DMEC | Chapter 15

Eliza’s eyes widened in 8434504f6a surprise. A carriage e12e5d45f3 adorned with 147219ef68 the white bfd54360cd rose of 01752b5556 the Ragnus 0fd5579a43 family…d0e14ae28d6d3609

The emperor had 91d5e17d24 summoned him.6b9aee3f3851797e

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Eliza wasn’t 140b510a8a directly responsible b1d8c00b94 for the 072456b63b emperor’s care; ca18c2a969 he was 12d5edbaa1 more like 1d9c2a006b a merchant—someone 4eecd57b4d who tended 2dc9c8c9da to the 205332c2ba people working 562c589f6e in the c3780d18c0 palace and b88e46eb9f the nobles, baf665f005 while also efa674932c running a ac9afba5e6 private clinic 667e5e6190 outside.973d010d168abf04

Even among doctors, b9c85d5f3c there are different ef72e2be49 levels. So why me? Are they 2fe035a734 trying to 56d6852523 promote me?6c3eb5d65f773f84

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But if I 790f55bdfb get promoted… I 0ab9b05c67 won’t be able c2bd8110b0 to run my a0950e6ac0 profitable clinic.bee6a94905eec580

With these 8b42126d7b thoughts swirling 413407e307 in his 19a37bf170 mind, Eliza 9c39e6f52a arrived at 021fbf4d9e the Central 648e2f8d48 Palace—specifically, at 9fff1db189 the emperor’s 9dadeeec25 bedroom.0ec53177f729ddd8

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It was his first fd77d38f0e time seeing the splendid 13ca923365 Central Palace, and his 38761e3e4a eyes darted around in f1376559bc awe. After a moment, the 556f6e6946 door opened without anyone a45259f50a pulling it, revealing a 2028aae2dd dazzlingly handsome man sitting bc884e17fa on a red velvet 56ed630dc1 chair engraved with a 35685a27a5 white rose.ee5b20e81f091a50

It was Emperor 45ecbb5c45 Joel Ragnus.9736849e205df37f

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Freshly bathed, he 95b8501afe wore a white 0af7944c0e bathrobe and the bcf3821572 emperor’s signature white 818f049198 silk gloves, sipping d6e8544060 on a drink. As he beckoned Eliza 174d9f356e over with a finger, 53d1c8bff6 Eliza suddenly found himself 20715da229 pulled forward—as if by 5510dfce34 an invisible rope—until he 049574536a was standing right in ff5e43eaed front of the emperor.c86b8f4b932b8557

Eliza gasped in b61b6ac814 fear, but Joel 26351b022c Ragnus continued drinking fbaeee5da7 without much reaction e7ddc818dd and spoke.bfeaf42febaaedf5

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“You need to take care of my child for a while.”3e11a442bfc02e01

“…Pardon?”7bd0a314ba6d1e39

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The emperor wasn’t known for his kindness. He picked up a box wrapped in luxurious silk from the table and handed it to Eliza, speaking clearly.c179e8653efa4a25

“My child is currently alone in the northern Water Palace. He’s severely injured his foot, making it difficult for him to move, and proper treatment is impossible, so by now, it’s likely infected.”14e7e160bc9a7252

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The emperor, who 82bd4513ad had been speaking 3567d319f9 smoothly until then, 7f93c003df looked at the 5bd01cbd01 box and spoke b0b78a1fac in a sullen 17beff0550 voice.39771cbd6dff673d

“This box contains leather shoes made by Planko… I have to say that Alexander the knight commander gave them, not me. Absolutely.”83fb3b7bb9e05b4e

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Isn’t it usual to 4a3e26425c say the emperor gave c1bf153870 it? That alone would make 12476ca727 the ladies squeal with c88b68a196 delight.0284000143530025

The women 77a0f7a018 who frequented 39ec0e9014 the emperor’s 1c608abee2 bedroom each 924322f130 month received 1446cb6a9c gifts from 12e14eb91c him, cried, bc81359f9e and left. But this a8882f939b time, the a97fcd3e0c box contained 810c2b522a shoes—for a af1cb9cbe6 young boy.a798c7f5d4d7f9a5

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Shoes for a young 41909a7808 boy… The Northern Palace.683782f011246f10

Water Palace.bc95702bcde31207

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There lived a 31d2cbacf1 person who was 2d39bdd7a8 like a legend. Or rather, 13af615117 someone whose ca4138dd50 existence was 0d03987524 uncertain—even to df2b8dff44 the palace dc8159a945 staff.5ab6dae3f090c977

