Chapter 45
#45
I quietly opened the drawer.
The drawer where I kept my precious things.
Among the luxurious items, a gaudy red color stood out.
I reached out and took out the red candy, unwrapping it with a rustling sound.
The part that had been cracked was indeed broken; the red rose had split in half.
I carefully rewrapped the part with the stick and put the broken piece into my mouth.
A cheap sweetness spread through my mouth. I couldn't taste any deep flavor or particular scent.
It was a one-dimensional sweetness that stung my tongue, and a flavor that was vaguely fruity, whether it was strawberry or apple.
A flavor that wasn't worth savoring slowly with my eyes closed.
If I were to rate the taste, it was terrible. If I were asked to pay for it, I would refuse with extra money.
"Heh."
But I was smiling as it slowly melted on my tongue.
"That's right."
Finally, after the candy had completely melted away, I slowly opened my eyes.
And while eating it, I finally finished organizing my thoughts.
I tried to prevent Meggy's death, but I couldn't. I failed.
I decided to accept that fact.
Maria, who had followed me, had become my enemy. I also decided to accept that.
Right now, scandalous rumors about me were swirling in the capital's social circles. This was an obvious fact, and I also decided to accept it.
"It doesn't matter. It's okay."
But I couldn't accept myself sitting down because of those facts.
Staying home out of fear of rumors was over now.
I decided to stop being afraid of what Maria might be plotting or when she might poison me.
"I can overcome it."
My father was angry and said he should immediately confront the Wensbury family, and my mother was worried that I might be heartbroken.
Panya said I wasn't that kind of person.
Ricardo said he believed in me.
My precious people were still on my side.
"I'm Bianca Crofort. I won't let anything be taken from me."
And the most important and reliable ally.
I was forever on my side.
"Good day, Bianca."
The hospital director's expression as he greeted me was not as pleasant as when we had met before.
I didn't know if it was because a poisoning had occurred in his hospital, or because the deceased person turned out to be related to a powerful figure, or because I had come to visit.
I didn't particularly want to know either.
"Yes. I'm doing well, thank you. I hope you've been well, Director?"
"Yes, yes."
We exchanged greetings that neither of us cared about, and lied that we were well when we weren't.
We were truly socially correct people.
"I'm sure you're busy running the hospital, so I'll get straight to the point so as not to take up too much of your time."
I was planning to get straight to the point before he even brought out tea.
"I need the Visitor Log of the patient Meggy who died recently."
"Ah..."
He must have already guessed that my visit was related to Meggy.
Even if it was a hospital sponsored by the Crofort family, he wouldn't think I would come in person to give a sponsorship check after a murder had occurred, especially since the deceased was related to a powerful figure.
But he didn't seem to expect me to ask for the Visitor Log; his eyes were darting around as he listened to me.
"That's a bit difficult."
He gave me an ambiguous and troubled smile.
"Why?"
"The Visitor Log for patients is created to prevent future infections or contagions. It's not appropriate to reveal that personal information under medical law. And besides..."
The hospital director glanced at me.
"You're not a member of the patient's family, are you, Bianca?"
I realized from his gaze that he wasn't looking at me, but at the Wensbury family.
Before, he probably just thought I was admitting a patient I knew to the hospital.
But when a young lady who looked like a noble came to visit the patient every day, calling her "Mom," anyone with a brain would think something was strange.
And now he knew that the patient was actually the past lover of Marquis of Wendsbury, had even given birth to his illegitimate child, and that the illegitimate child had even been registered into the Wensbury family.
He only found out about that after the patient had already died.
It was natural that he was now concerned about the Wensbury family.
Perhaps Maria had pressured him using the name of Wensbury.
"So, you're saying you can't tell me because I'm not a member of the patient's family?"
"That's right. If you get consent from the patient's family..."
"Director."
I cut off his words as he opened his mouth as if to suggest some kind of compromise.
I didn't need to hear his story. He needed to hear mine.
That was what was important.
"I previously had my maid give you a 'small favor.'"
