The lump in his chest, once frozen cold and hardened like stone, now felt like nothing more than a clump of sugar stuck together.

When he perceived it as nothing, countless resentments harbored in his heart throughout his life melted away like cotton candy, flowing down as tears.

Reizen burrowed into Melissa’s arms and spoke with a voice mixed with tears. Though moisture drenched his voice, it resonated with the purest joy in this moment.

“You’ve managed to make me live in heaven.”

As Melissa smiled with relief and tightly embraced Reizen’s waist, the patients and medical staff gathered in the clinic corridor cheered so loudly that the floor shook.

Whistles filled the air, and women who had wheeled themselves out of their rooms clapped their hands enthusiastically.

“Get married! Get married!”

When someone shouted this, Emerson coldly replied, “They already did.” Reading the room, the patient changed the chant to “Kiss! Kiss!”

Yielding to their encouragement, the man who had been looking at her with seductive eyes gently pressed his lips to hers. Melissa, embarrassed and uncertain, fluttered her hands before relaxing and accepting the cheers.

Eventually, the present moment overlapped with that time when they had faced each other under cherry blossoms in full bloom before the temple, wearing a wedding dress and tuxedo. Back then, they had endured piercing gazes that seemed to scrape their skin, while paying attention to every single step in their perfect attire…

Now, she warmly felt these people’s cheers, making it feel like the brightest spring ever.

* * *

Lucy, still showing signs of illness, asked with a pale blue face.

“What? You’re not going back together?”

The medical personnel Reizen had brought from the capital now sufficiently treated not only the herb women but also the women from the Marquis’s mansion. Yet after causing such a commotion in the corridor, she wasn’t returning to the capital with Reizen?

Lucy’s mouth gaped in surprise. The faces of clinic staff, who had prepared a cake with candles for the afternoon thinking Melissa would leave, all froze.

“Why on earth?”

The farewell party suddenly transformed into a hearing.

People’s faces showed faint betrayal, thinking the love talk they had displayed like lovebirds before everyone had been mere showmanship.

Realizing belatedly how invested the clinic people were in their romance, Melissa waved her hands, breaking into a cold sweat.

“That’s not it. I have something I want to do here before returning to the capital.”

When colorful criticism poured out asking what could be more important than love, Melissa finally shouted with a reddened face.

“A doctor! I want to become a doctor like Lucy or Emerson!”

The empire had countless doctors, but among female doctors, only these two had made names for themselves.

Moreover, given the apprenticeship system requiring training under an experienced doctor to learn medical skills, she needed a mentor. As everyone knew, Emerson, who had served in the revolutionary army, had diverse responsibilities and didn’t take disciples.

So that left only Lucy.

Melissa earnestly clasped her hands together and looked at Lucy with her prettiest gaze.

“I’ve been thinking, I’ve decided not to run away anymore. Even if I don’t have enough influence to undo everything my grandfather did… I want to help people in need as far as my hands can reach.”

There exist various ways to help people. Not only does training as a disciple for a long time present difficulties, but supporting Reizen’s policies from the position of Prime Minister’s wife might prove more effective.

Lucy tried to dissuade her, saying being a doctor wasn’t the only way to help others, but Melissa’s stubbornness remained unprecedentedly firm.

“I don’t want to help as someone’s wife, I want to help them directly with my own strength.”

Suppose she followed Reizen to the capital now and fulfilled the role of Prime Minister’s wife.

The Prime Minister position in the republic required indirect election, with re-election scheduled in three years. If Reizen failed to win re-election, Melissa’s power would essentially vanish with his.

So she needed her own unique strength and method, not power dependent on someone else. Hadn’t the Forest Grandmother also said that if Melissa committed to learning medicine, she could acquire medical techniques from various countries and benefit not just one nation but many?

She omitted these explanations, but Lucy’s face grew increasingly troubled. She seemed to worry more as she observed Melissa’s swollen belly.

“…”

“Is it not possible, Lucy?”

From the side, other disciples added their voices, urging Lucy to accept her. Emerson, who had blown out the candles on the half-melted cake with a “whoo,” stepped forward.

