OPDSP 19

“He discriminates against people? How could a doctor possibly do that?”

All the military doctors in the subjugation unit were among the most skilled in the Grand Duke’s territory. Even without participating in the subjugation efforts, their reputations were already well established. Yet they joined the grueling campaign every year because of their strong desire to help others.

For people like that, the idea of treating patients differently based on personal bias was utterly unacceptable.

“I can’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”

Jenx had a hot temper and a strong sense of justice. She couldn’t overlook injustice. Without hesitation, she approached Aeryl.

“You’re the new military doctor, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! I’m Aeryl!”

Aeryl sprang to his feet. Dressed in a white coat, Jenx was unmistakably a military doctor.

Finally, a colleague! He extended his hand warmly. But Jenx only glanced at it and her expression hardened even further.

“You sure took your time introducing yourself. It’s already been three days since you joined the purge unit.”

“…What?”

Aeryl was caught off guard by the sudden hostility.

“Fine, I can overlook you ignoring your superior and seniors. But doing that to patients? That’s completely unacceptable. We military doctors are here for all the members of the purge unit!”

“…I’m sorry, what?”

Aeryl couldn’t understand what she was talking about. Why was she suddenly stating the obvious? And more importantly, who exactly had he ignored?

“Wait a minute. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Hah. Denying it, are you? Fine. Consider this a warning. If you keep acting like that, I won’t stay quiet. Even if you were brought here by His Grace!”

After spitting out her piece, Jenx turned and walked away, as if further conversation wasn’t worth her time. Aeryl could only stare after her, stunned.

‘What the hell was that…?’

It felt like he’d been slapped for no reason while just sitting there.

“Oh no… Sir Aeryl, are you okay?”

Mason came rushing over, holding a tray in each hand. Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn’t even had time to step in.

“Um… I think I’m okay? But what was that about? Did I do something wrong?”

“Umm… Let’s just sit down first. We can think it through while you eat.”

Mason guided Aeryl back to his seat.

‘Everyone’s staring…’

Mason thought to himself. Outwardly, he gave a sheepish smile, but as a knight, he could read the mood swiftly.

With all the purge unit members gathered to eat, the well-known Jenx had just dropped a bomb and stormed off. Half out of curiosity, half out of caution, all eyes turned to Aeryl. Even those walking past made sure to glance at him. Aeryl didn’t notice any of it, still lost in thought as he tried to make sense of Jenx‘ words.

‘This probably won’t turn out well for Sir Aeryl.’

Mason looked at him closely. Despite the tousled hair and the glasses partly covering his face, Aeryl had a delicate appearance. There wasn’t a single part of his face that wasn’t attractive, and even just spooning up soup, he gave off an air of refinement.

‘He’s beautiful…’

Mason blushed without realizing. He couldn’t understand how someone so skilled and beautiful could be so easily misunderstood.

‘Seems like the soldiers have a bad impression of him…’

As a knight, Mason couldn’t get involved directly with the soldiers. Otherwise, it might look like he was overstepping into their territory. He didn’t have any close connections among the soldiers either.

‘Innis used to keep things under control among the soldiers, but we can’t count on her now… What do we do?’

After thinking it over, Mason decided to keep observing the situation a little longer.

‘I’ll keep a close eye on things. I’ve got to protect Sir Aeryl.’

He made up his mind with determination.

After finishing his meal and parting ways with Mason, Aeryl walked back to his tent. Mason had wanted to follow him out of concern, but it would’ve only been a hindrance right now.

Reflecting on their conversation over dinner and hearing Mason’s thoughts helped Aeryl get a clearer picture of what was going on.

‘The military doctors seem to seriously misunderstand me.’

Jenx had carried herself with the righteousness of someone convinced she was in the moral right. And Mason had told him that while she had a short fuse, she wasn’t the type to lash out without reason.

On top of that, she had given a clear reason for her anger: According to her, Aeryl was ignoring the other doctors and discriminating in how he treated people.

Of course, Aeryl had never ignored or discriminated against anyone. If anything, he had done his best in a situation where he’d been neglected and left out.

