Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 73

Chapter 8: A brief rest

“Rion-sama, I have made it!”

In response to Fricka, who rushed in with a happy voice, I gave a wry smile and raised my index finger with my free hand and made a “shhh” gesture in return.
Fricka who immediately noticed the difference between before she left and when she returned, covering her mouth with her hand, she muttered in relief.

“Uru-san… Finally you can sleep well.”

“Hm?”

“When I called out to her, she was sitting on the bed with a futon over her head with a face white like a ghost……”

Hmm, it looks like I’ve been worrying her a lot… No, well from my remaining LP and status ailment, it seems like I was on the verge of dying.
Even for me, if it was true that I was struck by lightning, I feel like It’s already amazing that i survived that. Even in the game, if you didn’t take countermeasures, you could get an instant death or take a mortal level of damage… And now that this is the reality, it’s even more dangerous.

“Umm, the ointment, did you made it?”

“Yes, I’ll apply it now.”

Thanks goodness, looks like my predictions were correct. If she couldn’t do with this method, Fricka might have been depressed again, saying, “Because I’m immature.”.
While thinking about that, I moved my body so that Fricka could easily remove the bandages.

“Ughhh…!”

“Excuse me, please be patient”

I let out a groan for the movement of my body and the feeling of the bandage peeling off. Even in this state (even though it wasn’t effective enough), the ointment and the potion probably already put me in a little more better state.
Speaking of which, I didn’t develop bandages and gauze. Should I consider it? As expected, I don’t have the skills to handle injection needles or surgical tools, so even if I force myself to do so, I’ll would only make, disinfectants or band-aid??

“…Rion-sama can think about making things even at times like this.”

…… I got caught on!
Ahaha…… And there was me, who tried to deceive that talk with an ambiguous smile.

“It may feel a little cold, but please be patient with this too.”

“Yes…… Uhye.”

Turning my back that had the bandages removed and the wounds left exposed to her, the medicine was gently applied, but as was declared, it was cold but also painful and tickling, and I couldn’t stand it and I let out a strange scream? When her hands touched my back.
Whether she can’t hear my voice, or whether she is listening and ignoring me, Fricka silently continued to apply the ointment.
It seems that the effect is starting to appear immediately, it feels like, after the ointment gradually soaked in, the painted parts started to getting itchy.

“The back is finished. I’ll paint the front, so could you turn around?”

“Eh, ah, the front I can do by myself.”

Even though it’s a medical act, it’s embarrassing to be touched while being conscious?
We’ve taken a bath together, and I’ve seen and been seen, but being touched is something else… Aaaah no, don’t remember about ‘that’ me!
I reflexively forgot my condition and tried to hold my head, and a sharp pain runs through me again. …… I’m really that stupid!?

“…Rion-sama…”

“……Yes……”

Excuse me, I’m stupid! So don’t look at me with that empty gaze, Fricka-san!
With tears pooling at the corners of my eyes, as if I had resigned myself, I surrendered.
…… Don’t think about anything me. A stone statue, become a stone statue……………….

There was nothing in particular other than my sense of shame being stirred up??there is no way that something could have happened??I rewrapped the bandages and changed my clothes that were stained with blood. Trying to not wake up Uru… Probably because she was in a deep sleep, she didn’t seem to wake up, but because I didn’t have much strength, I only changed the sheets, which was really difficult to move, and finally let out a breath.
When I opened my status and checked, it had [Burn: Level 2] in it. Although the continuous damage remains, it has decreased considerably, and it seems that it is being in a tie with the natural recovery, so the LP does not recover, but it does not decrease. In this case, unless I run out of SP and leave it for a long time, I won’t die.
When I explained that, Fricka sat down on a chair and lowered her shoulders while looking down, letting out a long, long sigh.

“… I see… It’s good… Really.”

“Hmm, I worried you too. Thank you for treating me.”

Her head was in a good position, so when I stroked it, she let me do as I liked for a while.
Slightly trembling her shoulders. I heard a sniffling sound.
Was she crying? At that time, when I was about to stretch my hand to her cheek.

