He’s My Real Brother, Duke

Chapter 17

“Hello, My name is Astel, I’m the new healer who’s going to work here starting today.”

The other healers only stared at me when they received my cheerful greeting.

As the silence continued, a man with a gentle expression among the healers responded to my greeting.

”Nice to meet you. I’m called Sam.’’

Gray hair and turquoise eyes that are crooked as if a rat had eaten them.

Sam was the reason why I came to join the treatment center in the castle.

‘To be exact, I came here to take care of Sam and take over the artifacts he has.’

Artifacts…

It was a generic term for magic tools designed to allow the spies that were planted by the final villain to continue to communicate with each other, and to directly communicate with the vilain.

Of course, it wasn’t just used as a simple means of communication.

In the original it was written that an ‘Artifact shows how spies could identify themselves and identify the final villain.’

In other words, it was almost the only way to find out about the spies and the final villain, and it was a must-have item for the success of revenge.

I instinctively scanned Sam up and down.

Fortunately, the location of Sam’s artifacts was clearly stated in the original.

‘There was a content in the original about Sam living with an artifact in the form of a brooch on the side of his chest.’

Indeed, the side of his chest covered by the pure white treatment uniform was slightly bulging.

Perhaps there was something attached to his clothes that was supposed to be a brooch-artifact.

‘How could I get that brooch-artifact out without being suspicious?’

I bent my head toward him as if bowing hiding my evil scheme in my mind.

”Yes, nice to meet you!”

“Oh, Miss Astel was also human like me!”

The other shapeshifters eyes glared at the word ‘human.’

“Human? Damn, I’ve heard that the human who saved the Duke was staying in the castle.”

“Oh, really…It smells human.”

There were some people who hurriedly pulled their feet back as if they couldn’t help but feel the physiological disgust that was rising without realizing it.

They know that I’m the benefactor of Duke Anais, but they are openly hostile toward me.

I only realized it again that the shapeshifters in the Duke of Anais Castle hated humans.

‘The shapeshifters here would be more difficult to target than Rudel’s or the maids.’

Even the maids, led by Rudel, were always uncomfortable with me

However, they didn’t openly show it in front of me, perhaps because they saw with their own eyes that Duke Anais treats me well.

Besides, the maids who are currently next to me were disarmed and golden retrievers, they were a little bit harsh, so it was very difficult to attack…

“Sam, you’re also human but you managed to hold out here.”

He even seems to have adapted well.

I looked at Sam and recognized his words.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m human too.”

“I heard that Astel, although very young, has such a great ability that saved the Duke.”

As he said that, Sam’s eyes narrowed for a moment.

I was sensitive to the malice of others. I felt instinctively that he didn’t like me.

‘Sam has a setting from the original that has a lot of jealousy from others and was good at interfering and twisting many people.’

I straightened my shoulders whether he hated me or not.

I didn’t intend to lose the game to a man who helped to destroy my family.

“My heroic story must be going around spreading in the castle!”

I reached out my hand to him and asked for a handshake.

Seeing me shamelessly than he initially expected, he coughed and reached out his hand filled with grass.

He lowered his gaze quietly and raised it again. His hand against mine was somehow prickly.

“I heard you declared that you would serve Lord Ricardo.”

I glanced at the single bed he pointed to with his chin.

I heard something moving over the translucent door and clang! There was a stream of noise.

“Don’t you ever say that you’re the best healer in the north!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry.”

”You should know who’s holding your leash! Get out!”

He was an old man who seemed to be good at intimidating someone just by hearing his words.

His wretched roar spread out the door.

An unusual force was felt in the voice that was yelling.

I stared at the door.

At that time, one of the healers was sarcastic, raising one corner of his mouth.

The name ‘Zenti’ was written on the uniform.

“He’s the one who has won and defeated more than ten monsters in the war.”

“We’ve let go of him. Another healer was already on vacation because of a serious injury.”

Sam trembled.

“But I’m sure Astel was a very good healer. You’re human, but you were able to save the Duke.’’

“You could tell me anytime whenever you’re having a hard time.’’

I knew this way of speaking very well, so I shouted with all my might without being condescending.

“Yes, I’m good!”

I knew well that I had to respond, acting like I wasn’t aware of what he meant.

So I left behind the other healers’ fierce gaze and opened the door and entered the room with a dignified attitude.

The door closed with a creaking sound.

I approached the bed right away.

”Hello!”

An old man, who seemed to be about sixty in human age, asked with a pressuring tone.

“What about you now?”

“I’m in charge of Mr. Ricardo this time. Let’s start the treatment now.”

He must have been a patient, but he was wearing a knightly uniform, not a patient uniform.

A medal was hanging from his chest. He seemed to be an old man with a high degree of honor.

“What?”

He frowned and thumped slightly.

“The smell of humans was everywhere!”

“That’s right, I’m Astel, the new human healer in the castle.”

At my words, his eyes became thinner, and his expression became twice as grim as before.

“You’re the last one! How dare a trifling human be in charge of treating a shapeshifter? I’ve accepted one guy before and now they’re giving me a little girl. You could just ignore me!

An average human being would have been hurt, but I, who was trained in all kinds of verbal abuse, felt no sense of damage from everything he says.

I used to think of my brother’s letter whenever I had a hard time.

Then I feel so comfortable in every corner of my heart.

In addition, my brother would come here soon, and also I was going to eat something delicious with the Duke this evening.

So no matter what anyone says now, it didn’t matter even if everyone hated me.

I won’t cry weakly.

As I approached him lying on the bed, I put sanitary gloves on my hands.

After a long time, my heart was thrilled and pounding when I’m able to work on a treatment again.

Although I’ve never used healing for revenge, well I’ve been working all this time…

I really like this job no matter what anyone says, and I always do my best.

“I’m not neglecting you. I heard your name was Ricardo.”

“I couldn’t be treated by someone like you! Couldn’t you just go out?”

There was a sense of fatigue in the dark eyes with thick double eyelids.

The disheveled gray-haired, shaggy white beard also meant that he wasn’t taken care of and was not in good condition.

“Do you know how many healers I’ve cut out here?”

He growled like a beast.

The heavy warning almost scared me.

No, I was scared.

Anyone would be left out scared in front of this threatening old man.

Besides, even more so because he was a jaguar!

“I could get rid of a human like you right away. So bring me a proper healer.”

As if he couldn’t control his anger at the moment, the jaguar’s unique crooked brown fur and spots looked like an illusion and then disappeared.

He raised one hand and swung it threateningly.

Not the humanized hand, but the nails of a real sharp beast stood out.

“If you don’t want to die, get out of here now!”

But I bit my lips hard.

I couldn’t stand down like this.

I got used to the rant itself, but there was also a limit to enduring the continuing criticism.

It doesn’t seem like his anger would subside

If I let it go like this…

‘I must know the condition of Ricardo.’

Before entering the Duke Castle, I heard all kinds of stories about the Jaguar family as well.

Although he has a very belligerent personality, there are times when he was unexpectedly kind to those who are useful to him.

So, if I could cure him, he would never ever put me down.

I gathered my energy from my stomach and shouted with all my might.

‘I-I’ll never go out!’

I looked at him under the guise of the beast’s blazing eyes toward its prey.