She Banished Me Yesterday, But Today She Calls Me Master? - Episode 6

“Master, has your fever gone down?”

“Yeah, probably thanks to your meals and care, Linde. My appetite’s back, too.”

After dinner, I answered with a gentle smile to ease Linde’s worries. It wasn’t a lie. The meals she prepared had an almost miraculous effect, and her devoted nursing—regularly changing my towel and checking on me—had helped me recover nearly completely.

“Master, while it seems your fever has subsided, I believe the recovery phase is actually the most dangerous. That’s why I will now administer a special form of care to help restore your strength.”

Linde said this with a serious expression, and I tilted my head from where I lay in bed.

“Special care?”

“Yes. It’s an ancient treatment passed down in my friend’s homeland.”

Smiling, Linde picked up a towel and a basin of water.

“Wiping down the body and regulating temperature is said to be the most effective remedy.”

“Huh? Wipe my body? I can do that myself, you know.”

I sat up instinctively. I thought she was joking, but her eyes were dead serious—she even exuded the intensity of a hunter closing in on her prey.

Wait, seriously?!

“No, this is a crucial part of the treatment. In my friend’s homeland, wiping down the body is believed to cleanse bad energy!”

Linde’s tone was completely earnest, as if quoting from some suspicious-sounding book. She dipped the towel in the water and began wringing it out with care. She didn’t seem very experienced with this sort of thing—maybe she’d read something weird in one of her friend’s books. And suddenly talking about her “friend’s homeland” like that…

I tried to stop her.

“Linde, I’m really fine, you don’t have to—”

Before I could finish, Linde’s hands were already on the buttons of my shirt.

“Wait, hold on! This is going too far!!”

Panicking, I grabbed her hands. She looked at me, confused.

“Why? I’m only concerned about your health, Master.”

“I know, I know… But—when a man and a woman are alone in a room and start undressing, it carries… a certain meaning, you get that, right?”

Linde’s confused expression slowly gave way to a blush that spread across her cheeks.

“A certain meaning… Oh. I see. I was only worried about you, truly…”

“It’s fine, I understand. But listen—this kind of thing is only okay between siblings or something, so please don’t go telling anyone else, okay?”

“Yes… Which means, Master, you do see me as the opposite s3x?”

“Of course I do. You’re really beautiful, Linde.”

Maybe I hadn’t fully shaken off the fever yet, because my honest thoughts just slipped out.

But really—can you blame me? She’s beautiful, kind, and incredibly devoted. Of course I’d be aware of her that way.

Linde looked surprised for a moment, and I started to worry I’d been too blunt. But then she smiled happily.

“Thank you. I’m truly glad you think of me that way.”

“Y-yeah… So anyway, from here on, I’ll take care of the rest myself. Could you leave the room for a bit?”

“Understood. Then, I’ll go prepare the other treatment.”

“…Other treatment?”

A bad feeling crept in as I watched her leave the room. I quietly wiped myself down, unwilling to make her worry again.

“Still… what is this, exactly?”

I looked at the faint markings that had appeared on my arms since being exiled from Eltrinde, and let out a long sigh.

________________________________________

“Master… are you still awake?”

“Yeah, I napped during the day, so I’m having trouble falling asleep.”

As I lay on the bed, staring off into space, Linde came in.

“Perfect. Warming the body is key to recovery. If I envelop you in my body heat, you’ll be back to full strength by tomorrow.”

With that, she sat gently on the edge of the bed. Her cheeks were flushed, and for some reason, there was a sensual air about her.

“W-wait, Linde! That’s going too far too!”

“Just for a little while. Until you feel better, Master…”

Her serious gaze rendered me speechless. Quietly, she slipped under the covers and lay beside me. Her warmth pressed against my side, oddly comforting and relaxing.

“You’re so warm, Linde…”

I reached out and touched her hand, surprised by how warm it was. The heat from her skin radiated into mine.

“Yes… I soaked in a hot bath to raise my temperature just for this.”

“Wait, you went that far for me?”

My eyes widened. I hadn’t realized she’d gone to such lengths. A warmth bloomed in my chest.

Blushing, she looked up at me with soft eyes.

“Because your health is the most important thing to me, Master.”

Her devotion made my heart pound faster. Every time her delicate fingers brushed my arm, it only sped up. Was this really just gratitude I was feeling… or something more?

“Thank you, Linde. But really, you didn’t have to—”

“I insist. For you, this much is nothing.”

Her words trailed off, and a gentle stillness settled between us. I had the sudden urge to pull her into a hug but held back with all my strength.

Her scent evoked something nostalgic, like the days I spent in Eltrinde…

Just then, a dull ache pulsed through the dark markings on my left arm. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Linde’s warmth and kindness had completely captivated me.

“Master, your face is red. Do you still have a fever?”

She gently pressed her hand to my forehead with such natural tenderness that I felt something crumble inside me.

“N-no… I’m fine. Actually, Linde, your face is bright red too.”

“T-that’s because… I’m a little nervous too…”

Her whisper sent a shiver through me. Drowsiness crept in. As sleep overtook me, I caught the scent of her hair—so familiar, so reminiscent.

This smell… just like Eltrinde’s… Could it be…?

The thought flashed through my mind—until Linde shifted slightly, and her chest pressed against me. Soft. Definitely not Eltrinde’s. She was always slender, even when we shared a bed during tense nights before battles.

Yeah, that confirms it… or so I thought—

“Good night, Onii— I mean, Master.”

I froze. Did she just… call me Onii—? But before I could chase the thought further, sleep finally claimed me.

________________________________________

The next morning, I woke up alone.

Was it all a dream?

But on the pillow beside me, a single silver hair glistened in the morning light.

“Linde… who are you, really?”

I picked up the hair and held it up to the sunlight, watching it shimmer.

________________________________________

“Anbie! Listen to this!”

Eltrinde returned to her secret room in the royal palace, hopping with childlike excitement. Her silver hair sparkled under the moonlight, and her cheeks were flushed rosy pink.

“Lady Eltrinde, you’re so excited… don’t tell me you attacked Lord Asto?! I didn’t think anyone would actually follow through on one of those steamy books…”

Anbie remained calm, though a hint of disbelief clouded her eyes.

“Of course I didn’t do anything like that! I just snuggled with my brother! Just like you said! He was confused at first, but he let me!”

“Ugh… You actually did it…”

Ignoring Anbie’s stunned look, Eltrinde continued breathlessly.

“Lying next to him, feeling his warmth… it was heaven! I could hear him breathe, smell him… His warmth filled me up, my heart was pounding—I never wanted the night to end!”

“Lady Eltrinde, please calm down. If you get too worked up, the curse mark—”

Eltrinde glanced at her left arm. The black markings shimmered faintly. She took a deep breath, trying to settle herself… but the excitement bubbled right back up.

“Feeling his body heat… it made me so happy! The way his arm brushed against me, the sound of his heartbeat, his sleeping face… Oh, how I wish I could go back to that moment!”

Anbie sighed deeply and nodded in resignation.

“Congratulations, Lady Eltrinde.”

“Thank you! Now I just have to think of a way to stay even closer to him starting tomorrow. But tonight…”

Eltrinde walked to the window, gazing up at the starry sky. Her expression glowed with joy—tinged with a faint, wistful shadow.

“Tonight, I just want to savor this happiness.”