The Quack Lady - Chapter 36
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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 36
The child slowly moved his steps toward the bed where his mother lay sleeping.
His shuffling steps were filled with sorrow.
Arriving in front of the bed, the child shed silent tears.
“Mother… It’s all because of me…!”
And the moment the child opened his mouth, Hanel couldn’t help but be surprised.
The flow of air changed with just one word from the little boy.
In the silence where not even breathing could be heard, someone shed tears, someone silently held each other’s hands tightly, and someone nodded slightly.
Before this wondrous moment, his gaze slowly turned toward Rtemeia.
Rtemeia just blinked her large eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
With a relieved and very satisfied smile on her lips.
‘She’s really impossible to stop.’
He looked at Rtemeia like that and smiled along with her.
It seemed he had judged a person well.
* * *
“Then please let me know anytime if you need anything.”
Head Maid Rudel readily offered the small parlor attached next to the Countess’s chamber when I said that Young Baron Demian needed to be stabilized.
Of course, she provided all kinds of desserts and fragrant tea, saying we would get hungry.
“Wow! Thank you for the meal!”
Just as I was about to have an intimate kiss with a chocolate cookie, Mr. Hanel urgently snatched the chocolate cookie from my hand and glared at me.
“Why again.”
“You need to explain the situation. You little troublemaker who only makes us worry.”
As if he had been waiting, there was a small thump on my head. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant sensation, but it was true that I had acted on my own without any discussion with the two men.
I had no choice but to rub my head and say,
“It wasn’t anything special. I was just lucky that the Young Baron’s heart resonated, and I just made him comfortable. Right?”
The child nodded slightly at my words.
‘Right, there’s no need to spread rumors that the child was sick.’
It could just be dismissed as a simple incident. For the child’s future, that is.
Well, in a broad sense, my words weren’t completely wrong either.
“You really pulled it off. You’re really something else.”
Mr. Pairon leaned back as if amazed and looked up at the ceiling.
Of course, Mr. Hanel had an expression that said ‘how does that make sense,’ though.
“By the way, is the Countess alright? What do you mean she’ll be fine after some rest? Was she so busy with work that she overexerted herself?”
I spoke out of pure curiosity, then suddenly flinched and looked to the side.
Demian’s shoulders, sitting to my right, were drooping helplessly.
“Ahaha! But, but it’s good that it’s nothing serious! Really for-, fortunate, right?”
I desperately smiled and looked at Mr. Pairon. However, he strangely didn’t agree with my words.
No, to be precise, he had a serious face as if he couldn’t agree.
‘Is there… something?’
Just as I was subtly reading the mood, Demian also noticed his expression and said something unbelievable.
“…Rtemeia. Mother is pregnant.”
“What?”
“Young Baron?”
“…?”
Mr. Pairon, Mr. Hanel, and I all had different reactions.
Mr. Pairon and I reacted with ‘how do you know that?’
“What. What is this supposed to mean? Was I the only one who didn’t know?”
Mr. Hanel pointed to himself and laughed as if bewildered.
Regardless, I muttered quietly,
“Pregnant…?”
With those words, I felt like all the puzzle pieces were falling into place.
When a sibling is born, people often think the first child’s reaction is either clinging more to mom or being jealous – one of the two.
But emotions exist in countless different forms, making them difficult to summarize in one sentence.
Especially considering that for the first child, the existence of a sibling is similar to the feeling of a husband bringing home a mistress.
And in Demian’s case, he was anxious because of his father who treated him like a tool and his mother who was unstable due to pregnancy hormones.
Afraid of being abandoned.
He was a foolishly kind and pitiful child.
“You knew, as expected.”
“…But Mother doesn’t know that I know. I wasn’t planning to hide it. I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m just glad that at least the Young Baron knows.”
Mr. Pairon explained the Countess’s physical condition to Demian in detail.
“She fainted because blood flow to her brain temporarily increased. Since the Count was the first to find her, there must have been some friction between you two.”
“…”
“The baby in her womb is safe. The Countess is also fine since other parts are normal. However, since it’s not a stable period, it would be better not to create situations that would strain her.”
“…I see.”
The child had a somewhat complicated expression. The moment I saw the child’s unguarded expression, I was thinking we should discuss this matter as soon as possible when—
“Demian!”
At the low baritone voice, Demian was startled and grabbed my collar like a lifeline.
Feeling his pitifully trembling touch, I thought I couldn’t just stay still any longer.
“R-Rtemeia?”
I boldly walked toward the door.
“Rtemeia!”
I heard Mr. Pairon’s voice behind me, but it didn’t matter.
Soon the door burst open, and as expected, a man who looked exactly like Demian was looking down at me.
He had a cold impression like winter frost, an enormous build, and an intimidating presence.
‘I won’t be scared!!’
Even though it was just a twelve-year-old body, inside was someone who had accumulated experience dealing with countless difficult people – from intern at a university hospital, to first-year resident (said to be tougher than interns), and finally to becoming a pediatric specialist.
I had built up my skills, you know?
When I boldly looked up and met his gaze, the Count showed an incredulous smile.
“So. It was you.”
“Hello, Count. My name is not ‘you’ but Rtemeia.”
“You little brat!! What did she eat wrong? I’m sorry, Count. The child doesn’t know any better yet… I’ll apologize like this.”
Mr. Hanel grabbed the back of my head with one large hand and urgently urged me to bow.
But.
Not a chance.
I boldly kept my head stiff and didn’t avoid his gaze.
Why?
This man in front of me.
He was going to be my patient from now on.
* * *
If there’s a characteristic that distinguishes Pediatrics from other departments, it’s…
‘You have more conversations with the caretaker than with the actual patient.’
So when having these conversations, there’s something you inevitably notice.
‘There’s a problem with this caretaker, isn’t there?’
As a result, pediatricians see the police as often as emergency room doctors do.
But if there are no police in this place, then I have to take on the police’s role as well…
‘In the end, I have to think of him as my patient.’
So for the above reasons, I decided to reform this man.
Of course, this man also seemed to have something to say to me, as he brought Demian and me to his office.
Sitting arrogantly on the office sofa, he emanated an indescribable sense of intimidation.
However, reminding myself not to be intimidated, I sat up straight with my back rigid as if to show defiance.
The Count, who had been watching me like that, chuckled and said.
“The temple has a saying like this. That someday a child who inherited the goddess’s power would appear to display special healing abilities and heal the world.”
“….”
I thought he was going to say something grand since he was being so serious.
I narrowed my eyes and slowly rolled my pupils.
“…I thought it was nonsense and didn’t believe it, but I suppose I shouldn’t deny the exceptional healing ability itself. In any case, since our Demian spoke….”
It was a reaction as if he himself found it very unexpected.
“…I’ll ask the main point directly. Do you think the reason Demian became like this is because of me?”
What a gift this direct fastball was.
I immediately nodded my head.
“Yes. That’s all there is to it.”
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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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