Queen of The Scalpel - Chapter 102

Translator and Editor: Skye

‘But then I have to give up the most precious thing to me.’

My heart became cold.

It is so simple but she also had to give up everything she hold dearly.

She is like a bird in a cage that had lost her motivation.

‘Second brother.’

Elise recalled his soft face, his warm voice and his love to her.

She remembered the time when she heard about his death, on her previous life.

She doesn’t want to be a bird in a cage that had lost its soul.

But what if his brother dies again? Can she bear it?

Elise had a trouble look on her face.

***

That day, Elise returned to the mansion late at night.

She was lost in thought when she was on the carriage.

“What are you worried about?”

Sir Bentol asked. He is the family’s guardian.

“I was thinking of someone?”

“Who is it?”

“Masako Owada ^ ”

He looked puzzled when he heard about the unusual name.

But Elise didn’t explained further. She just remembered an article she read from Earth for awhile, and she wasn’t familiar with her either.

‘That’s the only way, huh?’

‘There must be other way possible. Is this the only way?’

But no matter how much she agonized, she couldn’t think of another way.

That fact broke her heart into pieces.

When she entered the mansion, two people greeted her.

“Elise! Why are you so late?!”

“Lise!”

It was her father, Marquis Elle and her brother Chris.

There’s an epidemic going around Londo right now! You’re coming in so late! I’m not allowing you to go to the hospital tomorrow. Elise!”

“That’s right, Lise. I don’t think you should go to the hospital, either. What would you do when the virus will retracted on you. I know you’re thinking about your patients, but this time you should yield.”

At that moment, Elise suddenly burst into laughter as the two are worried about her.

What is she thinking about?

“Father and Brother.”

“Hmm?”

“I love you”

“—?!”

Her father and brother had their eyes wide when they heard her sweet remark.

Elise smiled still.

Yes, she’s still a bird trapped in a cage that can only live even when she loose her soul But if she lose them again, she won’t be able to live. She loved her family that much.

“Father, brother. I have favor to ask of you. Please listen.”

“Come on and just say it. I’ll listen to everything you say. Instead, you shouldn’t go to the hospital. You’re off limits there for the time being!”

“That’s right, Lise. Just say it.”

They nodded quickly.

Recently, she had been so kind and lovable that they comply with any unreasonable request she have.

But the request she had was rather unexpected.

“Please forgive me if I make one mistake in the future.”

“—?!”

Their eyes were filled with curiosity.

What does she mean by that? What is it?

“Elise, what do you mean by that all of a sudden?”

He was wondering of his daughter who had been a good child, would not do such a bad thing just like before.

“Don’t ask me any more. Just forgive me just once. If you won’t forgive me, I can’t help it but just do it.”

“—!”

Then she looked at Chris.

“Brother.”

“O-oh?”

“Thank you.”

“—?!”

And I’m sorry. In my past life, that happened to you because of me.

She smiled at her brother who is scratching his head.

‘So now, it’s my turn this time.’

In the past life, her brother met his death bed.

So, it’s her turn to sacrifice herself this time.

“Father.”

“—Why are you doing this?”

Elle looked at her daughter out of anxiety.

He smiled gently, but his daughter looked like she is going to somewhere dangerous.

“I will go to the palace early tomorrow morning. I need to see the Emperor.”

“—What do you need? You can’t just say what you wanted to His Majesty.”

“I know. But it’s just a matter of time. I’m sure His Majesty would like it to.”

“—?”

Elise spoke as if she is pertaining into something.

“I don’t think there’s an epidemic going around in Londo.”

Early in the morning, she wore a dress, and was dressed up nicely. She had a completely different appearance from her usual scantily dressed appearance.

“Wow, my lady, you look nice today.”

The young servant Marie said that with admiration.

Elise smiled slightly.

Like what she said out of admiration, she does looked beautiful today.

But is it because of the genes of Clorence family? She is completely different beauty from the ordinary aristocrats.

She had understated and self-constrained beauty along with imperturbable elegance.

In few moments, the knight of the family, Sir Bentol, informed her.

“It’s ready, My Lady. His Excellency is waiting.”

“Yes, thank you.”

On her way out, she momentarily paused in the hall of mansion and prayed on the cross that is hanged on the wall.

The Lady bent down her head.

‘Please bless me.’

Elise and his father, the Marquis Elle, entered the palace with the carriage of Clorence family.

“I contacted you in advance in the morning. His Majesty will be waiting.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“But Elise, Can you really get rid of this so called epidemic?”

The reason why she can meet the emperor alone so quickly is because she was the daughter of the Chancellor and also the candidate to be the fiance of the Crown Prince, who is also favored by the emperor. One of the reasons also is she announced that she could solve the epidemic.

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Elise replied and nodded.

But Marquis Elle is still worried.

“You won’t be entering something dangerous, are you? If you are, I won’t approve you going ahead.”

He wasn’t worried about her not being able to solve it.

But he had another concern besides that.

He is worried that his daughter would suffer from the terrible infectious disease if she did not refrain in being in contact with the patient just like always in the hospital.

If she ever contracted the disease, he would refrain in going there.

“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it. This disease is not the same as the previous virus that is spreading out the humans.”

