The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21
“Where are you hurt?!”
Lucas rushed to examine Rachel’s hand. Fortunately, aside from her palm being slightly flushed, there seemed to be nothing seriously wrong.
“I’m… I’m fine, really.”
Rachel managed to squeeze out the words.
Lucas exhaled softly and prepared water. He submerged Rachel’s hand in the cool liquid and gently caressed it with his own.
“The heat seems to have subsided considerably now.”
His discerning gaze traveled from Rachel’s fingertips to her face. She laughed awkwardly and looked away.
“We should have a physician examine your hand.”
“Won’t it be fine after some time passes…?”
Since it wasn’t a serious burn, Rachel privately thought it unnecessary, but she couldn’t argue against Lucas’s firm resolve.
“There was nothing wrong, yet the water boiled….”
Then Lucas’s gaze caught on something on her finger.
“That ring… it looks familiar.”
“Ah, this ring?”
Since Theo’s ring had been given to him by his grandmother, Lucas would surely know of its existence too.
“It’s a gift from Theo. He gave it to me while wishing for my speedy recovery.”
Having said this, Rachel felt unaccountably embarrassed and averted her gaze slightly. But Lucas offered no response.
An awkward silence stretched on, and soon he withdrew Rachel’s hand from the water and spoke.
“Let’s have the Court Physician examine it first. Come, stand up.”
It seemed like something that hardly needed to be shown to anyone. Yet Lucas’s determination appeared quite firm, and Rachel had no choice but to rise reluctantly.
‘But why did the water boil in the first place? I can’t figure it out at all.’
* * *
The road to the Imperial Palace was quiet.
Rachel gazed down at her slightly reddened hand. No matter how she looked at it, it wasn’t a burn serious enough to show to a court physician.
‘Since we’re already doing this, might as well get checked out smoothly. At least I can count it as visiting Theo and Noah’s home.’
Now that she thought about it, this might be a good opportunity. Perhaps she could observe the environment in which Theo and Noah had grown up.
Eventually the carriage came to a halt and the door swung open. Lucas, stepping down first, extended his hand to Rachel.
Rachel naturally grasped his hand and descended from the carriage, unaware of the peculiar looks those around them cast their way.
She followed Lucas inside, her eyes busy taking in the dazzling splendor of the Imperial Palace. She had thought Chase’s and the other students’ estates were magnificent, but they paled in comparison.
As they entered the Medical Clinic following a guide, the Court Physician sprang from his seat upon seeing Lucas. Rachel felt anew that he truly was the Crown Prince, and she settled into the chair the physician indicated.
“I hear you’ve sustained a burn on your hand.”
“It’s just a light burn.”
Rachel spoke preemptively, lest the physician take it too seriously.
But the physician’s expression remained stern. He examined her hand carefully, then adjusted his glasses and opened his mouth.
“Fortunately, the burn doesn’t appear to be deep. I’ll give you a powder medicine—apply it thinly once a day.”
As expected, there was nothing serious. Rachel looked up at Lucas with an expression that said, “See? I told you so.” His face was visibly flooded with relief.
“Doctor!”
It was then that a woman who appeared to be a lady’s maid rushed into the clinic.
Her face, beaded with perspiration, had gone deathly pale. What on earth was the matter? Rachel regarded the maid with a questioning look.
“You… you need to come right away!”
“What is the emergency?!”
At the maid’s frantic words, the physician’s face turned grave and he rose from his seat.
“Noah… Noah is….”
The moment the name “Noah” left her lips, Rachel’s heart sank with a heavy thud.
There was only one person in this Imperial Palace who could be referred to as “Noah”—her most precious student.
“Noah is unable to breathe properly!”
The maid’s cry tore through the corridor. Lucas bolted from the room at a near-frenzied pace without a word. Rachel and the Court Physician rushed after him without a moment’s delay.
“Noah!”
The boy on the bed was ashen. His pallid fingertips trembled, and labored breaths scraped through his throat in ragged gasps. Even so, as Noah caught sight of Rachel, he managed a faint smile.
“I will conduct an examination.”
The Court Physician’s voice was composed, but Rachel noticed even his hands trembling slightly.
