She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 39

A Savior by Chance?

Cassius already expected great things, and the Grand Madam shared his excitement. The luxury of the mansion threatened to dull Sierra's senses, but her free spirit fought back. She couldn't live as a Duchess, nor could she let Hanael grow up as a child of this house.

I can't wait a month in this deadlock.

[Kilo] "We mustn't let anyone discover Lady Sierra's identity."

[Lanya] "Why don't we disguise her as our assistant? We already have permission."

[Kilo] "Let's do that."

Sierra put on an enchanted veiled hat to hide her face and changed into assistant robes. Since the entire estate revolved around her, the servants provided the robes and a travel pass instantly.

I'll treat the patient properly, whoever it is.

She laughed darkly. She'd restore the patient's health completely. If the Hippo Kingdom doctors made a misdiagnosis, she'd point out every single mistake.

I've got the recording artifact in my pocket and various herb pouches. There's no problem now.

Her eyes flashed as she boarded the carriage. Finally, her chance to prove her skills arrived. It was time to see the patient.

---

The sharp scent of medicine filled Marchioness Adante Mails' bedroom inside the estate.

Sierra stood gloomily in the back, her identity hidden beneath the enchanted veil. Shock gripped her.

Wait, the special patient is Marchioness Adante?

Determined to keep her secret, she stood perfectly still like a ghost. Fortunately, the magic bound the veil hat, letting her see ahead clearly while hiding her face from the world.

Neither Adante, who rested against the pillows, nor the maid standing by the bed paid any attention to her. The family doctor glanced at Sierra once before looking away. They all assumed she was a standard assistant to the Hippo Kingdom's doctors, thanks to the proper passes.

Then Adante spoke, her noble voice dripping with pride. Lanya and Kilo bowed immediately.

[Adante] "Before we discuss my symptoms......"

[Adante] "Who's that suspicious person hiding their face in the back?"

Her sharp gaze left no room for escape. Sierra pulled her hat lower and bowed. Lanya quickly stepped forward.

[Lanya] "We brought this assistant from the Hippo Kingdom. A terrible facial burn makes them hideous, so we cover it with a veil."

[Adante] "Hmm......"

Adante examined Sierra with a suspicious look. Panic flared inside Sierra, forcing her to speak up.

[Sierra] "Y-yes."

Was a facial burn the best excuse she could find?

Sierra glared at Lanya. Guilt washed over Lanya, and she wiped the cold sweat from her brow before turning around.

Sierra expected Adante's fierce nature to demand that she remove the hat, but the noblewoman didn't. Instead, her dark gaze deepened.

[Adante] "The voice sounds familiar...... No, what am I thinking? Fine, let's hear the diagnosis first."

Sierra watched carefully, her eyes bright with focus. The symptoms pointed directly to Amolta disease, and since she had already confirmed the diagnosis, it was time to judge the doctors' skills.

Adante spoke with a trace of impatience from the bed.

[Adante] "You diagnosed it as Amolta disease last time and gave me medicine."

[Lanya] "Yes, Madam."

They had already discussed the condition. The family doctor rubbed his mustache with a proud, generous smile.

[F. Doctor] "It certainly fits Amolta disease! The medical skills of the Hippo Kingdom are grand."

[Lanya] "Well, we didn't discover it entirely on our own."

Adante's deep sigh drowned out their joyful conversation. She began to explain her condition in a calm tone.

[Adante] "The symptoms improved. The coughing of blood decreased. However......"

[Kilo] "......However?"

Foreboding gripped Kilo, and he took a step closer to the bed. Adante bit her lip and lifted the hem of her dress above her ankle.

[Adante] "The bruising on my ankle remains. In fact, it grew darker."

Ankle bruises often occur as a side effect of the Amolta cure. Yet something was wrong.

Standing like a forgotten sack of potatoes at the back of the room, Sierra lifted her heels to get a better view. Over Lanya's shoulder, the patient's purple leg came into view. Adante's ears flushed red with shame at showing her skin, but she maintained her dignified noble posture.

[Adante] "The bruise grew darker."

Sierra knew her prescription was flawless. If the illness were Amolta disease, the bruise and the blood loss would've vanished completely. Of course, the Hippo Kingdom doctors might've altered her instructions.

[Kilo] "A bruise? That's impossible...... They followed the prescription perfectly."

[Lanya] "May we examine it closely?"

