Second Life, I’m Dying Soon Chapter 38

Chapter 38

 

The horse galloped at full speed. In order to avoid the eyes of others, they deliberately took rough, unpaved paths, but the rider was so skilled that they were out of the forest in no time.

Once they left the hunting grounds, it was a straight shot to the palace. Even at full gallop, it would take a couple of hours, but they couldn’t afford a single delay.

The jolting motion shook their entire bodies. It was exhausting even for someone uninjured, so for Cecil, who was barely holding on, it was far worse.

Cecil, clutching the horse’s mane, began to sway. Just as the horse leapt over a fence, he lost his balance and nearly fell forward.

If Alexis hadn’t reflexively reached out his arm, Cecil might have fallen straight to the ground. Holding the reins with one hand, Alexis calmed his startled heart.

“Is it too much? If you can’t hold on, just say so.”

“…No, I’m… huff… fine.”

It was plain as day how limp and exhausted he was, yet Cecil stubbornly shook his head, insisting he was fine.

Alexis clicked his tongue shortly.

Just who did he get this stubbornness from? Then again, blood doesn’t lie. As irritated as he was, Alexis knew that wasting time would only harm them both, so he urged the horse forward once more.

He held the reins and used his left arm to wrap around Cecil’s chest. The position demanded both balance and stamina, but for Alexis, who had survived many battlefields, it wasn’t too difficult.

The problem was that Cecil’s condition was worsening. His hands had long since gone limp, and he could no longer support his own body. Even through the thin summer fabric, Alexis could feel the heat radiating from him.

As he quietly rode on, Alexis carefully monitored Cecil’s state with the arm that held him.

Cecil, his head slumped forward, exposed his pale nape. He was burning up so badly that the sweat trickling down his skin was clearly visible.

“Cecil.”

Alexis slowed the horse slightly and called his name. But all he heard was ragged, shallow breathing—Cecil couldn’t answer.

At last, Alexis stopped the horse completely to check him properly. He placed a hand on Cecil’s forehead and felt a blazing heat.

The bleeding had already stopped, but Cecil’s condition was only getting worse.

Despite the severe fever, his face was deathly pale. His breathing was faint and irregular, as if he could stop at any moment.

Realizing that this couldn’t go on, Alexis brought the horse to a full stop. Just then, he spotted a small house nearby.

He dismounted and gently sat Cecil down in the shade of a nearby tree. Then he approached the house alone, where a woman was doing chores in front of it.

“I have a favor to ask. Do you happen to have any fever medicine you could spare?”

“Fever medicine? Who are you to—hiiiek!”

The woman looked up absentmindedly and screamed in fright, dropping her basket. The small fruits she had gathered rolled across the ground, but she had no attention to spare for them.

At first, the lustrous fabric of his clothing had made her think he was just a nobleman—but then she saw the gleaming platinum hair. That could only mean one thing. A commoner like her, who had never in her life dreamed of meeting a royal, immediately fell flat to the ground in fear and reverence.

“Y-Your Highness! I didn’t recognize you and committed a grave offense. Please forgive my insolence!”

“You weren’t disrespectful. But I’d appreciate it if I could get that fever medicine quickly. And if it’s not too much, could I also ask for some water?”

“O-of course! I’ll bring it right away!”

The woman rushed into the house. Fortunately, since she had children, she kept basic medicines like fever reducers on hand at all times.

Soon, she returned with her arms full of various things. She didn’t dare meet the Crown Prince’s eyes, instead keeping her gaze fixed near his chest as she handed him what she had brought.

“This is the fever medicine. I don’t know who it’s for… but since it’s something we commoners use, it might be a bit different from what you have in the palace.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Alexis took the medicine without concern. The ingredients were likely different from those used in the palace, but Alexis had a fair amount of faith in folk remedies.

He shook the medicine bottle. Inside the dark brown glass, a thick liquid sloshed around.

“This is quite a unique fever medicine.”

“Yes, it’s mostly for my child, so I made it like syrup. Two spoonfuls should be enough.”

“Hmm. That’s not bad.”

He had been wondering how to get medicine into Cecil in his state. For someone barely conscious, a liquid syrup would be far more manageable.

Taking the water the woman had also given him, Alexis searched in his arms. With nothing else on hand, he finally tore a button off his hunting uniform and handed it to her.

