Doctor Elise

Chapter 5

Part 2 An Unfair Bet-1

Finally, the fated day arrived.

Elise put on her dress and got herself ready.

Though she had avoided gaudy clothes, it didn’t mean that she neglected her appearance. A woman’s appearance was both a blade and a shield in situations like this. She gave her best in light of the important conversation she needed to have.

“Will you do it like this?”

“Your makeup is lighter than usual, my lady. Is that okay?”

“Mm, I think it’s better this way.”

Elise had always preferred fancy clothes and thick makeup.

But she shook her head inside. Even putting useless vanity aside, it doesn’t suit me. Just because it’s flashy doesn’t mean it suits me.

She had experienced the advanced makeup of twenty-first-century Earth. She may not have dressed up often, but she knew what complemented her looks best.

“This broach, that necklace, and pearl earrings.”

“Yes, my lady!”

She looked in the mirror after she was ready.

Good. Not bad at all.

Marie spoke up from beside her. “Wow... You look so beautiful, my lady.”

“Is it all right?”

“Yes, you aren’t as glamorous as usual, but you’re still so beautiful. You look elegant as well. I think this suits you better than before.”

Elise gave her a small smile. “Thanks.”

She then picked up the things she had prepared ahead of time and stepped out from the estate.

Marquess de Clarence, who had been waiting, greeted her.

“Are you rea—?”

Just then, the marquess saw his daughter, and his eyes grew big.

“Elise...”

“Yes? What is it, Father?”

Elise blinked her blue eyes.

It wasn’t just Marquess de Clarence either. Her stepmother and Chris, who had come to see them off, both stared at her with round eyes.

“What is it?”

But no one could answer.

“You...”

She was beautiful.

She was always beautiful, but today, she looked as though she had stepped out of a painting.

It wasn’t as though Elise had dressed up in any particularly beautiful way. She had put effort into her makeup and wore a pearl necklace, a jeweled brooch, and a neat white dress, but that was all.

But the neat elegance of her outfit magnified her beauty.

In the past, her fancy dresses had only served to halve her looks, and now, her elegant attire drew attention to her doll-like face and amplified her beauty.

Elise tilted her head. “Is something weird?”

“Ah, no.”

Elise stepped forward and took her father’s hand.

“Let’s go, Father.”

The marquess jumped in surprise and nodded.

“Ahem, y-yes, let’s be off.”

And so the two of them got into the carriage and headed to the imperial palace.

***

With the horse’s hooves clacking, their wagon entered the imperial grounds.

The Britia Empire was the most powerful force in the world, spreading its influence beyond the Isle of Britia and the Western Continent, to the whole of the five oceans and six continents. It was known as the Great Empire Where the Sun Never Sets.

Thus, the imperial palace was grand and luxurious.

Elise briefly looked upon the palace with regret in her eyes.

It’s been a while.

She had spent six years here as empress before she was imprisoned.

Of course, they weren’t good memories for her.

This used to be my whole world.

She turned her gaze away bitterly. She felt crestfallen for some reason, perhaps because of her unhappy memories.

The conversation with His Majesty has to go well.

She closed her eyes to compose herself.

Marquess de Clarence watched her and spoke. “Are you unwell, Elise?”

“No, Father.”

“If so, let me know. Don’t hold back.”

She broke into a smile at her father’s concerned words.

“Father?”

“Mm?”

“What would you do if I did something wrong?”

“Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“Well, say I... made a mistake of some sort...”

Marquess Earl frowned. “Why? What have you done this time?”

Though things had been quiet of late, Elise was a troublemaker who caused no end of problems.

The marquess was firm. “If you do something wrong, you have to face the consequences.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Yes, so tell me now if you’ve been hiding something. I will forgive you if you confess honestly now.”

“I was just asking. I haven’t done anything particularly bad.”

Yet.

Elise let out a deep sigh inwardly.

But I’m about to. I’m sorry. Really.

She had made preparations of a sort, but she was worried about how the emperor would react.

Even if I anger His Majesty, I have to face it head on. Let’s make today the last day I have anything to do with His Imperial Highness.

She looked up again at the sky after reaffirming her determination.

She suddenly remembered her life as a surgeon back on Earth...

The cold air in the operating room, the changing vitals, the red blood.

The breathtaking life-or-death situations!

It was a difficult life, but at least she was happy when she was in the operating room. She missed that tension and the rewarding feeling of saving a life.

Once this is all over...

She would live as a doctor in the empire.

That was, after this was over and she faced the punishment the emperor gave out.

***

“His Imperial Majesty is in the rose garden.”

The imperial chamberlain greeted them.

The rose garden was one of the most beautiful places in the imperial palace. Elise and Marquess Earl entered the garden, which was filled with roses of many different colors.

A short walk later, a marble pavilion appeared next to a small pond. A middle-aged man sat in that elegant pavilion, reading through documents.

Elise took a deep breath.

He exuded a benevolent expression, yet his deep eyes seemed to pierce through everything. He was Minchester de Romanov, the eleventh emperor of Britia and a great leader who had led the empire through its industrialization.

The marquess and Elise gave their formal greetings.

“My greetings, Your Imperial Highness.”

The emperor lowered his documents and turned his gaze to her.

“Welcome, Marquess. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you as well, Elise. Have you been well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need to stand on ceremony. Have a seat. Bring out more tea,” said the emperor in a gentle tone.

Elise sat as carefully as she could in one of the seats in the garden.

“I summoned you because I hadn’t seen you in a long time, Elise. It seems like half a year has passed. It’s good to see you.”

“You’re too kind, Your Majesty.”

“Has anything of note happened? You’ve been well?”

“Yes, all thanks to Your Majesty.”

The emperor gave her a soft smile.

That gentle smile made a lump rise in Elise’s throat.

He hasn’t changed.

Even in her past life, though she was sorely lacking, the emperor had always treated her well.

I took a lot of solace in His Majesty’s kindness here at the palace when I felt painfully isolated.

Perhaps that was why she felt so heartbroken when he suddenly passed away after his chronic illness worsened.

He asked me to be a good empress, but I didn’t honor his last wishes at all. On top of that, I’m here to make a terrible request of him. He’s sure to be very angered.

She felt bitter inside.

I wonder if he’s in good health lately. I’m sure he still has his chronic illness.

She looked over his complexion. After exchanging greetings with her, the emperor engaged in conversation with her father.

There was a deep fatigue behind those kind eyes. Of course, he didn’t show any signs on the outside, but her doctor’s intuition told her that he wasn’t doing well at all.

Just what exactly is he suffering? The imperial physician at the time only said he had poor blood circulation. He couldn’t actually diagnose the condition.

Her gaze deepened.

If only I could accurately diagnose his illness, I could prevent the coming events.

She recalled how the emperor had suddenly fallen into a coma. The crown prince’s political standing at the time hadn’t been solid, and the nation was thrown into chaos when the third imperial prince aimed for the throne himself. If she could cure the emperor of his illness, then she could stop the ensuing chaos.

I could smell ketones from His Majesty when he fell into the coma. His breathing was deep and fast. I’m sure the coma was caused by acidosis, so what could cause lethargy and acidosis?

She pursued the clues as Doctor Jihyun Song.

I’m sure it’s an illness I’ve heard of. What could it be?

The answer seemed to flit just out of reach.