Celebrity Lady - Chapter 39

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Episode 39
“Yes. It’s the kind that makes you gain weight.”
“Well, um…….”
He clearly knew I was overweight and seemed eager to advise me that this Montein tea wasn’t the best choice.
Unable to outright tell an overweight person that the tea wasn’t good for her, Aaron hesitated — and I answered with a shrug and a smile.
“I didn’t know that until now. Actually, I’ve been trying to lose weight for my health, so I should change the type of tea I’m drinking.”
“Is that so? In that case, I’d recommend Plum Tea, or if you don’t mind spending a bit more, Bruanu Tea made from dried Celbre leaves.”
“Plum and Bruanu. I’ll remember. Thank you.”
I matched Aaron’s warm smile, but internally I let out a string of curses I hadn’t spoken in ages.
‘Damn it! This bastard! Molga, you scheming piece of shit!’
The tea that Molga had given me under the guise of looking after me was nothing but poison — gradually stacking fat across my entire lifetime.
The more I ate, the more healthily I gained weight, so what good was running ten laps around the track to no avail?
“Aaron, I have a question.”
I was furious, but it was fortunate to have discovered that Molga had been scheming this way in secret.
A suspicion that had only begun to sprout was now growing thick and wild.
“What is it?”
I opened a small bundle I’d been holding and showed it to Aaron.
“This is medicine prescribed by our family physician. Can you tell me what effects it has?”
“Ah, of course.”
Aaron examined the four types of pills that came from the bundle.
“Bonacio, Montein, Gramas, Alobanus…… Yes, ordinary medicines.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Bonacio and Montein are usually prescribed to patients with insufficient activity to replenish their vitality, and Gramas helps calm the nerves. Think of Alobanus as similar to a nutritional supplement.”
“Is there any problem taking them all together?”
“Yes, well…… Oh!”
Aaron exclaimed and pointed to a white pill among them.
“However, there is one thing you must be careful about when taking this Alobanus. When it encounters alcohol, it becomes poison rather than medicine.”
“Ah.”
I went rigid.
“Alcohol…… you mean?”
“Yes. In fact, with any medicine, one should refrain from alcohol, but this Alobanus is particularly lethal, so Abstinence from Alcohol is not a light recommendation. You absolutely must not take it.”
“I see.”
“As long as you keep that in mind, you should be fine. Well, naturally your physician would have cautioned you about it.”
“I understand.”
I nodded, then took out another bundle I’d set aside.
A jingling sound of money rang out, and inside the open pouch mouth I could see a heap of gold coins.
Aaron tilted his head in confusion.
“Thank you for coming today. Would you be able to check on my father’s health occasionally? We do have a full-time physician, but I trust your skills more.”
“Of course. If you contact me the day before, I’ll visit right away.”
“Thank you so much. This is my payment for the house call.”
“Hmm? It’s hard to call it a house call when I haven’t really done much for you. I won’t accept a consultation fee.”
“But you came all this way.”
“Even if it’s a house call fee, it’s only 50,000 Marks.”
“Isn’t that too cheap? Even people who just got their medical licenses usually charge at least 300,000 Marks as a basic house call fee.”
“Ha ha…… Well, how one sets a fee is up to each person.”
“Please accept it.”
Sensing he couldn’t retreat from my firm words, Aaron cleared his throat and took out five gold coins.
It was the basic house call fee of 50,000 Marks he’d mentioned.
“Then just this much…….”
“Aaron.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“I didn’t investigate anything, but I happened to hear in passing that you have an outstanding debt at the medicinal herb merchant’s.”
Aaron stiffened.
“If you don’t accept consultation fees and even provide medicines that patients should pay for themselves, what do you live on?”
“Ah…….”
“I know you help patients without means out of goodness. And I support what you do. So please think of this as a donation.”
“…….”
“It’s not much, but I’d like to be able to help, even if just a little, in the good work you’re doing.”
Aaron, who had been staring at me blankly, then let out a laugh.
“You are truly a kind and generous person, Miss.”
“Why would you be any different?”
He chuckled aloud as he gathered up the money bundle.
“Then, without shame, I’ll accept it gratefully. Since you might worry it could be misused, I’ll keep a detailed record of how it’s used in my ledger.”
“I’m not worried at all.”
Aaron, preparing to leave soon, glanced at the medicine on the table and cautioned me.
“While taking Alobanus, you must be extremely careful — not even a single cup.”
“Yes, I will.”
He seemed to think this was the medicine I would be taking, but no.
