When his sister, who had been giving off quite a serious air, suddenly called his name, Elsier flinched and answered.

“Yes, yes?”

“You. So what did the doctor say?”

“Uh…… That is.”

In the end, she’s not just letting it slide and asking again.

Elsier was deeply saddened that his sister’s panic hadn’t lasted very long.

“A little…… he said I need rest.”

She’ll definitely be angry.

She warned me so much to be careful with my body, but I got into an accident as soon as I arrived.

“If it’s rest, does that mean you need to take a break from school?”

“I don’t need to take a break from school…… I just can’t attend practical classes that use the body.”

“I see. So how long is that ‘little’ exactly?”

“That…… roughly one…… month?”

When Ellen suddenly stood up from her seat, Elsier urgently shouted.

“Si, sister!”

“What.”

“Where are you going?”

“I think it would be better for me to ask the doctor directly.”

“It’s not a lie. Fortunately, nothing is broken anywhere, so he just said to be careful not to overdo it until I get better……”

Ellen, who had been suspecting that Elsier might be downplaying his condition, finally let go of her suspicion at those words and sat back down on the stool, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I see. If that’s the case, then it’s fortunate.”

“Yes. That’s how I am, but……”

Elsier shifted his gaze toward where May was.

Ellen asked May.

“From what I can see, you seem to have injured your head, lady. Are you alright?”

Startled by the question suddenly directed at her, May answered in surprise.

“Yes? Yes. Fortunately, they said the head doesn’t seem to have any major problems……”

“That’s really fortunate. I see you have a splint on your hand too, so you seem to be injured. What did the doctor say?”

“Ah, my wrist is……”

When the topic of her wrist came up, she looked at her hand wrapped tightly in bandages with a bitter expression and said.

“Since the break is in the wrist, they said they need to cut the flesh directly to fit the bone fragments together.”

“My goodness.”

Ellen covered her mouth with her hand.

“But why are you still here? Is it okay to delay the surgery?”

“……”

When May couldn’t answer, Elsier stepped forward instead and said.

“How could that be, sister.”

“Then?”

“The doctor here said he can’t take responsibility for the surgery results, sister.”

Elsier had an extremely indignant expression.

“He said if we write a statement saying he has no responsibility for whatever problems arise, then he’ll perform the surgery.”

“Oh my……”

When Ellen showed a genuinely sympathetic face, May smiled bitterly and said.

“It’s alright. Once Father comes, I’ll discuss it with him and make a decision.”

“Ah, you’re waiting for the count to come.”

“Yes. And once again, I’m sorry. For getting Elsier involved in something like this, really……”

“What does the lady have to be sorry about? This wasn’t something within your power to resolve in the first place.”

Ellen cut off May’s apologetic words sharply.

“I will formally protest to the academy about carriage maintenance. You might be contacted regarding that matter, lady.”

“Something like that is fine.”

“The academy in the capital has close connections with the imperial family too. I will make sure to instruct them to investigate this matter properly.”

Kaiden, who had been listening to their conversation, added that he would help them.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

A carriage accident that hadn’t happened before.

But since the past wasn’t the same as before, it wasn’t strange for new incidents to occur as the flow changed.

But it happened while May Sorbon went on an outing?

It was definitely a situation worth suspecting Periwinkle’s involvement.

‘If it’s true, I won’t let this slide.’

How dare a mere brat who doesn’t know their place.

“I hope you recover quickly, lady.”

Ellen quickly wrote down the Crient residence address and handed it to May, saying.

“Our family doctor is someone with expertise in surgical operations. Rachel Eden — if you need any help, please contact us anytime.”

“Ah…… Thank you.”

May, who awkwardly received the paper she handed over, stared at it for a while before asking Ellen.

“Um, Lady Crient.”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“I’m sorry, but if I were to receive treatment from Crient’s doctor, how would the cost issue be handled……”

May was blushing as if she was ashamed of having to ask such a question.

‘She doesn’t have much trust in her father.’

Well, he’s the type who would think having to operate on a daughter who should be sent off with a dowry is a losing business.

Ellen pretended not to see her expression and smiled as she said.

“She’s our family doctor whom I pay a salary. I have no intention of making others pay the cost.”

“If, if that’s the case. But……!”

May seemed to think this was too much kindness and became flustered, blushing even more.

But then suddenly the door burst open from behind and a man entered.

