Nife was as confident as she had been when she spoke of arranged marriages. She spoke without a hint of hesitation, her voice clear and direct.
“Is there anything more important than love in this world?”
I was speechless. It wasn't because of the absurd innocence of her young heart.
Envy, jealousy, envy.
Because such feelings filled my heart. I, too, once loved someone as intensely as Nife.
If that love hadn't plunged me into tragedy, my love would never have faded. But my love drove my family to death.
“I know there's no hope for my love. But I'll do my best until the very end.”
When talking about love, Nife seemed like an infinitely young girl, but also like someone with a strong will that no one else could possess.
Nife smiled brightly again and asked.
“Is this enough to compensate you for letting me meet Ruin?”
I had a feeling that Nife wasn't just some naive child. At least, that was the Nife who brought me the price of the deal. Somehow, she seemed to shine brightly.
As I was speechless at the splendor, a maid approached me and whispered.
"Madam, I hear a new doctor has arrived. His Highness the Grand Duke has asked if you would be willing to undergo an examination now."
I nodded slightly to indicate that I understood.
“I’m a little sweaty from riding. I’ll go wash up and go right away.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will prepare it.”
I turned around for a moment before following the maid into the Grand Duke's residence and said.
"The price is sufficient. Be sure to keep your word to me. Not just today, but also what you said the other day."
Nife bowed politely, pretending to grab her skirt.
“I will definitely keep it.”
I stared at Nife's bowed head for a moment, then quickly turned back. Anna, who was following me, asked cautiously.
"Would you mind if I let your brother and Young Lady Sasha meet? If they really do end up together..."
“Anna, do you know what in this world is harder to obtain than a human life?”
Anna shook her head, still looking worried.
“It’s a person’s life.”
And Nife was ready to give it to Ruin. It might not be as bad a match as I thought.
I envied Nife. Her love, the kind that could sacrifice her entire body, her heart, the kind that could dedicate her life to just one person.
If I have a next life...
That life was one that I desperately hoped would be lived like that.
I took a quick shower and went into my room. Not long after, I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a doctor I'd never seen before came in, accompanied by a maid. I'd expected a gray-haired man, but he was surprisingly young and handsome. His green eyes, visible behind oval-shaped glasses, were remarkably intelligent.
“Hello. My name is Tien Youth.”
Tien Youth. I'm sure I've heard of him. He was a doctor who stayed in his lab, never moving, but once he left, he traveled to the countryside, never going to the capital, treating all manner of ailments.
Listening to that fairytale-like story, I assumed he was much older than I was. But Tien seemed about my age.
Even in my past life, when I realized I had a rare disease, I longed to find Tien. However, at the time, he was stuck in his lab, and I couldn't meet him. Instead of making a fuss, I greeted him with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Youth.”
“Just call me Tien. My first goal is to become close to Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
"Yes?"
"Wouldn't Your Majesty the Grand Duchess speak well of me to His Highness the Grand Duke? I want to do this for a long time."
As I opened my eyes wide, Tien clapped his hands and said,
"Oh, it's not that I don't wish for Your Highness to recover. Quite the contrary. The Grand Duke has offered a very generous reward for Your Highness the Grand Duchess's complete recovery."
Tien was a very energetic person. He was constantly talking, completely distracting me. I blurted out, "What's going on?"
“Then, Tien, please feel free to call me Madam. You said we should become closer?”
Then Tien clapped his hands again in joy.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Madam. But I think we should keep this a secret. His Highness the Grand Duke is a very affectionate man. If we're caught, I might be expelled without even being able to get my compensation, let alone my life."
I burst out laughing at that.
"Madam, you're laughing, but I can't believe how terrifying it was. My shoulders are still shaking. Oh my, it's scary."
Tien hugged his shoulders and pretended to tremble. I couldn't help but laugh. Tien had always said that Julian was scary, but judging by his current attitude, he didn't seem all that scared.
After acting funny for a while, Tien took out his examination notes and naturally moved on to the oral examination.
"I only heard that Madam was very unwell, but I didn't hear much about proper medical treatment. However, I heard that other doctors had a hard time diagnosing your condition. That's why you don't trust doctors."