“Thank you for your concern.”
This is Father’s medicine.
The medicine for a man who has lived pickled in alcohol.
* * *
Blinding sunlight poured down from above.
Beneath a parasol set up in the Garden, I lay half-reclined in a comfortable lounge chair, savoring a lazy hour.
‘Mmm, this refreshing feeling of vitamin D…….’
People really do need sunlight.
That’s why I’d deliberately dragged Father out here too, and we were sunbathing.
A picnic table set between us.
Father and I, in identical poses, reached for the drinking glasses placed on the table and drew long sips through our straws.
Father, after taking a sip of cool juice made from apples, sugar, and crushed ice, looked at my glass and asked.
“What’s that?”
“A Protein Shake.”
Of course, I, who had cut out sugar entirely, was content with a Protein Shake.
“Father.”
“What?”
Studying Father’s face, which had become so much more human, I recalled Aaron’s final words.
“Among patients who ignored the danger and continued taking Alobanus and alcohol simultaneously, many suffered sudden cardiac pain and died suddenly.”
In my previous life, Father had also died suddenly at thirty-nine with sudden cardiac pain.
‘Prolonged simultaneous use of alcohol and Alobanus — a combination that becomes poison. Chest pain before death. Probably some kind of cardiovascular disease.’
Now the cause of death was certain.
“What does the physician tell you every time he prescribes medicine?”
“What do you mean, tell me?”
“Cautions and such. Like warning you never to drink alcohol.”
Father shrugged as if it were nothing.
“Of course he says I shouldn’t drink while taking medicine. Are there physicians who allow drinking while on medication? They all just spout the same old lines.”
But he doesn’t know there are medicines uniquely lethal when mixed with alcohol.
What if a problem arose later?
That insufferable old physician of ours would simply deflect: “But I did caution the Duke against drinking, didn’t I?”
The physician who visits periodically to check on Father’s condition — would he truly…….
‘Not know that my father has been ignoring the warning and continuing to drink?’
He couldn’t possibly not know. He knew, and yet he kept prescribing Alobanus to Father.
Along with that warning — seemingly obvious — not to drink.
‘The intent to kill him subtly is glaringly obvious. He’s been on Molga’s payroll for a long time.’
I thought to myself.
‘I can’t change physicians or stop the medicine. That would be as good as letting them know I’m suspicious.’
It was irritating, but I now had reason to keep Molga here at the Duke’s Estate a while longer and watch him. For that, I alone had to carry all these “suspicions.”
After my thoughts settled, I turned to Father.
“Father, the drinking now…….”
“I’m not. Twenty-four days of Abstinence.”
Father answered curtly, tired from hearing me tell him not to drink every time I saw his face.
Despite his reluctance, Father was faithfully heeding my words, and I offered him a satisfied smile.
“Father.”
“What?”
“Live a long life.”
“…….”
Father paused, his straw halfway to his lips, and looked at me intently.
“I hope you stay healthy and live a long life. I mean, I still feel resentful toward you, and there’s still some anger, but…….”
“…….”
“Maybe over time it will fade. It’s not that I can’t understand you.”
Releasing his gaze and settling back into my chair, I continued.
“Eating together every day, spending time with you — gradually, I’ve come to feel more at ease with you. I’ve also begun to understand the ways I misunderstood you…… at least a little.”
“…….”
“Do you feel the same way about me, Father?”
After asking, I felt suddenly self-conscious and added with a laugh.
“If we slowly come to know the parts of each other we didn’t understand before, won’t we eventually become like everyone else — a warm father and daughter? Or rather……”
I turned to look at Father.
Father had been looking at me all along, and our gazes met at once.
“If it’s possible, I really want that. And for that to happen, you can’t get sick — you have to live a very long life.”
“I’m healthy.”
“Yes. So stay that way forever.”
Father, a man of few words by nature, simply stared at me without responding.
‘What? Why aren’t you saying anything?’
Feeling awkward for no reason, I made a big show of it.
“Let’s make a promise — no alcohol, living long without illness until the day you close your eyes in old age. Promise!”
……Was a lifelong Abstinence promise too much?
I wavered, extending my pinky to seal the promise.
“Well, a whole lifetime might be too much — Father should get even more healthy——”
I stopped mid-sentence, surprised.
Father, who had been staring at me without complaint or hesitation, hooked his pinky with mine.
His finger moved quickly to link with mine, as if afraid my hand might slip away.
Father let out a soft laugh and said.
“Okay. Promise.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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