Doctor Elise

Chapter 3

Part 1 Regression-2

Elise began to write something down on a sheet of paper after returning to her room.

[Ten years from now.]

What she wrote down was none other than the events that she knew would happen in the future.

There were about ten years until the moment that all that remained of her would be droplets on the guillotine.

I need to prepare for the important events that I know happened between now and then.

Since over thirty years had passed, her memories weren’t very clear. Still, she could recall some of the important things, so she wrote them down as they came to mind.

[-Chris dies in the Second Crimean War.]

Her chest tightened painfully when she wrote those words. She would make sure to stop it this time.

[-Stepmother dies from illness.

-House Trestan’s betrayal. House Clarence destroyed. Father executed.

-Lenne executed for the crime of sheltering the empress.]

She ignored the pain in her chest and continued her stoic writing.

In this life, things would be different. She would make it so.

She wrote other important things down that had nothing to do with her family.

[-First Crimean War, military wiped out from an unknown disease. Estimated 47,000 deaths.

-Duchess Harber of Wale dies of Parkinson’s.

-Current emperor dies from illness.

-Second Great Plague of Londo. Estimated deaths in Londo, capital of Britia—100,000.

-Post Crimean War, smallpox epidemic starts in the east. Three cities in the south closed off. 70,000 casualties.]

She sighed.

With the times being what they are, there are a lot of health issues. It makes sense, since public health and other advanced medical knowledge hasn’t been established yet.

She looked over her writing again.

[-Second Great Plague of Londo. Estimated deaths in Londo, capital of Britia—100,000.]

It was truly terrifying.

This was the extent of the damage after steps had been taken to prepare for it.

About twenty years prior, during the First Great Plague, over 150,000 people had died in the capital.

Isn’t there a way to reduce the death count?

She thought hard.

Though she returned to Elise’s body, she was still Jihyun Song in mind. She was a steeled surgeon who couldn’t turn away from patients who were at death’s door.

It’s not just the plague that’s the problem. Even on Earth, people die from diseases that aren’t considered to be serious.

She thought hard. Couldn’t I reduce the casualties if I used my medical knowledge?

She possessed knowledge of modern medicine. In fact, hers was great enough for her to be considered an unparalleled genius!

Even at the time of the plane accident, she had been en route to receive awards for various advancements in research from the World Surgical Institute.

Of course, I’m a surgeon, so I may not know as much about epidemiology or have a doctorate in medicine or anything, but I’m sure I’ll be helpful.

The thought crossed her mind that this could be the reason why a higher power brought her back to her first life.

I’ll have to talk to Father later.

Her father, Marquess Earl, was the prime minister of the empire. He would surely listen to what she had to say.

And once things settle down, I’ll live my life as a doctor.

She thought back to her life as a surgeon: the feeling of the cold scalpel, the hope of life over death. She missed that tension.

She may have returned to Elise’s body, but she still possessed the soul of a surgeon, and so she wanted to feel the reward of saving lives in this life as well.

And another event was...

She continued to write down the events she remembered. There were insignificant ones as well as serious ones.

But one thing she wrote down made her pause.

Oh my god. How did I forget this?

She gulped.

[-My engagement with the crown prince. Year 283. Birthday banquet.]

Year 283. That was this year.

The birthday banquet is in July. That’s only two months away!

Elise turned pale.

The birthday banquet. The day when everyone in the empire blessed her and her engagement to the crown prince was announced. That was where the tragedy all began.

***

That evening at dinner, the entire family gathered together for the first time in a long while.

“What happened to your appetite, Elise?”

“Ah, it’s nothing, Mother.”

The marchioness smiled at hearing the word “mother” from her daughter. Elise had never addressed her stepmother as “mother” before.

After marrying Marquess Earl, the marchioness, who was unable to have children of her own, thought of Elise as her own daughter. She had been disappointed that Elise had kept her distance, but things had changed a lot recently.

I was so happy when she called me “mother” for the first time that day.

It wasn’t merely talk either. Elise really treated her as she would her birth mother, affectionately and respectfully.

The marchioness was surprised by the change and, at the same time, happy and grateful.

But why does Elise look so unhappy?

Her daughter always wore a gentle expression lately, but something had seemed off all day long. Her expression was dark, as if something greatly weighed on her mind.

She barely touched her favorite strawberry cake.

“Elise, is something the matter?”

“Ah, no.” Her daughter shook her head, but it was obvious that something was going on.

Everyone looked puzzled.

“Ahem, what is the matter?”

“Yeah, Elise. If something’s going on, tell me. Your big brother will sort it all out for you.”

Marquess Earl and Chris asked her worriedly.

Only her oldest brother, Lenne, who had come home for the first time in a while, watched her silently.

“Well,” Elise hesitated before letting out a small sigh, “it’s about the birthday banquet, Father.”

“Ah...!” Her father nodded. He realized what it was she was worried about. “I thought it was something else. You needn’t worry about that.”

Marquess Earl’s stoic face broke into a smile. “I’ve already spoken to His Imperial Majesty. Everything will be just as you wanted.”

Elise screamed inside.

No!

He continued, “His Majesty will formally announce the engagement between you and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince at the banquet, just as you wanted.”

Her sight went dark.

Just then, a cold voice cut between them.

“Father, I oppose that engagement.”

A beautiful man who looked as though ice ran through his veins spoke. This was Baron Lenne de Clarence, Elise’s oldest brother.

“Lenne, what do you mean? You oppose Elise’s engagement to the crown prince?”

“Let me ask honestly. Do you truly believe that that child is a suitable partner for His Imperial Highness, Father? No, do you believe she is suitable to be empress, the Mother of the Empire?”

“You...! What are you saying?!” Marquess Earl raised his voice at the inconsiderate, blunt words.

“I may not be worthy to comment on His Imperial Majesty’s decisions, but I don’t know if that selfish child is qualified for the mantle of empress.”

A frigid silence descended on the dining table.

Ah... Lenne. You come home for the first time in a month, and of course this is what you do again. Chris sighed inwardly. He just can’t stop himself from criticizing everything Elise does.

As the vice commander of the Rifle Knights, Baron Lenne had always disapproved of Elise’s self-centered ways.

I guess they’ll go at it again now that she’s heard him. There’s no way Elise will let that slide with her temper, Chris thought.

But after peeking at Elise’s reaction, Chris was shocked.

What?

Elise didn’t look upset at all!

If anything, her expression was filled with nostalgia.

What’s this? Am I seeing this right?

But just as he suspected, Elise wasn’t upset at all. If anything...

My oldest brother, you’re as sharp-tongued as ever. I used to really hate when you ripped into me like that.

In the past, her oldest brother would criticize her sharply whenever she made mistakes as empress. At the time, she found it irritating, but she knew better now how Lenne felt when saying those things.

And he’s right about everything. I don’t suit the title of empress at all.

She thought back to her life. The root cause of every tragedy had been when she took on the unsuitable title of empress.

I have to stop this engagement. No matter what it takes.

The marriage had ended in tragedy for everyone—not only herself but for the crown prince as well.

In some ways, His Imperial Highness was also a victim of the marriage. Sure, I was just paying the cost of my sins, but he had to suffer through that period despite being innocent.

She sighed.

I’ll have to think about how to stop this engagement and make sure it never happens. And then, I’ll live the life of a doctor without any connections to the imperial court.

She fell deep into thought.