??Kyururu~

Because the tension on the body was released, I ended hearing it.
I don’t dare to pursue the source of it. I won’t pursue it, but… It goes without saying that the long ears peculiar to elves became red.

“Speaking of which, I’m hungry.”

I said that while deliberately raising my voice, but it’s true that I’m hungry. I wonder if the natural recovery is working hard, my SP is decreasing again.
I took out a cookie and ate one while handing one to Fricka, saying “Would you like one?”.

“…… Yes”

The cheek that received it while squeezing out a faint voice was slightly wet.

“… for some reason, I’m end just making other people cry.”

I also made Uru cry a lot a while ago, It seems that are various things that I can’t do dexterously.
Feeling a little gloomy, I wiped her tears off with a bandaged finger, but Fricka blinked her eyes several times in confusion, then showed a soft smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ve received more happiness than sadness.”

“… I-Is that so…”

I turned my eyes away from the embarrassment that was welling up, and deceived myself by biting into a cookie.

“Come to think of it, how is Regulus? Did you give him the ointment?”

“Yes. Lieze-san helped me with the production, so when it’s finished, I gave it to she along with the potion.”

In the first place, Regulus have conscious and can move even though It’s awkward, and it seems he’s just resting in order to recover.
…… There was no situation where his dignity as man was in danger, such as being smeared with medicine while he was unconscious. Good for him.
In the meantime, let’s hear about what I’m curious.

“Fricka and Lieze are on good terms, aren’t you? Did something happen?”

“I don’t remember doing anything special, but… When I said I wanted to be Rion-sama’s bride, she started to support me.”

“………… What?”

W-Wait a minute, what are you talking with other people?

“? It would be known soon anyway?”

“That may be so…!”

With a conversation that seems to make my head hurt as a trigger…… Well It’s not only because that, but I was suddenly overwhelmed with fatigue.
And by taking glimpse of Uru, who don’t show a sign of waking up at all even with our conversation, made me even more sleepy.

“I’m sleepy… I wonder if I should sleep too…”

“Right. Please rest well until your wounds heal.”

“Fricka, take a good rest too.”

“…”

Hm? There’s no response. When I wondered about it and looked at Fricka, she averted her eyes.
As I keep tilting my head and looking at her, she couldn’t stand it, and spilled out the reason.

“I’m… I’m watching over Rion-sama’s condition.”

“No, but I’m okay now?”

“But……”

I may have recovered a little from eating, but Fricka was taking care of me this whole time. There’s no way she’s not tired, and it’s showing on her face.
In that state, if I had to say, I would be me who would be troubled if she unnecessarily watched me even more.

“Fricka, let’s rest.”

“…”

She doesn’t even try to make eye contact with me
…… Mu, in this case, it will be a little of self-destruction, but it can’t be helped.
By tapping the empty part of the next to me on the bed I indicate.

“Look, you can sleep here.”

“That is……”

“If It’s here, If my condition changes suddenly, you’ll know, right?”

Were those words the decisive blow, or was it because she liked being next to me, or was she was just too sleepy?
After a little hesitation, Fricka said “I understand…” and climbed onto the bed.

“… You are closer than that time in Alness Village.”

“That bed is just too big.”

By the way, it’s become normal for Uru to sleep with me, so when I built the lodging building and moved to another room, I changed the bed to a larger sized one, so there’s no problem with sleeping three people in terms of space, but as expected, it’s not a king-size bed. So if we don’t stick together, one of us will fall off.

“… It’s a pity that I can only smell the medicine, and I can’t smell Rion-sama’s scent.”

“You don’t have to understand that!?”

Thank you, medicine smell!!!

“Good night.”

As if saying that I wasn’t going let her say more unnecessary things I put the futon over my head. Fricka just squirmed around and lightly hugged me.
… Well, just this is fine… Uru is doing every time…

And then, in less than a few minutes, we fell asleep.

In addition, it seems that Lieze came to check on the situation once, but I didn’t noticed her at all.
Leaving only a lukewarm gaze behind, she quietly returned. ……Unuuu!