The medical wing at night was silent.
At the same time, there was a faint tension in the air.
It was because they never knew when an emergency patient might arrive.
“It’s really big.”
I had mentioned to Julion before that I wished the palace infirmary was much bigger. Did he remember that?
Thinking of Julion, who had been reluctant to leave Garnet Palace just a while ago, made me smile.
“Your Highness!”
“Oh my, we greet Your Highness!”
The physicians on duty were startled and approached me, clearly not expecting a visit at this hour.
I hadn’t intended to cause a commotion, but all eyes quickly focused on me.
“Your Highness, what brings you here at this late hour?”
The assistant chief physician, who hadn’t yet gone to bed, hurried down in a disheveled state.
I smiled awkwardly and replied.
“Carry on with your work. I’m here to meet someone.”
“Ah, you’ve come to see Dr. Barmid! I’ll lead the way, Your Highness.”
The assistant chief physician seemed quite excited.
I stopped the eager assistant chief, who looked ready to barge into Barmid’s quarters, and said,
“Not him. I heard Hemion Martin is here. Where is she staying?”
Only then did the assistant chief physician and the other physicians seem to realize something, uttering small exclamations.
Then they all cast their eyes in one direction.
The path to the back of the building.
“If it’s her, she’s probably in the medical library. She stays there late into the night.”
“Is she still studying at this hour?”
No matter how diligent she is, studying this much could harm her health. With a mix of worry and excitement, I headed towards the medical library.
“Your Highness! Let me guide you!”
“Isn’t that separate building over there the medical library?”
“Well, yes, it is, but…”
“Your Highness, I’ll take you. Assistant Chief, please rest.”
Zenid skillfully deterred the persistent assistant chief physician, and we walked to the library.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
<Raphashohotamin acts on the vestibular system to alleviate dizziness…>
<If anemia, vomiting, and jaundice symptoms occur together, it may be acute diathry poisoning. However, do not use sathritium hastily.>
Thud. Hemion closed the thick medical book with a sigh. Her vision was blurry, and she felt dizzy.
It must be because she had been focusing on the book for so long that her mind felt foggy.
“I’m hungry.”
Come to think of it, she had skipped dinner.
No wonder she felt weak.
Hemion sighed again, resting her head on the book she was reading. The cool, hard surface helped her feel a bit more awake.
“This is so difficult, really…”
The more she studied medicine, the harder it became.
At this rate, who knows when she’ll be able to stand confidently before Her Highness?
How long had Hemion been slumped over the desk?
—Knock, knock.
A light, soft knock was heard.
Hemion’s mind snapped back to reality.
In front of her, she saw a small, white hand tapping the desk.
A voice followed.
“What time is it, and you still haven’t turned off the lights?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Just a few more minutes, and I’ll turn it off and go back…….”
Hemion mumbled an answer while still slumped over, unable to finish her sentence.
She thought it was the librarian or another physician on duty. But the voice, the tone, and the white hand in front of her.
Hemion suddenly stood up. Her pretty olive-green eyes widened in surprise as she recognized who stood before her.
“Y-Your Highness…!”
Hemion was so shocked she could hardly speak.
The snow-white hair. Underneath, blue eyes like drops of ocean gems.
A mouth with a slight smile.
It was a face she’d missed. At the same time, the face she had avoided all day.
“Hemion, have you been well?”
In the quiet but lively greeting, Hemion couldn’t bring herself to respond. Something deep in the pit of her stomach had risen to the top of her throat in a lump.
It trickled out of her eyes before she could do anything about it.
“Wha-what? Why am I….”
Hemion was so flustered by her own reaction that she futilely wiped her cheeks with her sleeve.
Once the dam had burst, there was no stopping the flood of tears until it ran dry. Tears continued to flow, dropping onto the floor with a steady rhythm.
“Y-Your Highness, I think I must be sick. Why won’t this stop…”
Seeing Hemion, who couldn’t even muster a small sob, just tears streaming down her face, Rohiriel was equally surprised.
But looking at Hemion now, she felt she understood everything.
Why Hemion hadn’t come straight to her.
Why she burst into tears upon seeing her?
Rohiriel blinked a few times, then reached out and wrapped her arms around Hemion’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry.”
As Hemion nestled into her embrace, her body trembled. Her tears showed no signs of stopping.
Rohiriel hugged her tighter and gently patted her back.
