The Quack Lady - Chapter 65

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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 65

* * *

Demian’s hair fluttered pleasantly as he leaned against the window.

Soon Demian’s blue eyes turned toward Eruten, who was staring blankly ahead.

“What’s wrong? So suddenly.”

“…”

“If you came, at least say something.”

Demian grumbled but seemed concerned about Eruten, glancing at him sideways.

He had been sitting by the window without saying a word for thirty minutes now.

‘His condition is strange today?’

His ruby-colored eyes, which always sparkled, had darkened completely, and his characteristic relaxed demeanor was nowhere to be found.

He closed his book with a loud thud, as if frustrated.

Then he strode purposefully toward Eruten.

Soon Demian approached right up to him and spoke in a pressing tone.

“If you’re not going to say anything, I’ll go to Rtemeia right now…”

“What do you think you would do?”

“What?”

“If your friend kept interfering with your business.”

“Interfering?”

Demian frowned as if the very thought disgusted him.

As if he had been waiting for this, a frustrated sigh escaped from Eruten’s lips.

“Why, is Rtemeia being a bother?”

Demian grinned and giggled with a smirking smile.

Even at his natural smile, as if he had expected this, Eruten remained unmoved.

“…Really?”

When Demian asked cautiously, Eruten shook his head.

“Rtemeia wouldn’t do that.”

“Then why?”

“…Just because.”

Eruten looked down at Demian as if to say, what would a kid like you know?

Instantly offended, Demian burst out with words.

“I, I may be small and still young, but! I have a lot to offer Rtemeia!”

“…”

“If she plays with me, she can eat lots of delicious food, and… I’ll give Rtemeia nice gifts too!”

The child began to fume as if Eruten’s gaze was infuriating. Then he shouted as if letting everything out.

“D-don’t think you’re something special just because you can use a sword!”

“…?”

“I’m a Marquis! Once I become a Count later, I’ll be able to treat Rtemeia even better!”

At his outcry, Eruten’s eyes widened for a moment.

“What did you just say…”

“I may not be as good with a sword as Eruten, but when I become an adult, I’ll have more to give Rtemeia, won’t I?”

The conclusion was that he was better than Eruten, but it sounded a little different to Eruten.

“I’ll give her something only I can give.”

Demian grinned as he said this.

It was already painful that Eruten had been chasing him away every time he went to see Rtemeia these past few days, telling him not to interfere.

Shouting like this seemed to make him feel a little better.

“Something only I can give…”

Eruten thought for a moment. Then he pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled.

“Right, I just need to give her something only I can give.”

“What?”

He thought he had vented his anger, but seeing the bright face instead made his stomach twist.

“Thanks. Little brat.”

“What?”

Thinking that Eruten was probably the only one who dared to call him, a Marquis, like that, he kicked at Eruten.

Then, Eruten, who lightly dodged his kick as usual, immediately burst out the door.

‘Something only I can give.’

Strangely, those words made his chest swell with emotion.

It didn’t matter if it wasn’t a sword.

As long as he could protect her.

Even a shield would be fine.

* * *

The Duchess’s bedroom had changed a lot according to my instructions.

For instance, all the fancy decorations had disappeared.

And in consideration of her, soft carpets were laid on the floor.

“You came?”

The Duchess sat up in bed and welcomed me.

“No. Please lie down.”

I approached her with quick steps.

‘Her complexion definitely doesn’t look good.’

The Duchess’s symptoms, which seemed to be improving slightly, were getting worse as time passed.

The disease was progressing faster than the medication could suppress it.

Especially as the trembling became noticeably severe, she eventually stopped going outside.

I set down today’s medicine and said.

“I told the Marchioness that you caught a terrible cold.”

“Thank you.”

She took the maid’s hand with her trembling hand and sat up.

I held out the medicine to her, then clenched my hand as if I wouldn’t give it to her.

Then her eyes widened.

