Doctor Resignation - Chapter 23

“Melanie was caught.”

In the middle of the night, Baron Ishid sat down with Frederick and said quietly.

“Of course, she bit her tongue and died without saying anything.”

“Do you know how she got caught?”

“It is said that she was caught stealing the Ciputz fruit from the new assistant. I don’t know more than that.”

The Baron’s expression turned grave.

“I don’t know for sure if she was simply caught as a fruit thief, or if even the constant poisoning was discovered.”

“Didn’t the Duchess tell father about anything?”

“She was quiet about the whole thing. We need to assume the worst and be careful.”

Frederick nodded carefully. “It’s good that we already have Esther and Kane inside.”

“I have to prepare more people. We still have a lot of time since Erhan is still young.”

“But…” Frederick frowned. “He’s a little different lately. I think Erhan’s gotten close to the new assistant, and he doesn’t seem to eat my snacks anymore.”

Baron Ishid’s eyebrows frowned.

“That new assistant again?”

“Yes, she’s quite good. Erhan has tremendously changed when you compare him from a month ago. It seems that she is much more attentive to her work than Viscount Perelman.”

“She’s just a 13-year-old kid, you should’ve taken care of it.”

“It was said that she is using Perelman’s daughter’s room. Rumor has it that she’s a total genius, and the Viscount loved her work, so he even set up a lab for her.”

“….”

“If she stays as Perelman’s assistant, it’ll be hard for us to sneak people in.”

“We need to be careful. You should meet her in person,” Baron Ishid added.

“Let’s not do anything unwarranted in the meantime, but in the long run, I think it’ll be a good idea to get rid of her.”

“Erhan doesn’t want to introduce her to me, but still I think I should take a look.”

Frederick replied resolutely with his arms crossed.

Even by searching the entire continent, the only remaining bloodline of the Duke of Casseus was Erhan and his mother the Duchess of Casseus. When all of his Father’s schemes were completed, all of this would be his.

Although he has already made his name on the rebel forces, the thought of taking over this vast estate and spectacular castle made his heart shake with greed.

It was the same with Baron Ishid.

“I want to see you take over this castle soon.”

The Baron looked happily and smiled at his only son.

One day, a suggestion that came suddenly to the Baron, who was just such a small aristocrat in a remote area, struck like a dream.

“If things go well, the territory of Casseus will all be yours.”

The mastermind of the rebels had instructed the Baron to do all this.

“All you have to do is get rid of Perelman’s wife and the child inside her stomach.”

It was bothersome that he couldn’t confirm the death of the child, but the results Baron Ishid wanted were achieved nonetheless.

The daughter seemed unlikely to be alive, and even if she was alive, she would never be able to find her father.

“You just have to do what I tell you to do. Okay?”

He was always ignored for being timid and incompetent compared to his older sister, the Duchess of Casseus.

The Duchess would never suspect that he was aiming for the Duchy. She wouldn’t think he would be such a person. She can’t even begin to suspect the Baron was being ordered to do one thing after another by ‘that person.’

“Isn’t the exchange of those two lives enough to acquire the Duke of Casseus’ position?”

I would have to wait for a long time, but so far everything has been successful and worth it.

When he finally devoured the Duchess of Casseus, supported ‘that person’ to succeed in the rebellion, and climb to the highest position, Frederick would occupy this vast land and enjoy the status of being a great nobility.

***

The next day, I had tea time with the Duchess.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt like someone was taking care of me after the death of my late husband.”

The duchess’ mouth raised very lightly.

She was drinking the pink tea I had prescribed. Now, if she keeps cleansing for a long time, there will be no sudden death like before.

“I heard that you kept this event a secret. Most people in the castle think she just stole some fruit and was executed without mercy.”

“Interrogating someone to the point that they bit off their tongue because of stealing… I understand that it wouldn’t be good for the reputation of the Dukedom.”

“It’s okay, I already know I don’t have a benevolent image.”

That was true.

Even before the regression, even though the Duchess was good with her management of the Duchy, there were a lot of rumors and criticism about her.

It was known all over the land that she had no mercy for her enemies.

It was milder now, but when the Duchess just became the head of the household, the corpses of criminals continued to be hung at the entrance of her castle.

