Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My heart kept pounding, I felt like I was going crazy. Pl-please, letundefineds calm down. This person is the male lead. The righteous Duke Rashiane who surely hates our family. Letundefineds not do anything bad and lower my already low favorability! Please!

With trembling hands, I opened the cap of the antipyretic bottle. I wanted to just pour it into his mouth, but that would just make him spill it.

Instead, I got a small teaspoon, poured a little antipyretic, and using my other hand to hold his jaw open, brought the spoon to his lips.

"This is antipyretic. Donundefinedt leave any, make sure you drink it all, okay?"

I donundefinedt know if he can hear me, but after urging him, I slowly poured the antipyretic into his mouth.

Gulp, gulp— His Adamundefineds apple moved slowly as he swallowed.

Fortunately, even though he was delirious, he drank all the antipyretic.

But with one spoonful left, my hand slipped, and I spilled a little. The transparent, reddish liquid trickled down over his hand.

undefinedAh, I need to wipe that off.undefined

After pouring the remaining antipyretic into his mouth, I was about to quickly pull my hand away when suddenly, my wrist was grabbed.

"......?!"

His large hand tightly gripped my comparatively slender wrist.

Still with his eyes closed, he gently pulled my hand and slowly began to lick the antipyretic off my fingers.

"W-what...!"

I flinched, trapped by his grip on my wrist.

His red tongue, peeking out between his lips, slowly traced back and forth over my knuckles, licking gently.

That incredibly dangerous sight made me stagger, as if I would faint from shock.

In that moment, the manundefineds eyes snapped open, and he yanked me towards him.

Losing my balance, I fell limply into his arms, and as if to support me, his solid arm wrapped around my back.

And very close up, our eyes met.

"......"

His eyes were a dazzling, beautiful emerald green.

The moment our eyes met, I forgot how to breathe.

Captivated by the clear, transparent emerald, my mind went blank, and I couldnundefinedt think of anything. As I unconsciously thought I might be drawn into those eyes, his fingertip lightly touched the protruding bone of my shoulder blade.

"......!"

An unknown sensation shot up my spine. Startled, I scrambled to get off him.

Just as I almost fell off the bed, he firmly grabbed my waist with his large hand.

He pulled me closer with a slight force and smiled faintly. His emerald eyes sparkled as they gazed at me.

He parted his lips slightly and spoke.

"You saved me."

"Huh? Ah... yes... You were collapsed in our villaundefineds garden. I couldnundefinedt just leave you there..."

Flustered, I squirmed. I desperately wanted to get off him, but somehow, his hand on my waist kept applying pressure.

"With that storm raging outside, if I had been left collapsed there, I would surely have died. My condition... is quite poor right now."

At those words, I examined his complexion closely. True, he was conscious, but he still looked unwell.

His cheeks were flushed with fever, and his forehead was beaded with cold sweat. I wasnundefinedt sure if it was a cold or an endemic disease, but he was clearly sick.

Yet, his beauty remained undimmed, dazzlingly bright. Really... Is it necessary to be this handsome? Even for a male lead!

"I wish to know the name of my savior who saved my life. If itundefineds alright, could you tell me your name?"

"Ah..."

At his request, I hesitated, unable to answer immediately.

Should I reveal that I am Rosnia Hyll? Or not?

Actually, even if I didnundefinedt tell him, he probably already guessed my identity. My hair and eyes, the color of pinkish-red like summer roses, are widely known features of Rosnia Hyll.

Besides, this is the Hill familyundefineds property. Unless Ruwellin Rashiane is a fool, he would surely connect my appearance with the Hill estate.

undefinedMaybe itundefineds better to just be honest about my identity?undefined

I might be able to get some credit for saving his life, even if I am Rosnia Hyll.

Then this honest man would surely want to repay me, and maybe heundefinedll dislike our family a little less.

Adrian has also become milder compared to the original, so maybe we can avoid the dead end!

With that calculation, I gave an awkward, salesperson-like smile and opened my mouth.

"I am... Rosnia. Rosnia Hyll."

"As I thought."

He suddenly sat up and leaned in close. As the distance between us closed, I involuntarily gasped. My hands were on his chest, and I could vividly feel the firm muscles beneath the thin tunic.

