Dead-End Villainess Who Makes Medicine - Chapter 10
“Julion.”
“You really don’t rest and work tirelessly.”
His voice, a mixture of admiration and concern, reached my ears. Julion walked towards me, his gait light and easy. He glanced down at the documents I had been reviewing.
“Is this the information about the Empress that you received from the chief physician?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, the Empress is suffering from an eye disease. The chief physician mentioned that while the progression of the disease can be delayed, a cure is impossible.”
Julion’s golden eyes focused solely on me.
It was as if his gaze was asking if there was any other way.
Instead of immediately answering, I posed a question.
“If a cure were possible, what would you do?”
“…If a cure were possible.”
Julion carefully chose his words and blinked, his eyes revealing the complexity of his emotions.
Meeting his gaze, I decided to speak first.
“Would it be possible to conduct an examination?”
“An examination of the Empress’ condition?”
“Yes. Without examining her directly, we can’t be sure of anything.”
In theory, a cure was possible. However, if the Empress’ eyes were already irreversibly damaged due to the medication prescribed by the chief physician, it might be impossible.
Therefore, I needed to see for myself. I needed to assess the state of the Empress’ eyes.
“Your saying that means there’s a possibility.”
Julion’s voice seemed slightly excited.
He let out a soft breath before nodding firmly.
“Very well. It’s getting late today, so let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll talk to you about Ares’ matters and try to convince the Empress to get examined as well.”
This time, Julion’s eyes sparkled not out of curiosity but for a different reason.
It seemed like the thought of being able to cure his mother’s illness brought him joy.
“Then let’s finish working for today and go have dinner.”
Julion extended his hand to me without hesitation.
It was a hand that was pale, long, and large.
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“Chief physician, the knight woke up this morning!”
The chief physician, who had been slouching in his office, stood up abruptly.
Anxiety was evident on his face.
However, the oblivious member of the medical staff continued delivering the news.
“He woke up completely fine! Like a healthy average person!”
“Such……!”
The chief physician gritted his teeth.
If the patient recovered fully, it would undeniably prove that his diagnosis and prescription were wrong.
In that case, his position as chief physician would be in jeopardy.
And the patient wasn’t just anyone; it was the knight of the Crown Princess.
“How could something like this happen?”
“It’s true. It seems like Her Highness truly has remarkable abilities.”
“You fool! How could a noblewoman know about medicine?”
“But….”
“Clearly, it’s a miracle! Luck played a significant role. Although things somehow turned out well this time, relying on such miracles doesn’t make you a competent physician.”
Watching the chief physician mumble to himself, the medical staff member quietly held back his opinion.
“Well, I’ll take my leave now.”
After the medical staff member left the room, the chief physician continued to fume silently.
He was also bothered by the fact that the Crown Princess had taken all of the records about the Empress’ condition.
While he didn’t believe she could understand all of that information with her limited skills, there was still a nagging unease in his heart.
‘After all, those ingredients are rare materials that don’t grow on this continent. There’s no way the Crown Princess would know about them!’
Those were ingredients that could only be obtained by going to the Southern continent.
Hadn’t he struggled to get them himself?
‘But still…….’
It would be better to remove the seeds of unease..
The chief physician paced around the room, lost in thought, and eventually his eyes lit up suggesting that he had made a decision.
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The chief physician headed to the Tishrit Palace where the Empress resided.
He entered the palace with a suppressed cough.
“I’ve come to examine the Empress.”
Without anyone needing to ask, the chief physician straightened his shoulders and puffed up his chest, as if he was being admired from all angles.
Since becoming the chief physician of the palace, he has received a noble title, and enjoyed the envy of knights and servants.
“Chief physician, Her Majesty is currently resting.”
The maid who had been guarding the bedroom spoke quietly.
Though her words were a polite way of telling him to leave, the physician’s expression twisted in frustration rather than disappointment.
“I came to assess Her Majesty’s condition. Are you trying to stop me?”
“No, that’s not it, but she just fell asleep a little while ago…”
“It’s common knowledge that illnesses should be assessed at predetermined times for accuracy and a higher recovery rate.”
The maid smiled awkwardly.
While he said that, the chief physician’s actual visiting times varied each time. However, the maid didn’t have the courage to point that out.
“I will inform the head maid about this first. Please wait for a moment.”
“Very well, I understand.”
The chief physician brushed his beard and nodded satisfactorily.
The taste of power was truly the best.
Even the Empress’ maid was trembling before him.
As the chief physician waited for a moment, he soon heard a voice from inside, summoning him in.
“Look at that. Her Majesty truly holds me in high regard.”
The chief physician’s arrogance seemed to rise another notch.
The maid just nodded her head, smiling awkwardly.
“Ahem.”
As the chief physician entered the room, he saw the Empress, who looked tired.
“Your Majesty the Empress, how are you feeling today?”
“…similar to usual.”
The Empress’ voice was still groggy, as if she hadn’t fully woken up yet.
The chief physician approached her with a concerned expression.
