"Oh my, where is Miss Roxy? Her dinner is gonna get cold." Zenith said, wondering why Roxy was taking so long to get out of her bed.
"She said she didn't have an appetite and would not be joining us for dinner," Lilia replied.
"What? Is she all right?" Zenith responded, showing concern for the bluenette girl.
Well, she did have a sour look on her face that morning, Zenith thought.
"Hey, Rudy, did you do something?" Paul asked Rudy. Thinking his son was doing something naughty to Miss Roxy.
"Of course not, I'm always nice to Miss Roxy," Rudeus said confidently to his father. Rebuking his outlandish remark.
"Mmm, maybe Miss Roxy is sick? It worries me a little and she hasn't moved from her bed for a while. Please heal her Mommy, she could be suffering." Rudeus said while shedding fake tears and crying in front of his mother.
"Rudy, you're such a good boy?" Zenith said as she gave Rudy a loving and nurturing kiss on his forehead.
"It's gonna be okay sweetie…Mama will check on her later, so…Don't worry Rudy. Now go on and eat your dinner."
I already know why Master Roxy is staying in bed this late. Either the villagers were talking shit behind her back and she heard them or she was peeking at Zenith and Paul having sex for the very first time.
I merely turned on the waterworks and begged Zenith to tend to Roxy. So she could pamper and act motherly to her. She definitely needs it.
KNOCK—KNOCK~
"Yes, you may enter," Roxy replied as her head stood up, sitting on her bed.
"Were you up? I made you some steamed soup. Do you think you can manage taking it?" Zenith said while carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and grinning at Roxy.
"Uhh yes, thank you, Mrs.Zenith," Roxy responded awkwardly with gratitude.
"You're welcome, little Roxy," Zenith replied and then put her free hand on Roxy's forehead to check her temperature.
"Oh my, you are feeling burned up…You might have a slight fever. Maybe you're not used to life here yet." Zenith said with concern as she gently handed the tray of soup to her.
"For the meantime, I'll cast Detoxification Magic on you," Zenith said as she began chanting the spell. "May the cleansing light of the skies wash over this body, so that the darkness from within may be expelled. Detoxification." A green magical light shrouded Roxy's face and body. Instantly curing her mild fever.
"If you don't feel normal after a few days, let's go consult the village clinic," Zenith suggested firmly.
I probably caught a fever when I took a walk outside in the afternoon or it happened when I was laying on the hardwood floorboard on that fateful night. While peeking at Zenith and Paul having sexual intercourse.
"No, it's nothing to worry about," Roxy said, asking Zenith to not concern herself with a lowly servant such as her.
"Honestly! There are illnesses that even the Antidote spell can't heal, you need to take better care of yourself. You even have Rudy worry sick about you too." Zenith said in a motherly tone in her voice.
"R…Right, I'm sorry Mrs.Zenith." Roxy apologized earnestly to Zenith.
"It's okay Roxy I'm happy to take care of you anytime. Also, I think you should take the day off from tutoring today." Zenith commanded, not taking no for an answer.
"What!?" Roxy said, looking quite perplexed.
"Rest well, little Roxy," Zenith said as she lifted the edges of Roxy's blanket and tugged her in. Her actions gave Roxy a snug and secure feeling inside her. Then Zenith continued talking to the bluenette girl.
"When you're not feeling well, think of all sorts of things that aren't good for you."
"Little…I look like this, but I'm already thirty-seven years old." Roxy said, blushing bright red as she covered her mouth with the blanket.
"Is that so? Heeheehee." Zenith giggled, as she patted Roxy's blanket softly.
PAT—PAT~
Afterward, Zenith blew out the candles and was preparing to close Roxy's door. "Good night," Zenith said with a smile on her face😊.
Rustle—Rustle~
She's like my mother…Roxy thought as she quickly drifted off to sleep.
The Next Morning~
AAAAH😫! Last night…I got myself sick and a lady half my age…I let her baby me!!!
AAAAH!—AAAH😱!
Ohhhh, why the heck did I peek on, Mr.Paul and Mrs.Zenith fucking like rabbits two nights ago.
KNOCK—KNOCK~
"Uhh, who is it?" Roxy responded
"Master Roxy, it's me Rudeus…Can I come in please?" Rudeus answered the bluenette girl.
"Yes, you may enter," Roxy replied, as she sat on the bed with her feet on the floorboard and welcomed Rudeus.
"Hey, what's wrong Rudy? Why do you have that sad look on your face?" Roxy said with a concerned tone in her voice.
"I heard we weren't going to study today. Are you still not feeling well? Are you okay—to eat breakfast?" Rudeus asked as he looked at her with worrisome eyes.
"Y-yes, I'm feeling alright now," Roxy answered.
"I'm happy to hear it!" Rudeus replied, showing a beaming smile. "I'll be waiting downstairs so we can eat breakfast together," Rudeus said as he exited the room so Roxy could have some privacy when she was changing out of her pajamas.
"It wasn't good of me to make such a small child worry about me." Roxy thought as she undressed and slipped on a new pair of white panties and a matching-colored bra.
Finally, she fastened on a long-sleeve white and gray button-down shirt with black edges and her short black skirt. Then Roxy proceeded downstairs where the Greyrat family awaited her.
