“These days I really don’t know what’s going on around the young lady. It’s amazing that she suddenly said she wanted to become a therapist and passed that difficult exam in one go, and then suddenly became a doctor in the imperial city… It’s such a joyous thing, but it’s true that I also feel a bit sad.”

Her voice became gloomy.

“Claire used to tell me everything before. That she was lonely with only a gruff elder brother at home, that she was so happy to have an elder sister like me, she told me even the most trivial things…”

Ileana and Claire were close enough to normally share their innermost thoughts with each other.

I can still feel how much Ileana cherished Claire like her own younger sister. I was flustered as her gloomy voice sounded almost like she was crying.

“Surely you’re not crying?”

“Who’s crying?”

It seems it was my misunderstanding. Her eyes looking at me quizzically did have a gleam, but there were no traces of tears. I didn’t want to make Ileana cry.

“That’s a relief then.”

Because I didn’t have anyone I was close enough with to call a friend, I was clumsy at consoling others or improving their mood.

The only person I had known for a long time and had a bond with was Ian. In Ian’s case, he was like an old man since childhood and never cried in front of me. Though he did become more whiny as he grew up.

“I’m not crying, but I really did feel sad and upset. Of course, I know I should understand that Claire isn’t just a child anymore, so it’s natural for her to have some personal secrets…”

She pulled a stool in front of me and sat down facing me with a serious expression. Facing each other so closely like this made me feel like a child who had done something terribly wrong and was being scolded by their parents.

“Before, when a noble lady I knew said she was so upset because her daughter, whom she only thought of as a child, started not telling her things and disliking her coming to her room and not wanting to talk much after becoming an adult, I didn’t understand. I thought the daughter must have her own privacy and the mother was being too intrusive. But now I’m acting just like that person. Claire, do you dislike me being too intrusive?”

Asking if I disliked her being intrusive. How did the conversation suddenly flow in that direction? I hurriedly shook my head.

“Not at all. And Ileana, you’re not being intrusive, you’re always helping and protecting me. I’m grateful for that.”

How could it be easy for me, who was a commoner, to adapt to the life of nobility? Even drinking water requires considering that damn decorum for these nobles, but I had lived a life quite far removed from such decorum.

Even if I was called a money-grubber, I ruthlessly charged wealthy patients high prices, and even if I was called a miser, I haggled prices down when buying from other herb wholesalers.

To someone like me who wore clothes with frayed hems and just ate to fill my stomach, desperately trying to make up for the pharmacy’s deficits every time, what was decorum?

Ileana’s affectionate attention and advice were a great help in a situation where I had to adapt to a completely different life overnight.

That wasn’t all. Through her, I was learning various pleasures in life.

Like appreciating artworks of various styles, or finding joy in decorative flowers for visual pleasure, unlike in the past when I only thought of medicinal effects when looking at plants.

Though I still haven’t overcome the bitter taste, I’m learning to enjoy drinking tea while savoring the rich aroma through her.

“I’m sincere. I’m really grateful to Ileana. I’m sorry I didn’t explain properly yesterday. But I really didn’t slam the door…”

At my words, Ileana let out a sigh of relief and smiled happily.

“To me, it felt like the young lady was slamming her heart’s door ‘bang’. It sounded louder than thunder striking.”

Seeing her joke, it seemed her upset feelings had eased a bit. When I said “I’m sorry” with a smile, she found a perfume bottle pushed to the corner of the dressing table and sprayed it on my wrist.

A strong scent of daisies wafted. Due to the nature of my profession, it’s better not to wear perfume, but one day should be fine.

“So when are you going to tell me? About how you suddenly became a doctor in the imperial city. Do I really need to squeeze out some tears for you to tell me?”

“I was going to explain now. Really!”

Worried I might be late for work, I hurriedly changed into the clothes she picked out while explaining what happened yesterday. She got very angry when I said other therapists opposed me becoming a therapist.

