~Chapter 121~
The doctor finished examining Damian and came out of his room.
“Oh, Doctor!”
Mrs. Kimsiom hurried after the doctor with the snacks she had prepared for her son.
“How is my boy?”
She asked worriedly, remembering the terrible day Damian returned from the hunting festival.
His shoulder, after the fragments were removed, was soon soaked in blood again, and Damian’s face was so pale it almost looked lifeless. She had almost fainted from shock that day.
‘Am I really going to lose my son before I go? I’ve lived honestly—why is heaven giving me such a hard test?’
“I’m sorry I don’t have better news. But it’s not very different from what I said before.”
The doctor paused, and Mrs. Kimsiom’s face grew even more tense.
“It will take quite a long time for his shoulder to fully heal. He must rest completely for at least a month, and we should watch for two to three months.”
“Two or three months?”
“Yes, and if he tries to do too much, it might take even longer. Please help him take his medicine and get lots of rest. If he gets a fever or his wound swells, contact me right away.”
She nodded as she saw the doctor out, but her heart felt heavy.
She carefully opened the door and went inside Damian’s room.
Her son was sitting against the headboard, looking so different from his usual healthy self.
But someone else was already there.
“Lady Hern…”
Marie was sitting by his bed, wiping his forehead with a wet cloth.
“Oh, you’re here, ma’am. Since Damian can’t use one arm, I’ve been helping him.”
‘That annoying girl is here again…’
Mrs. Kimsiom glared for a second, then calmed herself and looked at her son.
Damian looked drowsy from the medicine, but she could see it right away.
There was not even a hint of affection in his tired eyes when he looked at the baron’s daughter.
Even after big fights with Dain, Sungmin (her son’s old name) still had wild feelings when he looked at her.
But now, even though Marie was openly caring, there was nothing.
That made Mrs. Kimsiom feel a bit sorry for Marie, but also happier and calmer.
She smiled gently and said,
“This is something a maid could do, but thank you for helping. I need to talk to Damian alone. Could you give us a moment?”
“Yes, I’ll go now.”
Marie bowed politely and left the room.
Click.
The room became quiet. Mrs. Kimsiom sat where Marie had been and quietly watched Damian.
He couldn’t bear her stare and finally spoke first.
“…You have something to say, right? Go ahead.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“Same as before.”
She glanced at him, then randomly picked up a paper from the table.
“It’s a bill… Wait…”
She held her forehead in disbelief.
It was the doctor’s bill, and the cost was huge.
“What? He got hurt at the hunting festival and we have to pay? The country doesn’t cover it?”
She was already upset about her precious son getting hurt, but now the medical bills made it worse.
“Don’t think this is like your past life’s world.”
“What? Then shouldn’t the duke’s family be responsible? You got hurt while hunting with them! Why are they doing nothing? That McCurry count’s daughter too! If she’s staying here, she should help more! These people…!”
Just then,
Damian, who was leaning back, suddenly sat up and grabbed her wrist with his good arm.
He warned in a low voice,
“It’s not Lady McCurry’s or the duke’s fault, so don’t blame them. We were just on the same team. They’re not responsible. Understand?”
‘Why is he acting so different…?’
She stared at his hand on her wrist in surprise, then pulled away.
“So your other arm works just fine! You’re so strong!”
“Sorry. I just don’t want this to become a big issue.”
She sighed and sat at the edge of the bed.
She decided to bring up another topic.
“You got this hurt… Doesn’t anyone from the temple visit?”
Damian looked at her, as if she wanted something, and answered,
“The high priest told me to recover fully and come back.”
“Not that.”
“What?”
“That priest, Nation.”
“Why?”
Mrs. Kimsiom bit her lip before continuing—she knew her son would get annoyed.
“I heard that priest can predict the future—”
“Mother.”
Damian’s lowered voice sounded like he was holding back anger.
He knew his mother’s love of shamanism from their past life. It had caused fights with Dain too.
Now she was doing it again.
He barely held in his frustration and said,
“It’s all for money.”
“What?”
“It’s just a show. All fake.”
But it didn’t work on Mrs. Kimsiom.
If she could be convinced, she would have changed long ago.
“Everyone’s lining up at the temple these days. Don’t you want to join? Even the McCurry count’s daughter went to get her fortune told by that priest—”
“Riden?”
Mrs. Kimsiom’s eyes went wide at the mention of Lady McCurry.
“Are you two close now? Anyway, can you arrange for me to meet that priest? Just once?”
“No.”
He refused immediately.
Damian frowned and shook his head.
“That’s ridiculous. I’m going to rest now, okay?”
“…Fine. Rest.”
She left, pouting, since she couldn’t push her injured son anymore.
She sighed as she closed the door behind her.
‘If I go wait in line at the temple, I’ll just be treated like everyone else. I don’t want that.’
‘Important people don’t wait—they get private meetings. Like Lady McCurry at the duke’s house.’
‘You have to look important for better service. First impressions matter…’
She headed for the garden, but changed her mind and went to Marie’s room.
She wanted to ask Marie, Lady McCurry’s friend, to introduce her to Priest Nation personally.
Knock, knock.
“Lady Hern, are you in?”
“Yes!”
Marie greeted her with a big smile.
“What brings you here?”
“I wanted to ask you something…”
‘What’s this about all of a sudden?’
Marie couldn’t refuse since it was about Lady McCurry. The countess usually glared at her, but now she was smiling kindly.
Still, since Mrs. Kimsiom was Damian’s mother, Marie felt happy to see her being nice.
“Sure, ask me anything! Please come in.”
Mrs. Kimsiom got straight to the point.
“You’re close to Lady McCurry, right?”
“Of course! We’re close!”
Mrs. Kimsiom agreed.
Lady McCurry often invited Marie to the duke’s house, and even found her a place to stay.
“I saw Priest Nation visits the duke’s house a lot, right?”
“Oh! Yes, whenever Riden wants to know something, she calls for the priest.”
So, Lady McCurry really was seeing the priest privately.
Just as Mrs. Kimsiom was about to ask for an introduction, Marie paused and said,
“…But lately, she’s been calling someone else. Riden says this new person is even better.”
