After introducing himself, he waited for my answer with sparkling eyes.
Wondering what the hell was going on, I said,
“You can ask me anything, as long as it’s not going to be a long story.”
In response, Lionel, along with the other physicians, smiled brightly and expressed their joy.
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
“Where did you learn pharmacy?”
“I heard you have a special relationship with Dr. Barmid. How do you know him?”
“No, no, we should ask the most important questions first instead of these additional questions!”
“Oh, right. Your Highness, I’d like to purchase the medicines you recently developed. Do you have any intention to create more?”
Everyone had a lot of questions they wanted to ask me. Uncertain which question to answer first, a more senior-looking physician fortunately intervened.
I waited for the physicians to settle down a bit before speaking.
“Before answering the last question, I want to ask something. Why are you asking that?”
For a moment, all the physicians wore the same expression.
With faces that seemed to ask why I was questioning the obvious, this time I was the one who felt perplexed.
Amidst a brief silence, someone shouted,
“Because the medicine works wonders, that’s why!”
“That’s right! I always had trouble sleeping, but after taking them, the quality of my sleep improved!”
“Me too, Your Highness. I took the digestive medicine and…”
Starting with that statement, various comments were thrown in from all around.
I couldn’t help but smile at the physician’s enthusiastic reactions, but I couldn’t add any more details related to medicine, worried that they might not be actual palace physicians.
‘Looks like Hemion was right; it’s really chaotic.’
No matter how prepared I was, I never expected such an explosive response.
Glancing at Hemion, she wore a prouder expression than mine.
I shifted my gaze back to the physicians and spoke,
“I do have the intention to create more medicines, but… it’s simpler than you might think. Should I share the method?”
Contrary to my expectation of another explosive reaction, this time it became surprisingly quiet.
I chuckled awkwardly, feeling as if I had poured cold water into the atmosphere.
“Why… is it like this? Is it too bothersome?”
They probably had better things to do.
They had come merely to buy medicine, and my offer to share the method seemed to leave them flustered.
I hastily retracted my comment, but the scarlet-haired physician next to me muttered in a low voice.
“Is it okay to just tell us that…?”
All the physicians seemed to be waiting for my response.
‘I wonder what I just said.’
They seemed to think I had some kind of secret method.
Moreover, physicians rarely share their manufacturing methods for special medicines even among themselves, so perhaps they expected the same from me.
I responded with a smile.
“Of course. It’s good if everyone knows. That way, progress will be faster.”
The medical officers looked at me with anticipation in their eyes.
Some of the medicines were made from rare ingredients that could only be found in the Golden Garden, so even if they knew the recipe, they wouldn’t be able to make them exactly the same, but I could tell them how to make them using other ingredients.
“Thank you, thank you, Your Highness!”
Starting with one physician, a wave of gratitude spread once again.
‘It’s the first time I’ve received such a favor.’
I had always faced cold and unpleasant glances from others. Except for a few close people, most showed no interest and were busy gossiping.
‘Oh, it might be troublesome if it gets too late.’
Checking the time, I addressed the physicians.
“But I can’t do it today; I have other things to do. I’ll pick a day soon and let you know.”
“Yes, yes. Apologies, Your Highness.”
Only then did the physicians realize they had taken up too much of my time and hastily retreated.
“We’ll wait!”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
“Have a good day, Your Highness!”
Amid their farewells, I quickly walked in the direction of the palace library.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
“It’s a big deal, Zeloi!”
“That’s right, Her Highness is giving a lecture about medicine!”
Zeloi, who was drying medicinal herbs in the Garnet Palace garden, welcomed the approaching duo.
Unlike the bright faces of the two, Zeloi responded with a skeptical expression.
“Lionel, Fabrio, don’t make too much noise. It’s not like a licensed physician or pharmacist is giving a lecture.”
“What do you mean? Just because she hasn’t taken an official exam doesn’t mean anything; look at how many people she’s treated!”
