Chapter 72
“Rokselana, you said?”
The completely unexpected name made my eyes widen in surprise.
“Let’s see for ourselves.”
Eblan took a rolled-up letter from the man and unsealed it. As he read it, his brow furrowed slightly.
“What’s written in it, Eblan?”
“…It’s a letter asking for help from Lady Ishtar. They request that you visit the Rokselan Charity Clinic.”
“The Rokselan Charity Clinic?”
“Yes. It’s one of the facilities run by the foundation Lady Rokselana herself established. It says there’s an urgent patient in critical condition, and they ask you to come immediately.”
“That’s right,” the man said in a polite tone, bowing deeply. “There’s a patient whose life hangs by a thread. We can’t treat them with our strength alone. The clinic is less than ten minutes away by carriage. Please, we beg your aid.”
“Eblan, come inside for a moment.”
Eblan followed me into the room, and I closed the door sharply behind us.
Once we were alone, I lowered my voice to a whisper.
“Lady Rokselana—she’s Prince Theron’s mother, right? I thought she didn’t get along with Lady Hürrem…”
“That’s correct. She’s not particularly fond of Lord Suleiman either. With so many capable healers and priests around, I don’t see why she’d specifically request Lady Ishtar’s help. Her intentions are unclear.”
According to Eblan, all the Rokselan Foundation facilities were personally funded by her, and most of the healers and priests were brought from her homeland.
In other words, she was filthy rich—and because she poured her fortune into charitable work, she was loved by the people.
‘Ugh, this is awkward. They said it’s an emergency, so refusing would make me feel guilty…’
I had cleared my morning schedule for a meeting with Darkhan, so technically I had time to spare—which only made my dilemma worse.
“What happens if I refuse? Wouldn’t it be simpler just not to go?”
“…It would be unwise. Lady Rokselana’s influence is considerable. Refusing a formal request for help could come with consequences.”
After a moment’s thought, I decided—with Eblan’s agreement—to just go and finish it quickly.
The letter mentioned the patient was a young child.
Rather than wasting time making excuses, it seemed better to just treat the child and return immediately.
The man offered to escort me in one of Rokselana’s grand carriages, but I firmly declined and boarded my own comfortable carriage instead.
Under Eblan’s and the guards’ protection, we rode for only a short while before an enormous estate came into view.
As I stepped down from the carriage, escorted by Eblan, my jaw dropped.
“This… is the charity building?”
The sprawling property was easily several thousand pyeong wide, and the mansion itself rivaled a royal palace.
“Yes,” Eblan confirmed. “It was originally Lady Rokselana’s private estate, but she opened it to the public for the good of the kingdom. It now houses an orphanage, a clinic, and a school for impoverished children.”
As he spoke, I could see children and elderly people moving about the grounds.
‘To maintain a facility like this must cost a fortune…’
Whatever her methods, it was obvious Rokselana lacked for nothing in wealth.
“Please, follow me. I’ll take you to the patient.”
The man led us deep into the building—to a room so secluded it was clear it had been purposely isolated.
Thick curtains shut out nearly all light, plunging the room into darkness even though it was midday.
“The patient is… in here?”
“Yes. We’ll keep only a few candles lit. Please watch your step.”
The silence was so absolute it made me swallow nervously.
As my eyes adjusted, I saw a large bed at the center of the room.
Lying upon it was a girl of about ten, her breathing shallow and raspy.
“This is the child. She was brought here about two weeks ago. Her illness is… unusual, so we’ve had to isolate her.”
“What kind of illness?”
“When exposed to sunlight, her body feels as if it’s burning—and in severe cases, her skin seems to melt. She’s been in a coma ever since…”
“My goodness… such a dreadful disease exists?”
“In truth, it may not be a natural illness. Our priests believe she might be cursed. A tragic case indeed.”
“A curse… Have you tried treatment?”
“Of course. But our efforts have been in vain. That’s why we sought your aid, Lady Ishtar.”
I hesitated, then cautiously approached the bedside to examine the child.
Just as he’d said, even the faint candlelight made the girl’s face twist in pain.
‘If my divine power worked on Suleiman’s curse, maybe it can heal her too.’
Aziz had told me that Suleiman’s curse couldn’t be undone—only suppressed by my divine energy.
It wasn’t a guarantee, but it was worth trying.
“I’ll begin treatment. I need to focus, so please step back.”
Clasping the girl’s small hand in both of mine, I silently prayed.
I wasn’t a saint, nor a believer devoted to saving everyone.
But the thought of a child, trapped forever in darkness, unable to play under the sun—it was too heartbreaking to ignore.
As I summoned my divine energy, soft violet lights began to glow—tiny fireflies shimmering through the darkness.
“My word… such a beautiful light… It’s otherworldly.”
“It’s so bright, yet the child isn’t in pain? What is happening?”
The staff murmured in awe, but I barely heard them—completely immersed in my focus.
Then—
A blinding flash.
With a thunderous sound, pure white light flooded the entire room—and then, darkness fell again.
“It’s done. Open all the curtains.”
“P-pardon? Are you sure that’s safe?”
I nodded firmly, and though hesitant, they obeyed.
Sunlight poured in through the windows—warm and golden.
Every eye turned to the bed.
“…Mmm. So bright.”
The girl blinked against the light, rubbing her eyes before slowly sitting up.
“Are you alright? Does anything hurt?”
“Uh-uh. I’m okay now. It doesn’t burn anymore. The pretty lady fixed me!”
“Yes, I did,” I said, smiling. “You can go outside and play all you want now.”
The people around us gasped softly.
The child who hadn’t seen sunlight in weeks was now healthy—thanks to the mysterious power of a single woman.
Everyone in the room looked at Ishtar with awe and reverence.
The silver-haired beauty before them seemed no different from the goddess they had imagined.
As she smiled warmly at the little girl, the onlookers found themselves completely enchanted.
A short while later.
Despite my plan to finish quickly and leave, Eblan and I were escorted into an extravagant sitting room, unable to refuse.
By now, we should’ve been back in the carriage—but a certain very important person insisted on meeting us personally.
“Lady Rokselana will arrive shortly. Please, have some tea while you wait.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. We really must return to the clinic…”
“Her Ladyship specifically asked to thank you in person. Please don’t decline.”
Unfortunately, I had no authority to refuse royalty.
‘Ugh… I just want to run away…’
But every move I made could affect Suleiman and Hürrem as well, so I couldn’t simply follow my own comfort.
I had seen Rokselana twice before—and neither encounter had been pleasant.
The first time, she and Hürrem had nearly turned the greenhouse into a live soap opera.
The second time, I’d hidden in Theron’s closet and overheard her voice—a memory that still sent chills down my spine.
‘I really don’t want to see her. She makes me so uncomfortable…’
While my stomach twisted in anxiety, a lavish table was set before us—piled with pastries and tea worthy of a five-star hotel.
Normally, I would’ve devoured it, but even my growling stomach couldn’t stir my appetite.
“Speak as little as possible,” Eblan whispered beside me. “Just answer briefly and mention you must leave soon. For formality’s sake, she won’t keep you too long.”
I nodded nervously, swallowing hard.
Just as my tea was cooling—
The door opened.
A golden-haired woman in a dazzling gown glided gracefully into the room.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting. We’ve met before, haven’t we, Lady Ishtar?”