She relieved her father like that.

And Elise, who arrived to the throne room of the emperor, had already chatted with awhile ago.

“Elise de Clorence had come to greet the Sun of the Empire.”

“Okay, It’s been a long time. How have you been?”

The emperor greeted her blissfully.

Perhaps due to the recent bad news, Minchester didn’t look healthy.

“Yes, Dame Clorence, do you have any ways on how to cure the epidemic?”

“There is, Your Majesty.”

She answered him with no hesitation.

The emperor realized that she had indeed came up with a solution which she exclaimed with certainty.

‘But how? Neither the Department of Public Health nor the Institute of Medicine doesn’t have better way or clue.’

He wouldn’t believed it if someone else said it.

But this is Elise we are talking about. She doesn’t make any stuff without basis, and she is legendary personnel that had been rocking the imperial medical community for few months.

“The epidemic is not caused by poison.”

“So? How do you know that?”

“I have studied this disease in a lot of books. The disease spread out from Hindi in the East, especially in Bengkal.”

“—!”

The emperor had a surprised look on his face.

Hindi is the largest partner of the Qing Dynasty and the French Empire in the Far East.

“Is that true, Dame Clorence?”

“Yes, it is. If you look closely at Sir William’s book that has long term observation on Hindi’s case. There have been several cases of plague that is the same as today’s epidemia.”

This is a fact that Elise had studied separately.

Epidemic originated in the East on Earth, she had confirmed that this place and Earth are similar.

“Huh, Hindi. That’s great. I can’t believe you found out the cause that fast.”

The emperor had no other choice but to admire her greatly.

He can’t believe a doctor that could identify the disease that fast.

No matter how the emperor doesn’t want her to be a doctor, she couldn’t help but admit her talent.

“Then what is the name of this disease if it is not poison?”

Elise said her diagnosis.

“It’s Cholera.”

***

“—Cholera?”

It is a disease that has strange name.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s a plague that causes diarrhea and vomiting, and according to the records of Low-Land merchants who came from East, this research about cholera is written in detail.”

“Ho ho, Cholera. It’s Cholera huh.”

The emperor asked Elise.

“But knowing what the disease doesn’t mean we can solve the transmission all at once right? Do you have any solution for it?”

He hit the point accurately.

Knowing something doesn’t prevent the transmission.

If so, all disease should be eliminated in the modern world, but in fact, even a simple colds is hard to prevent.

Fortunately, however, it is possible to block cholera.

As long as you know how to prevent it.

“It’s possible through epidemiological survey.”

“Epidemiological Survey?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Epidemiological Survey.

It is a way in preventing epidemics.

“If you give me authority, I’ll try to solve the problem in three days.”

“—!”

Minchester’s eyes grew bigger.

Three days?

That is ridiculous period to save it all.

Twenty years ago, the 1st Londo Epidemic had spread for months, but this one can only take 3 days.

Elise, however her assurance sounded like a bluff.

“Can you really solve it in just three days?”

“Even if it’s difficult, we have to solve this out.”

That’s what Elise replied.

Yes, she had to solve it in three days. That’s what she said. The time is actually too long for her.

It wasn’t just out of arrogance.

The death toll would increase exponentially as the days go by. After three days, the number of deaths will exceed 500, reaching 1,000.

Therefore, it had to be solved within three days in maximum.

“Ho ho, okay. I will give you then the permission for delegation.”

Seeing her determined eyes, the emperor nodded.

In fact, there is no other alternative but to make Elise do it due to the current circumstances. Every stinky, bad air and all the stuff they concluded is all just nonsense.

“But Your Majesty, I have one thing to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Elise spoke with a firm face and let out her true intentions.

“If I really—solve this disease within three days, can I assume that I have met the conditions you have mentioned before?”

“—!”

The emperor’s face hardened.

It’s about the bet she had with the Emperor.

It was about the breaking off the engagement in exchange of doing something valuable as a doctor than her being the princess or empress.

“That’s—.”

The emperor did not answer immediately.

‘If Young Lady Clorence will be able to solve this epidemia— then it’s his defeat.’

At least tens of thousands perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives will be perished.

The winner of this bet is Elise if she could really solve this epidemia.

‘Ho ho.’

But it can’t be prevented then.

The lives of many people is at stake that he is also eager to let her solve it.

‘Is she capable to handle it?’

In common sense, it’s impossible.

But Minchester looked into her eyes.

Her eyes were full of conviction that is not simply shook.

Minchester somehow had a feeling that if it is her, this young lady could solve this epidemia.

“Ho ho. Okay. If you can stop this epidemic, the bet will be dissolved and it’s your

victory.”

The emperor laughed bitterly.

“But Young Lady.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Do you not really want to marry, the Crown Prince, no, Linden to that extent?”

Elise couldn’t answer him.

“—I’m sorry.”

With what she said, the emperor shook his head.

“I wanted you to be part of my family so badly, but I cant help it. It’s a promise made under by me, Minchester. You only have to deal with the disease. I’ll take care of the dissolving of your engagement with the Crown Prince. I’ll execute it under my name, so you can rest assured. There won’t be disadvantage on your part.”