Since the prominent lady who had suddenly concealed herself was not acting of her own volition, the woman thought Luna wouldn’t be able to find Deborah, but she kept such thoughts to herself.

There was no need to create unnecessary tension with words.

Given the significant quantity of medicine she had purchased and her plea to her mother, it was highly likely that Deborah had gone to a place she couldn’t return from.

Therefore, Luna offered only a vague smile and made a final request to the woman.

“Could you occasionally visit the hospital? It might be unsettling for her to be alone at the hospital. And I’ll provide some basic medicines that you can distribute to the sick in the village.”

“Ah… Well, I’m sorry, but I’m quite busy just trying to make ends meet, so I probably won’t be able to visit the hospital often. This time, I just happened to pass by the hospital, and I rarely go there in normal circumstances.”

The woman, who lived day to day just to survive, had no spare time to volunteer for others.

She had only acted on the thought that she might be able to help her neighbor today.

Listening to the explanation, Luna was momentarily speechless. Just last year, the Barony had been in the same position, but she had quickly forgotten about it after finding a few mines.

“I thought too lightly. Then, may I formally request your help? As a caregiver for the hospital.”

Since the hospital seemed busier than expected, they could use more personnel anyway. They could hire her as both a caregiver and a medicine delivery person.

“Are you really serious about this…?”

Startled by the sudden job offer, the woman asked hesitantly. Luna nodded in response, and the woman expressed her gratitude with a bright smile.

“Seems like anyone can get hired here,” Meanwhile, Antes, who had laid the middle-aged woman in the carriage, returned to Luna’s side.

Luna poked his side, commenting on his harsh tone and contrasting soft expression.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You just knocked over hundreds of people earlier, and if you keep going like this, you might as well knock over everyone in the Empire.”

“That’s not a reasonable thing to say.”

Luna bid farewell to the woman, saying that making too many frivolous remarks would be boring, and she returned to the carriage with Antes.

Although it would be better if they could go together to the hospital, it was clear that the woman’s return home would be delayed if they did so.

The middle-aged woman lying on the carriage seat was breathing heavily. Her occasional violent coughing made it seem like she was in pain, and just watching her was enough to feel her suffering.

“Is she going to be okay?”

Luna asked Antes, her voice filled with concern. It was a question meant to coax him to reassure her, whether she would be okay or not.

“She’ll probably be fine. In reality, surviving in such an unfavorable environment itself is a struggle.”

If it had been a really serious illness, she would have already died in that old, dirty shanty. That was his horrifying way of putting it.

“Are you making a joke?”

“It’s not a joke. I mean that surviving various minor illnesses that have piled up due to the environment might seem worse than actually having a major illness.”

So, even though she was in a condition like having a cold, her body was also affected by malnutrition, diarrhea from eating something wrong, and other conditions. It wasn’t a single major illness but a combination of various factors.

“Is she in that much pain?”

Seeing that the middle-aged woman seemed to be suffering, Luna asked Antes again, as if to confirm.

When would he answer with reassurance instead of always thinking about the worst-case scenario?

“That’s how it looks to me.”

Yes, according to Antes, it might be better that she had several minor illnesses combined together, which made it seem worse. Of course, it could also have become a major illness due to the combination, but it was better than a disease that couldn’t be cured with surgery.

“I hope she’s right, as you said. Then there’s no need to worry.”

“Don’t worry. She’ll probably be fine.”

With reassurance, Antes casually took Luna’s hand.

It was such a natural and unpretentious gesture that Luna nodded quietly in response.

* * *

“I… I want to see my mother.”

At Deborah’s words, a furrow appeared on the Duke’s forehead. Starting from the dress, she had been pampered with things she had never seen in her life, such as food and jewelry.

He had waited for a response with the extravagance continuing, but Deborah’s attention was solely focused on her sick mother.

‘It seems that dropping everything was counterproductive.’

The Duke nodded as if he couldn’t help it and allowed her to go out.

“Go ahead then.”

In fact, it wasn’t a question of whether to give permission or not, but Deborah’s complexion brightened when he gave the permission.

This was because the Duchess had left the mansion in a bad mood, and no matter how much she thought about it, she was reluctant and was about to reject the Duke’s offer.