"A favor?"
"Yes. I asked you to erase the record of my visit to Meggy."
"Ah... you mean that."
"But that daughter, Maria, knew that I had visited. Actually, there was a slight misunderstanding between Maria and me, so I took precautions in advance, but it's very disappointing that you didn't handle that matter cleanly."
"Well, I took care of that. I erased your visit from the records. However, there are many people in the hospital, so I couldn't do anything about that..."
"Ah, so you're saying you erased my traces as I asked?"
"Yes, that's right."
The hospital director nodded firmly to emphasize that it wasn't his fault.
Judging by how confidently he said that, it didn't seem to be a lie.
"Hmm..."
I nodded with a serious expression, pretending to think about something.
He was anxiously looking at me, unable to figure out what I was thinking.
"So, you were willing to handle the matter of the Visitor Log even though I wasn't a member of the patient's family back then, but now you can't show me the Visitor Log because I'm not a member of the patient's family?"
"Well, that's... the situation has changed, hasn't it?"
"What situation?"
"Back then, she was simply a patient entrusted to you, and it was a sudden occurrence, so I didn't have time to properly confirm the guardian, and the person who claimed to be her daughter knew all the details..."
"Director."
I cut off his words once again.
There was no value in listening to his rambling excuses. All I wanted to hear from his mouth was "Yes." I didn't want to hear anything else.
"You said it yourself a moment ago. A patient entrusted to me."
His mouth, which had been slightly open to speak, quietly closed after hearing my words.
"Meggy was a patient entrusted to me. I even wrote a letter of introduction myself, I paid for her hospital bills, and I even came to you personally to ask about her condition. She was that kind of patient."
As I emphasized that she was a patient I cared about that much, he looked even more troubled.
"And you... killed that patient."
"Killed? That's not what happened."
The words that finally came out of my mouth were extremely provocative, and the hospital director's eyes widened.
"Then is Meggy still alive?"
"It's true that the patient died, but that wasn't because of any mistake on our part, but from outside..."
"She was poisoned. In this hospital, in this ward, where I trusted you to admit Meggy."
"That, that is..."
"Isn't it ironic that a patient who came to be cured was instead killed inside the hospital? I didn't want to say this, but frankly, I doubt whether you're running this hospital properly."
"Pardon?"
"Isn't that right? It's not just any patient, but a patient I specifically entrusted to you, who was so easily poisoned. If I had known that the hospital managed patients so poorly, I would never have admitted Meggy to this hospital."
"B-Bianca."
"Perhaps I should look for another hospital that I can trust. At least a hospital that doesn't just stand there dumbly while someone is dying."
"W-wait a moment, Bianca!"
Now the hospital director was sweating profusely. He couldn't hide the embarrassment on his face at all.
Being from a noble family, he must have been taught from a young age to hide such expressions in front of people and pretend to be relaxed.
Well, it was natural for him to be like that, since the family that donated the most to this hospital was saying that they would cut off their donations immediately.
The hospital couldn't function properly without the donations from the nobles, and he would have to take responsibility as the hospital director for failing to maintain the donations.
"Don't just keep calling my name like that, speak."
The director wanted to maintain good relations with both prestigious families in Splendor, but now he had to choose.
Crofort or Wensbury.
And the answer was obvious.
"I will... show you the Visitor Log."
That was the answer the hospital director gave after a very short period of consideration.
It was a natural result.
He wouldn't abandon Crofort, who was already providing donations, and choose Wensbury, who hadn't given a single penny yet.
"Just in case, I'm telling you that the only reason I'm showing you the Visitor Log is because I feel responsible for not living up to the trust you placed in me."
As a last bit of pride, the hospital director made excuses that his actions were due to trust and faith, not money.
"I appreciate your responsible actions."
Looking at his forehead, which was still covered in beads of sweat, I smiled, implying that the hospital director wouldn't change.
Of course, I didn't know when that intention would change.
I had a feeling that the time to change would come soon, but there was no need to tell him that.
