Paralyzed (Tboah!AlbeCale)

33) Cale is sick and it's karma for you guys calling him hot

"Basen, do you have a clock in this room? I can't find one."

"Oh, I think it's around the corner, but the time is probably past 11 by now. Are you leaving soon?"

Vinny sadly nodded her head. Eric was herding her towards the door like a shepherd shortly after hearing the time, so all she could do was resign to her fate.

"I apologize, but we have another appointment to get to. The moment Cale becomes well, please send us a letter or message and we will visit again."

Violan straightened a loose piece of hair as she responded with a small smile. "Of course. We wish to see you two again as well, young master Eric and young lady Vinny."

"Yes, have a wonderful afternoon then! Oh, and say hi to the count for me—!"

Vinny was nearly cut off as Eric ushered her out of the room. They had spent so much time visiting that they would soon be late for their next appointment.

After the Wheelsman siblings left, the Henituse family sighed softly. It was also time for them to let Cale rest. Hopefully they wouldn't get sick from staying next to him for so long.

"Come on, we'll let hyung rest until dinnertime, then we can visit again, okay?"

"... Fine..."

Lily begrudgingly followed behind her brother, feeling slightly guilty that she had spent all of that time talking with Vinny and not Cale, despite him being asleep. She felt like she should have at least said a few greetings, but all she did was stare at his sleeping face.

Basen followed behind his mother as she reached for the door handle, only to step back in surprise when it opened on its own. The Henituse family shuffled back a little to create some distance before noticing who it was.

"Your highness...?"

"Ah, lady Violan was here after all. The count is looking for you. My father and I will depart within the hour as well."

Alberu Crossman was speaking in a polite tone, showing a polite smile, and had an aura of politeness around him. However, he also happened to be holding the physician in charge of Cale's health by the shoulders with both hands, as if to escort him into the infirmary by force.

Violan chose to ignore that, and gently held her childrens' sleeves as they walked back to Deruth's office.

Click.

Alberu spoke immediately after the door shut. "The faster you finish, the faster you can go back to eating."

He let go of the physician's shoulders as well, but still guided him towards Cale. These were the only three people in the entire infirmary, which held over twenty other beds.

The physician swallowed his nerves as he stood next to Cale Henituse's bed. Cale was sweaty and red still, but also shivering slightly. His sleeping face was tense as if he was feeling a lot of pain, and Alberu also noticed that he looked the same as when he was first placed in that bed.

Meaning that nobody had checked up on him since Alberu had dropped him off.

Which was over an hour ago.

The physician glanced at Alberu again, feeling extremely confused as to why royalty was even here in the first place, let alone paying attention to the biggest trash in the kingdom. He had been eating lunch in the garden when the crown prince had snatched him up and led him here with no warning.

"T, the young master just has a fever. Your highness, with all due respect, I do not know what more you expect me to do. I'm sure you already know that healing potions do not work on common sicknesses, so all the young master can do is fight it on his own."