The Immortal Duke’s Physician Is an Internist - Chapter 20

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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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The next morning, someone woke me before dawn.
“Teacher! Wake up!”
“…Lily? What’s wrong at this hour…?”
“It’s the Duke’s orders. He says to bring you quickly.”
Had some critical patient appeared? I grabbed my medical bag at once.
“Where should I go? Who’s ill?”
“To the Central Hall, if you please.”
So I hurried through the still-darkened corridors. When I opened the doors to the Central Hall, I stopped short at the sight before me.
“What in the world…is all this?”
“Welcome, Miss Frenshia. I am Bridget Barton, proprietress of the Changtie Salon.”
A middle-aged woman in an elaborate dress greeted me.
‘Changtie Salon…that’s the famous dress shop in the Capital.’
I returned her bow a bit uncertainly, but I still couldn’t grasp the situation.
“Hee-hee-hee, I’ve come at the Duke’s command today. He asked me to prepare a dress befitting you, Miss Frenshia.”
Bridget, a woman of ample presence, made quite a show of it.
“The Duke…ordered clothes for me?”
“Yes indeed. He said not to worry about the expense, so I’ve brought only the finest, most beautiful garments.”
Lily, standing beside her, was equally thrilled.
“Teacher, I received special orders to attend you as well. I’ll take good care of you!”
“Ah…yes? Yes…?”
What was this? I didn’t recall any clause about clothing allowance in the Employee Benefits…?
One way or another, the two of them pushed me into trying on dozens of dresses.
Lily watched with a keen eye, offering sharp assessment each time I emerged in something new.
…Though truthfully, she just showered me with praise.
“Teacher, you have such fair skin and dark hair—everything suits you beautifully.”
“Hmm? Oh, thank you.”
“Your girl has an eye for these things. She’s absolutely right, Miss Frenshia. It suits you so well I can’t choose just one!”
“Haha, how embarrassing…!”
But honestly, I was pleased.
At Frenshia Mansion, I’d worn servant’s clothes until my past life came back to me. After that, I’d simply worn trousers because finery felt cumbersome.
Yet here I was, able to try on these luxurious, glittering dresses to my heart’s content. It truly was an indulgence.
After trying on about ten, I chose an Apricot-colored Dress with a subtle, lustrous sheen.
“I’ll take this one. Though I still don’t understand why I need to choose a dress.”
“Hee-hee-hee! Such excellent taste! Shall we do your hair and makeup now?”
This time Lily took charge. She laid out a mirror and cosmetics before me with a flourish and rolled up her sleeves.
“Teacher, you remember that clause in the Duke’s Household Employee Benefits about an in-house cosmetologist? That’s me.”
“Really? That was you?”
“I have three older sisters, so I’ve been interested in makeup and hair since childhood. I learned the trade early.”
Lily’s hands were already busy with my hair.
“Just sit still, Teacher. If you’re tired, you can even sleep. I’ll make sure it’s perfect.”
Following her word, I dozed off and woke several times in the chair. Finally, Lily finished everything and woke me.
“Well then, shall we go? Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Everyone? Who’s waiting for me?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
Lily said this and presented me with Shoes that matched the Apricot-colored Dress in shade and splendor.
In these unfamiliar Shoes, I walked down the corridor. Lily led me to the Duke’s study.
“Your Grace, Miss Frenshia is ready.”
“Come in.”
Creak…the door opened, and I stepped inside with some hesitation.
In the study stood familiar faces.
Duke Blashion, his aide Kaerun, and his guard captain Everain.
The three men looked at me, as they always did, and then…
“…”
“…”
“…”
All three, as if by agreement, froze.
I too stood motionless, uncertain how to react.
Time stretched on in silence.
As the moment threatened to suspend us all forever like specimens in amber, I spoke first.
“Shall I head back?”
“No, no, no, no! You mustn’t leave!”
Kaerun rushed forward and seized my arm, shaking it up and down with flushed cheeks.
“Wow, Doctor. What is this? You’re definitely the same person, yet you look completely different! It suits you wonderfully!!”
“Thank you. Lily’s handiwork was excellent. The Carsseido Duke House truly spares no expense on Employee Benefits.”
While I was giving enthusiastic double thumbs up, Everain quietly approached my side. I glanced at him and couldn’t help but comment.
