Chapter 35
“My child, my child is very sick! How much longer do we have to wait?”
“Please wait. It is not yet your turn.”
“It’s been five hours since the consultations began! Why hasn’t a single person been allowed inside? How much longer do we have to wait?!”
“There are already many others waiting ahead.”
“What the…!”
The woman’s eyes filled with tears of frustration.
She could feel her child’s condition worsening with each passing moment, making it unbearable to wait idly.
‘Should I go somewhere else now?’
But she already had. It had been of no use.
This was her last hope…
Clack, clack.
At that moment, an elegant carriage approached the front gate.
The administrator who had been speaking to the woman quickly ran over to it.
“Welcome, Lord Clio.”
Confirming the emblem engraved on the carriage, the administrator’s demeanor transformed entirely, a stark contrast to the indifferent attitude he’d shown earlier. Now, his face was glowing with a welcoming smile.
“I’m feeling a bit sluggish today.”
“Of course, please come inside.”
“Keep up the good work.”
The man, appearing to be in his early fifties, shut the slightly open carriage window and hurried through the gate.
“Tsk.”
“Sigh.”
“They’re cutting in again.”
Watching the scene unfold, the crowd waiting nearby heaved collective sighs of resignation.
It wasn’t the first time they had seen nobles bypass the line and enter while they waited. They were used to it by now, but that didn’t make it any less disheartening.
“Excuse me! What about us? When will we be able to go inside? Please let us in too! Why do they get to…!”
The woman, who had earlier pleaded with the administrator, burst into tears as she tried once again to appeal to him.
She questioned why someone who arrived late was allowed in first, but the response remained the same.
“Wait your turn.”
“But my child is very sick!”
Of course, the woman understood. She knew it was unreasonable to expect the same treatment as nobles.
But understanding didn’t make her situation any easier. Her child’s fever was growing worse by the minute.
“Please, I’m begging you…”
The woman grabbed the administrator’s arm desperately.
He recoiled as though she had touched him with something filthy and forcefully pushed her away.
“I said wait!”
Thud!
“Ah!”
“Do you think anyone here isn’t sick?!”
The woman staggered and fell. As she had been holding her child with only one arm, the child slipped and rolled onto the ground.
“Z-Zen!”
“Hnn…”
A faint groan escaped the child’s lips as they hit the ground.
The child showed no other signs of movement, as though too weak to cry or react.
“Ugh!”
The woman tried to reach her child but struggled to move, seemingly having sprained her leg in the fall.
Swish.
“……!”
Before the woman could reach her child, another pair of hands carefully picked them up.
A pale hand gently rested on the child’s forehead.
“The fever is severe.”
Clicking her tongue lightly, Ceres looked at the woman.
“How long has the child been sick?”
Momentarily stunned, the woman snapped out of it and scrambled to approach her child.
“T-two weeks. I took him to other clinics, but nothing worked…”
That’s why she had come here—because all the skilled healers were said to be at this estate.
But even here, they hadn’t been able to get through the gate.
A helpless mother, forced to watch as her child’s life slipped away.
Ceres, patting the woman’s back to console her, straightened her posture.
“Let’s move somewhere else first.”
It wasn’t possible to treat the child while standing like this.
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
The administrator, who had been watching disapprovingly, finally raised his voice and approached them. He moved to block Ceres from leaving with the child.
There were always people like this—other healers nearby who tried to steal patients from the waiting line.
To think someone would dare to try that right in front of the Ellsia Count’s estate!
“Damn it.”
“W-what?!”
The administrator looked at her, stunned.
Had this young lady just cursed at him?
“Yes, damn it.”
What? Should I use stronger words?
Ceres, holding the child, slowly turned to face the administrator, a crooked smile playing on her lips.
You ignore critical patients but won’t let anyone else help them. What, you’re afraid of losing them to someone else?
“Interesting.”
Antonion flinched at that smile, quickly stepping back from his sister. He knew all too well that his sister was angry, and when she got that way, it was best to stay out of her way.
“Hey.”
“Hey? Hey?!”
The administrator’s face twisted further at Ceres’ unreserved call.
Had she lost her mind? How dare she act so fearlessly?
“How long have you been practicing healing arts?”
“What?”
“I asked how long.”
“Why would I learn healing arts?!”
“You mean you haven’t?”
The administrator shouted in frustration, his face flushing red.
But it was Ceres who let out an incredulous laugh at his response.
“And someone who doesn’t even know healing arts is managing the front gate?”
This is insane.
Ceres’ smile grew wider.
“Ugh…”
“…”
Ceres stopped mid-sentence at the faint groan that came from the child in her arms.
“We should move somewhere more suitable. Somewhere the child can lie down.”
“Huh? Oh, yes!”
The mother, who had been anxiously watching the confrontation, hurried to guide Ceres.
Ceres followed her, her gaze colder and more detached than ever.
***
“Kainel?”
The aide, Del, turned to Kainel in confusion when he suddenly ordered the carriage to stop.
Kainel, gazing out the window, seemed fixated on something. Del followed his gaze and frowned slightly.
“It seems like there’s some trouble.”
A young child and what appeared to be their mother were collapsed on the roadside.
“Hm?”
Then, someone approached and lifted the child into their arms.
A woman who proceeded to curse so sharply it cut through the air.
“Hmm.”
Del found himself unable to look away as the woman’s calm yet commanding demeanor silenced the administrator entirely.
And yet…
“She looks familiar.”
Where had he seen her before?
“…”
Kainel, too, was watching the woman intently.
“Do you know her?”
Del found the situation intriguing. Kainel, who never paid attention to anything unrelated to him, was now intently observing someone.
And even more unusual was the faint interest in Kainel’s gaze.
“The one who serves me food.”
“Pardon?”
The one who serves food? What…?
“Oh!”
Del suddenly remembered where he had seen her.
It was the woman from the restaurant where they had once gotten takeout.
“And…”
“And?”
“…”
“…”
The person who keeps bothering me.
Kainel continued to watch as Ceres, carrying the child, walked away until she disappeared entirely from view.
“Let’s go back.”
“Excuse me? What about the consultation?”
Del had worked hard to convince Kainel to come here, especially since his insomnia had been worsening.
And now he wanted to leave?
“Look into her.”
“Look into who?”
“That woman.”
Del’s surprise grew as he glanced back out the window.
That woman? He was puzzled but quickly nodded.
“Understood.”
Regardless of the reason, it was encouraging to see Kainel show interest in something.
“Still, since we’re here, why not at least go in for a consultation?”
“…”
“…Let’s just return.”
Kainel closed his eyes, cutting off the conversation. Del sighed deeply, realizing they would have to try again another day.
***
“Mom…”
“Zen! You’re awake?”
The mother’s eyes filled with tears.
When she first followed Ceres to another location, she had been conflicted.
Should she have stayed in line at the Ellsia Count’s estate, no matter how angry and desperate she felt?
But the sight of Ceres gently lifting her child from the cold ground had compelled her, as though in a trance, to trust this stranger.
Now, in the small inn where they stayed, the woman watched Ceres tend to her child with nervous anticipation.
Had she made the right choice?
What if her child’s condition worsened? What would she do then?
—
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