But how can I tell you? From the moment he accepted the offer to treat Sonya, I bought a building and turned it into a hospital.
Well, I didn't completely cheat. I clearly said I would give him enough money to set up a hospital in a nice building, and money doesn't necessarily mean money. It could be the hospital itself.
That's why they say you should read the contract carefully before signing it.
But, regardless of how confident I was, Edgar's gaze was extremely sharp. I couldn't bear to take that gaze any longer and shouted.
“I have something to show you.”
***
The newly renovated hospital was close to the central square of Vostok. As soon as Edgar got out of the carriage and saw the hospital, he twisted his lips as if he had expected it.
I tried not to see that drowsy face and grabbed Edgar's arm and led him into the hospital.
“Isn’t it great? Come in and see for yourself.”
I sat next to him and chattered on and on, like a real estate agent trying to get the house sold to the buyer.
“Did you see that? The window is all glass?”
“All the bed covers are of the highest quality. It would be nice if you could hang some curtains there, wouldn’t it?”
“Look at all this cool furniture!”
I had only paid the money, but this was my first time actually visiting. My initial intention was to give Edgar a good first impression of the hospital... But at some point, I was looking around here and there, feeling very curious.
A clean and spacious hospital room, with furniture, antique furniture, a comfortable examination room, a patient waiting room... It was flawless, considering it was prepared in just three days.
Unlike me, who was excited, Edgar had a calm expression on his face the whole time.
"Yes."
After seeing the latest surgical equipment in the operating room, old Edgar finally nodded in approval. Only then, feeling relieved, I smiled and asked.
“Aren’t you going to scold me?”
“What power do I have to scold Your Highness, the Princess?”
“Then I guess we can assume that Edgar will take care of this place?”
Edgar laughed through his nose, as if he found my trickery ridiculous.
I clasped my hands together nervously, afraid that he would reject my offer.
Edgar looked around the hospital for a while longer, then finally nodded slowly.
“I was planning to stay in Vostok for the next few years anyway. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t stay here.”
I almost hugged Edgar. I would have done so if he hadn't frowned so openly.
I tried not to be too happy, but I couldn't help but laugh. It felt like I had finally overcome a major crisis.
“However, there is something Your Highness must protect.”
“I know. I promise there will be no interference as long as you do your best to provide humane recovery to the patients.”
I answered coolly.
“Just a promise...”
“Here. The contract has been prepared perfectly, so just sign it.”
I took the documents Enoch was holding and handed them to Edgar. I had already carefully written down the parts of the contract that this picky person would nitpick and nitpick about.
There was absolutely no interference with the operating methods or treatments; it was a non-recoverable investment, and in return, Edgar was required to keep only one thing in mind: not to do anything that was theologically or morally wrong.
Edgar signed with a half-bewildered, half-satisfied expression, unaware that I was watching him with sinister eyes.
“If we start moving our luggage this evening... we should be able to open the hospital in two days.”
I quickly fixed my expression and took my hand off the clock.
“That’s a good idea. It’s good news for the patients who have gathered in front of the castle. My knights can help you move your luggage.”
“Oh, I have one more favor to ask.”
“Tell me anything.”
“Would you mind if I repaired the water supply and sewerage system as soon as possible?”
“Water and sewerage?”
I tilted my head. It wasn’t a word I was familiar with. I knew it was a facility for managing water in theory, but... At least in George, we had never had any problems with water supply or sewage. It was routine to collect snow when it fell and melt it to drink.
It was the same when disposing of waste. If you leave it anywhere, it will freeze overnight and not even smell, so you would dig a hole in the ground and bury it.
“It is still difficult to determine the exact cause, but we believe that dirty sewage is the cause of Renouac’s disease.”
“But in the same northern province of George, even without running water, it was extremely rare to get infected with Renouac’s disease.”
“It’s cold there, so it’s not a good environment for fungi to thrive.”
Edgar said it in a surprised tone, as if he didn't know such a basic thing. I secretly pursed my lips.
I wonder if that's true... You don't know a thing about tax laws.