"That's right."
I nodded. The symptoms I was experiencing were definitely present. But they weren't frequent, and the doctors couldn't find anything unusual about me.
And then, one day, the disease suddenly appeared. Every doctor I met shook their head, saying, "There's no hope."
To be honest, I didn't have high expectations. But Tien was a doctor Julian had personally brought in. He must have been a doctor who had worked hard to secure, at a great cost. I wanted to try again.
“But I’ll trust Tien.”
“It's an honor, ma'am. Could you tell me what your symptoms are?”
“I get nosebleeds, and sometimes I vomit.”
“Are you talking about blood?”
"Yes."
“How often do you do that?”
"It doesn't happen that often. Sometimes it happens once every ten days, or once every two weeks. The amount isn't that much. Sometimes, I only realize it when I get a nasty fishy smell on my tongue."
Tien meticulously took notes of what I said. He raised his head, signaling that he was listening. I nodded and continued.
“Headaches are more frequent than that.”
“How do headaches come about?”
“It’s dizzying, like standing on a shaky bridge.”
“Hmm, what other symptoms?”
I considered talking about hallucinations and illusions, but suddenly I was afraid I'd sound like a crazy woman. Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Tien asked me seriously.
"I don't judge patients' symptoms. To me, each patient is special. Just tell me what you feel, Madam."
Indeed. Tien lived up to his reputation and knew how to treat patients well. Trusting him, I hesitated before speaking.
“...When I have a bad headache, I have hallucinations.”
Tien asked calmly, without any sign of resistance or surprise. That was surprisingly comforting.
“Do you see yourself in that vision?”
"No. I see another woman, not me. I've never seen her before. I see her lying face down and crying for a long time."
“How often do you have that vision?”
“This is really rare. In fact, I haven’t seen it in a while.”
I said as I rewinded my memory.
“Actually, the illusion started to appear from the day I first saw the rare magic stone.”
Tien looked very interested after hearing my story.
“Madam, what do you think about wizards?”
A sound of nails tapping on the desk echoed from the Grand Duke's office. It was a sound he'd heard several times before. He hadn't even called out loud to the butler, but he was already approaching Julian's desk. Julian sighed and raised his head.
“Madam.”
“She is seeing a doctor.”
“I mean, Tien Youth.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Julian tapped his fingernails on the desk again. The butler smiled, his head bowed.
“He must be in the middle of a consultation. Should I take him?”
"No."
Julian's response was swift. He promised Layla he would never seek the doctor's diagnosis. He wouldn't ask directly, and he wouldn't pry into the details.
And Layla trusted Julian. The fact that she, who used to be averse to doctors, agreed to see the doctor Julian brought her was proof of that.
Julian wanted to repay Layla's trust, so he shouldn't have visited her while the doctor was in session.
However...
'That doctor, his face, his speech, everything about him was just so disgusting.'
Julian didn't want to think about Layla and the doctor. That's why he was in his office, insisting on doing his job. But he couldn't stop thinking about it.
'Layla always had a bunch of guys around her who were always being picky... '
Both Marquis Amber and Young Marquis Eriant had the appearance of a classically noble Prince, with a smooth, somewhat playful manner.
Layla didn't deny that Marquis Amber was her first love, and she got along well with Young Marquis Eriant, and even joked around with him. Perhaps that was just her taste.
Like that doctor.
The butler spoke soothingly, as if he had seen Julian's frown.
“Your Highness, Madam is a very neat person.”
“Madam is very neat.”
Layla felt distant from the word "neat." Especially when she was in front of Julian, she couldn't stay still for even a moment. The butler, aware of Layla's behavior, chuckled.
“What I meant was, she is someone who will definitely keep any promise she makes.”
It's a statement that a woman would never allow herself to be envied by another man while married. Julian agreed.
“But if you’re really worried, choosing a different doctor wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Who cares?”
Julian glared at the butler and spoke. The butler, still smiling warmly, kept his mouth shut. Julian was right to be worried.
But he couldn't change doctors. He couldn't find a better doctor than Tien Youth.
"Enough. Don't talk about Madam anymore. I don't want to hear it."