“Hold onto this for now. It’s all I have at the moment. The palace will provide proper compensation for the medicine once we return.”

The woman’s eyes went wide as she looked at the obsidian button that had landed in her palm. Such a rare jewel! Just for a little medicine and water, she had received a reward worth months of wages—no wonder her lips curved upward in delight.

“The Crown Prince, Your Highness! If you don’t mind… this too….”

The woman hurriedly handed him a small pouch as he turned to leave. Alexis raised a brow at the offering, silently asking what it was, and the woman bowed deeply, her voice full of reverence as she explained.

“They’re blueberries I grew myself. They’ve ripened nicely, so I thought you might like to try some. I washed them clean.”

She knew it was unlikely that someone like the Crown Prince—who must have only ever tasted the rarest and finest foods—would even glance at such simple fare from a commoner’s garden. But the woman had received far more than she deserved and felt she couldn’t let him go with nothing. Besides, she was worried about the person who needed the fever medicine. Her children always needed a sweet treat like fruit or candy to wash down the bitter medicine.

“Thank you.”

Alexis accepted the gesture without hesitation. While the woman prostrated herself again in respect, he turned back toward the shade where Cecil lay.

Still sprawled weakly beneath the tree, Cecil remained in a feverish daze, his condition no better than before—if anything, it had worsened.

Alexis crouched down in front of him and looked directly into his face.

“Cecil, open your eyes.”

Leaning against the tree trunk, Cecil slowly lifted his heavy eyelids.

Everything was blurry. He could tell it was Alexis in front of him, but the heat clouding his senses made it impossible to see clearly.

“I’ve brought medicine. Take it, and then we’ll move on.”

Even Alexis’ voice, hovering somewhere between kind and indifferent, received no response.

Cecil couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality. Even the effort of keeping his eyes open proved too much as they slid shut again.

Seeing that Cecil couldn’t move a muscle, Alexis unscrewed the bottle himself and lifted Cecil’s chin.

He pressed a thumb between his lips to force them open and tilted the bottle. The syrupy liquid trickled into Cecil’s mouth, but his tongue wouldn’t move. The medicine failed to go down and simply dribbled back out.

“You’re making this difficult to the end.”

Frowning at the wasted medicine, Alexis let out a short sigh and ran a hand through his damp hair. He couldn’t just leave Cecil here, but this wasn’t working either…

He stared at Cecil for a moment, then brought the bottle to his own lips.

After taking a measured mouthful of the medicine, Alexis grasped Cecil’s hair and pulled him close.

Pressing their lips together, he transferred the liquid into Cecil’s mouth. Still, Cecil’s tongue lay lifeless.

With a quiet growl of frustration, Alexis used his own tongue to press firmly against Cecil’s. As he flattened it down, the throat finally opened.

Gulp. Gulp. The syrup slowly slid down, and Cecil’s lips twitched faintly in response. Once Alexis confirmed that all of the medicine had been swallowed, he finally pulled away.

“Damn. What is that taste…?”

Whatever herbs the medicine contained left a sharp, bitter tang on his tongue. How were children supposed to drink this stuff? But there was no point in complaining now.

While the aftertaste still lingered, Alexis took another mouthful and repeated the process—pressing their lips together and guiding the liquid down Cecil’s throat.

Whether it was the bitter medicine or the sudden intimacy, by the second round Cecil started to regain some awareness. His trembling hand grasped the epaulet on Alexis’ hunting jacket.

Whether it was a weak attempt to push him away or cling to him was unclear. Still, inside their mouths, their tongues met in a clumsy battle, wrestling feebly against one another.

Alexis easily subdued the resistance and made sure every drop of medicine was swallowed. Only after that did their lips part again. Cecil was left completely limp.

“What’s with that look? Anyone would think I just did something indecent.”

Alexis rinsed his mouth with the cold water and spoke as if nothing unusual had happened. To him, that kiss meant nothing—it was simply a way to give the medicine.

Cecil, finally coming to his senses, let out a breathless laugh and shook his head. His face scrunched in disbelief, and his lips twisted bitterly. It was absurdly bitter.

“Open your mouth.”

With that short command, Alexis reached into Cecil’s mouth with his fingers. A few blueberries rolled in.

Cecil froze dumbly, his lips parting without thought.

“Not going to chew? Do I have to chew these and feed you too?”