The Quack Lady - Chapter 84

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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 84

I continued filling out the chart regardless.

“So the symptoms are a racing heart, tears just from thinking about it, missing someone, things like that?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Your friend has these symptoms?”

“Yes!”

This time he answered vigorously as if he was certain.

I slammed my quill pen down with a sharp sound.

Are you kidding me right now?

“Don’t you know proxy prescriptions are illegal? Why is someone dressed so neatly acting like this?”

“…”

“Tell them to come see me directly. I can’t say anything until then.”

I picked up the quill pen again and drew a large X over where it said Srent Veil.

Then he spoke pleadingly with a face mixed with despair.

“But our Du… no, my friend is really very sick and has trouble moving around.”

“…?”

“So just once…”

“Excuse me.”

When I called to him in a cold voice, the man named Srentte visibly flinched.

“Even if they have trouble moving around, proxy prescriptions aren’t allowed. If you really care about that person, either bring them here or have another doctor make a house call.”

“…Even famous doctors couldn’t cure it…”

He muttered just loud enough for me to hear.

But there was a truckload of patients standing behind him.

I took a deep breath and spoke as clearly as possible so this clueless man could understand.

“Treatment isn’t done with words alone. There are many things you can only know by facing the patient directly – their complexion, breathing, heartbeat, and so on.”

In reality, patients think proper prescriptions can be made just by conveying a few words because doctors usually prescribe after hearing just a few sentences.

‘That’s completely wrong.’

Especially in psychiatry, there are no quantified tests like stethoscopes or blood tests.

In other words, psychiatry requires examining everything about the patient from the moment they open the door and enter.

Treatment begins the moment they step foot in the clinic.

“So if you’re going to talk about such mental problems, please bring them directly.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times at my firmness, then left after saying he understood.

‘Why are so many strange patients flocking here lately!’

It seemed to be because the treatment effects were good.

It also seemed like totemic thinking – that the location was blessed with divine favor – played a part.

“Liv, from now on, make sure to tell them treatment is impossible unless it’s the person themselves.”

“Yes!”

“And that it has nothing to do with divine favor or holy power or anything like… mmph!”

“Lady Rtemeia! You mustn’t say such things!”

Liv was startled and covered my mouth with her hands.

I immediately spat out Liv’s salty hands.

“Ptui ptui. What are you doing, Liv!”

“But blasphemy is a very serious sin!”

“…”

I had a mouth but no words to say. Liv looked around to see if anyone had heard, then whispered in my ear.

“Holy power really does exist, Lady Rtemeia.”

“…?”

I narrowed my eyes.

Perhaps noticing my gaze, she cleared her throat softly.

“Holy water infused with holy power is trending among the nobility right now!”

“…Holy water?”

Holy water trending? I couldn’t understand it at all.

Could that even be a trend in the first place?

Perhaps because of my expression, Liv began explaining about holy water.

Roughly, it was very effective when used for illness and even relieved mental worries.

“Don’t even mention it. Because of that, the nobility can’t say anything back to the Temple. The Cardinal receives more support than the Monarch…”

Liv suddenly clamped her mouth shut.

Then she rubbed her lips raw, wiping them clean.

“Stop wiping. Your lips will get chapped.”

“That’s better than being punished.”

Despite my attempts to stop her, she continued wiping her mouth.

But.

‘Honestly, isn’t that exaggerated?’

This was a country that even had magic to captivate people’s gazes.

However, I couldn’t easily draw conclusions.

Even though I’d lived here since birth, the parts I still didn’t know remained strange and difficult.

I clicked my tongue and called out.

“Next patient!”

* * *

Rowen covered his mouth with one hand, his face full of emotion.

Then he asked Srentte in a completely hoarse voice.

“So… that child told you to come see her?”

“Uh… yes. That’s right, but.”

Srentte tilted his head timidly.

‘She did say to come directly, so it’s not wrong, but…’

However, it seemed the meaning had been misunderstood.

Seeing Rowen covering his mouth with sparkling eyes, suspicion turned to certainty.

“Um… Duke. So, what I mean is, when she said to come see her directly… it’s because she needs to examine you…”

“Right. She’s saying she’ll examine me. She’s not rejecting or turning away from me.”

“Uh… that’s true, but…”

Somehow the more he spoke, the bigger the misunderstanding seemed to grow.

Where should he start correcting this?

Srentte’s confused eyes clearly trembled.

“Then there’s no reason to hesitate. I should start with greetings.”

“Du, Duke, wait a moment!”

Srentte desperately blocked the Duke’s path.

Avoiding the Duke’s piercing gaze, he shook his head.

“La, Lady Rtemeia doesn’t know yet. Most importantly, she’ll be surprised if you visit suddenly…”

“That’s why you went first.”

“…Yes.”

“And Rtemeia said to come meet her directly.”

“Ah, that’s… correct, but.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“…”

He suddenly recalled what Rtemeia had said.

Her words about only knowing by meeting directly were real.

“Then I should send word ahead. That I’ll be coming directly.”

His message, from someone who could have private audiences with the Emperor, would be like a disaster for a small guild.

He quickly racked his brain and came up with one brilliant idea.

“Th, then how about sending a sponsorship letter saying you’ll sponsor the infirmary?”

“A sponsorship letter…?”

Those who investigated the child’s current situation already knew that the child was helping the poor.

He wanted to help such a child, and Srentte had mentioned sponsorship in passing.

“Last time, you said she seemed to have talent in medicine, so you wanted to provide sponsorship so she wouldn’t lack in studies or medicinal herbs…”

Srentte’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

“How about gifting her a playground or house so she can play to her heart’s content instead?”

“No, that’s something anyone can do…”

“Duke. Those aren’t things that just anyone can do.”

“Then setting up a clinic would be good too. Filled with medical books she can read freely and medicinal herbs.”

Srentte, recalling the past conversation, squeezed his eyes shut.

He was definitely insane.

Above all, the idea of treating establishing a clinic like some grand gift package, filling it with books and medicinal herbs…

“I think I misspoke. As expected, that level of sponsorship is…”

“That’s a good idea, Srentte.”

“Pardon?”

“Taking this opportunity to build a suitable place for a clinic and give it to the child along with the sponsorship letter…”

It would form a bond with the child and deliver the gift all at once.

But that plan wasn’t entirely easy either.

‘If news spreads about opening and sponsoring a clinic when His Majesty’s health isn’t good…’

There was potential for unnecessary suspicion from the Crown Prince, as well as interference from the Temple.

The Imperial family and Temple don’t trust doctors.

Rowen, whose thoughts had reached that point, grabbed his head with both hands.

Seeing the Duke’s anguished state, Srentte gathered himself and spoke slowly.

“So perhaps thinking about it more calmly would be…”

“I see…”

The Duke fell into thought. He was someone who normally didn’t consider others’ feelings.

It was an issue he didn’t need to think about, and his life had never required such consideration.

Yet he was worrying.

About what direction would be for the child’s sake.

About what would be attractive enough to capture the child’s heart.

‘Does he really think of her as his daughter?’

However, Srentte’s mind worked somewhat coldly.

Unfortunately, there was still no evidence whatsoever that the child was the Duke’s.

It might just be a kind of accident where everything coincidentally fell into place.

If that were the case, the accident should be concluded as an accident.

‘It’s still not right.’

The child he met in person did resemble Lady Lifne, but that was all. Until something became certain, the Duke shouldn’t meet the child.

For both their sakes.

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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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