The Quack Lady - Chapter 32

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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 32

 

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“Children have different heart rates and blood pressure from adults. You can’t treat children thinking they’re just small adults. Children have their own rhythm, and understanding this is part of our job as doctors.”

 

The moment I faced the puppy in the drawing, I finally understood these words.

 

“Ha… this was it.”

 

What lay before me was an image of a puppy the size of a massive carpet.

 

The child had been fragmenting and drawing out his wounded heart, worried that even missing the puppy would be problematic.

 

“You were expressing everything…”

 

I silently traced the drawing illuminated by moonlight.

 

As the unique texture of parchment transmitted directly to my fingertips, ironically, a single tear fell from my eye.

 

Startled, I immediately wiped away the droplet that had fallen on the drawing. Then I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve.

 

‘I’m still weak when it comes to children, just like before.’

 

Even in my previous life, I was an unusually tearful doctor.

 

While adults’ pain is also heartbreaking and sad, children’s pain has something that gives insight from truly unexpected places.

 

And whenever I discover each child’s unique pain like this, I always think the same thing.

 

I want to save this child from terrible illness with all my strength.

 

I immediately began rolling up the parchment to organize the drawings.

 

At the same time, I vowed in my heart that I would definitely cure this child.

 

As I always did.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

Perhaps because I couldn’t sleep a wink all night, my body felt heavy as lead, but my mind was crystal clear.

 

After receiving wash water and executing the plan I had prepared the night before, I immediately approached the window.

 

Normally I would have asked permission even to draw the curtains for the child’s treatment, but not today.

 

I pulled back the heavy curtains with a sharp sound and opened the window with unhesitating movements.

 

“Wake up! Young Baron! Morning has come!”

 

“…?”

 

Demian sat up with a disheveled face. Then, unable to open his eyes properly, he rubbed them with his ink-stained hands.

 

“Shall we go out today?”

 

“…!”

 

At the suggestion to go out, Demian’s eyes widened.

 

It was obvious without looking. He probably hadn’t had a proper outing since falling ill.

 

I pointed to the wash water I had prepared in advance from the maid.

 

“The wash water is ready, and I’ll bring your meal right after you finish. I’ll help you change clothes, and I’ve chosen a very nearby destination.”

 

When I explained the plan I had thought of all night, Demian shook his head as if deflated.

 

This was one of the behaviors he showed when expressing negativity.

 

“Why? Don’t you want to go out? I’ll escort you!”

 

“…”

 

Soon the boy’s exasperated gaze reached me.

 

His eyes seemed to say, ‘Do you think I’m acting like this because I can’t go out?’

 

Feeling awkward for no reason, I cleared my throat with a “hmm, hmm.”

 

Before I knew it, I had approached the boy who had finished washing and turned clean white, and sat down beside him with a plop.

 

Soon Demian’s bewildered gaze reached me.

 

As if to say, are you coming this close just because I’m being compliant?

 

“Young Baron. Can you listen to what I have to say from now on?”

 

Perhaps because I had been moving actively since morning, Demian nodded his head low with half-resigned eyes.

 

I began speaking calmly to him.

 

“I actually know. What you’ve been drawing, Demian.”

 

“…”

 

“All of these are drawings of Tete, aren’t they?”

 

“…!”

 

Immediately, bewildered eyes turned toward me. I smiled deliberately and continued speaking gently.

 

“I’m sorry if I’m overstepping. But I was curious. What could you be drawing that you spend all your time drawing like this? What did the Young Baron who said he wanted to speak actually want to say?”

 

“…”

 

“If it’s the Young Baron’s heart, there was just one thing… I think I realized it too late. I’m truly sorry.”

 

I bowed my head. This was clearly the adults’ fault.

 

The child was more clever than expected, and had been expressing his longing from a child’s perspective.

 

However, there was definitely something I needed to tell him.

 

“I think farewells are more important than meetings. Meetings are really important too, but many things change depending on how well you say goodbye.”

