"Then, Ojou-sama, let's finish it here for today."
"Alright."
After Cordelia had finished with her history lesson, and saw her tutor off, she felt as if her eyes were getting blurry and rubbed them. But, when she opened her eyes again, her vision returned to normal, and she couldn't feel anything odd about it.
"It must be my imagination," she reflected, and went to have lunch without a care. However, she strangely had no appetite and, in the end, she barely touched her food.
"...... I wonder, if it's a cold."
She whispered that to herself, and a shout came from behind her.
"WHAT?!" The owner of that voice was Ronnie.
"Ronnie, what's wrong?"
"Because, Ojou-sama, just now, you said cold, didn't you?"
"Yes. I'm feeling a little off. I wonder if I should rest."
Cordelia tilted her head at Ronnie, who suddenly lost his complexion.
"Are you okay? You look worse than me......"
"Well...... What am I saying? Please rest. Ojou-sama is still a child...... Huh, Ojou-sama?!"
I feel like his voice is so far away, even though he's being so loud, she thought, as her vision faded into blackness.
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
"...... Have you awoken?"
"Emina......? This...... is my room, isn't it?"
"Yes. Ojou-sama has caught a cold."
Emina spoke as she placed a pitcher on the side table. Perhaps, she has medicine too.
But, this is just a cold. I collapsed the moment I realized that I had a cold, so I wasn't planning on not taking care of myself.
"....... It's just a cold, isn't it?"
"Yes. But Ojou-sama is still not an adult."
"I have a feeling Ronnie said the same thing before I collapsed."
You don't have to treat me like that much of a child.
She thought that, but Emina must have seen right through her.
"Ojou-sama has a lot of magic power, so it's easier for you to take a turn for the worse. First, please drink this medicine."
She listened to Emina as she recalled, come to think of it, I've heard that before.
She hadn't been sick, ever since she had caught that disease when she was three, but apparently, she would become like this, even from a cold, because of how high her magic power was. She once again realized that having a lot of magic power wasn't always a good thing. Cordelia drank her medicine with Emina's help.
The salty taste of the medicine spread throughout her mouth. Frankly speaking, it was bad.
"You probably won't catch a cold once your body is steady enough. Besides, Ojou-sama has overcome a great disease. That's why, you'll be able get well soon, if you rest properly."
"Really?"
"Yes, that was what the doctor said. But, you will be having another medical exam."
Apparently the doctor had already examined her, so she probably didn't have too much to worry about. But she had a feeling that her body felt more sluggish than it did when she was in the greenhouse.
"Will I get better in 3 days?"
I would hate it if I don't, Cordelia thought while speaking, but Emina opened her eyes in surprise.
"Emina?"
"Well...... Ojou-sama, the doctor said that you would probably get better in 10 days."
"Eeh. 10 days!?"
She shouted, which caused the damage to rebound to her head. She held her head in pain, and Emina said, "Please rest for a while."
Cordelia obediently followed her instructions. It felt as if a chime was being struck in her head, and it was impossible for her to do anything else.
"But..... 10 days?"
It's such a waste of time to be sick for that long, she thought.
However, she didn't have time to think about it anymore, and immediately fell asleep while having a nightmare. I definitely won't catch a cold again, ――― Cordelia had no choice but to vow that.
She could do absolutely nothing for three days; rather, her condition got worse. However, she was able to get up, a bit, two days after that.
The things in her room multiplied while she was resting; there were flowers, flower vases, and stuffed animals so big that they could even hug her.
The giant stuffed animals were bought by Elvis and Isma. An extremely cool man and a young sparkling man were both carrying those big stuffed animals. She had only been half-conscious at that time, so she couldn't burn the image in her mind. It was really unfortunate that she could only recall it vaguely.
"Ojou-sama, I have brought your meal."
"Thanks, Emina."
"And Vernoux-sama has sent you a letter."
"From Vernoux-sama? Isn't that a box rather than a letter?"
Vernoux's name and the word letter.
Cordelia frowned, because they didn't go together. To be ruder, she even thought, Vernoux-sama can write a letter?
