I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 146

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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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146

Chapter 29. Brilliant Lights Embrace Me (1)

This was definitely supposed to be my new house.

I tried not to show it, but I was quite excited about my first time living independently. Everyone dreams of it at least once. A free life away from parents! The kind of life where you enjoy somewhat unhealthy eating habits and stay up late having fun.

“…Is this a tomb…?”

However, I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, yet there were those here who had enjoyed the joy of independence in my place. How many casualties are there?

Most of these people had already been living independently for a while and even had families.

Is this what they call the reality of college living alone? The reality where your place becomes a hangout for drunk friends.

The bedroom had been peaceful.

Thanks to Ella bringing all my bedding from the manor, I was able to sleep very comfortably. Actually, I think I slept well because of warm Evelyn, but let’s not forget Ella’s contribution either.

The Raccoon Brothers, Leon, and Ron were sprawled side by side on the floor.

Ron was curled up like a tender child, which didn’t match his large frame. The smallest raccoon, the third brother, had his head on Leon’s stomach and his legs draped over Ron’s cheek while snoring boldly.

The rest were being considerate – the large animals stayed in human form while the small animals transformed into their animal forms and squeezed into corners.

“Ugh, the smell of alcohol…”

“Oh my, Lady Shana. Are you awake? You’re up early.”

“I went to bed early…”

I remember everyone excitedly rushing to the house… Maria waved at me with a bright smile.

“I thought they’d have some fun and leave, so why did they die here?”

“Exactly. It’ll lower the property value.”

“…Don’t tell me they’re actually dead?”

She mentioned property values so calmly that my heart sank. Maria burst into giggles.

“Of course not! They just can’t get up because of hangovers.”

“You scared me…”

“How innocent. Evelyn is preparing breakfast, so please wait a moment. Should I bring you a newspaper?”

“No, ah, yes!”

“You want me to bring it, right? Got it, just wait a moment.”

Maria laughed cheerfully, kissed my cheek, then walked away gracefully. I sat on an empty sofa and swept the mess on the table away with my foot.

“Lady Shana, here’s some warm water.”

“Thank you, Evelyn. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. …I tried to clean everything up before you woke up, but Lady Maria stopped me.”

Let’s not ask what she was trying to clean up.

“You said you were preparing breakfast?”

“Yes, it’s almost ready. I heard you getting up and quickly brought water. I should go back…”

Evelyn swept the floor with a displeased look. At the end of her gaze was Leon, sleeping with an unnecessarily serious expression.

…Leon, your love just ran about 100 meters away…

Then Maria brought me the newspaper. Only after seeing that did Evelyn return to the kitchen. I pulled my legs up onto the sofa and opened the newspaper. Maria asked.

“Is there some news you’re curious about?”

“I’m checking when Prince Nathan’s funeral is.”

“…Don’t tell me you’re going to pay your respects?”

“Huh?”

I opened my eyes wide. Maria had a face that read ‘It’s quite unsettling, but if Lady Shana wants it, there’s nothing I can do, no wait, I’d rather you didn’t.’

Wow, I can actually read that.

“No. If I was going to pay respects, I wouldn’t have dealt the finishing blow.”

“Finishing blow?”

“The final strike.”

I explained while swallowing the warm water down my throat.

“I essentially cut off his lifeline, but I feel no guilt. Rather, now that it’s over, I don’t think anything of it at all. That’s because that person was too insignificant. He might have thought he was some great villain or important figure, but… he was just a selfish and stupid person.”

“Was he stupid…?”

Maria muttered bitterly.

“Yes. They say empathy is also a form of intelligence.”

“Ah, in that sense.”

“That person was just someone who couldn’t bear how pitiful he was, a patient with inflated ego and a narcissist…”

Oh, am I badmouthing a dead person too much?

I unconsciously poured out harsh words before stopping myself. However, Maria looked delighted with a bright face, and quite adorably, the tails of the animals pretending to sleep all wagged in unison.

…They really hated him…

I checked Nathan’s funeral schedule.

It should have been no different from killing a person, yet his presence left surprisingly little trace.

I recalled Nathan clinging to me until the end, abandoning Brandon who had committed evil acts for his sake. It was an insignificant end, devoid of any dignity.

Perhaps that’s why I remembered more vividly the hollow look in Brandon’s eyes when he heard Nathan, whom he regarded like his own son, tell him to die, rather than Nathan’s tearful clinging at the end.

