Time Healer Ceres
Chapter 10
<010>
“I am the director, Arnold.”
The office was decorated extravagantly. Everywhere one turned, the room was filled with ornaments that looked expensive even at a glance.
In the center of the room, sitting on a chair that looked more ornate than anything else, was a man in his mid-forties smiling brightly.
“I understand you are Yulia-nim’s guardian?”
“…….”
“What brings you here so suddenly without any notice?”
“…….”
“Excuse me….”
“…….”
However, that smile did not last long. Director Arnold was busy wiping away the cold sweat that kept trickling down.
“I beg your pardon, but why are you holding that?”
It was because of the person sitting in front of him—Ceres. The way she maintained total silence in response to every question, simply staring at him intently, was incredibly pressuring.
And….
‘Above all, that!’
Looking at the soup bowl in her hand, Arnold had to force an awkward smile. He knew exactly what that soup was.
“In case someone takes it.”
“Pardon?”
“Because it’s evidence.”
“…Evidence?”
Director Arnold’s expression froze further. His mouth felt bone-dry. Surely, she hadn't noticed something?
‘No, no!’
He struggled to pull his gaze away from the soup, shaking off the surging anxiety. Calming his twitching eyelids, he wore a bright smile as if by habit.
“As you know, our Sanatorium restricts outside visitors as much as possible for the emotional stability of our patients.”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“Why do you restrict them?”
“As, as I just said, for the patient’s stability….”
“Are you saying my sister won’t be stable if she sees me?”
“Th-that’s not it, but….”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s not so much a problem as…?”
Arnold, stammering out excuses while wiping his sweat, felt utterly confused by his own behavior.
‘Why am I floundering like this?’
He was a man who had dealt with countless guardians until now. Among them were nobles and plenty of wealthy merchants. But why? He couldn't understand why he felt so intimidated by a mere young lady like her.
‘And why is her casual speech so natural?’
He had heard they were a Baron’s family, but wasn't it a place that was a title in name only? He was told they were nobles in name only, struggling with the cost of living….
‘But what is with this appearance?’
Contrary to what he had heard, the woman before him had an aura so exceptional he would have believed it if she were royalty. Her use of low speech was incredibly natural, and her actions exuded the leisure unique to those who possessed power.
“I looked over the bills.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes.”
Director Arnold, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to reality at Ceres’s voice.
“So, I have a few things I’m curious about.”
“Please, ask anything.”
Only then did Ceres set the soup bowl down on the table with a thud.
“What exactly is Yulia’s condition?”
“Well, as you likely know better, her condition is one where the exact name of the disease is unknown. Her strength is gradually fading, and the frequency of her collapsing is increasing by the day. She isn't awake for many hours a day.”
“I see you used Elpia Leaf. The reason?”
“Pardon? Elpia Leaf? That was because her fever was so high….”
“And using Delia Root with it?”
“Th-that was to replenish her strength since it had dropped so much….”
“Are you unaware of the side effects of Delia Root? You used a medicinal herb that raises body heat alongside one meant to lower the fever of a child?”
“Ye… Yes?”
“Why did you use Bros Fruit?”
“Br-Bros Fruit? Th-that… the child was injured, so to stop the bleeding….”
“I saw you used Elcho Leaf as well. You must be well aware that one has an excellent effect on stopping bleeding, while the other accelerates blood circulation. What do you think happens when those two herbs are used together?”
“That….”
Who was this woman?
Cold sweat poured down Arnold’s spine. How did she know so much about herbs whose effects even he didn't fully grasp?
Ceres’s questions continued after that, but Director Arnold couldn't utter a proper answer even once.
“Wow.”
At the sudden exclamation from Ceres’s mouth, Arnold flinched and cast a bewildered look at her.
“It’s been a while since I’ve found someone I desperately want to see.”
“Pardon?”
“I suppose you could say I want to see the face of whatever moron taught a person like you. Under whom did you study?”
“Th-that is going too f—!”
“This thing here.”
Arnold, who was shouting with a face flushed red, was unable to finish his sentence this time either. It was because Ceres had picked up the soup she had set down a moment ago.
“I’m truly curious, you see?”
“Ab-about what?”
The director’s eyes shook as they followed the soup. Without taking her eyes off him for a second, Ceres continued slowly.
“About which bastard deserves to be beaten to death for telling you to put poison in here—that kind of curiosity?”
“Pa-pardon?”
“Or the bewilderment as to why you’d try to feed poison to my sister, things like that?”
“……!”
Does she really know?
Director Arnold’s complexion turned pale in an instant. His eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck, and only after a long while did he stammer out a reply.
“W-what are you talking about! P-po… poison!”
“Clumsy.”
“Pardon?”
“Your facial expressions are too clumsy.”
“It-it’s a misunderstanding! There’s absolutely no reason to use poison!”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Why would you use poison on a mere seven-year-old child?”
“It’s really not! There is no such thing as poison in there!”
“Is that so?”
Toward him, as he shook his head vigorously claiming innocence, Ceres extended the bowl she was holding straight toward him.
“Then eat it.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said eat it.”
“…Ha!”
Arnold flinched for a moment but quickly composed himself and let out a scoff.
“Do you think I can’t eat it? I’ll eat as much as you like!”
Snatching the bowl from Ceres as if to prove his innocence, Arnold boldly brought the spoon to his mouth. But that momentum didn't last long. Hearing Ceres’s subsequent words, the man’s face froze in an instant.
“Ah, by the way, did you know? The poison in that soup. The effect changes when it enters a man’s body.”
“…Changes, you say?”
“In a woman’s body, her stamina gradually drops, sleeping time increases, and eventually she falls asleep forever. On the other hand, for a man….”
“…For a man?”
Arnold gulped involuntarily. Seeing him like that, the corners of Ceres’s mouth curled up slightly.
“Even a small amount turns into a lethal poison. Instant death.”
“……!”
“What are you doing? Aren't you eating?”
“L-lies!”
The hand Arnold held the spoon with trembled violently. The look in his eyes as he stared at the soup was equally shaken.
‘Nobody said anything about that!’
It was true that he had drugged this soup, just as she said. The symptoms were accurate too. A drug that gradually drained stamina and destroyed the body. But he had never heard anything about ‘instant death.’ He was told that while long-term consumption of small amounts would strain the body like that of the woman’s sister, having it once or twice wouldn't cause any problems in daily life at all.
That was why he had picked up the spoon so confidently when told to eat it! But instant death?! The effect changes in a man’s body?
“It’s a lie! That drug doesn't have such an eff—!”
Arnold, who had shouted reflexively, winced and quickly shut his mouth. He had only just realized his mistake.
‘Tsk.’
Seeing him belatedly trying to gauge her reaction, Ceres clicked her tongue inwardly.
‘Is he an idiot?’
He seemed to have even less brains than she thought.
‘One little poke and it all spills out.’
How could he be so careless?
“Whether I’m lying or not, if there’s nothing in the food like you said, then it shouldn't matter at all, right?”
“That….”
“Eat.”
He shook his head.
“I said eat.”
He shook his head even harder.
“Do I have to shove it down your throat myself?”
He shook his head frantically!
Before he knew it, Arnold had thrown the spoon far away and was shaking his head vigorously while covering his mouth tightly with both hands. Looking at the director with a gaze full of pathetic pity, Ceres spoke again.
“There’s one more thing I’m curious about.”
Her gaze shifted to Arnold’s hands, which were covering his mouth with all his might.
“You, what is your relationship with my Aunt Agne?”
“……!”
Arnold’s complexion turned deathly pale once again.
