The Immortal Duke’s Physician Is an Internist - Chapter 58

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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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“Gasp, gasp…….”
When I came to my senses, I found myself lying somewhere. Cold sweat poured down my body.
“Teacher?”
Everain entered the tent from the entrance.
“Are you all right?”
“Where…… am I?”
“We’ve escaped the village and returned to the Knights’ Camp. Please rest. Your condition is serious.”
As Everain said, my body was in terrible shape. There wasn’t a joint that didn’t ache, and even breathing made my abdomen tense with pain.
“I’ll fetch something for you to drink. Please get some more rest.”
Everain left the tent. I stared blankly at the ceiling.
‘……It’s been so long. Mother’s face.’
The thought of her brought tears again. I buried my face in my arm and wept.
I understood what had happened, but there was still nothing I could do.
Nothing but long for Mother, just as I always had.
“Sob, sob…….”
After crying like that for a long time, I lowered my arm. Through my blurred vision, I saw someone sitting beside me.
“……Your Grace.”
The Duke placed a hand on my forehead to gauge my fever.
“Where does it hurt?”
“Everywhere…… It all hurts…….”
“Of course it does.”
With that, the Duke placed a cloth dampened with water on my forehead.
He looked at my face for a long moment, then spoke hesitantly.
“……The Count has been taken by the Imperial Guard. Since you beat him so thoroughly, there was no need to bind him at all.”
“……I see.”
“I tried to cover his medical expenses as worker benefits, but since he’s a criminal, it wasn’t necessary.”
“I understand…….”
It took me some time to realize the Duke had made that remark about “medical expenses” as a joke.
It was his way of trying to lighten my mood, but unfortunately, I didn’t have the strength left to respond in kind.
Finding no reaction from me, the Duke grew restless, his eyes darting about.
Even for someone who had lived seven hundred years, it was clear he didn’t know what to do in such a situation—and oddly, I found that touching.
After fidgeting for some time, he finally lifted his head.
“……Lionel Frenscia.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to leave the Carseido estate?”
My eyes widened.
“……Why are you asking that?”
“Because I prevented you from killing the Count, you must surely resent me.”
“So you thought I’d grow to hate the sight of you, and want to leave the estate?”
The Duke nodded slowly. A loneliness flickered in his eyes, but he didn’t let it show.
“I am not you. I cannot fully understand the sorrow of losing homeland and family at such a young age.”
“…….”
“But……I can try, in my own way, to comprehend that sorrow and ease it, even a little.”
The Duke wiped away my tears with a handkerchief. His hands were rough, yet their touch was warm and tender.
“If you resent me forever, and so eventually despise the sight of me and leave the Duke’s Household…… I will not regret my actions.”
“If I leave…… who will break your curse? You’re content to live unable to die?”
“It’s all right. Or rather, it won’t be all right. But now…… your peace and happiness matter more to me than my own death.”
I knew better than anyone how desperately he had longed for death all this time.
And he said this to me.
That my living was more important to him than his own death.
I didn’t know what to say. I could only let the tears flowing from my eyes fall unchecked.
The Duke spoke calmly.
“Submitting a resignation is your right as a worker. However, as I’ve said, I will never attend your funeral. So if you leave the Duke’s Household…….”
“I will never see you again.”
The Duke nodded. He closed my eyes with his large hand and patted me gently.
“Your body is in no state to make sound judgments right now. So don’t think about anything—just focus on recovering.”
“Yes…….”
“Don’t worry about the contract we first made. I’ll ensure you receive proper severance pay. ……In any case, rest.”
Not knowing what expression to make, I simply nodded with my eyes squeezed shut.
I drifted off to sleep again after that.
Perhaps because someone was watching over me, this time I didn’t have nightmares.
The moment Blassion stepped out of the tent, Devright, who had been crouching on the ground, sprang to his feet.
He clicked his tongue at Blassion with an expression of exasperation.
“Good grief, you hopeless fool. Didn’t I tell you? Even kindergarteners don’t talk like that anymore.”
“Devright. Is there an ability that can seal someone’s mouth? If such a person existed, I’d pay any fortune to employ them.”
