The meeting had ended, the voices of the knights fading as they left the chamber. Yurien remained behind, his gaze fixed on you. You had tried to sit through it all without faltering, but he had noticed—the way your hands trembled slightly, the faint pallor in your face, the heaviness in your eyes.

When the doors closed and silence settled, he finally spoke, his voice softer than the scolding tone he first intended.

“You shouldn’t have pushed yourself to attend today.” His eyes lingered on you with quiet concern. “With a fever like that… you should be resting, not sitting through endless debates.”

He sighed, gently placing his palm on your forehead.

“I know you don’t want to show weakness… but to me, it isn’t weakness. You don’t have to carry everything on your own.”