I Married a Sick Husband

“I feel reassured to think that there is a reliable physician in the palace.”

 

When Jerome heard that, he looked at Meredith and asked.

 

“Do you trust me?”

 

“Because you are a man trusted by His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

“That doesn’t mean I’m Your Majesty’s person.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Meredith replied, smiling silently.

 

“If it’s not for me, there’s no one to cure His Majesty.” 

 

“…..” 

 

“I hope you don’t forget that. The health of the therapist has a very significant impact on the manifestation of their healing abilities.”

 

It was also a kind of warning.

 

If Jerome was a person who was as hostile as Felix, he was more likely to return with greater damage.

(t/n: she means that if he is as hostile as Felix is, he is likely to harm her/ take revenge which can cause more damage than what Felix can do.)

 

Because he is well-versed in medicine.

(t/n: medicine can be used to heal as well as to make poison.)

 

“Of course, Your Majesty. I asked you a rude and foolish question.”

 

“As long as you know now.”

 

“If you need my help, feel free to let me know.”

 

“······· Ah.”

 

At Jerome’s words, Meredith asked cautiously for a request.

 

“Well, if you don’t mind, can I ask you a favor?”

 

“Yes, anything.”

 

“Actually, I’m very interested in medicine, too.

 

“Your Majesty is?”

 

“Because I’m a healing wizard, I naturally looked into it.”

 

“Oh, well, that’s understandable.”

 

“I thought studying would definitely help.”

 

Meredith added, feeling a little embarrassed.

 

“Of course, compared to Lord Jerome, it’s just a drop in the ocean.”

(t/n: the phrase ’새 발의 피’ (literally means ‘blood oozing from a bird’s foot’) has negative connotations such as ‘quite unimportant; nothing, just a smidgen, a drop in the ocean, etc.’)

 

Jerome somehow felt that she was speaking with humility.

 

“I’ll keep trying to study in my spare time, but can you tell me if there’s anything I don’t understand?”

 

“Of course, Your Majesty. You’re asking me a favor that’s not difficult at all.”

 

“Did you think I was going to ask for an unreasonable request?”

 

“Yes. So I was nervous ····.”

 

Meredith was curious about what that ‘unreasonable request’ was, but didn’t ask.

 

“I am always on standby at the Imperial Palace Medical Center. Please come anytime.”

 

“I’m glad you said that.”

 

“The Empress’s interest in medicine won’t be a flaw.”

 

“Thank you. I hope we can be good partners.”

 

Meredith smiled and gave Jerome permission to leave.

 

“Then you may go out.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will leave my medicine for insomnia.”

 

“That was just an excuse.”

 

“I need an official justification for being here.”

 

“Oh, I forgot about that.”

 

“It’s good for mental and physical stability. Even if it’s not insomnia, eating will help you sleep comfortably.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Please take a rest.”

 

Jerome went out and Meredith was left alone.

 

She exhaled a long breath in the room where no one was present.

 

“Hu·····.”

 

I expected it, but even the physician would look at her in a respectful manner.

 

‘I need to start treatment as soon as possible to gain everyone’s trust.’

 

Of course, there is no change in the fact that the most important thing is the Emperor’s heart.

 

‘There’s nothing wrong with winning the hearts of your people.’

 

By any chance, when the treatment is over, the evil emperor’s aides may try to kill her.

 

‘When that time comes, His Majesty will have no reason to care more about me.’

 

It may be a leap forward too far in the future, but there were many enemies anyway, so there was nothing good about it.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Then Yulia came inside.

 

“I heard from the Imperial Physician. Please wait a moment, I’ll bring the medicine.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“You must be very nervous because it’s an unfamiliar environment.”

 

Was that the reason given? 

 

Meredith grinned and replied for her to not to worry too much.

 

“I’m sure it’ll be fine soon.”

 

***

 

By the second day, Meredith had finished her urgent work and asked Yulia.

 

“Is this all I have to do today?”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s right.”

 

“Then I’ll go to the library.”

 

“Library?”

 

Yulia seemed a little puzzled and soon opened her mouth.

 

“If there’s a book you want to read, I’ll have a maid bring it.”

 

“…No, it’s okay. I want to go there myself.”

 

All the books to be asked were related to magic.

 

‘I don’t want to get caught for nothing.’

 

Meredith quickly added a reason.

 

“To get some fresh air. And I don’t have a particular book I want to read.”

 

“Oh, yes, I see.”

 

Yulia and her maids quickly helped Meredith get ready to go out.

