The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Night Encounter with "Sadako"

Eymond, noticing the situation, quickly stepped forward, pushed open the kitchen door, and bowed his head to let the Crown Prince enter.

Captain Kessold hadn’t expected His Highness to suddenly turn toward the kitchen. Caught off guard, he stumbled slightly, gestured to two of the personal guards, and followed quickly.

Joseph stepped through the door and found the kitchen to be quite spacious. In the center were six or seven large chopping boards pieced together, exuding the mixed odors of fish and spices. The room was cluttered with an assortment of ingredients and cooking utensils, though only half the lights were on, and no staff seemed to be on duty.

He recalled that, in the palace, even when there were no balls or celebrations, there should still be three to five royal chefs on duty at night. But today, something was clearly amiss.

Joseph moved further inside, circling around a tall, wide brown storage cabinet. Faint rustling sounds came from the corner, just barely audible.

However, a rack laden with pots and metal ladles blocked his view, making it impossible to discern what was happening there.

Curious, Joseph wondered what the chefs could be doing huddled in the corner. Gambling to pass the night? With a puzzled expression, he walked around the wooden rack. His gaze immediately landed on a figure standing under the dim light in the corner—a small-statured individual draped in a wrinkled white robe, with messy black hair cascading down their back.

Joseph’s attention was drawn to a large, slanted wooden board in front of the figure. It was covered in knife marks and surrounded by a pool of blood, appearing particularly eerie under the flickering candlelight.

The person in white seemed deeply engrossed in their task. Only when they heard movement behind them did they suddenly turn around.

Joseph’s pupils contracted instantly. The figure’s face was smeared with blood, and they clutched a dark red knife in one hand. Their face was hidden behind disheveled hair, through which a pair of round, greenish glowing eyes peeked out. The hair, reaching down to their waist, was tangled with sticky fragments resembling innards…

A sharp buzzing filled Joseph’s head as adrenaline surged through his body. Only one thought dominated his mind: What the—Sadako?!

He instinctively leaped back, crashing heavily into the rack of ladles and spoons, which clattered noisily to the floor.

Ignoring the pain, he prepared to flee but saw Eymond dart forward. With a short sword in his left hand, Eymond pulled the Crown Prince behind him with his right.

"Protect His Highness!" Eymond shouted.

Kessold, sensing danger, dashed forward in a few swift strides, drawing his sword and standing shoulder to shoulder with the personal guards.

"Guards!" he bellowed while turning his head toward Joseph. "Your Highness, please retreat at once!"

Over a dozen royal guards rushed into the kitchen. Despite their fear of the spectral or witch-like creature in the corner, they resolutely cocked their guns and pointed them at the figure.

At that moment, the "Sadako" finally moved.

She tossed the knife into the air, inserted her fingers into her hair, squatted on the spot, and let out a piercing scream: "Ahhh—!"

Joseph, momentarily stunned, peeked out from behind Eymond. He suddenly felt as if this "Sadako" seemed somewhat familiar.

"Hey, stop screaming," he ventured, attempting communication. "Who… who are you?"

The figure froze at the sound of his voice, lifted her head slightly, and peeked through the gaps in her hair. Her voice trembled: "Y-Your Highness?"

"Hmm? You know me?"

The figure nodded vigorously. "It’s me! Your Highness, I’m Perna! Please, don’t shoot!"

Kessold cautiously stepped forward and brushed aside the hair obscuring her face. With a sigh of relief, he sheathed his sword and turned to Joseph.

"Your Highness, it’s indeed Miss Perna."

Joseph, thoroughly exasperated, scrutinized Perna and the bloodstained chopping board behind her before asking in confusion:

"You? What are you doing here?"

"I…" Perna instinctively looked at her hand, realizing the knife was gone. She hesitated and replied evasively, "Well… I was helping Mr. Walest cut some meat."

While speaking, she hurriedly wiped her bloodied hands on her brown apron, then picked up a hair tie from the ground and quickly tied her hair back. She nervously curtsied. "Your Highness."

Joseph, noticing the bloodstains on her face, handed her a handkerchief. "Wipe your face."

Eymond stepped forward to take the handkerchief and handed it to Perna.

She accepted it cautiously and began to clean her face. Gradually, her complexion was revealed—a smooth, ivory-like visage with delicate features. Her pale green eyes shone like jade, framed by dark, thick lashes. Especially striking were her charming dimples near her rosy lips, making her look entirely different from the frightening figure from earlier.

Joseph blinked in surprise and then smiled. "I’ve never seen you dressed like this before. You look quite pretty."

His gaze shifted to the chopping board behind her, where a small animal was fastened with nails. It was a rabbit, its abdomen neatly cut open, with its organs meticulously removed.

Curious, Joseph asked, "Are you practicing dissection?"

Perna panicked and waved her hands. "No, I’m not! I didn’t—don’t say such things…"

Joseph walked closer to inspect the rabbit. He nodded approvingly. "Very professional technique. You must’ve practiced a lot."

He looked back at her. "By the way, why are you practicing dissection in the kitchen?"

Hearing the certainty in his tone, Perna’s heart sank. The Crown Prince even understood anatomy—there was no way to deny it now.

She clenched her fingers tightly, hesitated for a moment, and then straightened her back, her voice rising with resolve:

"Your Highness, yes, I am practicing dissection!"

Taking a deep breath, she seemed to have made a firm decision and continued:

"I believe that the current societal norms are detrimental to the progress of medicine!
"For instance, the prohibition against women studying medicine severely hampers medical advancement and is profoundly unfair to women.

"I deeply admire my father and grew up assisting him in treating patients. This instilled in me a passion for the healing profession.

"My father loves me dearly. He even allowed me to dress as a boy to assist him in consultations. I’m grateful for his support.
"But despite this, he strictly forbade me from performing surgeries or practicing dissection, arguing that it would ruin my chances of marriage—no one would want to marry a female doctor! That is the reality!

"Even so, I hope to become a competent doctor who can save lives. Since I can’t access human cadavers, I practice dissection on animals to familiarize myself with anatomical structures.

"I made an arrangement with Mr. Walest. Every night, I come here to practice dissection and help the chefs prepare the next day’s meat. In return, he keeps my secret."

By the end of her speech, her eyes glistened with tears, a testament to the years of grievances she had endured.

She sniffled and spoke calmly: "Your Highness, you can report me if you wish. I startled you earlier, and I deserve punishment for that."

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