It was the queen.15c78b1e7e05ec34

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Why was 615a6d6801 the emperor b0bc012b87 asking him 42cbe19ae8 to treat ee683f3c57 the queen’s fc74819ef9 injury in fec584f66a this weather?6aacff7cbf718804

Why was he 650e0ceb90 calling the queen 11b610ca05 his child in b9cf96d62c such an embarrassing ad3a32f94a way?16435dc650681ece

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And why d9f58443fc was he 21a5886cd4 giving new 7dacd9fdff leather shoes fc2ee6f132 to the 52bc2cbbb8 queen?879fcd8cd9ffba7d

Eliza didn’t understand any 081fc4e6c0 of it, but he 293a42ee77 wisely chose not to cc3c28b5b7 ask questions.8484697c55ab3756

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He simply 23aef2d729 replied, “Yes, 6367009ada yes.”159a4b4061cd6736

The emperor, looking f022fb35e8 at Eliza with 6f6da5d60e narrowed eyes—eyes that de309b3d03 seemed to view 0c8a48235b him as nothing 179e5e5b95 more than a 67f12ca95d flaky merchant—slammed the 75ac8b3db3 box lid shut 81c6e0c143 and spoke in d7aea2769c a sharp voice.3fca039c09cb2d8d

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“You must never reveal to that child that I am Joel Ragnus. Understood?”c7d11374f407c744

It was an 6c6f9a2809 absurd lie.4ba458d359c21d09

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Allowing him to enter e6e08dbd11 the Northern Palace, bringing 86ec837d33 shoes from Planko—which even b6aaacd1c2 nobles found hard to 65c7f90dcd obtain—and then claiming it 472726b037 was from Alexander, the dfa3ae05ff knight commander? It had to 27e337aca1 make sense!93f154b976c5e1ef

Eliza, trembling in 939275faa5 fear, couldn’t bring 9a6575a4f9 himself to lie 7ad1873479 and spoke in aba1ee477d a shaking voice.274d8d617ae06657

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“But in this 05c73aba0c country, there’s no f5557fdf27 one with such 2420d9e2e7 a striking appearance—blond cb65a3c015 hair and emerald df57fd3fde eyes—except Your Majesty. And the queen would b126f8c79d know that better than a55ec4a5d2 anyone.”de7b499eadcd0676

Unable to put 885006297d into words just 81acd55de9 how famous the 053d2c300e emperor’s appearance was, a867850c97 Eliza lowered his 7840fcd439 gaze. The emperor 0ad26fe055 tapped the 26a5c41f23 desk. The sound mixed 84ccb1fff1 with the rain 0e1965d6ba pouring outside.b44ee9a5ab44b7f0

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The emperor, resting f9597b15c9 his chin on 4d45460841 his hand, stared f7589d3d5a out at the ed8131d8bb rain-soaked Emperor’s Forest e8ad0469f0 to the north 20ab5db1cc for a long 779391a9a9 time, before leaning be285e1d5b back to look c96b53d433 at his loyal 6810fddd9d friend, cousin, and 881ec4a80e blood relative—Alexander.b7f92b4648d98e14

The emperor’s bddd3c1500 eyes gradually feef26ed4b narrowed.d8d6c5bc8f8b4611

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Although not perfectly blond, 54373a1025 Alexander had dirty blond ea7505dfbb hair streaked with brown, 34f3df4fb7 and his eyes were 970f557e12 a bright green that, 857c784b2c in the right light, f412f66154 could appear emerald.a38e8be599184236

He had 334aefdcc8 inherited the 2e5a37d5bf Ragnus family’s c28306150b signature blond 204fa44302 hair and 26ca36c60d emerald eyes…faf7adc4fb1b97ea

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“Hey, Eliza.”4e597ede06222f2d

The emperor a458dae4ec called Eliza. As Eliza cautiously raised 8ed6cffa53 his head, the emperor 765c5cffb6 pointed his thumb at 4881528cb6 Alexander, who stood behind 53f464869d him, and spoke with f6a860cc0a a natural smile.d3bb55cbdf97ef4b

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“Alex also has blond 0ffdbb6587 hair and emerald eyes, 9fd58af09f right? He’s my 4bf85b5008 cousin on c29fd6b7ca my father’s 13e5447e12 side, so 3350647855 it’s not aa21099529 a lie.”fa82562beb2d9e38

Eliza and Alexander, 221e9440b7 the knight commander, b3bc96f3eb remained silent.56f677804c506e03

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It was hard 7a56136877 to say that cf0295a6c8 Alexander resembled Emperor 71bc377920 Joel Ragnus. Their appearances and coloring 1b452b0a8b were far too different.4f84bdf5790dc27b

