Axel double-checked, touching Eve’s forehead.
However, the result was the same.
"Her temperature’s too high..."
Of course, it was a no-brainer to determine her ailment. She was having a fever—and a high one at that. If left as is, it could get dangerous for her. Not only from the fever, but also from her immune system weakening from being overworked.
Axel looked around and quickly realized where they were. A cave, smelling of bat poop. In places like these, viruses tended to lurk, adding an extra risk for Eve’s weakened body.
"This can’t continue."
And of course, he wouldn’t just sit still either.
Just from looking at their present location, he could tell that Eve had worked desperately to try and save him, enough that she even put aside her shame just to help. Naturally, it was only right for him to return the favor.
Without delay, Axel placed their clothes into his inventory as he lifted Eve in a princess carry. Then, he took out a few planks. Using the Housing Modification function to create a flatter ground—one much more comfortable than bare rocks—he started modifying the place.
In just a minute, a "room" was made.
A bed made of wood, adorned with a cushion and a few thick blankets, was installed. Axel carefully placed Eve’s body over it before wiping her clean with a dry cloth.
Maybe it was because he was actually performing a life-saving measure? He didn’t feel aroused at all, even after seeing Eve’s naked body. It was unlike the time with Teruria, where he couldn’t hold back the urge of his "younger" body.
’Maybe it’s because she’s less developed?’
Axel pondered, thinking things that would be quite rude if said out loud to Eve’s face.
After wiping her clean, he carefully covered her with the blanket and placed a wet towel over her forehead, trying to cool her down even a little.
When he was sure she was now resting comfortably, he withdrew his clothes from the inventory. Of course, just placing them there had dried and cleaned them, so he didn’t need to wash or hang them to dry at all.
Finally, Axel took out a small heater—an analog one powered by burning coal. He placed it a short distance from the bed, giving enough heat without being too close.
With that, everything was set.
All they needed to do now was wait for Eve to regain consciousness, give her something to eat, and let her drink medicine to recover quickly.
With that in mind, Axel began checking the shop for ingredients for a gruel, but...
"Why don’t I just buy food as is?"
Since they were in a cave, he couldn’t safely start a fire.
They’d suffocate from the smoke or a lack of oxygen if he did. Thus, cooking was out of the question.
He checked the shop, looking for something for himself to eat and something for Eve later, placing both in his inventory. Then, he took out a folding chair and sat beside Eve’s bed, staring at her face flushed from fever.
But as he did, his mind drifted. "I guess doing this much for her wouldn’t count as paying her back for the favor of saving me, right?"
Axel might be calculative, but he wasn’t heartless.
He at least knew how to repay favors—neither underpaying nor overpaying.
As such, the favor of her saving him from freezing to death was not cheap at all. Helping her recover from a fever was far from matching its value.
"...Well, I guess I can just ask her when she gets better."
Looking outside the cave, the rain was still going strong. This made Axel worried for the camp. After all, they hadn’t made preparations against rain or flooding.
The girls’ workshop, for one, was at ground level.
If they didn’t do anything, the materials stored there would get wet and unusable afterwards.
"Speaking of..."
Only then did Axel realize one important detail.
"Where are we?"
They had gone westward to reach the river for the quest, but after the rain came down, they were dragged downstream toward the north by quite a bit.
Curious, he quickly opened the map and checked... and was surprised.
"We’ve gone quite a distance away..."
The foggy areas of the map remained the same, but he could see the cleared areas following the river—the path they went through. Since the map was to scale, he estimated they were about five kilometers downstream.
"Damn, I didn’t notice any of that when we were still in the river."
The water’s speed was one thing, but most of all, he had been too focused on protecting himself and Eve from the incoming logs to pay attention to such minor details.
Still, thankfully, that meant they were still relatively safe.
"Hm...?"
Or not.
Once he zoomed out to see the bigger picture, he noticed something. About 250 meters further north of their position... a big red dot was approaching.
Of course, since it was within the fogged area of the map, he couldn’t tell its scale or what monster it was. But knowing that the current time was almost nightfall, he could only pray it wasn’t anything too dangerous or numerous.
"Still, I’d better prepare for the worst..."
Axel stood up and began to set up the cave.
What to set? Protection, of course.
He moved near the entrance and placed a wall piece there, blocking the entrance completely. Then, using Housing Modification, he created a viewport to see what was outside—or to stab wooden spears through, if needed.
He even modified the wall to become airtight, sticking to the cave’s walls. And he added a few sharp "fins" as anchors embedded into the ground, ensuring it wouldn’t get pulled or pushed by monsters.
Near the wall, he set a rack full of wooden spears, ready for use at any moment.
After the setup was complete, he returned to Eve’s side, sitting down and patiently waiting. Just as he was thinking of some way to pass the time, he heard a light groan.
Looking at the bed, he noticed Eve’s eyes opening slightly, looking around, confused.
"I... made it back home?" she whispered.
Axel quickly pulled the almost-dry wet towel over her forehead and smiled. "No, we’re still in the cave. However, you seem to have caught a fever, so I’m tending to you right now."
Eve’s eyes turned to the side, staring at his face in wonder. "Sir... Axel," she whispered.
But a moment later, her eyes popped open, gasping.
"Sir Axel! You’re fine already?!" She jumped forward to hug his neck. "Thank the gods!"
Axel could only sit still, receiving the hug from the sick Eve, and patted her back lightly.
"All right, that’s enough," he muttered teasingly. "If you’re not aware, you’re still naked right now."
"Huh...?"
When Eve pushed her body away, she looked down and confirmed.
The next moment, her face flushed madly as she let out a shrill scream.