CHAPTER 80……………………….
“Linne, what’s with that expression? Did something happen?”
“It’s nothing….”
“It doesn’t look like nothing, though?”
Mother looked worriedly at the shredded meat on her plate.
“This brat keeps slipping away so slyly….”
It had been the night before last that Luce disappeared from the garden. He hadn’t shown up yesterday, either.
“He says he’ll do better, but when I actually ask something, he never answers properly, right?”
Should I just withdraw my declaration that he’s like family?
“Linne?”
…No. For Mother’s safety, I can’t do that.
“Really, nothing happened. I just feel gloomy, thinking about leaving you behind and going back to the Imperial Palace….”
“Linne, my child. I feel the same way.”
“I’m looking for a house where we can live together in the capital, so please wait a little longer.”
“Of course. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
After finishing the meal, I stopped by Father’s study to take some reference books with me back to the palace.
“Well then, Mother. I’ll come again later. And I’ll write often.”
“Yes. I’ll be waiting. Please always stay healthy, Linne.”
“You too, Mother.”
I hugged her tightly, then hurried into the carriage. If I stayed any longer, I felt like I wouldn’t want to return to the palace.
“Sir Ibel, Sir Rail! We can depart now.”
“Yes, ma’am~”
“I’ll be back, Mother!”
Only after leaning out the window to wave for a long while did I finally sit back down.
It was only two days away, yet returning to the palace already felt heavy. Even in such a short time, I must have become a proper member of the Administration Department—since I was worrying whether something might have happened while I was gone.
And I learned as soon as I arrived that my worries weren’t unfounded.
“Hello! Linne Grimm, reporting back just now!”
I had only meant to drop Father’s books at the Administration office before returning to my room. But then—
“Catch it! Hold it down!”
“Dunk it! All the way under!”
“Wait—wait—it’s slipping out!”
“Aaaargh!!”
Chaos unfolded before my eyes.
What I saw being forcibly held and doused with cold water was none other than the beast Ti-ti. But why in the world was a spirit-beast being treated so miserably?
Gripping the office door, I glanced around to understand the situation—only to lock eyes with Chief Nielsen.
“Oooh, Linne Grimm! Welcome back!”
“Yes, Chief. I just returned. But what exactly are you… doing right now?”
It was Loren who answered me.
“Linne Grimm! Ti-ti suddenly started burning with fever, had diarrhea, and was sneezing!”
“…So you dunked him in cold water for that?”
“That’s right! Didn’t you say during your interview that dogs have a highly contagious measles? The symptoms match perfectly! Since there’s no real treatment, we were doing our best! Cooling the fever with cold water—”
“If it’s canine measles, why would you give it a cold bath?! Do you want us to hold funerals for our already scarce beasts?!”
Startled by my outburst, Loren stammered, “I-it’s not right?”
“Of course not!”
“Well, we thought if we kept him cool, the fever would go down… we even opened all the windows….”
Poor Ti-ti. His fur, soaked and plastered, made him look thin and frail as he shivered in their cruel hands.
“Take him out and dry his fur immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“You should have just contacted me…!”
Daniel fidgeted and muttered, “But it was your precious holiday… we didn’t want to bother you… and we thought you’d be back today anyway….”
I pressed a hand to my forehead. Sometimes a ‘small kindness’ only makes things worse.
“A-at least we did quarantine! Any beast with even mild symptoms has been isolated in the chapel!”
“That was the right thing to do. Good job.”
Benjamin, the only one to receive praise, breathed a sigh of relief.
Everyone rushed to towel Ti-ti’s wet fur.
I examined him closely. No sticky eye discharge, no coughs or sneezes, no runny nose.
“Seeing no neural pain or seizures either… this doesn’t look like measles.”
It was likely either a coronavirus infection or parvovirus. If it were parvo—without proper medication—that would be a serious problem.
There was one reliable way to find out.
“Ti-ti, I’ll just make a small cut. I need a little blood.”
He weakly nodded. After nicking him with a knife to draw a few drops, I quickly healed the wound with a healing stone.
Then, I placed the blood on a glass slide under the microscope. If it were parvo, the virus would invade the bone marrow, drastically reducing neutrophils—one type of white blood cell.
“It doesn’t look like neutrophils are down….”
Thank goodness.
Coronavirus was highly contagious, but usually mild, with good prognosis.
Antibiotics I had already prepared would work.
After administering them, the members all leaned in eagerly.
“So he’s cured now?”
“Not yet. He’ll still have loose stools for a few days, so feed him easily digestible food. And make sure he drinks plenty of water.”
“Linne Grimm, you’re amazing…!”
“Seriously! To pinpoint the cause so quickly! Incredible! When will we ever be like you?”
I just smiled softly at Loren’s words.
“Don’t worry, seniors. Even if you don’t like it, you’ll get there soon enough.”
