Surviving as a Terminally Ill Heiress - Chapter 33

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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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Episode 33

“……What?”
“The real color should be like this.”
Morgan produced a small jar from somewhere and opened the lid.
It was an ordinary milky white.
Somehow, the bizarre smell and green color had seemed like such a special ointment.
Morgan clicked her tongue at me, looking bewildered.
“Keeping track of a medicine’s expiration date is the absolute basics — how could the chief physician of the Ambrose Medical Institute let this happen?”
Right, indeed.
I made a effort to collect myself.
How on earth could the chief physician of Ambrose be such a charlatan?
Especially when he’s even compounding medicine for the head of House Ambrose…….
Could it be?
“I’m going to check on something.”
“Miss Lavigne?”
I shot up from my seat and headed for the door of the Institute, then paused to glance back.
“Oh, and I’m thinking of promoting Morgan to formal trainee status. Does anyone object?”
Morgan’s eyes widened—she’d only been brought on based on my recommendation and was still provisional.
It was something I’d meant to settle eventually, and I figured I might as well handle it while we didn’t have that annoying obstacle around.
The other physicians seemed equally pleased about Scott’s absence.
They exchanged glances and accepted Morgan in silence.
A bit reserved, but earnest and capable—there was no reason to reject such a successor.
“There we go. Work harder from now on.”
I gave dazed Morgan an approving pat on the back and quickened my pace, looking satisfied.
My destination was Duke Ambrose’s Office.
Knock-knock, and the door swung wide!
I moved from knock to entry in one fluid motion.
Duke Ambrose looked startled.
There was a man standing beside him whom I’d never seen before—who was he?
Anyway, rude as it was, I had urgent business.
“You haven’t been taking the Nutritional Supplement that Scott’s been giving you.”
He looked down at me with those eyes when I asked, half-certain of my accusation.
The look of someone who’d been caught.
“But why……?”
There were many whys in that question. Why such a charlatan as chief physician? Why were you indulging him? Why?
“He’s just a temporary replacement.”
A replacement for whom?
I was blinking in confusion when the unfamiliar man interjected smoothly.
“Am I not to be introduced?”
“Albert Grime, Count of House Grime.”
That was what he called an introduction.
I gave the manners-deficient Duke Ambrose a sideways glance before looking up at the man.
“I’ve heard much about you by reputation, Miss Ambrose. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“How do you do. I apologize for my rudeness on such short acquaintance. I’m Lavigne Ambrose.”
I gave a small bow.
Count Grime, whose weathered features broke into a smile, chuckled.
“For one so young, you seem remarkably composed.”
“Oh, nothing special.”
Why did that man keep clearing his throat if he was supposedly healthy? Was his chest trouble acting up?
Not that it was my concern anyway.
As I gave him an irritated glance, Count Grime asked curiously.
“If I may ask, how old are you, Miss Ambrose?”
“I’m ten years old.”
“Ten years old…….”
His face brightened noticeably, as if an idea had struck him.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to introduce you to my son.”
“I decline.”
“…….”
Count Grime looked taken aback by my flat refusal.
But I was quite serious.
‘I’ve had my fill of men, thanks.’
Of course, given my age, any introduction would be purely as a friend, but I wanted to preemptively cut off every possibility.
Duke Ambrose’s mouth twitched upward slightly.
“She declines, it seems.”
“……You needn’t check twice, thank you.”
Count Grime’s expression turned a bit glum.
Hmm, perhaps I’d been too cold about introducing his son?
I tried to be gentler with my words.
“Your son would surely have the chance to meet far finer young ladies than me.”
“Y-yes…… thank you for that.”
Somehow even more dejected, Count Grime muttered under his breath: ‘I’m sorry, my boy…… you didn’t even get to confess before being rejected like this.’
Just then, Hui and Dido’s voices came from beyond the door.
They must have come from the Playroom nearby.
In that instant, Count Grime’s eyes lit up with inspiration.
“Then, what if I introduced him to your younger siblings instead? He’d make a most dependable older brother.”
This man was persistent.
And he had a knack for thinking on his feet.
‘Hui and Dido making a noble friend?’
I couldn’t pass this up.

