Even After 100 Years
"From what I can see, there's nothing unusual about either of you. The only difference between Lady Jasmine and Lady Sharyl seems to be the presence or absence of a double eyelid."
My answer must have hit the mark. Jasmine gave a short nod, while Sharyl bit her lip hard.
"That's right. In fact, that's exactly why we came to you. We couldn't even send advance notice for fear the rumors might spread."
"……?"
In 1896, Japanese surgeon Mikamo developed double eyelid surgery, believing it made women more attractive. It wasn't until after World War II that the procedure gained traction across Asia, including Korea. In Korea, it took off in 1954 when Dr. David Ralph Millard, Jr., who was working there at the time, researched the technique at a patient's request, turning the country into a double eyelid surgery powerhouse.
Double eyelids are right in my wheelhouse—one of my true specialties. I performed over three thousand of them a year, after all.
But having noble ladies show up so secretly and cautiously for this was a first, leaving me with an odd sense of unfamiliarity. I opened my mouth carefully once more.
"Is it that Lady Sharyl can't afford to have it known she lacks double eyelids?"
"……Yes, that's correct."
At my question, Jasmine's gaze flicked briefly to Sharyl before she continued cautiously.
"I've visited the far-eastern region where you reside, Baron. There, about half the people have double eyelids and half don't. But…… in our southeastern Duchy of Esmael on the East Continent, people without them are rare. In fact, I've never seen one in my entire life back home."
"My sister's right……."
Sharyl, who had been silent during Jasmine's explanation, picked up the thread.
"I've…… heard the whispers my whole life. Everyone in my family has double eyelids except me, so they say I'm not really theirs—that I must be adopted or something."
"Sharyl!"
"It's okay, sister. It's the truth."
Despite her words, Sharyl's body trembled faintly. Jasmine placed her hand over Sharyl's shaking one, letting out a soft sigh.
"Sharyl turns seventeen this year. Next year, she'll have her coming-of-age ceremony. Unlike me, the designated heir and eldest daughter of the Esmael ducal house, Sharyl is set to marry into another family."
"So, you're saying she needs the double eyelid surgery before the marriage?"
Jasmine nodded lightly at my question.
"Sharyl's monolids are no longer just her problem. They're being used to question if she's truly one of us. No matter how many loose-tongued vassals we execute, rumors spread faster than we can act."
"……."
Executing people over gossip? It was a stark reminder that this was another world.
"Her fiancé's family is one of the five pillars supporting the East Continent. With less than a year until the wedding, Sharyl…… had no other choice but to come to you, Baron."
Veins bulged on Jasmine's clenched fists.
"We saw the brochure you handed out at the Frederick ducal house's social gathering. Can you create double eyelids for Sharyl?"
At Jasmine's desperate plea, I puffed out my chest proudly. Double eyelid surgery was the foundation of my career, after all.
"I hate to say it like this, but……."
"Surely it's difficult for you too, Baron?"
"No, quite the opposite—you've come to the right place. I've done tens of thousands of them."
"Tens of…… thousands?"
"Heavens!"
The two ladies jumped in shock. They had no idea what that number even meant. If there were a Guinness record for most double eyelid surgeries in a year, it'd be mine.
"Double eyelid surgery mainly falls into two categories: non-incisional and incisional."
There was also partial incision, but I didn't prefer it. Truth be told, I hated it. Sure, it had advantages over full incision—more natural-looking, and you could undo the stitches if you didn't like the result. As the amateurs like to babble.
But for hands like mine—god-given—they were nonsense. Create perfect beauty in one go. Give the patient eyes they'd be eternally satisfied with. If you couldn't do that, better to slice kimbap than eyelids. At least kimbap tasted good.
"Which method is the best?"
"Please use the very best one!"
There was no one-size-fits-all for double eyelids, of course. Sharyl's case had an obvious answer, but I wasn't about to say it outright.
Give them options, and the price goes up.
Hiding my pleasant anticipation of noble oblige in the form of cold hard cash, I continued.
"First, the non-incisional method—also called natural adhesion or burial—avoids cutting the skin. Instead, we make small holes above the eyelid crease."
"G-Goodness…… holes in the skin?"
"Sister……."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the ladies clutching each other's hands and shivering. At least they weren't asking if we'd be cutting.
"No need to worry that much. We use local anesthesia here. For reference, local anesthesia numbs the area temporarily so you feel no sensation."
"Heavens…… even that's possible?"
To Jasmine's incredulous look, I pulled out a sharp-tipped #11 scalpel.
"The holes are made with just the tip of a tiny blade like this—poking lightly. No big deal. Then we pass thread through the holes and out the original entry points."
I grabbed a sheet of paper and sketched it out with a pen as I explained.
"We tie knots in those spots, trim the excess short, and tuck it inside. Only the holes remain on the surface, and the thread holds the crease, forming the double eyelid."
There were tons of variations—natural adhesion, 3-point burial, 5-point, 6-point, double adhesion, triple, magic burial—but I skipped the details. I wasn't doing non-incisional anyway.
"But the method I recommend is incisional, not non-incisional. As the name implies, we cut the eyelid with a sharp blade."
Showing them a blunt-tipped #15 scalpel made their faces drain of color.
"Pull the skin taut in the incision and suture it, and the double eyelid forms. Some say incisional looks less natural than non-incisional. But with non-incisional, the buried knots can loosen over time."
"So the thread stays visible forever?"
"Baron, you mean the thread comes undone?"
Not a bad reaction—hooking them one after another.
"Let me explain step by step. Whether non-incisional, partial, or full incisional, every double eyelid surgery leaves thread in the eyelid."
"You don't mean…… forever……?"
"Exactly. You won't see it with the naked eye, but unless removed, it'll stay there for life—until you die. It's biocompatible, so no worries about inflammation or complications."
Some hack doctors doing cheap jobs don't mention the nylon thread stays forever.
Especially scummy with incisional patients—they skip it entirely.
Most non-incisional patients know about the buried thread. But every double eyelid surgery leaves nylon inside.
After 10 years.
20 years.
Even after 100 years—forever together.
In incisional, after cutting, we connect the orbital septum directly to the dermis with 5 to 8 stitches. Then suture the skin. Post-op, we only remove the skin sutures.
Those worthless scum skip this in consults for two reasons: laziness. And they think patients will balk at foreign material staying forever and skip surgery.
If you're gonna rake it in, explain properly, hone your skills, and charge top dollar. Not like hospitals are a gold mine.
I despise quacks who swindle with half-assed explanations instead of skill, treating bodies like ATMs. Being lumped with them pisses me off.
"That said, incisional isn't problem-free. There's one big issue."
"Wh-what is it?"
"It takes more work than non-incisional, so the cost is higher."
Of course, I'm backed by skill—the world's acknowledged double eyelid master.
A few years back, comparing 157 plastic surgery clinics in Korea, average was 1.1 million won. Cheapest was 5,000 won (a single bill), priciest 3 million.
Excluding mine, that is. Mine started at 5 million a few years ago.
Patients griped it was pricier than Gangnam clinics, but what could I do? Everyone else was subpar.
"So, how much for Sharyl's surgery……?"
"We require upfront payment. Let me detail the costs first."
Double eyelids are my specialty. But considering the ducal connection, I'd charge a fair 20 times more.
Skill justifies premium. Emergencies and weekends cost extra anyway.