“I’m sorry for leaving without a word, Hemion.”
“Y-Your Highness.”
“Yeah, I won’t leave again. And if I have to, I’ll make sure to tell you first.”
“Y-your Highness.”
“Yeah, I promise. For real.”
“Your Highness. Your Highness…”
“I missed you, Hemion.”
Only then did Hemion let out a loud cry.
At that moment, her sobbing was the most heart-wrenching sound in the world.
Julion’s Anxiety
“…We’ve completed the full check-up on the northern regions. It seems there are no additional cases. I can’t believe how neatly everything has been organized.”
Pailson flipped through the documents he was holding and placed them in front of Julion. Reports from across the Empire were meticulously recorded and quantified.
However, Julion, with a solemn expression, glanced through them briefly before leaning back in his chair.
“These are the expected results, considering the medicine Rohiriel developed.”
Although the words were calm, there was a subtle undertone of dissatisfaction in his voice.
Julion furrowed his brow and shifted his gaze out the window.
The garden had turned completely white overnight with the snow that had fallen.
It had been about a month since they returned to the palace.
During that time, Rohiriel had been tirelessly working day and night to produce medicine.
They hadn’t even had a chance to eat together a few times.
Of course, he understood that containing the epidemic spreading across the Empire was the top priority, but he couldn’t help but worry about Rohiriel.
She was probably still working tirelessly in the infirmary. The more Julion thought about it, the more stifled he felt, exhaling a heavy sigh.
“Yes, that’s true. Let’s move on to the next agenda: the date of the coronation…”
Whether Julion responded or not, Pailson mechanically moved onto the next topic, placing another document in front of him.
“The Emperor has asked that it be set for the first day of spring.”
“That would be two months from now. Isn’t that too soon?”
“I expressed the same concern, but His Majesty is quite adamant.”
Another wrinkle formed in Julion’s brow.
Beneath his neatly arranged hair, his golden eyes, filled with annoyance, scrutinized the documents.
“Don’t you think this is unfair, Pailson?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m struggling through days so busy that I can’t even see the crown princess, while the Emperor and Empress…!”
They see each other every day.
Or, more accurately, they never seem to have a moment when they’re not together.
Julion flipped through the papers irritably, checking the details.
“Their Majesties have become so healthy, so I wonder if I should be inheriting the throne so soon.”
Despite having renounced his position as Crown Prince and left, he returned to being a Crown Prince with even more responsibilities.
[While I was bedridden, you managed state affairs as my proxy. It seems Sertizan has grown accustomed to the new leadership. It would be cumbersome for me to step back into it now.]
With a deep smile, the Emperor revealed his intentions.
Julion vehemently refused, but even the Empress joined in, pleading for a break, leaving him with no choice.
“I’m quite troubled as well. It feels like I’ve been demoted after being promoted to serve the Emperor.”
Thanks to that, Pailson, who returned to Julion’s side, also frowned in discontent.
Julion dipped his pen in ink as if indifferent to his complaints.
“In any case, you’ll just be promoted back as the Emperor’s aide in two months anyway.”
“Am I just some object to be toyed with at your whim?”
“Pailson, you’ve been rather curt lately.”
“His Highness doesn’t understand my position.”
“Alright, I’ll grant you leave after the coronation.”
Muttering to himself, Julion signed the coronation date the emperor had sent him.
Normally, there couldn’t be a ceremony in winter.
So when they decided to hold it in spring, the Emperor had chosen the very start of the season. It was far too rushed.
“We need to send out invitations to other countries immediately. We don’t know how many envoys will come, but…”
Even if Sertizan is a great empire, it was only a month ago that it was torn apart by plague and rebellion.
It seemed it would take some time to restore its prestige.
Julion finished signing all the documents and stood up, placing the pen down.
Pailson’s face twisted subtly when their eyes met.
“…We’re not finished with the agenda yet. Where do you think you’re going?”
“To Rohiriel.”
His voice was firm, as if he wouldn’t entertain any objections.
At that, Pailson opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it.
Rohiriel was probably not at the palace infirmary right now.
Certainly not at the Garnet Palace.
‘I heard there was a sudden change in her schedule today.’
Julion, who was aware of almost all of Rohiriel’s schedules, would have to search around a bit today.
With the sound of footsteps fading away, Pailson wickedly raised the corner of his mouth.
