Doctor Elise

Chapter 9

Part 2 An Unfair Bet-5

Diabetes mellitus.

The emperor’s chronic illness was definitely diabetes!

He didn’t receive treatment, so his blood sugar continued to rise, and once his blood sugar level exceeded one thousand, he developed acidosis.

Diabetic coma. In medical terms, diabetic ketonemia (DKA)!

It was considered to be an emergency, even in modern times. Emergency treatment would save a patient, but it would have been difficult with the current medical situation of the Britia Empire.

I can’t cure him of his diabetes, but with a bit of care, I should be able to keep him from falling into a coma. How do I bring it up though?

She hesitated.

On modern Earth, she could have just said that he should get checked for diabetes, but things were different here.

There’s the general idea of diabetes, but it’s not widely known, and most importantly, will he even believe me when I’m not a doctor?

That was the biggest hurdle.

That was when the emperor asked in a puzzled voice, “Why did you ask those things?”

“Well...”

“Go on. You can speak comfortably.”

In the end, she cautiously opened her mouth.

I don’t know how he’ll accept it, but.

She couldn’t just sit idly by and pretend not to notice his illness growing worse. If it was diabetes, then a simple dietary adjustment would bring about a great improvement.

“I saw a disease with similar symptoms in a book I read recently.”

“Hmm, you read a book of medicine?”

The emperor looked surprised.

Medical books were different from typical novels. As specialized tomes, they were impossible to understand without relevant knowledge, and she had read one?

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I see. What disease did you see in that book?”

“I don’t remember the exact name, but I saw that if there was a high concentration of sugar in the blood, one could expect to see similar symptoms to Your Majesty’s.”

“Sugar? Do you mean the sugar in desserts?”

“Yes. Though it’s necessary for our bodies, the book said that an abnormally high concentration could result in similar symptoms to Your Majesty’s.”

“Hmm...”

The emperor stroked his chin. It didn’t look as though he was ready to believe her immediately.

For starters, the concept of diabetes itself wasn’t widely known, and more importantly, even the imperial physician hadn’t been able to get a grasp on what the emperor’s chronic illness was.

There was no way that a young girl with no medical knowledge could diagnose such a difficult disease in one shot.

“I will discuss this with Viscount Van.”

It didn’t seem like she had made things up though, so the emperor agreed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Elise bowed her head.

Viscount Van was the imperial physician.

Viscount Van is an outstanding doctor, so I’m sure he’ll be able to diagnose His Majesty’s diabetes with these clues.

It was still an unfamiliar concept, though, so it was likely that Viscount Van hadn’t connected the dots between the emperor’s symptoms and diabetes yet. Still, as the empire’s foremost medical expert, he was sure to have some knowledge of diabetes. He would certainly be able to diagnose the diabetes with this hint.

Once he makes the diagnosis and the emperor changes some of his habits, we’ll be able to stop the worst-case scenario of his coma from happening. That was the conclusion she came to.

However, there was one thing Elise hadn’t thought of, and that was how much attention this situation would draw to her.

“Anyhow, you’ve surprised me quite a bit today. You can even read medical books that the average person has difficulty understanding. Truly incredible.”

“You flatter me.”

“No, what I’ve seen of you today has been incredible, and my heart feels very content.”

The emperor gazed at her with satisfaction.

“Do you know why I summoned you here today?”

“I... am afraid I don’t.”

“It was to take another look at you before making my final decision on whether to choose you as Linden’s bride. Though I had already decided in my heart, I still had some concerns. However, you have shaken them all off today. There isn’t one iota of doubt that you are perfectly suited to be his wife. Do you not agree, Marquess?”

Elise grew pale.

No!

That wasn’t her intention at all! She had come to break off the engagement, but it seemed that the emperor had only judged her to be perfect.

Meanwhile, the marquess smiled happily, completely unaware of his daughter’s dilemma.

“Thank you for looking so kindly upon her, Your Majesty.”

“F-Father...”

Elise searched the emperor’s face with a troubled expression on her own.

He was watching her with eyes full of affection, as though she had already become his daughter-in-law.

What about the crown prince?

