By Zephyria 
A stream of water, slightly warmer than skin temperature, flowed over the ice. My heart raced with the thought that if I didn’t melt it quickly, it could lead to necrosis.
As I continued to pour warm water, I felt the frozen skin gradually thaw. As sensation returned, I turned off the water, revealing a wrist that was red but fortunately seemed intact.
“Haa…”
Only then did I exhale in relief. This happened often when Vasily’s condition was poor. Because he froze everything he touched, he used to wear specially made gloves when his state was severe. Since I hadn’t seen him wear gloves since the regression, it seemed they hadn’t been manufactured yet.
While feeling relieved at the sight of the properly thawed skin, I shook my head and snapped back to my senses. This was no time to be complacent. After confirming my arm was fine, I returned to the room.
Vasily was in the same position I had left him in on the bed. Still unconscious, he was breathing heavily.
I wrapped his hands in towels I had brought from the bathroom. Fortunately, as long as I avoided direct skin contact, I could prevent the areas touching him from freezing. This should be safe for the time being.
“Esper Vasily, please excuse me for a moment.”
Politely asking for understanding from the unconscious Vasily, I removed his blood-soaked suit.
I unbuttoned his shirt and lifted it to check the wound. There was a cut on his chest, as if he had been slashed by something. He was still bleeding, but fortunately, the wound itself wasn’t deep. With his regenerative abilities, it seemed he would be able to heal sufficiently.
I brought every towel in the house and began to stop the bleeding. While applying pressure to the wound with a towel, I also took off my own top and pressed my chest against Vasily’s heart. I gauged Vasily’s condition by the speed at which my suppression chip heated up.
‘As I thought, it’s severe.’
The suppression chip heated up much faster than usual.
With my current guiding, it would be difficult to alleviate Vasily’s condition. Realizing it was beyond my capacity, I picked up my smartphone. While searching through my contacts to call the association, I suddenly remembered something Vasily had said.
‘But… even if they touch me for just a little while, those people freeze. Because their body heat is stolen by me…’
“…”
I quietly put the smartphone back down. How could I ignore it when Vasily, whom I thought was a cold-blooded man, had said that with such an expression?
Haa… After a deep sigh, I laid Vasily more comfortably on the bed. He still hadn’t regained consciousness. Just seeing him breathe heavily with a furrowed brow told me how bad his condition was.
In preparation for the cold, I turned the room temperature up to the maximum and placed a handful of pills by his head. After swallowing one myself, I began guiding in earnest, pulling Vasily’s body into an embrace.
Even while unconscious, Vasily’s breathing was labored as if he were in pain. I could see his brow remaining furrowed.
I tried to smooth out the wrinkles by gently stroking his forehead with my fingertips, but seeing his face furrow again immediately, I quietly withdrew my hand. It seemed better to just give up and focus on the guiding.
I guided him like that all night.
Shivering all over from the cold, swallowing the pills beside me whenever my head throbbed… and checking from time to time how much his wound had healed.
Around 3 AM, his condition began to improve gradually.
Finally, the bleeding stopped and his breathing stabilized. I tossed the blood-stained towels haphazardly onto the floor and closed my eyes, feeling that it was finally safe to do so.
And the next morning. Hearing a rustling sound from somewhere, I opened my eyes to find Vasily standing beside the bed. It seemed he had finally come to.
If you’re awake, put some clothes on first; why are you still naked? But what was in Vasily’s hand… a red pill?
I bolted upright.
“E-Esper Vasily?”
“Are you awake?”
Trying my best to hide my flustered state, I glanced at the medicine in his hand. Fortunately, it was still neatly wrapped in its packaging.
“Your cold is lingering.”
“That… I’m almost recovered now… haha…”
“Hmm…”
Vasily looked at me suspiciously, then quietly set the medicine down. Phew… I secretly felt relieved seeing that.
Watching Vasily stand there perfectly fine and look around, I asked this time.
“Is your condition okay now?”
“Yes. I think I’ve calmed down to some extent.”
“Exactly what happened to you?”