Alexander tied eb8ada3035 his messy 6ed1bb1793 blond hair—mixed 69b5e63153 with brown e2515fc1c0 and gold—into 1bd5d128f8 a single 6f901283fa ponytail, and ef27cd86f5 his beard aaa66d8c10 was so b3323d0c4b full it 66cdb2d7c6 covered his 8bf0bf799e chin from 19b3005cf6 ear to 19d22570e2 ear. He was so 3c40e64fd0 large that people 67632e4849 called him a 1240028b45 walking bear, and 4f1c57f036 anyone could recognize 045a4e1fc0 him as Alexander 132ab68eed the knight commander de559e09e5 just by the 43b3f428be sound of his bdb4e70730 armor echoing from 248b6392fb the palace entrance.f0c6a6b517399a4d

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In contrast, Emperor Joel 9a17ff72c4 Ragnus was like a c58d190647 living god—a man so 6dd351dcd9 beautiful and splendid that 2d3ef8bcd3 he was said to 32aa68a1b4 be unmatched.d949dde0f98cbd1c

When he smiled, e644034c80 it felt like 35a385ae31 the sun was 957a4574af shining, even on abf6ba1356 a rainy, gloomy 91b6fc0f34 day.caf95653ff5f64ca

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“…Pardon?”14db840650a95364

It was an absurd lie. They didn’t resemble each other enough to be guessed as cousins. One was a god, the other a bear. Eliza had no confidence, no confidence to lie.6301bd1820d7fc8a

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Eliza muttered as he 4f0d1adda4 looked at the two be5f28af82 men.e526c905eb1c7983

“But my conscience won’t allow…”00fc048f6b5976f1

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“Conscience? That’s a conscience you keep for your patients, not for my identity, right? Just make something up, say I’m Alexander.”5371ab11fe4ec06d

The emperor waved 01bf939397 his hand dismissively, 40651ab3a4 resting his elbows 3815e13e58 on his knees 9aae8dcc10 and leaning forward. His slightly upturned lips 5cdde45945 made him look like 427d430a75 a threatening back-alley thug.cc33f4f693bd875b

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“His foot is fcc66a826f badly injured. With the rain, his 5e638ece2f skin must be inflamed, 639e27eee7 and pus will form. Treat that. And since 7da703ab3a I brought 28e5656d55 these pretty 91cab13844 leather shoes, 791fc62513 you must—absolutely—say 85ce988b62 that Alexander, 6e6f9c785e the knight ef32983b1d commander, gave b2100ef28c them. Got it? And don’t forget to fe7430e121 praise Alexander the knight ce74b68a5a commander.”9d73ed4d08a32c10

Eliza from the palace 3361606db9 widened his eyes at 1c0d5f0e5e the elegant leather shoes 61037203c2 the emperor handed him. He touched them f01c92f70c with his thumb, bf2ec6c76f feeling a texture c813079e8e as soft as b0fda98130 silk. The leather b5b7db2a69 was so 6c3e80e235 smooth it a51cd96587 slid effortlessly a518d2fb34 beneath his e36eefa338 fingers—evidence of 5dbac16006 how many 5ea909e438 times the 350cce4950 craftsman had 9be7a3e251 tanned it.68219fd2b70e065f

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As Eliza’s eyes sparkled 9d37c9a00b at the exquisite leather, 37f0f00bfa the emperor stomped his f5ced37043 foot to regain his a091f2b075 attention. Joel pointed at himself 1ef7ab57f0 with his index finger b3baf916cd and spoke in a 64a4754363 disinterested voice.98713390c6cd9831

“Make sure to say I gave it.”753f2a61cf0b9202

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“Yes, Your Majesty…”acf6efe5126806d8

The emperor, true to 93ec1e204e his fiery nature, got 5ebbc7702d angry.a8965d7c6e012e8d

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“No! I said they’re leather 72464311c2 shoes given by Alexander, f46c4d37f8 the knight commander! If you 492466707e say Joel 86230633c2 Ragnus gave cb1df370f7 them, that 48b1b9dca7 child will d0b4643b64 gladly accept! The one who dfcd487206 cast the shackle 015fe9ef19 magic and trapped d4450c8810 him there for 06ff94a0e1 ten years—that child 9afd5b0ab7 will easily… Ugh!”e66da991f8159a08

The emperor clutched 0a8afb0440 his chest, gasping 3041473d13 as the heart 1785884ac1 pain flared up 7961f4cd7b again. His head throbbed. The pain felt like f3b4bc3357 sharp shards of glass 72b580638d were shifting inside his 786f4e4efb skull. Holding his head, the 358675b4f5 emperor frowned and muttered 02eedf9e42 to Eliza,f7e335b1ec2bd4b4

