Lucia

(2)

TN: Vision = secret manual.

It was now routine for Lucia to take the medicine Anna prepared for her every other day. The maid usually brought it one or two hours after she’d had dinner. Lucia habitually brought the bowl of medicine to her mouth but was surprised and reflexively took it away from her mouth.

“…Vanilla scent?”

She brought the bowl closer to her nose again and took in the smell. There was no doubt. It was scent of vanilla. It was the cure that she couldn’t find in her dream even after putting a lot of effort and time. The wandering doctor she’d miraculously met called it his family’s vision. It was not a medicine that could be found so easily. Lucia called the maid and asked for Anna to be brought to her.

“Anna, today’s medication is different from before.”

“Yes, it’s a new remedy.”

“Is it a method you found?”

“…Yes.”

If Anna replied that she’d received someone else’s advice, Lucia would’ve thought that Anna may’ve met the doctor from her dream. But she couldn’t believe that Anna found it.

“Anna, I’ve studied medicinal herbs for a while because I was interested in them.”

After saying so, Lucia went on to list three different herbs. These herbs all belonged to the side of medicinal herbs with strong composition so they were herbs that should be examined and carefully prescribed according to the constitution of the patient. For a doctor, this knowledge was close to common sense.

“Do you know what happens if you mix these three herbs together and eat it?”

Anna couldn’t grasp the intent behind this abrupt question but she answered truthfully based on her knowledge.

“Those medicinal herbs are herbs that should never be mixed together. Each is different in nature so when taken together, it will act as a poison.”

“Is that so? Then Anna, you brought this medicine to try and feed me poison.”

“What?”

Poison! Anna’s entire body grew rigid as she froze stone-cold. The petite woman in front of her suddenly seemed to change into an enormous steel wall. The Duchess wasn’t one to assert her authority or observe proper decorum with the people under her.

So, Anna had forgotten. She’d forgotten that the Duchess was a grand high-ranking noble that she would never be able to see in her lifetime if it wasn’t for her becoming the primary doctor.

‘Have I done something to offend the Duchess?’

A chill ran down her spine. The life of a doctor who was suspected for attempted poisoning was akin to the life of a candle flame before the wind. Whether it was true or not did not matter. The problem was such a suspicion being made in the first place.

“Did you know this medicine has a vanilla scent?” (Lucia)

“Yes, Milady.”

“Do you know why it has a vanilla scent?”

“…”

“If you mix the three herbs I mention earlier and boil it down, you get the scent of vanilla. You doesn’t seem to know this, Anna.”

“…What?”

“You said it’s a treatment method you found. How can you not know?”

After Lucia’s menstruation re-started because of the cure the wandering doctor gave her in her dream, she became interested in the cure itself. Whenever she went to buy medicinal herbs, she would remember the words telling her that certain herbs mixed together caused huge problems.

Philip’s lonesome expression as he tore the page from the note containing his family’s vision and gave it to her also kept coming to mind. In particular, she was curious about the medicine’s vanilla scent. So, out of curiosity, she began studying medicinal herbs.

Her studies did not measure up to that of a professional’s. She just learnt the type and efficacy of the medicinal herbs in the prescription Philip gave to her. She took the medicinal herbs on the prescription apart piece by piece and repeatedly tested mixtures. Through this, she found that the vanilla scent came from mixing the three herbs that were not commonly mixed together.

Anna’s complexion turned white. Anna did not know what kind of medicinal herbs went into the medicine. The medicine Philip handed over to her was in a finely ground state.

[At least once a month. It should be taken regularly till menstruation begins again. The method of dosage is simple.] (Philip speaking)

[I cannot have a patient take medicine that I don’t know what went into it. The prescription should be given along with the medicine.] (Anna)

[It is our family vision, I cannot reveal this.]

[Philip. I do not doubt your conscience or ability as a doctor. However, this is not an ordinary patient]

[Anna, if so I can personally explain to the patient.]

[That cannot be done. Sir Philip is prohibited from approaching the Madam.]

Anna had been very excited to learn there was a treatment method but while she waited for Philip to make the medicine, a forgotten matter rose to the forefront of her mind. In the past, the butler had said that even if they found cure, it had to be called Anna’s. Even a simple mention of Philip’s existence was not to be made in front of the madam.

[I will not ask what the circumstances are but I cannot let you meet Milady, Philip.]

[…I can stake my neck to assure you. If you are really worried, you can eat some it to test. It is a medicine that has no effect when a normal person takes it.]

[You said it has to be administered long term. A problem could occur when it’s taken long term.]

[Anna, do you think I will make a drug that will harm a patient?]

Anna’s trust for Philip, her conscience as a doctor and her desire for a cure were in fierce conflict inside her mind. She personally took the medicine for a week and watched over her body’s condition for anything odd. While doing this, she received a summon from the Duke.

The Taran Duke usually called Anna about once a week to ask her about how the Duchess’s treatment was going. And Anna’s answer was usually the same.

[I’m looking for a cure.]

The Duke wouldn’t question more and with an answer of ‘Got it’, the discussion was over.

However, this time when she was summoned by the Duke, while in possession of the cure, she felt pressured. She felt a sense of shame that she wasn’t doing her job properly even when she was being paid a huge sum of money to serve as a doctor.

And Anna’s trust in Philip had already occupy a huge spot in her heart so eventually, Anna brought the medicine to the Duchess.

‘This…I did something crazy.’

Only after Lucia questioned the drug’s components did Anna realize. A doctor prescribing an uncertain drug to their patient. Before considering the problem that this patient was the Duchess, it was a fatal error in one’s judgement as doctor.

“I have nothing to say. I am sorry, Milady. Truthfully, It is not my cure. I took the medicine for a week to verify it.”

Lucia sighed, feeling Anna’s anguish and efforts through her words.

“To have consulted about my condition, it must be someone you have great trust in. Who is it?”

“I’m sorry, Milady. I cannot say who it is.”

“Did the person that prescribed the medicine ask not to be revealed?”

When Lucia thought about it, the wandering doctor from her dream wasn’t one to covet credit.

“…”

Since Anna wasn’t allowed to speak of Philip’s existence, she couldn’t give an answer.

“I cannot take this medicine. I cannot trust it. Do you understand?” (Lucia)

“Yes, Milady. I committed a grave mistake.”

“I know you did it because you want to treat me. But do not lie next time.”

“Yes, Milady.”

Lucia was once of the notion that if Anna found a cure, she would not reject it. At the time she was angry with Hugo and her attitude was ‘I-don’t-care-whatever-happens. But when she realized why he didn’t want a child, her mind changed.

He was not ready to be a father at all. If a child was born, it would be a tragedy for everyone involved as well as the new-born child. Lucia did not want to have a child that Hugo did not want. She wanted to have a child that receive much love from his/her father.

Hugo grew up without knowing love from his parents and Lucia spent her childhood neglected by her father. They both experienced lack of normal families. Lucia thought that in order to complete themselves in what they lacked, they needed to perfectly understand each other.

‘Not giving birth to a child could be the happier side.’

There was regret. She was in love with him. She wanted to have a child for the man she loved. But now wasn’t the time.

When she thought back to her tiring life in her dream, it taught her about a lot of things. If not for the dream, she wouldn’t have such huge patience nor would she have been able to see the distant future.