Chapter 71
A few weeks passed, and I was finally able to go out of the palace occasionally again.
One big reason that became possible was that the capital had regained its peace.
The violent clashes between the dark guilds that had been making a racket for a while stabilized, and as the city returned to calm, people’s daily lives returned as well.
Thanks to that, even I—who had been restless from being cooped up in the palace—was allowed to go out briefly under the pretext of “checking on the clinic.”
It became my routine to go out about three times a week to see to patients.
But Shulayman’s worries were far from few, so every time I left I had to go out accompanied by a large escort.
The procession looked like a parade, and people in the capital strained every nerve to catch even a single glimpse of me.
I was embarrassed to death because of it.
Then, one morning.
While he was getting ready for work, I complained to him.
“Shulayman. No matter how I think about it, this is a bit much. I’m not royalty, and I feel like I’m going to die from caring about people’s stares.”
“You should be glad it’s only that much. If it were up to me, I’d just close off the entire route to the clinic with a decree.”
“…Why don’t you just move the clinic into the palace altogether?”
“Ah, that’s a really good idea. Shall I issue the edict today?”
I sighed when I saw the gleam in Shulayman’s eyes.
‘I understand his concern to some extent given the ambush incident…’
Of course, my goal was escape and a little rebellion from palace life, so there was no way I’d agree with him.
“If you bring the facility inside, all sorts of outsiders will be walking through the palace. Will that be okay? You seem smart, Shulayman, but sometimes you act like a fool.”
“It’s not the same with others. It’s because the subject is you.”
When I muttered that in a small voice, he—already finished with his preparations to leave—came up and pinched my cheek.
Maybe because he showed some feeling in it, the part of my cheek he’d grabbed turned slightly red.
“Ouch, why so grumpy this morning?”
“You’re the fool. Do you know how worried I am about you? If it were up to me, I’d tell you not to go out at all…”
He wrapped his hand around my cheek and stroked it gently with a sullen expression.
Unlike before, his touch was so tender and kind.
Though the pain had long since faded, my face felt unaccountably warm.
“But I can’t force you not to do what you want. I know that you want to enjoy freedom by going out of here.”
“…You knew?”
“We’ve been sharing the same room for over half a year now. If you can’t notice something that small, you’re the fool.”
Has it really been that long already?
I rolled my eyes and quietly recounted it in my head; by Korean reckoning, two seasons had already passed.
I had never imagined a day when I could talk so comfortably with Shulayman like this.
Now he was my confidant and friend who stayed close by.
‘Well, actually it’s a strange relationship—not exactly friendship or romance…’
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.
A well-built, handsome figure with ideal proportions—calling him merely “handsome” didn’t quite cover it. Add on top of that the imposing status of being a prince of a nation—he was like an attractive treat to look at.
Of course, I hadn’t been entirely immune to feeling fondness for him; I had imagined a rosy future with him before.
But my head was not a flowery meadow.
Lost in those thoughts, a sudden melancholy came over me.
When I let out a heavy sigh from that odd fatigue, he said with a worried face, “You’ve clearly been suffocating all this time. It’s mostly my fault for leaving you alone so long.”
“No, it’s not really because of that…”
“I also want to show you the kingdom—deserts, oases, wide plains… There are so many beautiful sights just outside the capital. I’ll definitely show you those places myself.”
“Really?”
“Promise. I’ll personally show you the kingdom.”
When my expression brightened at the thought that I could leave the palace, Shulayman smiled back at me.
After he left the room, Arin and I went to the library and borrowed maps and travelogues about the kingdom in a big stack.
Even the idea—whenever it might be—of taking a kind of trip with Shulayman made my heart pound.
“Why are you suddenly looking through travel books? Planning a vacation?” Arin asked.
“Shulayman promised to show me around outside the capital. I wanted to see what there is to look at beforehand.”
“Oh my, if he said that… maybe he had the next official tour in mind.”
“An official tour?”
“Yes. There are many towns clustered around the capital. It’s customary for the governor of the capital to visit once or twice a year.”
Remembering the time Shulayman had briefly been away, I nodded.
‘I’m a little disappointed that it’s for work, but…’
It might actually be a good opportunity to visit more regions, so that could be good for me too.
Thinking positively, I devoured the books I’d borrowed and spent my days full of pleasant imaginings.
Before I knew it, the day I was to go to the clinic arrived sooner than I expected.
“Long time no see, Lady Ishtar. I’m glad to see you looking well,” a plump middle-aged man greeted as he came to meet me.
“Darkan,” I replied with a slight nod.
Even though he was the person in charge of the place, he could only come close to me after the escort soldiers had cleared him through a body check.
My personal protection had been intensified.
Everyone who wanted to talk to me—even when I was treating patients—had to be screened.
A watcher even accompanied me to the bathroom, so it wasn’t surprising that I felt a bit constricted.
“Oh my, the vigilance is still tight. The carriage ambush had me worried sick—thinking back to that gives me goosebumps,” Darkan said.
“Why should you be afraid, Darkan? It wasn’t your fault.”
“Don’t say that. If something happened to someone on the way back from the clinic, I would feel responsible. Do you know how much I prayed for your guards—crying? Do you know how worried I was?”
“That’s very kind of you. There won’t be anything like that again, so rest assured.”
“Of course. While you’re coming here, not even a single hair must be harmed!”
Darkan’s grumbling, petulant face looked a bit endearing, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Unlike the people in the palace, his straightforwardness was something I liked.
“Okay, tell me about the clinic. Has anything happened while I was away?”
“Well, serious trauma cases have dropped a lot recently, so we’re not as busy as before. People from far away who’ve heard you’ll treat them are increasing, though…”
Hmm—should I have them sign a confidentiality pledge about the treatment they received?
Because news of my cures was spreading throughout the capital, many patients with incurable illnesses were coming to the clinic.
Resourceful Darkan had managed to keep things sealed up reasonably, but once someone suddenly recovered, word inevitably spread.
‘This is troublesome. But I can’t just quit treating patients.’
It would be a lie to say I didn’t find meaning in healing the sick.
And above all, if I quit the clinic now I wouldn’t have anywhere to go outside the palace.
Besides, I had promised Hirem to help for a while.
I had been promised a grand residence in the capital and a generous reward, so it would be dishonorable to back out now.
“Keep it as secret as possible, and prioritize urgent patients among those waiting,” I instructed.
“Understood.”
I and Darkan went into his office and discussed the clinic’s various matters.
Before long I found myself receiving reports from Darkan and giving operation-related directions.
Since the supply of medicine and herbs and personnel came from the inner temple within the palace, I ended up in a sort of middle-manager role.
After a short meeting, I was about to enter my private treatment room when someone suddenly appeared and blocked my way.
“Who are you? State your identity.”
“Lady there, are you Lady Ishtar? I’ve come on a summons from a noble; I have come to see you.” the man said.
‘A noble…?’
I tilted my head and ran through a list of noble people who might send for me.
But no matter how I thought about it, only Hirem or Theron came to mind.
‘If Shulayman had sent someone, they wouldn’t have come so suddenly like this… Who could it be?’
I glanced at the unfamiliar man who had been stopped by the guards.
He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with a neat, respectable air about him.
“You must state your name and business before you can have a private audience with Lady Ishtar. What do you want?” Eblan asked sharply.
The man reached into his bosom and handed a sheet of paper forward.
“I come in the name of Roxellana, to escort Lady Ishtar. The details are written on this document—please review it yourself.”