“Your Majesty, would it be acceptable for me to examine you briefly?”
“If you wish.”
With the Empress’ permission, the chief physician approached the bedroom.
Carefully, he raised his hand towards the area around her eyes.
The moment he touched the face of the most noble woman in the land, he felt a surge of elation.
He gently stroked the area around her eyes.
The Empress slightly furrowed her eyebrows, showing a hint of discomfort.
“Even if it hurts, these massages should be done frequently. Please endure a bit.”
The Empress nodded her head, as if to convey her understanding.
The chief physician continued to press his fingers against her temples and the area between her eyebrows, all the while uttering a seemingly casual remark.
“By the way, Your Majesty, it seems I should learn a thing or two from her highness the crown princess.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you not heard yet? Yesterday, one of the knights suddenly collapsed in the palace infirmary…”
The Empress, ever since she began experiencing pain, didn’t pay much attention to news from outside.
She relied on the servants to relay the necessary information, making this situation all the more surprising to her.
“A knight collapsed?”
Her voice, filled with astonishment, echoed throughout the bedroom.
The chief physician continued his explanation in a polite tone.
“Yes, Your Majesty, it seems he suffered inflammation in the lungs due to poisoning, which led to complications.”
“Poisoning?”
“Yes, fortunately, I examined him immediately and planned to start treatment.”
“I see. But why is the Crown Princess being brought up?”
The physician finished his massage and took out a vial of medicine.
He checked the brown liquid, shook it to mix the contents, and then opened the cap.
“The Crown Princess was also present at the infirmary. Suddenly, upon seeing the collapsed person, she started giving various instructions, saying she would personally treat him.”
“Are you saying she personally treated the knight?”
“Yes. She mentioned that she had learned medicine when she was at Duke’s estate.”
“Yes, I heard that. She even claimed to have even developed an antidote for severe poisoning.”
“……Yes, that’s right, so it seems she wanted to test her skills again this time.”
“Test? On a knight?”
The Empress’s forehead furrowed, and a hint of irritation crossed her face.
Despite this, the chief physician continued to speak, all the while discreetly administering the medicine to her eyes.
“She may have incited the attending physicians to accuse me of misdiagnosis, but in the end, the patient was cured, so it’s all good.”
“Did the princess do such a thing……?”
The Empress’s voice sounded somewhat cloudy as she tilted her head. It was a far cry from the composed demeanor she had witnessed during their previous encounter.
The chief physician, sensing the Empress’ confusion, deftly changed the topic.
“The blame lies with my cautious approach. The symptoms of poisoning and fever manifested simultaneously, making the prescription of medicine a challenge. I hesitated in prescribing medicine, which might have caused some unease on her part.”
This mix of truth and lies can sometimes deceive even oneself.
He had started to think that he himself had identified the symptoms of poisoning at some point.
He found solace in believing that he had hesitated about the treatment method due to knowing about the poisoning symptoms.
“Your reputation might have suffered in front of other physicians.”
“No, it’s not that. I am satisfied and grateful for anything that benefits Your Majesty.”
“But why was the Crown Princess in the infirmary?”
The chief physician’s eyes momentarily lit up.
The first bait had failed, as the Empress’ inquiry had been vague.
But when she took the second bait on her own, he was delighted.
“She came to see me.”
“To see you?”
“Yes. She asked for information about the medicine prescribed for you, Her Majesty the Empress…….”
The chief physician didn’t complete the sentence.
He didn’t need to, as the Empress already understood what he was implying.
“So, the Crown Princess engaged in such unnecessary actions.”
“Isn’t it because she was concerned about Your Majesty?”
The chief physician respectfully bowed, his back bending deeply.
At first glance, he appeared to be a humble and loyal servant.
If one were to scrutinize his expression closely, they might notice something slightly off, but the Empress’ current vision was impaired.
The dimness of the room also aided in concealing his true feelings.
“Indeed, you have worked diligently.”
“I apologize for causing you concern, Your Majesty. I felt it was unnecessary for me to bring it up.”
“No, without you, who would have concocted my medicine? Feel free to visit whenever you like.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Internally, the chief physician couldn’t help but smile victoriously.
‘Now it’s done. Regardless of what the Crown Princess says, the Empress will protect me.’
With a sinister smile concealed within, the physician exchanged a few more words with the Empress before leaving the bedroom.
“Please take care, chief physician.”
The chief physician was receiving greetings from the maids as he exited the Tishrit palace when…
“Chief physician?”
He came face to face with the crown prince and crown princess as they walked into the Tishrit Palace gardens.
“Greetings, Your Highnesses.”
“It seems we met again here, Chief Physician.”
Facing the Crown Prince and Princess side by side, the physician was enveloped in an inexplicable unease.
It wasn’t unusual for the Crown Prince and Princess to seek the Empress.
They might come to pay their respects, or they might have other business.
However, for some reason, this time felt different – it felt ominous.
The chief physician’s years of experience were flashing red warning signs in his mind.
