OMI 20

A Warm Bed

This takes place between chapters 8 and 9.

That day, from the moment I woke up, I felt a little out of sorts. My body felt heavy, my head wasn’t clear, and I felt a slight chill.

I thought it was a bad sign, but since this was a common occurrence in the past, I didn’t pay much attention to it and got ready for the day.

Lumière, who was better at waking up early than I was, always made breakfast for us.

“Is there anything in today’s meal that you don’t like?”

Seeing that I didn’t eat much, he asked.

“No, it’s not that. I just can’t eat much in the morning…”

Compared to people in this country, I don’t eat much. You often ask if that’s enough for me.

“In that case, I won’t force you…”

Lumière was quick to assess the situation, and this amount of breakfast should have been just right.

“I’ll finish the soup. Is that carrot? It’s delicious.”

The omelet Lumière made, filled with cheese and vegetables, was very tasty. Unfortunately, I couldn’t eat even half of it. My stomach felt heavy today. On days like this, forcing myself to eat would only make me feel worse later.

Lumière seemed a little worried about me. He knows me well and might have noticed that I wasn’t feeling well.

Since he seemed reluctant, I gave him a gentle nudge and said goodbye as he went to work as usual.

Ende came over and we divided the household chores.

There are many handy cleaning tools in this country, and I’m learning how to use them.

While I was completing some tasks and learning how to use a new machine, my headache, which I had been trying to ignore, worsened.

“Éclair, are you feeling unwell?”

Noticing my lack of concentration, she asked immediately. 

“A little headache, but I’m fine.”

Such changes in my condition were common.

In fact, I had had so many good days since coming to Padilla that I had almost forgotten about it.

“No, it’s not good. Your complexion is pale enough for me to notice.”

Ende said this firmly, then sat me down on the sofa, took my temperature, and began to contact someone.

The thermometer showed a temperature about one degree higher than my normal. I had never taken my temperature before coming to this country, so I didn’t know how abnormal it was.

“You have a fever. I’ve called a doctor, so let’s get you checked out. Please rest in your room, Eclair.”

“What, just for this?”

When I felt unwell and took my temperature, it was normal to continue working if I could move.

In the shop’s dormitory, only those in serious condition who needed emergency transport went to the hospital. Working conditions there were far from ideal, and every year a few people ended up in that condition.

“It is important to address any problem early. That way you’ll recover faster. Now hurry up.”

Ende’s tone left no room for argument.

I quietly returned to my room and lay down on the bed, although I wasn’t sleepy.

Ende placed a pitcher of water and a bell on the shelf next to the bed and told me to ring it if I felt worse.

Feeling a little guilty, I lay there for a few hours.

The next person to enter the room was a familiar doctor.

“Eclair, I hear you’re not feeling well.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve been feeling sick since this morning…”

“Hmm. So the symptoms started this morning, right?”

“Now that you mention it, I think I had a headache yesterday as well.

I hadn’t paid much attention to it since I used to have chronic headaches, but it seems that the symptoms started yesterday.

“I see. Mr. Eclair, as I asked before, the headaches and fatigue from the side effects of the drugs you have been taking have decreased recently, right?”

“Yes, almost completely. I think I had them at first when I was in the facility, but by the time Lumière took me in, they were almost gone.”

“That’s good to hear. At the time, we couldn’t gather much information, so we had to prescribe based on numbers and guesswork… But you could have mentioned the headaches more often.”

I only recently learned to speak the language of this country. Back then, I was confused and rarely talked about anything.

“I didn’t think it was weird at the time. It wasn’t a constant problem.”

“If you had headaches all the time, that would be a real problem. You should have told us… Your tonsils are swollen. It looks like you have a cold. I’m going to prescribe some medicine, so please take it and rest.

The doctor, who skillfully examined me while we chatted, said so and prescribed some medicine.

It seems that it’s common for people to suddenly fall ill when they get used to a new environment.

Since I started living with Lumière and became less reserved around him, perhaps the tension I had been holding on to finally dissipated.

Ende kindly brought me a light lunch of soup and soft cooked grains, suggesting that it would be good for me.

I didn’t have much of an appetite, but I was touched that I didn’t have to make it myself.

It was a stark contrast to the times when I reluctantly ate a nutrition bar from my room because I couldn’t be bothered to go out and buy anything. I ate as much as I could and felt grateful.

After taking the medicine, I felt drowsy and drifted in and out of sleep.

This feeling of not being able to sleep deeply was somewhat nostalgic.

When I felt sick before, I never went to the hospital, I just curled up in my bed in the dormitory.

My dormitory director used to say that since I was young, I would usually get better if I just slept it off. And indeed, even if I felt unwell for a few days, I would eventually feel better. 

