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Chapter 8
The mother of the nieces and nephews, and the younger sister of Grand Duke Victor Bayern.
Her name was Susanna Bayern.
“What kind of person was she?”
“She was very kind. She loved to sing. Ah, she also played the piano. Even the biggest troublemakers in the household would stop their mischief and listen carefully when Miss Susanna started singing.”
She was like the central pillar of the family.
Losing someone like that must have left a deep wound.
“Would it be difficult to tell me what happened?”
“It was because of miasma. Miss Susanna fell ill from the bad air and passed away.”
Grandma Vanya had a sad expression.
Ivel wanted so badly to empathize with that pain… but she couldn’t, and felt awkward.
‘Because of bad air… There are still people in the countryside who believe such ridiculous things.’
In France, Professor Pasteur discovered “germs” in 1861.
Of course, there was still debate in academic circles, but Ivel knew from experience that Pasteur was right.
“Uh, I heard that the young lady graduated from a prestigious medical school and became a doctor… is that correct?”
Grandma Vanya asked cautiously, and she nodded. Her expression brightened immediately.
“Oh, that’s a relief. Lately, the eldest young master’s cough hasn’t been getting any better. We’ve kept the windows tightly closed and the fire burning because it must be due to the miasma, but it just won’t go away…”
What?
What did you do?
Grandma Vanya, chattering away, began to tell an incredible story.
“One day, Genevieve, well, she is an aunt to the Grand Duke, ordered everyone in the house to carry torches and walk around. That’s how the miasma would disappear.”
“…….”
“Fortunately, the eldest young master seemed better after that, but after the rainy season ended, the coughing started again. It seems the miasma doesn’t leave all at once.”
Where should I even begin to explain the mistake?
Ivel touched her forehead, then went through the dresses one by one and chose a soft, light white dress, slipping her arms into it.
Anyway, there was nothing she could say here unless she went in person. Even if she tried, it wouldn’t help.
‘Not long ago, Dr. Lister published his results on carbolic acid in The Lancet. That must have been March 1867.’
Well, it hadn’t even been a year, so the belief in “bad air”—that is, miasma—was still widespread.
How could ordinary people know what germs are?
Even among doctors, there were still those who didn’t know that hands and tools should be disinfected with carbolic acid before treatment.
‘But carbolic acid isn’t perfect either. In my opinion, aseptic methods are much better.’
By “aseptic method,” Ivel meant disinfecting the entire space where the patient is.
She especially wanted to have a separate operating room and prevent anyone from watching.
Watching it like a ticketed show… well, it felt like telling the patient to die.
She also wanted the doctors to properly manage their surgical garments and soak the tools in carbolic acid before drying and using them.
Of course, these aseptic methods existed only in her mind.
Both academia and the public judged a doctor’s skill by how much flesh and blood stuck to a surgical knife.
“Are there no doctors in the Grand Duchy who use carbolic acid?”
“Eh? What is that?”
“Apparently not. If there were, it would have been widely promoted and visited. Carbolic acid means disinfectant.”
“Disinfectant…?”
Grandma Vanya, fastening the waist tie, blinked her eyes.
“At the university, they disinfect the entire operating or treatment room with carbolic acid to eliminate airborne germs. Of course, the same goes for the patient’s wound and the medical staff’s hands.”
A complete lie.
The university is the first to sell tickets to watch the surgery show.
“Eh? Why is that?”
“Have you ever delivered a baby, Grandma?”
“Yes, I have.”
This time, Grandma Vanya placed a necklace made of amber the same color as her eyes around her neck, recalling the past.
“If you washed your hands before helping, the chance of both surviving was high, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, in the Grand Duchy, midwives have always washed their hands. Even though the water was dirty, they did it from my grandmother’s grandmother onwards.”
“That’s like disinfection. It’s a preventative method to stop germs from entering the wound.”
But carbolic acid costs too much.
It’s troublesome, stings the eyes, and sometimes problems still occur even after disinfecting.
For these reasons, many doctors still refuse to use it.
Dr. Lister only gained fame in 1871 when he performed surgery on the Queen of England.
‘Hmm… so I need to start by teaching the concept of disinfection.’
Now, preparations were truly complete.
The reflection in the mirror looked like a young lady from a distinguished family.
At this point, deceiving people might not be difficult.
“You look very beautiful. His Excellency will surely be captivated.”
That stone-faced man? Surely not.
Ivel ignored Grandma Vanya’s words and slowly adjusted her posture.
She straightened her hunched shoulders, braced her waist, and gently lifted her chin.
Habits ingrained since childhood began to emerge, and Grandma Vanya’s eyes widened.
It was because she looked completely different from before.
“So you’re saying we have to transform the lady candidate into a proper young lady in just two months?”
The aide, Matthias, touched his forehead at the detailed orders he had been given.
Whatever the operation was, it must have been necessary.
The sudden advertisement for a temporary Grand Duchess position, and this situation, both must have reasons.
But honestly, he had no confidence.
A noble’s dignity is closely related to birth.
After thorough investigation, the Klaren family was a fallen noble family, and due to the son’s gambling problem, they had recently sold their mansion.
Moreover, “Ivel Klaren” was not even registered in the noble roster.
Twins are rare, and sometimes considered unlucky. If both were sons, it wouldn’t matter, but if the second child is a daughter, noble families sometimes don’t register her in the roster.
Based on the absurd, unscientific belief that she would “drain the luck of the firstborn son.”
‘To be frank, she’s almost a commoner. Of course, that makes it possible to adopt her into the Eberstein family as a foster daughter.’
If she had been on the noble roster, they would have had to contact the Klaren family. That would have been very troublesome. The family would have demanded a lot.
But now, a legally commoner is being adopted into a noble family.
Since she’s an adult, they don’t even need to notify the biological parents.
‘The paperwork is fine, at least.’
The problem is… how do you make someone half-commoner look like a high-ranking noble?
And in just two months!
“We also need to shape public opinion. We can say she went abroad to study as Eberstein family’s foster daughter.”
“Yes…”
Matthias decided to give up trying to understand further.
“She probably knows basic etiquette, so we’ll teach speech, dance, foreign languages, and general culture.”
Still, if she had performed secret duties with His Excellency, she would learn quickly.
In fact, Matthias didn’t even believe that the boyish man was a doctor. Perhaps it was a secret only the two of them knew.
“The young lady is ready.”
At that moment, a knock came, and Grandma Vanya’s voice was heard.
The role of personally attending the lady candidate fell to Grandma Vanya, which carried significant weight within Bayern.
It indicated how much the Grand Duke cared.
“Your Excellency.”
Even hearing her calm voice evoked the image of falling autumn leaves. Matthias lifted his head.
Then, he froze completely.
‘Who… who is that?’
