The Quack Lady - Chapter 77

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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 77

‘Rudel seemed quite shocked as well…’

Upon hearing the news of the Duchess’s passing, Rudel also shed tears in silence for a long while without saying a word.

In any case, the funeral that was held proceeded amid everyone’s sorrow.

Now Grandmother would take the carriage from the ducal mansion and go south while receiving condolences.

“Mother…!”

Ditten and Brien, who were seeing off the Duchess, also appeared deeply immersed in grief.

No matter how high-ranking nobles they were, in the face of a family member’s death, they were ultimately just human beings.

Eruten, who had been silently watching the procession for a while, asked.

“By the way, Rtemeia. What will you do now?”

“Well…”

Actually, when I first came here, I was just thinking of wiping sweat during childbirth.

‘How did I end up attending a funeral.’

I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was my fault.

Feeling unnecessarily complicated, I answered as if muttering.

“…I should stay a little longer.”

The death of a precious person equals the highest level of mental shock.

Above all, I was worried about the two people going through pregnancy and childbirth.

“But with so many nobles flocking here, will it be okay?”

He pointed to the procession of nobles standing in a long line below the castle wall.

Seeing the truly endless black wave, ironically, her death became real to me.

“It really is…”

It was the first time in my life I had seen so many nobles at once.

However, apart from that, the fact that Grandmother had really left…

“Are you really okay?”

Eruten reached out and carefully wiped under my eyes.

‘I was crying.’

I immediately lifted my sleeve and vigorously wiped under my eyes.

Then Eruten, who had been silently looking into my eyes for a while again, said to me.

“Mia. Could you spare me some time?”

* * *

The place Eruten led me to was the forest located behind the manor.

“The forest…?”

Smelling the forest scent after a long time seemed to refresh my mood, but the depression weighing down my heart was still impossible to resolve.

“Do you remember this?”

Eruten pointed to the lutemin blooming beautifully on the ground.

Thin leaves with white flowers.

It was also the herb I had ground for Eruten while crying.

“I remember.”

“Do you also remember how you cried while grinding the herbs for me back then?”

“Ah.”

I showed a bitter smile. Back then, with my young heart, I was so scared he might die.

“To be honest, I couldn’t understand it. What did it matter whether others lived or died… I’d rather let them die.”

“What? You had such thoughts?”

At my words, Eruten showed a smile as pretty as a painting.

“So I always think. What would it have been like if I hadn’t met you back then. Could I have survived?”

“…”

“You might not know, but the sight of you doing your best to treat patients deeply moves them too.”

Huh?

I had never once thought about it.

Things like the patients’ perspective.

I just hoped they wouldn’t be in pain.

That their illness would heal quickly so they wouldn’t come to see me anymore.

That was all I thought about.

“Mia. The Duchess must have had the same thoughts as me. Watching you do your best.”

“…Did she really think that. I couldn’t even save her.”

However, even in the face of unavoidable death.

In the end, a doctor had to become a sinner for the crime of touching a noble life.

When Grandmother’s face came to mind, tears burst out.

“I… really don’t know.”

I knew it in my head.

That there wasn’t only the kind of death I understood.

“She was really getting better, you know? But… why suddenly…”

I looked at my two empty hands.

My two pale hands, swollen from so much disinfecting, came into view.

I thought of Grandmother.

“It’s unfair… What was I missing?”

If only there had been monitors that could continuously check the patient’s condition.

Or at least CT scans, could I have saved her if such medical equipment existed?

‘What use would all that be. When I, as the attending physician, didn’t notice anything.’

Everything seemed like my fault.

“Boy. You didn’t miss anything.”

From somewhere, Mr. Hanel appeared in the middle of the grass.

I was so surprised that my tears stopped.

Mr. Pairon approached with his usual elegant gait.

Then he muttered ‘I knew this would happen’ and plopped down next to me.

“If you did your best, you should also know when to let go.”

At those words, I snapped to attention as if I’d been hit by something.

“There’s a fine line between doing your best and obsession. It’s very difficult to distinguish between them.”

The words Mr. Pairon had said the day before came to mind.

“…”

“Humans are very strong beings. Sometimes they don’t even fear death.”

“Pardon?”

“Perhaps that strong heart is love.”

What is this man suddenly talking about.

“What do you mean by that. All of a sudden.”

“You’re still young so you don’t know yet. Some people don’t fear death.”

I frowned deeply at the incomprehensible words from earlier.

Mr. Pairon smiled and said.

“She must have gone to a good place. So don’t worry.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you feel wronged, becoming a better doctor is also a way.”

He smiled and ruffled my hair. Then he elegantly left the forest as usual.

“What’s that. He just said what he wanted to say and left.”

Eruten grumbled while watching his retreating figure.

“If you feel wronged, becoming a better doctor is also a way.”

In front of countless lives I had failed to save, I always had to become a sinner.

However, the reason I could always get back up was because I hoped someone wouldn’t be in pain.

Because I hoped someone wouldn’t suffer.

“Older Sister, please become a good doctor and help kids like us not to be sick.”

“Give the children a chance to become adults.”

After my sibling’s death, I diligently cared for patients as if trying to compensate for my sibling’s death.

And this was also the only thing that could soothe my heart.

I hoped that a death like what befell my sibling would never happen again.

I wished that no one else in this world would experience the kind of pain I had experienced.

I want to save more lives.

It wasn’t some noble sense of justice.

At this point, I had to admit it.

The fact that I too was being healed while healing them.

“…Eruten. You’re right.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to become a good doctor. I’ll study even harder so there’s nothing I don’t know.”

“Mia…!”

“So I’ll save everyone in the world. I won’t let life slip away so meaninglessly like this again.”

“…”

“I’ll become a really good doctor and heal everyone! I’ll create a world where no one is sick!”

I knew it was impossible.

But I wanted to do it.

Even if I fell down and stumbled countless times.

‘I’m going to save more lives.’

That… was what I had to do.

Finally, I felt like I could see ahead.

* * *

The Duchess’s funeral was partially held at the Marquis’s family residence as announced.

In the coffin placed in front of the grand cathedral, the Duchess lay peacefully with her eyes closed, looking serene.

“Still, I suppose we should be grateful that she got to see her grandchild before passing…”

“Considering her condition, they say it’s a miracle she passed away now.”

“I heard her attending physician was very skilled, but what’s the point of just having some young child standing there?”

“Maybe they ran away because they thought she was going to die?”

The nobles attending the funeral each casually spoke of death.

The Duchess’s two daughters received mourners looking somewhat dazed.

‘What a mess.’

Rowen, who was there, shook his head.

Soon, Ditten approached him as he stood expressionlessly.

“Thank you for coming, Duke.”

“It’s the Duchess’s funeral, so I had to come.”

Despite his businesslike response, Ditten smiled faintly as she addressed him.

“Father, Mekan Rubenoa, the Duke, cannot attend. We plan to take Mother to the south where the ducal mansion is located and hold another family funeral there.”

Faced with what seemed like an answer she had repeated countless times, he felt a strange sense of kinship.

“Still, she ended her life befitting a Duchess. She always said she didn’t want to be remembered as always being sick.”

Ditten smiled bitterly.

“I see.”

“Even at the end, she was so like Mother. She said she wanted to leave only beautiful memories while remembering us. If I think of this too as all Mother’s choice…”

She bit her lower lip firmly as if swallowing down her grief.

“I’ve talked too much. I suppose it’s because I’m grateful that you came personally, Duke.”

“…”

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

Ditten bowed her head toward the Duke with her gaunt face.

Strangely, her appearance felt very much like someone else.

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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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