 

Meredith headed straight to the palace library.

 

‘I wish there was a book that could help.’

 

It’s a place everyone can access, so I thought I shouldn’t expect much.

 

But at the same time, I was hoping for it.

 

‘Maybe there might be an unexpected harvest.’

 

Meredith walked a few minutes to reach the Imperial Palace Library.

 

“Your Majesty the Empress, it’s been a long time…”

 

“Shh.”

 

To the librarian who was about to greet him raucously, Meredith put her index finger on her lips as if to be quiet.

 

I’m here for a secret matter, but I don’t want to draw attention for nothing.

 

“I just wanted to read a book for a while. Don’t worry about it.”

 

“Oh, yes, Your Majesty.”

 

The librarian added, nodding his head with a puzzled expression.

 

“But if you need any help, feel free to let me know.”

 

“I will.”

 

With a brief response, Meredith also expressed her desire to be alone.

 

Yulia said with a troubled face.

 

“It might be heavy for you to carry a book of your choice.”

 

“I’m not that fragile, Yulia.”

 

Meredith smiled silently and spoke.

 

“Most of all, I don’t want to be disturbed by the time I spend reading. You know what I’m talking about, right?”

 

“If that’s what Your Majesty wills….”

 

However, Yulia was still reluctant.

 

“You have to call me if anything happens. It’s okay if you scream.”

 

“Yulia, too. What’s happening in this library?”

 

Meredith answered in a nonchalant way.

 

“Don’t worry too much, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book. All right?”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Only then was Meredith able to be alone.

 

Meredith, who came up to the second floor barely managing to avoid their eyes, breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Indeed, it was not easy being alone as an empress.

 

‘Where should I start?’

 

Meredith spent a few minutes pretending to pick a book at the nearest bookshelf.

 

It was to avoid possible doubt.

 

Then she pulled out a book or two and repeated the same behavior in the bookshelf next to her.

 

These books were all props for the eyes.

 

I didn’t intend to check out magic books.

 

Meredith repeated the same behavior and slowly moved to the bookshelf; a collection of magic books.

 

This would have avoided some suspicion that she had come to the library because she wanted to read magic-related books from the beginning.

 

It was when I held about five books in my arms.

 

“Ah······!”

 

Meredith finally arrived at a collection of magic books.

 

‘I found it.’

 

Fortunately, it was in the very corner of the library. Meredith put all the books in her arms down to one side.

 

Then I began to look carefully at the bookshelf.

 

Among magic, I had to find books about curses and treatments.

 

But ·····.

 

‘I can’t see any books about the curse.’

 

Most of the books on the bookshelves were only related to white magic.

 

No use at all for now.

 

Meredith looked upward in frustration.

 

However, it was difficult to see because of my limited height.

 

“Why did you put the book up at such a high place?”

 

Meredith complained in a small voice and brought a chair from the pillar.

 

And carefully stepped on the chair and climbed up.

 

‘…..It’s higher than I thought.’

 

Perhaps because of standing on tiptoes, her toes have been numb even though she was standing stably.

 

Meredith was actually frightened of heights.

 

So she didn’t try to look down, but only looked up.

 

‘Black magic, black magic ······.’

 

It was about five to ten minutes on the chair.

 

‘…Oh.’

 

Found it.

 The real reason black magic is banned 

‘I don’t think I’ll get the information I really need.’

 

Meredith decided to split up just in case.

 

She carefully lifted her heels and touched the back of the book.

 

It was so tight that it didn’t come out easily.

 

“A little more ……!”

 

Meredith struggled to get the book out.

 

Finally, I succeeded in picking out the book I wanted.

 

“I took it out…!”

 

But at that very moment, the chair supporting Meredith’s leg began to shake.

 

It was the result of Meredith weighing on one toe.

 

“Uh·······?”

 

Embarrassed, Meredith eventually lost her balance.

 

The chair shook and dropped Meredith.

 

“Ah······!”

 

Meredith groaned low and closed her eyes tightly.

 

The place where she stood was not high enough to be life-threatening even if it fell.

 

Even if she falls from here, it will only break one place at most.

 

Meredith, thinking that it would be good if only his fingers to flip the bookshelf were fine, Meredith prepared for the pain to come.

 

‘…uh?’

 

Therefore, the steady force of holding her suddenly and the pain that I could never feel no matter how long I waited made her embarrassed.

 

Meredith slowly opened her eyelids when she realized someone had caught her.

 

“Ah·······.”

 

And I ran into a very unexpected opponent.