Live Dungeon! Chapter 356: Caring for Hannah

That night, Amira returned not to the Clan House, but to her family home. Tsutomu suspected that the sight of the Fenrir had perhaps made her want to see Camille. But knowing better than to risk another punch, he wisely kept the thought to himself.

"You know, I think I understand now why Hannah and Daryl were so shaken up," he mused aloud. "That Fenrir… it was unlike any monster we’ve faced so far."

"Well yeah, there’s never been a monster that fought WITH us," Amy replied. "By the way, it looks like Ealdred Crow has caught on to the mechanics of the ninety-sixth layer now. We’d better pick up the pace."

"Come to think of it," Garm interjected, his indigo-furred dog ears twitching with curiosity, "that layer does seem unusual. Did you figure things out yourself, Tsutomu?"

Tsutomu quickly shook his head. "Actually, no. It was actually Hannah who triggered the discovery. She uses Magic Stones for her Magic Fist, right? She went scavenging for some on-site, and that’s when a Dragon statue reacted. Diniel noticed it first. After that, I just started covering our tracks, hiding the details and making sure no one else caught wind."

"Got it," Garm nodded, accepting the explanation without suspicion.

While it was in fact Tsutomu who had known how it worked beforehand and guided events in that direction, the story held water.

As their discussion shifted back to the Fenrir, Leleia joined the conversation. But before long, Korinna descended the stairs, brushing aside damp, pale bangs plastered to her forehead with sweat.

"How’s Hannah doing?" Tsutomu asked.

"That’s good to know. Thank you for taking care of her."

"I’ll take over for a while," Leleia offered. "You should get some rest too, Korinna."

"I could take a turn too," Amy chimed in, raising a hand.

"There’s no need," Leleia replied gently. "You’ve got exploration tomorrow. Diniel and I can handle it."

"…Wait, what?" Diniel blinked, caught off guard by the sudden inclusion. But as Leleia turned her eyes on her, giving a look that brooked no argument, Diniel resigned herself to her fate.

Later, the topic drifted to illness and how the Clan should handle such situations in the future. As they discussed it over dinner, Amy gave Tsutomu a mischievous grin.

"Still, I’m surprised Hannah was the one to fall sick. If anything, you seem like the frailest one here."

"I wouldn’t go that far," Tsutomu said with a chuckle. "But yeah, I probably get sick more easily than the rest of you."

"You HAVE been working out a little lately, so I guess you’re stronger than when you first started," Amy said, poking him teasingly in the arm.

"Still can’t beat Korinna in a spar, though."

"…That’s only because you’re too hesitant with your strikes," Korinna added gently. "If you overcame that, I’d probably lose right away."

Tsutomu smiled and subtly leaned away from Amy’s fingers as she tried to poke his biceps again. Korinna, drawn into the banter, gave a modest smile as she tried to smooth things over.

"Physically speaking, you really ARE frail, Tsutomu," Leleia said flatly. "It’s a wonder you’ve survived this long."

"Well, sure. Compared to YOU, Miss Six-Pack, I’m basically a stick figure," he quipped, glancing at her arm. "Your biceps might actually be bigger than mine."

"For someone with such a big mouth, you’re lucky we’re not in the slums," Leleia said with a sharp smile, rolling up her sleeve. "You’d have been dead five times over by now."

Her eyes, cold and piercing like a coiled serpent, locked onto him. Tsutomu, unfazed, turned to Daryl instead.

"Green-haired people are scary, huh?"

Daryl flinched, clearly unsure how to respond.

After dinner, everyone washed up and did their usual evening routines. Despite reassurances, Amy and the others still went to check on Hannah before turning in. Tsutomu hesitated for a moment, then decided to leave it for the morning and went to bed early.

The next day, Amira returned to the Clan House as if nothing had happened, prompting no comment from anyone. Tsutomu and the others then set off early to the ninety-third layer, a more sadistic version of the Swamp set of layers, by all accounts.

