At ten past nine, a knock echoed from room 100.
It was Govet-Ghervil who opened the door, startling Ghervil with how deftly the plump furball had managed to spring up and answer.
“Where is the mistress of this house?”
“In the kitchen, preparing dinner.”
“Why is it being prepared so late?”
“Well… waiting for you to come home to eat together.” Govet-Ghervil, of course, wouldn’t reveal that it had coerced Dr. Callan into a luxurious lunch at three o’clock that afternoon, thus delaying dinner until now.
‘Did she truly believe one meal could resolve everything? That was far too naive.’
Stepping around the furball, Ghervil made her way towards the steamy kitchen.
Before she had taken two steps, her right foot became rooted to the spot. Looking down, she found the plump furball clinging stubbornly to her silk-stockinged calf.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Rest, yes! You should rest for a while; Dr. Callan can manage dinner on her own.”
Govet-Ghervil knew perfectly well that if it let go now, dinner would devolve into a game of evil gods.
Random dishes would appear, each carrying a wicked curse from an evil deity. Their appearance and color would offer no clue, and anyone who dared to eat them would have to find a way to survive the ensuing affliction.
‘She’s even calling her by name now. Their relationship truly has improved.’
A wave of satisfaction washed over Ghervil.
“Even if I’m exhausted, I must rally my spirits.”
She crouched down and gently squeezed the furball’s delightfully elastic cheeks.
“There’s something important I need to do. If the plan goes smoothly, it won’t be long before we achieve financial freedom and a stable income. Then, I can cook anything you desire, always ensuring it’s healthy.”
‘Once my resignation is accepted, I won’t have to go out on missions. I can dedicate my time to cultivating Blood Roses for large-scale planting.’
‘While I might be a half-baked expert, Govet-Ghervil is undeniably the real deal.’
‘The real challenge, however, lies with Dr. Callan.’
‘The contract clearly stipulates a thirty to forty-day notice period. I only hope she doesn’t cling to that detail.’
‘Only guaranteeing health, but not taste, portion size, or even life itself?’
As it watched its ‘innocent’ sister’s smile, a profound sense of helplessness and despair welled up within Govet-Ghervil.
Though such a thought was unbecoming of a family member, it nevertheless prayed for Ghervil’s plan to utterly fail.
“Need any help?”
Upon entering the kitchen, Ghervil observed the woman, apron-clad, deftly handling multiple tasks, appearing completely at ease.
“How rare,” Dr. Callan remarked, “for you to offer help voluntarily… Is the matter resolved?”
Wearing heat-resistant gloves, Dr. Callan lifted a steamer pot onto the table with one hand.
“Just one last step remaining. I’ll attend to it after dinner; it won’t take long.”
‘Bringing up such a matter would undoubtedly dampen the mood, and she wished to avoid any unpleasantness at the dinner table.’
“Perfect! Could you fry the pork chops and…”
Before Dr. Callan could finish, she noticed a fluffy little head peeking out from behind the young woman at the doorway, shaking wildly, winking, and twitching its whiskers.
A vivid memory resurfaced, forcing her to clamp her mouth shut.
‘To tell a diligent, self-proclaimed accomplished culinary apprentice that their food tasted like poison would undoubtedly be a grave blow to their self-esteem.’
“Pork chops and what?” the young woman inquired, tilting her head slightly.
“…I just remembered the pork chops have another use. Go rest for a bit; it’ll be ready in no time.”
Unable to bring herself to speak the truth, Dr. Callan was even more disinclined to let this dinner become their last.
“Actually, I wasn’t truly planning to help,” Ghervil confessed, winking playfully. “I just came in to check if you’d added any lethal chili peppers to the food, to avoid falling into a trap.”
‘My sense of taste may be gone, but my sense of pain remains.’
‘Only a fool would want to be so incapacitated by spice that they couldn’t even negotiate.’
Dr. Callan’s eye twitched as she shot a glare at the young woman.
‘I refrained from speaking the truth out of consideration for your feelings, and now you’re turning it back on me?’
Slipping off her gloves, she reached out, intending to teach Ghervil a lesson, but the nimble young woman swiftly dodged her grasp and escaped.
With a sigh, Dr. Callan closed the door, resuming her final preparations alone.
****
Twenty minutes later, a sumptuous dinner graced the table, its aroma filling the living room.
“Have there been any precedents for doctors in the Hospital Department resigning?”
Ghervil asked, gnawing on a roasted chicken leg dripping with sauce.
“There’s no such thing as ‘resignation’,” Dr. Callan replied. “Only withdrawal due to betrayal of oath, or expulsion. Such cases are exceedingly rare and require strict procedures. Those who withdraw are placed under close surveillance afterwards, while the fate of the expelled depends on the specific reason.”
Dr. Callan’s tone was laced with profound displeasure.
“Whatever happened to the table manners Mrs. Keith taught you?”
‘The consequences for a Hospital Department member choosing to leave voluntarily are lighter than I imagined, merely involving surveillance.’
