I’ve Become a S*ave Bride - Chapter 66

“I suspect it might be a necessary evil.”

A necessary evil?

Lenette’s eyes widened slightly, not having expected such an answer.

The Markal chuckled at her reaction.

“Why? Was that the right answer?”

“It wasn’t a question with a single right answer, but I was surprised because it aligns closely with my own definition of ‘deficiency.’”

“And how did you think of it?”

“People consider deficiency to be a bad thing. However, deficiency becomes the driving force for progress. Humans act in order to fill what they lack. Therefore, I also regard ‘deficiency’ as something that is bad, yet not entirely bad.”

As if empathizing with her lengthy opinion, The Markal nodded slowly.

Then, catching on to what Lenette was trying to say, he asked.

“You mean to say that the Tazetra Empire has no deficiency because it is affluent, while the Ecaron Kingdom is full of deficiency because it is overflowing with scarcity. And that this has made the nature of the two countries different.”

Frankly, she was surprised.

To think she could carry the inference this far from just a brief opening she provided?

Moreover, that inference hit exactly upon what Lenette intended to say.

‘Because Damer, Jaran, and the people of Karta Palace I’ve seen so far were so foolish, I unconsciously underestimated the level here.’

But logically, someone who has led such a large country should naturally possess this degree of insight.

“If you would allow me to audaciously and crudely compare the two countries, I would like to tell you a bit more.”

“Speak.”

Ready to listen intently, The Markal adjusted his posture.

Lenette also straightened her posture and continued her explanation in a serious voice.

“The Ecaron Kingdom has been plagued by unending war for a very long time. As a result, poorly managed epidemics became a part of daily life, and since wars always broke out during harvest seasons, famine was also a constant.”

“Yes. I have heard. That the unification wars lasted for a very long time.”

“Yes. Since it was a collection of small kingdoms, the unification war was, in a sense, an inevitable outcome.”

“When the tiger is away, foxes will play. They will fight endlessly until a strong ruler emerges.”

“That is correct. That is precisely the history of the Ecaron Kingdom over the past hundred years.”

Since she did not intend to give a lecture on the history of the Ecaron Kingdom, Lenette touched upon it briefly before moving to the next point.

“Because of these circumstances, a culture that prioritizes efficiency over justification took root.”

“Efficiency, you say.”

Ultimately, to win a war, one had to kill the enemy more efficiently, and to do that, one’s own allies had to be healthier.

Furthermore, to exterminate the enemy more efficiently, one had to clearly understand the vulnerabilities of the human body.

Naturally, this led to the advancement of anatomy, and medicine that had been bound to God—medicine that was, in fact, closer to superstition—was reborn as true medicine.

Thus, New Medicine was born.

However, she did not wish to reveal this entire history.

“In the Tazetra Empire, the death of a hundred people might not be a significant blow. However, in the Ecaron Kingdom, the death of a hundred people signifies a massive loss of combat power.”

“It would be so, as it is a small country.”

“Yes. Therefore, the physicians of Ecaron had to struggle to save even one more person, no matter what.”

At this, The Markal wore a dubious expression.

“Is that not the same for the physicians of this Empire? What physician would not want to save their patient? They, too, are making constant efforts.”

“Of course they are. However, I believe there is a clear difference in the level of desperation.”

“Desperation?”

“Yes. For someone who owns three sacks of barley, a single failed harvest will not be a major problem. Thus, they will simply conclude that the cause of the failure was the weather and look forward to the year after next. However, a farmer who possesses only one sack of barley cannot afford to do that.”

The Markal nodded, stroking his chin.

“Because if they ruin this harvest, there is no next time.”

“Precisely. That is why a farmer with only one sack of barley reviews every past experience to ensure that a single attempt is a perfect success; they sift through the commonalities of failed harvests and successful ones alike. Furthermore, they observe the soil of their own land and weigh it against the soil and yields of neighboring fields. They compare numerous other factors and outcomes, and based on that, they calculate and reconsider every possibility.”

Lenette paused for a moment and looked at the Markal.

“Of course, a farmer with three sacks of barley would do this to some extent, but the depth of that effort would be different. Because for the farmer with three sacks, there is always a ‘next time’.”

“But for Ecaron, there was no ‘next time.’ So you are saying they gritted their teeth and struggled desperately to keep their people alive.”