She searched the crown prince’s face as well.

His face was still expressionless as ever. She couldn’t discern his feelings, just like in her past life.

The moment she saw his blank expression, she made her decision.

She couldn’t put it off any longer—for herself, her family, and for the crown prince as well.

I’m sure he’ll be very angry. However...

She opened her mouth. “Your Majesty, I actually have something to say.”

“What is it? You may say anything you like.” The emperor continued to use his gentle voice as he asked.

Elise gulped. “My sincerest apologies for this. However...”

She spoke directly, just as she would cut into a patient’s abdomen with a scalpel. “Please reconsider my engagement to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.”

Silence descended.

Everyone turned to stare at Elise.

“What are you talking about, Elise?” asked Marquess Earl in a voice more perplexed than surprised. It was so unexpected from her that he didn’t seem to be able to make any sense of it.

“Yes, I’m not following you either, young lady. What do you mean by ‘reconsider’?”

“Exactly as I said, Your Majesty. Please consider our engagement to never have happened.”

Everyone in the area froze.

Marquess Earl spoke in a trembling voice. “You, you...! Elise! What kind of nonsense is this?!” A voice mixed with shock and anger.

It wasn’t surprising. She had requested the engagement, and now she was asking him to take it back?

Marriage wasn’t child’s play, and her partner was the imperial crown prince.

“Just a moment, Marquess. Let me ask. Lady Elise, do you understand what it is you’re saying?” asked the emperor.

His voice remained gentle, yet Elise dropped to her knees and bowed her head as though she had committed a grave crime.

“I know. I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty. I accept any punishment you give for causing harm to the dignity of the imperial family.”

“Aha.” The emperor let out a forced laugh. “Why are you making this request? Were you not the one who desperately wanted this engagement with Linden? Have your feelings changed since?”

Elise shook her head.

Of course her feelings for the crown prince had changed, but that wasn’t the only reason.

“I am not suited for the title of crown princess.”

“Hmm?”

She bowed her head even lower and said, “I have been thinking a lot lately about whether a foolish girl with so many shortcomings is suitable to be the crown princess, who will become the mother of this empire. I thought and thought, but in the end, I concluded that I’m not.”

“Hmm...”

“Of course, becoming crown princess would be an incredible honor for myself, and I would be delighted, but the venerable crown princess is someone who will become the empress of the empire. If someone as lacking as I am becomes the crown princess, not only would I not be suitable, it would be a disgrace and an insult to the dignity of our great empire. And more than anything, I know that, as foolish as I am, if I become the crown princess and then the empress, I’m certain to fail my duties and become a blight upon the empire.”

After saying everything at once, Elise stopped to exhale.

She meant every word.

She had already caused countless tragedies after becoming crown princess despite being unqualified.

The title of crown princess should have gone to a noblewoman suitable for the position, not someone like herself.

I should just live a normal life doing surgeries, she thought, head bowed low enough to touch the ground.

“I had a brief dream of something I should never have dared to look at. Please punish me for my foolishness, for the crime of daring to be greedy for the position of crown princess, despite not being qualified, and for the damage caused to the dignity of the imperial family and Your Supreme Majesty. I accept any punishment you deem fitting.”

Her platinum blonde hair slipped down to scatter in the dirt.

This is it. It’s over.

Now that she had said this much, the emperor would rescind the engagement.

He will be very angry, but...

She awaited the emperor’s wrath. She was afraid of how angry he would be, but she didn’t plan to shy away. No matter what punishment he doled out, she had to face it.

A deathly silence descended on the garden.

Elise knelt on the dirt like a criminal pleading for forgiveness and awaited the emperor’s punishment, and Marquess Earl had grown pale as he checked the emperor for his reaction.

Meanwhile, the crown prince, the other half of this engagement, sat silently. The only difference from before? His gaze seemed as though he found her slightly strange.

How much time passed?

The emperor opened his mouth. “Lady Elise.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Lift your head.”

Elise slowly raised her head.

And then she looked at the emperor and was shocked.

He wore a big smile!

He looked at her the way a proud father would look at a daughter who had finally matured.

“Your... Majesty?”