When Luna returned to the Prince Manor, ready to charm Philip with her usual gentle act, her expression suddenly twisted. A strange itch crawled under her skinlight at first, then it became sharp all of a sudden. "Wha..." She didn't get down from the carriage when Philip gave her his hand.
Philip noticed her stiff posture. "Luna, what's wrong? Why are you standing like that?"
"N-nothing, Your Highness." She forced a smile, but her body betrayed her. Her shoulders twitched and her fingers curled. The itch grew more violent in a matter of seconds, like countless tiny insects crawling everywhere under her clothes.
"What happened to you?" Philip frowned deeply.
He had been humiliated all morning, scolded by his father. His temper was already rotten. Just as he thought he had calmed down by showing all that frustration onto Zora, now, he was witnessing this. Watching Luna twisting her backside and shifting awkwardly, he felt as if she were mocking him on purpose.
"You… are you laughing at me too?" he snapped.
"No... Of course not, Your Highness..." Luna panicked for a moment. Her face flushed red. "I'm just… itchy"
The itch surged again, and she couldn't endure it anymore. She began scratching furiously, arms, legs, waist, neck… anything she could reach.
At first, scratching felt relieving.
But the more she scratched… the more the itch exploded.
Within seconds, she was frantic, clawing at her skin like a madwoman.
"It itches... It really itches..." she started to cry, tears spilling down her face. She no longer cared how she looked. She wanted to roll in the carriage just to soothe it.
Philip stared in shock, "Luna, what's wrong with you?"
"Your Highness, help me," she sobbed... "Help me, it's too itchy."
Philip stood frozen before finally reacting. "You wait here, I'll find a doctor."
Word spread quickly. Servants rushed everywhere. At first, they thought it was some mild rash. But when they saw Luna's skin already covered in red marks, they realized something was very wrong.
Meanwhile, at General's Manor… Zora stood in her courtyard, looking at the pocket watch…
She murmured, "That's exactly 45 minutes… I guess by now, the itching should start..."
The afternoon sunlight softened her features, but the amusement in her eyes was sharp as a blade.
And by evening, the news about Luna's itching spread all over the city, reaching Zora's eyes.
The itch powder had done its job beautifully. She thought as she lay on the bed with a smile. She felt like she could get peaceful sleep today, although for her dear sister, it would become a nightmare...
If Luna hadn't poisoned the original Zora…
If she hadn't encouraged her to commit suicide…
Perhaps she would have shown mercy.
But debts needed repayment.
But interests will be charged first. Then comes the principal amount.
Meanwhile, the two flurryballs rolled beside her. Black jumped onto her chest and asked, looking at her. "Master, your itch powder is too powerful. I didn't know it would make her scratch her face off."
This morning, Black had been unhappy because it thought the punishment was too light. But now that it had heard the results, it realized it had underestimated its master's inventions.
Zora smiled lazily, caressing its fur. "Of course it's powerful. I made it myself. It's not like those weak powders on the market."
White's round mouth twitched, rolling to Zora's side. Their master was… terrifying. It thought.
"Then why didn't Philip get itchy?" Black suddenly asked as something clicked in her head, giving White a suspicious look. "Don't tell me you messed up."
"How could I fail at something so simple?" White puffed up angrily.
Then it admitted in a quiet voice, "Philip wasn't hit with itch powder."
Zora's eyes darkened at its admission. "You are saying it now?"
"Well..." White averted its gaze and screamed Sorry and curled itself into a ball in guilt.
Black narrowed its grape-sized eyes. "No wonder you weren't daring to compete with me today..."
Meanwhile, Zora let out a sigh, saying softly. "It's fine. I won't blame you. But then again, that bastard broke my forehead. A mere itching powder prank is a small punishment for him. I will let him taste something much worse than itching. He'll understand in a few days."
The two furballs trembled slightly. Their master's gentle tone was far more frightening than shouting.
Zora glanced at her broken door and scoffed. It was beyond repair, so she left it lying there and closed her eyes.