Julian had no choice but to press his furrowed brow and pretend to concentrate on his work.
“Is there anything more important than love in this world?”
I was speechless. It wasn't because of the absurd innocence of her young heart.
Envy, jealousy, envy.
Because such feelings filled my heart. I, too, once loved someone as intensely as Nife.
If that love hadn't plunged me into tragedy, my love would never have faded. But my love drove my family to death.
“I know there's no hope for my love. But I'll do my best until the very end.”
When talking about love, Nife seemed like an infinitely young girl, but also like someone with a strong will that no one else could possess.
Nife smiled brightly again and asked.
“Is this enough to compensate you for letting me meet Ruin?”
I had a feeling that Nife wasn't just some naive child. At least, that was the Nife who brought me the price of the deal. Somehow, she seemed to shine brightly.
As I was speechless at the splendor, a maid approached me and whispered.
"Madam, I hear a new doctor has arrived. His Highness the Grand Duke has asked if you would be willing to undergo an examination now."
I nodded slightly to indicate that I understood.
“I’m a little sweaty from riding. I’ll go wash up and go right away.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will prepare it.”
I turned around for a moment before following the maid into the Grand Duke's residence and said.
"The price is sufficient. Be sure to keep your word to me. Not just today, but also what you said the other day."
Nife bowed politely, pretending to grab her skirt.
“I will definitely keep it.”
I stared at Nife's bowed head for a moment, then quickly turned back. Anna, who was following me, asked cautiously.
"Would you mind if I let your brother and Young Lady Sasha meet? If they really do end up together..."
“Anna, do you know what in this world is harder to obtain than a human life?”
Anna shook her head, still looking worried.
“It’s a person’s life.”
And Nife was ready to give it to Ruin. It might not be as bad a match as I thought.
I envied Nife. Her love, the kind that could sacrifice her entire body, her heart, the kind that could dedicate her life to just one person.
If I have a next life...
That life was one that I desperately hoped would be lived like that.
***
I took a quick shower and went into my room. Not long after, I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a doctor I'd never seen before came in, accompanied by a maid. I'd expected a gray-haired man, but he was surprisingly young and handsome. His green eyes, visible behind oval-shaped glasses, were remarkably intelligent.
“Hello. My name is Tien Youth.”
Tien Youth. I'm sure I've heard of him. He was a doctor who stayed in his lab, never moving, but once he left, he traveled to the countryside, never going to the capital, treating all manner of ailments.
Listening to that fairytale-like story, I assumed he was much older than I was. But Tien seemed about my age.
Even in my past life, when I realized I had a rare disease, I longed to find Tien. However, at the time, he was stuck in his lab, and I couldn't meet him. Instead of making a fuss, I greeted him with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Youth.”
“Just call me Tien. My first goal is to become close to Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
"Yes?"
"Wouldn't Your Majesty the Grand Duchess speak well of me to His Highness the Grand Duke? I want to do this for a long time."
As I opened my eyes wide, Tien clapped his hands and said,
"Oh, it's not that I don't wish for Your Highness to recover. Quite the contrary. The Grand Duke has offered a very generous reward for Your Highness the Grand Duchess's complete recovery."
Tien was a very energetic person. He was constantly talking, completely distracting me. I blurted out, "What's going on?"
“Then, Tien, please feel free to call me Madam. You said we should become closer?”
Then Tien clapped his hands again in joy.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Madam. But I think we should keep this a secret. His Highness the Grand Duke is a very affectionate man. If we're caught, I might be expelled without even being able to get my compensation, let alone my life."
I burst out laughing at that.
"Madam, you're laughing, but I can't believe how terrifying it was. My shoulders are still shaking. Oh my, it's scary."
Tien hugged his shoulders and pretended to tremble. I couldn't help but laugh. Tien had always said that Julian was scary, but judging by his current attitude, he didn't seem all that scared.
After acting funny for a while, Tien took out his examination notes and naturally moved on to the oral examination.
"I only heard that Madam was very unwell, but I didn't hear much about proper medical treatment. However, I heard that other doctors had a hard time diagnosing your condition. That's why you don't trust doctors."
"That's right."
