The Genius Physician Princess

### “What the heck… is that?”

“Can’t you tell? It’s a lottery ticket.”

Kite’s blunt reply made Lantus’s eyes twitch uncontrollably.

He looked back and forth between Kite, who shamelessly pulled out a wad of lottery tickets from a large box, and Yeo-ul, who blushed and hung her head low.

With a trembling voice, he asked, “Are you telling me that the entire box is filled with these?”

“What else would it be?”

With a loud rustling, the box spilled out countless lottery tickets.

There were at least thousands of them, making Lantus stagger.

“This must be a dream.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, but to his shock, it was no dream.

“I can’t believe I left a child with this lunatic.”

Pale-faced, he rushed to Yeo-ul.

“Yeo-ul, you mustn’t follow his bad example. Money should be earned through hard work, not wasted on nonsense like lottery tickets. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Yeo-ul, who had won 32 billion won and dashed to the lottery shop in this body as her second act, broke out in a cold sweat.

“Hard work, huh? You’re the Archmage! Someone as privileged as you could never understand the plight of ordinary people like us who have to rely on lottery tickets!”

“What does being the Archmage have to do with money? And if the duke’s second son isn’t privileged, who is?”

“I left my family because I was an illegitimate child, remember?”

“But you didn’t renounce your inheritance rights!”

“Of course not. Why would I give up that money? I’ll sue and get it all back with interest when I return.”

Snickering, Kite sat across from Yeo-ul and scolded Lantus.

“Stop with the pointless nagging and start writing the numbers. Miss Yeo-ul wanted to do this.”

“What?”

Lantus looked at Yeo-ul in surprise. She turned as red as a beet.

“I-I only wanted to buy one ticket.”

“One ticket won’t win. You need to buy as many as possible to increase your chances.”

“Well, that’s true…”

I did win with just one!

‘How did it come to this?’

Originally, Yeo-ul had planned another lottery ticket for the protagonist this week, besides the 32 billion won one.

It was the 120 billion won accumulated prize from the 56th round of “Lolo.”

Though it had fewer numbers to match and a smaller prize, the amount had grown beautifully.

Since she suddenly had to leave the Holy Kingdom, she thought she’d give up on the 120 billion won ticket, but luck led her to a shop selling Lolo tickets during their outing.

She grabbed Kite’s sleeve and asked to visit the shop…

And before she knew it, they had bought out the entire shop.

Watching the owner lock up while humming happily had felt like a dream.

“You wanted to try the lottery?”

“Not just the lottery! As your benefactor who saved your life, Miss Yeo-ul should get to do whatever she wants!”

“Well, that’s true.”

Lantus took a seat with a stern face.

“Since we’re doing it, she should experience winning.”

“I’m with you on that, sir.”

“Too bad Andante isn’t here.”

“She’s practically addicted. She researches potential numbers every week. She’ll be upset when she hears about this.”

“Hears what?”

“That the 32 billion won lottery has a winner now.”

“It’s not a scam, is it?”

“Unless the organizers took the money, it’s not a scam.”

The thought that Yeo-ul might have scammed the organizers for the 32 billion won made her feel a pang of guilt.

‘I feel so guilty right now.’

Suppressing her distress, Yeo-ul began jotting down six-digit numbers.

Guilt was guilt, but 120 billion won was 120 billion won…

Kite peered curiously at the numbers Yeo-ul wrote.

“0X1023? Does this number have any special meaning?”

“It’s my favorite number.”

It was the winning number for the second lottery.

October 23, her birthday.

‘It’s about half a year away here.’

It was mid-April now, so her birthday would come in about six months.

‘Will I still be here by then?’

She might not be able to openly share her birthday or easily receive congratulations, but…

For some reason, she wanted to tell Lantus.

If she could be celebrated for her real birthday in this world, she felt like she would feel even more grounded and secure.

As if this sweet dream could become a lasting reality.

‘Huh?’

Yeo-ul’s hand, holding the pen, suddenly became transparent.

As if she might disappear completely.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“L-Lantus, my hand.”

Unconsciously calling out to Lantus, she swallowed hard.

As if what she had seen was a lie, her hand returned to normal.

“What is it? Is your wrist still hurting from yesterday?”

Yeo-ul, who had been staring at her hand with trembling eyes, shook her head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Her heart pounded.

Kite also looked serious as he examined her.

“Sir, didn’t you say that at least a high priest treated Miss Yeo-ul’s hand?”

“Yes, but he was in bad shape. He was on the verge of death. Maybe the treatment didn’t work well?”

“Then why didn’t you bring him here? He wouldn’t have been able to resist. Once he recovered, he could have properly treated Miss Yeo-ul.”

“I didn’t think of it. It was a mistake with no excuse.”

Lantus and Kite put down their pens, examining her hand and talking, but she didn’t hear a word.

The happiness she had felt moments ago seemed to shatter.

‘Is this dream already ending?’

She bit her lip to keep from crying.

Please, just a little longer.

Just a little longer in this dream.

* * *

“Are you sure your hand is okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Lantus, who had worried about Yeo-ul’s wrist all evening, couldn’t stop fretting even as night fell.

“There’s still a priest stationed in Wizardian. I’ll ask him to treat you as soon as we arrive.”

“Thank you.”

Lying on her side in bed, Yeo-ul smiled.

Lantus, who had pulled her blanket up, turned back to the map on the table, checking the search areas for tomorrow.

Yeo-ul, looking at the search stone next to the map, asked quietly.

“What kind of person is the wanderer?”

“Hmm?”

Lantus, looking at the map, raised his head.

“Kite told me you’ve met a wanderer before…”

When she had worried about identifying a wanderer without knowing their face, Kite assured her that Lantus had recognized a wanderer before.

“Well, it depends on the wanderer. But the one I met was a good person.”

Lantus’s eyes, which held a faint smile, looked incredibly sad, surprising Yeo-ul.

“They were someone who put their safety aside to protect what they held most dear. They even sacrificed the most important thing…”

“Like you?”

Lantus’s eyes widened a bit at her words, then he smiled faintly.

“I heard from Kite. You said today felt like a dream?”

Yeo-ul nodded, smiling slightly.

“Yes, a really nice dream.”

“A dream you never want to wake up from?”

“Yes, if possible…”

The memory of her transparent hand came back, dimming her smile. Watching her closely, Lantus sat beside her.

He gently stroked her hair.

“When we get to Wizardian, you’ll have even sweeter dreams. I promise on my name.”

“I think so too. I’m already looking forward to it.”

But what if the dream ends before that?

What if Song Yeo-ul’s body, barely held together by ECMO, dies?

Even if she doesn’t die, what if she wakes up back in the ICU?

Back to when she couldn’t move a finger, back to when she was all alone.

What then?

‘I’m scared.’

Trying to smile, Yeo-ul buried her face in her pillow.

She felt tears welling up from fear.

Lantus, seeing her tear-streaked eyelashes, sighed softly.

His large, warm hand covered her closed eyes.

Her small hands clung to the back of his hand.

Burying her face in his hand, Yeo-ul swallowed her tears and prayed.

‘Please, let this dream continue tomorrow. Please.’

Praying like that, she fell asleep. And when she woke up…

“How can this be?”

In disbelief, Lantus looked at Yeo-ul.

His eyes were red.

“Lantus?”

Surprised, Yeo-ul sat up and looked down.

The search stone in her hand was glowing very brightly.

Pure white.