“I just entered a Gate like usual. I told you before, didn’t I? That my condition is usually poor in the summer.”
“…Yes. You mentioned that last time.”
I had heard it, but it had been a while since I’d seen him in such a bad state, so I was a bit surprised.
Was Vasily always like this before he met me? Since I became his dedicated Guide, I had rarely seen him in such a deteriorated state… Then again, since he maintained his condition by receiving guiding every time, it must have been rare for things to get to this point.
“Since your condition was this bad, why haven’t you contacted me all this time?”
“Were you waiting?”
“Waiting, my…”
As I subtly avoided his gaze, Vasily answered with a pleased smile.
“I’ve been busy traveling through Gates.”
As expected, it was because of the Gates.
Recent articles regarding Vasily were all about his participation in Gate conquests. It was something Vasily did all the time, but the volume was higher than usual. In that case, it made sense that he was busy.
I asked, still glancing at the reddish mark remaining on his chest.
“That wound…”
“Ah, this? I got a slight cut from a flying ice shard.”
“…”
I wondered how he managed to get hurt, and it turned out it was because of his own ability. Regardless, I’m glad it wasn’t a major wound. If it had been even slightly deeper, I truly wouldn’t have been able to handle it with my abilities.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam…”
Vasily lowered his voice. I instinctively tensed up at his suddenly serious tone.
“You should live with a bit more cleaning…”
“…!”
His silver-gray eyes swept across the room. I hurriedly got out of bed, blocking his line of sight, and stammered an excuse.
“T-this was for stopping the bleeding yesterday… anyway, just put your clothes on quickly!”
I shoved his clothes, which were rolling around on the floor, into his chest with a thud.
“Ugh…”
Vasily suddenly bent his waist and let out a groan of pain. Startled, I checked his condition.
Had the wound not fully healed yet? Did the wound reopen because of me?
“E-Esper? Are you okay?”
I looked after Vasily anxiously. However, Vasily lifted his head and muttered with a clean expression.
“I don’t know… I think I’d be okay if I received some guiding…”
My expression turned cold.
“Seeing you exaggerate, it seems you don’t need any more guiding.”
“That’s harsh…”
“Put your clothes on and go back.”
“You want me to put on blood-stained clothes again?”
“Yes. Isn’t it a wound caused by your own ability anyway? Handle that much yourself.”
Vasily didn’t leave immediately and lingered. At this rate, it felt like it would take an eternity for him to leave the room. Suppressing the urge to smack his broad back—which looked perfect for hitting—I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Please leave quickly. I have no clothes to lend you.”
“True, Guide Kwon Gi-dam’s clothes wouldn’t fit me anyway.”
I flared up at the way he scanned my body up and down with a serious gaze. As I urged him to leave and tried to chase him out of the room, Vasily suddenly grabbed my arm and asked.
“Did I do this?”
Vasily’s gaze fixed on my reddened arm. Ah, only then did I remember the skin that had frozen yesterday because of Vasily’s ability. I nodded nonchalantly.
“It froze a bit because it touched your hand, but I gave it first aid immediately, so it’s fine.”
I tried to pull my arm away while saying that, but Vasily wouldn’t let go. He stared intently at my reddened arm and then spoke.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam, put on your clothes.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Vasily said softly. I hurriedly waved my hands.
“No. This much will heal quickly if I apply some ointment…”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
Looking at his expression as he leaned down to meet my eyes, I eventually shut my mouth. He didn’t seem like he would easily change his mind. He looked as if he would take me by force if I continued to be stubborn.
Haa… after making me like this… I’m about to be dragged to the hospital without even a moment to catch my breath.
“Alright. I’ll get ready, so please step out of the room for a moment.”
Only after hearing the desired answer did Vasily finally leave the room.
I took a quick shower and put on a suit. Since I planned to go to work immediately after treatment, I chose light clothing.
When I came out of the room after changing, Vasily asked with a furrowed brow.
“You’re planning to go to work in that state?”
“It’s a mild case of frostbite. This won’t interfere with my work, so it’s fine.”