Salvation Equation - Chapter 29. Changed Situations

Madeline was sure he heard her. However, the man didn’t budge at all. He remained silent for a long time. The words uttered after the silence were a little aggressive.

 

“Did you go crazy out of pity?”

 

“… No.”

 

He lowered his head.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t take the chance you gave.”

 

Madeline smiled warmly when she heard those words. It was a warm smile that could melt anyone’s heart if they saw it.

 

It was not long before she lowered her head too. She put her forehead gently on Ian’s hand.

 

“Then, may I say one more thing?” (Madeline)

 

“…….”

 

There was only the sound of their breath and heartbeats in the endless silence.

 

“Will you marry me?” (Madeline)

 

I want to take responsibility. For you.

 

Madeline said those words without looking the man in the eye. Her cheek rested on the back of the man’s rough hand and her eyes were closed. Only the sound of the pulse on Ian’s wrist could be heard.

 

“I’m broken.” (Ian)

 

“But you can still live.” (Madeline)

 

She answered without a hitch.

 

The man was broken. But he could still live with it. That’s how people live. Embrace the wound and move forward.

 

Madeline did not interpret the man’s silence as a yes. Instead, she raised her head and made eye contact. She saw Ian Nottingham with tears flowing down. He was crying silently.

 

The shadow of death hung around his eyes. Tears poorly streaming down his cheeks. A masculine face.

 

She caressed the man’s scarred cheek carefully. Ian placed his hand on hers.

 

“I won’t ask you if you’re proposing because you love me.” (Ian)

 

Because I can devour even the crumbs of your sympathy like a hungry beast. Ian gave a twisted smile.

 

“As long as you continue to sympathize with me.” (Ian)

 

Feel sorry for me. Pity me. The man’s small voice grabbed Madeline’s heart. It tightened with guilt.

 

* * *

 

The answer to the proposal was eventually put off.

 

Maybe I’m making a terrible mistake again. Madeline blamed herself impulsively. But that didn’t mean she regretted it.

 

‘Until I hear your answer…This time, it’s my turn to wait.’

 

That’s how she left the study. Suddenly there was a shadow before her. Surprised, her body pulled back, but the man in front of her was faster.

 

Eric helped Madeline as she was about to fall. He, too, looked at Madeline with his eyes wide open as if surprised.

 

“Madeline.”

 

“Eric.”

 

Madeline carefully slipped out of the man’s arms. He was too close.

 

“…What a coincidence. I came up here to talk to my brother….”

 

He scratched his head with one hand and let out a big laugh.

 

“Ah… I… Well…”

 

The fact that Madeline had left his brother’s room in the middle of the quiet night didn’t seem to bother Eric at all.

 

“You seem to be very worried about my brother’s condition. Madeline.”

 

The smile on the corner of Eric’s lips disappeared in an instant. The eyes of the man who spoke those words were darker than usual.

 

Madeline pulled the corners of her mouth awkwardly. Eric sighed as he nodded lightly.

 

“…. You didn’t do anything wrong. Such excessive sense of debt ….” (Eric)

 

He suddenly glanced at the door and lowered his voice.

 

“I meant that, you don’t have to feel guilty about my brother. What could we do about the war? Besides, you aren’t related to him in any way. You aren’t his fiancée nor his marriage partner.”

 

Madeline’s raised lips stiffened on the spot. It felt like cold water was spilled all over her body.

 

“….. Yes.”

 

Madeline nodded and left. Behind her, Eric Nottingham could be heard knocking on the door of the study.

 

“Brother. It’s me.”

 

* * *

 

Eric has never surpassed his older brother in his life. Everything good belonged to the eldest son.

 

He didn’t feel that unfair or uncomfortable about the fact. Britain’s primogeniture was nonsense. Indeed, Ian Nottingham, whom he has been watching closely, was the epitome of a good gentleman.

 

Composure, manliness, an extraordinary business mind. Looking at his older brother, who could do trickery gracefully, he was more suited to play the role of a clown.

 

But things had changed.

 

“What a bastard. I am.”

 

Eric lit his cigarette. He was in a place far from the hospital. The hills and wilderness lay before him.

 

He remembered when he saw his brother again.

 

Ian was like a mountain that was thought to be strong forever appeared half destroyed. Ian Nottingham, limping and trembling at every touch of a person.

 

It was strange. It was hard to accept.

