I sipped my tea, unable to answer right away.
I had longed to talk about my mother with someone, and now that someone who actually knew her appeared, words didn’t come easily.
In Cassian, I had no one to talk openly with, and Zenid would cry at the mere mention of her, so I avoided talking about my mother.
I couldn’t keep postponing my response, so I carefully chose my words and set down the teacup.
“It seems you know my mother.”
Naturally, that’s why he said I resemble her. It seemed like a foolish thing to say, and I regretted it, but Dr. Bamid answered with a gentle smile.
“Of course. She was the best student I ever taught.”
“A student. So, were you my mother’s teacher?”
“Yes, I’m embarrassed to admit… I was a less-than-adequate teacher, but it was an honor to teach Miss Shahadna for a brief period.”
“Then you must have been a professor at the Yalon Medical Academy.”
“That is correct. Hehe, it seems you didn’t just inherit Miss Shahadna’s appearance but also her perceptiveness.”
I felt a strange mix of emotions.
Talking about my mother with a stranger who knew her was both difficult and comforting.
“But above all, it seems you’ve inherited her medical skills the most.”
“……I suppose so.”
I took another sip of tea. My throat suddenly felt dry.
Dr. Bamid also took a sip before continuing.
“Yes, I knew that Miss Shahadna entered the Cassian Duchy and completely abandoned her medical career. But to see you so excellent…”
Barmid paused there, then smiled.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I got carried away with my excitement and spoke rudely.”
“No, please don’t worry.”
“Please forgive me and drop the formalities. Your Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess of the Empire, is using honorifics to a subordinate.”
As if realizing that I was speaking formally just now, Dr. Barmid looked flustered and waved his hand.
But I don’t think my mother would have spoken down to him either.
However, my mother probably didn’t treat Dr. Bamid with condescension. In official settings, she might have, but in private, she must have shown proper respect for her elder.
“Since you were my mother’s teacher, I’d appreciate it if you would feel comfortable speaking with me.”
“Ah… Miss Shahadna used to say the same to me. You truly resemble her in many ways.”
Dr. Barmid made an apologetic expression and took another sip of tea.
“How was my mother as a student?”
“She was bright and cheerful. She always asked questions with sparkling eyes.”
“What subject did she like the most?”
“Pharmacology. Her pharmaceutical skills were unmatched by any professor at the academy.”
Dr. Barmid’s eyes seemed to reminisce about those times.
I also remember when I was young, back when my mother was healthy.
There were moments when I would stay awake, fascinated by how she effortlessly concocted various medicines at a moment’s notice.
“Did she have close friends…?”
“Yes, she did. Miss Shahadna was a princess loved by everyone.”
“Then, my mother…”
We shared many stories. Until late at night and the moon was high, and until Zenid brought the third tea.
It was only when I could no longer hold Dr. Bamid that I stopped asking questions.
“Your Highness, I’ll take my leave now. You know better than anyone that rest is essential for recovery from illness.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
“Are you taking your medicine regularly?”
At that moment, I realized the purpose of Barmid’s visit
Not only to talk about my mother but also to confirm the existence of the medicine for my illness.
As a professor at the Yalon Medical Academy, he must have known that there was no cure for my illness.
He must have been surprised to learn that I was making and taking it myself.
He’s worried that if he had asked the question directly, I would have kept it hidden even more and backed away.
‘He’s indeed clever.’
First, he opened up my heart with stories about my mother and then casually asked the main question.
Perhaps if I truly had no cure for my illness and was lying, I might have been momentarily flustered. However, unfortunately, I was comfortably able to answer since I was indeed taking the real medicine, Apherium.
“Sure. I had it today as well, and my condition is almost back to normal.”
“I’m glad to hear that, …….”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“You’re welcome. Have a restful night, Your Highness.”
That day, I dreamt of my mother, something I hadn’t had in a long time.
My mother and I went to the medical academy and, as a senior student, I even played the role of guiding her.
It was a dream of such happiness that I didn’t want to wake up from it.
