Queen of the Scalpel - Chapter 2.2 - Introduction

She would get annoyed at the drop of a hat, and threw items around was an everyday event. Plenty of people had gotten hurt because of her.

‘But my temper right now isn’t that bad compared to how I became…’ She grinded her teeth thinking of all the crimes she had committed. The Empire’s most noble family, the Clarence family, had disappeared because of her. Watching her loved ones die caused her pain in her second life.

‘I’m not gonna let that happen this time.’ She had returned to Elise de Clarence’s life, so she had to live it now. She didn’t know what kind of life she was gonna lead since she had been a surgeon on Earth, but she was sure of one thing–she wasn’t going to repeat her first life.

“Mary.”

“Yes? Yes!”

At her soft voice, Mary responded in surprise. ‘Why is she doing this? Is she trying to throw another tantrum?’The young girl who knew her master’s bad temper trembled in fear.

“Is it until today? That I’m being punished?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Currently, she was being punished at the orders of her father, Marquis El, and was locked in an isolated room in the residence for something she had done. ‘It’s a good thing I was locked in.’No one came to find her during this time. If they saw her being confused, they would’ve thought something was wrong with her.

“Uh, my lady. The Marquis said that he would see you at lunch.”

“Father did?”

“Yes, he said to participate in the family banquet.”

“…!”

She was surprised.The family banquet?“Then everyone’s gathering? Father, Stepmother, and my older brothers?”

“Yes of course, except for the vice leader of the Rifle Knightage, your oldest brother, everyone’s participating.”

Thump.

Jihyun’s heart beat faster. She was finally going to meet her family. It was a reunion after the long twisting path of two deaths.

***

It was finally lunchtime. Jihyun stood in front of the dining room of her residence in her dress. ‘I have to go inside.’However, she couldn’t bear to open the door, and kept on hesitating. Her family was all gathered inside, eating.

‘How am I supposed to treat them?’ The reason why she was hesitating was because she had missed them for 30 years. She hadn’t erased the lives of her family from her heart just because she was on Earth. Rather, she tried to remember them to atone for her sins.

However, she was Song Jihyun, and not Elise, so she felt awkward.

But she shook her head. ‘What are you doing, Song Jihyun. You’re meeting your family that you missed for 30 years.’

Creak.

The door opened, and her family turned their heads to look at her, ending the conversations they were having.

“…!!!”

When she saw their faces, time seemed to stop.

‘….’

She covered her mouth with her hand. Her hand trembled.

She didn’t have to worry about how she was going to treat them. Her father, who had wordlessly loved her and died because of her. Her brother, who had always been on her side whether she was right or wrong. And her step mother, whom she had so hated, had worried about her like she was her own child until she died from a disease. They were all alive and looking at her.

“Elise? What’s wrong?”

When her father looked at her with a suspicious face, tears dripped down her face. She frantically wiped them, but they kept on falling.

“…Lissy?! What’s wrong?”

Her brother, who always loved her no matter what, approached her.

“Was it that hard being punished? Really, father. Even if she did do something wrong, 10 days was too long. Don’t cry. My pretty little sister. Come here.”

And her brother, Chris, tightly held her in his arms.

“…!!”

In his warm embrace that she had missed for 30 years, she started crying even harder.‘Brother. I was so sorry. Really. This time…I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.’

She remembered hearing about her brother’s death in the Creme Peninsula. He was sent there because of her. She was never going to let that repeat. Chris patted Elise, who was in his arms.

“Lissy? Lissy?! It must’ve been really difficult. Don’t cry. A big girl like you who’s going to be engaged soon can’t cry.” Her father and stepmother approached as well.

“Honey, I told you you were too harsh on her. Even if she did something wrong.”

“Ahem, I-i’m sorry Elise. It’s all my f-fault, so don’t cry.” Her serious father didn’t know what to do and apologized. But Jihyun didn’t hear what they were saying.

“I…I’m okay.” She looked at her family. The tears didn’t stop, but she still smiled; it was a smile of pain and longing.

“Father, mother, and Chris.”

“What’s wrong, Elise?” She spoke the words she had buried in her heart for 30 years.

“I love you.”

And she closed her eyes. A single teardrop fell down her face again.

“And…I’m sorry. Really.”

And that’s how she came back to her first life.