Dead-End Villainess Who Makes Medicine

 

It had been 5 minutes since administering the antidote, but the emperor still showed no signs of waking up.

 

I lifted the emperor’s eyelids and checked his pupils.

 

‘No pupil reflex.’

 

This was proof that he was still unconscious.

 

I wondered what was wrong.

 

I swallowed hard at the growing anxiety.

 

As I stayed silent, the nobles, who had been quietly observing, began exchanging opinions once again.

 

“I don’t understand what happened.”

 

“So is he cured or not?”

 

“I don’t think his breathing has returned yet…….”

 

“Even if she’s the Crown Princess, after damaging the Emperor’s body to this extent, she won’t be able to escape responsibility.”

 

Those who had been waiting for an opportunity to criticize me were numerous. Seizing this moment, they subtly shaped public opinion.

 

The Empress looked at those nobles with a dark expression. Julion also approached me, attempting to hold my hand.

 

“Don’t touch me.”

 

I took a step back from Julion, avoiding his hand. The treatment was not finished yet.

 

If my disinfected hand touched another area, it would be contaminated, and I would have to disinfect it again.

 

‘Think, Rohiriel. Think about it. What am I missing?’

 

I had extracted all the poison, and the antidote for the Mordheim poison had successfully taken effect.

 

His skin had returned to normal after using several potions that promote blood circulation.

 

“I definitely prepared the antidote correctly. There’s no adverse reaction.”

 

Should I cut open his flesh again to see if the poison reappears?

 

Or should I use a breathing potion followed by chest compressions?

 

But the Emperor’s body has already been treated with several medicines. Using another medicine here could lead to unpredictable consequences.

 

Amidst numerous thoughts, the treatment method my mother used crossed my mind.

 

[Rottie, bring a long and thick needle.]

 

She had once treated a child who had been fighting poison for a long time and was near death.

 

Due to lack of food, the child consumed grasses that grew in their yard periodically, unaware that some of them contained mild poisons.

 

Without realizing it, the child’s body became so soaked with poison that he stopped breathing.

 

If my mother hadn’t found him on the road and treated him in time, he would have died.

 

When my mother realized that the child’s breathing hadn’t returned even after detoxification, she didn’t panic.

 

[Mother, is this enough?]

 

[Yes, it’s enough. Will you come and hold his head together?]

 

[Yes!]

 

The subsequent treatment was somewhat shocking. She took the needle I handed her and stuck it right into the crown of the child’s head.

 

Having concluded my thoughts, I addressed Julion with an uneasy expression.

 

“There’s one last thing left. Can you firmly hold the Emperor’s head so that it doesn’t move?”

 

“……Of course.”

 

Although Julion had eyes filled with many words, he seemed to understand the urgency of the situation, and without additional questions, he grasped the Emperor’s head.

 

“I learned about this not long ago. It was the last resort to revive breathing.”

 

I had recently read related books in the palace library.

 

They were medical texts from the eastern continent, detailing some of the remedies my mother occasionally used, which I found intriguing.

 

“Princess Consort…”

 

The Empress called me with a worried tone, but I had no chance to respond.

 

As the survival probability dwindled with each passing moment, I hastily took out the sterilized needle from my bag.

 

It was a long, thick needle, remarkably similar to the one my mother used.

 

Not surprisingly, the nobles’ reactions were fierce.

 

The Empress and even Julion widened their eyes in astonishment.

 

“Rohiriel, may I ask where you intend to use that?”

 

“I’m going to revive the Emperor’s breathing.”

 

“But where exactly…”

 

“You’ll see. Hold him firmly, Julion.”

 

A hushed sound of someone swallowing saliva resonated through the room.

 

Holding the needle firmly, I extended my hand toward the Emperor’s forehead.

 

Gaging the position with my index finger, I found the precise spot, and without hesitation, I inserted the needle.

 

It went in once, as deep as I wanted it to, then I picked up a new, slightly thinner needle.

 

‘Next, the wrist.’

 

I moved the needle from the palm down about two finger-widths.

 

Just as I had done on the head, I pierced the needle into that spot and then proceeded towards the area near the heart.

 

‘This should be the last one.’

 

In the center of the chest, slightly away from the heart, I inserted the needle.

 

“Alright. Now all I have to do is pull it out…….”

