Chapter 28

A few months had passed since Zenshiro made a safe debut in the social world at a standing party.

In the tropical Carpa Kingdom, even when the daytime temperature exceeded forty degrees or remained above thirty-five degrees at night, such days did not last long.

Recently, the highest daytime temperature had barely surpassed thirty degrees, and the nights had consistently dropped below twenty-five degrees, making for a comfortable season.

At this temperature, a fan without ice was sufficient during the day, and at night, one could sleep comfortably without air conditioning.

While the Carpa Kingdom did not have a clear-cut 'four seasons' like Japan, one could notice various differences by observing the scenery outside the harem's windows.

When he first arrived, the flower beds were filled with large red and yellow flowers, but now, delicate flowers with blue and purple petals, similar to daffodils, were blooming, and the shadows cast by the sunlight had grown slightly longer. The insects that he used to repel with mosquito coils by the windows had decreased in number, and the types of birds that sang at dusk seemed to have changed.

While it was not a dramatic change worthy of being called 'the four seasons,' it was probably safe to say that the season had changed.

In any case, it was undoubtedly a much more comfortable season compared to when he first arrived.

However, Zenshiro was not in a state to enjoy this peaceful season.

He had been confined to his bedroom since the morning, curled up on the bed like a fetus.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

His breathing was shallow, and his exhalations were hot. His cheeks were flushed, and sweat continuously broke out on his forehead and neck. Despite the daytime temperature being around thirty degrees, he was shivering uncontrollably under a thick quilt, as if he could not bear the cold.

Eventually, a small, unfamiliar electronic beep sounded from inside the quilt.

"Ugh..."

Zenshiro, who barely heard the sound, rustled in the quilt and pulled out a thermometer from under his armpit, holding it in front of his face.

38.3°C

The digital thermometer displayed a value over two degrees higher than Zenshiro's normal body temperature.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Zenshiro had a fever and was bedridden.

When Aula received the news just before lunch, her first action was to instruct the staff in the harem not to leave and to take care of their own health.

While she was worried about her husband's fever, Aula was the queen. Preventing the queen from falling ill took precedence over saving her consort from the clutches of disease.

After pausing her duties and retreating to her private room in the palace, Aula immediately summoned the royal physician to examine her.

Sitting on a chair woven from vines, Aula opened her mouth wide to show the back of her throat. Upon hearing the elderly physician say, "That's enough," she closed her mouth.

"How is it?"

"Yes, there's no problem. At least, there are no signs of illness in Your Majesty at this point."

In response to Aula's concise question, the elderly physician answered with a gentle smile.

Relieved by the physician's answer, Aula maintained her stern and imposing expression but let out a sigh of relief internally. Although the medical technology in this world was not advanced, the physician's tone suggested that there was no immediate cause for concern.

With her own safety guaranteed, Aula could speak as a wife rather than as a queen.

"Understood. Then, I'll trouble you to see to my husband in the harem."

Medical personnel were one of the few exceptions allowed in the harem, a place where men were generally prohibited. In a male-dominated society like the Carpa Kingdom, female doctors were almost non-existent. If medical personnel were not allowed as an exception, the harem residents would have no way to receive medical care when they fell ill.

"Yes, I'll do my best."

The elderly physician, with a gentle smile, accepted the task and left with the queen's permission.

In his place, Fábio Deuvaige, Aula's secretary, entered the room.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. How are you feeling?"

Smiling slightly, the thin-faced middle-aged secretary, Aula immediately gave instructions.

"I'm fine. I've asked Dr. Michel to examine my husband. Depending on his condition, I'm considering using the 'Healing Orb.' I'd like to hear your opinion."

At the mention of the 'Healing Orb,' Fábio's eyebrow twitched, but he quickly nodded in agreement.

"...Yes, I understand. I can't say for sure without hearing Dr. Michel's diagnosis, but if Lord Zenshiro's illness is a terminal one, there's no need to hesitate. We cannot afford to lose Lord Zenshiro now."

The 'Healing Orb' was a magical artifact created by the Shalowa-Gilbert Dual Kingdom, a major nation in the central part of the southern continent.

The 'Enchantment Magic' of the Shalowa royal family and the 'Healing Magic' of the Gilbert papal family. The 'Healing Orb' was a culmination of the magical techniques of both royal families, and its effects were tremendous. While it could not regenerate lost body parts or restore lost senses, it was rare for a patient to die after being treated with the Healing Orb.

In a world with medical technology only slightly more advanced than medieval Islamic civilization, the 'Healing Orb' was a 'panacea.' Moreover, with only a dozen or so people in the world capable of creating it, the value of a single Healing Orb could bankrupt a small country.