“Yes.”

She compared the two countries based on the facts as much as possible.

The Markal might find this unpleasant. In conclusion, it was an assertion that the medicine of the Tazetra Empire was lagging behind.

However, Lenette felt a certain level of conviction.

‘From what I’ve experienced over the last five days, The Markal is a woman who values practicality over prestige.’

Even if he felt offended by Lenette’s words, he would not deny the truth within them.

“That is a reasonable analysis.”

As expected, The Markal accepted Lenette’s story with a receptive attitude.

“It is true that the current Tazetra Empire has fallen into complacency.”

His voice, strangely laced with anger, seemed directed not at Lenette, but at the current state of the Empire.

The Markal leaned his back against the cushion and let out a deep sigh.

“Deficiency. Yes, the word you chose is quite appropriate. Tazetra is deficient in deficiency.”

Deficient in deficiency. It was a paradoxical statement.

But she could fully understand its meaning.

“Since life is good and food is plenty, they lie down with full bellies and neglect effort. Moreover, they fall into the illusion that the peace achieved by their ancestors is their own doing, indulging in arrogance and vanity.”

“I believe that is the inevitable double-edged sword of peace.”

“Yes. I suppose so. But I dislike that kind of peace. That is why I crave deficiency. However, I do not know how to create it. Thus, I must find another alternative….”

Lenette did not add anything more to this.
No matter how great a contribution she had made to the development of Ecaron, she could not rashly offer advice here because each country has its own specific circumstances.

Furthermore, the Markal’s political career was longer than her own, so how could she dare to weigh in?

The other party also did not seem to be seeking an answer from Lenette, as his grumbling ended quickly.

“The food will get cold. Let us eat.”

The food was already cold, but Lenette began her meal without a word of complaint.

Unlike the long exchange they had previously, there was no particular conversation during the meal.

The talk resumed only when the tea and refreshments were served.

“So, you wish to examine my health?”

The remark was thrown out abruptly, but Lenette could guess that this was the main point the Markal ultimately wanted to bring up.

‘Is he trying to assign me the role of a physician?’

“Yes.”

“Do I look like an old man who is about to die, in your eyes?”

“It is not like that.”

“Then why look into my health?”

“The human body is like that. It does not send signals just because it hurts a little. It endures and endures, and only when it feels it can no longer hold out and is about to collapse does it finally send a signal that something is wrong.”

“So, I might look fine on the outside, but I might not be. Is that what you mean?”
“Yes.”

“Would the physicians here not have noticed that?”

“If they approach the body in a different way than I do, that could be the case.”

Since the Markal had not yet seen Lenette’s skills as a physician, these words surely would have sounded unconvincing.

However, the Markal gave an understanding expression and readily granted his permission.

“Then see to it that you examine me every morning from now on.”

—

Returning to her room, Lenette immediately informed Kazen of this.

“You’re becoming the Markal’s physician?”

“Temporarily, but that’s how it turned out.”

“Hah.”

Kazen rubbed his face as if he found it absurd.

“What is with that fastidious old woman?”

“I suppose she took a liking to me.”

“I’m saying this because she isn’t the type of person to easily let someone close just because she likes them.”

Lenette agreed with that.

‘She is certainly no pushover.’

She had sensed it vaguely while talking to her over the past few days, but after their conversation over lunch today, she became certain.

‘She didn’t rise to the position of The Markal for nothing.’

She had heard that the previous Kal had as many as thirty-two wives.

He had nearly fifty children, and among them, more than thirty were males capable of succeeding him.

‘Thirty-two wives. That’s an unbelievable number.’

In any case, she was the woman who had pushed aside all those competitors to place her son on the throne of the Kal.

Would such a woman really give her heart to Lenette after only a few days of conversation?

‘She seems to find me cute, but that’s all.’

And yet, she had commanded Lenette to diagnose her health.

What could this possibly mean?

Just then, Kazen asked the same question.

“What do you think it means?”

“That the Markal is giving me an opportunity?”

“Yes.”

Instead of answering, she cast her gaze toward the herb garden visible through the large window.

Despite it being a secluded room, the herb garden was clearly visible due to the palace’s wide-open structure.

“Kazen. Everyone must have seen me with the Markal in that herb garden for the past five days, right?”

“Presumably.”

“The Markal wouldn’t be unaware of that either.”