Monsoon -3-
-Drip...
"Hah... hah..."
My impatient heart wouldn't settle easily. My stamina was overflowing, but my throat felt parched from the anxiety, and ragged breaths kept escaping my lips nonstop. The Young Lady, who'd been battling her headache, had finally drifted into a deep sleep, leaving only my faint breathing to fill the silent street.
All sorts of thoughts swirled in my mind. Maybe I should've just gone to find a doctor alone without troubling her. Or the impulse to use Rehabilitation Touch. I wasn't sure if it would work, but part of me wanted to cling to that sliver of hope.
That was my state of mind right now.
-...Drip. Drip. Drip.
There were no more clinics left to visit. Not a single one had been willing to help.
"Ricardo... it's cold."
The Young Lady was shivering.
"...Hah."
My steps toward the mansion felt heavy. No, it was more accurate to say I couldn't go back. All I could do there was change the wet cloth on her forehead.
I lacked the confidence to return.
"..."
Had I stood there dazed on the rain-cleared street for about ten minutes? Finally, I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my heavy feet to move, resolving to try again at dawn.
-Splash.
I started heading toward the mansion.
-Thud.
That was the moment. Just as I was leaving Hamel's bustling streets, a small light flickered.
"...Over there!"
It felt warm.
*
-Drip...
In someone's room, water droplets falling from damp hair. I gazed down at the Young Lady sleeping soundly on the bed and let out a sigh of relief.
"Hah... thank you so much."
"No need. It was nothing."
"She's sleeping, and I feel terrible for disturbing you."
The woman in front of me bowed her head humbly with a modest smile, saying, 'I'd have done the same for anyone.'
'...'
I looked at her with mixed emotions. This was someone I never wanted to cross paths with like this.
The place we were in was a restaurant called Yuram Inn. I had no idea why we'd ended up here out of nowhere... but she'd found me wandering aimlessly.
-Why is it so noisy... Huh...?
-Doctor...! Could you please call a doctor?
-W-wait a moment. Come inside first.
-The Young Lady's fever isn't going down. I gave her cold medicine, but it's not working... Please, a doctor...!
-I know a doctor! Hurry...!
Ella had extended a saving hand to me in my panic. Gratefully so.
Ella. She was Mihail's mother. The one who'd left wounds in Mihail's heart and vanished.
"..."
The Young Lady, oblivious to my burning worry, breathed softly in her sleep on Ella's bed.
"Mmm... Heehee, so warm."
"..."
"Hng... Cough! Cough! Ugh... I'm dying! Mmm..."
Ella rubbed her sleepy eyes and offered a cup of warm tea and a towel.
"It's black tea. You must be cold—have some."
"Thank you."
Ella said exactly what I most wanted to hear.
"There's a doctor among the guests staying on the second-floor inn."
"Really...?"
"He's a young doctor. Will that be okay?"
"That's fine."
I nodded vigorously at her kindness. I wasn't in a position to be picky about hot or cold rice. The mere existence of a doctor—young or old—was a godsend.
Ella nodded, stood, and said, "Then wait just a moment. I'll wake the doctor on the second floor."
"Thank you so much. Um..."
"Just call me Ella."
She flashed a bright smile and headed upstairs. Left alone in the room, I placed the towel she'd given me on my head and wiped my forehead.
"Hah..."
I must've been too tense. My mouth was dry.
The black tea tasted sweet—something I hadn't experienced in ages. Guess I'd been that wound up.
-Slurp.
I gave a wry smile at the unusually sweet black tea today, wondering how to repay this debt.
"Right, focus on the present first."
I gently caressed the Young Lady's fingers as she slept soundly. Fingers so delicate they might shatter if gripped too tightly.
"..."
Why did she pick fights with such tiny hands? Memories of her striding the streets like a tough guy made me chuckle sometimes.
-Stomp him, Ricardo!
-They're just kids.
-I'm a kid too.
-Fair point.
-They called me a crazy bitch!
-What did you do?
-Yeah! They were eating something tasty, so I snatched it.
-...?
"Is it so hard to just stay healthy...?"
Her body was so frail, yet she loved meat so much. I couldn't help worrying. With a bittersweet smile, I carefully clasped her slender fingers.