She opened it after she'd finished her meal. Inside was an envelope and paper, as well as a small box.
Cordelia picked up the paper first, and there were only three lines written on it.
『How's your cold? I delivered Gille's letter. Get better soon, since I want to eat some sweets.』
She had to postpone her verdict on whether or not Vernoux could write a letter. I'm sure he didn't have to write this in a hurry, so why is his letter like a memo? But, this does seem like him. And maybe...... He had written this memo because he was so worried, Cordelia thought. Otherwise, it was impossible for him to pick up his pen.
However, she concluded that the other envelope was a letter from Gille, from reading the memo. The envelope was thin, and she could tell that there were only one or two sheets of paper in there.
『You don't have to read this if you're tired.』
The letter that began with those words was different from the one Vernoux had written; those words indicated Gille's concern for her.
『Did you sleep well?』
『I was going to send you something that was good for colds, but Vernoux stopped me. He said that there's no way you wouldn't have it at the Pameradia House, and that it would become rubbish.』
『I really wanted to come visit you, but it's right before the Founding Festival, and I was told that it was impossible for me to do so.』
She was extremely thankful to the person who stopped Gille as she read that sentence.
Gille had a lot of magic power. She wouldn't be able to look him in the face if she had passed the cold onto him, even if it wasn't before the Founding Festival.
(It's enough for me that you wanted to visit, Gille-sama.)
Even she knew that Gille wasn't one to say flattering words. He had tried to visit her, even though he didn't like to show himself to others. That was enough.
『You really don't need to reply to this letter, so rest well. But let me give you this one gift because I think that you'll get bored when you get a little better. Try listening to it if you want.』
She looked at the little box, that Gille had gifted her, after she'd read the last bit of the letter.
He wrote try listening to it, but what does he mean? She thought, as she took it out.
"It's a music box."
On the box, that was just big enough to fit on her hand, there was a carving of a rose. As she lightly turned the winding key, and opened the box, she heard a calm and affectionate sound coming from within. And inside it, there was a single, round crystal ball, that served as a charm, and it, too, was wrapped in a red cloth with the charm pattern embroidered on it. She could tell that the embroidery was sewn with great care, however the stitches were actually a little misaligned, asserting itself to be the hard work of an amateur.
(...... Don't tell me Gille-sama did this?)
This clearly wasn't bought. But, she had never heard of a noble male doing needlework before.
(If the person who had embroidered this was really Gille-sama...... Then he must have been really worried about me.)
She had seen Elvis and Isma, so she knew how worried they were.
She had even heard from Emina that Ronnie had been strangely responsible, and he hesitated to enter her room, even though he was worried. "To enter Ojou-sama's room while she is resting is......" He had said.
Emina also said that Lara, who should have also been isolated, since she held a large amount of magic power, had also caught a cold before, and she was restless with worry.
But as for Gille, she could tell that he was worried from his letter, but she honestly couldn't imagine what his reaction was. Yet, she could imagine what reaction Vernoux had.
A smile naturally appeared on her face, and she picked up the bell on the side table. The bell jingled quietly and Emina immediately appeared.
"Emina, I have a request. Could you get me some paper and a pen?"
"Ojou-sama, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'll be writing it here so it'll be fine."
She would make Emina worry more if her letters were shaking. So, she was going to stop writing if all her handwriting would cause Emina to worry.
(But, I have to write if I can. Gille-sama said I didn't have to reply to him, but I want to reassure him.)
Of course, she wanted to reassure Vernoux as well. They couldn't see each other and couldn't even communicate properly, so he might keep worrying about her. Therefore, she wanted to tell him that she was fine.
"...... But they might get angry at me if I write a lot."
I have to make it brief. That is the most important thing. Now then, how do I thank someone in a short sentence? She wondered.
8 days after she'd caught a cold.
Cordelia wasn't energetic enough to walk around the room yet, but she had recovered enough to get up and walk to the sofa by herself. The letter that she had written on the fifth day was delivered to Gille and Vernoux on the sixth day, and she'd received a reply from them both the next day that said, 『You have to sleep, go rest』. The two worried too much, even though she had said she was fine. But she was reluctant to write letters, since they had gone that far to remind her of that.
