The Kingmaker System Chapter 768 - 767. What’s Overwork? (1)

Four days had passed since Sestia had been under the siege and three days since Roan got any sleep. With the piling work from both Ryujin household and Oasis Foundation, he hadn’t been able to rest at all. He had segregated the work between the junior aides and also with the other administratives who worked for Oasis Foundation but with Ocean not being around it was Roan’s responsibility to check all the reports and also to make sure nothing was amiss or no mistake was made in this time of chaos.

Roan was presently in his office again writing and checking the reports that were pouring in from every territory that had been damaged. With the Foundation’s involvement and the steady outflow of the funds and rations he had to stay vigil for this one task and also be quick since the need for these facilities was of great importance.

Roan stifled a yawn and drank a sip of the tea that had already gone cold before he flipped the pages. The words seemed to be rolling off the surface as he rubbed his eyes and focused. He felt the chills run down his back and he suppressed a shiver, before he closed the window behind him.

The three juniors who saw him couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy and respect for their senior who had been working so hard in these past few days.

"Um... Mr Roan, why don’t you take some rest?" Esme spoke up after a long time of contemplation.

"Yes, I mean, you look really tired and we can lend you a hand with this." Blake added.

Julio nodded along, "We were hired to lessen your workload after all."

Roan hummed without lifting his head and then said, "I’m fine, you three have your own piles to deal with finish that."

The three glanced at each other, Roan was thorough with his job since he was Ocean’s aide and the one who would make all the administrative and financial decisions in his absence but to see him work like this was pitiful. Still, he was stubborn enough to not leave any place for mistakes so, he would do it on his own.

Just then they heard a knock and without lifting his head Roan spoke, "Come in."

The door opened and Enora walked in with the tray of tea and some sandwiches. She looked at the three junior aides who silently signaled her with their eyes gesturing towards Roan and she nodded.

"Mr Roan, why don’t you take a break and eat something?" She spoke as she placed the tray down.

"I will, after I’m done with this." He spoke and then cursed under his breath as he scribbled something on the report paper.

Enora sighed, "You will ruin your health like this, Mr Roan."

"I’ll be fine, Master will be back by tomorrow or day after tomorrow." He said, "Once he’s here, I’ll take a damn vacation."

Enora glanced at the three juniors who reluctantly got up from their seats and sat down to eat while Enora placed two sandwiches in a plate and a tea cup bringing it to Roan’s desk and placed it there.

"Eat now." She spoke.

"Later."

"Mr Roan," Roan nearly flinched hearing the iciness in her voice and then stopped writing glancing at her, her lips were smiling but her eyes were like sharp daggers. He felt the chills running down his back again.

"Eat. Now."

Roan gulped before he sighed and grabbed a sandwich stuffing it in his mouth and then downed the hot tea.

Enora sighed watching him wipe his hands and then return to his work again.

The whole day passed by and the three juniors on Roan’s word left the office, shuffling slowly out hoping that he would change his mind and let them help him. But he didn’t.

Roan stayed alone in the office as the hours passed by he went over the documents, reports and the numbers properly before writing back the responses.

He knew he was overdoing himself but he knew if there was any mistake it would affect the lives of those who depended on Oasis Foundation to help them during these tough times. People losing the houses, livelihoods and loved ones wasn’t a new thing that Roan was seeing, he was far to familiar with this pattern. He had experienced it himself after all. And though, it wasn’t exactly the same scenario as he had seen when he was young but he empathized with those who were suffering.

He managed to get away from that period and eventually was scouted by Ocean to work for him, he always saw this as an opportunity to do the same for the others. He wasn’t in the position to help anyone in the past but now he could, and he wasn’t going to let a little bit of fatigue take that away from him.

Roan cleared his throat, finding it scratchy and reached out for the glass of water on his desk. But it was empty, he sighed and then went back to writing. The office seemed unusually cold for some reason and Roan could feel the pounding headache starting to pulse in his forehead making it harder for him to focus.

He wondered if the fatigue and exhaustion was finally catching up to him or something before he pushed himself up from the chair. But the moment he did that, his vision swam and he gripped his desk to steady himself.

