Chapter 17: I got a fever.

　I developed a fever in the middle of the night on the day I met Ms. Carlotta, I caught a fever. It seems I caught a cold. I have a bad headache, chills, and joint pains.

I put a sign on the door of the “Hideout” saying “Closed for the day.” My Fever feels much higher. It’s cold. I want a hot water bottle.

　The hot-water bottles I used in the other world are electronic. It is impossible in a world without electricity

　I tried making a hot water bottle using warding, but the warded hot water bottle was a squishy bag, and even though I made a cork-like stopper and put it in, the hot water still leaked out from the opening. The barrier was elastic.

　I thought about making an iron hot water bottle, but all I had in the kitchen was an iron pot that had been used to make pie molds and had been reduced to less than a third of its original size. I gave it a go and made a miniature hot water bottle that fit in the palm of my hand.

　Small enough for a cat, too!

“I’m tired. ……”

　What am I doing when it’s so hard to even stand up? I’d rather just stay in bed. It’s so cold. My fever’s going to get even higher. I don’t want to use the frying pans and baking molds made from iron pans, which I have repeatedly heated and oiled, and spent a lot of time and effort raising them to prevent them from sticking.

　Just when I was about to give up, I had an idea, “How about a ceramic hot water bottle?”

　With one last hope, I placed several plates on the table and worked my magic. Two ceramic hot water bottles with a familiar shape were created. Why two?

“It doesn’t rot.”

　Using a palm-sized hot water bottle as material, I made an iron funnel ladle and poured boiling water into it. Three iron funnels were made. I think I’m not feeling well and I can’t control my magic.　

　I decided this was okay too since it doesn’t spoil.

　I wrapped the hot water bottle filled with hot water with the cloth I had on hand and walked up the stairs, huffing and puffing. The ceramic hot water bottle was heavier than I had imagined.

“It’s heavy. It’s heavy.”

　Somehow I made it to bed. I curled up with the hot water bottle and closed my eyes. I can feel the soft warmth spread through me. It’s by chance, but it felt good.

　Still, I haven’t had a fever like this since elementary school.

　Suddenly I remembered my father’s words. It was something my father, a movie lover, had told me while patting my ten-year-old head as I lay in bed with a cold.

“The reason why the aliens, who were able to withstand the military’s attacks, were defeated was because humanity is a virus that can’t be defeated. You won’t be defeated either, Mai, so don’t worry. You’ll be cured soon.”

　Maybe I was not immune to the viruses of this world. On the contrary, I hope I didn’t bring any disease into this world.

　My mother used to say, “You’ve never been sick  since you were a baby.” Thank you mother for giving birth to me with a strong body. I have a fever for the first time in a long time.

　I want to create an antipyretic using transformation magic, but I have no idea what a fever reducer is made of, so I can’t imagine what it is.

　There was enough food to sell, so I was grateful for that. I held the hot water bottle and waited for the shivering to stop. The words “dying alone” kept crossing my mind. I’d managed to survive, but I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die. I feel so lonely. I cried, wanting to see my grandmother and Yataro.

“I’m thirsty”

　But I don’t want to go up and down the stairs anymore. Yes, why don’t I just use magic to get it out? Why didn’t I think of this sooner? I turned on my back, opened my mouth wide, and put my fingertips in my mouth. Imagining cold water, I let the magic flow through my fingertips.

“Goaahhhh!”

　A huge amount of water appeared in my mouth, like a bucket of water being poured all over me at once. I thought I was going to die for a different reason.

“I messed up. My bed is soaking wet, my nightgown is soaking wet, my hair is soaking wet. I can’t take it anymore. I’m cold.”

　Hot air from a mini typhoon to dry the bed?　Wait a minute. Let’s think this through. It’s not just the amount of water. I also made a lot of hot water bottles and funnels. Won’t it be like a flamethrower trying to blow hot air?　This house is made of wood, remember?

“Let’s go lie down in front of the fireplace in the store.”

　I took off my wet clothes and changed into another nightgown, shivering with a rattling shiver.

　I dragged the blanket down the stairs with a slouch. Afraid to use fire magic, I lit a fire with a metal rod and a rough metal plate for ignition. I set fire to the thin scraps of wood that I had left in case of emergency. Before that fire was extinguished, I added more straw and fine wood. I was glad I was familiar with this process.

　Thank you Ella and Ingo for teaching me how to make a fire.

　I sat down in front of the fireplace, breathing hard. The blanket was a thick one I’d recently created with magic, made of two layers. Normally, I would be comfortable, but I am cold from the inside out. I was tired and had a headache, and I groaned as I fell asleep.

　I was woken up by a loud noise. Someone was banging on the door. Even though there was a sign saying the place was closed.

　The pounding is persistent, but I don’t care. They’ll give up soon enough. I stayed wrapped in my blanket and didn’t move from in front of the fireplace.

“Mai-san!　Mai-san!”

　Hm?　That voice.

　I move my aching head to look at the window and see Mr. Henry looking at me through a gap in the curtains. He is in his uniform as usual. I’m glad he was back to work. I was about to go back to sleep when there was a knock at the door again.