Ignoring the hand that forcibly pinched her chin and wiped sauce from her face with a napkin, Ghervil silently calculated in her mind.
‘The contract she signed with Dr. Callan was a private one. Although it bore the Hospital Department’s seal, it likely didn’t confer the status of a formal member.’
‘Unilaterally terminating the contract shouldn’t incur punishment; there are similar clauses outlined within it.’
“You don’t look like a nun at all. Govet-Ghervil is also a nun, how can you both be so…”
“Govet-Ghervil…”
As they spoke of the furball, who had been devouring its meal at the table, both realized it had vanished. Half the food on the table was gone.
A soft snore drifted from beneath the table. Following the sound, they discovered the furball, belly distended from overeating, sprawled unconscious on the floor.
Half an hour later, after helping to clear the table, Ghervil carried Govet-Ghervil back to its sleeping spot.
Settling onto the sofa, Ghervil produced a meticulously folded resignation notice from her bosom and laid it flat on the table.
“As of today, our employment relationship concludes,” Ghervil declared. “It’s ten thousand words; please review it.”
‘Time for a direct confrontation; there was no need to pretend any longer.’
“When did you regain your memory? I wanted to ask you back in Florence City.”
Dr. Callan brought over a platter of fruit, then, picking up the document, settled effortlessly beside her, reading with keen interest.
“Quite neatly written, I see.”
“Whether I’ve regained my memory or if I’m illiterate is irrelevant. What matters is that I wrote it myself. If you doubt me, I can read it aloud.”
“Of course I believe you wrote it.”
Dr. Callan popped a strawberry into her mouth, then, with an abrupt shift in tone, leaned suddenly closer.
“Setting aside whether you gave proper notice,” Dr. Callan began, her face unnervingly close, “if this contract is terminated, I won’t be able to assign you external missions. This means I won’t receive the funds for the Blood Roses you purchase, effectively wasting two hundred Trin without any reasonable countermeasure.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you have a talent for lawyering?”
“Your understanding is thorough, but it’s too late,” Ghervil retorted, shifting sideways without yielding an inch of her composure.
“What if I don’t agree?” Dr. Callan pressed, closing the distance further.
“The contract explicitly states that it can be unilaterally terminated. Don’t misunderstand; this is a notification, not a request. Your disagreement holds no sway.”
‘The woman’s stubbornness was expected, but this level of aggressiveness was entirely unforeseen!’
Her body recoiled continuously, until she was all but cornered against the sofa’s armrest.
“Two hundred Denarii is no small sum,” Dr. Callan murmured, her voice a silken whisper, “and you owe me an explanation…”
“…in whatever form it may take.”
A low, heavy breath brushed against her face, and Ghervil caught the faint scent of strawberries on the woman’s lips.
‘Why was this happening???’
‘Wasn’t she discussing serious business? How had it devolved into this?’
‘Where had she gone wrong…’
“I never said I wouldn’t repay you!”
Her face flushed with heat.
To prevent the strange atmosphere from escalating, she hastily pulled out another pre-prepared cheque from her bosom.
“It’s a cash cheque for two hundred Denarii. You can collect it from the Royal Bank any time after noon tomorrow!”
Her wrist, holding the cheque, was seized. The pressure didn’t cease, and she found herself truly cornered, with nowhere left to retreat.
Until their noses brushed, her vision spun, and the light from above was completely obscured.
Her body lost all room to move, and a soft sensation enveloped her.
accompanied by a dizzying fragrance.
“I’ll go collect it…”
“Your voice is too soft…”
“I’ll retrieve it and give it to you tomorrow!”
‘Damn it.’
‘Who bullies someone like this, simply because they don’t get their way!’
Ghervil’s face felt as if it were burning crimson.
“Hahaha… that’s more like it. I’ll go myself then.” A peculiar smile flitted across Dr. Callan’s lips before her expression quickly returned to normal.
Dr. Callan’s fingers traced a path from Ghervil’s wrist to her palm, her digits intertwining with Ghervil’s as she deftly took the cheque. Then, she released the soft hand, creating a space between them.
“I wouldn’t mind if you presented it a little later next time,” Dr. Callan purred, “since I’m not the one losing out.”
“You—!”
Engulfed by a surge of shame and indignation, the young woman was rendered speechless. She scrambled off the sofa, her body stiff with embarrassment, and fled Room 100 in disarray.
After Ghervil’s hasty departure, Dr. Callan leaned back on the sofa, sprawling out in an X-shape, savoring the moment.
“She doesn’t seem to have that physiological repulsion,”
“and her flushed face and quickened breathing suggest she’s interested…”
Dr. Callan hadn’t been idle these past few days; she had secretly purchased relevant books for research, and the recent interaction had been a mere test.
Yet, those eyes, as beautiful as roses, were simply too alluring.
Her blood surged with restless energy. This was her first audacious attempt at such a provocative act, and she had suppressed her impulses throughout, relying solely on immense willpower and experience.
“And what’s more…”
Once calm, she glanced at the cheque in her hand before casually tossing it aside.
“I’m growing increasingly eager to see her expression tomorrow.”