LUCIA

Chapter 114 The Beginning and the End

'But Anna was a good person.'

After letting go of Anna, Lucia got to experience several doctors and found that not only was Anna capable skill-wise, but she was different from the others in that she was actively trying to treat her patient. The doctors that were brought in afterwards, whether it was in their diagnosing or prescribing medicine, it was obvious that they were trying to play it safe. With these doctors, Lucia maintained a formal, employer-employee relationship, nothing more, nothing less.

While Lucia was changing her clothes after washing up, the maid waiting on her said to her.

"Milady. Before Master left in the morning, he asked for the doctor to be called to take a look at you."

Lucia recalled what he had said to her last night and chuckled.

[I think you've had a slight fever for a few days now. Get looked at tomorrow. You might be coming down with a cold.]

"I'll get looked at as soon as I come back from the palace, tell the doctor that."(Lucia)

"Yes, Milady." (Maid)

Beth warmly welcomed Lucia into the Queen's Palace. They briefly greeted each other then Lucia asked about Princess Selena, the new princess.

Princess Selena would be turning one year old in a couple of days. It was widely known that the King would be holding a huge party in celebration of her first birthday.

Unlike the moderate display of affection he showed to his sons, the King coddled his only daughter. Everybody knew how much he cherished his daughter.

"The princess is already getting into trouble so unlike a girl, it makes me worried."

"You're worrying too much. I heard that when they are still children, they have to cause a little trouble to grow up healthy. I was quite the tomboy when I was a child."

"Oh my, you Duchess? It doesn't seem like that at all. But I feel slightly relieved after hearing what you said, Duchess."

The dishes were placed on the table one by one. Braised rabbit liver in wine was served as an appetizer.

Lucia put a piece of the meat in her mouth, chewed, and her back broke out in cold sweat. The aroma of wine and rabbit liver mixed with the distinct smell of blood made her stomach churn.

Even though it was not a dish that she would usually enjoy eating, it wasn't something that she couldn't eat. She forced herself to eat a bite and rinsed her mouth with juice.

The sweet juice that she usually liked felt too sweet to her. She wanted to drink something sourer. She thought to herself that when she got home she would have a glass of lemon juice. Upon recalling the sour lemon flavor, her appetite returned.

She took a spoonful of the soup that was served after and knitted her brows. The smell of onions, unique to onion soup, was nauseating. It had been several days since she ate onion soup because she had asked her servants not to serve it to her as of late.

It wasn't to extent that she couldn't force herself to eat, but Lucia could only manage to take three or four more scoops before she placed down her spoon. She picked up the juice, gulping it down to wash away the onion taste in her mouth.

The main course was steak covered with truffles. It would seem the Queen had paid a lot of attention to the dishes since fine cuisine that Lucia didn't normally eat were served.

Even without putting it in her mouth, the unique smell of the truffles made her feel sick to her stomach.

Lucia endured and ate the steak while drinking juice again. Her hand was busy from start to finish, hurriedly filling up her empty glass of juice. After drinking three glasses of juice, Lucia drank water.