“Uuuh,” I groaned as I slowly walked to the door and opened it.

“Thank God. You’re alive!　I was so surprised to see you lying on the floor.”

“I caught a cold, so the store is closed.”

“It’s because you lent me your coat, isn’t it? How can I apologize? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?”

“I think I have a fever. And the cold isn’t your fault, Henry.”

　Mr. Henry put his hand on my forehead. His big hand feels nice and cold. Colds are caused by viruses that are everywhere. It’s not your fault.

“Why are you sleeping on the floor with such a fever?”

“I spilled some water on my bed. But it’s okay. If I stay here and sleep, it will get better.”

“Oh, no. ……”

　Henry wrapped the blanket around me tightly again and seemed deep in thought.

“It’s really okay now. Please go and have lunch.”

“It’s obvious that this situation is not okay. Please hold on a moment. Do you have the keys to the door?”

“It’s on the kitchen wall.”

“I’m going out to do some shopping. I’ll lock the door from the outside, so you can go to bed… Ah, you’re wet. Well, please stay here and sleep in front of the fireplace. I’ll be back soon.”

　He’s a very caring person.

　I added some firewood and dozed off again. I heard the sound of the lock opening and the doorbell ringing, and Henry came in carrying a large bag. He was holding a blanket. He folded it and spread it on the floor, and said, “Please go to sleep.” I laid down, and he put the blanket that was wrapped around my body back on top.

“You may not like the taste, but I got you some onion soup. Can you drink it?”

“I can’t. I have a sore throat.”

“When you have a fever, it is dangerous if you don’t drink fluids. You don’t have to eat the onions, just the juice.”

　He also bought a water bottle. He transfers the soup from the canteen to a cup, then helps me up and supports my back. My head hurts and my eyes are dazzling. I was so tired, but I closed my eyes and a spoon touched my mouth.

“If it’s too hard to open your eyes, just leave it there. Open your mouth. Drink a little.”

“Yes.”

　The soup hurt as it seeped down my throat. It hurt, but I felt like my body was demanding the warm soup. I accepted and downed the whole cup of soup.

“Do you want another serving?”

“No.”

　I responded with my eyes closed and he gently laid me down. When I slightly opened my eyes, Mr. Henry was looking at me with a crease in his brow.

“Henry, what about lunch?”

“I figured you’d say so, so I got some bread for myself. Would you like some tea?”

“No.”

　It must be because I asked him to use “watashi” as a thank you. He had been saying “ore (I)” all this time, but now he’s saying “watashi”. He’s really an honest person. Ah, I feel sick. My head hurts. And I’m drowsy and sleepy.

　I fell asleep before I knew it, and when I woke up, Henry was sitting near me, looking at me.

“You’ve woken up. You’re sweating so you should get changed, but what should we do? Shall I carry you upstairs in my arms? You don’t want me to open the wardrobe, do you?　Or should I go buy you some clothes?”

“No, you don’t have to buy anything. What about your job, Mr. Henry?”

“I left work early. I called in early this time, so it’s not a problem.”

　Henry has a smug look on his face…or so I think.

“Sorry. But thank you.”

“We’re in the same boat when one of us is in trouble, right?”

　I’m sorry I made you miss work, but it’s really reassuring to have you here. I’m feeling so sick. I’m vividly remembering what happened just before you came here.

　I climbed the stairs, relying on Henry’s shoulder, to change out of my sweaty clothes. As I was walking up the stairs with a whimper, Henry spoke to me.

“Does your boyfriend know about your condition?”

“…… huh?”

“He probably doesn’t know, right?　I’ll take care of you, and if you’re accused of something unfounded, please tell me. I’ll testify that there’s nothing wrong.”

“……What?”

　I’m sorry, whose boyfriend?　I’m having a hard time talking right now. I’d rather talk about complicated things later!

　Mr. Henry gave a wry smile and said, “even if you say that, I don’t think I can…” and then he fell silent

　I asked him to wait for me in front of the bedroom and then I got dressed in my nightgown. If I’d been alone, I’d have ended up sleeping shivering in my sweat-soaked pajamas.

“I’m all right now. you’ll catch my cold.”

“Don’t underestimate the toughness of a half-beastman. Don’t worry about me when you are in so much pain. Go to sleep.”

“Yeah”

　I decided to sleep in front of the store’s fireplace again.

　Henry carefully stretched out the wrinkles of the blankets on the floor and made a bed for me. As I was lying down again and dozing off, I heard a banging sound on the windowpane. I looked at the window and saw Mr. Kyrias peeking at me through a gap in the curtains.

“I should have sealed that gap. Okay! Don’t hit the glass so hard. You’ll break it.”

　Mr. Henry made a scary sound and moved swiftly to the door.

TL Note:

Yutanpo hot water bottle – a kind of heater.

In the previous chapters, Mai-san had asked Henry to drop the honorifics between them, so now he made the switch from using 「私」(watashi)- I to 「俺」(ore) -I

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