Chapter 17
“Yeah, don’t you believe in mama?”
“I-I believe you.”
Karina who barely managed to calm Melissa down moved on to the next topic.
“Now Melissa has to get ready for school, right?”
“I don’t like it. I want to be next to Roland.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Karina looked at Melissa’s face that has dry tears all over.
“Roland needs to get well soon, right? If Melissa stays next to him, it’ll only get in the way.”
This time it was a lie. The children were clearly being very supportive of each other and also of Karina. But Karina was so afraid of the fact that every doctor she brought in would repeat that Roland had no chance of surviving in front of Melissa.
“…I won’t disturb him. Can I still be here? Please…”
In the end, Karina had no choice but to allow it. Swearing that the next doctor must tell the results in the hallway so Melissa won’t be able to hear it.
* * *
The third doctor didn’t say anything different from the previous doctors. Only yesterday, the thick pay envelope that she received showed the bottom in an instant.
Considering the monthly rent this month, it was practically all used up. Wilder said he could pay half a year’s salary, but what’s the use of all those doctors saying the same thing?
‘Maybe it’d be better to let him go more comfortably. You can feed him his favorite food…’
However, the words that she saw a while ago were still clear in Karina’s mind.
‘Actually, Lord Lenque has nothing to do with Roland.’
Then, why didn’t she realize that? All the children Lord Lenque brought were among his distant relatives. Karina has thought it was simply because Lord Lenque is looking for a successor of wizard lineage.
Even though the children’s appearance all looked different. Lord Lenque has been deceiving the children that they are his relatives to make them more obedient.
‘If I hadn’t run away with Roland and Melissa, Roland would have known that later when he killed Lord Lenque.’
And Roland in the novel was devastated by the truth that Lord Lenque told him. Enough to run wild and blow up all living things in the area, including Lord Lenque. As a result, Roland’s stigma of being a killer of thousands followed him to death.
“Roland.”
Karina spoke with strength. Roland didn’t seem to hear her at all now completely unconscious.
“You will live a happy life. I’ll never let you die now or be unhappy.”
It was then. The door that’s always slightly open to make it easier to run out for a doctor was kicked. Karina didn’t look back.
It seemed to be the owner of the inn who was suspicious of the doctors coming and going.
Karina was prepared to be kicked out at any time, as the innkeepers of course didn’t like a patient to be at the inn.
“Just one day… just one more day. We’ll move out of the room starting tomorrow.”
“What are you talking about?”
Karina was startled by the unfamiliar voice and hurriedly looked behind her.
“…!”
Karina doubted her eyes. A doctor wearing a skirt cut to the knees with long black hair behind her back was looking around the room.
Both Karina and Melissa’s eyes widened, half because it was a doctor they didn’t even call and half was because it was their first time seeing a female doctor.
“I didn’t call a doctor.”
“It’s from Sir Deviathan.”
“Sir Deviathan?”
It was the first time she heard that name. The doctor’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the bewildered Karina.
“This is Verity Solvetine from Sir Deviathan. Do you want me to treat you or not?”
“Do it for him!”
She doesn’t know what the hell was going on, but Karina wasn’t out of her mind to refuse the doctor who comes to see her. Even if someone played a nasty prank, what’s the difference in this situation?
The new doctor looked at Roland more closely than any other doctor ever has. After a while, the doctor got up from her chair.
“How many doctors have you been to?”
“…There were three of them.”
“What diagnosis did they make? Let me know everything.”
Karina has so far taken back what doctors have said.
“Some say it’s Petera, some say Aucco, some say it’s an incurable disease whose name I don’t know…”
“Are those people doctors?” An astonishing voice came out of the doctor’s mouth.
“It’s food poisoning.”
Karina doubted her ears. What does she mean by food poisoning? Is she sure that the food poisoning she knows is correct?
“Yes. It’s a disease caused by spoiled food. It’s a bit more serious. I’m sure you’d have gotten better off if you left it alone because of all the crazy prescriptions.”
