Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 286
Willingly holding me, Claude lowered his head and whispered into my ear,
How am I supposed to go out when you act so cute like this?
But I couldn’t respond. Being in his arms wasn’t my intention.
My legs couldn’t support my weight at all.
***
I thought maybe it was just a lack of energy in the morning.
…That hope was ruthlessly crushed as my condition rapidly worsened.
I don’t even know how I managed to get through the day’s schedule. Sitting was bearable, but standing made me dizzy and lightheaded. Walking was even worse, as if someone was dragging my legs down.
At times, I wanted to ask Claude to carry me, no matter what others might think. If I could just swallow my pride, Claude would gladly oblige.
But I couldn’t. My body had started to burn with a fever.
If he held me, he would surely notice my higher-than-normal temperature.
I must have caught a cold after lounging comfortably at the Center and then coming to this harsh borderland. It was an illness that rest and sleep could cure.
But Claude always worried excessively about my health. If he found out, it might disrupt the schedule. Everyone was busy, and I couldn’t afford to be a burden.
So I gritted my teeth and endured it.
“Hey, mouse-bean. You’re keeping up pretty well despite those short legs of yours.”
“…”
“Well, I guess even squirrels are quick when they climb trees… Why is that? Do shorter steps mean you move faster?”
Oscar was a major obstacle for me.
All the way to the mutant den that Claude had previously destroyed, Oscar kept saying things to get on my nerves.
Normally, I would glare at him until he shut up. But today, I was struggling just to keep up with the others, so I had no energy to deal with him.
When I kept ignoring him, he looked me up and down, puzzled.
“What’s this? Today, you seem particularly…”
“…”
“…wilted?”
“Shut up, Oscar…”
I finally snarled through gritted teeth, but it was useless. Oscar just looked even more puzzled.
“No… Look at this. The venom in your eyes when you look at me is gone. Normally, in moments like this, you’d be even more ferocious, like a little Mini-Claude. But now when you glare at me…”
“…”
“You just seem small, insignificant… and just pathetic.”
I decided not to say anything. Clenching my teeth, I kept walking forward. The constant stream of Oscar’s nonsense had been giving me a headache for a while.
I managed to hold on until the scheduled break.
As soon as the command to rest was given, I collapsed to the ground, but so did Oscar beside me.
As I bent over, panting, I felt a sudden chill on my cheek. Looking up weakly, I saw Claude pressing a cold cloth to my face.
“…Thank you.”
“Azalea, me too, me too.”
Ignoring Oscar who was leaning in, I drank the water Claude gave me. He plopped down beside me and asked,
“…Are you feeling warm?”
“What?”
“Your face is very red.”
“…”
My heart sank. I had underestimated his keen senses.
“You’re sweating too…”
His elegant fingers touched the skin under my ear. His hand slid down my jawline and finally brushed away a bead of sweat from the tip of my chin. Even though my face was burning with a fever, his touch sent shivers down my spine.
“Claude, do you only see your Guide? Do I not exist to you? My face is red, and I have a fever too. How about worrying about me for once?”
Oscar’s rambling was almost a relief. I hoped it would distract Claude from me, even a little.
But Claude ignored Oscar and placed the back of his hand on my cheek. His expression grew even more serious.
“A fever…”
My heart pounded. What if he found out I was sick? What if he decided to send me back immediately?
