I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 151

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

Side Story 1-1

Inner Thoughts (1)

#Seth

The hospital had settled in smoothly.

There were two clinics.

Maria’s Clinic 1 handled human patients, and Shana’s Clinic 2 handled beastfolk patients. With the premium of supplying potions to the Royal Palace, Clinic 1’s patients gradually increased, but Clinic 2 had hardly any visitors.

This was because the beastfolk, having learned that Shana’s healing power was based on life force, no longer came as comfortably as before.

No matter how much Shana said she was “fine,” it was useless since it was difficult for her to explain her relationship with Seth in detail. It was natural. They had trusted Shana’s “I’m fine” before and nearly lost her entirely. Occasionally bringing drinks or snacks to chat was all they did now.

Of course, it wasn’t like Shana had no work at all.

After the Apothecary Guild’s sabotage disappeared, the officially registered potions were selling like hotcakes. Ian had to focus almost entirely on selling potions together with Ron.

And treating patients who were brought in on the verge of death from unavoidable injuries was also Shana’s responsibility. Though it happened maybe once a month, if that.

“What are you so dissatisfied about?”

Seth asked with a chuckle. Shana’s curly hair was tangled between his long fingers. Shana looked out the window without caring whether he braided her hair or not.

“I’m not dissatisfied about anything.”

“You’re going to lie to my face?”

“I really don’t have any. My original goal was to live a trashy life that wasn’t quite trash.”

However, Shana had been living too earnestly for that to be true. Seth found it amusing how Shana’s words differed from her actions. When her nature was to do anything for the people she loved.

From the moment she was reborn, Shana had been tormented by guilt about her younger sister. She always missed her and couldn’t forget the things she had left behind on the happy side. Seth was the only being who knew this about Shana. That’s why Shana could never abandon Seth.

Never.

Embracing the things she couldn’t abandon, she stood precariously on emotions that deliberately took no definite form.

While giving affection and love, she couldn’t abandon her past life enough to actively live as a member of this world.

If Shana’s parents had told her to live according to her status, Shana would have followed their words without complaint. Even while grumbling that it was bothersome and troublesome, she would have chosen not to rebel. Because she loved her parents. She could have married Raven and become the most noble woman in the Bayard Empire.

But a status and duty that required abandoning her past life’s identity would have strangled Shana.

Living as she pleased, living like trash that wasn’t quite trash. That was Shana’s way of surviving when she didn’t want to belong to this world. Whether she knew it or not, from Seth’s perspective, Shana had made choices to survive.

Seth thought of Raven.

That greedy and arrogant human had no intention of giving up on Shana even if he died. His contractor Chloe called such a Raven crazy. Seth agreed.

“There could be a bachelor emperor or two.”

“The problem is there’s never been one before. What about succession? What about duty…”

“If it gets urgent, I can just adopt someone. I’ll never marry anyone but you, so understand that.”

The reason he had obediently let Shana abandon her status suitable for becoming an emperor’s partner was because he too had the will to carry out his stubbornness. If he was going to grow old and die as a bachelor, what did his partner’s status matter? Whether she was a foreign princess or a street healer, he would endure until they bowed their heads in gratitude just for her sitting beside him.

Shana seemed to think Raven would give up soon. A prince courting a healer from the slums – it lacked realism.

However, Raven visited Rierrem Hospital two or three times a week under the pretext of medical treatment, and shamelessly didn’t forget his gift offensive.

It would be interesting to see over time whether Shana, who couldn’t abandon her past life’s identity, would win, or Raven, who persisted in courting with everything on the line, would win. This story that was now just ridiculous and childish would immediately tumble into tragedy the moment either side became weak. For example, someone wanting to buy the Emperor’s favor could kidnap and offer up the slum healer, or the power-drunk emperor could resort to force. In fact, that would be easier.

Rather, that would be a more realistic story, but…

‘I won’t let it come to that.’

There were too many hornets protecting the bumblebee.

‘Raven, you’ve started a difficult fight too. Poor thing.’

To think his opponent is ‘this.’

However, Raven seemed quite confident too. He firmly believed Shana would never abandon him. Seth didn’t dislike Raven. His noble stubbornness and arrogant devotion perfectly matched his own twisted tastes.