At House Ambrose, they were treated as my siblings through Quasi-Direct Line Treatment, but their status was technically commoner, and they used Flan—their mother’s surname.
For that reason, I wanted to give them solid roots.
‘There’s nothing quite like connections for that.’
The day Count Grime’s only son came to visit.
I dressed Hui and Dido up early in the morning.
Then I stood with them in the Garden, waiting for our guest.
He arrived exactly at the appointed time.
“Good day to you, Miss Ambrose. I’m Vincent of House Grime.”
“Welcome, Vincent. It’s lovely to meet you.”
Vincent resembled his father quite a bit.
He’d inherited that good-natured, weathered appearance perfectly.
‘I heard he was eight years old.’
He seemed like a kind and mature child, just as his father had described.
I smiled warmly and gently nudged my siblings forward.
“These are my younger siblings, Hui and Dido. Come on, you two, say hello.”
“H-hello…….”
“Hi. Nice to meet you. You can call me Vincent.”
“Vincent… big brother……?”
Vincent’s face lit up with delight.
“I’ve always been an only child and wished for younger siblings. I’m so happy!”
“How kind of you to say so. Shall we go to the Parlor?”
I sat with them as a precaution, but I soon realized I wouldn’t be needed after this.
Vincent was wonderfully attentive to my siblings.
Hui took to calling him “big brother” right away and followed him around happily.
Dido seemed a bit shy at first, but Vincent looked after him with such care.
‘Goodness…… what a genuinely good child.’
I wore an expression close to emotion.
It was the first time I’d ever sat so comfortably in the Parlor.
Usually I had to chase after Hui and Dido to keep them from causing trouble.
Most of all, I could actually sip my Hilden Tea gracefully instead of gulping it down.
I nodded to myself again as I took another slow, appreciative sip.
I’d made the right choice to meet Vincent.
I sincerely hoped he’d visit often from now on…….
“Well then, until next time, Miss Ambrose.”
“Call me big sister.”
As we parted, now that I’d fully opened my heart, I offered this generously.
From today on, you’re my younger brother at heart.
Vincent readily agreed: ‘Oh wonderful! I always wanted a big sister too.’
Somehow, this child already gave off the gentle fragrance of a fine gentleman.
Handsome and good-natured—he’d be popular if he kept growing like this.
I smiled contentedly and saw him off all the way to the end.
And it was when I was humming cheerfully as I stepped back into the Manor……
“Oh, goodness—what on earth?”
The Duke was standing in the entryway like some kind of statue.
With an expressionless face, he said:
“Inviting men into the house already.”
What nonsense was that?
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“He’s eight years old. What do you mean by ‘men’?”
“Not something a ten-year-old girl should be saying.”
What……? I, I suppose that’s……?
I was only ten, yes, but did that really apply like that?
I just blinked in bewilderment.
Duke Ambrose said nothing more, just turned and walked away briskly.
What was that? Finding fault again? Was he saying I spent too much time loitering about in his house?
“Petty man.”
I grumbled as I headed to my room.

Though I wished he’d stayed unconscious.
The charlatan had given me rancid ointment, of all things.
The more I thought about it, the more odious it seemed.
I was truly foolish to have believed it so completely.
‘But the wound really did heal quickly…….’
Yes, it definitely did when I applied the ointment.
Like a miracle.
“Meow.”
Just then, Shasha pressed against my feet.
I nudged her away gently.
“Stop eating snacks.”
“Hisss!”
“Ow—you crazy cat!”
She’d bitten me again.
Not a single day passed without some incident.
I looked down irritably at my foot.
Look at this—because of you, my skin is covered with fang marks and scratch marks…….
‘……isn’t it?’
I looked over my whole body anew.
It was clean.
How could that be?
Whenever Shasha bit or clawed me, it hurt terribly. But there were no marks.
“Shasha, you…….”
“Meow.”
“So you were taking it easy on me?”
She only bit just enough not to leave wounds.
This adorable little pest. Even her bad temper was endearing. As long as she stayed healthy.
I picked up the liquid-soft cat and gave her several kisses.
Of course, she bit my chin for it immediately after.
But again, no wound appeared.
My waist had been getting thicker lately, so I’d been restraining myself, but she was so impressive—I should give her a treat.
After an enthusiastic game of Fishing Rod with Shasha, I headed for the Martial Training Grounds.
“Oh, big sister!”
Hui was there, after all.
Recently I’d started sending Hui to the Training Grounds.
First, because Hui wanted to go, and second, because the Knight Commander said Hui had real talent!
‘Of course he does. Anyone can see it. My boy is a prodigy.’
I nodded contentedly.
Honestly, at first I’d worried whether he was too young to be training at the Grounds.
‘They say the young master took up a wooden sword the moment he could walk.’
That is to say, when the Knight Commander sweet-talked me with the line that Gifted Education can never start too early, I sent Hui right away.

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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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