Chapter IV: How to Cure a Cold?

It's my first morning here at the Vatican. To my surprise, nothing strange happened last night from Cesare. However, as soon as I woke up, I started sneezing violently, which made Cesare wake up too.

"Antonio, what's wrong?" Cesare asked, concerned.

"I think I caught a cold...I started sneezing last night, and now that I woke up, my head hurts a lot and I feel very cold."

"What? I'll go get the doctor right away!"

"Cesare, it's not necessary! Cesare, no!"

Well, I guess I do need a doctor after all. Better safe than sorry. The doctor is an older monk who examines me. Although I'm a priest, I'm surprised that almost all the staff here are priests or monks. Even the doctor?

"Father Cesare, Father Antonio suffers from a mild cold along with a fairly high fever. I've prescribed some medication, but it's important for him to stay in a warm environment. He needs to be as warm as possible!"

"Are you sure?"

"In my opinion, it's necessary for his recovery. He said he feels cold, right? So..."

My head hurts a lot, but I can still hear them. They're talking about needing to stay in warm places...I don't know where to find such a warm place, but I want to recover in two weeks. Plus, I can't infect Cesare with my illness. I miss the soups my grandma or my mom used to make. Also, the instant soups that Benjamin used to prepare for me. The only thing he didn't know how to cook...

"Antonio, I have some business in the city. Do you mind if I leave you with Sister Catherine for a bit?"

"What? I don't mind, I guess...At the moment, I don't care who's around me, I'm not very lucid anyway."

"If anything happens, ask Sister Catherine to prepare something for you, okay?"

"Sure...Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to sleep a bit!"

"Okay...I'll go get Sister Catherine!"

I finally fell asleep. Finally, I can be alone with my own thoughts. I remembered the accident I had, the moment I became unconscious, and ended up here. I'm still wondering what happened. Could this be the price Mama Julia talked about when I was in Naju? I don't know why this is happening to me. I've been good to others, I've respected the vows I've made, I've had a good relationship with God...But still, I ended up here. Could this be a test? Could I have actually died? What should I do? Where should I go?

As I was thinking these things, I smelled something enticing. The smell of the soup my grandma used to make when I was a kid. But I'm not hungry. I can't eat, I feel too weak...

"Father Antonio! Please wake up!"

Sister Catherine calls me. I'm too tired to respond to her. If I go to the city, I might run into the cardinal's secretary and at least talk to him.

"Father, Father, where are you going? You're not allowed to get out of bed!"

I didn't care what the sister said...I'm going to the city to find the secretary bishop and tell him what I have to say, then go to Wallachia or to my time...I feel so weak, but I have to do it. I take the cassock given to me by Cesare and head to the city. But, right in front of the door, I fall and become unconscious.

Why? Why can't I do anything right in this world? I feel so weak here without Cesare. Why did I have to meet him of all people? At least, I think he might have some power for a mere priest, but I'm afraid of what's to come.

"Antonio! Antonio!"

That voice sounds quite familiar. Wait, Cesare? Didn't he have business in the city...Why did he come back now? I just hope my health situation didn't ruin his plans...

"C-Cesare? W-Why did you come back?"

"Isn't it obvious? To take care of you!"

How sweet...I remember how my mom, when I was little, took time off work to take care of me when I was sick. She was the only person who was there for me when I was little. I wish I could see my mom, my grandma, and everyone back home one more time before I disappear forever.

"Sister Catherine made you some soup. Why don't you eat?" Cesare said, concerned.

"I don't want to. Plus, nobody asked you to take care of me! Anyway, in two weeks, we'll become strangers!"

"Well, maybe that's true. But, a true priest like me would never let someone die without helping them."

"A true priest, you say? You? Out of all the people I've ever met, no one has tried to do what you've tried!"

"What exactly? Explain it to me, please, and I'll leave you alone!"

He knows I can't say such things. I'm too timid to do it. And he starts with his advances that annoy me too much.

"Well, you know...Those things..." I tried to defend myself.

"I know nothing. If you consider them bad, does that mean you're the one with the perverse mind? I haven't done anything directly, so..."

"N-No...Oh...You don't care about my health, you just try to mock me."

"Yes, I do care! That's why I came back from the city. Come on, get up, you need to eat!"

"I said I don't want to! And besides, I can't...I don't have enough strength to eat!"

"Okay then...Open wide!"

Wait, what? Is he trying to feed me? Oh God, what should I do? I'm so hungry, but I can't fall into his trap. Although, this soup looks delicious and smells like the one my grandma used to make...Oh...

