Ch. 39 – Wook's Teahouse
“Ah, so this tea is fattening.”
“Umm, that…”
He knew I was overweight, so he seemed to want to advise me that this Maleuve tea was not a very good choice.
I shrugged and smiled at Aaron, who hesitated because he couldn’t bear to say it wasn’t a good tea for a fat person.
“I’ve been drinking without knowing it. I’m actually losing weight for my health. I guess I should change my tea.”
“Is that so? If you don’t mind if it’s a little expensive, I recommend the plum tea or the Bruanu tea made from dried Selvure leaves.
“Plum and Bruanu. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”
As I smiled at Aaron, who had a friendly smile on the outside, I cursed severely inside for the first time in a long time.
‘Damn it! Molga, you f**king XX!’
The tea that Molga gave me as a gift was like poison that made me build up fat throughout my life.
I would gain weight as I eat, so what would be the use of running 10 laps a day for 100 days?
“Aaron, I have a question.”
I was furious, but I was glad to find out that Molga had been playing tricks secretly in this way.
Because a certain doubt that had only sprouted a little had grown rapidly.
“What is it?”
I opened the small package I had and showed it to Aaron.
“My family doctor prescribes this medicine. Can you tell me what it does?”
“Oh, of course.”
Aaron looked at the four kinds of pills from the package.
“Bonaccio, Montein, Gramas, Alovanus… Well, these are ordinary drugs.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Bonacio and Montein are usually prescribed to replenish energy in less active patients, and Gramas helps to stabilize the nerves. You can think of Alovanus as similar to nutritional supplements.”
“Is there any problem if I take them together?”
“Yes, well… Ah!”
Aaron, who exclaimed, pointed to the white pill.
“However, there are some things to keep in mind when taking Alovanus. When it comes in contact with alcohol, it becomes a poison, not a medicine.”
“Ah.”
I just stiffened.
“Alcohol… is it?”
“Yes. In fact, you should generally avoid alcohol if you are taking any medications, but this Alovanus is particularly deadly. You must never take them together.”
“I see.”
“As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine. Well, of course, the doctor must have told you this.”
“Alright.”
I nodded and pulled out another package I had been carrying.
Chang-grang. The sound of coins jingled, and a pile of gold coins appeared inside the wide-open sack entrance.
Aaron tilted his head.
“Thank you for coming today. Can you check on my dad’s physical condition from time to time? I have an exclusive doctor, but Aaron’s skills are more reliable.”
“Of course. If you contact me a day earlier, I will come immediately.”
“Thank you very much. This is the consultation fee for today.”
“Hmm? To call it a visit, I don’t think I’ve done anything in particular. I won’t charge you for medical treatment.”
“You came all the way here.”
“Even if it’s consultation fee, it’s only 50,000 marks.”
“Honestly, isn’t it too cheap? Even those who have just been issued a doctor’s license receive 300,000 marks as a basic consultation fee.”
“Haha… It is up to each individual to determine the cost of treatment.”
“Please accept this.”
Feeling unable to back down from my firm words, Aaron coughed and took out five gold coins.
The standard consultation fee he had mentioned was exactly 50,000 marks.
“Then just this…”
“Aaron.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“I didn’t do a background check, but I somehow heard something while passing by. It said Aaron put on credit at the drugstore.”
Aaron paused.
“What does Aaron eat if he doesn’t receive medical bills and won’t let the customers pay for the medicines you have to make?”
“Mm…”
“I know Aaron has a good heart and cares for poor patients. And I’m rooting for you. So, think of it as a donation.”
“…”
“It’s not enough, but I hope I can help you do something good.”
Aaron, who was staring at me blankly, smiled soon.
“Princess is such a nice and sweet person.”
“What if I’m like this only to you?”
He laughed out loud and took the money.
“Then let me be shameless but grateful. If you’re worried that it will be used for frivolous purposes, I will record all usage details in a ledger.”
“I am not worried at all.”
Aaron, who was preparing to go back soon, looked at the medicine on the table and asked.
“If you are taking Alobavus, you should be careful not to drink alcohol.”
