MLWDP CH 13

Chapter 13

Hezbeni’s mouth fell open in shock.

“Wha… what? H-how…?”

“How were you treating illnesses if you couldn’t even read this book?” Idette asked.

“Well, we have partial translations of the disease names and some explanations. But there’s a problem — parts of the text are missing. So, while we know the cause of the Jermeri Disease, there’s no record of its cure. I brought you the original because the translated version has gaps and unreadable sections…”

Idette went silent.

She couldn’t help wondering — maybe there was a reason she’d suddenly regained her memories.

Hezbeni, visibly excited, spoke quickly.

“H-how can you read this? What does it say? Did you find the cure?”

“Yeah… kind of.”

“If that’s true, then we might actually be able to heal you! This is amazing!”

Hezbeni started jumping up and down, overjoyed.

Idette gave an awkward smile.

From what she’d read, Jermeri Disease was incredibly difficult to treat.

You couldn’t just take any herb and expect to recover — the cure was extremely specific.

No wonder Hezbeni had called it incurable.

“I’ll read the names of the herbs listed. Check if they’re something we can get.”

“Yes, of course!”

Hezbeni’s eyes sparkled as he pulled out a notebook to take notes.

“It says… evening primrose root, Sera grass, and… something-heart? I can’t read the first part clearly, but it’s followed by the word monster.”

“Monster heart?”

“Yeah. But it doesn’t say which monster. And then… slime… uh, something about sap from a tree… ah, the Sufinoz tree.”

As Idette read, Hezbeni’s hand slowed, his face growing pale.

“Lady Idette…”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure that’s what it says?”

“Yes, why?”

“Those are… some of the rarest ingredients in existence. Hunting a monster for its heart is one thing, but the Sufinoz tree only grows deep in the western desert. Even the evening primrose root blooms once in a hundred years! Do you really need all of these?”

Hezbeni stared at the page, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“It did say the cure was difficult…”

“Difficult? This isn’t difficult — it’s impossible! It’s basically saying to go die trying!”

“Really that bad?”

“Sera grass alone is practically a myth! I’ve never seen it. I’ve only ever read about it in the fragments of translation!”

“…Seriously?”

Idette’s expression fell.

But no matter how impossible it sounded, these ingredients were her only hope. She couldn’t just give up.

“If we can’t get the herbs… is there any other way?”

“Well… maybe. I think we’ll have to look deeper into the text. Maybe there’s another method written somewhere.”

It was true — finding legendary herbs wasn’t going to be easy.

Idette nodded and flipped through more pages, determined to read everything carefully.

There had to be something else written.

Then Hezbeni suddenly said,

“There’s actually… another book. Besides this one.”

“There is? What kind of book?”

“Well… since you can read these old letters, maybe you could read that one too. It’s not about medicine though.”

“What’s it about then?”

“I’m not entirely sure. It’s filled with continuous movement diagrams, with explanations below each one. From what I can tell, it looks like some kind of exercise or movement technique. But we couldn’t understand it, so we just kept it stored.”

“Wait — movement techniques? Like martial arts?”

Idette’s eyes widened.

That definitely sounded important.

“I want to see it!”

“Yes, of course. I’ll bring it next time. You can keep both books for now. You’re the only one who can read them, so it’s safer with you.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Yes. But, um… could you please share the translations later? They might help us improve our medicine-making.”

“I will.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Hezbeni looked overjoyed, bowing deeply.

After all, those books had been passed down in his family for generations — but she had never been able to read them.

Now, for the first time, someone could unlock their secrets.

“Lady Idette, you’re my savior! I’ll devote the rest of my life to repaying you!”

He grinned brightly, then bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle, his head nearly touching the floor.

***

There’s a saying — “If your tail is too long, it’ll get stepped on.”

After too many late-night meetings between Idette and Hezbeni, Count  finally found out that his daughter was sneaking out at night.

“You— you— y-you’re twelve! What are you doing!” he yelled, face red.

“What about my age?” Idette replied calmly.

“You’re only twelve! You shouldn’t be… m-meeting… secretly!”

“Secretly?”

“And that shabby herbalist you’ve been meeting with!”

Huh?

What’s he talking about?

Idette blinked in confusion, while Hezbeni turned pale and fell to her knees.

“N-no, Count! I swear, it’s not what you think! I would never have an improper relationship with Lady Idette!”

“Improper?!” the Count roared. “Then why are you two meeting in the middle of the night?!”

He lunged forward, grabbing Hezbeni by the collar.

Only then did Idette realize what kind of misunderstanding this was.

“So by ‘secret meeting,’ you meant romantic meeting?”

“…And how do you even know that term, Idette?”

Because she just did. Her father really underestimated her.

Sure, she’d been sheltered before regaining her memories, but she wasn’t that clueless anymore.

“Anyway, that’s not what’s happening.”

“It’s not?”

“No. And I’m not as young as you think.”

“R-right, my precious daughter is still just a—”

“Actually, Hezbeni’s an apothecary. He’s treating me. And I don’t even have a fever anymore.”

Boom.

The Count nearly fainted.

***

Time flew faster than expected.

Before she knew it, it was already the week of Brinnen’s visit again.

Today, Brinnen stood by the bed, staring down at the groaning Count in disbelief.

Normally, it was the Count who greeted Brinnen personally, but he had fallen ill from shock.

So Idette came to greet him in his place.

She couldn’t just ignore her bedridden father, even if the situation was absurd.

Originally, she was supposed to be the one bedridden — not him.

Now that roles were reversed, Brinnen looked completely confused.

Apparently, the Count had been so shaken by the word “apothecary” that he literally collapsed.

But Idette had no plans to give up her secret studies.

“My father’s a bit sick right now,” she explained.

“I see… and you, my lady?”

“I’m fine! Actually, once he gets better, we’re going for a walk together.”

“…”

Brinnen’s gaze flicked between Idet and the Count, who groaned on the bed.

Normally, he would’ve asked the Count directly about Idette’s health, but since he couldn’t talk, Idette’s mother spoke instead.

“She’s right. Idette hasn’t had a fever in over a week now.”

“…That’s good news.”

Brinnen finally nodded.

“Oh, so you believe her but not me?” Idette teased.

“It’s not that I didn’t believe you.”

“Sure.”

She gave him a suspicious look.

Still, she couldn’t refuse her mother’s insistence to at least take a walk with Brinnen.

She did feel her father’s disapproving eyes burning into her back as she left the room, but pretended not to notice.

“You really do seem healthier,”

Brinnen said quietly as they walked.

He studied her closely, eyes narrowing.

She sighed.

“I am fine, really.”

For someone who’d been on the brink of death, her recovery must’ve seemed unbelievable.

Even Brinnen, who had an ailing mother, couldn’t hide his curiosity.

“Since you don’t have divine power… how did your fever go away?” he asked carefully.

That question lingered in the air — one that Idet wasn’t sure she was ready to answer.