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Lucia Chapter 52 [part 1]

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< — The Taran Duke’s Family Doctor — > (2)

TN: Vision = secret manual.

 

It was now routine for Lucia to take the medicine Anna prepared for her every other day. The maid usually brought it one or two hours after she’d had dinner. Lucia habitually brought the bowl of medicine to her mouth but was surprised and reflexively took it away from her mouth.

“…Vanilla scent?”

She brought the bowl closer to her nose again and took in the smell. There was no doubt. It was scent of vanilla. It was the cure that she couldn’t find in her dream even after putting a lot of effort and time. The wandering doctor she’d miraculously met called it his family’s vision. It was not a medicine that could be found so easily. Lucia called the maid and asked for Anna to be brought to her.

“Anna, today’s medication is different from before.” (Lucia)

“Yes. It’s a new remedy.” (Anna)

“Is it a method you found?”

“…Yes.”

If Anna said that she’d received someone else’s advice, Lucia would’ve thought that Anna may have met the doctor from her dream. But she couldn’t believe that Anna found it.

“Anna, I have studied medicinal herbs for a while because I was interested in them.”

After saying so, Lucia went on to list three different herbs. These herbs all belonged to the side of medicinal herbs with strong composition so they were herbs that should be examined and carefully prescribed according to the constitution of the patient. For a doctor, this knowledge was close to common sense.

“Do you know what happens if you mix these three herbs together and eat it?” (Lucia)

Anna couldn’t grasp the intent behind this abrupt question but she answered truthfully based on her knowledge.

“Those medicinal herbs are herbs that should never be mixed together. Each is different in nature so when taken together, it will act as a poison.” (Anna)

“Is that so? Then Anna, you brought this medicine to try and feed me poison.” (Lucia)

“What?”

Poison! Anna’s entire body grew rigid as she froze stone-cold. The petite woman in front of her suddenly seemed to change into an enormous steel wall. The Duchess wasn’t one to assert her authority or observe proper decorum with the people under her.

So, Anna had forgotten. She’d forgotten that the Duchess was a grand high-ranking noble that she would never be able to see in her lifetime if it wasn’t for her becoming a primary doctor.

‘Have I done something to offend the Duchess?’

A chill ran down her spine. The life of a doctor who was suspected for attempted poisoning was akin to the life of a candle flame before the wind. Whether it was true or not did not matter. The problem was such a suspicion being made in the first place.

“Did you know this medicine has a vanilla scent?” (Lucia)

“Yes, Milady.” (Anna)

“Do you know why it has a vanilla scent?”

“…”

“If you mix the three herbs I mention earlier and boil it down, you get the scent of vanilla. You doesn’t seem to know this, Anna.”

“…What?”

“You said it is a treatment method that you found. How can you not know?”

After Lucia’s menstruation re-started because of the cure the wandering doctor gave her in her dream, she became interested in the cure itself. Whenever she went to buy medicinal herbs, she would remember the words telling her that certain herbs mixed together caused huge problems.

Philip’s lonesome expression as he tore the page from the notebook containing his family’s vision and gave it to her also kept coming to mind. In particular, she was curious about the medicine’s vanilla scent. So, out of curiosity, she began studying medicinal herbs.

Her studies did not measure up to that of a professional’s. She just learnt the type and efficacy of the medicinal herbs in the prescription Philip gave to her. She took the medicinal herbs on the prescription apart piece by piece and repeatedly tested mixtures. Through this, she found that the vanilla scent came from mixing the three herbs that were not commonly mixed together.

Anna’s complexion turned white. Anna did not know what kind of medicinal herbs had gone into the medicine. The medicine that Philip handed over to her was in a finely ground state.

[The method of dosage is simple. It should be taken regularly, at least once a month till menstruation begins again.] (Philip)

[I cannot have a patient take a medicine that I do not know what went into it. The prescription should be given along with the medicine.] (Anna)

[It is our family vision, I cannot reveal this.]

[Philip. I do not doubt your conscience or ability as a doctor. However, this is not any ordinary patient.]

[Anna, if that is so, I can personally explain to the patient.]

[That cannot be done. Sir Philip is prohibited from approaching the Madam.]

Anna had been very excited to learn there was a treatment method but while she waited for Philip to make the medicine, a forgotten matter rose to the forefront of her mind.

In the past, the butler had said that even if they found cure, it had to be called Anna’s. Even a simple mention of Philip’s existence was not to be made in front of the madam.

[I will not ask what the circumstances are, but I cannot let you meet the Madam, Philip.]

[…I can stake my neck to assure you. If you are really worried, you can eat some to test it. This medicine has no effect when a normal person takes it.]

[You said that it has to be administered long term. A problem could occur when it is taken long term.]

[Anna, do you think I will make a drug that will harm a patient?]

Anna’s trust for Philip, her conscience as a doctor and her desire for a cure were in fierce conflict inside her mind. She personally took the medicine for a week and watched her body’s condition for anything odd. While doing this, she received a summon from the Duke.

The Duke of Taran usually called Anna about once a week to ask her how the Duchess’s treatment was going. And Anna’s answer was usually the same.

[I’m looking for a cure.]

The Duke wouldn’t question it more and with an answer of ‘Okay’, the discussion was over.

However, this time when she was summoned by the Duke, she felt pressured because she was in possession of the cure.

She felt a sense of shame that even though she was being paid a huge sum of money, she wasn’t doing her work properly.

