Saved Him, Now I'm Obsessed - Chapter 34

The fire and my own death were unavoidable things. So even if everything burned and nothing remained, I resolved not to despair.

I firmly decided to be grateful that I could work again by borrowing Claire’s body, and to think positively that I had experienced a miracle others could not.

But when I actually witnessed it with my own eyes, tears welled up at the devastation.

“Young lady, it seems you also received much kindness from Pharmacist Jane.”

I looked up at the warm hand patting my shoulder. A gentle-faced grandmother was standing next to me.

“I and my grandson also received much kindness from her.”

“Grandmother…”

That grandmother was someone who came to the pharmacy without fail every two weeks to get medicine.

She had lost her son and daughter-in-law to an epidemic that once swept the capital, and was raising her lone remaining grandson.

Her misfortune did not end there. Her only remaining blood relative was sickly and had been suffering from lung disease for a long time.

Though she was aging and could barely take care of herself, she visited the pharmacy each time to personally prepare medicine for her grandson.

Despite her poor circumstances, she always brought the medicine fee. Even when I declined saying it was fine.

Tears welled up in the wrinkled corners of the grandmother’s eyes. She roughly wiped away her own tears and placed a bouquet on the ground. Then she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. It seemed she was praying for the deceased.

Only then did I look down at the ground. Things I had not seen before, distracted by the pharmacy that had turned into black ashes, came into view.

The ground was filled with flowers, lit candles, and dolls that seemed handmade.

Flowers were rare for commoners who did not own gardens. Nevertheless, people brought flowers, dolls, and candles from their meager means to mourn Jane’s death.

Seeing the grandmother’s fingertips, tears welled up once again.

Her fingertips were stained messily with green. I could imagine how much effort she put into personally making this bouquet.

Looking at the memorial items filling the front of the pharmacy, it was clear more than just one or two people had left them.

There were also notes of gratitude and messages of blessing, saying that if there is a god, he will guide her to a good place since she helped many in need.

A shiver ran through my whole body as if I could feel their hearts.

‘I must have lived quite well.’

That so many people mourned my death, and that I could witness this scene, was a miracle not everyone could experience.

I neatly placed down the iris bouquet that Ileana had carefully wrapped.

It was a memorial to myself. Grateful that my life had not been in vain.

I closed my eyes and prayed for Claire who had given me a new life.

Since no one knew that Claire had died, there were no people mourning or memorializing her. I was the only one who could mourn her.

After praying for Claire’s soul, I looked around. I could see that grandmother walking away in the distance.

“Grandmother!”

The grandmother turned around.

“Is Cas doing well and healthy?”

At that question, she tilted her head and then waved her hand, saying:

“He’s very healthy thanks to Pharmacist Jane!”

At her words, I could smile with peace of mind.

The day of the healer exam arrived.

I went to the exam site with an excited heart, receiving Ileana’s encouragement.

The exam subjects were divided into three areas: medicinal herbs, diagnosis, and treatment. The medicinal herb exam involved directly identifying herbs and confirming their uses, but diagnosis and treatment were just written exams.

I wondered if that alone would be enough to properly examine and treat people.

Even for the same disease, symptoms varied slightly as each person’s constitution is different. Moreover, there was a world of difference between describing something in writing and directly examining a patient.

It would be unreasonable to bring patients for every exam, but passing a written exam didn’t seem like it would ensure one could properly fulfill the role of a healer.

“Rather than being eager to sell healer licenses, they should strengthen practical exams to allow direct patient care. This is why there are so few people who properly act as healers after receiving their license.”

Medicine can heal people when used correctly, but can become poison if misused.

Even easily accessible buckwheat flour or peanuts could be powerful murder weapons for some people depending on their constitution, not to mention medicinal herbs more potent than food.

That’s why one had to be even more careful, and continuously study and research.

Grandfather always said that whether a healer or pharmacist, one is not a god, so one should not be arrogant and always keep in mind that one’s ignorance could take someone’s life.