“That’s right, she cured the Empress’s eye disease, which even the chief physician couldn’t cure, and now she’s treating the Emperor’s disease.”
“He’ll recover soon, right? His Majesty, I mean.”
Watching Lionel and Fabrio exchange hopeful words with eyes full of dreams, Zeloi sighed.
“Don’t get your hopes up. No matter how many physicians come, no one can cure him, so what good can her highness do?”
“Zeloi! Why have you been like this since earlier? Is it because of the rumors about Her Highness?”
“Unlike you, who started as a trainee and worked in the palace, I was working as a physician outside before coming here.”
“And what does that have to do with anything?”
“Why? Because I’ve seen firsthand how evil Cassians can be.”
At Zeloi’s rough response, Lionel and Fabrio fell silent.
Certainly, there were many rumors. Cassian committed many misdeeds behind the scenes.
Despite the positive rumors about Liliana and Yeffa, there were almost slanderous words circulating about Roxis and Rohiriel.
“But now that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her highness up close, she’s completely different from the rumors.”
“Yeah, truly different. Which physician would disclose the secrets of concocting medicine?”
“Even if she did, I wouldn’t trust it, so don’t bother convincing me. Who knows if that medical technique could do more harm than good?”
“But…….”
“Look at Lady Yeffa too; she did terrible things. Fleeing during exile? Maybe that was something her Highness orchestrated.”
Zeloi was making a sound that could cause trouble if someone overheard it. Lionel and Fabrio, shocked, covered Zeloi’s mouth.
“Well, yeah. We understand your opinion, so you can stop talking.”
“Does that mean you won’t attend Her Highness’s medicine lecture?”
Zeloi stood up, pushing away their arms as if annoyed.
His navy-blue eyes were filled with irritation.
“Obviously, I’m going. I have to take care of this.”
Zeloy disappeared into the palace, carrying a bundle of dried herbs.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
The imperial library was much larger than I expected. It would take years to go through them all.
‘Well, considering they subjugated neighboring kingdoms, they probably brought all the books from there as well.’
Presumably, books from the royal palace in Yalon had also been transferred here. Although I wished to meticulously check every book, my top priority was medical literature.
“Your highness, can I read books too?”
Hemion asked cautiously while I was busy inspecting various items. I pointed to the books that weren’t particularly regulated.
“Feel free to read those over there. This might take me a while, so take your time.”
“Wow, thank you.”
“But don’t stray too far away from me.”
“Yes, of course!”
Hemion replied with a bright smile, rushing towards the bookshelves. Meanwhile, I attempted to retrieve another medical book.
‘I want that one, but… it’s too high.’
The book I wanted was stuck quite high up.
I raised my heel and stretched my hand as much as possible. Just barely, the book grazed my fingertips.
“Oh, really.”
Just as I was considering calling someone for help, a shadow approached from behind, and someone smoothly took the book out.
“‘The Uses and Toxicity of Rare Ingredients.’ Was this the book you wanted to see?”
Turning around, I was greeted by the familiar face of Julion.
After lightly dusting off the book, he handed it to me.
“Thank you. But what brings you here?”
“To see you. I have something to tell you.”
Today, it seems many people have something to say to me. I headed towards the reading table with the book in hand.
Meanwhile, Hemion had already taken a seat and was engrossed in reading.
“Is it urgent?”
“……Yes, a little.”
Upon reflection, I found my question amusing. There was no way Julion would have come all this way to see me if it wasn’t urgent.
“What is it? Should we move somewhere?”
“I did ask everyone to leave when I entered here, but…”
In other words, it wasn’t supposed to leak out.
I instinctively tried to take out the sound-blocking pills, but realized I hadn’t brought them.
Julion thought for a moment, then leaned down in my ear.
“Since you seem busy, let me briefly share the important conclusion with you.”
Julion’s lips came close to my ear, and in a hushed tone, he continued.
