Does Spring Come Even for a Dying Esper

What is this?

Iberis blinked, staring blankly at the doctor’s gown covering his body. Then, as another shadow overlapped his own and a pleasant baritone voice wrapped around his ears, he turned his head.

“I’ll escort you by car.”

“…Captain?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Lucas, who answered curtly, quickly scanned Iberis up and down. He didn’t seem to be aware of it yet, but his body was trembling slightly. His complexion was pale, like someone who had fallen into cold water, and his white, chapped lips had a bluish tinge.

“I told you to stay back because it’s dangerous.”

“The battle is over, so it’s no longer dangerous. I don’t see any living monsters. Let’s move quickly. I’ll guide you before the aftereffects get worse.”

“Guide? Ah…”

Iberis only then realized why Lucas had come to him and let out a small exclamation. He hadn’t thought about it when he saw him because he had rarely been guided immediately after a battle.

“Wait, the cleanup…”

“Lieutenant Cali will handle the cleanup.”

“Brenda?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, Major, all the squad members just lazily caught a few monsters.”

Iberis slightly furrowed his brow at the strangely prickly voice. As he was about to say something to Lucas, he suddenly burst into coughing.

“Cough!”

“Major?”

“I’m fine, cough! Huff, cough, cough…!”

Iberis, who was trying to say he was fine, bent over and coughed. As the tension released, an unbearable chill rose from within. Along with it, goosebumps spread all over his body, and his hands and feet stiffened.

“Hoo…”

A frosty cold breath escaped between his lips, which had barely stopped coughing. Iberis bit his lip, feeling a chill run through his entire body. As his body temperature dropped, his vision blurred and he felt intense dizziness.

“Tsk.”

Lucas clicked his tongue briefly, watching Iberis shiver all over. The cold energy emanating from him sent chills down Lucas’s spine.

“Excuse me.”

There was no time. Lucas, sensing the mana surging inside Iberis, moved without hesitation. He wrapped his arms around Iberis, supporting his back and lower pelvis with his hands, and lifted him up in one swift motion.

“Ah!”

Surprised by the floating sensation, Iberis opened his eyes wide. Before he could grasp what was happening, he felt a firm chest and broad shoulders against him.

“W-What are you…”

Iberis, realizing he was being carried like a princess by Lucas, struggled in embarrassment. However, this only made Lucas tighten his grip.

“Please stay still. We’re going to the car like this.”

“No, people will…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Lucas, who had calmly replied, gave a cold glance to the squad members who were staring at them with surprised expressions. They all quickly averted their gaze when they met his eyes.

“Please bear with it for a moment. Rest comfortably on my shoulder.”

“That… ah, alright.”

Iberis, who had been fumbling in confusion, sighed and relaxed his body. Honestly, he didn’t have the strength to push Lucas away. He rested his forehead on Lucas’s shoulder, feeling his body convulse with chills. The warm temperature seeping through seemed intent on thawing his frozen cheeks.

Flinch.

Iberis’s hunched shoulders twitched at the warm body heat transmitted through their contact. He had felt something similar before. It might sound strange, but it was similar to when his mother held him as a child. Perhaps that’s why he felt as if he was in the arms of someone he had longed for for a long time.

While Iberis was enveloped in this strange sensation reminiscent of old memories, Lucas walked briskly, carrying him. Finally reaching Iberis’s military vehicle, Lucas opened the back seat door with his thumb. His fingerprint was already registered as Iberis’s guide when they came here.

The military vehicle, much larger than a regular car, had no problem accommodating two adult men sitting together. Lucas sat down on the seat, still holding Iberis in his arms, and without hesitation removed his gloves. Then he firmly grasped Iberis’s hand, which was completely devoid of color.

“I’m starting now.”

“Wait, hnngh!”

Ignoring Iberis’s words, Lucas drew up his mana. Immediately, a cold energy, even rougher and fiercer than yesterday, surged up as if to devour his hand. It was Iberis’s mana.

