The Immortal Duke’s Physician Is an Internist - Chapter 29

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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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Everaine, who had been led by Blassion’s hand to the Duke’s mansion of Carsseido as the former Duke Ricar, adapted to the estate far more quickly than expected. It certainly helped that Kaelyun, the advisor’s son, happened to be around his own age.
“Ow! It hurts! Stop it, Everaine!!”
Clang! A brown-haired boy tumbled backward with the sharp ring of steel.
“That boy shows real aptitude with the blade.”
Blassion’s advisor, who had been watching Everaine, continued with evident admiration.
“You think he has talent too?”
“Not mere talent—he’s a prodigy. In just two weeks, he’s mastered what took Kaelyun three years to learn. If you train him well, he’ll surely accomplish great things.”
A few days later.
Blassion summoned Everaine privately.
“How would you like to train formally in swordcraft? I see real potential in you.”
Everaine fell silent for a moment, then straightened his posture before answering.
“I would very much like to receive formal training. ……But there is one condition. The truth is, I have a younger sister.”
“A younger sister?”
“Yes. I left her at an orphanage, but she’s ill. I want to…… pay for her treatment. So if you could provide funds……”
“What sort of condition is a child laying down? If you had a sick sister, you should have told me first. Bring her here at once and we’ll look after her.”
Everaine’s face brightened, then quickly darkened again.
“Shaylo suffers from Baeksa Disease. It’s contagious, so bringing her here would……”
“So instead you were going to dump your ailing younger sister in an orphanage and take money for it? Enough of that nonsense. Bring her.”
Everaine hesitated for a long time before bowing his head.
“Thank you, Duke.”
“From now on, report matters like this promptly. Understood?”
“Yes, I shall remember.”
Though obtaining that promise had gone well enough, Blassion found himself puzzled internally.
‘A Baeksa Disease patient entered an orphanage? Or did they contract it after entering?’
If that were the case, the orphanage should have been closed due to the legal mandate on contagious disease outbreaks.
“……It seems I’ll need to look into this more carefully.”
* * *
It took exactly one week for the Duke to make a complete recovery.
To overcome trauma that would have killed an ordinary person in seven days—truly, the Immortal was formidable.
After removing the final sutures, I made my way to Everaine’s room.
Ever since the assault, Everaine had been confined to his chamber. He seemed relieved to hear that his lord had fully recovered.
“I’m truly grateful, ma’am. I’m sorry I can only offer you this meager hospitality.”
“Not at all. I should apologize for calling on you so suddenly. You must have been resting.”
As I spoke, I surveyed the room. My eyes fell on a cookie jar sitting on a shelf.
“May I have some of those cookies?”
Everaine readily took out the cookies for me.
“Of course. Please, help yourself.”
“Thank you! I’m just glad there’s nothing sharp inside.”
While I sipped my tea, Everaine spoke first.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I wanted to talk about Shaylo.”
Everaine’s hand trembled slightly as he held his cup. I delivered the question like a blade.
“Shaylo. She’s your younger sister, correct? Where is she now?”
“……That the Chief Physician knows her name means you’ve already learned a great deal before coming.”
Everaine straightened himself. His eyes, meeting mine, turned fierce.
“Shaylo is under the protection of the Black Mages. I don’t know her exact location.”
“You haven’t seen your sister since leaving the orphanage, have you? Not even once?”
“I haven’t. She only sends me letters occasionally.”
“And you’ve been reporting the Duke’s news to the Black Mages in exchange for your sister’s safety. It was also you who revealed to them that he has a weakness to silver, wasn’t it?”
The fact of his silver vulnerability was classified information shared only with his closest circle.
Everaine’s lips sealed shut. But I knew well enough that silence was consent.
After a long pause, Everaine spoke again.
“My sister suffers from Baeksa Disease.”
It wasn’t surprising—I already knew. But what came next defied my expectations.
“As you know, Baeksa Disease cannot be cured. The Black Mages are researching a remedy for it, and they want the Duke’s blood and body as materials.”
Only then did I truly understand the threats the Duke had endured.
