My Body Has Been Possessed By Someone - Chapter 32

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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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Chapter 32
Fortunately, the Imperial Princess proved remarkably cooperative this time.
‘It’s truly spread across her entire body.’
The Empress had been right in what she said before.
Not just her face, but her arms, legs, back—her entire body was covered in red dermatitis.
Reddish, circular rashes had scattered across her skin, with yellowish discharge pooling in places.
After examining her thoroughly, I diagnosed the condition: nummular dermatitis, a skin disease characterized by coin-shaped lesions.
“Your Highness the Imperial Princess, how have you been managing the illness all this time?”
“I’ve followed the physicians’ advice.”
The answer came from the Empress instead.
“Three times a day, without fail, she’s bathed in warm water infused with medicinal herbs. Recently, she’s also been applying the ointment the physician provided.”
It was a half-expected answer. In this era, people believed that skin diseases absolutely required frequent bathing in good water.
“May I examine the medicine?”
“It’s in that jar over there.”
I lifted a pristine glass bottle. Inside was a pale gray ointment, nearly black in hue.
‘Wait… a pale gray ointment, nearly black?’
In that moment, a memory flickered past me.
A group project from university. What was the topic again?
Right—”Research Medications Misused Throughout Eastern and Western Medical History.”
‘Damn group project. I ended up doing all the work myself.’
One of my group members had sent me an email claiming to research materials.
【Mercury treatment can be applied as an ointment or inhaled as vapor. Mercury ointment was reportedly a pale gray color, nearly black.】
That was all.
Just that much written out, nothing more.
They’d added all sorts of nonsensical excuses about being hospitalized with gastroenteritis and being discharged a week later, or whatever.
The email had been so thoughtless, and I’d been appalled at that description of mercury ointment’s color.
But looking at this ointment now, that sentence flashed through my mind.
‘Could this possibly be mercury?’
Mercury—used in the West as a treatment for syphilis and skin diseases, pursued in the East by Emperor Qin Shi Huang as an elixir of immortality.
What became of those poisoned by this mercury?
Catastrophe.
I asked, my voice trembling.
“Is this… mercury ointment, by any chance?”
“Yes. You seem to know well.”
My vision darkened in an instant.
Mercury ointment… I’d suspected it, but it was true!
‘People are the same everywhere. They’re using it as medicine here too.’
Yes, mercury does have sterilizing properties. It was actually used to treat syphilis and other inflammations.
‘But the problem was it gifted them with entirely new diseases instead!’
The Empress, watching me, asked anxiously.
“How is it? Is the medicine too weak?”
“How long have you been using this medication?”
“Not long at all. About two weeks now?”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
Fortunately, it truly hadn’t been long. If she stopped now, there might be no lasting damage.
“You must discontinue this medicine immediately.”
“What?”
The Empress’s eyes widened at my words.
“But if I don’t apply this medicine, the Princess’s itching becomes severe.”
Severe itching? It seemed they’d added other ingredients to the mercury ointment.
‘But what cannot be done simply cannot be done.’
I shook my head firmly.
“You must still discontinue it. And you need to reduce bathing frequency. I know it’s inconvenient, but for now, please wash only once every two days.”
“….”
“When you do bathe, avoid letting water touch the affected area as much as possible. Gently dab away any discharge with a damp cloth….”
Then came a sharp, ragged breath—Amelia, who had been listening silently until now.
She glared at me as though she might kill me, her teeth clenched so hard they seemed ready to shatter.
“Don’t apply the medicine? Then my skin will itch so badly I might die?”
Every word dripped with fury. Her clenched fists trembled violently.
“And what? Don’t bathe? Just leave the discharge flowing freely? Are you mocking me right now?”
Then she turned her arrows toward the Empress.
“You’ve brought quite the remarkable physician, Your Majesty! Send her away! I won’t be treated by a quack!”
But I didn’t so much as blink.
“If you continue with your current treatment methods, your condition will not improve.”
