The Quack Lady - Chapter 53
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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 53
From experience, in situations like this, it would be better to avoid rather than add more words and provoke anger.
“Enough. You there! Have the doctor escorted out immediately!”
“Pardon?”
“I cannot keep someone by my side who doesn’t care for the patient.”
At those words, something I had been holding back felt like it burst.
I couldn’t back down like this either. My mouth moved on its own.
“I think the one who truly doesn’t care for the patient is you, madam.”
“What?”
“If it were me, I would have received treatment first regardless of the time. It was a recommendation from none other than the Countess, and if the Duchess is truly in a dangerous situation.”
“….”
“If you had truly been concerned about the patient’s condition, you would have had her receive treatment first.”
Just as there are people who love me for no reason, there are also people who dislike me for no reason.
I thought the noble grandmother before me disliked me.
Seeing how she was trying to drive me away using her daughter as an excuse.
“Any parent in the world, when their daughter is sick, would first try to have a doctor examine her, not try to drive the doctor away for being late.”
“….”
“When a child is sick, it hurts more than being sick yourself.”
Just looking at the faces of the parents standing in the corridor, you couldn’t tell whether I was standing in the Pediatric Clinic or the Adult Clinic.
They all looked sadder as if they were in more pain than their children.
“What exactly are you hiding?”
At those words, the old lady’s eyes widened greatly.
With the air turning cold in an instant, the maid behind the old lady spoke.
“Do you know who this person is to speak so carelessly! Show some respect!”
“Enough.”
The Duchess hardened her face with great displeasure and stared directly at me.
Her clear blue eyes had become even deeper in color.
“Interesting. What do you think I’m hiding?”
“Rather than hiding, it feels like you don’t want to be found out.”
Honestly, it didn’t seem like she hadn’t been waiting for me, but shouldn’t she have the patient examined first at a time like this? That’s what I thought.
“….”
At my words, the Duchess fell silent for a moment.
“Both of you, please stop.”
It was none other than the Baroness who broke the brief silence.
“I’ll apologize if you felt offended. I’m the Baroness Hartwin who manages this Marquis’s Mansion. Brien the Countess and I are sisters.”
She smiled brightly while stroking her belly.
It was one of the habits frequently seen in pregnant women at full term.
“This is my mother and the Duchess of the Rubenoa Family, Lady Selian.”
“I’ll greet you. My name is Rtemeia. I sincerely apologize once again for being late.”
Even at my apology, the Duchess remained unmoved.
‘Wow, she must be really stubborn.’
It was frustrating, but I hadn’t done anything right either.
Instead of the sulking woman, the Baroness suddenly poked her head forward and smiled.
“Mother, please let go of your anger now. You shouldn’t blame someone for being late because they were treating a sick child.”
“But, Brien.”
“Hm? For my sake at least. Or for your grandchild’s sake.”
She immediately leaned against her mother as if embracing her.
Then the Duchess’s ice-cold face relaxed as if she had been waiting for this.
“You’re really incorrigible.”
“But I’m curious too? How skilled must she be for Ditten to praise her so highly.”
At those words, I snapped to attention.
“Definitely. She must have written a recommendation letter in advance.”
So Mr. Hanel does say the right things sometimes.
I nodded slightly and rolled my eyes.
“Rather than that, you must be tired today, so rest a little. I’m also quite tired today.”
“Brien. You’re not sick anywhere, are you?”
“Yes. Of course not.”
She then briefly added that her mother acts this way because she loves me too much, so please understand.
But.
‘Countess Bernov is also pregnant….’
Of course, early pregnancy and late pregnancy are different.
It was then that a bitter feeling crept up the back of my neck.
“Go back now. We need to look at the child’s clothes together.”
“Yes. I understand.”
I immediately bowed and greeted them.
And it was the moment I was about to leave through the door.
‘What’s… that?’
Something was strange about the Duchess’s gait.
More precisely, the way she walked with a very slight limp felt familiar yet unfamiliar.
I desperately wanted to approach and ask right away, but I had to hold back.