 

I let out the breath I’d been holding and looked up to find the nobles looking stunned. Even Duke Cassian seemed a bit astonished.

 

It was understandable.

 

Unless one had witnessed it before, such practices could easily be dismissed as unbelievable sorcery.

 

Even if it was documented in ancient texts, many might doubt it.

 

How did my mother know about such distant medical practices? I wondered.

 

Erasing the contemplation that once again surfaced in my mind, I proceeded to remove the needles one by one.

 

From the head to both wrists and then to the chest.

 

As I removed the last needle,.

 

“……!”

 

The Emperor’s fingers visibly twitched.

 

Then another twitch.

 

I immediately checked the Emperor’s pupils once again.

 

This time, the response was much clearer than before. The Emperor’s fingers moved more distinctly.

 

I put my finger under the emperor’s nose and felt him breathing, albeit faintly.

 

“Your Majesty, can you hear me? Your Majesty!”

 

“What happened? Did he really open his eyes?”

 

The Empress, also startled, hurriedly approached.

 

In her golden eyes, a newfound hope overflowed.

 

“He doesn’t seem to be completely stable yet. Just a moment, please.”

 

The Emperor’s blood circulation was not yet fully restored.

 

In his weakened state, it was even worse.

 

I placed my hand near the Emperor’s heart and applied firm pressure.

 

‘To do it properly, I should get on top of him, but…’

 

Still, since his breathing had returned, I figured this would be enough.

 

One, two, three compressions.

 

I kept applying pressure, and then.

 

“……cough!”

 

A cough burst from the Emperor’s mouth.

 

Then he took a deep breath, as if to burst his lung.

 

His eyes opened.

 

“My God, Dian…”

 

The Empress, evidently shocked, called his nickname and grabbed his hand. The Emperor, still seeming uncertain about the situation, anxiously shifted his gaze.

 

While his chestnut-colored eyes repeatedly appeared and disappeared, an overwhelming silence filled the hall.

 

“Dian, do you recognize me?”

 

Only the Empress continued to speak, holding the Emperor’s hand tightly.

 

And at that moment, the Emperor’s eyes rolled smoothly, fully capturing the Empress.

 

His lips parted with great effort.

 

“……rias.”

 

Though the voice was faint and faltering, the Empress could clearly understand.

 

It was the name she wanted to hear from the Emperor’s lips, even just once more.

 

Even if his voice sounded rough and aged and his youthful appearance from long ago was hard to find,.

 

Still, the empress was thrilled.

 

Holding the Emperor’s dry hand, she gently touched his cheek and nodded repeatedly.

 

“Yes, that’s right. That’s right. It’s me, Your Majesty. I’ve aged a lot, haven’t I? But it’s because Dian has been asleep for so long; don’t say I’m ugly.”

 

The empress chuckled. Clear droplets of water traced her white cheeks along the corners of her eyes.

 

The Emperor slowly lifted his other arm and cupped the Empress’s cheek.

 

Then, slowly but surely, he opened his mouth to speak, word by word.

 

It was a whisper, barely audible to me.

 

But the Empress understood and responded with a bright smile.

 

Her face was filled with tears, but it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.

 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

Having briefly opened his eyes and recognized the Empress, the Emperor quickly lost consciousness again.

 

Fortunately, it was not a new issue but merely exhaustion that led him to sleep.

 

“His Majesty, above all, needs to rest now.”

 

After lying on the sickbed for a long time, being able to communicate right after opening his eyes was a miracle in itself.

 

The direct stimulation of his brain had awakened him, and he seemed to have regained some of his strength.

 

‘I should carefully examine him for any other aftereffects.’

 

If my mother had been here, she could have given me the right answer. I pushed aside the memories of my mother that kept coming to mind.

 

“It might get noisy for a while.”

 

Despite the content of the words, Julion’s voice was unusually lively, and his expression seemed happier than ever.

 

Seeing his slightly flushed cheeks and sparkling golden eyes, laughter involuntarily escaped me.

 

Julion soon turned his head towards the silent nobles in the hall.

 

All the nobles in the hall wore similar expressions.

 

Shock, fear, and confusion.

 

However, amidst this, there was one person with the least change in expression.

 

My father, Duke Cassian.

 

The duke, with eyes like steel and silver hair, met my gaze and then turned to me.

 

Without changing his expression, the duke opened his mouth.

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