“What brings you here?”

As I was about to enter the exam site, a man who seemed to be a supervisor blocked my way. Looking worn out from fatigue, he asked me as if facing a bothersome task.

“I’m here to take the exam.”

He let out a deep sigh and abruptly spoke to me informally.

“If you’re looking for the palace maid selection, it’s not here but at the east gate.”

“I’m not here for the maid exam, but for the healer license exam.”

He looked me up and down. His expression and actions of looking down on me significantly worsened my mood. I wasn’t in a good mood to begin with when he suddenly addressed me informally.

“Seems you’ve come with some grand misunderstanding, but the healer exam isn’t for just anyone. I don’t have time to mess around with you, so go over there.”

He waved his hand as if shooing away an annoying bug, telling me to go far away.

Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention, I had come right on time for the exam, and I didn’t want to be late for the exam by arguing with him. Holding back my irritation as much as possible, I said to him:

“I am Claire McCain Hydrangea. If you check today’s exam application list, I’m sure I’ll be there.”

At my words, he diligently rolled his eyes to scan the list. Though puzzled that I had come to take the exam, he seemed to be checking since I confidently said my name would be there. Fortunately, my name seemed to exist on the list.

Nevertheless, as if he couldn’t believe it, he asked “Are you really Claire McCain Hydrangea?” two or three more times. Then soon, as if he had heard something related to me recently, he went “Ah!” and pretended to know.

“I heard you recently received a title, but this is the first time meeting you in person.”

His attitude became quite polite. However, the insolence contained in his expression did not disappear.

His expression uniquely conveyed the emotion of ‘This is unfortunate’, as if he was concerned about having acted rudely towards me, a countess even if only a baronet.

I actually didn’t think much of it. Rather than the title, I just wanted him to guide me to the exam room quickly.

He hunched his narrow shoulders even more and rolled his eyes. Then in a tiny voice he said:

“Pardon my late introduction. I am… Baron Memelt.”

The words ‘Baron Memelt’ were spoken so quietly that I barely understood by reading his lips.

Now that we had introduced ourselves, I thought it would be fine to ask for guidance to the exam room, so I said:

“Baron Memelt. Could you please guide me to the exam room so I can take the healer exam without being late?”

“Yes. This way please.”

He guided me in a different tone from earlier. His dramatic change in attitude made me feel strange. I could understand why nobles act so arrogantly and unpleasantly.

I quickly corrected my posture. I shouldn’t let an attitude of looking down on others by flaunting my title become ingrained.

I followed him into the exam room.

There weren’t many people inside. Despite arriving right on time for the exam, only about ten people were seated inside.

“Are these people the only exam takers?”

“20 years ago when the war was in full swing, many people came to take the healer exam, but now that the war is completely over, most prefer the knight exam.”

Not many people took the healer exam to treat patients.

Unlike firstborn sons who could inherit their parents’ titles, those born as nobles but unable to inherit titles needed to meet certain conditions to guarantee their status, one of which was to achieve merits for the country.

Usually, they become knights and work in the imperial guard.

20 years ago when the war hadn’t ended, people avoided becoming knights for fear of being drafted to the battlefield, so many took the healer exam instead of the knight exam.

But now that the danger of war has disappeared, it seems to have become an unpopular subject.

“I see. Thank you for guiding me.”

“Then if you need anything, please call me right away. I wish you luck.”

As soon as he left with a servile expression, a thin man wearing glasses came out and announced the start of the exam.

The exam wasn’t difficult. I was only worried that it might lack discrimination because it was too easy.

It felt awkward writing ‘Claire McCain Hydrangea’ instead of ‘Jane’ in the name field.

I checked several times in case I might fail by writing the wrong name. Failing due to getting questions wrong seemed unlikely, but failing due to writing the wrong name seemed possible.

The written exam results came out quickly.

As expected, I passed easily. What was unexpected was that most of the dozen or so people who took the exam failed with quite low scores.

Only three people remained to take the practical exam.