Chapter 74
“Let’s go, young lady.”
Cordelia finally mustered her courage and held Theodore’s hand as she climbed up.
“Ugh.”
As she tried to sit on the seat inside the caterpillar vehicle, she wobbled, and Theodore caught her.
She leaned snugly against Theodore’s chest with her narrow shoulders.
Cordelia quickly pulled back, bowed her head slightly, and sat in her seat.
Black hair and blue hair… they looked so good together.
Seeing my wide eyes fixed on him, Theodore smirked.
“You treated the first guest of Theodore’s animal hospital so kindly, didn’t you, Gemo?”
I nodded, and Theodore proudly sat down. Watching this, Gerald leaned toward me and whispered softly:
“The fact that Theodore got over his sulking so quickly… You really are an incredible stepmother.”
His envious tone made a smile naturally curve on my lips. Gerald patted my shoulder in praise.
It felt wonderful.
The first guest!
For the first time, a guest had come from outside the Karikas estate, and the Archduke himself welcomed them.
It was touching.
A demon risking his life to save others, bringing a wounded puppy to the hospital to be treated… and even escorting a young girl.
Then it happened.
“Shin, shall I let you ride on my lap? I’ll protect you.”
Gerald whispered in my ear.
Gasp! This man must be crazy.
I had felt it even during the Seishinje ceremony—sometimes he was just too skillful for his own good.
I quickly climbed into the caterpillar vehicle on my own. There were just too many eyes watching.
Gerald followed reluctantly, as if disappointed.
The Marchioness of Cecil also got on behind Cordelia, following the children.
Then the caterpillar floated above the ground like a maglev train.
The center staff bowed their heads as we entered.
The sides of the animal farm resembled a Korean zoo.
Instead of monsters, various abandoned pets previously discarded by nobles were housed in different enclosures according to species.
A long-tailed monkey missing one eye, a large dodo bird missing its feathers, an armored turtle sitting on a rock in the middle of a pond drying its moldy back, Galapagos tortoises on sand, and even predators like leopards.
I looked at Gerald in surprise.
“Were all of these abandoned? I knew people had different tastes, but… this is impressive.”
Andrea, who was sitting in the front, turned and said:
“As you can see, these are all sick animals. Some have skin diseases, some are injured, some have corneal damage…”
Cordelia suddenly raised her hand and shouted as we passed a large birdcage.
“Mother, Polaris is here!”
Perhaps she had abandoned a pet bird here herself. Cecil quickly put a finger to her lips and glanced at Cordelia.
Cordelia shrugged as if asking why and waved happily.
“Polaris, I’m here. Polaris.”
I bitterly pretended not to notice.
Yes, yes—these experiences must have shaped Cordelia into a healer.
I’ll make sure to deal with this when we arrive. Since Cordelia, the former protagonist, ended up here, I can’t let her get hurt.
“Her front leg is broken, and the ribs are fractured, causing internal damage. We’ll monitor her condition post-surgery.”
Andrea was truly an expert.
She placed a transparent magic stone on Coco’s body, revealing the bones and organs like an X-ray. It was clear that the leg was broken, and the ribs were fractured.
“Then… will Coco survive?”
Cordelia asked, tears welling up.
“Of course. No life easily dies if there’s the will to survive, young lady.”
Cecil hugged Cordelia and asked Andrea:
“Please don’t let her feel pain.”
“Understood. The surgery will take about two hours.”
“What should we do after the surgery?”
“We’ll need to monitor her, but hospitalization is recommended. Healers will provide specialized care.”
“That’s good.”
Cecil’s worried face brightened.
“Let’s get started!”
“Yes!”
Following my command, Andrea and the medical staff took Coco to the examination room. We had to hurry because of the delay.
“Coco, hang in there!”
Cordelia cheered toward the closing door, then looked dejected as it shut.
“We are grateful for your kindness, Archduchess.”
“But there’s a condition.”
“A condition?”
Cecil tilted her head, and I nodded, looking at Gerald.
“The reason we built the animal hospital is that countless nobles abandoned helpless creatures on our estate.”
“…!”
“I don’t want our Archduke, or any children of our estate, to learn to treat life carelessly. The same goes for any child in the Empire. So, anyone receiving treatment must perform at least two weeks of volunteer work. Can you do that?”
