I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 145

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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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145

Medical Chart 8. A Place to Belong (3)

“You were going to leave anyway, how bland.”

The reason Raven had called for Shana was to say goodbye before returning.

Since it had been miraculous that he’d found time to visit in the first place, he couldn’t spare much longer. Renate and Ron were extremely on edge, bothered by his guards lying in ambush throughout the streets of Rierem District. Ian was also inwardly concerned, so Raven’s return was welcome news.

Shana grumbled complainingly.

Since he was going back anyway, and it wasn’t like they were parting forever, all this clingy behavior every time was annoying. He unnecessarily held on and dragged things out, forcing her to say that she’d miss him when he was gone.

If left alone, Shana looked like she might kick Raven away with her foot. Though surely he would stop her before it came to that, with Shana it was entirely possible.

Raven clung to the annoyed Shana to his heart’s content. Ian saw everything.

Asking if she’d miss him while kissing her cheek once, asking if she wouldn’t want to see him while pulling her shoulder close to kiss her hair, and catching Shana as she pushed him away to kiss her palm as well.

Even as Evelyn, with her cheek being pushed away ungracefully, she probably couldn’t shake off the clingy Raven. He took advantage of that opening to satisfy his greed to his heart’s content.

Unable to endure much longer and getting fed up, Shana sang “I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you!” as if telling him to take it and leave. Though not a grain of sincerity could be felt, Raven seemed satisfied with that and returned.

Ian clicked his tongue.

‘Not cool at all…’

Weren’t there more sophisticated, refined methods of seduction? If it were Raven, there should be plenty of methods he could use.

Yet he deliberately didn’t use them because he knew that stylish seduction or calculated charm appeals wouldn’t work on Shana.

‘He must have tried before…’

Childhood memories tend to last long. Despite Raven being five years older, Shana had openly laughed at his rather sophisticated charm appeals that would have worked more than enough on his peers. Though she later made excuses that she hadn’t been mocking him but really thought he was trying to make her laugh.

“He was probably lingering because he felt regretful. You should understand that much.”

“What’s gotten into Renate, saying something so soft?”

“Well, he seems like a decent enough guy.”

Shana made a subtle expression. He was indeed a decent guy, but she seemed unsure how to respond to Renate affirming it. She was probably right to feel that way.

Ian couldn’t accurately read Renate’s mind either. Though he thoroughly protected and cared for his pack along with Ron, he surprisingly didn’t let others get close easily, so it took quite a long time before even the twins could have a single conversation with him. He was also extremely busy.

When Ian stared intently at Renate, he got a look back as if asking what he wanted to see. Ian said.

“No, it’s just unexpected.”

“What is?”

“…Wasn’t your evaluation of Prince Raven too generous?”

Renate blinked. Ian was aware that he was saying something childish, so he felt slightly embarrassed. Reading his feelings, Renate smiled faintly.

“Does it seem generous?”

“…Well. Prince Raven has changed a lot too.”

“You’re the one among us who sees things most ‘properly,’ so if that’s how it looked to you, then that’s probably right.”

Ian slightly furrowed his brow. As if knowing exactly what would be most effective against his whining mixed with affection, that small piece of recognition he would never normally give was unavoidably pleasing.

“In the end, Shana chose to stay by our side, so we should show this much magnanimity. Don’t you think?”

“Well.”

“Even so, if he doesn’t give up, I thought he at least has the persistence worth acknowledging. I don’t know about anything else. Shana only talks about her childhood friend in cute terms.”

“…Cute…”

“Just listening to her, you’d think he’s not a grown man but a boy around ten years old.”

“…”

Ian fell silent. Shana did have that tendency.

If you listened to what Shana said without prejudice, Raven was a ten-year-old sulky boy, Evelyn was a shy fifteen-year-old girl, and the twins were eight-year-old troublemakers. Troublemakers who broke something every time they moved their limbs.

“Ian, watch carefully. Make sure that arrogant emperor doesn’t snatch away our treasure that we’ve barely gotten back.”

He’s not even emperor yet, and if he’s arrogant enough to call bad, then why did you say he wasn’t bad? The question rose to the tip of his tongue, but Ian managed to endure it.

‘Renate is no pushover either.’

If he said this, he wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences.

However, considering that even that Raven couldn’t act carelessly toward Renate, Ian’s assessment that the two were similar was probably not wrong.

Then Leon approached and said.

“Ian, you’re coming too, right?”

“Leon, you’re missing the object.”

“We’re twins and you don’t even know that?”

“…”

We’re twins, so why do you go around with your brain missing? Ian swallowed the words he wanted to say again.

“Shana’s new house. The idea came up to hang out there, like a housewarming party.”

“…Lady Maria is there though?”

“B-but it’s almost time for Shana to sleep, so it’s a bit much to let her play outside.”