Melissa knew that after she had left Reizen’s side, Emerson hadn’t particularly liked her. They had also argued in the carriage, creating awkwardness whenever they faced each other…

But the response offered unexpected support.

“I’ll do it.”

Lucy tilted her head, seemingly mishearing.

“Do what?”

“Becoming madam’s mentor.”

Melissa looked up at her with a perplexed face. Emerson, who had appeared haggard throughout her time at the Bayern clinic, directed her gaze at Melissa.

“First of all, madam has talent. If madam hadn’t saved us first during this accident, our teacher wouldn’t be with us now.”

At those words, the faces of Lucy and the clinic staff turned ashen. The chilling memory from a few days ago came to mind.

“Isn’t altruism, the heart to think of others in any situation, one of our most important virtues? Isn’t that right? Now that the revolutionary army activities have ended and restrictions have been lifted, I…”

“Thank you, Emerson!”

Melissa threw herself into Emerson’s arms while the latter adjusted her glasses. At first, Emerson waved her hands with a bewildered expression, but seeing Melissa’s happiness, she eventually burst into laughter.

It seemed the two could become good mentor and disciple, as well as friends.

That afternoon, Melissa, wrapped to her head in a fluffy wool robe, turned around before the train returning to the capital.

Despite the high sun, the cold air turned each breath into white vapor.

“Oh, it’s freezing!”

Rael, making a fuss, wrapped herself in layers of robes and boarded the train ahead of Melissa.

The maids with their herb bags and luggage stood nearby, along with Whilton and Erich, who had been staying at the border military quarters.

“It’s been a while, madam.”

Whilton greeted her simply and boarded the train, followed by Erich, who blinked gently to express his pleasure when their eyes met.

Around the coal-burning train hung a pungent smell. As black powder began fluttering in the air, the clinic people waved their hands, urging them to hurry inside.

Melissa hesitated before the train with regret, but then looked up at Reizen, who approached and interlaced his fingers with hers, dispelling all her worries.

Reizen lovingly caressed Melissa’s cold cheeks and said:

“Shall we go?”

Melissa nodded with a bright smile.

The couple boarded the train hand in hand. As their train made a loud noise, the engineer announced the departure.

The train began to roll with a chug-chug sound. Outside, Emerson, who had hugged Lucy, hurriedly climbed onto the train railing, responding to urgent calls to leave. Realizing she wouldn’t return to her hometown for a while, tears of emotion welled in her eyes.

Melissa, holding Reizen’s hand while sitting in her seat, looked around the train. Familiar faces appeared here and there.

“We’re departing.”

With Reizen’s whisper, the train began gaining speed. Outside the window, clinic people frantically waving hats and gloves flashed by, and the train instantly revealed a primitive forest thick with ferns and large trees.

Melissa became captivated by the leisurely train journey she experienced for the first time.

The village at the bottom of the distant hill appeared small as a miniature toy. The massive iron bridge crossing the river amazed her, testifying to the wonder of human power.

And that wasn’t all. The river flowing under the bridge gleamed so beautifully, resembling ground light sprinkled across the surface, that staring at it for long made her eyes sting.

Was this excitement?

Melissa’s heart beat lightly.

“Sleep if you’re tired. I’ll wake you up later.”

Reizen, who had been watching Melissa for hours, whispered kindly while holding her hand. He mentioned that although she sat by the window to look outside, a bed waited inside should she wish to rest.

Melissa said she wanted to look around more and held Reizen’s hand, wiggling playfully. He seemed to find her behavior endearing, resting his chin on his hand with a smile while admiring her as she gazed out the window.

A little later, the air inside the train warmed, perhaps from the heating. People melted in the warmth and dozed off, with occasional snoring sounds punctuating the train’s loud chug-chug noises as it safely followed the tracks.

Additionally, the warmth of his hand and the familiar scent of the man filled Melissa’s heart with stability.

Ah, at this moment, she felt a perfect sense of belonging like never before.

Breeding Marriage | The End

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