Instead, I spoke with an almost forceful firmness.
“Of course cleanliness matters, but bathing three times daily is excessive. Over-bathing and constant washing dry out the skin, and dry skin worsens the condition. And you absolutely cannot use this medicine. It may temporarily relieve the itching, but mercury….”
…No, wait.
If I told her now that mercury was terribly harmful and that frequent use causes addiction and death, she’d never believe me.
Too many people already trusted it and used it.
I had no reputation, no power, no influence to change that perception.
She might even accuse me of ignorance and strip away my chance to treat her. So I changed my words immediately.
“This medicine is toxic and weakens the skin.”
“…And?”
Amelia spoke through gritted teeth, struggling to contain her rage.
“Are you saying the Imperial physician prescribed it incorrectly? How dare you speak of the Imperial Palace’s physician that way!”
“As someone who failed to cure Your Highness.”
I stated it plainly. That’s why the Empress had thrown me out.
“I’ve heard your skin condition has persisted for a long time. That means every treatment method used so far has failed to suit Your Highness.”
It was a fair point, so Amelia ground her teeth together.
“Then what do you propose for my itching?”
“You must exercise patience.”
“Patience? You’re telling me to be patient?”
Her fury finally erupted. Her eyes blazed with the desire to lunge forward and strike my face that very instant.
Though violence hung thick in the air, I remained unflustered. Those who had suffered long from illness inevitably grew sharp-tongued.
With such patients, it was crucial to inspire trust through unwavering resolve.
“Yes, Your Highness must exercise patience.”
“Don’t speak so carelessly! If patience were easy, there would be no need for medicine at all!”
Bang! Amelia stamped her foot and shot to her feet.
“Do you have any idea how agonizing this is? My entire body itches as though I’m dying! It’s torture—like being burned alive!”
“If Your Highness wishes to recover, you must grit your teeth and endure.”
Then I added quietly:
“I will prepare a soothing salve for you. Once applied, it should provide some relief.”
Amelia’s shoulders trembled. Her eyes blazed with fury, yet I continued without hesitation.
“And it would help considerably if you changed your garments. Switch to cotton fabric.”
“Cotton?”
Amelia laughed again, as though the absurdity was beyond measure.
“Are you telling me to dress like a commoner?”
I understood Amelia’s indignation.
The nobility and Imperial Family typically wore silk, satin, and velvet.
Cotton was what commoners wore. To suggest such a thing to the Empire’s princess was naturally preposterous.
“Since the affliction has spread across your entire body, you need breathable garments. Cotton is superior to silk.”
“Damn it!”
Amelia spat out a curse unbecoming of a princess. She snorted like a bull ready to smash the furniture to pieces.
Then suddenly, she raised her hand!
‘Is she going to strike me?’
The moment I furrowed my brow, a bell chimed.
Ding-ding. Amelia had rung the bell to summon the Maid.
“Bring me cotton garments at once!”
“….”
“And what else! What else must be done, madam? Speak quickly!”
Well, that’s quite cooperative.
Caught off guard by her sudden shift in demeanor, I offered several additional recommendations.
“If possible, I would also recommend changing your bedding. Layer several cotton blankets atop one another. And….”
Amelia then shouted at the Maid:
“Write it all down! Don’t miss a single detail!”
“….”
She truly wishes to recover.
Though my words would sound like nonsense to people of this era, she clung to them with such desperate earnestness.
Perhaps my earlier words—that the treatment methods thus far had been wrong, which is why she hadn’t healed—had pierced her heart.
After the Maid departed, the Empress, who had been observing quietly all this while, spoke.
“Is that all? Do you require no medicine?”
“I do need it. That’s why I’m asking—could you procure medicinal herbs from the Eastern Continent?”
“Of course. My Debor Trading Company has deep connections there, so I can obtain anything from the East. Simply tell me what you need.”
He exhaled a weary sigh.
“If I can heal Amelia, I would do anything.”

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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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