were his own home in this castle, this was one of the few emergency situations.

After checking Clint's condition, Joaquin said.

"It's indigestion."

"Indigestion?"

"You have severe indigestion."

"What?"

Clint said as if it were absurd.

"I don't get indigestion. Even if I gobble down rotten meat, I've never gotten sick."

"Your Highness's body isn't made of stone, and humans can get sick."

"I don't get sick."

Joaquin, who was naturally frail and could make such bold claims about not getting sick, felt envious. Joaquin asked, "Aren't you nervous about something?"

"I'm nervous?"

This was an even more absurd speculation than being told he had indigestion.

He was nothing but a quack. You couldn't unconditionally trust doctors from the Kanna Empire. Joaquin asked Clint, who distrusted him.

"You don't have anything you're worried about?"

"No."

"When I came in, I saw your wife talking with another man. Who was he?"

"...What?"

Clint sat up. Joaquin thought that even if he encountered a wolf face-to-face, he probably wouldn't feel this kind of terror. At least a wolf would kill him right there and then...

Joaquin reminded himself that his opponent was human and said calmly.

"You had a fight with your wife, didn't you? From the atmosphere..."

"So what man was she talking to?"

"It wasn't a man. Now that I think about it, it was a woman."

"...Are you joking?"

"Your Highness, although I am an extremely renowned physician, I can't treat you if you keep lying."

"Be quiet. Are you a doctor or a counselor?"

"Either way, it's true that I have better judgment than Your Highness right now!"

Having said this, Joaquin was already running to open the door to escape immediately. When he saw the surprised Ailea outside the door, Clint smoothed out his scowling expression and muttered.

"I suppose so."

"R-right. Don't be stubborn and just have thin vegetable soup today."

"Fine, now get out."

He must really be sick. Clint didn't have the energy to argue further, so he drove him out and lay down on the bed.

'You had a fight with your wife, didn't you?'

Just from those words, he was definitely a quack. Or like the other knights, he knew nothing about romance at all.

He had never fought with her. He had just been severely scolded unilaterally.

He was groaning in pain when the door opened again. Ailea walked in carefully and sat on the edge of the bed. When she reached out her hand, Clint swatted it away.

"I told you to get out."

Clint turned his body away from Ailea. What kind of blow to his pride was it to be sick enough for his wife to worry? But when she reached out her hand again, Clint couldn't swat it away anymore, thinking that if he applied even a little force, she would be hurt. Ailea wrapped her hands around his and said.

"Your hands are still cold."

"..."

"Really, can't I stay by your side?"

She asked gently.

Clint turned toward her and lifted the blanket.

"Come here."

At his gruff words, Ailea smiled softly. Fortunately, he didn't dislike Ailea. Ailea knew that much for certain, and that's why she was even more afraid of earning his hatred.

Ailea sat beside him under the blanket and stroked his soft black hair. At her touch, Clint thought it would be fine to be sick every day.

Ailea said to the half-asleep Clint.

"About Sir Vicke. You remember, right? The knight from Marquis Cuss's family who came to the banquet."

"I don't remember."

"I heard from other people at the bakery earlier that you stomped on him with your foot."

"So, are you going to scold me?"

When Clint frowned and asked, Ailea smiled.

"How did you know? Yes, I'm going to scold you. I'd like you not to hit people carelessly from now on."

"How could I let that bastard be."

"I know that you were angry because I was insulted. I'm really grateful for that."

Ailea looked at him and continued.

"But this isn't a battlefield. Teniac is a country with a legal code, even if it's not always well observed."

"Hmm."

"Even if you were angry that he insulted me, please think of the legal code first."

"..."

"I don't like seeing you look like a ruffian."

Ailea smiled brightly and continued.

"Because I want you to be loved much more than that."

Clint stared at Ailea quietly. He didn't dislike this kind of scolding at all. Rather, he was grateful that she took an interest. 

When Clint chuckled unexpectedly, Ailea asked, "Why are you laughing?"

"That kind of thing isn't called scolding, it's called advice."

"Depending on how you hear it, it's scolding."

"That's why I'm saying it's not, in this case scolding is..."

Clint continued.

"I can't promise I won't do it, but I'll try not to lose my temper."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'll think once before grabbing someone by the collar."

"Thank you."

"It's only natural, what's there to thank me for."

"Still... And."

Not knowing how to say it, she covered her face with both hands and said.

"It's embarrassing to say, but honestly, it was satisfying too..."

"Hmm."

"So cursing is okay. Oh, and threatening a little bit too."

"...Who are you."

Am I seeing things because I'm too sick? My wife wouldn't say such things!

Seeing Clint's shock, Ailea laughed like a child and said, "Thank you for getting angry for me."

Receiving her attention, Clint strangely felt his body getting better and better.

Having never been sick before, he was scared of being sick. From a very young age, he had to struggle not to fall behind among adults. Even when he was sick, no one had ever taken care of him. He couldn't afford to be sick.

It had been a life of struggling to survive.

But receiving her care and smiles, no, just having her by his side gradually put his mind at ease. Was I someone who needed this much attention...

Clint stared at the smiling Ailea quietly.

One thing had become certain.

Whether she hated him... he couldn't be sure about that, but the fact that she certainly didn't dislike him.

Clint tried sitting up again and furrowed his brow.

"What's the big deal about having indigestion?"

"Your chest feels really tight..."

"My chest feels tight because I'm hungry."

"Your hands and feet get cold too."

"Feel them."

When Ailea took Clint's hands, her eyes widened. They were warm.

"They were cold just a moment ago..."

Hearing her words and thinking about it, he felt like Ailea wouldn't pay as much attention to him once he got better. Clint coughed and lay back down on the bed.

"C-Clint?"

Clint exaggerated his condition.

"I really don't know what's wrong with me. Am I dying?"

"Who dies from indigestion?"

"I'm not as strong as you. I die when I get sick."

"You just said you'd never even caught a cold."

"Ah, that was when I was young."

"What, are you old now..."

When Ailea looked puzzled, Clint coughed again. Not knowing what indigestion was, he was just coughing for now, but she, who couldn't imagine that the man who had been gruffly telling her to stay out just a while ago was acting, comforted Clint, who was much larger than herself.

How could she take such a sick person to the capital when they had to go soon? Ailea was very seriously having useless worries, while Clint, having digested cleanly and suddenly becoming very hungry, was pondering at what timing he should suggest eating.