The Military Doctor Excels at Being a Contracted Duchess - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 18】

The shirt that had been white until morning was now a complete mess. The child wearing shorts, stockings, and loafers resembled Victor remarkably.

Except for the part where he was growling and struggling like an injured fox.

“Damian?”

Though she hadn’t expected to encounter him in such a state before even exchanging proper greetings, Ebel tried to handle the situation calmly.

‘They said he understands and responds to his name.’

He wasn’t in a completely senseless state. He was just being faithful to his instincts.

When he was docile, they said he could be endlessly docile.

Ebel carefully observed the boy’s eyes as he whirled around to look at her.

His pupils were clear and his body wasn’t swollen. However, she was concerned about how his chest was rapidly rising and falling.

It seemed like he was out of breath but trying to forcibly hide it.

“Damian.”

She called Damian’s name quietly once more.

The servants who were already struggling were startled by Ebel’s sudden appearance, causing their grip to loosen.

The boy didn’t miss that moment and shot up like a bullet—

“!”

He bit down hard on Ebel’s hand.

“Oh my!”

“Miss!!!”

The shocked servants tried to grab the boy and pull him away, but the more they did, the stronger his bite became.

Though it was painful with a grip strength unimaginable for a child, Ebel showed no sign of distress.

“Everyone stop. Stand back.”

Even uttering those few short words wasn’t easy.

Ebel slightly raised her eyebrow and instead of trying to pull her arm away, she pushed her fist deeper into the child’s mouth.

“Ugh…!”

As expected, the child felt nauseous and instinctively loosened his jaw. In that gap, Ebel quickly pulled out her hand, then moved like lightning to grab the boy’s head and pin it to the ground.

The boy growled resentfully and threw a tantrum, but Ebel pressed down with her full weight and didn’t budge.

“Who taught you to pick on the weak and cower before the strong? Such an attitude without pride is not right.”

“Grrrrr!”

“If you’re upset about your mother’s bedroom, I’ve ordered everything to be restored to its original state. Would you like to go see and organize it yourself once you’ve calmed down?”

Suddenly, the boy’s squirming stopped.

Others didn’t notice, but only Ebel, whose body was in direct contact with his, could tell—and because of that, she was certain.

This kid understands everything that’s being said.

‘He doesn’t seem to be truly insane. It appears he’s pretending and protesting.’

Wheeze, wheeze.

Listening closely from nearby, his breathing definitely didn’t sound good. Since there was no rash, it wasn’t due to fever.

She still didn’t know what Bayern’s family illness was.

‘If I apply the process of elimination, it’s definitely not a mental illness.’

Then what could be the problem?

As she pondered deeply, she felt the boy finally give up and go limp, so she instructed the servants to carry him.

“Lay him down in the room that Serena originally used.”

* * *

A little while later.

“Did you hear that story?”

“About how the Miss properly subdued the young master? That Toby fellow who was there has been going around talking about it, so I already heard!”

“I heard she also saved Elroy?”

“My, the young masters have met their proper match, haven’t they.”

“When I asked Elroy how she did it, she answered that when bitten by a vicious dog, you should actually push your fist deep into its mouth!”

“She’s amazing. How can she have such backbone! Indeed, His Grace the Grand Duke didn’t fall for her for no reason.”

“Oh yes, that’s right.”

The story of Ebel’s heroics spread throughout the entire manor in an instant.

The servants and maids who had witnessed everything firsthand were busy running around everywhere, chattering away while forgetting to breathe.

In that process, the story grew more elaborate, and by the time the news reached the kitchen, Ebel had practically become a hero.

“We don’t even know what kind of food she likes yet! This is serious. She must be injured, so we should prepare some meat first.”

Bans, the head chef in charge of the kitchen, immediately rolled up his sleeves.

The other kitchen staff who had gathered to listen to Ebel’s heroic tale also moved busily, churning high-quality butter and kneading flour dough.

“Today it’s Wellington! Let’s show our skills.”

Following Bans’s enthusiastic instructions, people moved energetically.

For the first time in a very long while, a good atmosphere circulated throughout the entire manor.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that moment, Ebel was once again with Victor.

Victor had stopped his work and come to find her after hearing about everything.

“I know how to do this kind of thing too.”

“I know.”

She tried making a comment out of embarrassment, but Victor responded calmly while wrapping the bandage.

Now even apologizing seemed insufficient.

Yesterday at least there were no injuries, but today there were clear bite marks carved into her tender skin.

Though Ebel appeared nonchalant, his heart was troubled.

“It was my fault for calling you when Damian was agitated. I’m not just saying it’s okay because I’m being nice—I mean it objectively.”

“Didn’t you do it to save a servant? There’s no need to blame yourself.”

It seemed like Victor was the one blaming himself.

Ebel, who had been watching him intently, drew a firm line.

“You weren’t there, so Your Grace doesn’t need to blame yourself either. It’s not like you can abandon your work and accompany me every hour of every day, and I don’t want you to. This was an accident. Something that could have easily happened.”

“…”

“More importantly, I observed Damian with a doctor’s eye. He seemed to have difficulty breathing… Didn’t you say Damian was healthy?”

What was a doctor?

For Victor, who only understood it as a profession that treated injuries, it was incomprehensible.

What exactly was it that allowed her to act so composed?

“Victor.”

While he couldn’t continue speaking for a moment, Ebel looked directly into his eyes and spoke without hesitation.

“I know who I am. I am the daughter of House Claren, the adopted daughter of House Eberstain, your contract wife. Before all of that, I am a doctor.”

“…Yes.”

“I’m fine because I’m a doctor. Getting a little hurt in the process of examining a patient’s symptoms is no problem, and if you keep apologizing or worrying about it, I won’t be able to continue my treatment. That would be an attitude that doesn’t respect me as a doctor. Did you bring me here as a doctor, Victor? Or as a noblewoman?”

It was an intense gaze.

Eyes that were beautiful like marigolds yet strong as if they contained the sun itself.

Filled with belief in herself, a straight sense of self, conviction and strength… she was so vivid it was mesmerizing.

Victor, who had been staring at her intently, slowly apologized.

“I made a mistake, Ebel. You are a doctor with sufficient experience and skill.”

“Yes, I am a doctor. And I hate it when people interfere with my treatment methods. Excessive worry is not consideration.”

At her pointed tone, he let out a quiet laugh.

Though Ebel was currently ‘pretending to be a lady’… yes, this was who she originally was.

The person who would dive into surgeries she’d never learned in university to save dying soldiers, who would grab the hands of wailing patients and shout at them not to die because she would do her best until the end.

The person who would look down at cold corpses covered in blood, grit her teeth, and move on to save the next patient…

He had never once seen her stop.

‘Perhaps that’s why I kept looking at her.’

In that place where everyone became dirty and broken, Ebel alone remained unchanged.

At the time, he didn’t know what drove her to act that way, but now he thought he understood.

A sense of mission.

Pride and self-respect as a doctor. And even self-conviction.

To put it simply… she was admirable.

Now Victor fully realized why he had specifically sought out Ebel, why he had wanted to keep her by his side.

“I learn so much from you.”

“What did I even do?”

Ebel shrugged her shoulders then straightened her posture seriously. Victor also released her hand and took his seat.

“I think it’s time to talk about the family illness.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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