His large hand securely supported my back. He had been holding me like this since earlier and showed no signs of letting go.

"As I thought, it was you."

"Uh, you know me?"

It was a stupid question, but I asked it anyway. He crooked his handsome lips into a smirk. That playful smile made him look boyish.

"How could I not know you, Rosnia Hyll."

His whispering voice, meeting my eyes so closely, was full of languor. It was a sweet, dizzying voice. A charming man who made my heart flutter was smiling softly at me.

"Adrian Hillundefineds only younger sister, the princess of the Magic Tower."

"Ah, th-thatundefineds right..."

Setting aside the fact that he had indeed guessed my identity, I felt like I would die from my heart fluttering at his charm.

Unable to meet his eyes, I looked away.

"Rosnia, do you know who I am?"

He asked familiarly, using my first name. Usually, people would address me formally as undefinedLady Rosnia.undefined He was the first man to call me by my name on our first meeting.

It felt strangely as if he had called my name often. It gave me that odd feeling.

After hesitating for a moment, I answered. It was probably best to be honest here too.

"You are Duke Ruwellin Rashiane."

At my answer, Ruwellin Rashiane smiled brightly, as if he had received a wonderful gift. A man already so handsome smiling so widely, it created an illusion of flowers blooming all around.

I blinked, staring at him blankly. I didnundefinedt know why he was so happy, but... heundefineds really pretty... Even the most beautiful flower in the world would wither and bow its head before him.

"You know who I am."

"Well, youundefinedre very famous..."

"I am rather famous, but Iundefinedve only met you once."

"Ah, but your looks are so outstanding, youundefinedre someone unforgettable even after seeing you just once..."

Flustered, I blurted out anything and checked his reaction. Ruwellin Rashiane smiled like an angel.

Why does he keep smiling so prettily? As if heundefineds seducing me.

Feeling uncomfortable, I squirmed to escape his embrace. He sighed heavily and dropped his head onto my shoulder with a flop.

"......!"

Startled, I froze rigidly. With his cheek resting on my shoulder, Ruwellin was breathing heavily.

W-what is it, why is he doing this? Panicking, I tried to push him away by lightly pressing on his shoulders. He let out a deep moan.

"Hueuk..."

"Huk, D-duke?"

"Roz."

"......?!"

Startled by the sudden nickname, I was shocked. More than the shock of being called by a nickname by a strange man, the fact that he said undefinedRozundefined so naturally was so strange that my face instinctively frowned.

Was I close with Ruwellin Rashiane? No way. Iundefinedd only seen him from a distance.

Then why is he acting so familiar? Constantly leaning on me...

"Roz, Iundefinedm currently..."

"Uh, excuse me..."

"It hurts so much, I can hardly breathe."

The man, squirming and burrowing into my arms, was like a large, wounded beast. ...He must be out of his mind with pain right now. Otherwise, knowing Iundefinedm Rosnia Hyll, he wouldnundefinedt act so intimately.

undefinedCalling me by my name, even a nickname... Heundefineds definitely not in his right mind.undefined

Feeling his forehead, I timidly asked.

"Um, where does it hurt?"

But, oh my god, his forehead was like a ball of fire. He definitely took the antipyretic?

His fever hadnundefinedt gone down, it had risen. Startled, I moved my hand, and he took hold of my hand that was touching his cheek and raised his head.

Looking up at me, his face looked so precarious and fragile that my heart sank.

His flushed cheeks, slightly parted lips, his hazy eyes...

A dangerously perfect sight to paralyze oneundefineds reason.

"I keep having a fever, and..."

He answered in a faint, fading voice.

"My body hurts, like Iundefinedm dying..."

Looking at me pleadingly, he seemed like someone desperately wishing for something. Baffled, I blinked and mulled over his words. Keep having a fever, body hurts like dying?

undefinedSurely not.undefined

It couldnundefinedt be what I was thinking, right?

Stammering, I cautiously asked.

"Does your body ache like you have the flu?"

"Yes... thatundefineds right."

He nodded weakly in answer. At his response, my heart sank. If my guess was correct, his symptoms were, well, they were...

undefined...Mana Rampage!undefined