Health Festival Day 3 – Treatment Room (2)

The Rose Palace festival was suspended on the day of the attack. There was no choice since a maid was injured. However, Mirabilis decided to proceed with the rest of the schedule as planned. If the owner of the Rose Palace had been hurt even a little, it would have been a different story, but it was possible because she was perfectly fine.

When Mullaba, presuming Mirabilis’s intentions, subtly suggested, “Shall we stop the festival?” the Princess firmly refused. She reasoned that if only the Rose Palace canceled the event when the other palaces didn’t, the palace staff would be too disappointed, and she herself would be looked down upon.

The Rose Palace staff, who had been anxiously watching the Princess’s lips, were relieved by the decision. They might have pounded their chests in sorrow if they had suffered all the hardships without even enjoying the festival. The atmosphere of the Rose Palace’s third-day festival was a bit awkward, but it gradually returned to normal as time passed.

Of course, Serina had to lie still in a corner of the Rose Palace’s treatment room. Due to the curse on the sword, her blood didn’t stop easily for about a day, even after receiving the dispelling of the curse, so there was nothing she could do. This curse was also just a trivial trick in terms of magic itself. However, it was very useful for those trying to kill someone because it greatly increased the chance of death from excessive bleeding if it hit the right spot before proper measures could be taken.

When Serina was first carried into the treatment room, dark red blood flowed continuously from her exposed flesh without clotting. Mechio, who had been lonely and restless as a fixture of the Rose Palace’s treatment room, immediately sensed the magically cursed wound the moment the injured person came in and became serious.

Without even washing his hands, he tried to undress Serina and stitch the wound by hand, but it wasn’t easy. While the female physician rushed to block the wound, he grabbed a stick with his blood-soaked hands and swept away the remnants of the curse remaining in the wound with his magical power. By the time he washed the wound with alcohol, bandaged it, and suppressed the wound to catch his breath, the physician and female physician were sprawled out, covered in blood as if they had rolled on the ground.

Serina finally came to her senses the next day. She felt a bit dazed from the head trauma, but she had no problem looking at the person and speaking. However, blood was still flowing from the wound, so she had to lie on the bed with her tongue sticking out, tightly bandaged to stop the bleeding.

Mechio shared the honey cookies he had received as a snack with Serina, speaking in a tone that was hard to tell whether it was teasing or admiration.

“Last time you came with burns, and this time you came with a laceration? There have been palace staff who work in the kitchen who have been injured by kitchen knives, but this is the first time a maid has been stabbed. You’re a truly unforgettable Princess, Serina-ssi.”

A sly smile spread across his lips. It wasn’t the duty of a physician to be happy when a patient appeared. However, he openly rejoiced that there was a patient who would be his conversation partner during the Health Examination Festival.

As Serina and Mechio were exchanging words, they suddenly noticed the outside becoming noisy. Mechio got up from his seat and stretched his neck to look out the window, but he couldn’t see anything. As he was craning his neck, the door slid open. The moment he turned his head and looked beyond the door, the Rose Palace physician paled and stepped forward, kneeling down.

“Court Physician Bubongsa Mechio respectfully greets Her Majesty the Empress.”

Nazadilex, the second Empress of Emperor Awigustos. When she nodded to acknowledge his greeting, Mechio carefully got up from his seat and stepped aside. The female physician also stood stiffly next to Mechio. As the Empress moved her feet and entered, Mirabilis followed behind, and others entered one by one.

The Empress had many attendants because she was making an appearance. Although the Rose Palace was still holding the festival and she was visiting the treatment room, so it was supposedly ‘simplified,’ Serina still thought there were a lot of people. It was the first time in nearly a dozen years that the Rose Palace’s small treatment room had become so crowded.

Serina propped herself up on the bed with her hands and tried to stand up, but Nazadilex simply waved her hand and opened her mouth.

“How can I receive greetings from someone who is injured? I grant you permission to lie down.”

