Doctor Hailey - Chapter 15

The sun had fully risen outside.

Was the Crown Prince still waiting?

Hailey’s expression grew somber.

She had to see him again!

The events of last night, the moments with the Crown Prince, flashed before her eyes.

* * *

“This is a contagious disease, Your Highness,” Hailey said.

“A contagious disease?”

The Crown Prince’s eyebrow twitched.

“Yes. It’s cholera. It has probably spread throughout the prison.”

At that moment,

“I will close the prison,” said the captain of the guard.

He stepped between Hailey and the Crown Prince.

“Step away from His Highness immediately!”

His voice pierced her ears.

The captain of the guard frowned as he glared at her.

“Is it true that there’s an outbreak in the prison?”

Hailey let out a dry laugh.

“Yes. We need to start administering oral rehydration solutions to the critical patients immediately. We don’t have much time, so we need to move quickly. Take me to where the sugar, salt, and water are stored. I’ll make it myself!”

“Nonsense!”

The captain of the guard’s words made Hailey frown.

“What did you say?”

“Your Highness, you must leave at once. If there is an outbreak in the prison, we need to close it off and start purification procedures immediately.”

Ignoring her completely, the captain of the guard bowed to the Crown Prince.

“This is the capital. If the disease spreads outside the prison…”

He trailed off. Hailey spoke up.

“It’s a controllable disease!”

“Your Highness, you are also at risk!”

Finally, Hailey, her face flushed with anger, pushed the captain of the guard aside.

“Your Highness, I am not infected, and neither are you. This is a treatable disease, and we can prevent it from spreading. We need help. We are currently conducting a survey to find out where it started and how it’s spreading.”

She spoke firmly.

“Step away from His Highness immediately!”

The captain of the guard grabbed her and pulled her away.

“Ugh!”

Hailey tumbled to the ground.

She groaned in pain and opened her eyes to a chilling sight.

The captain’s sword was pointed at her neck.

“Captain! Lower your sword immediately.”

“Your Highness! This prisoner is spreading a contagious disease and causing a commotion. She should be executed immediately…”

“Silence, Captain!”

Kai shouted, glaring at the captain.

“I said, lower your sword.”

The captain reluctantly lowered his sword.

Hailey pressed her trembling legs with her fists.

“Is it true that a contagious disease is spreading?”

She nodded at the Crown Prince’s soft question.

“Your Highness, we need to begin the purification procedures.”

At the captain’s words, she clenched her fists tightly.

“We need to treat the emergency patients first…”

“We will burn them all.”

Hailey fell silent at the captain’s words. Burn them all?

“The only way to eradicate a contagious disease is by incineration. Your Highness, if what this prisoner says is true, we must burn the prison immediately.”

Hailey stepped forward.

“Burn them?”

Her voice trembled.

“Of course.”

“And the prisoners?”

“They’re already infected. Naturally, we must burn them too.”

“You’re insane.”

“What did you say?”

Hailey boldly stepped up to the captain of the guard.

His expression twisted.

She didn’t back down and approached him further.

“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”

She breathed heavily towards the captain.

The Empire’s reality was that they believed diseases spread only through the air.

And this man spoke of burning prisoners alive.

No matter how criminal they were.

“Pfft! Pfft!”

She laughed deeply.

“Are you crazy!”

The captain, taken aback, stepped back.

“Now, you’re infected too. So you should be burned as well.”

“W-What do you mean!”

“Why? Didn’t you say I was infected? I blew air on your face, so naturally, you’re infected too. Right?”

The captain’s face turned white.

Hailey smirked.

“Why? Do you think you’re exempt from the purification procedures?”

“I-I’m not a prisoner!”

His voice shook.

“You’re saying it’s okay to burn infected prisoners alive? Even before they die?”

Hailey’s voice grew cold.

She knew the world she lived in now was different from her previous life in Korea.

But the Salisbury family strived to be nobles who took their responsibilities seriously, along with their privileges.

“Even prisoners have the right to medical treatment. There’s no law that says infected prisoners should die like animals.”

Her father, Lambert Salisbury, always said to keep their eyes open and ears attentive to live alongside the people.

He always did his best to solve the people’s problems together.

“Prisoners don’t need treatment! Not even doctors treat them! This is a first-class prison! Only heinous criminals are held here!”

The captain’s voice grew louder. He stood tall.

“Treatment rights? Could you say that in front of the victims of these heinous crimes?”

Hailey laughed at his intense expression.

“Of course!”

“Of course?”

The Crown Prince interjected.

He gently patted the captain’s shoulder and then stepped in front of Hailey.

She didn’t avoid his gaze.

His eyes deepened.

“Are you saying it’s natural for heinous criminals to have the right to treatment?”

Hailey nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why? This prison holds those who have harmed others or committed equivalent crimes.”

“A doctor doesn’t choose their patients.”

Though this concept was foreign in the Empire, it was natural to her, who remembered her past life.

She glanced at her hands.

As a human, she sometimes wondered if life would be simpler without memories of her past life.

Why go through all this trouble? If she didn’t remember her past life, she could have focused more on living as

a noble lady without the constant struggle of her current duties.

But even when she slept crumpled up in her lab, she smiled, knowing that she was helping people.

As a member of the Salisbury family, she would have found ways to help people, even without medicine.

The efforts of Kim Hye-jin, who had achieved a triple board certification, wouldn’t be wasted. She was proud of her work.

Everything she did was for the sake of others.

“I am a doctor. No matter how the captain dismisses doctors, I am more proud of being called a doctor than being Lady Hailey Salisbury.”

Although she was now labeled a criminal, accused of drug crimes.

That accusation was unjust, but it was even more infuriating to hear her profession belittled.

“A doctor’s primary concern is the life and health of their patients.”

Hailey said.

“A doctor must protect patient information.”

She met the Crown Prince’s gaze confidently.

“A doctor must practice with conscience and dignity.”

She placed a hand on her chest.

“A doctor must perform their duties for their patients, transcending religion, nationality, race, political views, and social status.”

Finally, she added,

“Doctor Hailey, as both a physician and a member of the Salisbury family, I will take full responsibility. The patients will recover, and the disease will not spread.”