“Hmph! Even if such a person existed, would they sympathize with a hopeless wretch like you?”
Blassion walked back and forth for a while, then suddenly spun around.
“Devright. Make me a teleportation scroll.”
Devright blinked, caught completely off guard.
“You’re asking me for a commission right now, in the middle of all this? You know how much mana and effort a teleportation scroll requires, don’t you?”
“One million.”
“Thank you for your patronage.”
Devright immediately produced a blank check he always kept on hand. The signature was done in an instant, and once he’d verified the amount to his satisfaction, he asked.
“So, where’s the destination?”
“Velask, in the north.”
“Of all places, that far away. Give me three days.”
Devright tucked the check away and hurried off.
Blassion, left behind, gazed toward the tent where Lionel lay.
“I hope she can recover.”
Blassion murmured this to himself and turned to leave.
* * *
Four days later.
As I stepped out of the tent, dragging a body that felt somewhat lighter, someone spotted me and came bounding over with quick, pitter-pattering steps.
It was Theo, a splint bound around his leg.
“Oh my goodness, my lady! How worried I’ve been!!”
He stood before me and wept bitterly. I offered him an apologetic look.
“Theo, I’m sorry. You left your sword behind somewhere.”
“My sword doesn’t matter now! I’m unworthy as a knight for abandoning you……!! Sob, sob!!”
“It’s… it’s all right. Everyone’s safe, after all.”
Theo wept for a good while longer before finally wiping his tears at the mention of stew and heading off.
After Theo left, the other knights took turns visiting my tent to pay their respects.
“My lady! I didn’t want to come empty-handed, so I picked some wildflowers for you. Please recover soon!”
I’d never seen such romantic knights. While I was moved by the fragrance of the flowers, someone asked.
“But my lady, is it true that you split a monster in half with Theo’s sword?”
“Where on earth did you hear that? No, that’s a misunderstanding.”
“Haha! That’s impossible. Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle everything from now on!”
My body was sore, and there were unresolved concerns weighing on me.
Yet living alongside these kind and gallant knights was genuinely enjoyable. Theo’s stew was delicious too.
I recovered slowly, receiving attentive care from everyone around me.
Several days later, once the Duke confirmed I could walk without difficulty, he issued the order to return.
“The monster subjugation in the Western Region is complete. We return to the Duke’s Household now.”
“We obey the order!”
The Knights’ Order bustled about, striking the tents and gathering supplies just as they had when we arrived.
I changed clothes and prepared to return to the manor.
“Lionel, Lionel.”
Devright called to me from among the crowd. He handed me two mana stones.
“Here, these are for you.”
“What? Why me?”
“You worked hard on this expedition too, so you should get something out of it. I’ve removed the impurities, so use them however you see fit.”
“But I’m not a mage. How would I use these?”
“Well, who knows? Still, considering the quality of the goods you’ve ordered from our Magic Tower all this time, I’m confident you’ll find an excellent use for them.”
Perhaps, for instance, using these mana stones as a power source to replace electricity in medical devices?
I didn’t have a concrete idea yet, but I stopped declining and accepted the mana stones.
“I accept them gratefully. Thank you so much for your help during this expedition, Master of the Magic Tower.”
“Sure, and come visit the Magic Tower anytime. You’re always welcome.”
“Devright. Stop flirting.”
The Duke appeared beside me and said so, causing Devright to stick out his tongue teasingly.
“Lionel, when you visit the Magic Tower, don’t bring this fool along. Got it?”
“Stop talking nonsense and get going.”
“Well then, Lionel, I’ll see you next time!”
Devright winked at me and sprinted off in the other direction.
“…….”
“…….”
I stood awkwardly amid the bustle of people making preparations. The Count turned his gaze away, then spoke to me first.
“Have you packed everything?”
“Yes. Should I travel with everyone else by warp as well?”
“That was the original plan, but…….”
The Count cleared his throat several times and straightened his posture.
As if somewhat nervous, he opened his mouth.
“Teacher.”
“Yes.”
“There’s somewhere I’d like you to go with me tonight.”
“……With the Knight Order as well?”
“No. Just the two of us.”

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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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