“May!”

He was May Sorbon’s biological father, Count Sorbon.

Count, who had arrived last, immediately checked May’s condition upon entering.

“What is this about? Are there no injured places?”

He examined her here and there, and eventually discovered the bandage on her forehead hidden by her hair and the splint on her left wrist, frowning.

“The wounds are quite serious. What did the doctor say?”

“……He said surgery is necessary, Father.”

“Surgery? Using a knife? Then did he say it would heal well without scars?”

“I didn’t ask about that, but……”

May couldn’t readily answer and trailed off.

Whether scars remained or not wasn’t the issue.

The doctor was saying it was surgery he couldn’t guarantee, so whether they could save her left hand safely was the problem in the first place.

When she couldn’t continue speaking, Count, who roughly sensed it wasn’t a good situation, clicked his tongue and said.

“This is serious. How can I marry you off like this?”

“……”

Kaiden, who had been listening to the conversation, seemed bothered by continuing to listen blankly and cleared his throat.

At that sound, Count turned around and finally noticed that the crown prince was behind him, immediately prostrating himself.

“Oh my! I greet Your Highness.”

Kaiden helped him up and said.

“That’s enough. More importantly, the lady’s condition doesn’t seem very good.”

“What can we do? We have to try treatment as best we can for now.”

Count, who had risen awkwardly from his position, looked at the bed where May was lying.

“Then let’s call the doctor first to hear the story. If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll help.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

And so the doctor, suddenly called, found himself giving a briefing in front of the crown prince without any warning.

“You said you’d perform surgery if we write a statement taking no responsibility for the results.”

When Kaiden asked, he opened his mouth with a face clearly showing extreme nervousness.

“If you command me to attempt surgery, I can attempt it, but I, I have no experience treating patients like this. In cases of fractures like this, it’s better to entrust it to someone more skilled.”

Kaiden looked at him with a somewhat apologetic expression as he answered with cold sweat beading on one side of his forehead.

“I see. I’m sorry for suddenly calling you like this. So you’re saying you’ll do your best to attempt it, but the results are beyond your capabilities?”

“Yes. I’ve never operated on trauma patients related to bones while in the capital. Usually military doctors or doctors who treat commoners would know this better.”

At the doctor’s detailed explanation, May and Count Sorbon’s faces hardened moment by moment.

“I see. I understand.”

“Then can you recommend where such a doctor might be?”

Count Sorbon urgently interjected and asked.

“When you say such a doctor?”

“A doctor who can currently provide treatment. If you can’t do it, at least introduce someone who can perform surgery.”

“Well……”

The doctor mumbled his words.

It wasn’t that there were none if they looked.

It was just that among them, few were close enough to perform surgery immediately, and even fewer had the minimum social status and manners to deal with nobles.

The doctor pondered briefly before opening his mouth.

“Then…… please visit Sir Paul Valentin.”

“Is that the only doctor you can recommend?”

When Ellen asked, he showed an ambiguous expression and said.

“That’s not it, but…… that’s a bit.”

Ellen didn’t miss his hesitation and pressed him.

“Since we don’t know what Sir Valentin might say, please tell us at least one more alternative.”

“Right. Whatever the issue is, I’ll judge it. So just tell us.”

When both pressed him, the doctor opened his mouth with a sigh of resignation.

“……There is one more person, Rachel Eden. But this person also treats commoners. Would that be acceptable?”

Then, May, recognizing the name, turned to Ellen and said.

“Ah, if it’s Rachel Eden, then Crient’s……?”

“Yes. She’s our family doctor.”

“If Eden is the family doctor…… ! Are you perhaps Lady Crient?”

The doctor, who had been standing with an extremely troubled face, suddenly brightened and spoke to her.

“Yes? Yes. That’s correct.”

“Oh my, it’s my first time meeting you. I am Grenik Alman, who studied together with Rachel under the Eden couple.”

He approached Ellen and requested a handshake.

“I vaguely heard news that Eden had entered as Crient’s family doctor. I’m confirming that rumor like this.”

Ellen shook hands with him.

“Since the child is learning swordsmanship, the family doctor needs to be skilled in surgery too. But the rumors about her were so widespread.”

“Still, I never thought you would know about her, my lady. That friend finally has a bright future ahead.”

Alman smiled broadly as if it were his own affair.

But then Count Sorbon interjected with a displeased face.

“She?”