The Duke Stole Everything - Chapter 47
Sharti, whose vision was suddenly blocked, startled and stepped back while Ren took a step towards the young man.
The teal eyes visible between the bandages flashed threateningly.
“If you came from that village, you might be infected. Is it okay to just grab someone’s hand?”
Ren, who had also snatched Sharti’s hand, growled lowly at the young man.
Perhaps due to his size, just facing him was incredibly intimidating.
The young man was too frightened to answer immediately and swallowed dryly.
‘That goes for Ren too!’
Push. Push push. White hands pushing Ren’s arm could be seen.
Sharti was busy communicating from behind Ren.
Haaa. Ren glanced at Sharti and let out a heavy sigh. Then he shot a displeased look back at the young man.
“Ah, no! I’m not infected.”
The young man, belatedly coming to his senses, pleaded his innocence.
“When people in the village get infected, spots appear, but I don’t have any! Not even on the way here!”
The young man hurriedly rolled up his sleeves and hems to show.
His bare skin, without a single wound, clearly showed no symptoms of any disease.
Sharti, who had been closely examining his complexion and fingertips, let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
‘Still, just to be safe.’
Sharti turned and entered the bathroom.
Hearing the receding footsteps, the young man dropped his head with a bewildered expression. Anxious that he might have to leave like this, the young man bit his lip firmly.
“……”
Instead of closing the door, Ren waited for Sharti.
There was no way she would send the patient away like this. Sure enough, Sharti returned wearing gloves.
‘Ren, wash your hands, cover your nose and mouth with this, and wear gloves too.’
Sharti sent Ren to the bathroom and closed the door.
This was a matter that needed to be discussed outside rather than in the confined log cabin.
Moving to a spot a little away from the old log cabin, Sharti took a note out of her pocket.
The young man nodded repeatedly.
Convinced that coming to find Sharti despite everyone’s opposition was the right answer, the young man opened his mouth.
“It started with an elder in the village. The elderly person you examined last time, doctor. Starting with them, people of various ages in the village began to fall ill one after another.”
The young man explained in detail and specifically what had happened in his village.
Fortunately, there were no deaths among the infected villagers.
He said that they were all in a state where they couldn’t even eat, let alone move around, and the disease spread helplessly throughout the entire village without time to figure out how it was transmitted.
“The, um, village doctor you saw before has locked the door of his house and won’t come out. Some villagers even think the doctor has already fled…”
Rather than despair, what covered the village when there was no way to help was fear.
‘So the village chief’s son came here himself. Alone at that.’
The bespectacled young man’s name was Ashu Bart.
He was the eldest son of the village chief in a mountain village that appeared after crossing four peaks.
He was the only one who had been friendly to Sharti when she discovered his village long ago.
‘I told him the location of the old log cabin just in case, since it seemed like that village doctor was being selective about patients.’
Of course, it was stupid to tell others about her residence.
Sharti, who lived in hiding, had been especially careful not to reveal her residence during her house calls.
But when Ashu, who had welcomed her and provided various things, expressed frustration with the village’s closed policy, she didn’t have a good excuse to refuse.
‘Anyway, fluorescent blue spots…’
According to Ashu’s explanation, the unknown disease caused blue spots to appear as if fireflies were attached to the body and glowing.
It wasn’t a typical symptom of an infectious disease.
Sharti’s expression under her hood grew serious.
‘I don’t think I know this disease. From what I hear, it seems to be contagious too.’
It was fortunate that Ashu couldn’t see the expression of severity hidden by her hood.
“Yes. But our village doesn’t bring in supplies from outside. We handle hunting, food, goods, everything entirely by ourselves. So we quickly ruled out causes like food poisoning.”
As it was an unusually closed-off village in the Newyton Empire, a different approach was needed to identify the cause of the disease.
Sharti calmly went through the medical knowledge stored in her mind.
‘…I don’t know.’
Sharti bit her lip firmly.
She wasn’t even sure if it was a general infection or an epidemic.
“Sha-.”
At that moment, Ren came out of the house and approached Sharti.
Ashu, glancing at Ren as he drew closer, carefully opened his mouth.
“Um, doctor. I heard you lived alone last time, but…”
“Not anymore.”
“…!”
Surprised by Ren’s sudden interruption, disappointment soon settled on Ashu’s face.
Ren tilted his head crookedly and stared at Ashu.
Then Sharti held out a note to Ashu.
“An assistant?”
Ashu blinked, looking back and forth between Ren and Sharti.
Then, meeting Ren’s fierce gaze, Ashu lowered his eyes.
“…I see.”
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Ashu soon smiled slightly.
Watching the smile that didn’t fit the situation, Ren raised an eyebrow. Ren slipped in front of Sharti, blocking Ashu’s line of sight.
He didn’t like Ashu’s gaze or expression toward Sharti at all.
“Ah…”
Ashu’s eyes wavered as he received Sharti’s note.
It was a situation he had been prepared for since before leaving the village.
However, when even the last ray of hope faded, everything suddenly went dark before his eyes.
“Please help us, doctor!”
Ashu took a big step forward.
Ren immediately blocked him, but Ashu couldn’t back down.
“If an explanation isn’t enough, couldn’t you visit our village like last time? Please, we need your help. Even if you just come to the village with me, that would be great. I’ll compensate you even if you just examine them!”
He looked ready to fall to his knees at any moment.
Sharti waved her hands quickly to stop Ashu.