“I am deeply grateful for your consideration, Royal Mother.”

As Serina lay back down on the bed, Mirabilis, dressed in black, stood to the right of the Empress. The elegantly tied golden belt stood out even more against the black attire, and the green earrings sparkled. The Princess didn’t speak, but her face showed a worried expression. When her eyes met Serina’s, Mirabilis smiled slightly and nodded her head lightly.

Nazadilex didn’t wear formal attire since she was only briefly visiting the palace where her daughter was the owner. However, even though it was simplified, the dignity she possessed as ‘Empress’ was extraordinary.

The red silk dress with a subtle sheen had black veils attached to the ends of both sleeves, fluttering in the air whenever she moved her arms. Wavy patterns were embroidered on the red silk, making it look as if it was surging and undulating on the Empress’s body. Her waist was cinched with a cord made of black silk embroidered with two silver threads twisted together like lightning bolts. She wore silver earrings with elaborately crafted red jewels at both ends, sparkling brilliantly.

Her once-wavy brown hair was gradually frosting over, and the skin that had been as clean as snow had accumulated the layers of time. However, even though the freshness of youth had disappeared from Nazadilex’s body, a solid beauty still remained and smoldered like embers.

As the two stood side by side, Serina could visually confirm that Mirabilis was indeed the Empress’s daughter. Their eyes, facial lines, and the shape of their noses were truly similar, like mother and daughter.

However, even considering the Empress’s age, the impressions they gave off were very different. It wasn’t because of the intense red dress and accessories she was wearing. It wasn’t because of her green eyes, which were a similar color to Mirabilis’s but slightly lighter, her graying brown hair, or the wrinkles around her eyes that she tried hard to manage but couldn’t hide.

Standing straight with her back and legs stretched out in front of the bed, the Empress exuded an unwavering composure like a straight tree, even though she wasn’t trained in martial arts. Since the Empress refused the chair that Mechio had prepared and remained standing, no one else dared to sit down either.

The Empress’s impression was like a cold sword. Her tightly closed lips conveyed both the firmness of a soldier and the dignity of her position as Empress. A resolute aura that didn’t tolerate anyone approaching her weighed heavily on the surroundings like a mountain. Like a well-honed sword, it seemed that if one carelessly touched it, they would be cut without fail and soaked in hot blood.

Just as Mirabilis was a beauty, the Empress was also a great beauty in her youth. However, one could understand why the Emperor and Empress’s relationship as a couple was just so-so, and why Mirabilis was so lonely, just by seeing her once.

“I heard that you saved my daughter.”

Nazadilex’s language was as cold as power. Her tone was low but assertive, so even though it was a question asking for confirmation, it sounded like a declaration. Serina was almost about to miss the flow of the conversation and felt dizzy.

“I am honored. I only bought some time, and the soldiers were the ones who subdued the culprit.”

Empress Nazadilex’s mouth made a sound of laughter, but her eyes were cold and didn’t warm up at all. Her lips were as red as bloodstains, and her tone was as clear as freshly drawn blood.

Nevertheless, Serina felt an icy coldness in the Empress’s words and felt like shuddering. If even words of praise were so cold, how ruthless would words of condemnation be? Even her expressions and gestures were very restrained, making it extremely difficult to fathom her unspoken intentions.

Serina suddenly thought that the Empress’s attendants must have a hard time. If the previous Mirabilis was a ‘difficult to serve’ superior, the Empress would be a ‘hard to serve’ superior. The two were subtle but different.

“You’re a cheeky girl. But I’ll allow it, you deserve it… Did you say your name is Serina?”

“That is correct.”

When the Empress gestured to the attendant next to her, the attendant, who had been carefully observing her every move, immediately stepped forward with a small wooden box that had been next to her. It was just a small wooden box darkened with resin, without any decorations or writing.

“I bestow this upon you as a reward for the small loyalty you have shown to my daughter.”