Seth kissed Shana’s hair and asked. Seeing that she only glanced at him annoyedly instead of pushing him away in disgust, her condition seemed quite poor. She’d probably fall ill by tomorrow.

“Shana, tell me anytime if you want to die.”

“What are you saying.”

“Don’t you want to die and meet Mina?”

Seth asked as if testing her. If she wanted to die, he’d kill her. His intentions were obvious. Shana skillfully brushed off Seth’s nonsense.

“I can’t because there are too many people who would cry if I died.”

Shana was living by receiving life force from Seth. She could live longer than anyone, or die tomorrow. It all depended on Seth’s whims.

‘Anytime is fine.’

As long as I can watch you close your eyes at the final moment.

As long as I’m the one who kills you.

This too was a form of love. Love without lust or possessiveness. Seth said, including myself.

“You really do collect only strange kinds of love.”

“…I only picked up pretty people, but somehow it ended up like this.”

“At least it’s fortunate that trash can be pretty, right?”

“…”

***

#Maria

“Lady Shana, are you still sleeping?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m awake…”

However, Shana couldn’t get up from bed. Her voice, muffled as if drunk with sleep, was also smaller than usual.

‘She needs to rest today.’

Judging by the date, it was about time for her to fall ill. Shana suffered from light fevers whenever the seasons changed, and once a year she would have a severe one. Whenever her condition was poor, her body would alert her by raising her temperature, leaving her unable to get up for several days.

‘The environment has changed a lot too, so this time it’ll probably last several days.’

Times like this were truly frustrating. The fact that healing power capable of even saving beastfolk didn’t work on its owner felt terribly unfair to Evelyn.

“I’ll get up…”

“No, please stay lying down.”

“…Okay.”

Shana, seeming to understand her condition, relaxed her body without complaint. There was no point in resisting at times like this. Evelyn wouldn’t let Shana take a single step out of this room while she had a fever.

Like others, but no one was as sensitive to Shana’s condition as Evelyn.

“I’ll go tell Lady Maria that Lady Shana will be resting for a while. Please get some sleep.”

“Okay, tell her I’m sorry.”

“Yes.”

Having finished speaking, Shana squeezed her eyes shut.

When she went outside the door and informed Maria of Shana’s condition, Maria said:

“I thought it was about time for that. I’ll tell Ron to be especially careful today too. She’d be sad if someone died while she was sick.”

Maria wrinkled her nose bridge and adjusted her glasses. Even after becoming a healer, her impatient nature hadn’t completely disappeared, but recently she had become quite calm compared to the old days.

“We have plenty of potions too… don’t worry about the hospital. I should let the Twins know too. Oh, could you tell Leon?”

“Why should I?”

“Oh my, playing innocent now.”

She smiled slyly and patted her shoulder, but Evelyn didn’t even smile. Evelyn replied coldly.

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“There are things you know even without words, aren’t there?”

“There’s no reason to understand what wasn’t said either.”

“…I was a fool for trying to joke with you.”

Maria sighed and shook her head.

“The Prince and Leon both, the boys are quick…”

“Romance is too early for Lady Shana.”

“Too early only for Lady Shana? What about you?”

“I’m not interested at all.”

“Ah, I see… Poor Leon.”

However, even from Maria’s perspective, romance was still too early for Shana. Though she was of age, her surroundings were chaotic and she had no leisure. Only now that she had abandoned her Wentworth status and hidden in her own nest did she seem to finally find stability.

That cozy sanctuary that began with Shana’s playing house was now a precious place for Maria as well.

She had gone from playing along with the hospital game to officially earning a healer’s certification, and found great fulfillment in caring for people with her own hands and making them healthy. Thinking of the past when she would first beat up anyone who annoyed her, it was truly an unbelievable change.

Though she disliked the Prince, the one thing she found admirable about him was that he had never once forced his feelings on Shana. Even knowing that Shana harbored feelings for him.

‘How long will that last?’

When he becomes an adult, and as he ages, would Raven be able to endure holding power while the heart he truly wants slips through his fingers? When he could bring Shana before him with a single word and lock her away deep in the palace.

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