Dead-End Villainess Who Makes Medicine

 

 

I began to feel something strange about a week after taking the medication. While discussing treatment options for the Emperor’s condition with Dr. Barmid, suddenly everything went dark, and I couldn’t hear anything.

 

‘Why, all of a sudden…’ Perplexed, I blinked a few times. I even tried to cough, but there was no sound.

 

I clenched and unclenched my fist, attempting to feel any movement, but there was no sensation. Finally, I pinched the inside of my thigh.

 

‘It doesn’t hurt.’

 

Without any warning signs, could everything deteriorate so suddenly?

 

I pondered quietly for a moment, and soon my vision and hearing started to return.

 

“…Your Highness? Your Highness!”

 

Perhaps sensing that something was wrong with me, Dr. Barmid called me again. Fighting the encroaching headache, I pressed my temple and slowly exhaled.

 

‘I can feel the pain again.’

 

I clenched and unclenched my fist. Contrary to earlier, I could now feel the movement of my palms quite well.

 

“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?” Dr. Barmid’s voice was filled with concern.

 

I lightly shook my head, not wanting to cause unnecessary worry.

 

“No, it’s nothing. I just had a bit of a headache after not sleeping well last night.”

 

“Is that so? Having adequate sleep is important.” Dr. Barmid looked at me with a suspicious expression.

 

Although I wasn’t fully back to normal and felt a bit disoriented, I forced a smile to dispel any doubts.

 

“I’m fine. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about a new formulation for the medicine…”

 

I tried to continue the conversation as casually as possible. However, Dr. Barmid’s expression grew even more serious.

 

“Your Highness, blood…!”

 

Before I could comprehend his words, I felt something warm trickling down my nose.

 

Soon, a splattering sound followed as it dropped on my clothes.

 

Reflexively, I lifted my sleeve to dab under my nose, but Dr. Barmid’s expression had already turned grim, resembling someone witnessing an impending death.

 

“Uh… well.”

 

There was nothing I could say. I didn’t even know why this was happening to me.

 

All I knew was that I needed to somehow dispel Dr. Barmid’s misunderstanding. I feigned a nonchalant smile and extended my hand.

 

“I must be more tired than I thought. Haha… don’t worry, Dr. Barmid.”

 

It was a difficult situation. It was clear I’d gone down a rabbit hole of misunderstandings related to my illness.

 

“Can I examine you to make sure?”

 

In the end, I was back to square one. Dr. Barmid seemed ready to rush over and examine me immediately. I pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the blood, shaking my head.

 

“No, really, I’m fine. I think it’s difficult to discuss anything further today. I need to get some rest, so let’s continue our conversation another time.”

 

Dr. Barmid reluctantly stood up with a sigh, looking at me several times as if he were hesitating to leave. Fortunately, he didn’t press further and nodded before leaving.

 

“All right, Your Highness. Take a rest.”

 

As I watched the door close behind Dr. Barmid, I breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps due to the release of tension, fatigue suddenly overwhelmed me.

 

What was fortunate was that I sent Zenid and Hemion on an errand, so they weren’t by my side. If they had been, especially Zenid, there would have been chaos due to worry.

 

“What could be the cause…?”

 

Was it just fatigue? Or was my condition really worsening?

 

‘That’s unlikely.’

 

It was strange for my condition to worsen while I was taking Apherium.

 

If there’s one thing weighing on my mind, it’s the newly developed medicine.

 

Was it not suitable for my body, or was there another reason? I really had no way of knowing at this point.

 

“Sigh…….”

 

I stood up from my seat, hoping to open a window out of frustration. But as I got up, my vision flashed black again, and I couldn’t keep my balance. I tried to grab the back of the couch, but my body was already falling toward the floor.

 

“……!”

 

Closing my eyes tightly, I felt a soft sensation instead of the cold floor. When I looked up in surprise, crimson eyes with a grim expression met mine.

 

“Sir Ares.”

 

A breeze entered through the window that was closed a while ago. It seemed he had been watching me from outside and hurriedly opened the window to come in.

 

Ares spoke with a serious expression instead of his usual playful one.