 

He wanted to deny it. His brother wasn’t like that. Like that. Like…..

 

“It’s always better to live than die. It was a good thing he came back.”

 

He said it out loud, but he wasn’t confident about it.

 

* * *

 

Madeline changed the patient’s bandage. Why was her heart pounding lightly as she looked at a patient who was noticeably improving? She didn’t know. Will she finally realize the true meaning of the Nightingale Declaration?

 

“Ahem.”

 

Arlington coughed in the back and Madeline quickly completed the treatment. Indeed, there was no time to be lost in thought.

 

A little later, there’s going to be a tennis match hosted by the hospital.

 

It was the hospital’s policy to allow patients to exercise as much as possible during their breaks. Therefore, it was always possible to see patients taking a walk or exercising in the surroundings.

 

This time, the competition was held with a small prize money to boost the atmosphere.

 

“Doctor, nurse. Will you be cheering for me in the game later?”

 

The patient whose bandages were changed shouted boastfully.

 

“No, you’re not allowed to participate.”

 

Arlington dismissed the idea coldly. But there was a bit of loving nag mixed in his words.

 

“Why, I’m telling you. Back in the day, I was a martial arts champion!”

 

“Martial arts and tennis are two different things.”

 

Madeline couldn’t resist smiling. Arlington glared at the patient.

 

“Sports. Is. prohibited. No tennis rackets.”

 

Arlington turned around immediately and went to the next patient. Madeline shrugged her shoulders.

 

The next patient was John. He was losing steam. The idea that his family abandoned him gradually spread to depression.

 

But today he was on the lively side. He looked at Arlington and Madeline and made a statement.

 

“You two make a good-looking couple.”

 

“…….”

 

Madeline frowned and scolded him silently. It was inappropriate to tie two people together just because they were working as a man and a woman.

 

But Arlington did not refute anything. Instead, he looked at John’s body first.

 

“How are your memories?”

 

“Well. I wonder what the ‘Burned Man’ will do with his memories after he recovers them.”

 

“Please don’t say that.”

 

Madeline frowned even more.

 

‘Burned Man’ was John’s nickname that was circling among the patients. He was an airplane pilot. I heard that the engine caught fire while he was operating the plane and he got burned. He pulled his gun to kill himself, but he lost his gun and just like that, the plane caught fire.

 

The rumor grew more elaborate and out of control, but John didn’t seem to care. But today, he didn’t seem to be very indifferent.

 

“Sir, if you remember anything, please feel free to tell us.”

 

Arlington calmly said. He put his notebook back in his pocket. And it was then.

 

“Ahhhhh!”

 

There was a loud noise in the hospital room. Turning to the direction of the sound, a man with a knife stood.

 

A man with a knife. Madeline’s thoughts stopped. Where did the knife come from and who was the man?

 

Ah. She remembered. Madeline remembered his name. Corporal David Kramer. He’s from Wessex… . But something happened without even having time to organize het thoughts.

 

“Ah!!”

 

Suddenly the man began to scream. Then, he raised his arm to stab himself. Madeline’s body moved first. The instinct to stop the man took precedence over reason. David paused for a moment as she rushed in.

 

And it was then. Arlington quickly pushed Madeline, then grabbed the man’s arm with a formidable grip. The knife flew out and fell on the floor. Tak, Tak.. There was a falling sound.

 

Arlington overpowered the trembling man who lost the knife.

 

“Where did he get the knife?”

 

Arlington coldly muttered. The man quivered and muttered repeatedly. Arlington frowned.

 

“He smells of alcohol.”

 

“…. I…. I… will… leave….. this place…..”

 

The other employees who belatedly ran forward took the man. Arlington picked up the knife that fell on the floor.

 

Madeline pulled herself together and approached him.

 

“…. Are you okay?”

 

“I’m all right. By the way, don’t lunge forward at someone holding a knife like that.”

 

He asserted. Madeline cleaned up the surroundings with trembling hands. Arlington sighed irritably as he looked back at the buzzing patients. Damn it. Someone brought a drink into the hospital.

 

“…How cool. Doctor. Did you learn in the army?”

 

Only John, who was lying on his bed and watching the whole scene, made idle talk. Arlington looked at him. It was a look asking whether this situation looked like a joke.

 

When Arlington disappeared with angry steps, Madeline, who was left alone, checked each patient. But her fingers were still shaking.

 

*****