‘Hmph, in cases where things go this far off track, there’s usually someone in the middle stirring things up.’

Aeryl hit the mark with his guess. He had grown up in the imperial palace, where slander and political scheming ran rampant. As the youngest and an omega, no one saw him as a threat, so he’d never been dragged into the mess himself—but he had seen and heard enough to know how it worked.

‘The likeliest one would be Fedel.’

Fedel had been the only one mediating between Aeryl and the other doctors, so it wasn’t a difficult conclusion to reach. Come to think of it, the way he’d stopped him from going to greet the others on the first day now seemed suspicious in hindsight. Putting on that kind, friendly face while sabotaging him from the start.

That also explained the odd looks the soldiers had been giving him. They were already uncomfortable around the unfamiliar Aeryl—if they thought he was discriminating against or alienating them, of course they wouldn’t look kindly on him.

If things had been calmer, or if there had been time to get to know each other, it probably wouldn’t have escalated so quickly.

‘I was so focused on the Grand Duke, I really ignored everything else.’

Thinking it over step by step, he started to see things more clearly. Just yesterday during the battle, he had been so focused on the Grand Duke that he hadn’t even glanced at the soldiers. As a result, the only ones he’d approached first to treat had been the knights. It was understandable that people might misunderstand.

‘Still, the soldiers’ reaction is a bit… over the top.’

Judging and ostracizing someone over just a single day? Maybe the forest’s negative influence had something to do with it.

‘Innis said people get swept up in gossip easily.’

That made him suspect Fedel even more. Unless someone was stirring the pot, things wouldn’t have soured enough in just a day or two for them to start rejecting treatment.

‘I don’t know the reason, but I don’t need to.’

It was bound to be a petty reason anyway.

Aeryl wasn’t particularly surprised by Fedel’s two-faced behavior. He had dealt with far worse people before and had built up immunity.

That didn’t mean he planned to let it go. It was one thing not to know—but to know and still stay silent? That would just be foolish.

‘How should I handle this?’

Anyone resorting to such obvious petty tricks was second-rate. If he wanted to, he could easily flip the public opinion and isolate Fedel in return.

After all, he had grown up in the political hellhole of the imperial palace. Compared to the schemes waged at the heart of power, Fedel’s tricks were like those of a five-year-old.

‘Still, it’s all such a bother.’

Why should I—me—waste time on someone like Fedel? If he had that time and energy to spare, he’d rather spend it researching the Grand Duke.

‘Let’s solve this quickly and easily—the simplest way possible.’

With that decision made, Aeryl erased all thoughts of Fedel from his mind.

Aeryl reviewed the information he’d gathered so far about the Grand Duke and wrote it all down in his journal. After carefully considering the medications, he even finished a new round of formulation. Before he realized it, it was nearly midnight.

Skillfully checking for sentries, he swiftly and silently made his way into the Grand Duke’s tent—his heart pounding, wondering if another knife would fly at him tonight.

Fortunately, the Grand Duke was still in his right mind. Unfortunately, he was working at his desk.

“You’re working again? You need to rest.”

“If I can work, not doing it would be a waste.”

“Is that something you should say to your attending physician?”

Aeryl narrowed his eyes at him. And then immediately thought, Was that too cheeky?—but the Grand Duke set down the papers in his hand.

“All right. Fine.”

He was still expressionless, but he seemed somehow more relaxed. Aeryl pointed to the bed with his finger, and the Grand Duke obediently went and sat down. Seeing him follow orders so meekly made Aeryl’s chest flutter.

“Rest is important. You need to stabilize both mind and body.”

Aeryl nagged him while checking his condition.

“Staying still makes me more anxious.”

“…That’s textbook workaholic behavior.”

“So I’ve been told.”

The Grand Duke’s condition had visibly improved. His consciousness was clear, and he spoke well. His pheromones, though still faint, were detectable now.

‘The medicine’s working well. Should I increase the dosage? Or the frequency?’

While monitoring the pheromones and considering his options, Aeryl picked up on an emotion through them.

“Your Grace, are you feeling anxious right now?”