Chapter 7
Some called it a curse from the gods.
Others called it a blessing from the gods.
But this was the first time anyone had called it a ‘disease.’
“I’ve killed and saved all kinds of people over the years, but not a single one ever came looking for me claiming they had a debt from a past life. I don’t believe in reincarnation.”
Lionel’s eyes widened.
“So... does that mean you’re going to let me live instead of killing me?”
Blasion nodded.
“It doesn’t mean I’ll let you live forever. I’ll give you one year.”
His purple eyes fixed on her.
“During that year, find a way for me to die.”
“What if I can’t?”
“Then I suppose I really will have to kill you to keep your mouth shut.”
At that, Lionel asked something Blasion had never expected.
“What are you going to do with all your property after you die?”
“...My property?”
“Yes!”
Lionel’s eyes gleamed.
“You’re incredibly rich, Your Grace. You can’t take any of it with you when you die anyway, so give it all to me.”
She smiled brightly.
“Then I’ll gladly become your personal physician.”
Hadn’t she just said that she was ready to die?
Yet now she was revealing her greed as easily as flipping over her palm?
Lionel spoke confidently, as though she were already the owner of this mansion.
“Your Grace, since things have come to this, I’ll put everything I have into giving you a peaceful death.”
Then she smiled.
“So you should trust me too.”
“You’re clearly overflowing with ambition to swallow this entire estate, yet you can still say something so shamelessly touching.”
“But you’ve already decided to hire me, haven’t you?”
Lionel shrugged.
Now that she had escaped the immediate threat of death, every movement she made seemed relaxed.
“Don’t worry too much, Your Grace.”
Her voice softened.
“I’m sure there must be some reason I ended up in this world.”
Lionel extended her hand.
“So for now, let’s start by trusting each other.”
Then she continued.
“Because...”
Her hand was small.
White.
Ordinary.
Just like the first time he had seen it.
And yet...
If I take this hand, could my true wish really come true?
Somehow, it felt possible.
A baseless hope made his chest ache.
Lionel smiled brightly.
“True treatment begins when the patient and the doctor trust each other!”
At last, Blasion took her small hand.
In the middle of spring, when everything in the world was blooming, he made his declaration.
“Lionel Frencia. From today onward, I appoint you as the personal physician of the Carceido Duchy.”
Lionel immediately answered.
“Thank you, Your Grace. I’ll do my very best for your health and the health of this estate!”
The next morning.
I counted the number of zeroes written on the check one more time.
Just looking at the amount made a foolish grin spread across my face.
My debt was completely paid off now.
And the fact that I was finally independent from the Frencia estate made me even happier.
The only downside to this job is that they serve dried meat and juice for all three meals...
Let’s forget about that for now.
First, I need to organize the situation.
I unfolded a sheet of paper and slowly began writing down everything I remembered about The Flower That Never Falls.
First, the heroine.
By now, she should be training at Cresto Monastery.
But there was never any part in the original novel where someone attacked the Duke’s estate like this.
The main story had basically been about the heroine and the Duke constantly fighting over whether one of them would live or die, with my failed investment, the second male lead, occasionally getting involved.
That had been the main plot.
There were two possibilities.
Either this world was not actually the world of The Flower That Never Falls...
Or my interference had already changed the story so much that the plot was going in a completely different direction.
Either way, what I had to do was clear.
As the Duke’s personal physician, I had to do everything I could to uncover the secret of his immortality.
The most likely method is using the heroine’s bodily fluids or saliva...
But if I use all of my medical knowledge, I should be able to find another way.
In that case...
Why not prevent the heroine and the Duke from ever meeting in the first place?
The Duke could achieve his wish safely.
I could inherit his fortune.
The heroine could become the clergywoman she wanted to be.
Wouldn’t everyone end up happy in their own way?
“...You can do this, Lionel Frencia.”
I clenched my fist.
“Make sure you’re still alive one year from now.”
Once again, I made that promise to myself.
“Shall we start with a medical interview?”
Lionel placed a sheet of paper in front of Blasion.
To any modern office worker, it would have looked familiar.
It was a comprehensive health examination questionnaire.
“Question one. How would you describe your current health condition? Excellent, good, average...”
“Extremely excellent.”
Blasion answered without hesitation.
“I have not suffered from any particular illness in the last 720 years, nor do I have any family medical history.”
He continued calmly.
“Smoking and alcohol are also incapable of harming me.”
The medical interview ended in five seconds.
Lionel awkwardly moved the questionnaire aside.
“Right...”
She cleared her throat.
“Then I’ll listen to your breathing with the stethoscope.”
Lionel put the stethoscope into her ears as she always did.
Then she turned her head.
And froze.
“...I only meant for you to undo a few buttons.”
She stared at Blasion.
“Why did you take your entire shirt off?”
“If you’re going to examine me properly, there shouldn’t be anything getting in the way.”
“Haa...”
As a patient, Blasion’s attitude and answer were actually perfect.
Lionel suddenly remembered the many patients she had treated in the hospital in her previous life.
Most had been perfectly nice people.
But no matter where you went, there were always patients who absolutely refused to listen.
For example...
“Mrs. Kim Bok-sun, you have an ultrasound today. You fasted properly, right?”
“Of course! I thought I was going to die of hunger! Why do you starve an old woman like this?”
“Huh? Why is there something white around your mouth...?”
Lionel narrowed her eyes.
“And there’s a yogurt bottle in the trash!”
“Yogurt isn’t food! You drink it, so it’s fine!”
The old woman proudly added,
“I even drank the strawberries inside!”
That had been Grandma Kim Bok-sun from Room 903, who had nearly made Lionel grab the back of her own neck in frustration.
And then there was another patient.
“I told you that you absolutely have to stop smoking. You’ve been following that properly, right?”
“Of course! I worked really hard to quit!”
“...You didn’t smoke even a single cigarette, right?”
“One cigarette is fine!”
The patient had looked offended.