Ren’s eyes narrowed as he peeked at the note Sharti was writing.
“Pardon?”
Ren turned his head to the other side and rubbed his forehead.
Sharti probably intended to visit Ashu’s village from the beginning.
Ren gritted his teeth at Sharti’s decision, which didn’t deviate at all from his expectations.
On the other hand, Ashu, clinging to hope, clenched his fist.
“Yes, yes! I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
“…Wait, you say?”
To Ren, who naturally assumed he would return to his village, Ashu’s words sounded questionable.
“The distance is far, and you’ll need someone to carry your luggage. Since you’re coming at my request, I’ll serve as your guide.”
Ren’s expression turned incredulous at Ashu’s intention to wait here and leave together rather than go back.
Soon, the expression disappeared from Ren’s face. This time, he wasn’t sure whether Sharti would refuse or accept. So, keeping the worst in mind, even if he opposed her decision, he needed to act as rationally as possible.
He needed to be careful not to appear like an arrogant assistant in Ashu’s eyes.
“…P-pardon?”
“……”
Sharti firmly refused.
Seeing the shocked Ashu, Ren felt a strange sense of relief. And somehow, it felt like his shoulders tensed up a bit.
Ren rubbed his lips to hide his twitching mouth corners.
‘If an unknown disease has spread and he came all the way here to find me, it means the situation inside the village is bad too.’
Sharti calmly and coolly assessed the situation.
Ashu’s village was hidden in a mountain valley to the northeast.
‘And the northeast has good medical facilities, as much as the academy is there.’
Even just going to the village at the foot of the mountain, several doctors could be found.
Yet Ashu came to find Sharti from another region, not going to the village at the foot of the mountain, in a situation where all the villagers could potentially get sick if things went wrong.
In other words, Ashu’s village didn’t want outside help, and Ashu, unable to bear it any longer, independently sought help from Sharti.
“……”
When Sharti asked pointedly, Ashu visibly stiffened.
Sharti remembered the village atmosphere that had threatened her even with weapons.
Ashu seemed skeptical too, swallowing hard.
Sharti approached the hesitating Ashu first.
This time, even Ren didn’t stop her.
“No, that’s not it! I just wanted to with the doctor…”
“……”
Ashu seemed to be trying hard to clear up the misunderstanding, but Sharti was firm.
In the end, Ashu finally accepted, leaving with a face dripping with lingering attachment, constantly glancing back. Watching that retreating figure for a long time, Ren felt a small sense of satisfaction.
However, the momentary joy soon faded.
“I’m against it.”
“…?”
Sharti, who was taking off her gloves as she returned to the house, turned to look at Ren.
Ren’s bare face was revealed as he removed what was covering his nose and mouth.
Sharti looked around in surprise.
“If a disease is spreading in the village, it means the situation is serious, and it’s urgent enough for him to run that far distance to find you, Sha.”
Ren walked up to face Sharti.
“No matter how skilled a doctor you are, going to such a village is dangerous. Sometimes people driven to a corner can be more dangerous than the disease.”
“I know.”
Why wouldn’t I know? Sometimes when there was no sign of improvement in symptoms, patients or their guardians would turn violent.
There were also those who doubted Sharti’s examination itself and protested.
Since she became a doctor without a license, most days were unwelcoming.
“Still, I’m going. I have to go.”
She had no license, but she was a doctor.
Sharti became a doctor to help people, to heal wounds.
“If it’s a disease spreading in a mountain village, it might eventually spread to Grandmother Bireta’s village too. Books are records of the past, and I have no choice but to investigate and study current records myself.”
“……”
“What’s truly dangerous is the negligence of seeking only safety while weighing others’ lives against my own. It’s the most improper attitude for a doctor.”
Her voice was confident.
Ren wanted to remove the hood in front of him right now and see Sharti’s smiling face. More precisely, he wanted to see those crimson eyes burning steadily and unwaveringly.
Of course, Ren, keeping it just a thought, clenched his fist to hide his twitching fingers.
“…Fine. I knew you’d say you’re going even if I tried to stop you.”
Sharti awkwardly averted her gaze at the tone that sounded like he hadn’t expected otherwise.
“Then I want to go with you.”
“Where?”
“Where you’re going, Sha. To that village.”
“No way!”
Sharti raised her voice unconsciously.
Ren tilted his head, crossing his arms.
“Think about it, Sha.”
In a calm voice, Ren began to explain the reason.
“Do you think you’ll be at ease leaving me here alone?”
“…?”
“Rather, it seems like you’d be more comfortable taking me along.”
Even without logical persuasion, stimulating anxiety-filled imagination made Sharti start to consider.
It seemed like there had been a strange misunderstanding even before Ashu came, so it looked sufficient without adding words.
Needless to say, Ren had no intention of staying alone in the old log cabin to guard it for a long time, not knowing when Sharti would return.
“But, but taking Ren to that village too…”
It still didn’t get through perfectly.
Ren was about to click his tongue inwardly when…
“Doctor!”
Ren whirled around at the clear voice calling from afar.
“Oh oh, Ren didn’t wrap his bandages! You need to cover your face!”
Ren raised the corners of his mouth as he met Tein’s eyes.
It was the appearance of an ally who would strengthen his opinion.
Tein, who had been running quickly, slowed his steps upon seeing Ren’s intense gaze.
“…That gaze is similar to a bear eyeing its prey.”
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium
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