The Genius Physician Princess

“Ah.”

Romanov’s eyes wavered.

The hope that had piled up like a sandcastle crumbled in an instant.

Seven years ago, a great tragedy struck the Fátima royal family.

At that time, the crown prince and his wife, who was Isolde’s brother, died in an unexpected accident.

The shock was even greater because the princess was only two months away from giving birth.

The accident was so horrific that their bodies were unrecognizable.

Romanov Emperor collapsed in shock, and Isolde, who was studying abroad, had to return urgently.

With the help of the high priest sent by the holy kingdom, the emperor managed to get back on his feet, but his heart was still wounded.

For the past seven years, the festering wound in his heart had eventually toppled him again.

This time, the holy kingdom couldn’t help much because his whole body was failing.

No matter how skilled a priest, they couldn’t reverse a dying lifespan.

Isolde tightly held her wrinkled father’s hand.

“But, Father, I swear. I will find that child. Your granddaughter, my niece… I will definitely find my brother’s and Seyla’s daughter.”

She could still clearly remember her dear brother and her best friend Seyla.

If the child was alive, she would give her all the wealth and glory she should have enjoyed over the past seven years.

If the child wanted, Isolde would even give up her position as the princess.

After all, it wasn’t hers to begin with, and if the child were alive, she would rightfully own it.

If her brother had become emperor, his daughter would naturally be the heir.

Isolde prayed more earnestly than ever.

So, all the gods of Fátima,

I am willing to give up everything I have.

Please protect that poor child.

* * *

Lantus quietly opened the door and hesitated.

Kite, who was sitting in front of the door, gave a bitter smile.

As Lantus carefully closed the door, Kite slowly stood up.

“Where is Miss Yeo-ul?”

“Shh.”

She had finally fallen asleep after crying her heart out for a long time.

Although Lantus had cast a light sleep spell, he couldn’t help but worry about waking her.

Once they were far enough from the door, Lantus asked,

“How long have you been there?”

“Since you said to Miss Yeo-ul, ‘So you were a wanderer.'”

“So, you heard everything.”

A bitter smile also formed on Lantus’s lips.

No wonder Kite’s expression was so dark.

As they walked down the corridor in silence, Kite suddenly spoke.

“I am such a jerk.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Back then, at the shrine… You were right. I shouldn’t have spoken so poorly about the wanderers.”

He had scolded Lantus, who was worried about the wanderers, saying they might be helpful to them.

“I thought you were too sensitive, but I was wrong. I was just a jerk.”

“Hoo.”

Lantus only sighed deeply in response.

It wasn’t Kite’s fault, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Anyone who had seen Yeo-ul earlier would feel the same.

“What do you think happened in the previous world?”

“Who knows.”

Unless Yeo-ul spoke up, there was no way to find out, and now it seemed impossible to ask.

The child, who had been laughing so innocently for the past two days, cried as if her body would break.

Even while comforting her, Lantus was terrified that Yeo-ul might fall apart.

How could he ask about her past when he was afraid of seeing her in such a state again?

“Every time I said it would be okay… she cried. That’s all I know.”

Every time he tried to comfort her, she cried as if pierced by his words.

So eventually, he just wiped her tears and watched her fall asleep.

Lantus paused as they passed the corridor and entered the living room.

Opposite the masters, who looked as troubled as he did, was something that hadn’t been there before.

A white medicine bag.

“Did the doctor come?”

“Liriana called for one. We just sent them back. We received some calming medicine.”

Liriana, one of the remaining three magicians, raised a hand slightly with an awkward smile.

“My sister once had a severe crying fit and had a seizure. I was worried, so I prepared some.”

“Good job.”

Even knowing that the holy kingdom’s doctors wouldn’t be of much help, they had to try.

“Did you keep the doctor from suspecting anything?”

“We had them wait in the farthest room from Yeo-ul’s. They won’t guess her identity.”

“That’s good enough.”

