Yusei walked forward. Before he could get close, he saw the figure's body slump and fall into a puddle of water nearby.
The hood of the cloak fell off, revealing the face beneath… dirty, flushed, and pale. It was a girl, her body grimy and covered in filth.
The rain fell steadily, mercilessly beating down on the girl. Yusei quickly went over, using his own umbrella to shield her from the rain. He looked at her flushed face, which was clearly not a healthy color.
He placed a hand on her forehead.
Sure enough. It was burning up.
Now, looking at the clothes the girl was wearing, they were just thin woolen clothes.
In such cold weather, she didn't even have socks on, just a cloak that didn't seem very warm.
'You're lucky you ran into me.'
Yusei shook his head and carried the girl back to the Shinomiya main house.
The Shinomiya Family had physicians on standby. To handle injuries and illnesses, some doctors resided directly within the Shinomiya main house.
Koken wasn't actually home today, as he had gone to the company to handle some matters. Kaguya also hadn't returned because of the heavy rain.
So, currently in the Shinomiya main house, Yusei's word was practically law.
The girl had been bathed by the maids, her dirt and grime cleaned off. She was now lying in a futon.
Her high fever had been treated with medicine promptly and had subsided a bit… it wasn't as severe now.
A doctor nearby reported on the girl's condition.
"This girl suffered a coma due to severe hunger. Furthermore, she developed a high fever because of the cold weather."
Listening to the doctor's report, Yusei felt puzzled.
'It's the 21st century. Judging by her appearance, this clearly isn't the first time. How could she possibly be in such a state?'
Yusei nodded.
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work."
"It's no trouble. Being able to serve you is my honor, Yusei-sama."
Everyone else withdrew, leaving only one maid in the room to care for the girl.
Since Yusei couldn't go back for the time being, he made a phone call home to say he would be staying at the Shinomiya main house tonight. With nothing else to do, Yusei went to the dojo to practice his swordsmanship.
It was evening when Yusei, breathing heavily, sheathed his sword. A maid came running from outside.
"Yusei-sama, that girl has woken up."
"Alright. Also, prepare dinner. Did Shisou say if he's coming back tonight?"
"The family head said he won't be back tonight, he has matters to attend to at the company."
"In that case, prepare dinner for two. Also, prepare some clothes for the girl."
"I understand."
The maid withdrew.
Yusei also went to where the girl was.
A maid was patiently explaining something to the girl, who seemed somewhat uneasy and frightened, likely scared from waking up in an unfamiliar environment.
The maid saw Yusei arrive and quickly bowed.
"Hm. You may leave now."
"But..."
"Leave for now. Let me talk with her alone."
The maid still seemed hesitant, but seeing Yusei's firm attitude, she had no choice but to withdraw.
Soon, only the girl and Yusei were left in the room. Perhaps because he was a member of the opposite sex, the girl, wrapped in the futon, seemed very afraid.
Yusei tried his best to appear friendly. He smiled and asked, "Are you feeling better?"
The girl only revealed her eyes, looking at Yusei's position.
"You don't look like a homeless person. Why did you faint from hunger?"
A series of questions made the girl seem dazed. But when the word 'hunger' was mentioned, she clearly became very uncomfortable.
Obviously, she hadn't eaten for a long time.
Seeing this, Yusei didn't press further. Fortunately, the Shinomiya Family's chefs were extremely skilled.
It was said only graduates from Totsuki Institute were qualified to apply, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. Soon, a bowl of fragrant rice porridge was brought in by a maid.
Yusei took the porridge and gestured for the maid to leave.
The girl's gaze was already fixed greedily on the bowl of porridge in Yusei's hand.
Yusei smiled slightly and placed the porridge in front of her.
The girl almost instantly reached out her arms and picked up the bowl of porridge.
However... the futon covering her immediately slipped down.
Instantly, Yusei's smile froze on his face.
'I think I saw something I shouldn't have.'
The girl wolfed down the food, but as she ate, her senses seemed to return somewhat.
She also realized she felt a bit chilly on top.
She looked up at Yusei, seeing him staring intently at her. Her face immediately turned red, and her eyes welled up with tears.
"Pe... Pervert!"
Yusei quickly retreated from the room. Looking at the maid waiting outside, he couldn't help but complain, "Why didn't you tell me she wasn't wearing any clothes?"
The maid also looked somewhat aggrieved. All maids who could work for the Shinomiya Family underwent professional training, and their looks were also very top-notch.
She looked at Yusei at said, "I was about to say, but Yusei-sama, you told me to leave first..."
Yusei was left speechless, 'Indeed, I had been the one in a hurry to find out who the girl was.'
"Alright, my fault. You go in and help her get dressed, and explain the situation."
The maid pursed her lips in a slight smile, didn't say anything else, nodded respectfully, and went inside.
Yusei sighed and shook his head, going to have dinner by himself.
After dinner, the girl had fallen asleep again. Yusei didn't disturb her further.
He took a bath and soon fell asleep himself.
The night passed quickly.
…
The next day.
As soon as Yusei opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar girl with big eyes sitting by his bedside, watching him.
Yusei rubbed his eyes and remembered this was the girl from yesterday.
He looked at the maid nearby and asked, puzzled, "Is she already alright? She's up and about so energetically."
"The doctor said she's fine now. Her fever is gone, and she's replenished her nutrients. She's basically recovered."
Hearing this, Yusei looked at the girl. Seeing Yusei look over, the girl gave a smile.
"Um... My name is Amano Hina... Thank you for saving me."