 

I couldn’t explain everything to the child, but I felt I had to do at least this much.

 

‘Farewell.’

 

A child who hadn’t even had time to properly grieve, who had only suppressed his uncomfortable emotions.

 

Now it was time to let out all those pent-up feelings.

 

“Let’s go see Tete off.”

 

At those words, his glistening eyes blinked.

 

The child immediately turned his gaze to look at me.

 

Tears were flowing endlessly from his jewel-like eyes.

 

I took out the handkerchief I had kept in my apron and gently dabbed the child’s eyes.

 

Then I smiled broadly and met the child’s gaze.

 

“Farewells are difficult for everyone. But in the Young Baron’s case, you’ve never properly released those emotions. That’s why it feels like stabbing and aching and empty here…”

 

The more I spoke, the more my mother’s image came to mind.

 

I deliberately shook my head and continued speaking.

 

“You don’t have to do anything. We’ll go to where Tete is buried, think about Tete, remember Tete, and tell Tete our words. That you missed him.”

 

“…”

 

“Please tell him directly. Young Baron.”

 

I picked up one of the many drawings placed nearby and placed it in the child’s hands.

 

The child was crying silently and endlessly, enough to worry about dehydration.

 

That sight was so touching that I was gathering courage to reach out to the child when—

 

My ears perked up at the sound of busy footsteps moving outside the door.

 

The sound was so loud that even the crying Demian looked at me.

 

As we looked at each other for a moment, the door burst open with a loud sound as if it had been waiting.

 

At the same time, knights in formation slid into Demian’s room in unison.

 

“Has something happened outside?”

 

Just in case, I hid Demian behind me and walked forward hesitantly.

 

The knight glanced at me once, then immediately drew his sword from its sheath, pointed it at me, and shouted.

 

“Criminal Rtemeia, obey the Count’s command!”

 

Describe the feeling when you’re told to pack your bags after merely helping someone.

 

I can say with certainty that it would be impossible to express with words like unpleasant or even disgusting.

 

How can I be so certain?

 

Because that’s exactly how I feel right now.

 

“What are you talking about? Criminal? I received orders from the Countess…”

 

The knight coughed a couple of times as if he expected this, then took out a piece of parchment tucked at his waist and began reading it.

 

“Rtemeia’s crimes are as follows. First! The crime of entering the Count’s manor without the Count’s permission and providing false medical treatment, confusing Countess Ditten and Young Baron Demian!”

 

What?

 

I was so dumbfounded by whether this was words or nonsense that I just stood there with my mouth agape.

 

“Second! The crime of registering as a domain resident with false information in Bernov Domain! These two crimes deserve punishment, so immediately…”

 

“No! Wait! What do you mean I registered as a domain resident with false information? I registered as a domain resident officially!”

 

I quickly rummaged through my pile of belongings and pulled out my registration certificate. It showed my name along with the name of the treatment facility I belonged to.

 

Finally, even the signature of the administrator who manages domain residents.

 

The knight who bent down to look at my registration certificate had his eyes widen briefly.

 

However, he soon pretended to wipe his eyes and quickly shook his head from side to side.

 

It was the gesture commoners made when they saw something dirty or something they shouldn’t have seen.

 

‘What, is my registration certificate at that level?’

 

As I let my shoulders slump in disbelief, the knight said something to the knights behind him.

 

Then.

 

‘Huh?’

 

The knights began approaching me as if they didn’t need to listen to what I had to say.

 

“W-wait a moment!”

 

The situation was taking a strange turn. I struggled, but having both my hands bound by the knights happened in an instant.

 

“Wait a moment! Just give me a little time! No, why at this moment…!”

 

I was beyond feeling wronged and on the verge of going mad. My head was spinning from all the incomprehensible charges when it happened.

 

Suddenly my gaze turned toward Demian.

 

The child was looking at me with a dazed expression.

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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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