Hua Mu was keenly aware of her physical discomfort. Her nasal passages felt like a humidifier cranked to its highest setting, constantly producing mucus. A bee seemed to be buzzing erratically inside her head, making her dizzy and her ears ring. Her throat felt like it was lined with cactus needles, stinging and itching, sending her into fits of coughing.

“Bai Zhen, my throat hurts…”

Only the Sentinel’s body heat offered her a sliver of comfort.

Bai Zhen could feel the heat radiating from Hua Mu’s body—she was starting to run a fever. But despite the heat, Hua Mu clearly felt cold, clinging tightly to her arm and refusing to let go.

Bai Zhen reached out, grabbed the bamboo tube filled with mint leaves, and took out a few, offering them to Hua Mu.

“Miss, holding these in your mouth might make you feel a bit better.”

Hua Mu put them in her mouth with a pitiful expression. “My head hurts too…”

Bai Zhen massaged the pressure points on the side of her face. “Does this feel any better?”

“Mmm…” Hua Mu’s voice was heavily nasal, her words mumbled. “My stomach feels sick too. It’s all your fault. You made me throw up so badly.”

The Young Lady started dredging up old grievances. Bai Zhen, filled with both self-blame and heartache, gently rubbed her stomach and said apologetically, “It was my fault. I was in too much of a hurry.”

Hua Mu knew that if Bai Zhen hadn’t been so hasty, she might be getting soaked in the rain right now. But she didn’t care about right or wrong; she just wanted to throw a little tantrum and be coddled.

“And you were so rough…”

Recalling her actions, Bai Zhen was overcome with guilt. The Young Lady was as delicate as a porcelain doll; how could she endure being jostled around like that?

She must have been too rough, and that’s why the Miss had fallen ill.

“I’m sorry…”

Hua Mu didn’t want an apology. She wanted Bai Zhen to soothe her.

Whenever she was sick, her aunt would come to see her. She would sing to her, kiss her, and say, “Pain, pain, fly away from my little darling.”

She missed her aunt, and her father too. Had they realized she was missing yet? Were they terribly worried?

She had been trying her hardest not to think about it, partly because she didn’t want to feel regret, and partly because she feared she would break down if she allowed herself to be vulnerable.

“Bai Zhen, I feel so sick…”

Bai Zhen could feel Hua Mu’s misery and wished she could bear it for her. She regretted not being more forceful earlier. Even if it meant the Young Lady would hate her, she should have found a way to make her drink the ginger soup.

“Miss, would you like some ginger soup now? It will help you feel a bit better.”

Hua Mu sniffled, her face scrunching up. “Is it really bitter and spicy?”

“Just a little bit…”

She didn’t believe that for a second!

“It must taste awful. I want to eat something sweet.”

“Then how about I make you some gruel? I can use the breadfruit to make a sweet and spicy paste like we have back home. It will only have a hint of ginger.”

At the mention of gruel, Hua Mu felt a pang of hunger.

“Is it good?”

“It’s delicious, I promise you.”

Hua Mu sneezed, her voice taking on a tearful whine. “But if you go make it, then no one will be holding me.”

A wave of tenderness washed over Bai Zhen. She hugged Hua Mu and said, “I can hold you while I cook… or would you rather I carry you on my back?”

“Hold me…”

Hua Mu loved having this Sentinel as her personal cushion. She was gentle, her voice was pleasant, and she would even sing. She was far more endearing than the robotic Sentinel she was used to.

Bai Zhen held her as if she were a rag doll, cradling her with no apparent effort. While it made moving around a bit awkward, it didn’t significantly impede her.

Hua Mu settled comfortably on her lap, her arms draped around Bai Zhen’s shoulders, and watched as she peeled the breadfruit, removed its core, and cut it into slices to roast by the fire.

Bai Zhen put more water on to boil, grated in the wild ginger, and added a pinch of sea salt. Once the breadfruit slices had softened from roasting and the water began to steam, she broke them into pieces and added them to the pot.

With a bit of stirring, the mixture quickly thickened into a paste. Bai Zhen added a sprig of mint at the end—making the concoction look slightly more appetizing.

Could this possibly taste good?

Hua Mu was deeply skeptical.

The moment Bai Zhen lifted the bowl, Hua Mu caught a whiff of something sweet, sour, and spicy.

“It really won’t taste bad?”

Bai Zhen herself quite liked the taste, but she had no idea if Hua Mu would.

“You can try it and see.”

Hua Mu sniffled, studying the bowl for a long moment.

“You drink some first, let me see.”

“But…” Bai Zhen recalled Hua Mu’s earlier words, worried this would just become another excuse for her not to drink it.

“No ‘buts.’ I’ll only drink it if you drink it first.”

Hua Mu was being stubborn. Unable to dissuade her, Bai Zhen had no choice but to tear off a piece of a banana leaf, roll it into a makeshift spoon, and take a mouthful in front of her.

Since when was this Sentinel so fussy? Using a spoon, of all things. Hua Mu found it baffling.

“Alright then, you feed me.”

She wanted to use a spoon too.

Instead, Bai Zhen brought the coconut shell to Hua Mu’s lips.

The Young Lady’s lips formed a pout. “How come you get a spoon and I don’t?”

While sick, the Young Lady’s petulance was on full display; even the smallest unfulfilled whim made her quibble over every little thing.

Bai Zhen had only made the small, disposable spoon on a whim to avoid contaminating the gruel. She never imagined Hua Mu would take an interest in such a trivial thing. “I’ll make one for you, then.”

“Can’t I use that one? Are you disgusted by me?”

