~Chapter 34~
Hina didn’t wake up even when I slapped her cheek. I hurriedly checked Hina’s condition.
Her face, including her eyes, was badly swollen. As I moved her clothes aside and checked her stomach, I noticed red rashes blooming across her skin. Her breathing seemed difficult, and her throat appeared swollen as well.
The cause immediately came to mind. Hives covering her body. The swelling in her throat and face. Even her eyes were stinging. This was—
“An allergic reaction…? Retti, did the kids eat anything this morning?”
“No! They only had water…!”
Since they hadn’t eaten anything, it wasn’t a food allergy. Kina and Luka seemed fine, so water wasn’t the cause either.
If it wasn’t food or the environment, the only possible cause left was—
“Linnegrim, what are you doing…?”
Retti asked, flustered, but I ignored her and lifted Hina’s skirt, checking from her feet up to her ankles and calves. I found something behind her knee. A tiny bug, smaller than half a fingernail, no bigger than a ladybug.
“Found it…!”
I rummaged through my bag and placed the tiny insect in a glass jar, then carefully examined the red, swollen spots on Hina’s leg. The bug’s stinger had pierced her skin. Using a pair of tweezers, I removed the stinger and immediately picked Hina up in my arms.
I began running toward the greenhouse, which was all we had left.
“Retti, please take care of Kina and Luka!”
“Linnegrim! Where are you going!!”
“Uwaaa! Hina! Hina is in pain!!”
“Hina…”
The cause of the allergy was an excessive immune reaction. Since I had removed the insect, I now needed to use steroids.
I gently laid Hina down at the greenhouse entrance and immediately ran to the black greenhouse, slamming the door open.
“I’m sure I saw it around here…”
I pushed through the poisonous plants while trying to keep my mind clear.
“Damn, why can’t I find it…!”
I cursed as I bit my lip and, finally, spotted the yellow flowers.
“Found it…!”
I pulled out a plant with distinctive yellow flowers—Caltha palustris.
Why look for a poisonous plant in such an urgent situation, you might ask? Because, without chemical steroids, this plant was the only natural allergy remedy I could get my hands on!
The flower with heart poison. If used in large amounts, it could cause the heart to contract and act as poison, but in small amounts, it served as a natural steroid.
I grabbed the plant and ran out of the greenhouse, discarding my coat that had spores all over it.
“Hina! Just hold on! I’ll—!”
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from the entrance of the greenhouse. In the center of the searing fire was Hina, writhing in pain.
“Hinasis!!”
Retti could barely approach, stomping her feet in distress. Her hands, which were supposed to be controlling Kina and Luka, were trembling.
“Li-Linne… Hina seems unable to control her abilities because she’s in so much pain…”
Luka said hesitantly. Hina’s condition was worsening, and if left untreated, it would reach a truly dangerous level.
“Damn it!”
I rushed straight to the water pump. I grabbed a bucket full of water and poured it over my head.
Swoosh!
The thick stream of water soaked me. As cold water drenched me, I felt my mind snap back to focus.
I rushed toward Hina and chewed the Caltha palustris petals, preparing to help.
And—
“Linnegrim!!”
“Linne!”
I embraced the burning Hina.
“Ugh…”
The water droplets on my skin evaporated instantly under the intense heat. My clothes burned, sticking to my skin, causing excruciating pain.
Without hesitation, I spat out the chewed Caltha palustris and made Hina swallow it.
“Hina. It’s hard, but you have to swallow. Can you do it?”
“Ugh, ugh…”
“Good girl. Just once…”
Her swollen esophagus convulsed as she swallowed the petals.
I lifted Hina and ran to the water pump. As cold water from the pump poured over us, steam billowed into the air. Hina, still struggling, reached out for me.
“It’s okay, Hina. It’s okay…”
“Ugh, ugh… Linne…”
“Yes, I’m here. It’s okay. Hina… it’s okay…”
“Linnegrim! Please, stop hugging Hinasis!”
Hearing Retti’s voice, I finally felt the burning sensation on my skin.
“But Hina…”
“Hinasis isn’t affected by the flames! So please…!”
Even so, I was reluctant to let go of Hina. Reluctantly, my hand was pulled away from Hina, and Retti swiftly took control.
“My goodness. What should we do…!”
Retti, who was usually so composed, had lost her calm. She glanced at my burned arms and started tearing up as she looked at the unconscious Hina.
“I was by her side, yet…”
“It’s not your fault, Retti! Hina’s illness was caused by an allergy… It seems she was stung by a bug.”
“A bug…?”
“Yes, a bug. Its stinger was embedded in her calf. We should check the kids’ bedding, just in case.”