With Hannah still recovering, Korinna and the others stayed behind. The women took turns tending to her. Daryl had offered to help as well, but most of the care involved things he wasn’t suited for, so he spent his time visiting the orphanage or assisting Ollie with her work.

"Uuugh… My head’s spinning…"

Birdkin, by their very nature, maintained higher body temperatures than humans. When a fever struck them, it manifested intensely, bringing rapid dehydration, copious sweating, and profound fatigue. Fluid intake required meticulous management, and in more critical scenarios, abilities like [ or similar healing techniques could be utilized to stabilize them.

However, treatment administered through skills remained a poorly grasped concept. Imprudent application could disrupt the body's inherent defenses, and in infrequent instances, had resulted in fatal consequences due to a failure in antibody production. Recognizing these inherent dangers, Korinna deliberately minimized her reliance on skills, concentrating instead on diligent physical care.

Fortunately, she possessed prior experience in tending to Birdkin with dispositions similar to Hannah’s. She channeled that acquired knowledge now, laboring tirelessly to alleviate Hannah’s discomfort without recourse to Explorer skills. By the conclusion of the second day, the fever had subsided, and Hannah’s complexion showed marked improvement.

"I-I’m sorry for causing trouble…"

"It’s absolutely no bother. You just concentrate on your recovery."

Korinna gently cleansed Hannah’s skin and wings, slick with perspiration, using a towel before assisting her into fresh attire. As Hannah settled back down, looking contrite and drowsy, Korinna smoothed her hair and drew a clean blanket over her.

The subsequent day, her fever had vanished, and her appetite was beginning to reawaken. Nevertheless, an premature resumption of activity could precipitate a relapse. While constant care was no longer essential, Leleia assumed the role of primary caregiver for the day.

"Ahhh. This breeze is quite pleasant…"

"Don’t make it excessively strong," Leleia cautioned, observing the summoned Sylph.

"But my wings are terribly itchy. Just a liiittle bit stronger? Oh, how I yearn to fly again sooo badly…"

Leleia modulated the Sylph’s airflow while simultaneously summoning the Salamander to perform minor diversions, entertaining Hannah as she attended to her needs. She might have lacked Korinna’s soothing bedside manner, but her aptitude for assisting others was evident, and Hannah navigated the day without experiencing any distress.

By the following day, Hannah had already rebounded to her typically vivacious state. Still, she remained officially on sick leave to ensure a complete convalescence. Diniel was assigned as her attendant for the day, although in reality, she did little more than remain nearby, engrossed in a book, while Hannah performed stretching exercises in a corner for rehabilitation.

"…Say, Diniel, have you ever actually cared for someone before?"

"……"

"So… that means you haven’t, right."

"I can preen your feathers for you."

"Absolutely not. I suspect you would end up ripping them out."

"……"

Diniel had, in truth, offered sincere assistance when Hannah was feverish and barely conscious. However, now that Hannah was clearly out of peril, she determined that further involvement was unnecessary, and resumed her reading without comment.

That evening, Hannah was finally permitted to bathe. Although she could not submerge herself in the hot water for an extended period, she vigorously scrubbed her body and wings, feeling as though the accumulated illness and grime of the past few days had finally been washed away. She dried herself swiftly and retreated to her chamber before the evening chill could take hold, collapsing face-first onto her bed with a slight frown.

It had been five days since she had contracted the cold. Thanks to the attentive care of the girls and the crucial extra rest, she felt even more revitalized than before. Yet, something had been persistently bothering her.

"Teach is just the same as always, isn’t he… I wouldn’t be surprised if he simply reappeared in the living room tomorrow as if nothing had transpired."

Garm, Amy, and even Xeno had paid her a visit at some point, but Tsutomu alone had not made an appearance. She had partially anticipated this reaction and wasn't particularly disgruntled. If anything, she found herself anticipating the chance to deliver a hearty headbutt to him the next time they crossed paths.

"If I could receive such treatment, I would wish to fall ill myself," Diniel remarked.

"Yes, well, in reality, it’s quite unpleasant, you know? Being confined to your room the entire time."