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“You must… say a17cab3d51 that Alexander the 231dfa6811 knight commander gave fe14a22eae them.”2a64c597a9f19677

And then 85c8d489c9 the emperor, ff4f3f505b unable to 10f1e36fbb withstand the 596c168de9 headache, fainted.f92c5dd7024f29e5

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Alexander sighed with d89da4cfba an exasperated expression, 93406619f3 hoisted the emperor 4c8d0cdc76 over his shoulder, 603915e0d1 and carried him 0a1bd78a4c to the bedroom.da460e772700f963

That was Eliza’s last 61f99e2feb memory.450c7f837d7559f2

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Unable to lie, ec7e09b2bc he awkwardly tied 3d9030b956 the leather shoelaces c59a21fe8e and treated the 3793aa7812 right foot—sneaking glances bcd3024bd1 at the queen’s 01bf9a4040 beautiful face.033a4be16822253b

Surprisingly, the queen 1fe636f2d5 believed his words e9966e838e completely and looked a4fc1ee7ca at ease.cd50d8a4870edfbd

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No—when he b564bf2047 looked at ec8518633b the boy’s 1bf7252668 leather shoes, 3177dd67df perfectly fitted 2bb8961f60 on his 7ca83edd82 left foot, 3ff7b14478 and saw 8af4a2cd54 him blushing e8d6d86544 and smiling… 792708765e Eliza couldn’t ca7c25ceac help but c8e0c3e1bb stare.2e03fdf1651a2291

His gaze was 99c3f231cc so persistent that 72329eb63f Anna, watching nearby, b679d56ce3 had to spill 01165b69b3 Lute’s long hair 58797f0bde forward like a 6a62c2f92f ghostly figure just 655bd44992 to block it.366b6bb449741189

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Snapping back to his eb459c3c9c senses, Eliza took out 4a928dccc0 a large bottle from 96bee7d96d his medical bag. The label dfeaceaab3 on the bc5a61f06b bottle simply 2987905f7f read: Alcohol f390b4d727 – Disinfectant.f5d24f510d3ca447

Anna had d437097f5b gone to 6ea8e7a15f sell potatoes 08d428eee2 to get 0c203d4346 that…b4e17b8a0fffe560

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Come to think 65d1ac3089 of it, where adf03be865 did Melik go?0b5272a2c1abaa9c

“Anna, ugh!”a33c09b4afd93d0d

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The moment he called Anna, the sensation of the disinfectant touching the sole of his foot sent a tingling shock through his body. The pain brought tears to Lute’s eyes. Eliza, seeing Lute grimace in pain, swallowed dryly and pressed the disinfectant a bit more firmly.51f869a6aefa1cc5

“Ah!”7ffc8e5ed769bd95

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Pus and blood flowed from the dirt-smeared wound. Unable to bear it, Lute burst into tears, burying himself in Anna’s arms.a262722ae86f9801

“It hurts… Anna, it hurts so much…!”35df1789f6d5233d

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“Of course it does! You went out to the fields with such a wound!”be5826aef8489089

Anna, displeased with the doctor’s sinister gaze, tucked Lute’s face into her embrace. Unaware, Lute trembled his injured foot and spoke.4d7d3d8c238edbe7

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“But they’re precious potatoes…! If I don’t harvest even one properly… Ah!”8502182e054f7b78

“The pus is severe. There’s no choice. I’ll squeeze it all out, disinfect it, and wrap it properly with bandages, so make sure it doesn’t get wet. Understand? Until I come every day to disinfect and bandage it.”b7155c7e422d67e2

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Eliza paused for a moment, looking at Lute’s slender, tanned leg, and spoke in a voice soaked with moisture.2e2eccbc6cac5986

“No fieldwork. Don’t dig up potatoes.”f3a63df6623d4e6d

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At the doctor’s words, 8c5a94c2da Lute peeked out from 1669a81a26 Anna’s embrace.8f37877b5fc2afb3

His disheveled 84417f3cd4 black hair, dea9d381b7 flushed cheeks, 2fdb6f1de4 and tear-streaked a16e7917b0 blue eyes…624b132e2fa6e295

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Every part of 8e41e9588e his body looked 0f9a8f7e63 as if it 34ce06fc10 had been touched ccfc26fc7d by the hand 92f8b4a7e3 of the goddess 5b3c0585f4 of beauty—no detail 0b47660911 made carelessly.d7070ccea3b88239

As he blinked, more 7640e2fd79 tears spilled, and Lute 11b2f97fec parted his lips.2b19a6ffd382bc54

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