I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Argh.”

His action was a wrong choice that provoked open anger. Only his toes hurt from hitting the sturdy log.

He hopped on one foot, clutching his toes.

Eventually, he even fell over.

“Ugh.”

Leber screamed, but there was no one looking inside the tent

Hiss. Leber sat down, roughly wiping the tears at the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I shouldn’t have trusted Deboa’s words.”

Leber resented Deboa, the cause of his departure from Bedrokka.

Deboa, his friend, first love, and the object of his unrequited love.

“I’m screwed.”

Tears welled up again in the corners of Leber’s eyes as he lay down and looked up at the ceiling of the tent.

No matter how much he thought about it, going to Tetris was not good for him.

He should go back now.

It was when Leber hardened his resolve and got up.

“I’ll come in, Leber.”

Elise came to find him. Leber timidly opened the door.

Elise bowed slightly and came in, looking around Leber’s room.

“Please sit.”

Leber casually offered her a seat. A water cup with a missing handle was placed between Elise and Leber.

“I have nothing else to offer. The taste isn’t great, but it should relieve your fatigue right away.”

It was a potion made by Leber. As Elise picked up the cup, Leber quickly added.

“It’s not as effective as a potion.”

A potion is a medicine made by magicians that showed excellent effects in enhancing physical strength and replenishing Mana.

It was so expensive and rare that Elise had only a few chances to drink it.

Elise swallowed the medicine offered by Leber at once.

‘Ugh.’

The taste was definitely not good.

“What do you think it is, and you just drink it? What if it’s poison?”

“It’s not poison when I taste it.”

Leber was taken aback by Elise’s boldness.

Leber, a doctor, knew very well how dangerous a person who knows how to handle medicine can be.

So he doesn’t take medicine made by others.

He firmly told Deboa not to eat anything.

Leber had no intention of harming others using medical skills, but in his current situation, it was right for Elise to be cautious.

‘She must have heard me screaming and cursing.’

But she drank the medicine without suspicion, whether she trusted him or was naive and didn’t know the ways of the world.

What if he poisoned Elise and asked her to send him back to Bedrokka on that pretext?

“Leber, don’t look down on me too much. I recommended going to Tetris to help you, not to torment you.”

“Since you mentioned it, I’ll ask. Why do you want to take me to Tetris?”

Leber asked Deboa several times before departure, but the answer that came back was always the same.

[I don’t know either?]

A streak appeared on Leber’s face as he recalled that time.

“I’m curious about what Leber thinks. What do you think is the reason I’m taking Leber to Tetris?”

“Taking me?”

Leber reacted in an unexpected place to Elise.

“If that word is uncomfortable…”

“It’s uncomfortable. Does this look like a treatment for someone you’re taking?”

Leber pointed here and there in the tent with his hand. Seeing the medicinal herbs and medical tools that Leber had brought lying on the floor, Elise sighed quietly.

‘I should have taken more care.’

Elise could have excused herself for being busy adapting, but she held back.

Her journey to Tetris was voluntary, and Leber was in a position to accept the request anyway.

“Asking you to better take care of me in the future. To His Highness Karan.”

When he mentioned the person with highest authority, Leber’s dissatisfied expression also relaxed.

According to what he saw when he treated her last time, Karan seemed to adore her terribly, so he would listen to her request.

“I’m sorry. I was too excited.”

Leber, who had regained his senses, apologized to Elise.

“It can happen. You’re in a strange place, surrounded by strange people.”

Finally, Leber’s true nature came out. He was a very rational and serious person, unlike his light appearance.

‘He also has a great will for medical development. He has a kind nature that can’t pass by difficult people.’

It was a relief for Elise, who had to have a serious conversation with him.

“Yes. I thought I was used to change, but I guess not. You asked me earlier why I brought you. Tetris is suffering from a chronic shortage of doctors. So isn’t it?”

“Right. There is a shortage of doctors in Tetris. If I was going to solve that problem, I would have brought many people.”

“Hmm, because it wasn’t possible? Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you, Elise. I didn’t hear anything from Deboa. Just saw the circumstances when returning back…”

Elise’s mouth corner turned up.

“It’s okay. Everyone knows. That I’m a child abandoned by the Wortons. Please feel free to speak.”

Leber glanced at Elise’s face. Elise was calm.

“It must have been difficult to bring many doctors. So, are you taking me to train doctors?”

Elise’s eyes widened. She didn’t expect him to guess correctly.

“That’s right, Leber. I hope that you will stay in Tetris and train doctors.”

Leber chuckled and put his hand in his pocket.