“They were so rude to Claire?”

As she was buttoning up the back of the dress, her hands tensed up causing several buttons to be sacrificed. In the end, I had to change into a different dress.

It was fortunate I didn’t tell her while she was fixing my hair. If I had, my hair would have been pulled out by the roots instead of the buttons.

“How ridiculous! Those therapists would have been barons at most… No, how dare they question a count’s qualifications? Did you just listen to such talk?”

“Of course I argued back.”

“Is inheriting a title just because you were born the eldest son in a noble family the same as being granted a title, and a count’s title at that, for your achievements? Next time, give them a good scolding.”

“Yes. I’ll make sure to scold them thoroughly next time.”

“You need to teach them a lesson, otherwise they’ll look down on others too. By the way, His Highness the Crown Prince was too much. Even if all the other therapists refused, how could he do that to you?”

Of course, I was also angry when Ian said he couldn’t give me the therapist qualification because there were many opposing therapists. But I defended Ian.

“He gave me the position of imperial doctor instead. It’s not easy to attach the title ‘imperial’. If you think about it, he granted it without even confirming my skills, it’s an enormous privilege. His Highness the Crown Prince cared a lot.”

At my explanation, Ileana nodded.

“That’s true. Then from now on, those who want to become doctors will have to pass the test you set and get your permission. Since it has the name ‘imperial’ attached, you’ve become the representative of that profession, and those duties will include managing, supervising and educating others in the same profession.”

“Hmm…”

I hadn’t thought of that. I simply thought I would just run the medical office like when I was Jane, with just an honorary title like ‘imperial’ attached.

But Ileana’s words made sense. Although he doesn’t seem to be properly fulfilling his duties, Count Ferman, who is the imperial therapist, is also setting standards for the therapist profession and selecting and educating people who meet those standards.

“You’ll get an office in the imperial palace too, right? Well, you’d need to in order to go to work.”

“Rather than an office… wouldn’t they give me a medical department? It would be strange for a doctor not to have a medical department after all.”

“It sounds really wonderful.”

Ileana started talking about the furniture and decorations that must be brought into the office.

She said we should order an engraved nameplate made of rhinoceros horn through the family’s trading company, and talked about what kind of wood should be used for the furniture and which artisan should embroider the curtains, but I couldn’t understand about half of it.

Seeing her more excited and happy than me about the fact that I was getting an office made me happy.

“It’s really amazing. To be honest, when Claire said she was going to take the exam, I thought she would definitely fail. Most people study for years and still fail. Claire hadn’t even been studying for the exam for more than a few weeks. But not only did you pass the exam, you even got asked to become Count Ferman’s successor. To think Claire had such genius and I didn’t know, that Claire was a genius…”

“No, I’m not a genius…”

I felt embarrassed as she kept repeating the word ‘genius’.

Considering my years working as a pharmacist, it was only natural. I had lived in a pharmacy since I was born and gained consciousness, and grew up watching my grandfather who was a pharmacist.

I said the names of medicinal herbs before I said mom or dad. It was just the environment I was in. It wasn’t because I was particularly smart or a genius as she said.

“I should brag to other noble ladies too. No, should we hold a banquet at the mansion to celebrate Claire becoming an imperial doctor?”

“Why hold a banquet for something that’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big and amazing deal! If we’re doing it, we should do it properly. Moreover, Claire doesn’t have any friends her age. This would be a good opportunity to invite young ladies from other families and build friendships with peers.”

I had to work up a sweat trying to stop her from making concrete plans right away.

I was horrified when she suggested not only having a banquet, but also erecting a statue in the garden to commemorate me becoming an imperial doctor, and inviting people to unveil it.

She explained to me that banquets at the mansion were a regular occurrence, but I just couldn’t bear the statue. In the end, we agreed to have the banquet but not make a statue. Ileana was disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say you were attending a banquet yesterday?”