The Immortal Duke’s Physician Is an Internist - Chapter 39

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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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“A Funeral?”
The Duke’s eyes widened as he repeated the word back to me.
“Yes. A funeral, Your Grace. Have you ever heard the rumors? That Duke Carseido drinks human blood to maintain eternal youth?”
When I first entered this Estate, I’d half believed the gossip myself. In a way, there was truth to it.
The Duke shook his head as if bewildered.
“So absurd rumors have been circulating.”
“I think they all stem from the fact that you’ve never held a proper funeral until now. People never hear news of your death, yet someone who looks identical keeps appearing.”
In the original story, the Duke had arranged his weddings with care, but he’d never done the same for funerals.
Of course, he’d announced that his predecessor had died each time. But without holding a funeral, few people truly grasped that the Duke had actually passed away.
In fact, even Count Marseya had mistaken him for Duke Ricar at times.
The Duke nodded, as though he understood my point.
“That’s a fair argument.”
“Exactly, right? So this time, instead of a lavish wedding, let’s hold a lavish funeral. We’ll proclaim it loudly and clearly: ‘Duke Ricar Carseido is dead!'”
A funeral, as I’d learned, is meant to bid farewell to the departed and help those left behind process their grief so they can return to their daily lives.
In that sense, I wished the Duke—who could be both the deceased and the bereaved—would truly hold and attend such a funeral.
Only by saying farewell to your past self can you truly begin a new life.
“……Don’t all women want elaborate weddings? All the brides I’ve hired have, even if they weren’t real.”
At the Duke’s prejudice, I narrowed my eyes.
“There you go with that misunderstanding again. Not all women in the world are the same.”
“What sort of wedding would you want, then?”
“Me? I don’t particularly plan to marry.”
“Humor me. It’s a hypothetical.”
I didn’t know why he was curious about my wedding fantasies, but since he’d asked, I gave him an answer.
“I believe the truly precious things lose their value the more you boast about them to others. So if I were to have a wedding, I’d want it small—in a garden or a quiet café, with only the people closest to me.”
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”
‘What do you mean, keep it in mind?’
Just as I was getting an odd feeling about the direction of our conversation, the Duke spoke again.
“I’ll hold the funeral.”
“Really? You’ll truly do it?”
“Your argument made sense to me. However, at that ceremony, I will introduce you as my wife. That way, there’ll be no need to hold a separate wedding.”
Just as with the rapid-aging diet, the Duke accepted my proposal without hesitation.
Truly, a cooperative patient is the best. I was so delighted I clapped my hands, and the Duke smiled faintly.
“You never fail to meet my expectations. So in respect of you, I’ll make this funeral truly magnificent.”
I wasn’t sure what picture the Duke was painting in his mind.
In any case, I was happy he’d accepted my proposal and nodded eagerly.
“Yes, let’s do that. Is there anything I should prepare?”
“There’s nothing you need to prepare separately. Those around me will handle it. It will all come together naturally.”
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
Well, I should focus on finding the female lead then. Kaelyun would surely handle the preparations on his own.
With such naive confidence, I came to deeply regret that contract when reality struck the very next day.
* * *
“Miss, did you hear the news!!”
The next morning, in the Dining Hall.
Lily greeted me with such fervor that she seized my hands and shook them enthusiastically while offering her congratulations.
“You’re engaged to His Grace? Congratulations, truly congratulations!”
“Ah…… Um, thank you, Lily.”
Except for my closest confidants, no one could know this marriage was fake.
Which meant that as long as I remained in this Estate, I had to continue playing the role of a false bride.
The phrase “when needed” that the Duke had written into the Contract encompassed all of this.
‘Damn it…… I should have considered the contract terms more carefully when drawing it up!’
Well, if that’s how it is, I’ll rely on Method Acting!
With that resolve, I lowered my gaze and answered bashfully.
“It was sudden, but that’s how it happened, Lily. I look forward to working with you.”
“The honor is mine, Future Lady! Once again, my heartfelt congratulations!”
At the cloying title “Future Lady,” I had nothing to say in response.
The trial continued. Every time I encountered the household staff, they offered their unbridled congratulations.
“Future Lady, truly congratulations!”
“They say His Grace fell for you at first sight during your interview? How romantic!”
“Thank you so much for taking our stubborn Duke off the market!!”
“Ah… ahaha… Yes, thank you.”
I’d been told I was using Method Acting, but it wasn’t easy to hide the hollow laughter rising from deep within my chest.
