Chapter 17
1431 Words
– Winter Fever
An Unusual Morning
The next morning, Rei woke up first. Usually, Hana would be calling, “My darling husband!” as soon as her eyes opened, but this time the room was quiet.
Rei turned to see Hana still asleep. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing seemed heavy. He touched her forehead—it was hot.
“Fever,” Rei muttered, his voice low but full of concern.
He immediately called the inn staff to prepare warm water, cloths, and herbal remedies. Villagers who heard the news were shocked.
“The commander’s wife is sick?”
“God, may she recover quickly.”
Yet Rei closed the door tightly. He wanted to care for his wife himself.
---
A Panicked Husband
Rei sat beside the bed, staring at Hana’s pale face. His hands trembled as he placed a cool cloth on her forehead.
Hana opened her eyes slowly.
“My darling husband… why do you look so tense?”
Rei immediately grabbed her hand.
“You have a fever. Why didn’t you tell me you were exhausted yesterday?”
Hana smiled weakly.
“Because I didn’t want to miss a single moment with you…”
Rei was silent. His chest felt tight. He lowered his head and kissed her hand tenderly.
“Your happiness should not come at the cost of your health, Hana. From now on, I won’t let you overexert yourself.”
---
Sweet Medicine
The herbal remedy was brought by the villagers. Rei prepared it himself, mixing honey to mask the bitterness. As he tried to feed it to her, Hana shook her head playfully.
“If you don’t feed me yourself… I won’t drink it.”
Rei looked at her, serious but blushing.
“You’re so spoiled…”
Still, he fed her spoonful by spoonful, blowing on it to cool it down.
After finishing, Hana smiled contentedly.
“Thank you, my darling husband. If I had to be sick to be cared for like this every time, I wouldn’t mind it at all.”
Rei tapped her forehead gently.
“Don’t say silly things. I’d rather have you healthy and noisy every morning.”
---
Night with a Promise
By nightfall, Hana’s temperature began to drop. She curled up in Rei’s embrace, eyes half-closed.
“My darling husband…” she whispered.
“Yes?”
“If someday I get even sicker… promise you won’t leave me.”
Rei looked at her deeply. His voice trembled slightly.
“I don’t just promise, Hana. I swear to God, I will always protect you. In health, in sickness, until death separates us.”
Hana smiled in relief and fell asleep, her hand still tightly holding his.
Rei stayed awake the whole night, watching the candle and her breathing—like the world would collapse if he looked away for even a second.
– The Spoiled One Recovers
A Morning with a Smile
The winter sunlight filtered through the curtains. Rei opened his eyes and finally heard the cheerful voice he had missed.
“My darling husband~ good morning!”
Hana sat at the edge of the bed, her face bright even though still slightly pale.
Rei immediately took her hand.
“Are you feeling better?”
Hana nodded slightly.
“Better, but I still want to be spoiled. You don’t mind, right?”
Rei stared at her for a long moment, then gently stroked her hair.
“Seems like I’ll never be able to refuse your requests.”
---
A Short Walk
Though still weak, Hana insisted on going outside. Rei finally relented, holding her arm firmly as if ready to catch her at any moment.
Villagers who saw them whispered among themselves.
“That’s the commander’s wife? They said she was very sick yesterday, now she’s walking…”
“But look at how he holds her, like guarding a precious treasure.”
Hana smiled proudly at the comment, pressing close to Rei’s shoulder.
“My darling husband, did you hear? They’re jealous of us.”
Rei looked down slightly, voice calm but warm.
“Let them. I want them to know you’re only mine.”
---
A Small Shop and Village Children
They stopped at a small candy shop. Hana pointed at a snow-shaped candy heart.
“My darling husband, buy this for me~”
Rei purchased it, then fed it to her without a word. Village children watching were noisy.
“Wow, that lady is so spoiled!”
“Uncle Rei is so patient, even though he looks fierce.”
Hana giggled, and Rei only exhaled softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
---
Warm Sunset
As the sun began to set, Hana and Rei sat on a wooden bench in front of the inn. Hana leaned against his shoulder, holding his arm tightly.
“My darling husband, turns out being sick isn’t so bad.”
Rei turned quickly. “What do you mean?”
“Because I know… if I fall ill, you’ll take care of me with all your heart. That makes me even more certain I chose the best husband in the world.”
Rei gazed at her for a long moment, then whispered,
“Don’t speak as if you could get sick again. I’ll never let your body fall like yesterday.”
Hana’s eyes sparkled.
“Then… take care of me… for life.”
Rei lowered his head, kissing her forehead gently.
“That’s my duty.”
– Return to Headquarters
The Journey Home
The horse-drawn carriage creaked along the cobblestone road. Hana sat beside Rei, her face radiant despite her recent illness. She held his hand tightly.
“My darling husband, I can’t wait to return to headquarters. Your soldiers will be shocked to see me healthy again.”
Rei glanced at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“They’ll be even more shocked when they hear how you call me.”
Hana blushed immediately. “Hah! I’ll still call you that no matter what.”
---
A Warm Welcome
Upon arrival at headquarters, the soldiers lined up neatly. Normally the atmosphere was rigid and imposing, but this time they stared with wide eyes.
“Bro… is that… Commander Rei?”
“Yes, but… why is he holding her hand so tightly?”
“And… his smile is so gentle! We rarely see him smile, right?”
Hana waved cheerfully.
“Hello everyone~! I’m feeling better, thank you for your prayers!”
The soldiers bowed simultaneously, then whispered among themselves.
“Wow, the commander’s wife is so sweet.”
“Shh! You’ll die if she hears that.”
Rei exhaled, whispering to Hana, “You’re causing chaos among my troops.”
Hana replied innocently, “Good! Let them know their commander has the most beautiful wife.”
---
A Changed Training Ground
That day, Rei usually oversaw rigorous training. But Hana sat on a wooden bench at the side, cheering every time a soldier succeeded in a move.
“Amazing! Well done! Keep going!”
Soldiers who were already exhausted suddenly straightened up.
“Bro, I’ve never trained with the commander’s wife cheering. I feel so energized!”
“Wow, I almost fell, but her smile made me strong!”
Rei raised his voice sharply. “Focus! Don’t get distracted by a single smile.”
Yet his gaze softened when he saw Hana clapping gently.
---
Dinner at Headquarters
During dinner with the troops, Hana insisted on sitting next to Rei at the main table. She personally poured soup into his bowl.
“My darling husband, try this. I asked the chef to add a bit more spice so it’s not bland.”
Rei tasted it and nodded. “Delicious.”
The soldiers nudged each other excitedly.
“Bro, the commander said it’s delicious! He rarely praises food!”
“Seems like he wouldn’t say it if it weren’t from his wife.”
Hana smiled proudly, while Rei’s sharp gaze made the soldiers pretend to be busy with their plates.
---
A Quiet Night
After dinner, Hana and Rei walked along the headquarters corridor, lit by torches. Hana held his arm tightly.
“My darling husband, your soldiers seem scared yet impressed by me.”
Rei replied flatly, “Not by you. By me.”
Hana giggled. “Then let them fear you. I’ll be the warm side of this place.”
Rei stopped, staring at her face for a long moment.
“You always make the coldest places feel warm.”
Hana blushed, whispering softly, “And you always make my heart feel safe.”
- Writer
