Time Healer Ceres
Chapter 36
“Mommy….”
“Oh my goodness, Zen…!”
It didn’t take long after Ceres fed the child for her to be certain her judgment had been correct.
At the sound of that small, fragile, yet clear voice, the woman’s eyes welled with tears.
The terrifying heat that had been radiating from the child’s body just moments ago was nowhere to be found.
“He’s a bit better now, but it will take more time for a full recovery. You’ll need to give him medicine for about fifteen more days. I’ll tell you what you need, so go to a nearby apothecary and have it prepared.”
“Thank you so much!”
No matter how many doctors she had shown him to, there had been no improvement. How had this happened?
Though bewildered, the woman bowed her head repeatedly, overcome with emotion.
Watching this with a strange look in her eyes, Ceres tossed out a question as if in passing.
“You’ve been near an Appley Tree, haven’t you?”
“An Appley Tree?”
The woman nodded hurriedly.
Appley Trees were common fruit trees that could be found just by going into the nearby mountains.
They bore red fruits as small as a pinky nail all year round, and because they were quite sweet, they were loved by adults and children alike.
“There’s a bug that lives parasitically on them.”
It was a tiny insect, barely visible to the naked eye.
“Occasionally, those bitten by that bug suffer just like that child.”
Usually, even if bitten, most people passed it off with no symptoms, but very rarely, there were those whose condition deteriorated rapidly like this boy.
Since it wasn’t a common case, no matter how many regular doctors she visited, they probably would have just prescribed cold medicine forever.
“Thank you, truly! The medical fee is…”
“Forget the money.”
“Pardon?”
She wasn’t officially working as a doctor right now; taking money would be illegal.
Ceres shook her head at the woman who was about to pull out money.
“Let me ask you something instead.”
“Yes! Ask me anything.”
The woman nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with the look of someone willing to do whatever she could.
“Are the people of the Elercia family always like that?”
“What do you mean by ‘always like that’…?”
“Do they always prioritize nobles and make patients wait indefinitely without distinction?”
Ceres asked with a sliver of hope, even though she knew what the answer would likely be.
Hoping that today was just an unlucky day and the situation was unusually bad.
Secretly wishing for an answer that said they weren’t usually like that.
“Today was my first time standing in line, but others said they’re always like that. They said you have to stand in line prepared to go home empty-handed for at least a few days.”
The woman’s shoulders slumped.
She had already heard the rumors, but seeing a noble stroll right in past her critically ill child had caused her to lose her reason and see red.
“And that administrator—he’s not just there for today, he’s the one out there every time?”
“Yes.”
“Shit…”
Ceres barely managed to swallow the curse that almost burst out.
Locking eyes with the child who was staring blankly at her from his mother’s arms, she clicked her tongue lightly and let out a short sigh.
‘They took someone who isn’t even a healer and put them in charge of the main gate?’
Even when she was there, there were always long lines.
However, in those lines, there was no distinction between commoner and noble.
No matter how high one’s status—even members of the Imperial family—everyone had to wait in line to receive treatment from the Elercia family.
However, exceptions were made if a patient’s condition was critical. Even if they arrived late, if their state was serious, they were allowed to receive treatment immediately.
‘That’s why the gatekeeper is so important.’
When she was the Head of the Family of Elercia County, she placed the highest importance on the gatekeeper.
Treatment is only possible when the subject is alive.
Identifying a patient’s condition and setting priorities wasn’t a job just anyone could do.
Because of that, someone with excellent skills as a healer used to be in charge of the gate.
‘And yet, he knows nothing of healing arts?’
Recalling the administrator she had met earlier, Ceres let out a hollow laugh.
He wasn’t just a temporary worker for today; he manages the gate like that every single time?
“What a joke.”
“Pardon?”
Antonion, who had been standing quietly to one side, slipped closer to the child’s mother, whose eyes had widened in surprise.
“She’s not talking to you. She’s just like that sometimes, so don’t mind her.”
“Ah, yes.”
Antonion let out a long sigh at the sight of Ceres, who continued to vent her frustrations in a low voice with fire in her eyes.
