The Military Doctor Excels at Being a Contracted Duchess - Chapter 37

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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 37】

 

A sound that should never be heard at a party pierced Ebel’s ears.

 

Gasp, wheeze—

 

Hoarse sounds mixed between labored breathing. When she whirled around, there was a child with a bright red face—Hermine Rosenthal’s eldest son.

 

“Johannes!!!”

 

Hermine, horrified, rushed over with her heavy body and struck the child’s back. With candy and a young child, it was obvious he was choking.

 

But that only seemed to lodge the candy deeper, as even his coughing stopped.

 

His chubby face quickly turned pale and his breathing ceased. He clutched his throat in agony, about to roll his eyes back.

 

In the few seconds this unfolded, Ebel moved without further thought.

 

“Hup!”

 

Ebel embraced Johannes from behind, put strength into both arms, and pressed firmly on his stomach.

 

She didn’t know the principle behind it.

 

But from experience, she knew what to do.

 

On the battlefield, she had saved soldiers this way when they swallowed something wrong.

 

Of course, back then she had another strong man… that is, she had Victor perform this technique.

 

‘Once more!’

 

Tendons stood out on her embracing arms. Ebel pressed and pushed upward on his stomach in a steady rhythm.

 

With her fist positioned between his solar plexus and navel, she thrust upward toward her body several times.

 

Those around demanded to know what she was doing and told her to stop immediately, but Ebel didn’t listen.

 

The candy lodged in his throat had to come out.

 

“Stop it! You’re hurting the child!”

 

“Someone stop her!”

 

The nobles, who had no medical knowledge, thought Ebel was beating the child with her fists. In fact, it was bound to look that way.

 

“Waaaah!”

 

But just before several nobles rushed to pull Ebel away.

 

The problematic candy finally shot out from Johannes’s throat.

 

“Cough, hack… Mo… Mommy… Waaaaaah!!!”

 

He’d probably have bruises. He would have them.

 

Fortunately, his ribs didn’t seem to be broken.

 

Ebel embraced the hyperventilating child and asked calmly.

 

“Are you okay? Do you feel like anything else is stuck in your throat?”

 

“N-no… uh, waaah…!”

 

Naturally, proper conversation wasn’t possible. But the important thing was that ‘he could express himself.’

 

Ebel laid the sobbing child down, then slowly stroked his head.

 

“It’s okay, now, try to follow along. You need to breathe out. Hoo, hoo, hoooo. You can do it. Don’t breathe in. Breathe out, Johannes is brave so he can do it well, right?”

 

The word ‘brave’ was quite effective for boys this age.

 

The child who had been sniffling with tears and snot breathed out in rhythm with Ebel.

 

Then gradually, very gradually, his body’s trembling decreased.

 

“That’s right, well done.”

 

Pat pat.

 

“Good and brave. You endured very well.”

 

“Huu, hoo, hoooo…”

 

“Yes, like that.”

 

Once he had calmed down somewhat, the child reached toward his mother.

 

Hermine was so shocked she swayed helplessly, but fortunately the gentlemen nearby caught her.

 

“The child should probably lie down in bed. How about I provide a room so you can stay until he’s settled before leaving?”

 

“Thank you… thank you.”

 

“It’s only natural.”

 

Johannes had probably swallowed the candy wrong while eating it hastily.

 

It was fortunate there was a moment to save him, otherwise… she didn’t want to imagine.

 

“You men, carry the guest.”

 

A stretcher would be nice, but it wasn’t wartime so such a thing wouldn’t exist in the manor.

 

Johannes was carried by a sturdy servant, and Hermine Rosenthal, the old lady, and Konstantin Herdins followed behind.

 

Ebel too, as the lady of the manor, had to guide them.

 

“I trust you’ll understand that due to urgent circumstances, I cannot stay long.”

 

Having said only that, she cast a final glance at Angelm, who seemed frozen in shock or surprise.

 

“Angelm, will you come in with us?”

 

“…No. I’m fine.”

 

“Alright, your aunt must be shocked too, so take good care of her.”

 

But Angelm didn’t take his eyes off her.

