* * *
However, Chester didn’t head straight to Ruite’s room.
First, he went down to the first floor and headed toward the dormitory cafeteria.
Perhaps because dinner time had just passed, the interior was quite sparse.
He stood in front of the bread display, locked in deep thought.
Of all the varieties, he wanted to pick something Ruite would actually enjoy.
Ruite had definitely said something here after collapsing during the monster evolution incident.
‘That’s my favorite bread here, but there was only one left.’
Recalling that moment naturally brought back the memory of how he had thrown that bread at Ruite.
A pang of guilt pricked at his heart—a sensation like being endlessly poked by a needle.
First, he found the favorite bread Ruite had mentioned.
Fortunately, one was left.
Then, he tried to recall the breads Ruite had picked when they recently sat across from each other to eat.
He hadn’t realized that having a good memory could be useful in this way.
He picked out a few things he vaguely remembered along with some decent-looking choices and paid for them.
As he finally headed toward Ruite’s room, he planned out exactly what to say and do.
‘I bought some bread for a snack but I bought too much, so I brought some for you since it’s a waste to throw it away.’
Would that sound natural?
‘Or should I just leave it in front of the door, knock, and vanish?’
It might not be a bad idea to let Ruite remain unaware of who left it.
He could just hide around the corner and check on Ruite’s condition when he came out.
But no matter what method he thought of, everything felt awkward and wrong.
In the end, Chester reached the front of Ruite’s door without having decided how to act.
The only thought that remained clear in his cluttered mind was that he simply wanted to confirm if Ruite was okay.
Thus, Chester decided to go with the first option.
After a brief deep breath, he slowly knocked on the door three times.
However, there was no reaction; everything remained quiet.
Was he sleeping because he was tired? Or was he really so sick that he was losing consciousness?
Just as various speculations were running wild in his head, a clack sounded and the door opened.
The first thing visible through the slowly widening gap was silver hair.
“Hey, I bought some bread and…”
Chester dutifully started the line he had prepared on his way up.
However, he couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Huh? Ah… it’s Chester. I was terrified thinking it was the proctor.”
Ruite let his tensed shoulders slump, explaining he thought he’d done something wrong to warrant a visit from the proctor.
But that wasn’t what Chester was focused on.
Ruite’s voice, clearly weaker than usual, was raspy from the cold.
His eyes were half-closed, and above all, both his cheeks were slightly flushed.
“Don’t you have a fever?”
“Ah, maybe. I’m not sure. But why are you here?”
Instead of answering, Chester reached out.
As he suddenly placed his palm on Ruite’s forehead, Ruite squeezed his eyes shut and tried to pull back slightly.
“You have a fever.”
Even if it was a mild fever, it was still a fever.
Yet Ruite just foolishly asked, “I do?”
That didn’t sit well with Chester.
“Did you take your medicine?”
“Not yet. I haven’t eaten. I was actually going to go down to the cafeteria and buy something once I felt a bit better.”
“Just get inside.”
“What?”
Chester pushed Ruite into the room without further explanation.
The sound of the door closing echoed dully.
“No, I mean, why did you even come?”
Ignoring the question, Chester forced Ruite to sit on the bed.
Then, taking a spot in front of him, he held out the bread he had bought.
“Eat this first. You need to eat so you can take your medicine.”
“…”
Ruite looked back and forth between the bread and Chester with a look of confusion.
Realizing the meaning of that gaze, Chester dutifully recited the line he had prepared: “I bought it for myself, but I bought too much, so I’m giving it to you.”
Perhaps Ruite was too sick to think much of it, as he picked up a piece of bread and took a bite.
It was his favorite kind.
Seeing him reach for his favorite first made Chester feel like he wasn’t in a critically dangerous state.
Taking the opportunity, Chester looked around Ruite’s room.
It was neat and tidy.
Even though all dormitory rooms for Academy students were identical in layout and furniture, this one somehow felt different.
“Oh, you have this one, too.”
Ruite, having finished one quickly, tore open the wrapper of another bread.
“Do you like that one too?”