There was nothing remarkable about any of it.

That’s why those who were sacrificed are pitiful. Yesterday I prayed for Cordelia together with Maria.

“What he did would make even demons cry, …no, he did involve demons in his deeds, but anyway it was evil that would put demons out of work… But I suppose most villains are like that. When you look at the reality, they’re just selfish and childish narcissistic patients.”

It was too ridiculous to treat such people as great villains just because they committed tremendous evil acts.

From the start, villain and great are words that cannot be combined.

No matter how cruel the evil acts, something that has fallen to become a monster that strayed from the path is not great at all.

Nathan was actually quite pathetic compared to the image he tried to project, but I didn’t want to think of villains as great, even out of stubbornness.

Otherwise they might fall into some kind of hero psychology and show off saying “Kukuk, I’m a demon born wearing human skin. If the world knew the evil acts I’ve committed, they would be shocked…!” How could I stand to see that.

“He was a patient with an incurable disease.”

“Something like that. Being self-centered isn’t something to be proud of, but he fell into the delusion that he was so great and lovable that he could do anything. There’s no cure for that. Ah, medicine!”

I jumped up. Just then Evelyn came in shouting “Shana, tea? Milk? Which should I prepare? I prepared both though!” and was startled.

“Milk! And medicine!”

“Medicine?”

“Yes! Let’s go sell medicine!”

After figuring out the context of my random words, Evelyn smiled kindly. Her surprised face calmed down and changed to one that read “Ah, she’s thought of another task that could be postponed again.” Her eyes were strangely cold.

“Eat first.”

Yes.

***

Although I ran a hospital in Rierem District, I didn’t actively promote it.

I was the only healer, and I wasn’t even a legal healer, plus there was too much I had to hide to operate openly.

But now that the Wentworth Noblewoman had officially died, I had nothing to worry about.

Using Maria’s healer qualifications to proudly register potions too!

Using Maria to avoid the Temple’s surveillance too!

Using Maria to….

“Shana, you must have been desperately waiting for me.”

“I love you, Maria!”

“…I feel like my days studying under that dog-like teacher are being rewarded.”

“I love you!”

Maria looked into the distance with subtle eyes as if recalling memories that didn’t seem like memories. There must have been so many incidents… It might take years even if I heard just one episode per day.

“If I had known it would be like this, I should have come earlier.”

Then I could have removed the illegal label sooner. Maria muttered quietly.

But even if she had come earlier, whether it would have been the same as now was unknowable. As long as I was hiding and living a double life, I couldn’t have made such a bold decision as now.

‘This is why double lives are no good….’

One must live honorably. Indeed.

Since Maria was registered as an official healer, I was very excited about the prospect of coming into the light using her as a front.

One of those plans was potion registration.

If I called it a personal secret technique, even the Temple couldn’t find fault, and there was nothing bad even if they investigated the ingredients. Moreover, Maria could stand proud even if the Temple sent investigators!

When I didn’t know the true nature of my power, I lived warily of the Temple’s misunderstanding, and after learning the truth, I avoided the Temple for fear they’d discover that demons had attached themselves to me. But now! I!

Am honorable!

“It’s not allowed.”

“What? Why not?!”

However, the Mercenary Guild rejected my honorable potion registration.

When I unconsciously leaned forward and shouted, the receptionist looked away as if troubled. I won’t eat you.

“Hey, mister. You should properly explain the reason, shouldn’t you?”

This was Leon.

“If the rejection reason isn’t valid, I’ll formally complain to the guild’s upper management.”

This was Ian.

As the spirited twins flared up, the receptionist looked like he wanted to cry. Maria crossed her arms and sneered.

“So you’re saying you can’t accept my potions now?”

“Well, Maria…”

“Don’t just roll your eyes around and tell us the exact reason for rejection.”

Maria, who had been active as an A-rank mercenary for a long time, was acquainted with the Mercenary Guild. Recognizing Maria, the receptionist squeezed his eyes shut.

“Well, you see….”

The receptionist, who appeared to be around thirty, still looked troubled and on the verge of tears in his expression and voice, but with his hands he pointed to the Apothecary Guild’s emblem.

“I don’t really know either. That’s all I can tell you.”

“Ah, I see….”

“If I knew, I would tell you, but I’m truly sorry.”

Applause came naturally. This was a perfect example of words and actions being different.

Well, this is exactly the seasoned experience of a Mercenary Guild receptionist.

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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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