DLA Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Some time later, for some reason I couldn’t understand, Adelia suddenly came to apologize to me.

“…I know it’s strange to say this now, but back then I was immature. I’m sorry.”

At first, I couldn’t believe it.

Adelia was so proud — I never thought she would say something like this first.

But then she added,

“…We live in the same house. We can’t keep being like this until we’re old. I really do feel sorry for what happened before and I’ve been reflecting on it. So if you’ve been holding on to any grudges, please let them go.”

She looked so awkward, as if embarrassed to say it.

And strangely, that awkward look melted away much of the resentment I had held toward her.

My childish stubbornness faded, and I gladly accepted her apology.

It was around that time that I began to sense something different — something unfamiliar — about her.

The first time I really felt it was when my teacher first explained to me about a medicine Adelia had made.

How did Adelia figure out that Salmatra caused blood thinning…?

At the time, I was just happy that we had made up, so I didn’t think deeply.

But later, while going through her research notes, I found many strange things.

On the notebook were not just notes about anticoagulant effects, but also knowledge so advanced that even I, after all my time learning medicine from my teacher, couldn’t keep up.

Her results from countless experiments were astonishing.

She really developed this all on her own…?

What on earth had happened to her while she was studying alone, with no contact with anyone else?

Even when she went to the duke’s estate in my place, I was shocked.

How did she even figure out how to knock someone unconscious…?

I knew she was stubborn, but to go that far just to follow our teacher?

Later, when our teacher came back alone, I heard what had happened and got angry.

Why did she have to go there and end up in that situation?

I was worried sick and blamed myself over and over for fainting and sending her into danger in my place.

But my worries proved unjust — only about ten days later, news came that she had successfully treated the young lady of the house.

I also heard rumors that several doctors, who had disappeared, had shown up again.

They must have been the doctors locked inside the duke’s estate.

Even though I heard it directly, I could hardly believe it.

But one thing was certain:

Somehow, you’ve grown far beyond my reach.

That must have been the unfamiliar feeling I had sensed all along.

Maybe that’s why — when my teacher hesitated about testing his new medicine on a person — I blurted out,

“What if you showed it to Adelia?”

“Hm?”

“Well… Adelia has changed a lot. And you said this medicine was inspired by one she made, right?”

Thankfully, my teacher took the suggestion well, and I was happy that I could help her, even in a small way.

It felt good knowing that her abilities were finally recognized by our teacher.

But strangely, there was also an emptiness in my heart.

Why? I’m supporting you… so why do I feel like this?

Then I saw you again for the first time in a while, talking to our teacher.

And suddenly I knew.

I was scared.

Scared that, just as you had changed so much without me knowing, more and more things would happen that I wouldn’t know about.

Scared that one day, you would simply walk away to somewhere I could never follow.

***

“Ugh!”

I had returned to my room bravely, but I couldn’t relax because I kept worrying about Mother.

So I decided to open my notebook and start listing herbs related to abdominal pain.

If we can’t use antispasmodics, then… maybe Zenma, or Opium…

Thanks to memorizing my herbalism book, several plants came to mind.

But first, I needed to check whether we even had them.

I’ll go to Father’s lab and check. If not, I’ll have a maid go fetch them.

I quickly rolled up the paper and hurried to Father’s laboratory.

But when I got there, I saw the door was already open — someone was inside.

I stepped in cautiously.

“Father…?”

Looking around, I noticed the place was messier than before.

Then I reached Father’s worktable — and froze at the sight of the clutter and at Father himself.

“Father, what… what happened here?”

“…Ahaha, Lia, you’re here? Not resting? It’s a bit messy in here, isn’t it?”

He scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

A bit messy? That was an understatement.

Before I left for the duke’s estate, this place didn’t even need the word ‘cleaning.’

On the long table were rows of experimental tools and flasks with mysterious liquids.

Underneath were many black fire marks from experiments gone wrong.

Seeing my expression, Father stopped laughing and quickly brought something to show me.

“Here, this is the new medicine I developed.”

He handed me a bottle of white liquid. Curious, I examined it closely.

“I remembered you once said kelp protects the stomach, so I tried adding it to the medicine I was making. It seems to work better now… I wanted your opinion.”

I blinked.

What? He put kelp in it?

Before, he had grimaced at the sight of my kelp medicine — and now this?

So when he said my medicine gave him a hint, this is what he meant.

It wasn’t a bad idea — in modern medicine, sodium alginate from seaweed is used to protect the stomach lining.

But to apply that idea so quickly…

I might have modern knowledge, but Father didn’t.

So how did he figure out this type of medicine was what Mother needed?

As if sensing my curiosity, he began explaining excitedly.

He had gathered and examined people with the same illness as Mother.

Since it was an internal problem, he realized he needed to understand the inside of the body better.

So, with help from acquaintances, he collected information on the digestive system and discussed it with a friend who studied anatomy.