This was a world without stethoscopes or endoscopes. In such a world, it was difficult to expect the thorough, detailed examination one might find in twenty-first-century South Korea.
‘Still, a court physician of his caliber….’
Though anxiety was hard to conceal, Rachel made an effort to steady herself.
Once the physician finished his examination, he issued instructions to his assistant standing beside him, and she opened her medical bag to retrieve several packets of powder medicine.
“If he takes this, he should improve.”
The powder medicine was mixed with water and given to Noah, which he swallowed with difficulty. Yet as time passed, Noah’s face only grew paler.
“I don’t understand what’s happening….”
Even the Court Physician could not hide his bewilderment. Other physicians filed in one after another, but the result remained the same.
“You’ve clearly had indigestion, but why won’t the stagnant Qi move downward at all…?”
The physician, whose deep experience showed in his lined face, released a heavy sigh and wiped the cold sweat from Noah’s brow.
“My head hurts too….”
Noah, now ashen, pressed both hands to his head, complaining of the pain.
“I think I can sit up…. For a moment.”
He managed those words with false bravado, but ultimately lay back down on the bed again.
“Once the medicine takes effect and you rest a while, you’ll feel better.”
If the medicine wouldn’t work, there was nothing left but rest. The physicians conferred briefly before recommending that Noah close his eyes and sleep.
Watching this unfold, Rachel bit her lip.
In twenty-first-century Korea, this would be solved with a strong digestive aid. Failing that, you’d rush to the emergency room.
But when even the empire’s finest physicians couldn’t resolve the problem, she had nothing but frustration.
“Ugh… uughh….”
“Noah!”
“My stomach… it hurts. I feel like I’m dying….”
It hadn’t been like this moments ago. Noah gripped Rachel’s hand firmly, tears streaming down his face.
His claims of dying seemed no exaggeration—he broke into sobs.
The air froze in an instant. Even Lucas and the physicians froze in bewilderment, exchanging uncertain glances.
Rachel had no time for further deliberation.
“Do you… have a Needle anywhere?”
“A Needle?”
“Yes. Please prepare a Needle, something to sterilize it with, and thread. Quickly!”
To the physicians, attendants, and servants, her orders made no sense.
‘I’ll have to prick his hand….’
It was folk medicine, but what could be more reliable?
Yet she couldn’t imagine they’d forgive her for wounding the prince’s body, and it might come across as disrespect toward this world’s medical arts.
Before her possession, Rachel herself had never had a strong stomach. Especially during her university entrance exams and civil service test preparations—the stress and long hours sitting had caused frequent indigestion.
Each time, she’d used Acupuncture of the Hand to prick her fingers. Within minutes, the discomfort would vanish.
‘But will the people here understand this method?’
As Rachel wrestled with the decision, glancing around nervously, a brief groan escaped from the bed.
Whether they sensed her urgency or not, the servants began hastily gathering a Needle and sterilizing agents.
“Noah, this might startle you a bit… but will you trust your teacher?”
Rachel spoke to Noah as she carefully sterilized a long Needle. Noah’s body trembled like an aspen, his breathing ragged in place of a real answer.
“Let me see your hand?”
“What exactly are you attempting to do?!”
One of the Court Physicians cried out in alarm. But explaining now would only invite objections, so Rachel ignored him and focused on Noah’s fingers.
The physician was about to lurch forward in shock and grab Rachel’s arm—
“Trust Rachel. Let her handle this.”
Lucas seized the man’s arm and spoke with absolute authority.
In that moment, Rachel wrapped thread tightly around Noah’s thumb and squeezed as hard as she could.
“It’ll sting a little.”
Before the words had even left her mouth, she carefully pricked the tip of Noah’s thumb with the Needle.
Caught off guard, Noah made no sound—only stared at his own finger in shock.
Immediately, thick, dark blood began to ooze out.
‘Black blood. That confirms he was badly congested.’
As Rachel wiped away the blood, the tension in her shoulders eased slightly.
“The color of the blood… is strange.”
Lucas, watching intently from the side with a grave expression, murmured quietly. One of his eyebrows had risen in surprise.
“How… how dare you! You’ve wounded the prince’s hand?! Explain yourself this instant!”
The Court Physician’s voice rose in outrage.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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