I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 136

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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136

Chapter 27. The Sooner the Apology, the Better (3)

Now, let’s come up with a plan.

I had overcome the great mountain that was Raven, but compared to the mountains that lay ahead, it was merely a hill.

“Raven, listen…”

“It’ll be difficult.”

“…I haven’t said anything yet…”

“I can’t help you either.”

“I said I haven’t said anything yet?”

“There’s no way.”

Cold bastard.

The tender affection from when he had knelt and embraced me had already vanished, leaving only the usual Raven. The only trace of his tears was the reddish marks around his eyes. I pouted my lips and glared at him, then reached out my hand.

But just before I could touch him, Raven grabbed my fingers and turned his face away.

“Don’t.”

“I can’t touch you?”

“…”

How petty.

Raven looked at me coldly and said.

“If you’re not going to do anything, then by all means.”

“…”

Sharp bastard. How did he know I was trying to heal him?

“Fine, I won’t do anything.”

“…Then.”

As if he had never pulled away, Raven brought his cheek to my palm. He even leaned into it slightly like he was acting spoiled, melting away the hurt feelings that had been building up. What a fox…

I gently brushed around his reddened eyes in case they stung, then stroked his ears and hair. Raven made a subtle expression, then chuckled.

“Shana, I’m not a dog.”

“…I’m so used to this that I unconsciously…”

I had been about to scratch behind his ears when I caught myself.

Because of my habit of petting the children and Evelyn, and occasionally Renate, whenever I touched someone, my hands naturally moved as if I were petting a dog or cat. This was like a habit my body remembered.

I was about to pull my hand away, thinking he might be offended, but Raven actually leaned his head into my hand.

“Anything is fine, just touch me.”

“…I’ll do my best.”

Evelyn had said she felt best when I petted her, but I wasn’t sure if this skill would work on humans too. I approached it with quite serious determination. I probably shouldn’t scratch his chin though. That was my secret technique.

Raven closed his eyes and enjoyed my touch as he spoke.

“I might be won over by something like this, but other people won’t be so easy.”

“…It’s a bit awkward for me to say this, but you’re really easy.”

And you’re the Prince…

“…Let’s leave it at that.”

The way he spoke with a subtle smile showed his intention not to bring up topics that would make me uncomfortable. Right, thanks so much for being considerate…

“Mother and Father seem like they’d let it slide easily enough.”

“What are you going to say about that man?”

“…I can’t… deceive Mother and Father.”

“They’ll let it go if you insist.”

But they’ll see right through it.

“I guess confession is the only answer after all… Anyway, I’ll have to keep Seth around…”

“Why?”

Raven’s right eyebrow twitched. Amazing that he could actually move just one eyebrow.

“Well…”

“From what I’ve heard, that bastard seems to be the root of all evil.”

Right, right. I know, I know…

“That damn Nathan bastard.”

“Hey, he’s still your brother.”

Though I killed him.

“That bastard…”

Raven, who had refined ‘bastard’ to ‘that guy,’ wore a triumphant expression as if he had shown great magnanimity with just that. As if he had been incredibly generous by listening to my words.

“He was only able to carry out his petty schemes thanks to that demon’s assistance.”

“Right…”

“So why, exactly, are you thinking of keeping him around to the point of lying to your parents?”

Raven emphasized ‘why’ and ‘exactly’ and ‘lying’ and ‘to the point of’ as he glared at me with intensity in his eyes.

“Hm? Shana.”

“I told you earlier. I have 15 years left to live.”

“….”

Raven’s golden eyes darkened.

“That’s why.”

“Shana, explain properly.”

“Nnngh….”

Annoyed Raven grabbed both my cheeks and stretched them out. He must have been really irritated.

“So, like a backup battery? Um, like a backup energy source?”

Would he understand? It was hard to find the right words.

A lunchbox? No….

A lifespan water bottle to stick a straw in? That seemed a bit cruel.

A backup battery to plug in when the battery runs low was the perfect expression, but they don’t have that concept here, do they? Even searching through my mind, it was hard to find an appropriate concept.

Actually, I was reluctant to say that I could steal lifespans, so I was trying to be evasive.

I didn’t particularly want to reveal that I had stolen Nathan’s lifespan. I wanted to keep it secret if possible.