There was a senior who would give me over-the-counter medicine from a nearby store, saying it was just a small comfort. I don’t know if it really worked, but I appreciated the gesture, and I kept the box in my desk drawer for a long time. 

Even if I felt a little sick, I couldn’t refuse to work… 

On those days I felt even worse than usual. 

Ah, I’m just remembering unpleasant things.

“Éclair, I’m coming in.”

There was a knock at the door and I heard Lumière’s voice.

Could it be time for him to come home?

“I hear you have a fever? You haven’t been feeling well since this morning, have you?”

He came to the side of the bed and looked at me with concern.

“Sorry, I thought I was fine. It’s not that bad. End is just being cautious. I just got sleepy after taking the medicine… Is it evening already?”

I tried to sit up, but he told me to stay lying down.

“No, it’s still early afternoon. Ende contacted me, so I quickly finished urgent business and left early.”

“What, you came back just for that? Did Ende explain everything properly? I am really okay…” 

Worried about causing trouble, Lumière reassured me.

“I couldn’t concentrate on my work because I was worried about you. This is the first time you’ve been seriously ill, and I wanted to be by your side.”

He patted my head gently, making me a little ticklish and restless.

“Thank you…”

“You don’t seem to have much of an appetite. Would you like something to eat or drink?”

Embarrassed, I said a curt thank you, and he asked me this.

“I think I can handle liquids, something light would be good.”

“Is there anything else you need? How did you get by before?”

“I just slept a lot. They say sleeping helps you get better. This time I also took medicine, and I feel a little guilty because I am so well taken care of.

This room is warm, the bed is soft, and the sheets are clean. The environment is unbelievably good.

When I was too sick to clean up, there was never any leftover food, and if I needed anything, Lumière made it right away.

I feel so blessed it’s almost scary.

“Yes. Please let me know if you need anything. Your fever may peak tonight. I’m worried. Éclair, you’re not used to the pathogens in this country…”

The doctor explained that being a summoned one doesn’t make you particularly susceptible to illness. However, moving from country to country can sometimes lead to unexpected illnesses, so it’s understandable that Lumière is worried that I’m not used to the environment of this country.

I ate a light dinner of soup with lots of vegetables, took my medicine, and then rested.

I woke up in the middle of the night feeling thirsty.

I felt uncomfortable, almost hot, and even my joints ached.

Moving slowly, I reached for the water jug and tilted it. It seemed empty.

“You’re awake? Oh, the water’s gone. I’ll fill it up.”

As I shook the jug, Lumière spoke from beside me.

He had brought a movable chair into my room and slept on it.

“Have you been here all this time?” 

“I thought I’d stop if I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about you, but you slept soundly.”

He had changed the ice pillow under my head, wiped my sweat, and done several other things for me.

“Let’s change your clothes while we’re at it. Sweating isn’t bad, but staying in wet clothes can make you cold.”

He really took good care of me.

Despite the headache and fatigue, I felt strangely comforted. 

When I invited him to sleep with me, he hesitated at first, but eventually joined me in bed. 

My bed was a little smaller than his, so the two of us were a little cramped. But I didn’t mind the closeness, which made me wonder what had changed. 

Lumière, noticing my higher-than-usual temperature, gently patted my body, expressing his concern. 

His gentle actions reminded me of a mother caring for her child. 

Feeling so cared for gave me a sense of peace and I soon drifted off to sleep. 

I felt that I slept better than before, perhaps because of the comfort and care.

When I woke up the next morning, my fever was much lower. 

I still felt a little sluggish, and it seemed like I should continue taking the medication. 

“I am really glad that it went down overnight. If the fever had continued, I would have called the doctor again.”

“You’re exaggerating. You could have gone to work today…” 

Apparently, Lumière had already requested a day off for today. 

“If something happened and you got worse than yesterday, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my work.” 

So it was decided that he would take the day off.

“I had been bedridden a few times before and it was really terrible. Sometimes I worried about what would happen if I stayed like this forever.”

It was hard and painful, and curled up alone in a cold room made me feel lonely and isolated. 

“This time it was nothing like that. If anything, I feel a little lucky.” 

“Lucky? Why?” 

He seemed confused, considering my high fever and discomfort. 

“Because Lumière was by my side the whole time, taking care of everything. Heheh, I felt like someone important.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll always do that for you. I’ll take care of everything from A to Z.”

I was just joking, but his serious answer made me a little nervous.

“It’s okay. It’s nice because it’s only sometimes. But if you ever get sick, I’ll do my best to take care of you.

“Since I grew up, I haven’t had a fever as high as yours. But if it happens, I’ll count on you.

Come to think of it, people in this country tend to be pretty robust.

But maybe one day he’ll get to experience that indescribable fluffy feeling.

When that time comes, I want to repay him for everything he’s done for me.

Side Story 1