“How about we call it quits around now and disperse.”

“…”

His twin brother had the talent of expressing his dislike using only his facial muscles.

“But Shana seems disappointed…”

“You’re the one who’s disappointed, don’t use Shana as an excuse.”

“Ahem.”

Leon awkwardly turned his gaze away.

‘Well, it’s been a while, so it can’t be helped.’

The raccoon Five Brothers and the bear had often hung out with the twins, or more precisely with Leon, since long ago. However, after what happened with Lili on the night of the festival, Leon had been acting distant toward the beastfolk. It wasn’t that they had said anything in particular, but Leon himself felt guilty and couldn’t be comfortable around them.

Lili’s matter had been resolved unexpectedly, and since this was Leon’s first gathering in a long time, there was much catching up to do.

“Alright. Let’s move.”

“Ron! I got permission!”

Why had he come to ask for permission from him, leaving Shana and Evelyn behind?

‘Evelyn would have said everything was fine as long as Shana was happy, and Shana probably used me as an excuse because she was worried about what Maria would say.’

The formula coming together so quickly proved the years they had spent together.

Maria would eventually give in if it was something Shana wanted. Ian braced himself to hear Maria’s nagging after a long time.

Maria had returned to the manor during Shana’s funeral.

She said she had definitely been imprisoned in an underground prison, but when she came to her senses, she was in a village on the outskirts of the capital city. Despite being unconscious for a long time, she had met kind people and managed to avoid dying a miserable death.

When she finally found Aile and returned to the manor, Shana’s funeral was in full swing.

The twins had also rushed back to the manor, so they hadn’t been able to greet Maria separately. Until just a few days ago, what mattered to them wasn’t some teacher or student they were reuniting with after years.

Ian truly learned what it meant to have the ground collapse beneath his feet at that moment.

And what kind of look someone who had lost everything had in their eyes.

He never wanted to see it again. Ian let out a long breath.

All the things he thought he had lost had just returned to his hands.

***

“Oh my, is it over already?”

“It seems we’re late.”

It was past midnight.

Maria waved her hand as if pleased to see them.

“I’m the only survivor.”

“So it seems. Everyone’s collapsed.”

From the twins to Ron, everyone had fallen asleep as if knocked out by alcohol. Only Shana was sleeping soundly on the sofa, with Evelyn in her black dog form guarding her side.

Kail checked his pocket watch. He had thought they were late, but he didn’t expect the gathering to be over already. Anais lightly jumped into the room. Maria said,

“Why do you both come in through the window when there’s a perfectly good entrance?”

“It’s a hobby.”

“…”

“I’m joking, Maria. We came secretly. No matter what, it would be troublesome if rumors spread that we went out for nighttime fun while our daughter’s funeral was in full swing.”

Anais replied lightly.

Maria barely managed to lift her sprawled body. Perhaps because she had been living while restraining herself from drinking, she felt tipsy even though she hadn’t had many drinks.

“There must be a lot to do for the funeral.”

“Yes. Many guests too. Still, it’s relatively quiet thanks to Prince Nathan dying.”

Maria let out a hollow laugh. It was far too cheerful a voice to be talking about someone’s death.

“Don’t you think there’s no need to send her off so carefully? It’s fake anyway.”

“Even though it’s fake, it has my daughter’s appearance, so I can’t send it off carelessly.”

“…Honestly, I think I would have wanted to get rid of it from my sight because it was too horrifying.”

“Still, it was precious. It was the only trace left to us at one time.”

Anais spoke gently and left a kiss on the forehead of Shana, who was in deep sleep.

She was grateful that at least the form had returned intact. Back then, that is.

And now that she had returned breathing warmly, there was nothing more to wish for.

“It seems Shana intends to properly develop the hospital. We can’t leave the Apothecary Guild’s interference alone anymore either.”

“Oh my, who dares to pick a fight with our daughter?”

“It seems they look down on her because beastfolk frequently visit.”

Not knowing they had stirred up a hornet’s nest.

‘Not just any hornets, but a giant hornet nest.’

Maria frowned as she watched the couple gazing lovingly at their one and only child in the world.

It was the picture of a peaceful and beautiful family, but to Maria’s eyes, it looked like a pair of giant hornets fondly caring for a bumblebee.

Or it was a pair of giant hornets contentedly watching the rear view of a bumblebee stuck between flower petals, struggling.

‘Come to think of it.’

There was the Crown Prince, the leader of the Wolf Clan, a 7th class mage, a Sword Master, an A-rank mercenary group composed of beastfolk, and now even the Demon Clan had gathered.

‘If Shana set her mind to it, continental conquest… wouldn’t that be possible?’

She had gathered quite a variety of giant hornets.

Shouldn’t they put up a sign at the door saying ‘Enter and you won’t die peacefully!’? Maria seriously pondered this.

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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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