She needed to take care of her mother.

She had originally come just to have a conversation, but she had been detained for several days, so it was time to return home.

“Thank you.”

Deborah, her face brightening at the words of approval, had an appreciative tone.

After she left the study, the Duke, who gave her a small nod, signaled the butler with a slight nod.

“While you’re at it, don’t forget to make the situation urgent for that woman called her mother, too.”

Although it wasn’t a specific instruction, the meaning behind his words was clear.

He meant to create a situation where Deborah had no choice but to accept the Duke’s proposal by causing harm to her mother. It wasn’t something completely new, but the butler felt a pang of guilt for the first time in a long time.

Unless they had harmed the Duke’s family or personally offended him, they were innocent and pitiable individuals this time.

‘Let’s do it in moderation.’

Avoid physical harm since they weren’t in good health.

For example, he could demolish the old, rundown house. If the house was destroyed, they wouldn’t have a place to live, and they could naturally be brought to the Duke’s mansion.

Afterward, if they accepted the Duke’s proposal, they would have a luxurious mansion that couldn’t be compared to the broken-down house.

Having made that decision, the butler prepared the carriage and hurriedly prepared for Deborah’s outing.

After a while, Deborah, dressed relatively modestly, climbed into the carriage with the maid provided by the Duke.

It seemed like the maid was receiving some kind of instructions from the Duke because she didn’t take her eyes off Deborah until they arrived at their destination.

“Do you have anything to say…?”

“Nothing at all.”

Deborah, feeling uncomfortable under the maid’s surveillance and the cold tone of her words, turned her gaze outside the window.

After some time had passed, they finally arrived at the wretched village that was pitiable but dear to her heart. However, her anxious heart made her rush to her own house, where she faced an empty house and a cold, empty bed.

“Mom?!”

Deborah, who could barely move on her own, was surprised to find the bed empty. Startled, she quickly searched for her mother and rushed outside.

Meanwhile, the butler, who had been planning to demolish the house, asked what was going on.

“My mother… she’s gone!”

“What do you mean?”

The last time the butler had seen Deborah’s mother, she was in poor health. She couldn’t even move on her own, so what could have happened?

“Deborah!”

Deborah’s voice was quite loud, and a neighbor, a woman, came running out.

She looked extremely happy, not even realizing that Deborah had asked her to take care of her mother and that her mother had disappeared.

Seeing Deborah’s emotions, a mixture of disappointment, sadness, and anger that she couldn’t hide, the woman unexpectedly spoke.

“I was worried about how to would find you, but did you come here after hearing the news that your mother was admitted to the hospital?”

“Admitted… what?”

Suddenly, admitted? Where could she find the money for that?

The doctor at the clinic she had gone to for medicine had told her not to even dream about surgery because it required an enormous amount of money. The cost of medicine was so high that she could barely afford it even after careful consideration.

But now she was talking about being admitted to the hospital?

Deborah frowned in disbelief, and the woman happily continued.

“Today, a free hospital opened in the downtown area. And the lady who founded it said she would treat your mother and personally brought her in a carriage.”

Upon hearing this, Deborah looked thoughtful and shouted:

“Did you… did you believe that?! Does that make any sense?!”

Where in the world could you find a hospital that treated illnesses for free?

There were so many doctors who, in addition to the high cost of treatment, demanded various other things. Deborah, with tears welling up in her eyes, shook her head as she realized the seriousness of the situation.

The butler also had no knowledge of the newly opened free hospital, so she wore a disbelieving expression and asked who had taken her there.

“Who on earth took her, and where?”

“Lady Luna Peils took her to the free hospital in the capital. I know the exact location.”

Luna Peils? The sudden mention of the name left the butler frozen.

If what this woman was saying was true, then Deborah’s vulnerability was gone.

Even if it was a lie, there was only one answer for him. After quickly organizing his thoughts, the butler grabbed Deborah’s wrist firmly and led her to the carriage.

“W-where are you going?!”

Surprised, Deborah asked, but the housekeeper, who didn’t even look at her, ordered the coachman:

“Head to the Duke’s mansion.”