“When are you going to tell her?”

The worse the patient’s condition became, the more my heart felt like it was burning.

“…I should tell her.”

It was always the same words.

“But when I take the medicine you made, the trembling stops and I feel more strength in my body?”

“It’s temporary.”

“People around me say I might get better at this rate.”

The Duchess said this and laughed softly.

Her laughter, now much more gaunt, touched me sadly.

Indeed, after taking the medicine, she was very happy, saying she had really improved.

The trembling had definitely decreased, and the cognitive impairment had lessened too, but…

To my eyes, it all looked like the Duchess was enduring everything.

“It’s more of a disease that needs continuous management rather than a complete cure. Since it could worsen at any time, you must tell her.”

“Can’t I be a little greedy?”

“…”

“I don’t have the confidence to tell this fact to a child who’s about to give birth. My daughter must have made a life-risking decision too.”

She, who had been preventing the Marchioness’s surgery, seemed to have given permission as time passed.

More precisely, it was closer to half resignation rather than permission.

“Grandmother.”

During that period, my relationship with the Duchess had also grown much closer.

The Duchess also welcomed this form of address from me.

“Yes. Rtemeia.”

“You mustn’t think there isn’t much time left. You promised to do your best together if I did my best.”

The Duchess sometimes wore a precarious expression, like a dandelion seed that might blow away at any moment.

Without realizing it, I gripped Grandmother’s hand tighter.

I could feel bone beneath her thin skin. Her hand was much thinner than before.

“You worry too much for your own good.”

“And you don’t worry enough, Grandmother.”

When I playfully countered Grandmother’s words with jest, she chuckled with laughter.

Just as I was about to explain the next medicine to Grandmother.

“So…”

“Thank you, Rifne.”

“Pardon?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

The name Grandmother had called was my mother’s name.

“Who gave Mother her name?”

“Hmm. Great-grandmother and great-grandfather gave it to her, right?”

When I first learned to write, the first letters I wrote down were Rifne.

“So Rifne means a tree that shines softly?”

“My goodness! Rtemeia, how did you know?”

Mother said I was remarkable that day and gave me an extra egg.

It was a name I could never forget even if I tried.

I gathered my composure and carefully asked Grandmother.

“Grandmother, I’m not Rifne, I’m Rtemeia. Do you recognize me?”

The dopamine agonist I had brought could also cause hallucinations.

But Grandmother was looking at the real me and calling me Rifne.

That meant it wasn’t a hallucination, but cognitive impairment was beginning.

‘As expected… is it time to use more serious medication now?’

Though I was thinking of the next medication in my head, my heart was pounding frantically regardless.

‘But how on earth does she know the name Rifne?’

Could she have known Mother?

With that thought, my mouth wouldn’t move when it should have.

Soon Grandmother gently stroked my head.

“Rifne, the medicine you made last time worked very well. It was very effective.”

“…”

“So don’t talk about going anywhere and stay by my side. Do you understand?”

“…”

In this incomprehensible situation, I looked at the maid behind her.

As if asking what this was all about.

Soon the maid moved her lips and spoke.

“…She’s a child who briefly cared for the Duchess before.”

“…”

She stepped back as if she had finished speaking.

‘I want to ask more.’

But I couldn’t cause any more confusion for the patient.

I patted Grandmother’s hand and stood up from my seat.

“I’ll change the medicine I gave you today. It seems the cognitive impairment is getting worse. I’ll bring it right away, so please wait just a moment.”

I took the tray I was holding and rushed out of there as if fleeing.

* * *

“How does Mother know so much about herbs?”

“Hmm, because Mother likes treating people?”

“Why do you like that?”

What answer had Mother given to my question?

I couldn’t remember.

Was the Duchess among the people Mother had treated?

What was Mother’s relationship with the Duchess?

There were mountains of things I wanted to ask, but no one could give me answers.

That fact was simply frustrating.

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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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