“Yes, I will pay attention.”
He seemed to think this was my medicine, but no.
“Thank you for your concern.”
This was my dad’s medicine.
And he had been drinking it.
***
Under the dazzling sunlight.
Under the parasol set up in the garden, I lay in a comfortable relaxation chair, enjoying a languid moment.
‘Hmm, this refreshing feeling of vitamin D…’
As expected, people needed to see the sunlight.
So, I purposely dragged my dad out and sunbathed.
With a picnic table in between.
My dad and I took up a glass of drink on the table in the same pose and drank it with a straw.
My dad, who had a bite of cold juice with apples, sugar, and ice, asked while looking at my glass.
“What is that?”
“A protein shake.”
Of course, I was content with a protein shake as I cut off all sugar.
“Dad.”
“What is it?”
As I looked at my father’s face, I remembered the last words Aaron had left behind.
“Many patients who ignored the risk and continued to drink alcohol with Alovanus died suddenly, complaining of sudden chest pain.”
In my previous life, my father also died suddenly at the age of 39 from chest pain.
‘A long-term simultaneous use of alcohol and Alovanus, which are poisonous when taken together. Chest pain before death. He must have suffered from cardiovascular disease.’
The cause of death was now certain.
“What does the doctor say every time he gives you medicine?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, some precautions like Do not drink alcohol.”
Dad shrugged his shoulders as if it was not a big deal.
“Of course he said that I shouldn’t drink. Are there any doctors who allow drinking while taking drugs? Everyone’s saying the obvious.”
That was to say, he was unaware that there were drugs that were toxic when mixed with alcohol.
What if there was a problem later?
The disgusting old man in the house, our family doctor, would probably say, “I already told the duke not to drink.”
‘Did he not know my dad didn’t listen and kept drinking?’
There was no way he didn’t know. He continued to prescribe Alovanus to dad after knowing that fact.
Along with a warning not to drink alcohol, which might sound like an obvious warning.
‘The intent to kill cleverly is very obvious. Molga had bought him for a long time.’
I thought about it.
‘We can’t change doctor or stop taking medication. It’s like letting them know that they’re suspicious.’
It was annoying, but I had some reason to leave Molga here in the duke’s residence a little bit longer. To do that, all ‘doubts’ had to be held only by me.
When I finished thinking, I looked back at my father.
“Dad, the alcohol now…”
“I don’t drink. I haven’t drunk for 24 days.”
My father quickly replied. He must have been sick of me, who kept telling him not to drink whenever I saw his face.
I gave a satisfied smile to my father, who listened to me even though he was displeased.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“Live a long life.”
“…”
My dad stopped sipping the juice and looked at me.
“I want my dad to live a long and healthy life. Well, actually, I still feel sad for my dad, and I have a little bit of hatred, but…”
“…”
“Maybe it will become dull over time. It’s not that I don’t understand you.”
I continued speaking, taking my eyes off him and leaning back in my chair.
“After eating together and spending time together daily, I feel more comfortable with my dad than before. Before, I didn’t know my father well and that there was a misunderstanding… but now I got to know a little bit.”
“…”
“Dad, do you feel the same way as I do?”
I smiled and added, embarrassed for no reason after asking.
“If we slowly get to know each other about things we didn’t know, one day we can become a father and daughter just like everyone else, right? No, that’s not it.”
I turned to my dad.
As if Dad had always looked at me, our eyes met immediately.
“If possible, I’d love for it to happen. To do that, Dad has to stay healthy and live a long life.”
“I am healthy.”
“Yes. So, please stay healthy.”
My father, unable to speak, was staring at me without answering.
“What? Why aren’t you talking?”
I made a fuss out of embarrassment.
“You will live long without illness and never drink until you close your eyes because you’re old. Promise me!”
Well, was it a bit too much to want him to quit drinking for the rest of his life?
I paused as I held out my pinky and waved to promise.
“…”
But for some reason, my father, staring at me, did not grumble and then put his little finger on it.
In case his hand ran away, I quickly said with a smile while hooking our little fingers together.
“Great. You promise!”