Lantus sat down heavily in a chair, looking exhausted. He ran a hand over his face and mumbled.

“Kite, we should have caught that priest then. The one named Michael or something.”

If they had, the child would have received more help than any sleep spell or clumsy doctor could provide.

Regret always came too late, no matter how early.

“What will you do now, brother?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you would help Miss Yeo-ul adapt to this new world. By any means.”

Yes, he had said that. He had vowed to help Yeo-ul find a place here, even if it cost him everything.

Lantus closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Let’s rest here for another day.”

“Here?”

“If something happens to Yeo-ul, we might really need to bring a priest. Most powerful priests are near the capital. It would be troublesome to go further away.”

If he stormed into the capital and kidnapped a priest, the holy kingdom would go crazy, but he didn’t care at this point.

He was just too anxious.

He felt he had to do something.

Kite spoke firmly.

“Take me with you when you go.”

“Fine, but bring the map first. I have things to prepare for the child while we wait.”

Lantus glanced out the window.

The first light of dawn was just breaking. If they wanted to be ready before Yeo-ul woke up, they had to start now.

Just yesterday, he would have scoffed at the idea, calling it the stupidest thing in the world.

But now, it was the most important.

It had become so desperate.

The child’s smile.

* * *

Yeo-ul dreamt of that day again after a long time.

The day her brother left the world forever.

At that time, Yeo-ul didn’t see her brother’s injured state.

When a nurse asked if she wanted to see him before he went into surgery, she shook her head.

“It’s an urgent surgery. I can wait.”

Yeo-ul had many things attached to her body for treatment. It would take at least ten minutes to go down to the emergency room with all that. She knew how important ten minutes were in an emergency because her brother had told her.

So, she held back.

Her brother would definitely come back.

But the person who walked in was Professor Choi, who should have been in the middle of surgery.

“Yeo-ul, Jinhyuk asked me to give this to you.”

He handed her an unfamiliar phone.

Professor Choi, with a trembling voice, said,

“Jinhyuk woke up just before the surgery. His vital signs were a mess, it was impossible for him to wake up, but he did.”

The first thing her brother said when he woke up was,

“Record this.”

So, thinking it might be important, he held the phone to her brother’s mouth.

As soon as Professor Choi’s wrinkled hand clicked the screen, her brother’s fading voice came through.

“Yeo-ul, it’s okay. Everything will be okay. I promised, remember? You’ll be okay.”

Professor Choi, who was known as the tiger of thoracic surgery, was crying, but Yeo-ul was just stunned.

“That was it. As soon as he finished saying that, he passed away. That fool used his last bit of strength to leave you those words, Yeo-ul.”

What was all this about?

Sure, her brother miraculously woke up and left her a message. But what did that have to do with her being okay?

She wasn’t okay at all.

After that, her brother’s voice appeared in her dreams a few more times.

“Yeo-ul, it’s okay. Everything will be okay.”

At first, Yeo-ul cried. Then she got angry at her brother.

She started yelling in her dreams, asking how she could possibly be okay.

In her dreams, her voice came out clearly.

“Brother, you were wrong!”

“How can I be okay when you’re not here to massage my limbs until dawn, or carry me when I’m tired of the hospital?!”

“I don’t need any of that! You don’t have to be a doctor or kind. You don’t even have to remember me! Just being alive is enough!”

“Why did you say such things when you couldn’t even do that!”

“You were wrong, Brother, you were wrong!”

She would wake up from her dreams after shouting like that and regret it, feeling sorry for her brother.

And today, her brother appeared in her dream again.

For the first time, Yeo-ul gave a different answer.

“Brother, you were right. I think I will be okay. So, you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

Her brother’s smiling face appeared in her dream before it ended.

Yeo-ul slowly opened her eyes.

She looked at the sunlight on the blanket with wet eyes and sat up.

Her heart hurt because her brother’s smiling face disappeared too quickly, but she smiled a little.

“I’m really okay now, Brother.”

In the world she and her brother created, she could be happy.