What is this? I'm not on death's doorstep! Rocco thought, exasperated.
"Well, well, has the little prince made her grand return?"
Rocco's frustration was interrupted by a familiar voice.
He froze for a moment before glancing around.
Before he could locate the speaker, Makarov appeared, stepping lightly around his father's shoulder with a sly smile.
Makarov's cheerful grin bore down on Rocco, who mustered a polite smile in return while trying to suppress the nervous tremors running through his body.
Makarov was, as a rule, just a little intimidating.
Perhaps it was because Rocco couldn't shake the image of his yandere and scheming personas from the original story.
"Our Laxus was worried about you as well," Makarov remarked with a smile. "At least your fever has gone down—that's the most important thing."
"Ah, I-I'm so sorry… collapsing like that in the middle of such an important meeting…"