"Ugh... Ricardo, the chocolate's hitting me..."
"Even now, you're dreaming of chocolate?"
"Ugh... Mmm."
As I held her hand, the furrowed brow relaxed into a beaming smile, her lips smacking contentedly.
"Mmm... Heehee..."
"..."
"You're all done for. Ricardo's here."
I loved her innocent smile. Not quite Sleeping Beauty...
"Ricardooo... Stomp 'em...!"
But I cherished the smile she showed only to me, hidden from the world.
Sometimes I wondered. What if my best efforts weren't helping the Young Lady and the protagonists of this story? I was trying my hardest, but my best might not be the right answer. The black magic incident, my relationship with Mihail, Yuria too.
Suddenly, it hit me—maybe my choices had turned poisonous.
I wasn't one to dwell on the past, but responsibility lingered.
"..."
'Overthinking it.'
Maybe her illness was making me sentimental. It didn't suit me.
Still. Thank goodness. At least I could be here with her like this.
-Clack. Clack.
How long had I held her hand? Heavy footsteps echoed from the second-floor stairs—sounded like a sturdy-built man.
'Good, he doesn't seem angry.'
No emotion in the steps. Normal folks—or uptight ones—would stomp if woken at this hour.
-Clack clack.
I had enough money to satisfy him. I stood to greet the doctor.
-This the place?
-I'm truly sorry. You looked so urgent... The inn fee, at least...
-It's fine.
The man spoke curtly, opened the door, and entered.
And then.
"Ha...?"
I let out a hollow laugh.
"No way..."
The doctor looked at me puzzled, his face saying, Why are you here? I felt the same.
"Boss...!"
"Hm? Ricardo, isn't it."
"No... Hah."
The identity of the doctor she'd mentioned was...
"Long time no see."
...Malik.
***
After examining the Young Lady, Malik nodded and looked at me.
"It's the flu."
"..."
"Fever's high, but nothing to panic over. Gave her the right antipyretic—should break soon."
"Thank you."
Malik eyed me with pity and sighed.
"Must've been rough. You okay?"
"..."
"Regular meds wouldn't have touched it."
"Is that so...?"
"Yeah, it's that Eastern strain going around. Even other doctors would've struggled."
"..."
Malik packed his tools with a stoic expression.
"Not fatal. Rest easy."
"Quite certain."
"I'm the doctor right now."
He patted my shoulder with a smile as he finished packing his bag.
"Good work."
I bowed gratefully.
"Thank you."
"Save the thanks. Time to rest."
"But boss..."
"Shh."
Malik glanced at Ella and whispered,
"I'm undercover as an industrial spy. Keep it quiet."
"You're busy."
"Boss gotta boss. Plus, I got my license fair and square—don't rat me out."
"When'd you get that?"
"Figured it'd come in handy someday. At seventeen. Legit route, of course."
"..."
"Snuck it past Dad, so no worries."
Worries about what? I chuckled wryly and nodded. Understanding this man was a lost cause.
Ella followed Malik toward the second floor and said to me,
"Then I'll head up too."
"Pardon?"
"I can take an empty room. Ricardo, stay with the Young Lady."
"No, we'll head back to the mansion."
"Please stay until she's better. And... I'm truly sorry for barging into the mansion last time."
"..."
"Really..."
Ella bowed to me, her voice trembling.
"I'm sorry."
Words failed me. I knew her heart, even if not fully—even partially understanding made her apology bittersweet.
So.
"It's okay."
I decided to hold onto this debt. Vowing to repay it someday.
"Thank you... truly. Ma'am."
I bowed to her.
*
Time passed until dawn broke.
"Mmm."
Olivia opened her eyes.
"Olivia revives!"
".."
"Eek?"
"..."
"Eeeeeek!"
Olivia woke refreshed, tilting her head at her hand.
"..."
Ricardo was holding it tight, asleep. He looked exhausted, clothes unchanged, forehead cloth freshly swapped.
Olivia smiled faintly, stroking his hair.
Then Ricardo stirred, eyes fluttering open with a calm greeting.
"Oh...? You're awake."
"Yeah."
"Yawn... Good morning, Young Lady."
Olivia returned his faint smile.
"Yeah. Good morning."
-Thump.
My heart ached.