AWDC Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Krim’s Day

Krim finished examining the patients who had crowded the clinic since early morning. In the afternoon, he devoted his time to preparing medicines and other compounds. His eldest son, Pete, was intently observing his actions, taking notes.

“This medicinal herb grows on the banks of the Mulan River. It has analgesic properties and is effective during surgery.”

“Plants take various measures to prevent insects from eating their leaves, flowers, and fruits. The analgesic properties of this herb are likely due to a component that insects dislike. This component can act as a painkiller for humans. If we understand plants better, we may be able to obtain even better medicines.” Krim briefly explained what he had learned from his father and others in the past. Pete then started sketching the herb.

Watching him, Krim smiled.

“Good, this is good.”

Krim thought about the time nine years ago when he had sent Salomé and his son to the capital.

He had been surprised when he received a letter from Toma requesting Salomé and Pete to come to the capital.

Samuel refused to say anything, and Waomou’s whereabouts were unknown. The letter stated that if Salomé and his son were brought together, Samuel’s attitude might change.

Honestly, he had been worried. Arresting Waomou was the top priority for Toma’s provisional government. He wanted to cooperate, but Pete didn’t know the truth. He knew that eventually Pete would find out, but he was afraid of how Pete would react if he learned about his real father.

Krim had acted as Pete’s father since he was a small child, and Pete had been very attached to him. Even after Salomé had younger children, his love for Pete had never changed. Pete believed that Krim was his father and doted on his younger siblings. As Pete grew older, he began to assert himself and occasionally rebelled, but Krim had seen it as a sign of growth and had watched over him warmly. The Krim family had been living a peaceful life until Toma’s letter arrived.

“What should I do?”

Most of all, Salomé’s feelings were wavering.

“I’m afraid to meet Samuel now. What should I say to him when I meet him?”

Her concern was understandable. They couldn’t find an answer even after discussing it together, so they went to see the lord and his wife with Salomé.

“I’m afraid to tell Pete the truth,” Salomé pleaded.

“That’s a difficult problem. But don’t you think you have to tell Pete about this someday?”

The lord’s point was accurate.

“I also have something I want to say to Samuel,” the lord’s wife said firmly.

“I gave birth to him. His sin is my sin. Samuel cannot be complete as a person if he continues to deny his sin. It is my role to save him. I will go to the capital.”

Krim obeyed the lord’s wife’s words.

The lord and his wife and Krim’s family traveled to the capital together.

The lord and his wife had always doted on Pete, their first grandchild, and had also paid attention to the other children, so the children didn’t suspect anything.

And on the day of the meeting, only the lord’s wife, Salomé, and Pete met with Samuel.

He didn’t ask about the details of the meeting. The lord’s wife and Salomé had red and swollen eyes, but his son showed no tears. However, he could tell that he was shocked.

After that, Pete became less talkative.

Krim, his wife, and the lord and his wife noticed the change.

“Your father is the one you decide. Do you respect the person who protected and raised you since you were a child? Or do you consider someone you’ve never met to be your father?”

The lord’s wife, who had been watching over him for a while, said to Pete as if to reason with him.

“I don’t know what to think.” That was Pete’s honest feeling.

However, the lady’s words seemed to have resonated in his heart.

Krim felt the strength of a woman at this time.

(I couldn’t say anything appropriate to Pete.) Men are helpless against the strength of a mother.

“Pete, your father loves you more than anyone else. You haven’t forgotten how much your father has cherished you until now, have you?” Pete nodded at Salomé’s words.

He hadn’t heard everything, but it seemed that Salomé had removed the resentment that his son felt towards him.

On the way back from the capital, he and Pete didn’t talk to each other alone. Pete was still wondering who his father was.

Krim had hardly mentioned his birth. But his son seemed to understand.

(I like Krim Dad.) That feeling had solidified by the time they returned to Toriholi.

“Dad, I’m going to be a doctor,” Pete said after returning to Toriholi.

Krim couldn’t help but hug his son when he heard those words.

(My son will follow the path I have walked.) He was happy.

Since then, he had gradually started teaching him medical knowledge.

Even so, Krim honestly didn’t know if they had truly bonded as father and son.

However, time would solve it. That was also true. He thought that there were such things in the world. It seemed that they had overcome the difficult period of rebellion.

“I’m getting a lot of help now that Pete is helping me.”

“He seems to have some worries, but he’s thinking about various things.”

The couple didn’t discuss Pete’s birth in depth, but Salomé watched over Pete warmly, and she never repeated her cautions since then.

When he wakes up in the morning, his son greets him with a smile. The other children are the same. Everyone eats breakfast together. Just that makes him feel like a peaceful day will begin.

Many patients will come today as well. As a doctor, he wants to alleviate the suffering of his patients as much as possible.

Krim had seen many patients die without being able to save them. He was very disappointed about that. He worried about how to save patients and often discussed it with Toma. And then, they concluded that even if they couldn’t save a patient, they would do everything they could to save them as long as there was even one patient who relied on them. That was what it meant to be a doctor.

His son would also aim for medicine, feel his own limits, and suffer. People will die in front of him. How will his son think when he realizes his helplessness, unable to do anything but see them off?

At that time, he should tell him about his own experiences.

He warmly watches over Pete’s growth. Now, a new daily routine has been added to Krim’s life.