“Huh?”
“I’m thinking of writing a book. Compiling the knowledge I’ve learned and applied—so I can share it.”
“Y-you mean… even with us?”
“Of course. That’s exactly why I’m writing it.”
As I’d said before, my goal was to raise the veterinary knowledge of all the staff.
“But we shouldn’t hoard this knowledge just among ourselves. After thorough trial and error, once things are stable, I’ll publish the book across the Empire. That way veterinary medicine can truly advance.”
“Are you sure about that, Linne Grimm?”
I knew what they worried about. Knowledge is money. The more it’s monopolized, the higher its economic value.
To compile such precious knowledge into a book and release it to everyone might look like the foolish act of giving away my profits.
But….
“Wouldn’t you like the Administration Department to be remembered as the one that contributed to the Empire’s veterinary advancement?”
They stared blankly at my smiling question, and I openly enjoyed their dumbfounded faces.
As for me—money was already abundant. The more the Department developed, the more nobles would invest. My fortune would snowball endlessly.
Once money is secured, what comes next?
“I’m starting to crave honor. If you’re interested, won’t you help me?”
After a beat, Loren erupted into cheers, followed by thunderous applause.
“Chief, why are you crying again?!”
“I’m marveling at my own eye! I’m the one who hired her!”
“Didn’t Linne Grimm basically walk in on her own?”
“Silence! It’s thanks to me anyway!”
“Wasn’t it Sir Kreutz who wrote the recommendation letter?”
“I told him to write it!”
I laughed with them as their voices rose excitedly.
Returning late to the Divine Beast Palace was definitely not solely my fault.
“Kids….”
Tap, tap, tap, tap. A petulant stomping of feet.
“Hina….”
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
Hands on hips, Hina glared at me with resentment. I decided to change targets.
“Luka…?”
With lips pouting to the limit, Luka stayed silent.
“Guys, I’m sorry….”
Running off to my mother and leaving the children behind had been my mistake.
At least Kinya beamed and hugged me as usual.
“Hehe! Linne belongs to Kinya! Only Kinya’s Linne!”
Too young to read the mood, little Kinya was simply delighted to claim me. But Hina, fists trembling, demanded:
“Had fun?”
“…Huh?”
“Did you have fun?! Was it nice? Happy? Happy to leave Hina behind? Happy to go alone?”
Honestly, it had been nice to see Mother again and rest well.
But I wasn’t stupid. I shut my mouth and shook my head furiously.
“No way! Not fun at all! I almost died missing Hina! Ack!”
“Hmph!”
“It’s true! I cried every night missing Luka~”
“…Lies.”
“It’s true! Next time, we’ll go together! Promise!”
“Then let’s make it official—bring a notary, sign documents, and keep one copy each with Luka. How about that?”
…Lukanas, what a terrifying child.
Awkwardly, I withdrew my outstretched pinky. Luka’s eyes narrowed.
“…Linne, you’re a liar.”
“W-wait, that’s not—”
Flustered with Kinya in my arms, I saw Letty chuckle.
“Lady Letty…”
How could she laugh in such a grave situation?
When I looked at her with my exact feelings written on my face, Letty held her stomach laughing.
“Pfff—haha! Forgive me, milady. It’s just… the three of them have been waiting ever since your carriage left the palace. They even sat in front of the Divine Beast Palace all day yesterday.”
“…Really?”
Then there was only one option left.
“I’ll play with you all night! What do you want to play? Halli Galli? Tag? Hide-and-seek? I’ll be ‘it’!”
Hina’s ears perked up. Luka’s lips twitched.
“…Until the sun comes up?”
“Yes! Until sunrise!”
“Really? Anything Luka wants, you’ll do it?”
“Of course! Just say it, Luka!”
“Linne, Linne! Kinya wants you to read fairy tales to her!”
“Sure, sure. Pick them all out. I’ll read them all.”
“Yay!”
Kinya kicked her feet happily.
But Hina still puffed her cheeks.
“You’ll really play with me too?”
“Of course!”
“You won’t stop halfway because you’re tired?”
“Nope! I rested plenty—I’m bursting with energy!”
I clenched a fist energetically. Hina’s lips quirked upward. Then—
“Yaaay!”
She suddenly cheered and bounced, running to Luka for a high-five. …Wait. What are you two doing?
“See? Luka said so. If we do this, Linne will play with us.”
“Luka’s so smart! Luka’s the best!”
“Hmph. I know.”
“Wha—?”
“Linne, Linne.”
In my arms, Kinya poked my cheek.
When I looked at her blankly, she beamed like the sun.
“Linne got tricked.”
“Ah… ahhh….”
Thus crushed by the calamity I’d brought upon myself, I spent the entire night laboring to entertain the children—only to drag myself to work the next day with dark circles under my eyes.