Raven’s intuition is ghostly sharp, so just telling him this much would probably let him guess why Nathan’s condition had changed so drastically.

In the end, I left out the most important explanation and only told him bits and pieces of the conclusion.

“The Demon Clan does have long lifespans….”

“Ah.”

Did he understand with just that?

Raven, who was both quick-witted and smart, seemed to understand perfectly even from my terrible explanation.

I hoped he wouldn’t think beyond that, but since I had babbled with my own mouth about not returning to the palace to avoid misunderstandings, I should probably assume he figured it all out. I shouldn’t have mentioned the Imperial Palace.

Fine, figure it all out. Figure it all out.

I knew Raven wouldn’t do that, but it was hard to think positively about it, and frankly, it wasn’t pleasant to be caught doing something that would normally be considered distasteful.

Like Seth’s existence, I knew that even if it was a detested demon, people would understand this usage. Still, the reason I tried to find other excuses was because I didn’t want to explain it to my parents, Evelyn and the twins, and the nannies.

Stealing someone’s lifespan to prolong one’s life might look similar to what Nathan had done, in a way.

Though I would never think of stealing anyone else’s lifespan except Seth’s to prolong my life.

However, Raven smiled brightly as if truly happy.

“If it’s for that purpose, it can’t be helped. That’s great, Shana.”

Really brightly.

“…Doesn’t it feel distasteful?”

“What does?”

It was an innocent question as if he truly didn’t know.

If he didn’t think about it, that’s fine. I guess I was overthinking things.

“Just steal about 100 years from him.”

Raven, you don’t have much conscience either. No wonder we’re friends.

***

Now only the final battle remained.

I sat in the reception room of the Wentworth Estate like a sack of barley.

Raven said he would bring my parents, Raven, the twins, and the nannies, then left me here.

I kept rehearsing appropriate lines in my mouth like someone facing the presentation of a lifetime.

Hello. I have returned. I’m Shana.

Rejected. It sounded like I was joking.

I didn’t die. I’m alive. Were you very surprised?

No, this isn’t right either. It sounds robotic. No emotion can be felt….

Should I shout “I’m sorry” and get on my knees first? Or maybe….

‘None of this is right. I don’t know what to say.’

When have I ever returned from death to know….

Eventually, as time passed, I became increasingly unsure of what to do. I was so anxious I felt like I might choke. I couldn’t just sit still. Thinking moving my body might help, I stood up abruptly.

And at the same time, the door opened and my parents burst in.

My parents burst in with a terrifying momentum as if they were going to beat a mortal enemy to death, and glared at me while still in the position of having flung the door wide open.

Their faces, eyes, and momentum were so frightening that I couldn’t even breathe.

Anyone who had placed their daughter’s body in a coffin and was in the middle of holding a funeral would think someone was playing a cruel prank if they heard their daughter had returned alive.

If it hadn’t been Raven who gave them the hint, they probably wouldn’t have come here in the first place.

But how was I supposed to prove that I was me?

The frozen time lasted only a few seconds, but countless thoughts raced through my mind. I could have made dozens of movies in my head alone.

‘Proving it with my abilities would be the most certain way.’

But that would obviously get me in even more trouble. Unless I explained the existence of Seth, my portable battery.

I couldn’t leave my parents frozen like that any longer, so I struggled to open my mouth.

“…Mother, Father…”

“…”

“…”

Seeing Mother’s green eyes and Father’s blue eyes begin to shake violently, I choked up and my throat tightened.

Just calling them Mother and Father made tears well up in my eyes.

They were magic words.

“Mother, I…”

I couldn’t even continue the next words. My parents rushed over at the same time and pulled me into a strong embrace. I almost bit my tongue.

“Shana! Shana, Shana! You’re alive, you’re alive… Thank you, really, ah…”

“Ugh…”

Mother hugged me, and Father embraced both Mother and me. I was held in both their arms and bit my lip for no reason.

Seeing them up close, it was clear they had grown even thinner. How difficult it must have been for them.

Then Evelyn and the twins, Bailey and Maria, and Ella came rushing in. I couldn’t hold back anymore and burst out with the emotions I had been suppressing.

“Waaaah, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, waaaaaaah…”

In other words, I bawled my eyes out.

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