××××××××××××××××××××××
A public power struggle between the imperial family and the traditionalist nobility continued for a while.
To be more precise, it was among the traditionalists, specifically led by Count Camer, known as the Camer Faction.
They claimed that there was no connection between Blanche and Count Camer, and that it was unfair to hold Camer responsible for Blanche’s actions. However, everyone knew that this was just a pretense.
The majority of the nobility, centered around Duke Cassian and Marquis Bianthe, strongly demanded that Count Camer be held accountable, and today marks the tenth day since Blanche’s execution.
Official measures against Count Camer have been decided.
<He will pay a fine of 10 million gold, return a portion of his estate to the imperial family, and fully cooperate in a thorough investigation in the actions of the criminal Blanche.>
For someone like Count Camer, 10 million gold was nothing, so he readily agreed to this. The problem lay in the next item:
Returning a portion of his territory and actively cooperating with the thorough investigation into Blanche’s actions.
In other words, it meant that the imperial family would send people to Camer’s territory.
Since he agreed to cooperate with the investigation, the investigators sent by the imperial palace would have the right to demand anything, and for a while, Julion’s people would be stationed on Camer’s territory, monitoring it closely.
“Julion is going to be busy from now on.”
The Empress spoke with a troubled voice, her fingers tightly gripping her fan.
I pushed the plunger all the way in and carefully withdrew the syringe.
“It’s done. How’s the pain now?”
“It’s almost gone. Now I can sleep comfortably, and it seems my vision will improve as well.”
It was a subtle hint for me to remove the bandage soon.
I replied with a suppressed smile.
“Alright, let’s check it first.”
Exactly one week had passed since I prescribed special eye drops for the Empress and had her keep her eyes closed with a bandage.
Given this time frame, there should have been some changes, so I cautiously began to unwrap the bandage.
“Would you like to open your eyes now?”
Rich, red eyelashes were revealed, trembling slightly before the eyelids slowly lifted.
Her golden eyes, so similar to Julion’s, furrowed as it adjusted to its surroundings but soon relaxed.
“Really… it doesn’t hurt.”
The Empress blinked several times, as if she couldn’t believe it, then touched her eyelids with both hands.
“The light is a bit intense, but…….”
The Empress’ gaze turned to the window.
I urgently blocked her line of sight and said,
“It can still be risky to stare directly at the sunlight. How do you feel about your vision?”
“It’s definitely clearer.”
“Could you try lifting your head?”
I administered the eye drops above her pupils as she gazed at the ceiling.
“Fortunately, the medication is working. I’ll remove the bandage completely tomorrow.”
“Can’t you remove it now?”
“Is it really that frustrating?”
“Only a little, I’ve had a taste of light, and going back into darkness feels maddening.”
The Empress’ voice carried not only frustration but also anxiety.
She had been living in darkness for more than a year, due to her illness and the chief physician’s medication.
It was natural for her to thirst for the taste of light after experiencing it once.
“Please bear with it for one more day, Your Majesty.”
“……I understand.”
I carefully wrapped the bandage around the Empress’ eyes again.
The Empress accepted without asking for more, but I couldn’t help but notice the way her shoulders sagged.
××××××××××××××××××××××
The next morning.
After finishing breakfast, I headed straight to Tishrit Palace, but the Empress’ bedroom was empty.
“Goodness, Your Majesty!”
The maid who had been waiting at the door looked around the room in panic.
The patient, who had her eyes covered with bandages and couldn’t see in front of her, clearly hadn’t left the room, so it was a perplexing sight.
“Why weren’t you right beside her?”
“H, her Majesty wanted to be alone…”
The maid stammered in her explanation. I entered the room without further delay.
It was difficult for an Empress to disappear from the innermost chambers of Tishrit Palace.
‘The light is incredible.’
Today, the weather happened to be exceptionally sunny
While the curtains weren’t fully drawn, strong sunlight streamed through the gaps.
The hem of the curtains fluttered.
Beyond them, there was lush greenery…
“Your Majesty?”
A vivid red flow as if on fire.
The Empress stood beneath the sunlight.