What exactly had made his noona flip out like that this time?
Was it because of that administrator earlier?
“Whatever the Elercia family is doing, what does it have to do with us? Just calm down…”
“My head is a mess right now. I’ll give you a candy, so go over there and play by yourself for a bit.”
“Who are you calling a kid?!”
Antonion, who had growled back fiercely, gulped the next moment after seeing Ceres’s expression.
He swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to spit out.
Noona, do you even remember that you were supposed to get a check-up at the Elercia family today?
We walked for an hour to get here!
Besides.
“But noona, how did you know that kid was sick because of a bug living on an Appley Tree?”
Before losing her memory, Ceres had certainly lived a life far removed from healing arts.
So how…?
“I studied it while trying to make medicine for Yulia.”
Ceres brushed off the question as if it were nothing.
If you act brazen enough, even a lie sounds like the truth. If I say I did it, what are you going to do if you don’t believe me?
Sure enough, Antonion’s expression became dubious.
Eventually, Antonion let out a deep sigh and decided to focus only on the reason they had come to Elercia County in the first place.
‘Should I suggest we go get the check-up now…?’
“Those lunatics.”
“…….”
…Never mind.
Seeing the murderous look in Ceres’s eyes, Antonion quietly shut his mouth.
Even that resolve was lightly trampled by Ceres’s unextinguished rage.
“Jay.”
“Yes?”
“Is something wrong with the Young Lady?”
“I’m not sure. She’s been like that ever since she came back from going out with Antonion-nim yesterday.”
Mark, whose arm had been broken, was back at the shop helping out for the first time in a while.
Moving his arm was still awkward, but helping with small tasks wasn’t much of a problem. It seemed like he’d be able to take back the kitchen entirely soon.
“She doesn’t look to be in a good mood at all.”
“I agree.”
The problem was that Ceres’s condition today was the absolute worst.
It wasn’t that she was giving them a hard time or acting particularly different.
It was just that the atmosphere she radiated while standing still was incredibly chilling.
“Hey, is Grand Duke Felsha here right now?”
“No?”
“Then why is the air like this?”
“Keep your voice down. I said keep it down.”
The customers also seemed to sense Ceres’s frigid mood, as everyone was walking on eggshells around her.
Ting.
Just then, a small figure entered through the door.
“Unnie.”
Running toward Ceres and throwing herself into her arms was her younger sister, Yulia.
At the sight of the child, a faint smile appeared on Ceres’s face, as if the coldness had never been there.
Silent sighs of relief broke out here and there at the sight. It was as if people could finally breathe again.
“Yulia?”
However, Ceres’s brow furrowed slightly as she looked at the child. She noticed that Yulia’s eyes were quite red.
“Have you been crying?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Unnie…”
Ceres looked up at the butler, Colin, who was standing behind the sobbing Yulia.
“Well…”
A short sigh escaped the lips of the man who had brought Yulia from the Academy.
“It seems Dave’s father has been arrested.”
Hearing Colin’s words, Ceres understood the situation immediately.
Dave’s father, Knox.
Not long ago, he had been dragged away by the guards after being reported by his neighbors.
It was because he would rush out of his house morning and night, howling like a madman, and the contents of his cries were unsettling.
‘I was wrong! I—I was wrong! I didn’t really mean to kill her! I mean it!’
‘Aaaagh! Fine! I killed her! I killed you, you wench! Aaaaagh! So please, just stop it!’
‘Ugh… *sob! Please… please… stop…!’*
After being caught by the guards, Knox confessed to all his crimes. He admitted that he had killed his wife and son.
It was said he didn’t even seem to have the will to make excuses, perhaps because he was already at his mental limit.
“Unnie…”
“Yes.”
“Dave… Dave is…”
“…….”
And that series of events—the fact that Dave had lost his life at the hands of none other than his own father—seemed to have reached Yulia’s ears.
‘Are there no secrets at the Academy?’
How did the news reach such a young child?
Just like how she heard that all the children had listened to the rumor about Dave’s mother having an affair and running away with him.
‘None of this is the kind of news children should be hearing.’