“I’ll do that, Miss.”
“Has she been stung before? If she’s having this severe of an allergic reaction, she must have been sensitive to it before.”
“She’s been stung by bugs before, but she’s never had a reaction this severe…”
Then there were two possibilities. Either she developed a new sensitivity or she was stung by a particularly poisonous bug.
I pulled out the glass jar with the insect from my bag. I was impressed with myself for remembering to keep it despite the chaos.
“What kind of bug is this…?”
I’d never seen anything like it before.
“Miss, let’s look at the bug later. First, we should focus on treatment…”
“I’m fine. But Hina should be okay first…”
Fortunately, after the flames had subsided, Hina’s breathing gradually stabilized. It was slow, but regular. This was the effect of swallowing the Caltha palustris petals about half an hour later.
Finally, the flames that had surrounded Hina’s body completely dispersed. I held Hina, who was curled up, in my arms.
Her body felt warm to the touch.
“Retti, Hina will be fine now.”
“…Yes. It’s thanks to you, Miss.”
Retti gently stroked Hina’s forehead as she shed a tear. When her hand touched Hina, Hina’s eyes twitched, and she smiled faintly.
“Waaahhh—!!”
Ah, right. Kina and Luka were still here. They had been waiting patiently.
I pulled Kina, who was clinging to my waist, into my arms. My arms still stung, but it was bearable.
“Linne, is Hina okay…?”
“Of course. Hina’s fine now. Kina and Luka have been so brave—”
“Waaaah!!”
“Luka…?”
Oh my. It was the first time I saw Luka cry. He had always acted so maturely, so seeing him tear up was a surprise. I watched in awe as Luka, who had been so composed, burst into tears as soon as he heard that Hina was okay.
“Hina, I’m sorry… Waaah… Luka will forgive you, so please get up. Sister….”
Luka struggled to hold back his sobs and gently rubbed Hina’s cheek. The cool hand against her cheek seemed to comfort Hina, who gave a faint smile. Her trembling eyelids opened, and her golden eyes met Luka’s.
“Hehe… Luka’s hand is so cool…”
“Hina…”
Luka jumped up and grabbed my hand, then placed Hina’s hand in mine.
“Hina, I’m fine. Luka can wait. You hold Linne’s hand, okay? Don’t collapse…”
“Is it okay…?”
“Yes. If Hina’s fine, I’m okay. I can wait. I’ll do whatever Hina wants.”
“Hehe… Luka is the best…”
Hina, who was holding my hand, used her other hand to hold Luka’s. Luka, too, gave a faint smile as he looked at Hina.
When we arrived at the Divine Palace, chaos ensued among the servants, as expected.
“Oh my! Hinasis! What happened?!”
“Linnegrim, what are you doing again!!”
The palace became noisy in an instant, and even the divine beasts ran out in a hurry. Hearing Hinasis’ name, it seemed like they knew something was wrong.
The first to come out was, coincidentally, Elder Fondel. He alternately glared at Hina, who was limp, and at me, before shouting without any regard.
“You! What did you do to Hinasis!”
Seriously, my condition looked far worse, right? My clothes were burned, and my upper body had extensive burns too!
Just as I was about to snap back at him, someone else stepped forward. It was Retti, who had been watching everything unfold.
“Miss Linnegrim hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, she saved Hinasis’ life. Elder Fondel.”
Retti spoke calmly but firmly, showing her anger clearly.
“What does that mean, Chamberlain?”
“Hinasis was stung by a bug and had an extreme allergic reaction. After holding her while she was burning, Miss Linnegrim administered the proper treatment. If not for her, the Lufriela clan might have lost a precious member.”
“Hah. What nonsense are you speaking!”
Elder Fondel raised his hand high, as if to strike Retti. But it was immediately grabbed by Lunares, the head of the Lufriela clan.
Smack! Elder Fondel’s wrinkled hand was firmly held, and the sound of scratching his throat echoed.
“Dare you try to strike the chamberlain I personally appointed, Fondel?”
“Then what? Should I have just watched that woman’s concoction be used on Hinasis?”
“Speak clearly, Fondel. Hinasis’ condition was caused by your actions.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
A golden light emanated from beneath Lunares’ feet. Lunares was quietly fuming with rage.
“If you hadn’t destroyed Linnegrim’s remedy, Hinasis wouldn’t have been hurt by the bug.”
I heard him take a deep breath. Fondel opened his mouth, then shouted.
“Head, what do you mean by that?! Should we just stand by while a mere servant uses something she made on Hinasis?!”
And choas + heat= even more chaos. So that sums up this chapter!~