“…”
Her mouth tasted bitter. Karina has been struggling with Roland by believing in the quack doctor’s words, which she wouldn’t feel better even after swearing at them.
“…Didn’t they know it was food poisoning?”
“I don’t think so.”
The doctor spoke frankly.
“There are people who think food poisoning will get better soon and don’t want to give anything to doctors if they diagnose it as a mild illness. I think that’s probably the case, so everyone lied.”
Karina collapsed on the floor.
“Why is everyone so….”
“You’ll just have to suffer a little and live even if you leave it alone anyway. And didn’t they tell you to just pray? They’re just trying to make you think your prayers have come true. It’s a common trick.”
“…If I kept calling only weird doctors.”
“It could have gone very wrong then.”
She felt like she was going to collapse again, but Karina put strength in her leg and threw it away.
‘Roland will live. Melissa is still scared. I have to hold on.’
The doctor who was halfway out handed a business card to Karina. The address of the richest neighborhood in Tors which Karina thought would never go to in her life was written on it.
“I’ll give you the medicine, so don’t feed him anything but this medicine and boiled wheat porridge. He’ll just keep throwing up. And if something goes wrong, call someone right here.”
“…Thank you. Thank you very much…”
“I just did what I had to do.”
The doctor bowed lightly and then turned her back and left the room. Karina struggled to follow the doctor as she walked away. She couldn’t get enough strength in her legs, so she had no choice but to run and stumble after a few steps.
“Doctor!”
“What’s the matter?”
“He- please say thank you to Mr. Deviathan too. I don’t know where he lives or who is he, but thank you so much…”
“I’m sure you already know him.”
The doctor smiled.
“R-really?”
“Yes, but revealing his address or his appearance is… leaking customer information, so I can’t tell you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just, just say thank you.”
“All right.”
The doctor left the inn in an instant. Karina who was still on the loose quickly returned to the room, gave Roland a pill, and explained the exact situation to Melissa who was excited.
“I’m sorry, I’m stupid… You were worried, weren’t you?”
Melissa hugged Karina as hard as she could instead of answering.
* * *
Wilder seemed to notice the whole situation as soon as he saw Karina who appeared to be dressed neatly from head to toe.
“The child is all better.”
“Thank you very much, Sir Wilder.”
“There’s nothing to be thankful for. When a child is in such a situation, everyone’s eyes will be on him.”
Wilder patted Karina on the shoulder as if reassuring her.
“Don’t think you’re guilty. A few days off means nothing.”
“It’s not that… Thank you so much for calling the doctor. Verity Solvetine.”
“…?”
Wilder shook his hand a little embarrassed.
“Why did she came up?”
“Didn’t Sir Wilder call her?”
“That person…!”
Wilder said something and stopped talking like he thought of something.
“If it wasn’t for him, my son… I think it could have gone very wrong. I heard that Sir Deviathan called her for me, but isn’t that Sir Wilder?”
“Deviatan?”
Wilder shook his head with a bewildered look on his face.
“Yes, Sir Deviathan.”
“This is… I don’t know what to say.”
“You can just be honest with me.”
Karina didn’t doubt that Deviathan was obviously Wilder. Wilder and the innkeeper were the last people she regularly interacted with.
“Mrs. Bloe, I understand why you would think that… but it’s not me.”
“Are you sure it’s not you?”
“Yes, but I know who he is.”
“…!”
Karina’s eyes widened.
“Who is it? Did Sir Wilder ask him to help me?”
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“…It’s something like that. He’s a customer of our store and he was wondering why Mrs. Bloe couldn’t be seen. So I told him why.”
It was then that Karina realized how all this had happened. Mr. Deviathan was one of the store’s customers. It’s rare for people to reveal their names when buying things, so she couldn’t help but not know who it was when she heard the name.
“Do you know where he lives? I’d like to say hello in person.”
Wilder had a very subtle look on his face.
“That’s… he’d be happy to know.”