Anyway, his point was valid. Even though I didn't know much about it, I felt that Vostok was less cold than George.
“I’ll go back and review it with the finance officer right away.”
Although the remaining budget was tight, I could not spare money when it came to the cause of the illness. No matter how hard Edgar tried to treat it, it would be useless if the cause was not removed.
As soon as I put the signed contract in my arms, Edgar asked.
“Why does Your Highness trust me so much?”
“You are a capable person.”
“And?”
“Is it because your face is just trustworthy?”
I answered as if it were a joke, but Edgar didn't seem satisfied with that answer.
“That is not the answer. Even if things are going well for you now, there is no guarantee that luck will always be on Your Highness’s side.”
Well, it was hard to agree with that. I've had some luck, but the only way I've gotten to where I am now is... I've just received the results of my best efforts and choices. Getting Edgar was actually an extension of that.
“You said you read the research journal. I saw the moment when you lost your only granddaughter to Renouac’s disease.”
He opened his eyes wide as if he had been hit, as if he had never expected me to say something like that.
I continued speaking cautiously.
“I know what it feels like to lose a family member to illness. I would have understood if you had given up on all your research because of that grief, but you continued to research the illness.”
“...”
“I just didn’t want other people to feel the pain of losing a family member to that disease. I just thought that if you had that kind of heart, anyone would be able to trust you.”
Old Edgar stood silently for a long time. At last, he opened his mouth, his lips twisting into a crooked shape.
“...That’s an overly good interpretation.”
He spoke in a grumbling tone. However, his expression had softened a bit since the beginning. His ears also seemed to have turned a little red.
This was my chance, as he was feeling better. I said with a sly smile.
“I have one more thing to show you.”
I was already moved.
***
Edgar seemed really impressed when he saw the school grounds set up behind the hospital. He thumped his bag and shouted that this was a tall tale...
I couldn't stand listening, so I took out the contract.
“It’s clearly stated in the contract.”
“There was no such provision anywhere!”
“Then you should have looked at the back cover carefully.”
Edgar snatched the contract from my hands and flipped through the pages. It seemed like he had only just discovered the clause written in tiny letters at the very bottom.
“Will we produce more than twenty graduates a year for five years?”
The old man's expression became fierce. If I weren't a Princess, wouldn't I have been grabbed by the collar?
“This, this contract is void! If I had known there was such a clause, I would not have signed it!”
I snatched the half-crumpled contract from Edgar's hands. It seemed that he couldn't tear it up because it had the royal seal on it.
I soothed Edgar in a soft voice.
“I think it’s good. You can’t cure all the patients with Renouac’s disease. And the North is often involved in territorial disputes with the barbarians, so there are a lot of people who get hurt.”
“...”
“Because it was not as affluent as the central or southern regions, it was difficult for poor people to even receive medical treatment.”
“...”
“I absolutely cannot compromise on this.”
Edgar sighed at my firm attitude.
“Twenty a year is too many. Let’s do fifteen.”
“No! Seventeen.”
“Thirteen.”
“Now that I think about it, fifteen would be just right.”
***
Edgar's hospital was booming even more than expected. I was worried that there wouldn't be enough staff, but my worries were unfounded.
The rumor that there was a doctor who could cure Renouac's disease brought in patients, but it also brought in doctors. With the impressive history of being a palace doctor, doctors lined up to take him as their teacher.
As people began to flow in from outside, Vostok experienced unprecedented prosperity.
Now all the headaches were my fault.
“It’s a water and sewage problem.”
The treasurer said, tapping the papers.
“I consulted with relevant experts, and it seems like it will be a fairly large-scale project.”
“Can this be solved within the budget?”
“About three thousand. I think it would be enough to adjust the quantity of glassware. Your Highness ordered a little.”
“Do that.”
I signed the papers the treasurer handed me.
Suddenly, a strange sense of foreboding came over me. It was as if I had finally realized that I, who used to tremble in my hands for a few rirams, could now sign a document three thousand pages long without any trouble.
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