57
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Count Domenico wasn't the only one surprised. Aileen was so shocked she nearly fainted. She was staring with her mouth slightly open, so Count Domenico looked at Michele and Aileen with a puzzled expression.
Michele frowned deeply, her freckles scrunching up on her nose, and muttered,
"I was having such a nice time alone with the mistress."
She didn't look pleased to have their private time interrupted. But she had to be polite, so she looked down at Count Domenico with a nonchalant expression and asked,
"You came here on business. What brings you here, Count?"
"I… there's an apothecary here… so I came to get some medicine…"
The Count, who had been speaking somewhat incoherently, widened his eyes as if he had realized something.
"Did the Grand Duchess perhaps come to see the apothecary as well?"
Until then, Aileen hadn't been able to say anything. To be precise, there was nothing she could say.
Because the apothecary the Count was looking for was herself.
Count Domenico had been a customer who had been visiting the lab to buy medicine for some time.
Usually, when noble customers came, the innkeeper would step in instead of Aileen. This was because Aileen was reluctant to deal with noble customers.
A shabby pharmacy in a room rented in an old inn, a young female apothecary of unclear identity.
These were perfect conditions to be ignored, and in fact, many things had happened. If the owner of the inn, who had provided the room, hadn't helped in many ways, it would have been difficult to maintain the lab.
Most proud nobles would send a servant to buy medicine. But in such cases, it was difficult to properly understand the symptoms, so she didn't sell the medicine.
Nine out of ten would give up. Only one persistent person would come directly to this old inn, and they were very offended by the fact that they had come to such a humble place.
It would have been better if they had sneered, doubting the efficacy of the medicine Aileen sold. They often gave orders in an overbearing manner, and even threatened that something terrible would happen if the medicine didn't work. Even if it worked, they often didn't thank her, but rather made even greater demands as if it were their due.
Therefore, Aileen would usually just send most noble customers away, saying that she didn't have the right medicine.
But Count Domenico was different. At the time, he hadn't revealed his identity, but she immediately recognized him as a noble because of his fine clothes and elegant speech.
The Count's attitude was very polite, despite his somewhat nervous-looking impression, and he behaved very respectfully towards Aileen from the first time he visited the lab.
He also knew the patient's condition well, explaining the symptoms in detail and accurately along with the name of the disease. He also allowed her to check the medications that had been previously administered. This made it easier for Aileen to make a judgment.
"This is the medicine she used to take. Lately, it doesn't seem to be working, and her condition seems to be getting worse, so I came to find you."
His eyes, as he asked her to look into it and see if she could make a similar medicine, were earnest.
"It's been several years since my wife has been suffering from this disease."
As was the case with most nobles, it was a relationship that began with a political marriage. The Count's face, as he said that they had gradually grown into each other and later became a passionate love, was filled with happiness and sadness.
Aileen did her best to make medicine for him. It was an anti-inflammatory drug made using yew, with a strong analgesic component mixed in.
"Taking the medicine I made won't cure her completely. But it will make her a little more comfortable…"
When she checked the medicine she had been taking, it was close to a narcotic painkiller. As the disease worsened, she probably couldn't handle it by taking one or two pills, so she felt that it was losing its effectiveness.
Taking this much medicine was like forcibly holding onto a life that should have died long ago. The Count also knew this, so he was happy just that his wife was much more comfortable after taking the medicine Aileen gave him.
So he promised to visit once a month, but when he came to the inn, no one was there, so he seemed very embarrassed.
'What should I do?'
This situation occurred because the Count came earlier than the promised date. She didn't know if it was okay to reveal that she was an apothecary. If it became known that the Grand Duchess was selling medicine in a shabby inn, she might become a laughingstock.
Aileen first pressed her lips together and looked at Michele. She was looking down at Count Domenico with her arms crossed.
'Come to think of it, Count Domenico is the new Speaker of the Senate.'
She had seen an article about Count Domenico in the newspaper this morning. It said that as a neutral figure, he would play the role of mediator between the Imperial Family and the nobles.
'I don't think I should give him any reason to find fault…'
While Aileen was struggling, Count Domenico asked in a hurried tone.
"Do you know where the apothecary who was staying here went?"
Michele replied nonchalantly.
"I don't know."
"Ah…"
Count Domenico's face turned dark in an instant. His eyes shook greatly. As soon as she saw his eyes turning black with despair, her body moved before she could even think. Aileen, who had been half-hidden behind Michele, took a step to the side and said,
"It's me, Count."
“…Yes?”
Since he couldn't recognize her easily even after hearing her voice, Aileen spread her hand and covered half of her face. Then the Count opened his eyes wide and pointed at Aileen.
"Oh, ooh…?"
Michele strongly slapped his hand down as he pointed, forgetting even his dignity. With a thud, the Count's arm went down.
Aileen still covered her face, slightly widening her fingers up and down to see in front of her. The Count still had a surprised look on his face, but fortunately, he didn't seem unpleasant or offended at all.
Relieved, Aileen lowered her hand and was about to bend her knees slightly to greet the Count. But Michele immediately stopped her. She smiled at Aileen while staring blankly at Count Domenico.
"You shouldn't bend your knees carelessly, Mistress."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
Now, belatedly realizing that she was the Grand Duchess, she apologized dejectedly. Then Michele immediately bent her knees to match Aileen's eye level and coaxed her gently.
"Why would you say that? You have nothing to apologize for. You're not feeling well today, should I just send him away?"
"Wait!"
Before Aileen could answer, Count Domenico hurriedly clung to her. He immediately took off the top hat he was wearing and paid his respects to Aileen.
"Please forgive my rudeness."
While she was thinking for a moment if there was anything rude he had done, Count Domenico looked at Aileen with a face mixed with complex emotions. Aileen carefully opened her mouth, watching the Count's expression.
"I don't have the medicine. I haven't made it yet because the date I promised hasn't arrived yet… Did you run out of medicine?"
"No. I had something to do near here, so I came to see you to thank you and give you a gift."
Count Domenico was holding a paper bag from a famous bakery in the Empire. He muttered in a somber voice.
"The Grand Duchess… saved me…"
Count Domenico tightened his grip on the bread bag. Veins rose on his clenched fist, and it twitched briefly.
"You must be stepping forward for me even now. Even though you could hide your identity well enough."
He suddenly dropped his head down. For some reason, he seemed to be lost in very complex thoughts. Aileen didn't know what to do because she couldn't understand his intentions, so she looked back and forth between Michele and the Count.
Michele snatched the bread bag that Count Domenico was holding with a thud.
"Mistress, shall we go home and eat this?"
Then she opened the bread bag and talked about other things. The Count, who had been robbed of the bread bag powerlessly, kept his head down for a long time. Then the Count finally raised his head.
His eyes were shining with some kind of determination. Count Domenico smiled like a sigh.
"I will have to become a dog."
Aileen doubted her ears and asked again.
"A dog…?"
"Yes. I don't think it would be bad to become the Grand Duchess's dog. It might even be quite enjoyable."
It was a very embarrassing statement for Aileen, who had never once made an 'offer to become a dog' to Count Domenico. She looked at Michele, wondering if she knew something, but she just shrugged without any reaction.
She was wondering if it was a new trend in the Empire that she didn't know about. A black military vehicle was seen approaching from afar. Cesare, who got out of the vehicle that stopped smoothly in front of the inn, raised his eyebrows when he found Count Domenico. Then, as if he understood the situation, he chuckled and turned to Aileen. He hugged Aileen naturally and asked.
"Did you wait for your husband?"
