Doctor Resignation - Chapter 6

“This is the latest information that I’ve got, Sir Perelman.”

Arga Perelman’s closest advisor, Diel, offered a report to him.

Diel was just an eighteen-year-old teenage boy. Despite his age, he was the most intelligent boy that Arga acknowledged.

He has a light, pastel pink hair and blue eyes like a summer lake. Also, his good-looking face and physique made him more approachable. Diel is a very good employee who listened to every of Perelman’s commands.

The report contains profiles of thirteen-year-old girls. All the girls had blonde hair and a pair of light green eyes.

“There are also some girls that have been adopted from orphanages. I’ve marked their name in red, Sir.”

“Well done.”

“Are you going ‘there’ in person again?”

“Yeah, I have to.”

Arga rubbed her tired eyes and said firmly. “I am needed for the paternity test.”

Arga’s association went over the Empire, searching for all the girls who had blonde hair and a pair of light green eyes. She definitely looks like her biological mother. An innocent creature turned thirteen this year, but she was nowhere to be found.

Arga never saw his daughter nor did he touch her one bit when she was a baby. He thought there would be a possibility that his daughter resembles him or her biological mother.

When some children with the same traits were found, he would carelessly proceed with the paternity test.

The paternity test took quite a long time because it had to see various reactions of microbiology.

Arga was so eager to find his only daughter that he spent so much time searching for her without any clue.

“But……” Diel hesitated a little bit and said carefully. “Is this really a solid source, Sir? That your daughter is blonde……”

“Baron Ishid said that my child is blonde.” Arga calmly said as he read the names on the reports one by one. “She has blonde hair that looks like her mother’s and light green eyes like tree leaves.”

“……”

 

Zion Narnia Lavery.

Once ago, Arga’s wife was seven months pregnant as she went out alone to attend her mother’s birthday party.

At that time, Arga would be attending ten days later because he was involved in important medical research of the Imperial order.

There was a low demand for doctors from the noble faction, as they needed to save a noble from dying in the Imperial Palace. He had requested to retreat earlier because he cannot afford to be late for the birthday banquet.

“I can’t be late and I am worried about my wife’s condition.”

Arga had examined Zion in person and confirmed several times that their baby was healthy and that there was little possibility of premature birth. He checked her too, before sending her off.

Zion traveled to Laverry Estate alone. The scenery at the manor was beautiful, quiet, and picturesque but fancy. Though, it was quite far from the Imperial’s Capital since the estate was located on an Island.

However, she stopped at Baron Ishid’s manor to get some rest. Or so she thought when Zion gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

Fortunately, Baron Ishid said that he was able to receive the baby well due to his little medical knowledge.

Zion warmed up for such a short period of time. She quickly chartered an official boat to get to the island with her baby, after saying, “I cannot possibly be a nuisance to other people especially in their manor for too long, my lord.”

And there it was, they disappeared, like a winter wind as their physiques went across the river. In short, they went missing.

That is the only information and report that Arga received from Baron Ishid.

Soon after, Zion’s body was founded in a very remote and unexpected place across the riverbank of the Empire.

Unfortunately, the baby was nowhere to be found. Arga Perelman went crazy, cold, and even insane. It was as if something hit him on his head.

He searched all over the continent for his baby he didn’t know whether she was alive or dead.

And, thirteen years have passed.

 

“Baron Ishid is the legitimate brother of Duchess Casseus. He even received my daughter with his own hands.”

Arga was in a dilemma as he kept on thinking. He put his palm on his head covering his already red face.

“I….. I was very sure there was only a little or even the slightest chance for Zion to have a premature birth. Ha……”

No matter how much time had passed, Arga’s voice still trembled. His fear and anxiety of losing someone important were driving him insane.

“I….., no….., there is no way that I could misdiagnose her……”

Diel slowly nodded. The atmosphere was cloudy and silent in an instant. A man with pride mostly trembled but shed no tears.

“I heard you got a new assistant, Sir.”

“Well, again.”

Arga shrugged his shoulders as he laid his back on the chair, trying to relax.

“My assistant changes every day.”

“But this time, you…… I mean they gave her a nice room?”

Arga grinned at Diel’s words.

It was a rather impulsive decision to give the ferocious assistant his daughter’s room.

But her medical knowledge was surprising, the 13-year-old’s confidence reminded him of his childhood.

Although she had nice brown curly hair, her shiny green eyes seemed to resemble Zion. But her clothes were bothering him.

When the time comes, Arga will throw away the clothes again.

He thought that he could give the clothes to this child. He even let her use his daughter’s room after thinking a bit.

“She’s smart. I just want her to stick along for a long time.”

Arga replied coldly, unable to say that she seemed to remind him of his childhood. He closed his eyes, swallowing his own ego.

“She has to be more comfortable here so she wouldn’t be going anywhere else.”

“Where else will she be going?”

“With that kind of knowledge, it wouldn’t be surprising if she opened her own clinics. I’m going to teach her well and make her stay here for a long time, and it will give me more time to look for my daughter.”

“It’s the first time. You’ve never liked your assistant, have you Sir?”

Arga opened his eyes wide, glaring at him with his sharp grey eyes.

“I don’t exactly like her.”

“Well…… I suppose so.”

Diel scratched his jaw as he suddenly shuddered with Arga’s intimidating aura.

 

***

 

I squinted and climbed up on a very big tree in the Casseus’ garden as I watched Baron Ishid and Frederick leave.

It turned out that they were staying at the Duchy for three days and left now.