Gerald nodded, reinforcing my statement.
Thinking of Cordelia, who may have been hurt from abandoning animals, I needed to make this clear.
“So if you write in the pledge that you will volunteer two hours a day, you can receive treatment and aftercare.”
“…Ah. Then I will send someone starting tomorrow.”
“No. Sending a maid or servant doesn’t count as volunteering. A guardian must come.”
“I’m busy preparing for the Demon World Inheritance Commemorative Subjugation, so I won’t have time. I can pay for the treatment.”
“No payment is needed. This hospital isn’t for money. It’s for my wife and son.”
Gerald blocked her firmly.
“Then I’ll do it myself.”
“No, Cordelia.”
When Cordelia stepped forward, Cecil quietly intervened.
“Then she cannot go with you.”
Tears filled Cordelia’s eyes, but the Marchioness avoided looking at her.
“Mother.”
Cordelia clung to her, and her shy posture reminded me of the grandmother who once chased Nnyonyo away.
I’m sorry, child. It’s not because of you. I must first correct your mother’s heart so that you won’t get hurt so much.
“I’ll send the nanny and Cordelia.”
Cecil offered a compromise.
“No. The child’s guardian is not the nanny but the mother or father. One of them must come. We cannot delay any longer. I will ensure their safe arrival.”
“Yes.”
Jo bowed and went to prepare the carriage.
Cecilia’s face turned pale, but I gave a silent nod and prepared to turn away.
Then:
“I, Theodore, will go with her.”
Theodore shouted beside the tearful Cordelia.
“Can I, Theodore, be Cordelia’s guardian?”
Ding!
The sound of a bell seemed to ring in my ears, leaving me dazed.
“Theodore, if you want to be her guardian, you must be married.”
Gerald cut him off without mercy.
“Married?”
“Yes. Just like me and Gemo.”
“Hm…”
Theodore twisted uncomfortably, pouting his lips, and said in dissatisfaction:
“But I can’t just treat family-like friends carelessly. I can’t do that.”
“Theo, Coco isn’t just a friend; she’s family. You must fulfill your responsibilities and duties.”
Cordelia’s good-hearted nature ached at my firmness.
“I’ll do it, Mother. Please. I’m Coco’s sister.”
Tears streamed down Cordelia’s cheeks.
If it were my child, seeing them this upset, I would have agreed immediately.
Cecil drew a deep breath and closed her eyes quietly.
Amid our squabble, the healers and veterinarians took Coco straight into the operating room.
Then:
“The carriage is ready. Marchioness Cecil Heather.”
Jo’s words fell.
“Sob, sob, sob.”
Cordelia’s cries filled the examination room.
“Please give me the pledge. I will do as required.”
“Ha…”
Cordelia stumbled, and Theodore quickly supported her.
I wanted to believe Theodore’s extreme kindness was simply because he was meeting a friend for the first time.
“Prepare the pledge for Marchioness Cecil Heather.”
Gerald said this, knelt, and made eye contact with Cordelia.
“Cordelia, I want to give you a gift for your kind heart. Will you come with me to the lounge?”
“Sniffle… the lounge?”
“Yes.”
“All right.”
“You may also come if you have time, Madam.”
“That’s fine.”
“I see. I’ll give the Marchioness a glass of sparkling water with lemon here. You two come with me to the lounge.”
Gerald held Cordelia in one arm, Theodore in the other, and looked at me.
I gestured for him to go ahead.
In his strong arms were two little birds. Theodore, looking sad, leaned on Gerald’s shoulder and reached out to wipe Cordelia’s tears.
Before I knew it, the door closed, and they disappeared from our sight.
The pledge stated that while the animal received treatment, the volunteer had to spend two hours a day performing tasks: feeding, giving medicine, playing with the animals, and receiving one hour of animal training.
So the work had to be done personally. The pledge was meant to enforce that.
I was impressed by Gerald’s meticulousness. After all, someone who rules the Demon World would consider such thoroughness basic.
Moreover, a clause was added:
“If this pledge is broken, the violator must donate 300 times the cost of treatment, hospitalization, and surgery to the Karikas Animal Hospital and lose all rights over the animal.”
The Marchioness of Cecil hesitated to sign.