Sierra reviewed her memories, recalling the prescription and the potion bottles near the bed. The doctors definitely followed her advice. That left only one variable.

Wait, is her illness actually Amolta disease?

Lanya and Kilo examined Adante's body and checked her breathing. Listening to them, Sierra reconsidered the diagnosis step by step.

[Lanya] "Hmm, strange. The illness is close to Amolta disease, but......"

[F. Doctor] "I told you it's Amolta disease! How did you even know it was Amolta disease?"

[Kilo] "This assistant...... ah, no. It's just obvious."

[F. Doctor] "Once we knew it was Amolta disease, finding the cure was easy. But this bruise......"

[Lanya] "Mixing azalea, salt, and olive oil works best to remove bruises!"

[Kilo] "That's true, but......"

Sierra frowned. The signs mirrored Amolta disease perfectly, yet an alarm rang in her head. She focused on the woman's unstable gaze and her parted lips. Rough blisters lined the inside of Adante's mouth.

Blisters on the lips? That's an unexpected symptom. Wait......

Sierra stepped forward. Sharp to any movement, Kilo turned to her.

[Kilo] "Is there a problem, Si...... I mean, assistant?"

[Sierra] "Ah, I just want to check something myself."

As she approached the bed, the family doctor crossed his arms and roared.

[F. Doctor] "A mere assistant has no place here!"

[Sierra] "Yes, I'm a mere assistant, but I might be the one who can cure the Marchioness."

[F. Doctor] "Amolta disease heals quickly if you follow the prescription!"

He didn't know whose hands the prescription came from. Scoffing at him internally, Sierra shrugged.

[Sierra] "What if it isn't Amolta disease?"

[F. Doctor] "W-What?"

She ignored his furious glare and focused entirely on the patient. Behind the thick veil, she studied Adante's face.

[Adante] "......Let's listen."

[F. Doctor] "M-Madam."

[Adante] "I said I'll listen to this assistant."

[F. Doctor] "Ah, yes......"

With Adante's permission, the family doctor let out a furious breath. Sierra ignored him and touched the swollen veins on the patient's leg. The bluish bruise tracking the skin looked highly suspicious.

I'm no doctor, but......

Sierra pressed down on the bruise to check the tissue. Adante remained entirely calm, showing no signs of pain. Pressing a heavy bruise usually hurts, but she felt nothing. Sierra thought deeply before she spoke.

[Sierra] "This bruise is a sign of poisoning."

Silence blanketed the room. Everyone froze, including Adante. While Lanya and Kilo looked intrigued, the faces of the maid, the family doctor, and the Marchioness hardened completely.

[Adante] "What...... are you saying? Do you know what you're talking about? Poisoning!"

Sierra didn't flinch.

[Sierra] "I'm certain. It's poisoning disguised as Amolta disease."

[F. Doctor] "......That's impossible!"

The family doctor panicked. Adante ground her teeth and glared at her.

[Adante] "Do you have proof?"

Sierra nodded with absolute confidence.

[Sierra] "Yes, based on clear evidence, it's poisoning. Shall I show you?"

Her eyes flashed sharply. The family doctor roared in a fury.

[F. Doctor] "How dare a mere assistant speak! Shut your mouth!"

Sierra never let anyone intimidate her. She glared right back and clenched her fists. Even with her face hidden by the veil, her determination radiated through the room.

[Sierra] "I'm not a regular assistant. I'm the assistant to Lord Lanya and Lord Kilo! Besides, the Marchioness permitted me to speak."

Since Adante had already stepped in, the family doctor had no ground to stand on. He cleared his throat roughly, his face bright red.

[F. Doctor] "How dare you......"

Lanya stepped forward to stop the doctor.

[Lanya] "Madam, I vouch for this youth. This person's skills are extraordinary. Let her try."

[Adante] "Is that so?"

The doctor noticed Adante's hesitation and found his courage again. He pointed a finger at Sierra.

[F. Doctor] "What if it isn't poisoning?"

[Sierra] "Hmm......"

Sierra paused to think. The doctor immediately straightened his posture, full of pride. As a famous academy professor who lectured and treated high society, he refused to be compared to a foreign medical assistant.

Sierra scoffed at him internally. If he wanted to challenge her, she'd silence him permanently.

[Sierra] "I'll bet my life that it's poisoning."

The extreme statement sent immediate shockwaves through the bedroom.

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