NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 1 Part 4
“This is my house!”
“Damn, that’s a huge place.”
Anna’s home was a standalone house in the heart of the city.
Her father was a doctor, and their house was apparently attached to his clinic.
The three-story brick house made it abundantly clear that they were well-off.
“Man, I’m jealous, Anna.”
“Why?”
“Because your house is so nice. Must mean you’ve got plenty of money.”
“Do you want money, big sis?”
“Yeah. Gonna give me some?”
“Haha, nope!”
“You little—”
Bantering back and forth, I followed her inside.
As soon as we stepped in, Anna called out, “Papa! We have a guest!” and ran off toward the back.
I trailed behind her at a slower pace.
As I walked down the hallway, I noticed a bit of dust gathering in the corners.
It seemed like the house was cleaned regularly, but there were signs of neglect in certain spots.
Further down the hall, a slightly open door let a warm light spill out.
It appeared to be a room that connected the clinic and the living quarters. I peeked inside.
Inside were Anna and a man who was presumably her father.
“Anna, you know you’re not supposed to enter the consultation room without permission.”
“But Papa! We have a guest!”
“Are they sick?”
“Who are you calling sick?!”
I blurted out, and our eyes met.
He was a gentle-looking man with short blond hair and glasses.
The moment we recognized each other, we both went, “Oh!”
“Well, if it isn’t Dr. Hendy.”
“Huh? Meg? What are you doing here?”
As the two of us widened our eyes in surprise, Anna tilted her head in confusion.
“Big sis, you know my papa?”
“Of course. Dr. Hendy is one of our best customers.”
Witches and doctors had always shared a close relationship.
After all, witches could use magic to enhance the quality of medicinal ingredients and increase their healing properties.
Not all hospitals used magical medicine, though. Some people found the idea of enchanted medicine unsettling.
But Dr. Hendy was one of the rare, open-minded doctors who made use of witch potions in his treatments.
Especially my master’s healing potions—they were incredibly effective for treating external wounds, and he valued them highly.
“So, what brings you here, Meg?”
“She’s here to bring flowers for Mama!”
“She wanted Lady Faust to prepare lots of flowers to make sure your mother could rest peacefully. So, I came in her place.”
As I explained, Dr. Hendy’s expression softened.
“I see…” he murmured, a mix of warmth and sorrow in his eyes.
“Do you remember what kind of flowers Anna’s mother liked?”
“Flowers… Hmm, I can’t quite recall.”
“Ugh, what a useless husband.”
“Haha, sorry about that.”
“Anna, do you remember anything?”
“Nope, I have no idea. Big sis, did you figure it out?”
“Don’t just rely on others—think for yourself. If you don’t use your brain, you’ll never make something of yourself! Seriously, I’d love to see what kind of parents raised you.”
“Sorry about that, Meg, this is the best I could do…”
Dr. Hendy gave me a troubled but kind smile. His gentle nature was evident in his demeanor.
Either way, we were back to square one.
Just as I was scratching my head in frustration, Dr. Hendy clapped his hands together.
“Oh, I just remembered! There should be a photo album somewhere.”
“A photo album, huh? That might actually help.”
“Right? Anna, it should be in the study—go grab it.”
“Okay!”
With a quick pitter-patter of footsteps, Anna ran out of the room.
Dr. Hendy and I exchanged glances and let out small chuckles.
“She’s a lively one.”
“That she is. My wife was always frail, but at least Anna grew up strong. My late wife would’ve been happy to see that.”
“Your wife passed away recently, then?”
“It hasn’t even been a week. Sorry, Meg. I was planning to pay my respects to Lady Faust and you, but we kept the funeral private, just for the family.”
“It’s fine, Doc. You’ve had your hands full.”
A somber air settled over the room.
I wasn’t a fan of heavy atmospheres.
“Anyway, sorry for barging in while you’re working.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I just finished my morning consultations. Since you’re here, how about some tea?”
“Gladly.”