Somewhere, people who dreamed of immortality had searched for mermaid flesh, but in this world, it seemed they coveted an Immortal’s body for medicine.
“Then you were……constantly looking for a chance to kill the Duke?”
“At first, yes. But knowing it was impossible, I changed my plan—to seize an opportunity, sever part of his body, and deliver it to them. That way, my sister’s disease might be cured.”
“Please……. Come to your senses, Everaine.”
I pressed my hands to my head. I had no idea where to even start correcting this mess.
“First of all, Baeksa Disease is curable. With proper nutrition and appropriate medication. You really think a bunch of Black Mages without any medical knowledge could create something properly?”
“My mother died of Baeksa Disease. No doctor in the world could save her.”
“Did she receive proper treatment? You did take her to a real physician, didn’t you?”
“I will save Shaylo, and only the Black Mages can help me. Whether they’re incompetent or not, that is the truth for me.”
No matter what I said, none of it reached Everaine’s ears—he was already thoroughly indoctrinated.
I finally played my last card.
“……Are you even sure she’s really alive?”
At my words, Everaine’s voice, which had remained eerily steady, rose sharply.
“What do you mean by that? Are you suggesting they killed Shaylo?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“That’s impossible. I received a letter from Shaylo just recently.”
“You think people expelled for using Forbidden Magic couldn’t forge a simple letter?”
“Stop spouting such absurdities!”
At last, Everaine raised his voice. Unable to contain his agitation, he continued shouting at me.
“What would you know? Shaylo is alive. She’s clinging to life, waiting for me to rescue her!”
“Then I’ll make sure to save that barely-clinging life of hers properly!!”
I matched his volume, my own shout ringing out loud and clear. At this point, I had nothing left to lose.
“If your sister is truly alive, then all the more reason she needs proper treatment! Betraying your benefactor to devote yourself to a criminal organization—how fortunate she must be to have such a brother!”
“Are you finished speaking?!”
“Not even close. Why?”
Everaine shot to his feet. I rose just as swiftly to meet him.
“If you were my brother, I’d shave off all that long hair and lock you away somewhere! How dare you get tangled up with criminals while looking so respectable!”
“Wh-what…….”
“So stop playing spy and tell the Duke everything. Then we’ll all go rescue your sister together. Come on—be a proper brother for once!”
At the force of my words, Everaine’s mouth fell open. He stood that way for a moment, then gradually returned to his usual composed demeanor.
“Even if everything you say is true…… I’ve already crossed a point of no return.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve already crossed a river that cannot be recrossed. So…… I have no choice but to take you with me by force. Even if it means resorting to something as crude as drugging your tea.”
I gasped and looked down at my teacup. Everaine bit his lip as he spoke.
“Forgive me, ma’am. I will do my utmost to ensure your safety.”
“You’re…… too much…….”
My body swayed, and I gripped the table with both hands. Everaine watched me with an expression of anguish.
“Simply surrender to sleep. Do not resist.”
“If that’s how it’s going to be…… perhaps it would be better if Everaine didn’t resist?”
“……Pardon?”
The moment I said that, Everaine’s legs buckled. As he grabbed the table with both hands, I sprang to my feet.
After a moment of bewilderment, Everaine grasped the situation and let out a hollow laugh.
“The…… Cookie…… when you…… asked for one…… you switched it…….”
“Didn’t they teach you? Never accept food from just anyone. Especially not from a beautiful woman like me—you should at least have your doubts before losing your organs.”
Everaine tried desperately to fight it, but eventually his eyes closed and he slumped onto the sofa.
I turned my head toward the door.
“Come in.”
The Duke and Kaelyun entered. The Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of his subordinate completely laid out.
“What’s our next move?”
At Kaelyun’s question, I looked toward the Duke.
The Duke picked up a photograph that had fallen to the floor.
In the Park, taken from a different angle than the Duke’s own, was a photograph of the two of us together—and on the back, today’s date and an address were written in careful script.
The Duke spoke.
“We can’t sit idle after they’ve shown their hand like this. We’re going there.”

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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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