I nodded. The symptoms I was experiencing were definitely present. But they weren't frequent, and the doctors couldn't find anything unusual about me.
And then, one day, the disease suddenly appeared. Every doctor I met shook their head, saying, "There's no hope."
To be honest, I didn't have high expectations. But Tien was a doctor Julian had personally brought in. He must have been a doctor who had worked hard to secure, at a great cost. I wanted to try again.
“But I’ll trust Tien.”
“It's an honor, ma'am. Could you tell me what your symptoms are?”
“I get nosebleeds, and sometimes I vomit.”
“Are you talking about blood?”
"Yes."
“How often do you do that?”
"It doesn't happen that often. Sometimes it happens once every ten days, or once every two weeks. The amount isn't that much. Sometimes, I only realize it when I get a nasty fishy smell on my tongue."
Tien meticulously took notes of what I said. He raised his head, signaling that he was listening. I nodded and continued.
“Headaches are more frequent than that.”
“How do headaches come about?”
“It’s dizzying, like standing on a shaky bridge.”
“Hmm, what other symptoms?”
I considered talking about hallucinations and illusions, but suddenly I was afraid I'd sound like a crazy woman. Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Tien asked me seriously.
"I don't judge patients' symptoms. To me, each patient is special. Just tell me what you feel, Madam."
Indeed. Tien lived up to his reputation and knew how to treat patients well. Trusting him, I hesitated before speaking.
“...When I have a bad headache, I have hallucinations.”
Tien asked calmly, without any sign of resistance or surprise. That was surprisingly comforting.
“Do you see yourself in that vision?”
"No. I see another woman, not me. I've never seen her before. I see her lying face down and crying for a long time."
“How often do you have that vision?”
“This is really rare. In fact, I haven’t seen it in a while.”
I said as I rewinded my memory.
“Actually, the illusion started to appear from the day I first saw the rare magic stone.”
Tien looked very interested after hearing my story.
“Madam, what do you think about wizards?”
***
A sound of nails tapping on the desk echoed from the Grand Duke's office. It was a sound he'd heard several times before. He hadn't even called out loud to the butler, but he was already approaching Julian's desk. Julian sighed and raised his head.
“Madam.”
“She is seeing a doctor.”
“I mean, Tien Youth.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Julian tapped his fingernails on the desk again. The butler smiled, his head bowed.
“He must be in the middle of a consultation. Should I take him?”
"No."
Julian's response was swift. He promised Layla he would never seek the doctor's diagnosis. He wouldn't ask directly, and he wouldn't pry into the details.
And Layla trusted Julian. The fact that she, who used to be averse to doctors, agreed to see the doctor Julian brought her was proof of that.
Julian wanted to repay Layla's trust, so he shouldn't have visited her while the doctor was in session.
However...
'That doctor, his face, his speech, everything about him was just so disgusting.'
Julian didn't want to think about Layla and the doctor. That's why he was in his office, insisting on doing his job. But he couldn't stop thinking about it.
'Layla always had a bunch of guys around her who were always being picky... '
Both Marquis Amber and Young Marquis Eriant had the appearance of a classically noble Prince, with a smooth, somewhat playful manner.
Layla didn't deny that Marquis Amber was her first love, and she got along well with Young Marquis Eriant, and even joked around with him. Perhaps that was just her taste.
Like that doctor.
The butler spoke soothingly, as if he had seen Julian's frown.
“Your Highness, Madam is a very neat person.”
“Madam is very neat.”
Layla felt distant from the word "neat." Especially when she was in front of Julian, she couldn't stay still for even a moment. The butler, aware of Layla's behavior, chuckled.
“What I meant was, she is someone who will definitely keep any promise she makes.”
It's a statement that a woman would never allow herself to be envied by another man while married. Julian agreed.
“But if you’re really worried, choosing a different doctor wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Who cares?”
Julian glared at the butler and spoke. The butler, still smiling warmly, kept his mouth shut. Julian was right to be worried.
But he couldn't change doctors. He couldn't find a better doctor than Tien Youth.
"Enough. Don't talk about Madam anymore. I don't want to hear it."
Julian had no choice but to press his furrowed brow and pretend to concentrate on his work.
Comments
Post a Comment