And because Anna’s trust in Philip already occupied a huge spot in her heart, she eventually brought the medicine to the Duchess.

‘This…I did something crazy.’

Only after Lucia questioned the components of the drug did Anna realize this. She was a doctor prescribing an unknown drug to her patient. Before one considered that this patient was, in fact, the Duchess, it was a fatal error in her judgement as doctor.

“I have nothing to say. I am sorry, Milady. Truthfully, it is not my cure. I took the medicine for a week to verify it.” (Anna)

Lucia sighed, feeling Anna’s anguish and efforts through her words.

“To have consulted with them about my condition, it must be someone you have great trust in. Who is it?”

“I’m sorry, Milady. I cannot say who it is.”

“Did the person who prescribed the medicine ask not to be revealed?”

When Lucia thought about it, the wandering doctor from her dream wasn’t one to covet credit.

“…”

Since Anna wasn’t allowed to speak of Philip’s existence, she couldn’t give an answer.

“I cannot take this medicine. I cannot trust it. Do you understand?” (Lucia)

“Yes, Milady. I have committed a grave mistake.”

“I know you did it because you wanted to treat me. But do not lie next time.”

“Yes, Milady.”

Lucia was once of the notion that if Anna found a cure, she would not reject it. At that time, she was angry with Hugo and her attitude was ‘I-don’t-care-whatever-happens. But now that she realized why he didn’t want a child, her mind had changed.

He was not ready to be a father at all. If a child was born, it would be a tragedy for everyone involved as well as the new-born child. Lucia did not want to have a child that Hugo did not want. She wanted to have a child that received lots of love from their father.

Hugo grew up without knowing love from his parents and Lucia spent her childhood neglected by her father. Both of them had experienced the lack of a normal family. Lucia thought that in order to complete themselves in what they lacked, they needed to perfectly understand each other.

‘Not giving birth to a child could be the happier side of things.’

There was regret. She was in love with him. She wanted to have a child for the man she loved. But now wasn’t the time.

When she thought back to her tiring life in her dream, it taught her about a lot of things. If not for the dream, she wouldn’t have such huge patience nor would she have been able to see the distant future.

 

*.*.*

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22 thoughts on “Lucia Chapter 52 [part 1]”

  1. I’m happy with your decision Lucia… And I want Hugo to know the doctors Anna talked about is Phillip and one things that connect to it are Phillip obsession.. And he could connect the dot from there even though Philip gives false testimony.. And one things from Philip conjecture that true are when close relatives married to each other the bad things will accumulate in the child their produce.. So yeah.. maybe cruel and madness will follow too.. And not just that…
    Thanks for the chapter

  2. Lucia’s level headed decision to not put a child in between them when they’re still trying to understand each other saves the day. I knew I could count on her.

  3. I want them to have a baby. I really do.. But things are so complicated, its crazy….
    If on the side they finally have a baby, i hope it wasnt a girl, and if it was a girl, i hope damian wont see her romantically…
    But the next generation is a little problematic….

  4. I get that the males from the taran line can only have a daughter through special means and sons through family, but what about girls? Can females of the taran line not have daughters through men not of the taran line at all?

    1. I like how you think. There should be a way to avoid this. Anna is no longer trust worthy. What justication is there to lie to a patient. Besides a normal female with no difficulties taking the medication is no test of what will happen in specialized cases a.k.a. Lucia.

      Thank you for this update

  5. wow…lucia is so much intelligent..if it was someone else in her stead..she might take the medicine without thinking thoroughly

  6. Real impressive decision making skills right there~ Does not consider only oneself but also the other party involved.

    Loved that~

    Thank you for the chapter 💕

  7. I know this novel finished some time ago, but as a medical student (albeit a fresh one), I can’t believe that Anna took that action.

    While seeing the skills of a certain colleague to affirm your beliefs of how much of a medical expert he is, the fact that Anna told Lucia’s symptoms to him last chapter already disappointed me. again, yes they are colleagues that can help each other, but this is a NOBLE lady we’re talking about, and you’re her PERSONAL doctor so… *sigh*

    I get that as medical practitioners we have to make certain decisions that will have to help our patient by all means (like surgery, harm for the sake of greater results and healing), but Anna is Lucia’s personal doctor, she should have consulted what she has discovered rather than feeding her medicine she doesn’t even know what was made of. I find myself exasperated when Anna drank the medicine herself to test its effects, but at least she did it for a good cause, no matter how unguided and single-minded it was. There’s a lot of ethical theories and practice a medical practitioner may uphold, but it is VERY important that we should always have trust between the client you care for, tell them the risks, tell them why it’s like this, etc.

    Then again this is the medieval period, Anna was just doing her best and in her worry she made a critical mistake. I’m just glad Lucia’s very sensible (best girl).

    Okay rant done, ignore me now.

  8. First of all, thank you for the translation!

    ive been binge reading lucia’s novel the past view days but this is the first time i have the urge to comment so bad

    I cant describe how conflicted i am about whats going on in the chapter.. all i want is for lucia, hugh, and damian to live happily and interact adorably.. i hope i can read it fast to pass this frustrating conflict with phillip’s obsession

  9. “She wanted to have a child for the man she loved.”

    For those who were in doubt whether Lucia wants a child or not, here’s the answer.

    She wants you to have a child “with the duke” but knows that it is not the right time or time. And I admit that I like Lucia’s way of thinking.

    I hope that lunatic doctor (Philip) burns in hell.

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