Queen of The Scalpel - Chapter 9
“Why? Did you do something wrong?”
These days, it was quiet, but Elise was a trouble-maker who knew no end. The Marquis firmly told her.
“If you did something wrong, you should be disciplined for it.”
“Right?”
“Yes, if they’re something you’re hiding, tell me now. I’ll forgive you if you tell me the truth.”
“I was just asking. I haven’t done anything wrong…”
‘— yet.’ Elise inwardly sighed. ‘Because I think I might do something wrong soon. I’m sorry. Truly.’ She was somewhat prepared, but she didn’t know how the Emperor would react. ‘Even if the Emperor becomes angry, I have to face it. Let’s end the fate I have with the Crown Prince today.’ She promised to herself once more and looked up at the sky.
The time she spent on Earth as a doctor flashed by her head. The cold air of the surgery room. Unstable vitals. Red blood. The breathtaking scale of life and death! It was a tiring life, but she was never as happy as she was in the surgery room. She missed the feeling of saving people.
‘When this is over….’ She was going to live as a doctor again. After she had been disciplined for disobeying the Emperor.
***
“The Emperor is in the Rose Garden.”
The maids of the Palace welcomed the, The Rose Garden was one of the most beautiful places in the Palace. Elise and her father entered a garden filled with various colored roses. After walking for awhile, a marble tea table and chairs appeared. And sitting elegantly on the chair was a middle-aged man reading documents.
“….!!”
Elise gasped. A benevolent expression, but with eyes that seemed like they would pierce through everything.
“….!!”
It was the Britia Empire’s 11th Emperor, Minchester de Romanoff! The Marquis and Elise showed their respect.
“Greetings to the Sun of the Empire, the Emperor.”
The Emperor put down the documents he was reading and turned to look at them.
“Welcome, Marquis. And Lady Clarence. Have you been well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t just stand there and sit down. And you, bring some tea.”
The Emperor spoke softly. Elise approached the marble table as carefully as possible.
“I called for you because I wanted to see you, since it’s been a while. It’s been almost half a year, nice to see you again.”
“It’s my pleasure, Your Majesty.”
“There’s nothing special going on these days, right? Have you been well?”
“Yes, thanks to Your Majesty, I’ve been well.”
The Emperor chuckled. ‘He’s still the same.’ In her past life, the Emperor had always been kind to her lacking self. So when he had suddenly died from his health deteriorating, she had a difficult time. ‘He told me to become a good Empress. I wasn’t able to heed his last words. And I’m here today to request something I shouldn’t from him. How angry will he be?’ She inwardly grimaced.
‘But is he ok? His health is probably not that great now, either.’ She searched the Emperor’s face. After he had greeted her, he was conversing with her father. She could feel his tiredness beyond his mild eyes. He wasn’t trying to show it, but from a doctor’s view, she could see his condition wasn’t that well. ‘Just what does he have?’ At the time, the Palace’s Royal Doctor said it was because his blood wasn’t circulating that well, but he wasn’t able to confirm what exactly it was.
Her gaze deepened. ‘If only I could diagnose him, it could be stopped.’ She remembered how the Emperor had suddenly fallen into a coma. ‘I definitely smelled ketones when he fainted. His breathing was faint but fast. It’s confusion derived from acidosis. A diagnosis that explains why he was always tired, and one that could cause high blood pressure. She hunted for clues like the doctor Song Jihyun. ‘It’s definitely a condition I know. What could it be?’
The answer was on the tip of her tongue.