He shook his head again and then glanced at the piles of papers on his desk, he had managed to finish most of the urgent paper work so, he could squeeze in at least a couple of hours of sleep and maybe that would also help his exhaustion.

Roan nodded finding it a better option before he staggered over to the sofa in the office, he felt too lazy to go all the way to his room since he still had more work to do.

Roan plopped down on the sofa and rested his head against the armrest, feeling the strange sensation of chills running over his body, the room that felt cold earlier now felt suffocating. Roan closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep hoping it would all go away when he felt another sensation which made him groan.

His stomach grumbled loudly, having only eaten two sandwiches in the afternoon, he had basically starved himself and now that he was off work for some time, his hunger pangs had returned. He hated it, he didn’t want to get up. In the time that he had stayed cooped up in the office barely eating and only leaving the office to take his baths he hadn’t been able to see Remi. Thinking of Remi, Roan felt another set of chills over his body.

Roan groaned again before he turned on his side hoping the sleep would overcome it. Soon enough, he did feel the exhaustion starting to pull him under when he heard the sound of knocks on the door. He didn’t respond hoping whoever it was wouldn’t disturb him, another part of him wondered if it was Remi, Enora was the one who had been coming to the office to bring the meals but Roan, in his present state felt like it should be Remi, at least that would make him feel a little bit better. But then again, he didn’t dwell on the thought since Remi didn’t seem to be interested in him and Roan himself wasn’t able to convey his feelings.

He kept his eyes closed and then heard the sound of the knocks again, he groaned and pushed himself off the sofa feeling hot all over as he staggered to the door.

"It is unlocked, Goddammit!" He grunted as he opened the door and looked down to see Remi standing there with a tray of food in his hands.

Remi had been hearing Enora complain about how Roan had been skipping his meals and rest but he had just thought that maybe Roan was able to get some rest while he was working late. He hadn’t seen Roan since the day of the siege since he was busy with the two Princes but after hearing the concerns from almost everyone about Roan, he couldn’t help but start to feel worried himself.

So, he volunteered to bring Roan dinner. Though he had expected to see Roan in a bad state but he hadn’t expected to be greeted with a completely disheveled man who stood clinging to the door looking like he could fall over with just a slight push. His eyes seemed to be unfocused and bloodshot while his face was flushed with the stray red bangs hanging over his lashes.

"M-Mr Roan?" Remi gasped and Roan blinked slowly before a smile appeared on his face.

"Ah... Remi."

"What happened to you? Why do you-" Before Remi could question anything, Roan’s eyelids slid closed and slumped forward. Remi barely managed to balance the tray in his one hand before grabbing Roan before he could hit the ground.

"Mr Roan? Mr Roan? Hey, Roan, wake up!" Remi shouted but there was no response.

Remi felt a chill run down his spine as Roan’s body heat enveloped him. His body temperature was higher than usual. Remi cursed under his breath before he spotted a maid walking from the other side.

"O-Oh my! What happened to him?" The maid gasped.

"Get the physician to his room quickly, he’s feverish." Remi said.

He handed her the tray before he managed to carry Roan on his back.

Roan was physically taller and more muscled than Remi which was why it was a little hard for Remi to keep his balance but he could also feel the shallow and hot breaths of the passed out man on his neck.

He could hear the faint groans in his breath which made Remi grit his teeth.

Remi managed to carry Roan over to his room where the physician and the maid waited. Remi let Roan down and then looked at the physician who quickly started checking Roan’s condition.

Remi stood in the back watching silently, he knew Roam was pushing himself but to the point that he would collapse like this, it infuriated him for some reason. But while watching Roan’s flushed face, his eyebrows crinkled showing the obvious discomfort made it harder for Remi to stay angry.

The maid on Remi’s side sighed as she muttered, "It must be cold... I had seen him rushing out of his room with wet hair after his morning baths, I’m sure that’s the reason..."

Remi found it unbelievable. This man was the aide of their Master, he had a lot of responsibilities and power and yet, he was careless enough to not dry his hair after his bath and ended up catching cold because of that?!

The physician gave the same words that were on Remi’s mind.

Roan’s condition was bad, it was flu but considering that Roan didn’t rest or eat properly within the past few days it had gotten worse.