That is why Arga chose to introduce me to the Duchess and Erhan tomorrow.

‘They were both rebels. As soon as Erhan died, they took over the Dukedom according to their planning.’

Erhan looked at the back of the carriage with a sullen face. He resembles a lost puppy watching its owner depart.

When I saw his reaction, I nearly burst into laughter.

Erhan must be psychologically dependent on Frederick.

Because of the psychological manipulation, Erhan will only follow every of Frederick’s words.

‘Then there is only one way to stop this.’

I already knew how important it was to have an intimate relationship with a young patient from my experience in a local clinic.

‘I have to be closer to him, so he can trust me more.’

The question is, how can I overcome the seven years that Frederick and Erhan had spent?

But I had a very favorable condition. Frederick is only a regular visitor, but I live in the Duchy!

‘And we even live on the same floor!‘

Besides, Frederick is four years older than Erhan, but we are the same age!

I watched Erhan enter the mansion sadly and quickly jumped off the tree.

I was trying to stage all of the ‘coincidences’ by pretending to go to my room.

I smiled as if I was glad to see Erhan walking trudging along.

“Your Grace?”

“Huh…..? I think we run into each other so often, miss.”

Erhan looked at me with his head tilted. His face was full of caution and confusion.

“But why do you enter that room, miss?”

“Oh here? Sir Perelman asked me to use this room.”

“Y-yes?”

The black ebony eyes blinked as he was shocked to hear her words.

“A-are you sure, miss? That room……”

“I know, but he surprisingly gave me his daughter’s room.” Lise continued, “Maybe….. he likes me.”

Erhan gasped and looked a little surprised.

That is because Arga Eité Perelman isn’t the type to like someone in the first place.

I shrugged because Perelman’s impression of people isn’t good.

“You see, I am staying in the Duchy for a very~ long time. I am different from other assistants. Now, can you believe me?”

Erhan had these suspicious feelings and was cautious but eventually, he nodded slowly.

“Have you eaten your dinner, Master Erhan?”

“Not yet.”

Erhan lowered her gaze.

“Without brother Frederick…, I will have to eat alone.”

The Duchess was so busy that she could not have dinner with Erhan every day.

‘They don’t seem to be on friendly family terms.’

I smiled and pretended to be close.

“Then would you like to join me?”

“J-join you…..?”

Erhan blinked his eyes and asked back.

“Yes! If you don’t want to eat alone, I will talk to you and even accompany you.”

“……”

Fortunately, I was able to have dinner with Erhan the day after I met him.

I thought I was getting closer to him at one point, but it turned into an embarrassing situation.

‘Do nobles eat in their rooms?’

I thought we would eat in the dining room like when I had a formal lunch with Perelman. But instead, he led me to his room.

The maid brought two servings of food by herself.

I was quite surprised, but I sat still in Erhan’s room which was located at the end of the corridor.

I didn’t expect this, but I was left alone with Erhan in his room.

The room was spacious and minimalistic. There was a king-sized bed for him to sleep in. A bookshelf was put near the window and filled with various types of books.

“There are so many books. Do you often read them?”

“I read them once but I don’t really read these days.”

“Is that so? Why?”

“Brother Frederick said that I will get a headache if I study. He told me that if I got sick, people would be annoyed.”

This isn’t something that someone could tolerate, and wasn’t credible either. In later days, only adults read those kinds of complicated books.

“People like you must feel annoyed when I get sick.”

“Yes?”

I was dumbfounded because of his statement.

“Brother Frederick said that people will feel bad if I got bedridden.”

“You should have told Perelman if you were sick. I, too, have the qualities to be an assistant.”

“You’re going to be kicked out soon anyway.”

There must be a reason why he was still wary of me.

Erhan’s tone made the situation more serious.

As I was cutting steak to ask more questions while eating, I frowned when I saw Erhan put his knife down.

“Master Erhan? Why don’t you eat?”

“Brother Frederick told me that I gain weight if I eat a lot.”

I expected this but Frederick’s manipulation was too much. From exercising, studying, and controlling his eating habits.

If I heard Frederick’s name one more time, I think I would be furious and lost my mind.

I glanced at his skinny arms and said sternly.

“You are way too skinny now. You need to eat more. It is called growing up.”

“But then everyone thinks I am ugly.”

“What nonsense…… I am smarter than you are. Listen to me. You have to read the books again, finish your meal, and exercise regularly.”

“Brother Frederick said that because he was worried about me.”

“I’m going to be much more worried about you, Master Erhan.”

I took Erhan’s plate, sliced a nearly whole steak, pierced it with a fork, and put it in Erhan’s mouth.

“Now, eat.”

“Huh?”

“You may find it hard to believe now, but remember what I said until you reach your adulthood. I am serious.” Looking straight into Erhan’s eyes as I said firmly.

If Frederick and Erhan had spent seven years together, I will also spend six years living with him until he reached adulthood.

From today onwards, I will have to give my value as much as Frederick.

‘I will give you the right prescription for 100 days, if you don’t take it, it’s going to look like this.’

–That is how you manipulate a little kid.

“I am the smartest person around you right now, and I will never lie……”

I will only tell and reveal the truth.

I was the only one who knew the future for now and was most worried about him in the far future.

“I am the true one who cares for you the most, Master Erhan. Probably the only one in the world.”

His midnight black eyes stared at me as if they wanted to drown in my green eyes.

“……well, okay.”

He took a bite of a piece of steak and slowly swallowed it. He answered with a low shuddering voice. “I will never forget.”