“I don’t plan to stay in Tetris for long. I have to go back.”

“Is there a reason?”

“There is someone I must treat.”

The depth of Leber’s gaze deepened. The deep color was filled with noble affection that could not be touched casually.

“Is that so. Are you researching transplant surgery to treat that person?”

“…! How did you know?”

Even Deboa, his only confidant, didn’t know he was researching transplant surgery.

“Don’t worry. It’s a fact only I know.”

Leber leaned back. The light of caution was strong. Elise quickly got to the point.

“Continue your research in Tetris. I’ll support you.”

Leber took his hand out of his pocket. And he stroked his chin several times.

“Why?”

“I want to do what I can do for you, and I want to receive what you can do for me.”

“If it gets out that you helped me, it could be a big harm to you, Elise.”

“Tetris is different. There are no magic healers in Tetris. There are many people who die without receiving proper treatment. The birth rate of magicians in Tetris is at the bottom. It’s almost non-existent. So they don’t worship the power of magic given by God.”

“They don’t worship God… Does that mean there’s no problem with surgical procedures?”

Many countries, including Bedrokka, considered humans as vessels of God.

Therefore, they accepted surgical procedures as acts of defiance against God’s will.

They believed it was human duty to accept what was given and live in the given situation.

But Tetris is.

“It’s a barbaric country, isn’t it?”

Elise leaned forward.

“Leber, I’ll give you a choice. Whether to become a saint of the medical world in Tetris, or to return to Bedrokka. We will arrive at the Dex territory by tomorrow. Please decide by then.”

Elise finished speaking and got up. Now it was time to wait.

Leber got up awkwardly following Elise.

“You don’t need to see me off. By the way, I envy the person you’re trying to save.”

“Me?”

“They’re receiving a lot of love, aren’t they?”

“Ah…”

Leber’s face turned slightly red.

Even though she said he didn’t need to see her off, Leber intended to go to the door.

“You don’t need to be envious. You’re already receiving enough love, aren’t you?”

“Me?”

At Elise’s reaction, Leber’s eyes narrowed.

He started to wonder whether Elise was smart or not.

****

Countess Rosh Dex was looking out the window.

“Spring is early this year.”

Around this time, a blizzard would have swept through Dex County. But this year, instead of a blizzard, it rained.

Still, the cold wind was unchanging.

To raise the temperature in the chilly room at night, Trish, the butler of the Countess’s house, put firewood into the fireplace.

“How is your body?”

Trish, who had revived the dormant flames, approached Rosh.

Trish’s gaze fell on Rosh’s leg.

“Winter is always the same.”

About ten years ago, Rosh suffered a severe injury to her right leg during a battle.

The injury was a great shock to her in many ways, who used to roam the battlefield like her front yard.

When she couldn’t use one leg properly, Rosh had to leave the battlefield.

She, who had earned the title of general with a woman’s body, was terribly neglected by Tetris when she became combat-disabled.

She had to let go of many things.

Her subordinates who followed her, the title of general, the sense of roaming the battlefield, the gaze looking down on others, and so on.

After that, Rosh left the battlefield and confined herself in Dex County.

And she built the walls of Dex County high.

All she had left was the county and the title of Countess Dex.

If anyone dares to touch this, they will never be forgiven.

“That’s right. Every year will be the same.”

Trish, who sensed Rosh’s slight anxiety, answered.

“Would it be…”

Rosh cast her gaze far away, tinged with bitterness.

Between the mountains that looked white because of the snow that had not yet melted, she saw a phantom of someone rushing in.

Even though there was still a long time left for the guest to arrive.

Rosh closed her eyes tightly and opened them to get rid of the phantom.

“Is the preparation going well?”

His Highness Karan of Tetris was coming to Dex County with a noble from Bedrokka.

The purpose of the sudden visit was hidden with the sinister purpose of King Tyllo.

‘We’re just checking if we can protect ourselves.’

The gate entrance in Dex County began to show signs of opening. She immediately reported it to Tyllo as a top-secret matter.

‘You thought you’d help, but you’re hitting me in the back of the head, Your Majesty.’

If the first line of defense built by Dex’s warriors collapses, the damage will ripple.

‘I’m sorry.’

Because I’m a limping lord.

Rosh rubbed the fogged window. There was a crisp sound. If Rosh rubs the place long, it reaches the entrance of the gate.

She gestured with her hand as if to crush even a bug.

‘You’re trying to give Karan a hard time and take the credit, but there’s no way.’

If you try to take what’s mine, you’ll end up losing everything.