"So I can't write them a reply until I'm actually well?"
I can't tell how well I have to be so that I can declare that. Of course, if the doctor says I'm fine, then it should be fine...... Cordelia thought that as she softly slipped out of bed.
It was still a bit tiring for her to be up for a long time, but her body ached if she slept for too long. I want to think that they'll forgive me for moving a little, she thought as she moved to the sofa.
(But Otou-sama and Onii-sama will probably get angry if they find out that I got up.)
But, she also felt bored from just sitting on the sofa.
Cordelia looked around the room and saw the sewing box on the edge of the table. She pulled the box towards her without hesitating and opened the lid; then she picked up some yarn that had been placed inside.
(I wonder if there aren't any good designs. If possible, I'd like to make something like a charm......)
She had been delayed because of her cold, but she had originally wanted to give Gille a more precise embroidery. Therefore, as an apology for making him worry about her, she wanted to make him something more appropriate.
(Vernoux-sama might laugh at this...... But I think Gille-sama would be happy with anything, since he likes that poorly crafted handkerchief.)
If she wanted to give presents as an apology, then Gille wasn't the only person she had to give one to. Vernoux had also worried about her. It was impossible for her to only give one of them a present, when both of them had worried about her.
"No...... It's not enough to just give it to the two of them, in the first place. That's right, I have to give something to Otou-sama and Onii-sama too. Ah, but then I'll also have to give one to Emina and Ronnie, and then Lara too......"
She began to think that, and then wondered how many pieces she needed. Her face twitched. She was aware that she wasn't that good at embroidery, that she could embroider that many gifts.
"I, I'm sure Ronnie would be fine with just food. Yeah, I'm certain. Of course, Vernoux-sama is the same, but I didn't want to leave him out when I think about Gille-sama...... But then, I wonder if it's better to give Ronnie the same thing......?"
Of course, there wasn't anyone there to answer Cordelia's question. She questioned herself and gave a long sigh.
"I need a minimum of seven. I can do this. Let's think carefully about the designs and colours."
However, if she were to embroider seven designs, then she didn't think she could send a letter stating 『I have gotten better』.
(I can make Gille-sama and Vernoux-sama's first, but that's also a little...)
At least, she was also worried that it would become a spoiler, since she would probably be giving Vernoux's present to him under the watchful eye of one of the servants. In the first place, it would be embarrassing if they thought she was giving him special treatment, because she had prioritised his present.
"Ye-yeah. And, I could go to the handicraft store when I get well enough to walk around town. I don't have as much yarn as Hazel-sama, so it's not a bad idea to go see them myself. Besides, I can find out what Gille-sama likes from Vernoux-sama...... Ah, of course, I plan to ask Vernoux-sama what he likes as well......"
Cordelia muttered as she gradually spoke faster, and the last bit sounded as if she had choked on her words. She coughed violently, and Emina immediately came into the room.
"Ojou-sama, you still have to rest."
"I, I'm sorry, Emina."
She apologised in between her coughs, which still hadn't stopped, while being guided back to her bed by Emina. And, upon returning, Emina took the embroidery thread that she was still holding onto.
"I will tidy this up."
"Th-thanks......"
She actually wanted to gaze upon the colour to ponder some more, but she wasn't able to, because Emina couldn't let a coughing person stay up. Cordelia understood that and didn't complain.
"Ojou-sama, the most important thing for a sick person is the recovery period."
"Yes, I was planning to understand that."
But she slept so much that she wasn't even tired anymore, so she wanted to get up for a little. She really wanted to write a letter stating that she was well. In fact, she was mostly fine now.
But in contrast to her thoughts, Emina had a really cold expression on her face.
"Everyone will get worried, this time, if your cold were to recur."
"...... You're right, I'm sorry."
Emina made a lot of sense, and Cordelia apologised meekly.
"If you really want to embroider, then I will teach you when you get better."
I'm extremely happy at the offer, but I also want to give Emina something, so it might be tricky...... She thought that as her drowsiness strangely got stronger.
(Everyone in this house might be spoiling me, after all.)