The Carpa Kingdom, a major power in the western part of the southern continent, had a friendly relationship with the Shalowa-Gilbert Dual Kingdom, but it currently possessed only three Healing Orbs. The purchase price was exorbitant, and even if one had the money, there was no guarantee of being able to buy one. That was the value of the 'Healing Orb.'

"Understood. I'm relieved to hear you say that."

Aula's expression softened with relief at Fábio's response. When she heard that Zenshiro had fallen ill, she had immediately thought of using the 'Healing Orb,' but she couldn't tell if her judgment was based on her feelings as a wife or her rationality as a queen.

Upon reflection, it was clear that any noble would recognize that Zenshiro's death at this stage, before Aula had a child, would be a major crisis for the kingdom. Her thoughts must have been dulled to the point where she couldn't make such a judgment.

If necessary, she could use the 'Healing Orb.' Reaching this conclusion, Aula regained her usual composure and rested her elbow on the armrest of the chair, propping her cheek on her hand.

"Still, I thought he was perfectly fine when he woke up this morning. What kind of illness does he have?"

"Since Your Majesty, who shares the same bed every night, has not fallen ill, it is likely a disease that can only be contracted once, like one you have had in the past."

Aula, still propping her cheek, pondered Fábio's words.

A disease that can only be contracted once.

Aula had experienced such diseases several times in the past.

"A disease that can only be contracted once, one I had in the past, where I was fine in the morning but fell ill by noon... Could it be that one?"

Adding the condition that he was fine in the morning but suddenly worsened by noon, Aula could think of only one disease.

Fábio, who was far calmer than Aula, had probably already reached the same conclusion.

"Most likely, as Your Majesty imagines."

The secretary, maintaining his usual poker face, answered in a monotone. Aula felt a sense of relief.

If Zenshiro's illness was 'that one,' then all her previous worries had been in vain.

Aula's suspicions were confirmed when Dr. Michel returned to the palace shortly after.

"Lord Zenshiro has been blessed by the 'Forest's Blessing.'"

Upon hearing the name of a disease with a near-zero mortality rate, Aula almost looked up at the ceiling in relief but maintained her stern expression and told Dr. Michel, "Understood, thank you for your hard work."

Behind her, the secretary, who had noticed the queen's fluster, raised one cheek and smiled maliciously.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

"Aula, what is the 'Forest's Blessing'?"

Zenshiro, who had been lying listlessly on the large bed, turned his gaze towards Aula, who had come to the harem early to visit her ill husband and had cut her duties short.

It was still twilight, but the wooden doors were closed to prevent the outside air from blowing in, making it impossible to see the outside. Only one LED standing lamp was lit in the bedroom to help Zenshiro sleep better.

In the dimly lit bedroom, Aula, sitting in a chair next to the bed, wiped Zenshiro's forehead and neck with a cold towel she had brought from the refrigerator, and replied.

"To put it simply, it's a local disease that has been prevalent in this area for a long time. It has a weak toxicity, and it rarely leads to death unless you're an elderly person or an infant. Moreover, once you contract it, you won't get it again, and those who have experienced it often have milder symptoms when they get other diseases, which is why it's called the 'Forest's Blessing.'"

Zenshiro, whose fever-addled brain struggled to understand, blurted out a comment.

"Wow... If I could bring my body, which has developed antibodies to this pathogen, back to Earth, I might win a Nobel Prize..."

On Earth, there were diseases like measles and chickenpox that, once contracted, would not recur. However, the idea that the antibodies produced would have a dramatic effect on other pathogens was truly fantastical.

However, the fact that this disease was not fatal under normal circumstances was the best news. Zenshiro, who had been trembling with fear at the prospect of a deadly illness in a different world, momentarily forgot his body aches and smiled.

"Is that so? Then, I can get better just by resting... How long will it take?"

"Yes, it usually takes about three to seven days."

In other words, it would take about five days to recover. While he could probably manage to stand up if he pushed himself, the thought of feeling this way for five days was exhausting.

His joints ached so much that he couldn't find a comfortable position even when lying down, and his high fever made him sweat constantly, yet his throat was swollen, making it painful to drink water.

Sleeping would be a relief, but the discomfort and body aches prevented him from getting a good night's rest. The symptoms were similar to a severe cold.

(Still, can it really be 'not fatal under normal circumstances' if this miserable state can last up to a week? It seems like it would lead to many deaths in this world's level of civilization.)

A sudden doubt arose in Zenshiro's feverish mind.

A high fever of over 38 degrees for several days would not be fatal in a modern Japanese household with a comfortable home, bed, and good nutrition. However, for the malnourished poor, it could be a fatal illness, Zenshiro thought.

His intuition was correct.

The reason this disease was called the 'Forest's Blessing' was that it was much milder when contracted at a young age, with a fever of around 37 degrees. Therefore, in the city, parents with young children would deliberately seek out the 'blessing' when someone nearby was infected.