“It’s my first time trying it. When we went to the camp, Sir Connor, the knight who was looking after my training, recommended it. He said it was delicious and told me I had to try it, so I’ve been meaning to.”
At the name ‘Connor,’ the face of the dashingly handsome knight came to mind, along with the memory of him calling Ruite a ‘pretty student.’
Suddenly, something surged up in Chester’s chest.
“Don’t eat that.”
On impulse, Chester snatched the bread right out of Ruite’s hand.
Then, he pointedly brought it to his own mouth.
With eyes that looked devoid of soul and full of disappointment, Ruite muttered, “I don’t have the energy to argue right now…” and picked up a different piece.
After filling his stomach with two or three pieces of bread, Ruite shook his head, saying he couldn’t eat any more.
“Where did you put the medicine?”
When Ruite tried to get up from the bed, Chester held him back with a hand.
“…Over there, on the desk.”
Without a word, Chester stood up and brought the medicine and water from the desk.
Ruite stared at the outstretched hand for a moment before tossing the medicine into his mouth.
“Now, lie down.”
“Chester, aren’t you leaving?”
“Just lie down.”
“Wait…”
Chester was being stubborn again.
He made Ruite lie down before the boy could even find a gap to speak.
“I’ve been thinking…”
Finally settled and lying down, Ruite stared blankly up at the white ceiling.
Chester was seated a short distance from the bed.
“Stop talking and just go to sleep.”
“Did you by any chance hear something from your family?”
“What?”
“Like… to take good care of your political marriage partner or something…”
Ruite looked away from the ceiling.
As he turned his head to the side, his eyes met Chester’s immediately.
“Just think whatever you want.”
The answer that came back with the ambiguous words was a light flick to the forehead.
“Ow.”
Ruite rubbed his forehead where Chester’s hand had touched.
“I don’t know what’s what either, so just think what you want to think.”
Ruite’s lips parted as if to speak.
But no words came out. Partly because he couldn’t find the words, but also because Chester had completely covered Ruite’s eyes with his palm, telling him to really stop talking now.
At that touch, Ruite reflexively closed his eyes.
Perhaps the medicine was starting to kick in, as his eyelids felt heavy.
“Anyway, you should go back to your room soon…”
His voice was even weaker than before.
“I’ll take care of it.”
A few minutes passed.
Soon, the sound of steady, quiet breathing filled the room.
Chester sat a short distance from the bed, staring intently at Ruite.
He planned to watch the situation for a bit and then leave, just in case the fever rose further.
Fortunately, when he cautiously touched Ruite’s forehead every now and then, the temperature wasn’t that high.
The medicine seemed to be working well.
‘Did you by any chance hear something from your family?’
Would it have been less confusing if his family actually had said something?
To be honest, he himself didn’t understand why he was doing this in Ruite’s room—a place he used to find tedious.
Right now, he was simply acting as his body moved, without considering reason.
About an hour passed after Ruite fell asleep.
When the moon outside was illuminating an even darker sky, Ruite slowly opened his eyes.
“Thirsty…”
Ruite clutched his dry throat and slowly pushed himself up.
He definitely felt much refreshed after taking the medicine and sleeping.
Just as he was about to get some water, Ruite gasped and covered his mouth.
He wondered why there was a person in his private room, only to see Chester leaning against the wardrobe, nodding off.
For a split second, he had almost screamed, thinking it was a stranger.
“…”
In any case, why on earth was he still here?
His mind, much clearer than before, vividly recalled Chester coming to the room, bringing dinner, and looking after his medicine.
If it hadn’t been for Chester, he might have lost the will to even buy food or take medicine because it was too bothersome and difficult.
Ruite sat on the edge of the bed, facing Chester directly, and scratched his head.
Just then, he noticed something lying on the floor.
It was a wet cloth. Ruite reflexively felt his forehead.
His hair was slightly damp and cool.
The cloth that had been on his forehead must have fallen to the floor while he tossed and turned in his sleep.
The cloth, still damp, moistened his palm.
Ruite looked back and forth between the cloth and Chester.
“…It’s really strange.”
The doubt he couldn’t push away was growing even darker.
* * *
