Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Really Save the Lady (Complete)
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My hand was gripped so tightly, as if it were some precious treasure, and Dia's appearance was a complete mess.
"...I told you. So what changes now?"
Dia's expression, as she muttered those words, was utterly dejected. Her faded cherry lips twitched as she continued murmuring.
"My life's already ruined anyway, and it's still falling apart... Being able to talk like this so normally is just temporary. I know it. In a little while, I'll be throwing another fit, begging for drugs again."
"No. It's not falling apart—it's changing. Right now."
If it had been before, I might have quietly nodded at her words, but now I could confidently say otherwise.
She was changing.
If she had the will to change her own life, that alone was enough for now. From here on, my job was to support her so that will wouldn't break.
Dia cautiously parted her lips again.
"What can I even do? What good am I anywhere... All I'm doing is making these ridiculous requests of other people."
"Don't be useful."
"...What?"
At my firm response, Dia's head naturally tilted to the side.
"It's even better if you're not useful anywhere."
"What the hell does that... mean?"
Strength entered the end of Dia's words.
It might have sounded a bit harsh on the surface. It could have wounded her pride. Maybe it was a natural reaction.
A hint of anger seemed to flicker in her tiny hand clutching mine. I couldn't tell who it was directed at.
Probably herself.
The helplessness of realizing she couldn't do anything. The humiliation of hearing it stated so bluntly by someone else.
But I hadn't said it to make her feel those things.
"Just live quietly. Or even if you don't, just bloom like a flower in the shadow of being the Young Lady. You don't need to be used for your sister's ambitions. You don't need to worry about others' eyes. And from now on, I'll make sure you can live that way."
"..."
With an "ah," Dia let out a sigh. Or perhaps it was admiration.
Because of my unwavering words, ripples formed in the shocked young lady's eyes.
Only then did she seem to finally understand my intent.
I wasn't mocking her powerlessness. I just hoped she wouldn't be put in a situation where she had to be powerless. That was what I'd wanted from the start.
"...You sure talk a good game."
Still holding my hand, Dia tapped the floor lightly with the tip of her shoe.
Her pale cheeks seemed to flush a little. I continued speaking to Dia, who suddenly couldn't meet my eyes.
"Is that so?"
"Is it because you're a doctor that you say stuff like that?"
What did that question mean? I rolled my eyes for a moment before parting my lips again.
"It's not wrong, is it? Communicating with patients is basic for a doctor."
Was there something off about my answer? Suddenly, a hint of resentment flickered in Dia's pink eyes.
Then, abruptly, she dug her nails into the hand she was holding. Hard.
There was real force in the motion, and I couldn't help letting out an "Ow."
"Young Lady? You might draw blood from that hand too."
As if to say look at this, I held up my other hand, still caked in blood. But Dia didn't even blink.
"Then... you'll go around saying the same thing to other patients. To other people too..."
Her expression was deadly serious as she muttered that, but I couldn't help snickering.
"W-Why are you laughing? Got a guilty conscience?"
Dia jumped in surprise and reacted immediately. I gently took hold of her hand and lifted it up.
"I'm your personal physician. Your personal physician. I don't handle any other patients besides you, Young Lady Dia."
"No! B-But still! You've probably treated tons of other patients before now!"
"You're my first, Young Lady Dia."
"F-First? Me?"
The strength in her grip vanished in an instant.
"Yes, really. You're my first patient, Young Lady Dia."
"I see... Wait, what?!"
She seemed relieved for a moment, then shook her head vigorously and glared at me like she wanted to kill me.
"You should've explained that from the start! You damn commoner doctor!"
And then she snapped at me like that.
I couldn't really scold her. There was life in that expression. It was infinitely better than her doped-up corpse state.
"Understood. My mistake. Ung."
"Hmph. Yeah, your mistake. Your mistake."
Only then did her anger subside, as if she'd vented a bit. But her cheeks, red since earlier, stayed flushed—probably from embarrassment.
"Then I should get going. Oh, right, Young Lady."
As I turned to leave and called out to her, the young lady, fidgeting with her fingers, startled.
"W-Why?"
"I haven't received any pay since coming to this estate."
"Just ask my sister about that."
"No. I'll get it from you, Young Lady Dia."
"What? I don't have anything!"
As if it weren't an empty claim, Dia started patting down every corner of her clothes with her hands, probably to prove she had nothing.
Just as she pressed hard on her chest, and I could imagine the soft sensation...
I stopped her.
"That's not it, Young Lady."
"No, really, I don't have anything!"
Not understanding my words, Dia now grabbed her skirt hem and tried to yank it up.
Was she that terrified of being accused falsely, or was the young lady just scary?
I didn't want to see her underwear even in a situation like this. I waved my hands frantically and barely managed to dissuade her.
Once her innocence was proven, she seemed satisfied and turned her head away with a "hmph."
A moment later, I spoke up again.
"That's not it either. And from now on, I won't inject Sao into your body anymore."
"Then what will you give me?"
"Treatment drugs. No side effects, and they'll effectively suppress the urges."
"There's no cure for Sao. Even if there was, it'd cost a fortune..."
"There is. I just injected you with it."
"Huh?"
She spun her body around, checking her condition anew.
And naturally, her condition was near perfect.
"...No way."
"There is now. And you just said yourself it'd cost a fortune."
She bristled again.
"That's what I'm saying! No matter how much, I don't have it! I'm broke!"
"Money's no issue at all. I wasn't planning to take money anyway."
At my response, she huffed and turned her head. Then suddenly widened her eyes and looked back at me.
"You're not asking for money? Then what? Wait, don't tell me..."
This time, she clamped her legs together as tight as possible and pulled her skirt hem down as far as it would go, like she was protecting something.
"You're such a pervert! Last time you groped me without permission!"
Wasn't this the same girl who'd just lifted her skirt herself to prove her innocence?
Was it lingering drug effects, or exaggerated actions to hide her embarrassment? Either way, it was hard for me to understand.
I shook my head and opened my mouth again.
"That's not it either."
"Don't lie!"
"It's true."
"Then what?!"
"First off..."
I muttered that far, then instead of answering, picked up one arm of the teddy bear scattered haphazardly on the floor. With my other hand, I grabbed the body nearby.
The shattered teddy bear pieces had probably rolled around on the floor for quite a while. I carefully brushed the dust off the filthy bear with my hand.
It was fine if it was the one I was holding, but since it wasn't...
"Just take it."
Muttering that, I shoved the roughly dusted-off teddy bear into Dia's arms.
Naturally, she looked utterly baffled.
To her, I said,
"Shall we start with room cleaning? That's how you'll pay for this dose."
With that, I lightly bowed and left her behind.
I was quite late. Abera was probably pacing by now, waiting for me.
And the moment I opened the door, I locked eyes with Abera, who had been waiting right outside.
"You took a while, Mr. Ganeghan."
Abera approached, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Yes. I did."
I answered forthrightly.
**
After Ganeghan left, Dia stood there blankly for a while.
".....What?!"
Only much later did she finally freak out.
"You're talking nonsense!"
Dia hurled the teddy bear to the floor.
It hit with a feeble tok, sending a bit of fluff flying.
She panted with anger.
But why was this?
Ganeghan's words—"Live like a flower"—kept echoing in her ears.
It was a strange sensation. Even drugs never felt like this.
Her heart hadn't itched like this before. What the hell was this feeling?
"...You damn commoner. I was going to clean up anyway. Even if you hadn't said it."
The young lady carefully picked up the teddy bear she'd thrown on the floor again.