Since she always suffered from headaches and sleeplessness, it would have been inevitable that she was sensitive and sharp.

I can’t believe she endured that much for his son……

“It could also be a warning to those newcomers.”

“You don’t even know who’s trying to harm you,” I said calmly, not being able to say that her own brother, the Baron was behind it.

“I’d like you to keep being careful. It is better not to hide the symptoms, even if it is very small, and to have blood collected regularly and tested.”

Baron Ishid would never give up, so she had to keep collecting evidence.

She would spend a lot of time here too.

“Someone with professional medical knowledge must be behind it,” I added in a meaningful tone.

It is a simple fact that everyone with some medicinal education would’ve done it, but I cannot point the Baron right away. Still, it was information that was meant to be known.

“If they intend to harm the Duchess, it could also be concluded that Master Erhan might also be in danger.”

“Maybe Erhan’s chronic disease…”

“I think it can be.”

“Lise.”

The Duchess tightly held my hand.

“Please, please take care of Erhan, don’t just focus your attention on me.”

“You don’t have to beg me, Madam. I’m already trying to stay close and watch over Master Erhan. The cause is still unknown yet, but I’ll have to constantly look Into it. That’s why I’m asking Madam to please pay extra attention to everything inside the castle, especially yours and Master Erhan’s safety.”

Now that the headache and abdominal pain will gradually disappear, there was nothing that she could not do.

Because of me, they won’t be able to plant a new spy as Perelman’s assistant, so it would be difficult to know how the new mole would come in, and in addition to the maid caught this time, there would definitely be other people who are already in place.

“Lise… will you promise me?”

“Yes?”

“Never, please never leave the Duke’s Castle.”

“At least I will never leave until all of this is resolved and Master Erhan is safe.”

The face of the Duchess, who I thought would be satisfied, suddenly became strange.

“And after that?”

“…Uh… I haven’t thought about it.”

“Why don’t you just continue to be a doctor in the Duchy after you become an adult?”

“But you have Viscount Perelman?”

“I can get rid of him.”

‘Wait, how can you change so much just because I helped you once?’

She is even asking me to stay.

The Duchess smiled as she looked at my shocked face.

“He’s going to leave looking for his daughter, too.”

“Uh… Umm…”

“I’ll treat you better than anywhere else. Hmm?”

“I-I’ll think about it. We still have a long way to go.”

I didn’t want to plan so far into the future. It’s hard enough just to save this Dukedom from being purged by the rebellion.

“I want to do something in return for your help this time, do you want anything?”

“I’m already happy enough with the meal that you gave me. This is the first time in my life to have such a luxurious meal.”

I said without any hesitation. I was really getting along fine inside the duchy without any insufficiency.

“But if there’s one thing I’d like to ask you… I want to find my family.”

“Family?”

“I’m from the orphanage.”

“Ah…”

“Wouldn’t it still have something to do with the territory, given that I was dumped on the outskirts of the Duchy and flowed onto the river?”

As I spoke, I became more desperate as I went on.

“If anyone has lost a 13-year-old girl with brown hair and green eyes, I’d like to take a paternity test.”

The Duchess gave strength to the hand that was holding my hand.

“Yes, Lise, I’ll pass it on to the entire Duchy.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

“Family… Yes, maybe you do need a family. It’s quite obvious, but I didn’t think up to that much.”

Suddenly, I felt conscious that I remember the cold expression when I first saw her. Someone would be surprised to see the Duchess looking at me with such a friendly face.

She was who everyone thought to be cold enough to cut off the tongue of a burglar maid in front of others.

“If you need a mother, you can think of me as one.”

“What are you saying, Madam!” I shook my head in surprise. “I am a commoner, and you’re a great noble. I couldn’t possibly accept your words.”

The difference between the status of nobles and commoners within the empire was enormous.

Even marriage is illegal, what more as a mother… Even in her previous life, she was a superior person with whom Lise could not even dream of making eye contact. It was one thing to be confident in my skill, but not knowing the difference between a subject and its ruler was another matter.

“…Is that so?”

Somehow the Duchess sighed with a regretful expression on her face.