The Quack Lady - Chapter 26

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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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Episode 26

* * *

Ditten silently met the brightly shining pink eyes.

Those eyes were pale and gentle, but there was a strength within them like small flames flickering.

“So you’re the doctor who will treat Demian.”

She looked at Rtemeia and smiled with satisfaction.

“Though my skills are modest, I will do my best to be of help.”

“Then let’s go meet Demian.”

Ditten immediately turned around and began to lead the way.

Then a few maids followed behind her, and just as Rtemeia was about to take a step behind them.

“Please come behind me.”

Though it was respectful language, the tone was firm enough to be close to an outright command.

Rtemeia was startled and positioned herself behind her.

Though she was said to possess excellent medical skills, her response was clumsy like the immature child she was.

Ditten, who had been silently watching her, looked straight ahead and spoke calmly.

“Don’t lower yourself. Today you came as Demian’s doctor, so I’m simply giving you the treatment befitting that role.”

“….”

The child didn’t answer. She just pressed her lips together tightly as if making some kind of resolution.

“So make sure to do your absolute best in treating him.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Unlike her initially passive attitude, an active response could be heard.

A mere twelve-year-old child couldn’t possibly understand her feelings, but in the current situation, this was probably for the best.

She was keenly feeling that dealing with a young child was actually more difficult than dealing with reasonable adults.

As they passed through the familiar corridor and passageway, the child didn’t say a word.

She seemed to be frowning repeatedly and thinking deeply, as if trying to remember something.

Ditten, who had quickly reached the door, gave a small nod toward the knight guarding the entrance.

The knight respectfully bowed to her, and immediately the large door opened wide.

As light began to illuminate half of her face, then the other half, a child came into view.

Silk-like silver hair swaying in the breeze, and beneath it, blue eyes that sparkled like ripples on a midsummer lake.

Demian Bernov.

This was the moment Rtemeia first encountered Demian, her patient.

* * *

I had never seen such a pretty child in my life.

The young baron was a child who had the exact same appearance as the count and the elegant atmosphere of the countess.

His silk-like silver hair and the large blue eyes beneath it were beautiful, as if he had jumped out of a painting.

If there was just one problem….

‘His level of depression seems high.’

The child was sitting blankly, painting something.

He looked so down that his responsiveness was concerning.

“My lady, you’ve arrived.”

Soon the servants who had been caring for him looked flustered and bowed to the countess.

The countess waved her hand slightly at the servants and immediately approached the young baron.

“Demian. This is the doctor who will treat you this time.”

Her tone was incredibly gentle.

However.

Glance.

The child took a quick sideways look at us, then fixed his gaze back on the parchment.

There was no word or reaction.

“…Demian. Is it very difficult?”

The countess, standing beside the child, reached out her hand toward the young baron.

Just as her hand was about to gently touch the child’s head.

Swoosh-.

‘What?’

The child subtly avoided the touch of his caretaker, who should be closest to him.

Parents are like the universe to a child.

In other words, a child doesn’t avoid a parent’s touch without some reason or stimulus.

In this incomprehensible situation, I half-opened my eyes and thought.

‘Could it be abuse?’

I observed the child carefully. The countess too, of course.

She withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened and smiled faintly.

“…Our Demian is not a child who has earned God’s hatred. Right now he doesn’t speak and spends all day drawing, but….”

Perhaps feeling emotional, the countess paused to catch her breath.

“Our Demian can get better. Isn’t that right?”

It wasn’t a question. It was closer to silent pressure to somehow cure him.

And it was something familiar to me.

“Yes, that’s possible.”

“…!”

I nodded to the countess, then passed by her and approached the child.

‘I’d believe it if someone said he was a girl.’

The child, with his large blue eyes and elegant hair like it was made of silver, gave off a precious feeling just by existing.

This was also the first time I’d seen such a precious person up close, so I felt somewhat nervous.

I immediately gathered myself and carefully offered a greeting.

“Hello, young baron. My name is Rtemeia.”

“….”

As expected, the child didn’t spare me a glance and silently continued what he was doing.

‘His responsiveness isn’t impaired, and his cognitive function regarding the situation isn’t diminished either.’

As I examined him one by one, my gaze eventually went to the drawing he was working on.

‘A drawing….’

Actually, I had planned to conduct an HPT* on the child, one of the psychological tests.

A test that assesses the client’s psychological state by having them draw houses, trees, families, etc.

After all, drawings tend to reflect the client’s mental state well.

But.

‘If he only draws pictures like this, I won’t be able to conduct the drawing test.’

What on earth was this drawing supposed to be?

The parchment, painted entirely with black dye, even gave off a bizarre feeling.

As I stared at the drawing for a moment.

“Aren’t you going to examine Demian?”

The countess, who had been watching all of this from behind, asked as if puzzled.

‘Oops. I should have at least pretended to examine him.’

Having no choice, I roughly took the child’s pulse, checked his temperature, and put my ear to his chest as a substitute for auscultation.

“…You’re healthy.”

It was an obvious result. The child had no problems except being a little thin.

Perhaps because the maids were taking care of him, his external appearance wasn’t bad either.

Most importantly….

‘There are no signs of abuse either.’

Though I couldn’t examine every part of his body internally, after checking his arms, legs, and abdomen where bruises usually appear easily, the child’s body was clean.

Then was there only one thing left?

After letting out a short breath, I smiled and said.

“Well then, shall we go have a chat?”

* * *

If it wasn’t abuse or a congenital problem, then there was only one answer left.

‘Environmental factors.’

The possibility that the child had become like this due to some major shock or accident.

However, if the caretakers were conflicting to this degree, it meant they themselves didn’t know what the problem was…

“Is there some problem?”

“Ah.”

I snapped back to attention and looked straight ahead to find the Countess looking at me.

Behind her were the maids and servants as well.

Unable to discuss things in front of the child, we had moved to the drawing room, and I seemed to have been lost in thought for a while.

Under the focused gazes, I involuntarily swallowed dryly.

‘Oh well, whatever.’

It was now all or nothing.

“Before that, I have a few questions to ask. Please answer as honestly as possible.”

She extended her hand as if telling me to speak first.

I began asking about roughly when he stopped speaking, and other abnormal physical symptoms that appeared.

“So to summarize, he stopped speaking two months ago for no reason.”

“That’s correct.”

‘That’s strange?’

I couldn’t understand it. There must have been some incident that would have been a major shock to the child.

As I tilted my head in confusion at the incomprehensible situation, the Countess spoke to me as if something had occurred to her.

“Come to think of it, about four months ago Demian broke everything.”

“Broke… things?”

“Yes. At that time… ah, it was shortly after Tete died.”

“Tete is…”

“A hunting dog that Demian cherished. Around that time, Clint was very displeased due to the Empire annexation issue.”

“What?”

After that, somewhat unbelievable stories poured from the Countess’s mouth.

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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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