Kaelyun, who’d been trailing after me faithfully, spoke up with such delight that he perfectly captured the sentiment of all the servants.
“You saved my life, looked after William, rescued us from jerky hell, burned Everraine’s resignation letter—having someone so capable and impressive become the lady of the house has everyone absolutely thrilled.”
I hadn’t been the one to burn Everraine’s resignation letter, but either way, I was grateful that everyone seemed happy about it.
And I felt a certain pride knowing that my efforts so far hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“Ma’am. There’s much work ahead of us.”
Kaelyun handed me a sheet of paper.
“What is this?”
“The curriculum for the history and etiquette lessons you’ll be receiving from now on. We’ve already secured the instructor.”
“What? I thought I was just supposed to stand quietly beside the Duke?”
“Until now, that was sufficient, but you’ve already become quite a prominent figure. People at the Funeral will certainly ask various questions, so you must be prepared.”
I pressed my forehead and groaned.
Playing the role of a fake wife was so much more demanding than I’d imagined—I wanted to throw the Contract into a shredder right then and there.
“… What sort of person is the instructor?”
“Ah, the instructor—we’ve secured someone quite renowned. They say even the most unruly young ladies are transformed into proper ladies after studying under her.”
Wait. Where have I heard this description before?
Something about it felt oddly familiar, and I tilted my head in confusion for a moment.
“Could it be someone who wears Red Butterfly Glasses? Was the name… the Countess Oswalda?”
“Oh? You know of her too! Yes, that’s her.”
Kaelyun beamed with pride at having secured such a famous instructor, but my expression gradually hardened.
The Countess Oswalda.
In the original story, she was the heroine’s etiquette instructor—a venomous woman who tormented the heroine relentlessly.
Her reason for tormenting the heroine was simple enough.
She’d wanted to seat her own daughter as the Duchess, but the heroine had taken that position instead.
‘Damn it… She’ll hound me for exactly the same reason.’
A sigh escaped me at the predictable future ahead. But I quickly corrected my thinking.
‘It’s fine, Lionel. You’re no pushover.’
I had a storied past: I’d slapped a twenty-million-gold fine on a national hospital and a Baroness demanding split shifts, then gifted her a fractured home.
If I leveraged that colorful experience and she dared push me too hard…
‘I’ll report her for workplace harassment.’
With that resolve, I greeted my instructor.
* * *
“Hmm, so you’re Lionel Frencia.”
The middle-aged woman, upon seeing me, spoke as if spitting out her words.
Just as I’d expected, the Countess Oswalda made a poor first impression.
She raked her eyes over me from head to toe, then wrote something on her papers—presumably an evaluation of me to submit to the Duke.
“The Duke said he fell for you at first sight, so I was curious how beautiful you must be, but you’re rather ordinary, aren’t you?”
“… Countess Oswalda. Could we perhaps begin the lesson right away? As you know, time is rather tight.”
Even so, I didn’t want to start quarreling on the first day. I asked as diplomatically as I could, but she openly ignored my request.
“There’s simply so much to teach you that I’m at a loss where to start. I’ll need time to think.”
“Then, could you start with the basics?”
“The problem is, the basics are almost entirely lacking, so I’m not sure you’d even understand…”
“Just try anyway.”
As I continued to push back, her expression soured and she snapped an order at me.
“Fine then. Let’s start with basic breathing. Young Lady Lionel, close your ribs.”
“… Pardon?”
“Good heavens, you don’t even know how to close your ribs. Whatever did they teach you at the Frencia barony?”
‘Close your ribs.’
The fact that she’d chosen such an unfamiliar term made it clear she wanted to see me flustered.
“Well, Young Lady? Why aren’t you doing as I ask?”
“… You told me to close my ribs, correct?”
“That’s right. If you don’t understand, bow your head and ask me to teach you properly. Knowing how to ask politely is part of good manners, and I shall teach you well.”
Behind her Red Butterfly Glasses, her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
At this point, I couldn’t even fathom why I was bothering with this pointless sparring match with this woman.
Silently, I offered my gratitude to the Pilates instructor I’d attended for a brief time in my previous life.
‘Thank you, instructor.’
I’d thought she was a demon back then, but look how useful her lessons have become.
“… By ‘close your ribs,’ you mean…”
I looked at her with an expressionless gaze.
“You’re saying I should draw my ribs down—whether they’re flaring forward or spreading to the sides—and gather them inward to stabilize my core, is that right?”
The lady stiffened.

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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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