Life in Another World as a Maid Mage
Volume 1 - Daily Life of A Maid Mage
022 – Nursing services available for unforeseen illness (4)
[←Prev. Chapter] [Index] [Next Chapter→]
Author's Note: A little bit about Alex's past.
It's a rather superfluous story where he's remembering a lot of things without much thought due to the fever.
I was having an unpleasant dream. It was about the time when I lived in the empire for only three years.
"I thought you were plain, but actually, you have a beautiful face, don't you, Allen?"
The girl said, scattering a strong scent of perfume. She was beautiful, but I think it was mostly due to her heavy makeup. The white powder that had flaked from her face, spilled onto her sagging chest.
"You flatter me, my lady."
Although she was not my type at all, I skillfully hid it and gave her a sweet smile. I had done my homework and I knew exactly what girls liked. I had a sweet face, elegant gestures, and a slightly playboy-like appearance. She easily fell for me when I behaved in accordance to her tastes. When I suggestively stroked her lips with my fingertips, she smiled bewitchingly with a slightly childish face.
"All right. I'll ask your father for your hand."
She invited me into her home willingly and immediately fell in love with me because I fit her tastes and was devoted to her like a princess.
The girl's father, too, gradually came to value the man who, despite his frivolous appearance, was a talented and earnest worker. A large merchant who wholesaled armor and harnesses to the Imperial Army. As a candidate for close aide of the merchant, I was entrusted with a large business, so I became familiar with the layout, size, and marching schedule of the Imperial Army.
Now that I was up to this point, my mission was almost over. Now all I had to do was send the information to my fellow infiltrators and wait for them to instigate the rebellion.
When I did that.
"Allen! Allen! Where are you?!"
The girl called out to him as the rebels set her house on fire. But he didn't look back. Because he was not Allen.
There was no Allen. From the very beginning, Allen Shurygina, the son of a remote country lord, did not exist. There was only Alex Dia, an agent directly reporting to the King of Strydia.
Now I can finally go home.
…I can leave this empire of discrimination, corruption, and exploitation. I can finally return to my gentle and peaceful homeland.
Abruptly, I felt as if someone had called my name and my consciousness slowly surfaced. I dozed in and out of sleep. My thoughts were hazy and I couldn't think clearly. But then, I felt some presences nearby, so with my eyes closed, I rapidly roused myself to consciousness.
(… I let them get too close before noticing it.)
Did I fall asleep deeply enough to allow them to approach me unnoticed? I was too careless. I figuratively gritted my teeth as I tried to move. Then I realized that my body was hot and heavy and my joints were creaking.
Was I drugged? I messed up. I gently moved my arm in my undershirt and searched beneath the pillow. My dagger, which I always keep there when I sleep, was not there.
(Damn!)
It would be hard to deal with multiple enemies when I was unarmed and had restricted movement. However, I had no choice but to do it. I focused my attention on my dominant arm. If I timed my magic to activate at the moment of contact, at least one of them would surely…
"Alex! This is not the Empire. Don't get so worked up!"
"…!"
A voice suddenly called out to me. When I realized that it was a familiar man's voice, I relaxed my tense body, since I was ready for a fight.
"Are you ok? It seems you had a nightmare."
I think I was dreaming of something unpleasant, but I can barely remember it.
The towel on my forehead was removed and it was replaced by a palm instead.
"…It ain't going down."
As Zack sighed and rinsed the towel in the bucket of water next to him, I looked around in a daze. The room, faintly illuminated by a dimmed magic lamp, was unfamiliar… or maybe not.
"Shiori's… room?"
I muttered in a hushed voice and made eye contact with Zack, who had a surly face.
"You collapsed and were carried here. Don't you remember?"
I tried to think back, but my memory was fuzzy. All I recalled was that I turned down Zack's offer and left the guild, then Shiori…
At that moment, I realized that I was occupying Shiori's bed.
"… Shiori?"
"She's sleeping on the couch. I just took over."
I looked around and saw a sleeping Shiori curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket.
"All right. Get your fever down by tomorrow and get out of here."
It seemed Zack didn't like so much the thought of a bachelor sleeping in his sister's bed.
"…I'll do my best."
I hoped it went down after a good night's sleep. I disliked showing my unsightly side in front of Shiori. Feeling thirsty, I slowly sat up. As I groaned at my creaking joints and dull headache, Zack offered me a glass of water. I sipped it and detected the faint mix of scents and tastes of fruits. It was fruity water.
"She went through the trouble of making it just for you. Drink it and be thankful."
I felt my heart brighten up at Shiori's thoughtfulness as I drank the fruity water. I let out a sigh of relief as the water permeated into my dehydrated body.
"Now, relax and go to sleep. You don't have to sleep with frayed nerves anymore. Rest well."
"…Hmm."
I did as I was told and laid down, immediately feeling drowsy. I closed my eyes. A cool towel was placed on my forehead and then my head was patted softly. I remember being nursed like this when I was just starting out. I also remember being stroked like a child on such occasions.
(…I'm not a little boy anymore.)
Feeling nostalgic, I sank back into the depths of sleep.
The next time I woke up, it was already bright outside and I could hear the sound of wagons passing by outside my window. It seemed like it was time for people to get up and start their days.
My mind was still foggy and hazy. My body was also hot.
"…It's not getting any better…"
Zack moaned with a bitter face, pressing his hand onto my forehead. Shiori giggled when she saw that.
"… It's not amusing."
It's been a long time since I've had a fever that didn't go down after a night's sleep. I sounded pathetic.
"Don't worry about it, just rest. I don't mind."
I was grateful for the offer, but I didn't feel comfortable that I already spent two days sleeping in the bed of a woman I wasn't even dating, so I managed to raise my sluggish body with some gentle support on my back. She held out a glass of water in her hand.
"It's easier for me to take care of you if you stay here. You should get some rest."
"But you've kept a bachelor in your room for two days."
When Zack tried to argue with her and Shiori smiled at him, in response. I wondered if it was my imagination that her smile seemed to have a hint of menace.
"…I think that's far better than the drunk person who barged in and then occupied this place for two days with a hangover."
"Ugh."
Apparently, she meant Zack. He grunted at the unexpected counterattack. It was certainly not a good idea to get drunk and occupy the bed of his bachelorette sister… she was not his sister per se, but someone he considered as one.
After drinking the glass of water, I was gently guided to lie down. I was covered with a duvet and a cool towel was placed on my forehead. The coolness of the towel felt good.
"…I'm sorry. It's been a while since I've had a fever that hasn't gone down after a day."
"It's fine. I'm sure your body is telling you to rest. So please… don't overdo it."
These were the same words I always say to Shiori. I could only smile bitterly.
I closed my eyes. I thought I had slept a long time, but the sleepiness came over me soon after. It was probably my body's way of telling me that it still needed to rest.
A soft hand stroked my rugged hand as if tucking in a child.
(Come to think of it, my mother also stroked my hand like this, didn't she?)
When I was a child, my mother gently caressed and held my hand when I could not sleep.
It was not an affluent life, but the days I spent with my kind mother were still precious memories to me.
"… Mother…"
I called out to her out of nostalgia. Was it only in my head or did I say it out loud? Even that was vague, and I let go of my consciousness.