“Dash? Ah, the dog kept at the store in front of the pharmacy?”

“Yes! It’s so warm and soft, you have no idea how cute it is!”

Dash was a puppy raised by Grandpa Geppetto. He had lush fur that reminded one of warm wheat fields. His eyes were a clear blue, similar to Ian’s.

“Even so, it’s just a puppy. It might be small and cute now since it’s just born, but wait a few months. It’ll grow big and have fierce teeth. Is that still cute?”

“That’s not just any puppy, it’s a special one. You wouldn’t believe how smart it is. Whenever I call ‘Dash,’ it comes running, wagging its tail. Moreover, it understands human language so well that when I say ‘Open your mouth for a dental check,’ it opens its mouth and goes ‘Ah!’ If it wasn’t a dog, it would be a person…”

As I was talking about Dash, a strange feeling hit me and I stopped.

Ian, noticing my sudden silence or sensing the seriousness in my expression, looked at me and asked, “Why…?”

“How do you know about Dash, Your Highness?”

He seemed momentarily taken aback by my question.

“Jane told me before. That there’s a new puppy at the store in front of the pharmacy, named Dash.”

“Me? I never said that. Moreover, how do you even know that Dash was recently born?”

As I narrowed my eyes with suspicion, he avoided my gaze and made an excuse.

“Well… you know, gossip spreads fast in that neighborhood.”

“Gossip has its limits. A new dog being born in the neighborhood doesn’t seem significant enough to reach the ears of the Crown Prince.”

I crossed my arms and pressed him for an explanation.

“All gossip eventually finds its way to the palace.”

He seemed determined to dodge the issue.

“Royalty must be born with thick golden plates on their faces. How can you lie so blatantly?”

“Was it that obvious?”

“Did you have any intention of hiding it from me?”

At my pressing, he shrugged.

“Of course. I knew you’d get mad if you found out.”

“You know how carefully I have people watching over me, changing their colors like a chameleon. You don’t trust me that much?”

“It’s not about trust, but protection. Your life is as precious as mine. Protecting you is a way of protecting myself.”

He pleaded with a desperate expression. Facing such a look, I felt like I was the one in the wrong.

But still, the thought of someone watching over me felt uncomfortable…

“No, what dangers are there in this small town?”

“Danger is everywhere. There are many vile people in the world. Remember, someone broke into the pharmacy at night.”

Indeed, such an incident had happened. I usually slept in a small room inside the pharmacy and due to my heavy sleep, I hadn’t even realized when the thief broke in.

Unable to find anything valuable, the thief rummaged around and stole some tools used for making perfumes and a few herbs.

For about a week after that, I was too scared to sleep properly at night. A month later, I had almost completely forgotten about the incident.

“So, was that petty thief caught?”

“Of course. He won’t be coming here again.”

His words sounded like an unsaid ‘because he’s dead,’ or was that just my imagination?

“You don’t mean the thief is in a situation where he can’t come to the capital even if he wants to? Stealing is wrong, but still…”

Ian replied with a smile instead of words. The lack of a clear explanation about the punishment made me feel uneasy.

But that unease seemed to vanish like a mirage as I looked at his smile.
Facing his smile, I almost laughed along. There’s a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face, especially when it’s a handsome one smiling… It’s just a hopeless case.

It’s not that I have a particular weakness for handsome faces.

‘I’ve really spoiled him. Every time he smiles, I let things slide, and now he tries to smooth over every situation with a smile.’

I was contemplating the power of his smile when he asked with an incredulous look.

“When did that even happen for you to be asking about it now?”

“I had forgotten about it.”

He shook his head disapprovingly and said,

“See, Jane is really indifferent to her own safety. That’s why I have to be vigilant on her behalf.”

So, he intends to keep monitoring me in the future? Whether it’s surveillance or protection, it’s equally bothersome.

I’ve never directly encountered the people Ian sent or felt like I was being watched, but knowing there are eyes on me still bothered me, even if it was for protection.

“It’s fine, really. It’s just inconvenient.”

At my words, Ian sighed deeply.

“I’m worried. I’d prefer to be right beside Jane to protect her. I wish you would come to the palace… But you would refuse, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course.”

I pulled his chin to closely inspect his eyes and complexion, then continued.

“All this unnecessary worry is affecting your sleep quality. You haven’t been sleeping well lately, have you?”

Ian replied, amazed.

“How did you know? I’ve been restless these past few nights. See, the only person I can trust my body with is Jane. These quacks bragging about their mediocre skills as healers don’t compare.”

“Your sclera is red and bloodshot. And you said you’ve been having nightmares. Anyone could tell, even without skills. And stop flattering me like that. It’s more uncomfortable to hear praise from His Highness the Crown Prince than from those overzealous pharmacists.”

He chuckled incredulously at my words.

“Overzealous pharmacists? Who on earth calls you that?”

“Quite a few. Healers who dislike the way I work, and some nobles who have been billed for medicines. They must think the medicine is too expensive.”

Ian’s expression turned displeased. He looked utterly baffled.

“Expensive medicine? They pay only for the medicine and complain, not even considering the treatment costs? No healer can treat as well as you. Don’t even bother treating those who spout such nonsense. How can they say such things to their lifesaver?”

Being called a lifesaver for just preparing medicines… It seemed like a joke, but Ian was seriously upset that I wasn’t getting the recognition I deserved.

His acknowledgement made me smile subtly, but on the inside, a part of me felt pricked by my conscience. Did Ian know? That he was my biggest ‘sucker’ among all my clients.

“It’s true that I overcharge the nobility. I prescribe the most profitable medicines with the same effects. The same goes for you, Your Highness. I use only the most expensive ingredients.”

His condition was indeed special, which justified the use of rare and expensive ingredients in his medicines. However, I had been charging quite a hefty fee for consultations, using the excuse of house calls.

I had to do it. My pharmacy often ran at a loss, with more days in the red than in profit. Most of my patients were those who desperately needed medicine but couldn’t afford it.
Ultimately, I had to cover the deficits with the fees collected from the occasional visits of nobles and from Ian. I couldn’t just turn away patients who were short on funds for their treatment fees.

“Jane, your medicine is certainly worth that much.”

Even though I confessed he was being overcharged due to my conscience, he responded as if it was no big deal.

“Flattering me like that won’t produce any extra results. Anyway, I’m worried about the side effects of the medicine that changes eye color, since it requires prolonged use.”

Ian suffered from high fevers and his eye color turned red if he didn’t take his medicine. He was forcibly taking medicine that affected his eye color to conceal this fact.

Though I also prescribed antipyretics and headache medicine, the primary reason he took the medicine was the fear of his eye discoloration becoming public.

The Emperor had silver hair and green eyes, and the Empress had brown hair and blue eyes. The second prince, Daniel, inherited the Empress’s hair and eye color.

Ian had silver hair and blue eyes. However, if he didn’t take his medicine, his eyes would turn red.

He kept the fact of his red eyes a complete secret. Although he didn’t say it directly, I could guess why he was adamant about maintaining his blue eyes.

Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman

When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…

One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.

Synopsis

During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.

Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.

Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”

Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.

Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”

With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.

Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?

He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”

_____

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