As the Empress spoke, the attendant brought the box over Serina’s stomach. When Serina reached out with both hands and respectfully accepted it, the attendant stepped back. Serina was still uneasy even after receiving the box. She didn’t know what it was, but the weight of the box was too light.

Originally, formal gifts bestowed by someone of the Empress’s status were supposed to have the giver’s insignia and decorations on the packaging to convey dignity. However, what Serina received was just a plain wooden box, and even the string that tied the box was just a common rope.

She had been a little excited at the Empress’s words, but she was so disappointed when she received it. Moreover, the Empress only said ‘bestow’ and not ‘grant.’ ‘Bestow’ was a lighter word than ‘grant.’ Handing it over through an attendant’s hand instead of giving it directly was also less formal.

However, as a maid, she couldn’t dare to show her emotions in front of the Empress. She trembled even more because it felt like her cool green eyes were looking into her heart. Serina calmed herself and respectfully expressed her gratitude to the Empress.

As the Empress was about to leave, Mirabilis lightly greeted, “Please take care on your way back. I will not go far.” The Empress left like a storm, not staying long as if she had suddenly appeared unexpectedly. Seeing the dumbfounded Serina, Mirabilis gave an embarrassed smile.

“I’m sorry, Royal Mother’s personality is originally like that, so don’t take it to heart.”

Then, she turned her head towards Mechio.

“Mechio, I’m sorry, but please excuse us so that I can talk to Serina comfortably.”

Serina thought the Princess had changed. To start a sentence with “I’m sorry, but” to a subordinate. But surprisingly, Mechio didn’t answer that he would do so right away. His gestures were hesitant as if he thought it was really difficult, but his mouth had no hesitation.

“I also want to follow your orders… but Princess, the female physician will have to change the bandage on the wound soon.”

“Is that so? If it’s not too difficult, I’ll do it this time.”

Mechio doubted whether the Princess could properly treat it, but since she was going this far, he couldn’t say no. He took out the medicine and alcohol used to disinfect the wound, as well as clean bandages, directly from the medicine cabinet and explained how to use the medicine and how to bandage it.

“If you think it’s absolutely impossible, the female physician and I will be waiting in the next room, so please call us right away.”

When Mirabilis nodded, saying, “I understand,” he quietly left the treatment room with the female physician. Silence returned to the space. The clear autumn sunlight poured in through the window, licking the floor in a fan shape, and the jars full of medicine in the medicine cabinet exuded a pungent medicinal smell.

Outside the window, there was a commotion full of people enjoying games as if they were boiling with excitement, but a strange silence lingered between the two. In the pungent scent of medicine that brushed the tip of her nose, Mirabilis placed a chair near the bed and sat down, quietly taking Serina’s hand. She didn’t say anything for a while, just caressing the maid’s hand and trying to feel the texture of her skin.

“I’ve been so indebted to you, but I haven’t even properly greeted you. I only realized it belatedly after you were hurt and deeply regretted it. So, I won’t do that anymore.”

Mirabilis’s voice was warm and kind without hesitation.

“Thank you.”

This was the first time she had heard such a direct “Thank you” from the ‘fake’ one. It was also the first time she had directly held her hand. The Princess’s eyes were filled with a gentle expression like a stream submerged in the shade of a mountain, and they were moist with a deep green color.

Mirabilis carefully lifted Serina’s hand with sincerity and slowly lowered her head. Hair that sparkled like golden fish scales in the clear autumn sunlight flowed down onto the bed. Her thin lips, stained red, gently landed on the back of the maid’s hand and kissed it.

From the soft touch and breath of her lips touching the back of her hand, the warm gaze looking at her, and the sincere expression, she felt the presence of her ‘younger sibling’ in the background, so Serina slightly turned her gaze away. Even though she was already familiar with the sensation of her lips, her heart fluttered and pounded strangely, so she couldn’t bear to look at her face properly.