I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [306]

It was that transitional time of year—winter hadn't quite ended, but spring was on the horizon.

The air carried winter's biting chill, yet traces of new life were visible on the ground.

Monsters that had hibernated throughout the cold season were beginning to awaken. Hungry after months of sleep, they emerged to wreak havoc on nearby villages, preying on livestock and farmland.

Consequently, requests to the guild increased, forcing adventurers to abandon their lazy routines. Their wallets were as empty as the stomachs of the monsters outside, leaving them little choice but to take up quests.

However, on this particular day, even the most active adventurer teams—those who braved the harshest winters to take on quests—were conspicuously absent from the guild.

Neither Nero's party nor Kazuma's team had shown up.

The reason was simple: Nero's team had other pressing matters to deal with.

"Hmph…"

Nero frowned, her gaze fixed on Yunyun, who lay on the bed, her face flushed unnaturally red with fever. Her labored breathing filled the room.

"Unfortunate... it's clear you've come down with a fever."

"Ugh…"

Yunyun's crimson lips parted slightly as she struggled to breathe.

Nero knew exactly why Yunyun had fallen ill.

Honestly, competing with Megumin in winter swimming… Yunyun, you always seem like such a well-behaved girl, but even you occasionally do things that cause unnecessary trouble.

Yunyun often proclaimed herself Megumin's rival, constantly challenging her to contests back in the Crimson Demon Village.

But the truth was, Yunyun simply used these competitions to alleviate her loneliness, having few friends to keep her company. Megumin, in turn, played along because she recognized Yunyun's plight, though her tsundere nature kept her from openly expressing her intentions.

These contests almost always ended with Megumin's victory, and as the winner, she often claimed Yunyun's lunch as her prize.

Eventually, Yunyun began bringing extra lunches every day. On days she didn't feel like competing, she'd simply hand her lunch to Megumin, who would take it with a shout of, "Do you think I'm only competing for your food?!"

Though Megumin frequently walked away with Yunyun's belongings, she never accepted money as a wager, even though her family was so poor that her clothes were hand-me-downs from her mother.

Once, upon learning that someone had borrowed money from Yunyun under the pretense of friendship, Megumin personally confronted the borrower and forced them to return it. She then told Yunyun the money was repaid out of guilt.

Megumin truly is a tsundere.

"I… I'm sorry… Nero…"

"If you're feeling unwell, there's no need to force yourself to talk."

Nero's Servant-enhanced hearing barely caught Yunyun's faint apology.

It seemed that Megumin had also caught a fever, and Kazuma's team was currently taking care of her. Neither party had ventured out on quests today.

"Umu! All you need to do is rest. Leave everything else to me—I'll take care of you."

"…Sorry…"

"This is the time to say 'thank you,' not 'sorry.'"

Nero brought a basin of warm water and soaked a towel in it, wringing it out before gently wiping Yunyun's face and neck.

Yunyun's skin was burning to the touch, her face flushed red, but her hands and feet were unusually cold.

Nero wasn't entirely sure how wiping a feverish person with a warm towel worked—she only knew it was something her mother had done for her when she was young.

Her memories of preschool were hazy, but she remembered much of her early elementary years. Back then, she was often frail, frequently falling ill with colds and fevers.

The three places she knew best were her home, her school, and the children's hospital.

She could still recall the hospital's basement floor, filled with play equipment.

After numerous visits, she became acutely sensitive to the distinct medicinal scent of hospitals. That smell always put her in a foul mood—it meant injections and bitter medicine were inevitable.

Surely, she wasn't the only child who preferred a quick jab to the lingering bitterness of medicine.

"Come on, Yunyun, raise your arms… Stop covering your chest already! We're both girls—what are you so shy about? It's hard to help you clean up like this."

"Ugh…"

To think that the mighty Roman Emperor Nero was now patiently caring for a sickly young girl—it was a novel experience, to say the least.

Of course, she wasn't exactly the same Nero history remembered as the infamous tyrant.

Still, if caring for others was surprising from Nero, it was outright baffling to imagine Bavanshee—the persona she once adopted—tenderly looking after someone.

At least Nero's actions could be explained by her [Imperial Privilege]. Baobhan, on the other hand, had no such excuse.

That's… quite the figure.

The thought flitted through Nero's mind as she glanced at Yunyun. Despite her young age—only thirteen—her development was absurdly mature.

Thirteen years old… She'd be in middle school in the real world, wouldn't she? Who in middle school looks like this?!

Even so, Nero's thoughts remained focused on Yunyun's wellbeing rather than anything untoward. The girl's discomfort tugged at Nero's heart far more than her appearance could distract.

After finishing the task of wiping Yunyun's body, Nero helped her change into fresh clothes, tucked her in under a thick blanket, and replaced the ice pack on her forehead.

That should do it, right?

She carefully ensured the blanket was snug, tucking its edges under Yunyun to keep any drafts out.

Sitting by Yunyun's bedside, Nero gently patted the blanket, attempting to lull her to sleep.

Her mother used to sing her lullabies at times like these, but as Nero opened her mouth to hum, she closed it again, deciding to maintain a rare moment of quiet.

Yunyun's furrowed brow suggested she was plagued by bad dreams.

Fever dreams are truly unpleasant. Awake, one's head pounds, eyes refuse to open, and every movement feels like lifting weights. Asleep, one tosses and turns, waking frequently, sometimes seven or eight times a night, with no relief in sight.

Nero herself had vivid memories of a fever dream in which she fought an endless series of divine beings. She couldn't recall much else—only that she battled relentlessly, slaying hundreds of gods over what felt like several days. Yet when she awoke, drenched in sweat, only an hour had passed.

Her body ached as though she had fought for real.

Glancing out the window, Nero noticed the shifting light and decided it was time to prepare something for Yunyun to eat.

"But… what should someone with a fever eat?"

Nero had little knowledge of proper convalescent care.

If only Florence Nightingale were here… On second thought, that would be too dangerous.

"This world has neither Baidu nor Sogou. I can't even look it up online… Should I go ask someone?"