 

More precisely, off her hands.

 

Noticing this, Ebel pretended not to see and approached to lightly stroke his fine blonde hair.

 

Then Angelm flinched and stepped back, avoiding her hand.

 

“…Such things don’t suit a member of the great Bayern.”

 

“Well, of course. I was so shocked my heart is racing too. Stroking like this usually calms me down… was I too much?”

 

Like a cat with its fur standing on end.

 

She chuckled inwardly while maintaining a very serious expression outwardly. Angelm spoke quickly without even looking at Ebel.

 

“…Today was an emergency so it couldn’t be helped, but please be mindful next time.”

 

“Yes, I will. Thank you for letting me stroke your hair.”

 

“Yes.”

 

For someone so prim, the corners of his mouth were curling upward.

 

‘When a child is hostile toward an adult, it’s usually the adult’s fault.’

 

How could she be so certain?

 

‘Because I was like that.’

 

She didn’t dislike Angelm at all for putting up such defensive walls.

 

Ebel herself had been worse than this in her childhood, if anything, not better.

 

A little later, in the guest room.

 

“See! Mommy told you! Not to eat candy!”

 

“Ow ow, it hurts. Mommy!”

 

“Oh my, how can the child who will inherit Rosenthal be like this! Worrying mommy. Hmm?”

 

The noble lady slapped her son’s back with reddened eyes.

 

Johannes, who had regained his energy after drinking a cup of warm milk, was putting on quite a show of dramatics.

 

The moment she saw that scene, Ebel realized.

 

Angelm didn’t follow because it would be painful for him to see this.

 

‘Because he misses his mother. And because he envies having a mother.’

 

Her heart ached for him again.

 

Then, the old lady, who had maintained a stiff expression from the shock, bowed to Ebel.

 

Even bending her rigid neck.

 

“I am in your debt.”

 

“Please don’t think of it that way. I studied medicine as a doctor, and I simply did what I could.”

 

“No, a debt is a debt. The Herdins family repays favors.”

 

Since she spoke so firmly, being modest once more would hurt her pride, so Ebel nodded. Then the old lady looked steadily into Ebel’s eyes and spoke.

 

“On the honor of Herdins, in return for saving my grandson, I will help you once with whatever it may be.”

 

“I gratefully accept your promise.”

 

“Though I am old, I have many friends for that reason. When you go to the capital, you’ll need the value of my name.”

 

These were the shrewd eyes of someone who had been through countless affairs.

 

She couldn’t dare fathom how much the old lady understood, but it was certainly something to be grateful for, so Ebel smiled.

 

“Me, me too! Rosenthal isn’t such a great family, but… here. In Southern Richter at least, we do have some influence. I’ll help too.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Ebel, may I call you Ebel? Please call me Hermine too.”

 

This meant she wanted to become friends.

 

Since she had no foundation in this place, this was a welcome development, so Ebel smiled brightly once again.

 

“Yes, Hermione. Johannes will be fine now. However, his throat might be scratched, so avoid spicy food for a while and only feed him soft things.”

 

“I will! I’m going to ban candy too. What kind of evil thing did they bring to bewitch the children…!”

 

Now that she had come to her senses, sparks flew in Hermione’s eyes.

 

After handing a note with several precautions written on it to the fuming Hermione, Ebel finally noticed that her arm was tingling.

 

‘Now I have something to talk about when Victor comes in the evening. I should pester him for some beer.’

 

Looking down out the window, she flinched at her casual thought.

 

She realized that Victor had become quite comfortable to her.

 

Comfortable enough that she wanted to see him at moments like this.

 

* * *

 

At that moment, Victor was outside the manor with his aide.

 

“I asked the inn owner and his name is Leo. He’s been staying for about a week. He said he’s a sculptor, and that he’s so ordinary that it’s hard to remember him.”

 

“That would be the case.”

 

“He’s never eaten at the dining hall and seems to mainly buy sandwiches from street stalls.”

 

Question.

 

When you discover that a foreign country’s intelligence agent has entered your territory, what is the most efficient course of action?

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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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