Anyone else would have screamed and withdrawn their hand long ago, but Lucas only twitched an eyebrow once and continued guiding. The car interior, which had been warm from the heater being left on even after arrival, suddenly cooled down. A faint frost even formed on the windows.

Lucas, undeterred, poured his mana into Iberis’s body. The golden mana, sparkling like sunlight, gently enveloped the swirling silver mana, gradually calming it.

“Haa, ugh…”

“Take deep breaths, slowly.”

“Hoo… huu.”

“That’s right. Exhale slowly. Feel like you’re releasing everything to the very end.”

Iberis followed the voice whispering in his ear, repeatedly taking deep breaths and exhaling. With each breath, a warm energy filled his body. The redness in his fingertips, as if frostbitten, and the throbbing pain in his toes gradually subsided.

“Slowly…”

Lucas gently stroked Iberis’s trembling back with his free hand. The man in his arms seemed so small and pitiful, it was hard to believe he was the Esper who had just brutally slaughtered monsters.

That’s why he didn’t reject Iberis, who was unconsciously seeking warmth in his embrace. Instead, he lowered the hand patting Iberis’s back to grasp his slender waist, pulling him closer. Although it wasn’t the first time he had seen an Esper suffering from mana overload or insufficient guiding, he couldn’t understand why he felt this way.

Perhaps it was because of Iberis’s appearance, which made him look much younger than his actual age. Or maybe it was the doctor in him that was bothered by the sickly face and gaunt body.

Lucas tried to identify the cause of his inexplicable unease while calmly continuing the guiding. Perhaps due to the rapidly dropping temperature in the car, he felt a chill near his shoulder blades.

“It’s done.”

The guiding ended when Iberis’s breathing became stable. Lucas felt that the breath tickling his neck was no longer cold and released his hand.

“Major?”

“Ah.”

When Lucas called out once more, focus returned to Iberis’s gray eyes. He languidly examined his hand, which had stopped trembling, as if waking from sleep. It wasn’t just his hand. The cold and pain that had consumed his entire body had vanished. The mana that had been raging inside him had also calmed down.

“This is…”

Iberis slightly opened his mouth, as if unable to believe the change in his body. He looked utterly dumbfounded.

It was understandable, as this was the first time his mana had calmed so quickly after using his ability to the point of experiencing aftereffects. It was a sensation he had never felt with sedatives or purifiers.

“What did you do to me?”

“The way you say it makes it sound like I did something bad. I merely guided you.”

“Guiding…”

Iberis repeated Lucas’s words with a still bewildered expression. He slowly clenched and unclenched his fist. As he had thought yesterday, it felt as if the world he had known until now was fake. At the same time, an inexplicable fear welled up. He felt that if he wasn’t careful, he might become addicted to this experience.

“What I’ve done now is just calming your overflowing mana, so none of the problems in your body have been resolved. They might have even gotten worse. So, get some sleep until we reach the base.”

“Sleep? Now?”

“Yes, rest is what you need most. Sleeping is the best way to replenish the energy you’ve lost in battle.”

After finishing his words, Lucas reached out and picked up a thermos prepared in the car. When he opened the lid, a faint steam rose. It had cooled down in the meantime. He poured the tea into the thermos lid, using it as a makeshift cup.

“It’s a bit cool, but please drink it.”

“What is it?”

“Cinnamon tea. It’s good for warming your hands and feet, and it’s also effective for abdominal cold symptoms. It’s used a lot as a medicinal herb, so it’s better than chamomile tea.”

“Hmm, thanks.”

Iberis made an intriguing expression as he realized Lucas had prepared the tea for him. Awkwardly thanking him, Iberis sipped the cinnamon tea with its distinctive spicy flavor. The aftertaste was slightly sweet, suggesting honey had been added.

“Is it not too spicy? I did add honey.”

“It’s fine. It’s drinkable.”

“So, not delicious. I’ll add more honey next time.”

“Uh, um…”

Iberis rolled his eyes and downed the rest of the tea in one go. Although it was lukewarm, it was enough to warm his chilled insides.

“If you’re done drinking, give me the lid and close your eyes now.”