 

“Why aren’t you getting yourself checked out?”

 

“I know my body; it’s really nothing.”

 

“It doesn’t seem like nothing. If I hadn’t caught you just now, you would have collapsed on the floor.”

 

“That’s…” I couldn’t argue back.

 

Still, I tried to open my mouth to explain, but Ares, with a more serious expression, questioned me as if prodding.

 

“Dr. Barmid didn’t seem to notice, but your highness, you couldn’t see just now, right? Moreover, it seemed like you couldn’t hear anything either.”

 

Listening to Ares pouring out words, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

 

‘How did he notice?’

 

We weren’t in the same space, and he must have been watching me through the window. As I struggled to say something, Ares, furrowing his brow, continued speaking.

 

“I have no choice but to report this to his highness; it’s unusual.”

 

“Wait… No, Sir Ares. When people are a bit tired, this kind of thing can happen. Why are you reacting so sensitively?”

 

I had barely dealt with Dr. Barmid, and now I was giving the same explanation to Ares. Ares didn’t seem to be buying it.

 

“Just being a bit tired wouldn’t cause these symptoms.”

 

With Ares’s firm voice, I felt too tired to continue speaking.

 

“Julion is already busy. I don’t want to worry him unnecessarily with something like this. So, if you could just let it go like it’s not a big deal…”

 

“…….”

 

“Please, Sir Ares.”

 

I couldn’t believe I had to plead with him, but I had no other choice. If Julion finds out, he will surely rush over, and then I’ll have to say the same thing I said to Dr. Barmid and Ares.

 

‘Come to think of it, why do I assume that Julion would worry about it as a matter of course?’

 

I couldn’t point it out directly, but I felt a subtle uneasiness for some reason.

 

“Anyway, I’ll examine myself, but first I need to go to the pharmacy.”

 

I contemplated whether to conduct a blood test or observe a bit longer.

 

‘What about the Apherium reagent?’

 

Sorting through the myriad thoughts racing through my mind, I left the office. Ares was following behind, not concealing his discontent.

 

However, I couldn’t take more than a few steps before needing to sit down again. My head was dizzy, and I felt nauseous.

 

I felt like I was getting motion sickness, and I had the urge to vomit.

 

“Your Highness, are you okay?” Ares’ voice echoed from a distance, tinged with concern.

 

I raised my hand to signal him not to come closer and took slow, deep breaths.

 

‘Please calm down…’

 

I don’t know how long I stayed that way before Hemion, who had been sent on an errand, appeared at the end of the corridor.

 

“Your Highness?”

 

Hemion looked at me sitting down, then rushed over, grabbing my arm.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Initially, she grumbled at me, but now Hemion resembled a real maid worried for his master. Even in my weakened state, I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“No, I’m fine; I just got a little dizzy.”

 

Relying on Hemion’s arm, I slowly got up. Glancing back, Ares had discreetly disappeared. Hemion scrutinized me with a face full of questions.

 

“Your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you going to your bedroom? The head maid will be here soon.”

 

She smoothly guided me toward the bedroom. But it was still early in the day, and I couldn’t go to rest just yet.

 

“No, I need to go to the pharmacy. There’s much to do.”

 

“What? But… all right.”

 

Hemion rolled her turquoise eyes with skepticism but nodded. But I didn’t make it to the pharmacy.

 

“Your Highness, we have an urgent patient arriving at the Knights’ compound, but there’s no physician available!”

 

It was because of the physician, who had rushed over in a hurry.

 

There were not many physicians in the infirmary, and with the fire incident causing many injuries, there was a shortage of staff.

 

As the physicians were temporarily housed in the Garnet Palace, all patients from the palace infirmary were also brought here.

 

Whenever there was a critically ill patient or a need for consultation, the physicians naturally sought me out.

 

From the looks of it, the physicians had tried to handle the situation themselves but failed.

 

“Guide me.”

 

They said it was an urgent case, and I couldn’t just ignore it.

 

“You seem a bit unwell…”

 

I heard Hemion mumble timidly beside me, but without responding, I followed the physician.

 

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