"Aaaah..."

Hmm, the soup is extremely delicious. I never thought I would enjoy the presence of a pervert like Cesare, or that he would feed me, but still...Maybe it's not so bad. I guess I should give him a chance. I think I'll have to repay him for this day...I'll do it anyway, I don't like being indebted to anyone.

"Antonio, eat..." Cesare said with a smile on his face.

"I can't eat anymore!"

"Are you sure? Sister put in a lot of effort to make it..."

"Oh, fine...Just because Sister made it, okay? It's not like..."

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing! Come on, continue!"

I don't know why I feel more and more affected. I've made quite a few mistakes lately. Taking cold baths, celebrating in the Pope's chapel, sleeping with Ces-. Anyway, that's because I have nowhere else to stay. Honestly, I wouldn't want to stay with him, but if there's no other way, then...

"And, lastly...Done! What a good boy we have here...Come and take your medication prescribed by the doctor!"

What could that weird drink be? It smells like herbs. Some plants I remember picking with my grandma when I was little. This drink is quite strange, but I trust it's not poison...I hope!

"Well, Antonio, now you can rest!" Cesare said, putting the glass aside.

"Sure...I would've done it without you telling me!"

"Of course...Sorry for interfering!"

He patted my head...How nice. It made me feel better. It reminded me of my childhood and the people back home...I think I'll feel good here. As being said, there are two weeks left, and then I'll go home or to my homeland in this world. I can't wait for it to be over, to talk to His Eminence and then leave and be alone again in my parish, with my parishioners. I just hope the bishop won't kill me when he finds out what I'm about to do.

"Sister Catherine...I have some business to finish in town. Can you take care of Antonio for me? Please!" Cesare's voice echoed.

"S-Sure! You can count on me!"

Suddenly, the door closed, and I woke up. Sister Catherine was praying next to my bed.

"Sister Catherine..."

"Father Antonio...I don't understand what's happening!"

"What do you mean?"

"Cesare? Feeding someone? Seriously? No one has ever had that privilege in this world...I think you're an ang-"

"No! I'm not! But...He's afraid of catching a cold from me, so..."

"Father, dig deeper and answer a question...Why would someone like him do something like this? And especially, for a stranger he just met..."

"Well...The truth is, I've been thinking since yesterday...What if..."

"What if you're an angel!" Sister Catherine said, irritating me.

"Not that. What if Cesare is actually being so good to me without any ulterior motives..."

"What could he possibly be interested in from you? You're, socially speaking, just a priest from a distant country trying to find justice from the cardinal..."

"I feel bad for being so cold with him...It's just that I'm not used to his personality yet!"

"Well, you'll manage...One question. Did he do anything to you last night?"

"No...But he was about to. When I woke up, he got embarrassed and fell asleep. It actually made me smile at how cute he can be..."

"Wait, are you talking about Cesare that we know? The one who just left for town?"

"Yes...Why?"

"How? What do you mean? He, who has never been emotional in his past relationships, now becomes embarrassed when caught trying to..."

"Yes...It seems strange, but that's it! I think he's sick or something!"

"Love is a sickness too, isn't it?"

I feel sorry for becoming so cold towards Cesare...Where is that warm priest who helped the suffering? Maybe he has some trauma he needs to overcome...Then maybe he feels the need to be close to someone. The life of a priest is very lonely sometimes, so maybe that's it.

From now on, I'll be warmer with him...That's what I want, and I think I'll eventually succeed.

I think I'll fall asleep again soon. But still, I have a dream in this world...To meet Pope Alexander VI-th Borgia at least once. Honestly, I think I'll never be able to see him, but it's worth praying for. Maybe my prayer will be answered, and I'll meet him. It would be a great joy for me to meet such a mysterious figure.

I fell asleep easily. It seems that, now that I wake up, the sun is already in the sky, and I'm not sick at all anymore. No trace of a cold. Finally, I can say I'm healthy and I can do my best to be a true servant to my fellow men and ask forgiveness for the coldness I've shown these days. But wait, where's Cesare?

Wait, this can't be!

"C-Cesare, what are you doing?" I tried to revolt.

"Lie down! I'm sleepy!"

"If you're sleepy, at least let go of me and go back to sleep!"

"No...You're sick and you need warmth!"

"Warmth? Cesare...You're naked and you're hugging me! What the hell are you doing?"

"Didn't you know that the most beneficial thing for the sick is body heat?"

"What the h-"