‘Don’t interfere. You mustn’t interfere.’
She was already someone who disliked me to the point of wanting to drive me away.
“Ah, whatever! I need to rest a bit too!”
Taking this opportunity to rest, I headed to where Eruten was.
* * *
In the early morning when night had fallen, the light in the office where Pairon stayed showed no signs of going out.
He was busy reviewing documents by lamplight.
Hanel watched Pairon in this state while leaning crookedly against the wall.
“Ahem!”
“Ah, you’re here.”
At the sound of his clearing throat, Pairon put down the glasses he was wearing and pressed his eyes gently.
Seeing him full of fatigue, Hanel sighed and approached him.
“Harus berries. They’re good for recovering from fatigue, so eat some.”
“Thank you.”
“By the way, what have you been doing for days? All the work is finished.”
Hanel glanced at the documents scattered on the desk.
Including the noble registry, just looking at the messily placed documents, he couldn’t even guess what was being searched for.
“Just. This is the only thing I can do, so I’m doing it.”
“The only thing? What are you doing with the nobles’ registry… don’t tell me.”
“….”
Hanel, who had caught onto something, trailed off.
Pairon looked at the documents on his desk with sad eyes and said.
“I’m certain. Rtemeia must be of noble birth.”
“There you go again.”
Ever since Pairon heard the Count’s words, he had been saying that Rtemeia might be a noble, as if he had some idea about it.
But the southern region where the child had grown up was mainly inhabited by commoners.
Naturally, the probability was slim.
In the first place, it didn’t make sense for a preciously raised noble to live among commoners.
“Stop doing useless things and focus on tomorrow’s work….”
“I finished it all in advance. Over there.”
He gestured with his chin toward the table beside him.
It was typical behavior of Peilon, who worked meticulously as always.
Hanel clicked his tongue and approached near the desk where he was sitting.
Then he stretched out his long legs and sat casually while speaking offhandedly.
“What if they’re not nobility?”
“Then I’ll have to search through the commoners’ records.”
It was an answer without hesitation.
“Do you want to find the child’s roots?”
“I want to find the child’s parents. The parents might be desperately searching for the child.”
“But we don’t even know the father’s name, let alone his face. Even if we search…”
“Even without things like names or faces, they’ll surely recognize the child.”
“…”
“I think I would. Especially with such a clever child who knows how to care for others.”
Peilon’s gaze, wearing a faint smile, turned back to the desk.
Hanel, thinking he couldn’t possibly dissuade him, slowly rose from the desk.
“Don’t overdo it. And don’t be too disappointed either.”
“Alright.”
As if even answering was bothersome, Peilon didn’t even give him a glance.
Though I was just as curious as Peilon.
‘I have a feeling we shouldn’t stir things up.’
Hanel let out a deep sigh and turned his steps away.
* * *
The next day.
‘What beast-like recovery power.’
I thought this while looking at Eruten, who was smiling brightly.
Honestly, if someone fell from a cliff that high into a lake, it would be normal for some part of their body to be injured.
‘There’s nothing wrong except for some scraped skin from friction.’
He even looked much more refreshed after getting a good night’s sleep.
“Is something wrong?”
“That’s what I want to ask. Are you really okay?”
“Yeah.”
It was a simple answer. Eruten asked while adjusting his gloves.
“Mia, you’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Your expression doesn’t look good.”
“My expression?”
It was probably because of what happened earlier.
I flopped down in the chair, thinking whatever, and said.
“There’s something I kind of understand but kind of don’t.”
“Is it important?”
“Important…”
My instinct as a doctor was telling me to dig deeper, but personally, I wondered if there was really a need to do so.
‘Most importantly, if what I suspect is correct, it’s already untreatable.’
My mood became gloomy for no reason, so I shook my head lightly.
“Then forget about it. Life’s too busy just thinking about important things.”
He answered lightly as if it was nothing.
“But it might be an important matter to the other person…”
“Hmm… Really?”
Eruten pondered for a moment, then asked carefully.
“Is this person important to you too?”
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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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