“Sir Everain, you’ve dressed in Formal Attire today? It suits you very well.”
He had the kind of bearing that made anything look good, but the crisp black Formal Attire he wore today was particularly striking.
Everain received my compliment with an awkward, bashful reply.
“Yes. The doctor also…… looks very well.”
“Doctor, Everain. There’s somewhere I need you to go.”
The Duke’s abrupt interjection made both Everain and me turn to look at him. He held out an envelope to Everain.
“The Botanical Garden opening ceremony?”
“The Imperial Court is hosting it, but I have other commitments. So I need you to attend in my stead.”
‘Huh?’
I know this one. In the original story, this was where the female lead and male lead had their date.
Now that I think about it, the dress the female lead wore then was apricot-colored too.
“If it’s an Imperial Court event, I can attend alone without difficulty. There’s no need to trouble the busy doctor to accompany me.”
At Everain’s words, the Duke stated his reasoning quite firmly.
“It’s Couples-Only Entry. I’d prefer you to escort the lady rather than me.”
“……That may be so, but…….”
“So go. Visit the Botanical Garden, get something delicious to eat, take a stroll by the Riverside, and come back late.”
This matched the original story perfectly. The male and female leads’ date itinerary. At the end, what was it again…… the Duke carried the female lead on his back because her feet hurt…….
Everain thought for a long moment before asking again.
“Is this also part of my duties?”
“Sigh…….”
A groan escaped Kaerun. He reproached his colleague loudly.
“Just go already! Go get some fresh air, will you!!”
“Why are you upset? I was merely confirming whether this was a work assignment.”
The Duke settled the bickering between the two with cool finality.
“It is a duty. A very important one. So take good care of the doctor. Give it your all.”
I wasn’t sure why he had to emphasize “your all,” but in any case, Everain seemed to have made up his mind.
He immediately straightened his posture and extended his arm to me—a perfect escort stance.
“Doctor, then I shall see you to the Botanical Garden. Shall we head to the carriage together?”
“Ah, yes……. Thank you for the trouble.”
Now that I think about it, the Duke never asked me once whether I wanted to go to the Botanical Garden.
But I said nothing.
After all, I was dressed up nicely and in a better mood for it, and if I was going out alone with Everain, I could ask him all sorts of questions.
“Then, we shall take our leave.”
I took hold of Everain’s arm.
* * *
It is a truth universally known that women shine when properly groomed.
Don a pretty dress, apply careful makeup, style the hair just so, and any ugly duckling transforms into a swan.
Yet Lionel had always been beautiful to begin with, and Blashion knew this fact well.
‘But it suited her far better than expected…… or so.’
Blashion recalled the moment Lionel had peeked through the door with her head tilted.
No—”recalled” was the wrong word. The image was burned into his eyes.
The dress falling perfectly along the curves of her body, her neck exposed cleanly thanks to the elegant updo, her large eyes and crimson lips.
The brightness of it all left Blashion momentarily unconscious until she opened her mouth.
“Shall I head back?”
“No, no, no, no! You mustn’t leave!”
While Kaerun was making a fuss, Blashion briefly checked his own heart.
Whether fortunate or unfortunate, his heart remained as quiet as ever. The Immortal sighed where no one could hear.
He’d nearly been caught in an embarrassing contradiction.
The Immortal hid his flustered feelings and gave his orders with perfect composure.
“So go. Visit the Botanical Garden, get something delicious to eat, take a stroll by the Riverside, and come back late.”
He’d framed it as a “duty,” but in truth it was nothing more than an invitation to go on a date with a beautiful lady.
“Good grief, that man……. How can he be so unaware? What if the doctor rejects him?”
To Kaerun, who was fretting as he watched the two depart, Blashion replied flatly.
“She will.”
“What? Why not? She’s beautiful and brilliant—what could possibly be lacking?”
“It’s not a matter of lacking or having too much…….”
Blashion closed his mouth and said nothing more. Kaerun pressed for an answer.
“Your Excellency? Don’t you know the method to drive a man mad? One is to start speaking and then stop—the other is…….”
“…….”
“Ah, so you’re telling me to figure it out on my own!”
Blashion ignored his subordinate’s outburst.
How could he explain?
Because his loyal knight of honor…….
‘Has eyes for no one but his own sister.’

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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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