"Good morning, Roxy." They all said simultaneously at the dining table. The plates were filled with sweetrolls, toast with ground cinnamon, mixed fruit juice, water, warm milk, omelets, and hot crispy bacon from a Terminate Boar.
Once they finished their breakfast, Paul left early for his guard duty patrol with Laws. Afterwards Roxy asked Zenith a question while she and Lilia were doing the dishes together.
"By the way Ms.Zenith, why did you end up with a man like Mr.Paul?" Roxy said feeling quite curious about how her employers became a married couple in the first place.
"Well, he does have his good moments," Zenith replied and continued explaining the somewhat short story of how she fell in love with Paul.
"For example, he saved my life when I was being used as a human shield against monsters from my previous party. Because I got conned out of a large amount of money due to me having little knowledge about how expensive healers are. Anyway, after I joined Paul's party, the Fangs of the Black Wolf. We traveled together for a long time and I gradually began to fall in love with Paul and wanted to marry him." Zenith described her past to Roxy while reminiscing some of the good memories she had as an adventure.
"Although, back then he couldn't keep his hands off of…AH! Roxy has he!?"
"Not even once. Mr.Paul only has eyes for you Ms.Zenith." Roxy stated firmly.
"Whew, that's good to hear," Zenith said, feeling relieved that her husband didn't lay his perverted hands on Roxy.
"I think you're a beautiful young woman, Master Roxy," Rudeus said honestly, in a ditch attempt to comfort her. "Gee thanks, Rudy, but you don't have to comfort me," Roxy replied, appreciating Rudeus' kind words to make her feel better.
Rudeus POV
Since Roxy decided to not tutor me today. So I decided to help Zenith, Lilia, and Roxy tend to the garden in the mid-morning. Afterward, Paul arrived and started our afternoon workout exercises as usual.
Then I went inside the house and took a bath in a large wooden wash tub of hot water alongside Zenith. When I dipped in the tub, it felt quite relaxing, especially after training with Paul.
I sat down on her lap as she scrubbed my back and body gently, while my head nestled comfortably behind her soft squishy breasts.
Eventually, she splashed us with water to rinse the soap off. Finally, she dried me off with a towel and dressed me in my casual attire.
Once my bath time was over, I decided to go visit Sylphy at her house.
"Be back by sunset sweetheart🥰" Zenith said, as she waved goodbye to me.
"Okay Mommy, I'll be back soon," Rudeus replied as he waved back to her and ventured forward to Sylphy's house to spend time with her.
When I take a day off from training, I sometimes visit Sylphy in the morning or afternoon to keep her company so she isn't lonesome all the time. We usually talk about our day, practice our magic, or play hide-and-seek.
As far as I know from my previous timeline. The Buena Village shitty children didn't start bullying Sylphy until she was four years old.
But Roxy was targeted first due to her blue hair. Though from what I heard Roxy managed to handle it like an adult. Eventually, Sylphy became the new target after she left.
Currently, Sylphy is three years old right now and by the time she is four years old, she'll master silent spell-casting and be able to defend herself whether I'm right by her side or not.
As I finished thinking about the past, I finally arrived at Sylphy's house.
I was getting ready to knock on the door to greet her as usual. Until I suddenly heard a girlish scream within the house.
KYAAAA!
CLANG~
When I barged in and opened the door after hearing Sylphy shriek in pain and the sound of metal being dropped on the floor.
There I saw a hot metal skewer on the floor near the fireplace. As her hands began bleeding.
"SYLPHY!"
I rushed towards her and checked the condition of her hands. From what I can see, her palms have severe burns, full of blisters. She cried in constant pain due to her injury.
I deduced the situation and concluded that Sylphy grabbed the metal skewer and unintentionally scorched the palm of her hands in the process.
Oh yeah, that's right, in my previous timeline. Sylphy once told me that she had burn scars on the palms of her hands.
When she was about three years old, she'd grabbed a metal skewer set over the hearth while his parents weren't looking.
"Wait just a second Sylphy, I'm going to heal your wounds with magic." Rudeus declared firmly to his childhood friend.
"Ahhh—Okay Rudy I trust you," Sylphy replied as she whimpered in agony as she showed me her palms and I began casting healing magic.
"O goddess of motherly affection, close up this one's wounds and restore the vigor to their body—X-Healing!"
I chanted an Intermediate Healing spell quickly and a green glowing light cast down upon Sylphy's palms. Healing her wounds and restoring them to their original form.
Wow, my wounds are gone and my hand doesn't hurt anymore…I wonder if Rudeus will teach me that magic spell too. Sylphy thought, looking quite astonished after witnessing a healing magic spell for the very first time.
With the wound completely mended without a scar in sight. I placed a healing kiss😙 on one of her hands as a sign of affection, the direct action made Sylphy's face blush red.
Well there is no harm with a little flirting to win her heart earlier than expected.
"There, your wound is fully healed without a scar in sight," Rudeus said while holding her hand as he gave her a soft comforting smile as he usually reserves for her.
"Um, I-um...Th-thank you, Rudy." Sylphy was apparently tongue-tied at the boy's kindness and gentlemanly actions as she looked down, feeling very shy under his green gaze. Then she kissed him on the cheek as a gesture of gratitude.
Hehehe…Yup it was definitely worth being Sylphy's friend earlier than expected. If it meant getting a tender kiss on the cheek for healing her scorch wounds.