Ronava's brows furrowed slightly. Perhaps she had heard Lin En talking to himself, or perhaps the fever was simply making her uncomfortable.
Her cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, her breaths short and rapid. Her hair was still wet, leaving her looking like a drowned rat.
Lin En withdrew the hand he had used to pinch her cheek and cursed himself inwardly. What a time to be unable to keep his hands to himself.
He stood and looked around the cave. Someone had evidently sheltered there for a short while before: a pile of dry grass lay in one corner, and several nails protruded from the stone wall, seemingly for hanging things. A few pieces of broken rock were scattered across the ground. Other than that, there was nothing.
Looking at Ronava's increasingly flushed face, Lin En grew more and more anxious.
He reached out to feel her forehead again. It was even hotter than before.
Her lips seemed to move, as though she were saying something, but her voice was so faint that Lin En couldn't hear her at all.
He leaned closer and barely managed to make out a few words.
"...Don't touch me..."
She was burning up, yet she still talked tough.
Lin En wrapped his outer robe more tightly around her, took out a small porcelain bowl, and poured into it the water from the little flask he had brought with him. He set it over the fire to heat.
He also added two of the few remaining pieces of dry firewood, and the flames grew a little higher.
Ronava suddenly stirred.
She slid down the stone wall and tipped to one side.
Lin En quickly reached out to catch her. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, her burning forehead pressed against his neck.
Lin En froze, both hands hovering in midair. He didn't know where to put them.
"Cold..."
Ronava murmured the single word indistinctly. The fever had clearly left her somewhat delirious.
Lin En took a deep breath and told himself this was a special situation.
He raised one hand and carefully put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a steadier place to lean.
Ronava curled up at his side, drawing herself into a ball as she tried to snuggle into his arms.
His arm encircled her shoulders, but he dared neither hold her tightly nor let go.
The rain outside the cave gradually eased from a downpour to a light drizzle, though there was no telling when it would stop.
The autumn chill seeped in through the cave entrance. Although his body blocked most of it, a trace slipped around him and wrapped itself around Ronava, making her shiver again.
"Sigh, why is your fever so bad? Are you really the Ruler of Death I remember?"
Lin En looked down at her. The firelight illuminated her profile; her usual cold severity and arrogance had faded, leaving only pallor and weakness.
"So even the mighty Ruler has days like this."
He made the quiet remark in mockery.
He wanted to move his hand from her shoulder, but after a moment's hesitation, he placed it on her forehead. She was still burning up. Forget it.
With his other hand, he felt inside his robes and found the cloth soaked in medicinal liquid that he had used to dress Ronava's wound earlier.
"I need to bring her fever down."
Lin En gently laid her down, soaked the towel in rainwater, wrung it out, and placed it on Ronava's forehead. Her brows relaxed a little, and her breathing grew steadier.
He stayed in that position, one arm around her and his other hand holding the cloth against her forehead, repeating the process every ten minutes.
He didn't know how much time had passed before the rain finally stopped, but it was still very dark outside the cave, so they could only rest there for the time being.
Day broke, and Lin En woke up.
His shoulder ached and tingled, almost numb. He had barely rested the night before. He moved gently, intending to change positions, but Ronava's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
She blinked, her gaze focusing on Lin En's face so close to hers. Then she looked down at where she was leaning against his shoulder, before noticing his arm around her shoulders.
Lin En felt her wake up and immediately went rigid, even holding his breath.
"...What did you do?"
Her voice was hoarse and weak, yet distant.
"You got a fever after being caught in the rain."
Lin En hurried to explain.
"It was pretty bad. I was afraid you'd fall to the ground, so..."
"So you held me?"
"I was supporting you."
Her gaze lingered on Lin En's face for a long time. Then she slowly raised a hand and touched the cloth on her forehead with her fingertips.
"...You put this on me?"
"Yeah."
"You stayed up all night?"
"With your fever that bad, how could I dare sleep?"
Ronava was silent for a moment before speaking, entirely unappreciative.
"It was just a minor illness. The sickness of death is far more terrifying than this."
Lin En grimaced but said nothing. She could say what she liked, as long as she was all right.
Ronava took the towel off her forehead and clutched it in her hand. She stared at it for two seconds, then reached out and handed it to Lin En.
"I don't like owing people favors. You helped me, so I'll repay you once I've recovered."
Lin En took the towel, secretly pleased. Did that mean she wouldn't hold his earlier discourtesies against him?
"The rain's stopped."
Lin En spoke as he looked at the morning sun outside the cave.
"We should be able to reach Liyue Harbor before it's fully light. Let's go."
After hearing him, Ronava tried to stand on her own, but her legs still gave way, and Lin En, who stood in front of her, caught her by the arm.
Ronava paused, but didn't shake him off.
Lin En noticed that. Had her affection for him increased? She hadn't even shown any disdain.
"Climb on. It'll be easier to travel now that it's light, but your fever just broke. You shouldn't push yourself."
Ronava looked at his back.
This time, she didn't hesitate for long before placing her arms over his shoulders and pressing herself against his back.
Lin En stood, supporting her thighs. He felt her cheek press against the back of his neck, and her warm breath brushed the hair at his temples, making him blush a little.
They hadn't gone far when Ronava spoke up of her own accord.
"Lin En."
"Hmm?"
"...If you ever dare pinch my cheek again, I'll chop your hand off."
Lin En's foot slipped when he heard that, and he nearly fell into a mud puddle by the roadside.
Even with a fever, she remembered it so clearly. So she had indeed known about his overstepping.
Liyue Harbor was even livelier than Lin En had imagined.
Moonchase Festival decorations stretched all the way from the city gate to the docks. Red silk and lanterns hung from the eaves, and vendors lined the streets, their cries rising and falling.
When Lin En entered the city carrying Ronava on his back, he attracted quite a few looks. A young man carrying a silver-haired girl into the city was bound to draw attention.
Ronava buried her face against the back of his neck. She didn't want anyone to see her. If someone recognized her, in her current weakened state, whether she could even escape would be a question.
"Put me down."
She spoke suddenly, her tone firm.
"Can you walk on your own?"
"Do you want everyone in Liyue to see me being carried around?"
Left with no choice, Lin En found a stone bench on a street corner and set her down.
Ronava's feet touched the ground, and she staggered before steadying herself against the stone table beside the bench. Her complexion had improved since early morning, but she was still pale.
"Wait here. I'll find an inn and come back for you in a little while."
"Mm."