Of course, some children still lost their lives to the 'Forest's Blessing,' but that was unavoidable. Children who couldn't withstand the 'Forest's Blessing' wouldn't survive to adulthood. Parents would console themselves with this thought.

In any case, such concerns about the poor were not particularly relevant to Zenshiro.

"By the way, the maids were having trouble. Shouldn't we allow them to enter at least until you recover? It would make me feel better if they could help."

Aula, who suddenly remembered, suggested this, and Zenshiro, lying on the bed, twisted his body and showed a rare look of discomfort.

"Ah, if possible, I'd rather not. Honestly, I feel like I won't get better if there are people around..."

"But in your condition, you can't manage your meals or bathroom needs on your own. You need someone to take care of you."

Aula, who was making a special effort to be with him, was not supposed to do such tasks as the queen. Taking care of the royal family was the job of the servants, not the family.

"Ah, yeah..."

Zenshiro, whose throat was severely inflamed, could only respond in a weak voice, but he stubbornly refused to accept Aula's suggestion.

"Zenshiro...?"

Aula, still asking, Zenshiro strained his sore throat to confess.

"I get really irritable when I'm sick. I tend to lash out at people or be unreasonable. I don't want to do that... I don't want people around me..."

It was not uncommon for people to feel different when they were sick. A weakened body often affected the mind, making people unusually timid or longing for human company. In Zenshiro's case, it manifested as aggression.

Even a simple thing like the soup being too hot or the towel being lukewarm could make him resent the existence of healthy people when he was suffering so much.

Of course, Zenshiro was a grown adult. Even if he was sick and weak, he wasn't so mentally fragile that he would constantly spread his unnecessary aggression. However, suppressing such aggression was exhausting.

Therefore, it was better to be alone, even if it meant some inconvenience. He didn't want Aula to be there either, at least for now. If he acted like a child and made unreasonable demands to this perfect wife... Honestly, he didn't think he could recover mentally after the illness.

"I'm fine... I can change my clothes myself, and I'll ring the bell when I need to use the bathroom..."

"Hmm, but..."

Servants and butlers were used to being yelled at by unreasonable masters, but over the past few months, Aula had come to understand a significant part of Zenshiro's values. From his perspective, feeling a strong sense of guilt for causing unreasonable trouble to others, it would indeed be a significant damage if he lashed out at the maids.

After some thought, Aula relented.

"...Understood. I'll tell them to keep their visits to a minimum. Dinner will be soon. Is there anything you want to eat?"

The casual addition of this question was an unconscious one. In response, Zenshiro, whose heart was weak, reflexively expressed his hope.

"Rice porridge... with pickled plum or egg and soy sauce."

"Rice porridge? What is that? Pickled plum? I understand the egg, but what is soy sauce?"

Aula's reaction was easily understood even by Zenshiro's feverish brain. Clearly, the words he had just said did not make sense. The automatic translation of the language did not work, indicating that this language did not have equivalents for 'pickled plum' and 'soy sauce.'

Aula's words made Zenshiro weakly smile in return.

"Um, I don't have the energy to explain now... later. I'll eat anything. I can eat anything."

"...Understood. I'll ask the kitchen to prepare the best sick meal."

Aula, who momentarily looked like she wanted to say something, quickly returned to her usual imposing smile and stood up gracefully.

"Looking forward to it..."

Zenshiro, lying in the bedroom, muttered this to Aula's back as she left.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

With a loud thud, Aula left, leaving Zenshiro alone in the dimly lit bedroom.

"Ugh..."

Zenshiro, feeling around, picked up a 500ml PET bottle of cold water from the bedside table, opened the cap, and brought it to his mouth.

"Ugh..."

Even swallowing lukewarm water made his throat sting. However, Zenshiro, who knew the danger of not replenishing his fluids after sweating, endured the pain and drank the water.

"Phew..."

After drinking about half of the cold water, Zenshiro closed the cap and returned the bottle to the table.

This PET bottle was a leftover from the first transfer, found in the basket of a bicycle he had left behind in this world. In Japan, it was just a piece of recyclable waste, but in this world, it was a valuable item. It was light, wouldn't break if dropped, and wouldn't spill if the cap was closed. It was a very convenient container. Without it, drinking water would have been much more difficult.

In exchange for the burning pain, Zenshiro's thirst was quenched. He was aware of the sweat breaking out from his body as he buried his face in the pillow and writhed.

(Ah, what am I saying? Wanting to eat rice porridge in this different world... Am I a spoiled child?)

Aula, who was good at reading the air and understanding things, was a great help. If she had stayed, he might have said something like, "I want to eat canned peaches." Zenshiro was aware that he wasn't a great man, but he didn't want to