Hua Mu felt utterly pathetic.

She wasn’t disgusted by Bai Zhen, yet Bai Zhen had the audacity to be disgusted by her!

“But I’ve already used it. You… didn’t you just say…”

Seeing her hesitation, Hua Mu finally recalled her own words: I’m not drinking any ginger soup you’ve already drunk from!

But she had just been angry and upset, blurting things out without thinking! Why was this Sentinel being so petty and holding a grudge? She’d already had her tongue in her mouth, for crying out loud. If Hua Mu were truly disgusted, wouldn’t she have killed herself by now?

“I-I just didn’t want to drink the ginger soup… Why are you so talkative—Achoo…”

Sniffle, this clueless Sentinel. Now my nose is running again.

Bai Zhen quickly grabbed the “handkerchief” to wipe her nose. “Miss, blow your nose.”

Hua Mu truly didn’t want to lift a finger. She shamelessly offloaded the dirty work onto the Sentinel and blew her nose with gusto.

The noble young lady, once as beautiful as a flower and as vibrant as a young bird, was now curled up listlessly in the Sentinel’s arms. With the tip of her nose bright red, she looked the very picture of misery.

“Bai Zhen, I’m hungry…”

Without another word, Bai Zhen scooped up some of the sweet and spicy gruel and brought it to her lips.

The steaming breadfruit gruel was a little sweet, a little sour, and a little spicy, with the ginger flavor mostly masked. It was nothing like the flavors Hua Mu normally enjoyed, but at that moment, it tasted unusually delicious. She finished nearly half the bowl; if not for her painfully sore throat, she could have eaten more.

A pleasant warmth spread through her stomach, heating her body from the inside out. She was, once again, a little too full.

Carbohydrates really do make you gain weight.

Seeing Hua Mu’s eyes drooping in a sleepy haze, Bai Zhen carefully carried her to the makeshift bed of banana leaves.

“Miss, if you’re tired, you should sleep for a while.”

Hua Mu agreed that she needed sleep to recover her strength, but she clung to Bai Zhen’s arm, refusing to let go.

“Stay with me.”

Bai Zhen lovingly gathered her into an embrace. “I’ll hold you. Rest easy and sleep.”

Hua Mu loved being held by the Sentinel as if she were a precious treasure. She loved the medicinal scent clinging to her and the feel of her firm yet supple muscles. She felt as if she were sinking into a cloud—no, that wasn’t right. It was more like being wrapped in a light, soft down duvet. The duvet cover was as fine and smooth as silk… ah, wait, her duvet covers were made of silk, so why use “as”?

Bai Zhen, meanwhile, was trapped in sweet agony.

The Young Lady’s hand was wandering over her stomach, and several times, Bai Zhen nearly lost all focus to the sensation.

Fingers as slender and fair as spring onions, nails a translucent pink, a palm so delicate and soft.

Every caress from Hua Mu sent a jolt of electricity through Bai Zhen’s body. Her spirit animal, whether from excessive comfort or a sense of danger, stirred restlessly, eager to break free from its totem.

Her ice wolf had always been stable, consistently earning an A+ rating in the Tower’s stability tests. It rarely became uncontrollable.

The last time it had been this restless was when she had nearly been overcome by a binding heat.

Of course, she didn’t think the Young Lady was inducing a binding heat. After all, she couldn’t even smell any Guide-hormone.

Hua Mu’s status as a Guide was no secret, and it was common knowledge in the Grand Duke’s residence that she had always worn an inhibitor. Bai Zhen didn’t know why, only that it was meant to protect Hua Mu.

The royal family had always had its share of unspeakable secrets, which naturally gave rise to all sorts of rumors, much like urban legends.

For instance, that the royal family’s Sentinels and Guides possessed special abilities far exceeding the norm. Or that the royal family secretly maintained a tradition of incestuous bonding to preserve the purity of their bloodline. Or that the Grand Duke’s daughter was actually the Queen’s illegitimate child. Or even… that the Sentinel riot six years ago, known as the “Fall of the Tower,” had been triggered by Hua Mu.

Bai Zhen knew Hua Mu must be hiding a great secret, but she had been chosen as her guard precisely because she possessed minimal curiosity, the utmost discretion, and unwavering loyalty.

Whatever Hua Mu’s true identity might be, Bai Zhen would never betray her, harm her, or abandon her.

Hua Mu napped for a while. Her headache had eased slightly, but her other symptoms had grown more severe. She could barely open her eyes, her throat was too sore to speak, and her nasal passages burned as if on fire. Every breath was an agony, and her limbs felt so weak and sore that she had no strength left.

“Bai…”

The Sentinel was still holding her. That alone brought her a sense of peace.

“Miss, I’m here.” Bai Zhen placed a fresh, damp cloth on her forehead and helped her drink some warm water.

Hua Mu managed one sip before stopping. Even swallowing water sent a sharp pain through her throat.

“What time…”

“It’s two in the afternoon. Are you hungry?”

Outside, the storm still raged, and rainwater had even begun to seep into the cave. Fortunately, Bai Zhen had been prepared, using bamboo chutes to divert the flow from the larger leaks back outside.

Hua Mu shook her head listlessly. “I’m so hot… I feel terrible…”

“You have a fever.” Bai Zhen shifted slightly away from her. “Perhaps you would be more comfortable sleeping by yourself for now.”

She didn’t want that. She wanted to be held.

“Hold me…”

Bai Zhen moved close again.

“Let me give you a sponge bath, then. It might make you feel a little better.”

“Mmm-hmm…”

As long as it would make her feel even a little better, Hua Mu didn’t care what it was.