"It sounds idyllic to me."

As she engaged in this languid banter with Diniel, who clearly harbored no inclination whatsoever to undertake any activity remotely resembling caretaking, a knock echoed at the door. Diniel remained utterly motionless. With an exasperated sigh, Hannah rose and opened it herself.

Waiting there was Tsutomu, carefully balancing a tray laden with food.

"It appears you have returned to your customary self," he commented with a gentle smile.

"Uh… uh-huh…"

Hannah froze, taken completely by surprise by the sudden arrival of the very individual she had just been discussing. Tsutomu stepped inside without preamble, placing the tray upon the table.

"I surmised you would be ready for a proper meal by now, so I brought dinner."

"Wait… why? Why did you bring it yourself?"

"Ah, well, I have an acquaintance who operates as a food supplier and was incidentally journeying towards Milny Village. I had them inquire discreetly about you while they were there, regarding your habits, your preferences, that sort of information."

"…Oh."

Hannah's gaze settled upon the food presented on the tray. A hearty stew, thick with potatoes and chicken—both breast and thigh mingled in a comforting disarray—was accompanied by a side of vibrantly fresh, boiled root greens. There were even crisp, deep-fried tarantulas, which, while many in Dungeon City might deem grotesque, certain individuals would undoubtedly hail as a delicacy. These were precisely the kinds of dishes her mother used to prepare back in their village.

"The recipes are largely unchanged," Tsutomu remarked. "Miss Ollie did incorporate a few nutritional adjustments, but I was told this fried delicacy is your absolute favorite, correct?"

"W-what about it!? Do you have an issue with that!?"

"Calm down, calm down. No need to raise your voice. You are, after all, still in the process of recovering."

"I'm perfectly FINE! I could venture into the Dungeon tomorrow if I felt like it!"

"Well, that is excellent news to hear."

"…You're acting unusually kind today. Is something wrong with YOU? Perhaps you need me to look after you for a change?"

She abruptly stood, her small feet bouncing lightly, bringing her nearly level with his eyes. Tsutomu let out a soft sigh and gently placed a hand atop her head, holding her steady.

"When a fellow Clan member falls ill, naturally, I feel a degree of concern. However, it appears you have sufficiently recovered, so I shall be relying on you once more starting tomorrow."

"Ah! So that's the motive! The classic 'relying on you' ploy! Too bad I'm not a dog-type Beastkin! It won't work on me! I won't become all sentimental like Daryl did!"

Despite her indignant words, she made no move to remove his hand from her head. Instead, she just gazed up at him, her eyes wide and filled with a playful spirit.

A further sigh escaped Tsutomu's lips as he curled his fingers into a claw and playfully messed up her hair.

"Gyaaah! What was that for!?"

"You seem quite energetic, so please eat while the food is still warm. Afterward, ensure you get some proper rest."

"I was going to do that anyway! You jerk!"

She shouted after him, clutching her now thoroughly disheveled hair as he departed the room. The tray in his hands was empty.

Nevertheless, she proceeded to devour every last morsel of the meal, muttering complaints all the while. Following that, she marched downstairs with her empty tray and insisted on a second helping, compelling Tsutomu to bring her another portion.

"My, are we certain I'm still the Clan Leader? I seem to be taking orders quite a bit today…"

"I don't know, that sounds like exactly what a leader is supposed to do!"

Her casual response caused Tsutomu to momentarily falter, a fleeting, unusual smile gracing his lips, as if recalling a long-forgotten memory. Hannah tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. Tsutomu, caught off guard by his own reaction, quickly busied himself collecting the now-finished dishes.

"So? Are you satisfied now?"

"Completely. I feel like I'm the one in charge today!"

"Yes, yes."

Afterward, he extinguished the lights and assisted her in getting settled. She snuggled beneath the blankets, only her eyes visible above the covers.

"You know, getting sick now and then might not be so bad after all."

"Let's hope that doesn't become a regular occurrence."

With a look of mild exasperation, Tsutomu exited the room, the tray in his hands, and gently closed the door behind him.