Seven Days Later;
The streets of the Imperial City bustled as always. The vendors were shouting, children laughing, and merchants were busy haggling. But on this day, the noise shifted toward a single spot.
Origin Medical Hall had opened.
Firecrackers crackled like exploding stars with their red paper scattering across the ground. The dancers Zora hired leapt and rolled through the street, beating drums and cymbals loud enough to pull even the most distant passerby closer.
Within minutes, the front of the medical hall was packed with a sea of curious faces.
"Origin medical hall?" a merchant muttered, blinking up at the bold characters on the plaque.
"This used to be Dr. Simon's clinic," someone nearby explained. "After he retired, he sold it. The new owner renamed it."
"I wonder who took over..."
The murmurs rotated through the crowd like wind. Some sounded amused, some doubtful, while some remained hopeful. After all, no one knows who the true owner is.
Inside the hall, Eric stood beside Zora, struggling between admiration and panic.
"Young Miss Zora…" he said, rubbing his forehead. "Once they see that you are this young, everyone in the city will start judging. You sure, you don't want to go out with a veil?"
Zora only smiled in confidence. "Does age matter that much?"
Eric groaned in response. "Not to the experts, but common folk are just too naive. They are simple people with simple thoughts. If you fail even once, the signboard will break. People will laugh. You'll be crushed before you even begin."
Zora looked at him with gentle warmth in her eyes. "Don't worry, Brother Eric. I know what I'm doing."
The conviction in her voice halted him.
That bright confidence, that subtle strength… He suddenly remembered she was no ordinary girl.
If she said she could do it, then maybe she truly could.
When the performances ended, the crowd turned its attention toward the entrance. The newly renovated hall gleamed with white walls and green potted plants, making the interior bright and welcoming.
Then Zora stepped forward.
"Today is the grand opening of Origin Medical Hall," she announced, her clear voice rising above the murmurs. "The first three patients will receive free treatment. Anyone after that will enjoy half-price fees."
Her presence was calm yet striking young girl in simple clothes, but with an aura that drew every eye.
"You're the doctor of Origin medical hall?" someone called out in disbelief.
She nodded. "Born into a medical family, I've studied medicine since childhood. My skills are well-developed. Everyone may rest assured."
Her tone was steady and confident, but the audience exchanged uneasy glances. She looked fifteen or sixteen, and no Medicine Master stood behind her. If she misdiagnosed someone and risked their life, no expert was standing beside her to clean up her mess, either.
With such thoughts in their heads, no one stepped inside. Inside, Eric's face turned grim as he muttered. "What I fear is coming true..."
Zora had expected this to happen, even before Eric's warning. When she decided to open the clinic and showcase herself instead of using a disguise, she already knew the first day would be the hardest.
Minutes passed. The first three free slots remained unclaimed.
A new man squeezed through the crowd and blinked. "Why is no one going in? Free treatment"
"This doctor is a teenage girl," someone whispered back. "No elders to guide her. What if she kills someone by mistake?"
"I bet this is some rich young lady, playing doctor for fun," another scoffed. "Let's go."
Yet despite their words, no one left. Everyone wanted to see what would happen next.
Origin Medical Hall had become the center of the entire street.
Zora stood calmly at the doorway, waiting for the first patient.
Eventually, the crowd outside Origin Medical Hall slowly lost patience. One by one, they started leaving. What started as lively curiosity gradually faded into bored disappointment.
After all, no one wanted to risk their life on a young girl barely sixteen. No matter how loud the firecrackers or how grand the opening ceremony was, everyone took one look at the youthful doctor and quietly stepped back.
Inside the clinic, Zora's expression remained calm and unbothered. Unlike what she said to Eric, she hadn't built Origin Medical Hall for common traffic anyway. Her true target was the wealthy and powerful people whose purses were heavy and whose illnesses were far more complicated.
She had no time to "help the world" like wandering doctors. Origin Medical Hall existed for one purpose: to speed up her rank.
And Ordinary people not coming made no difference to her goals.
Still, within the crowd, one man paused. His eyes narrowed as he studied her face and then widened slightly with recognition. Without saying a word, he turned and rushed away.