You And I [JENLISA]

11

Irene was not sure where to go after parting from Lisa.

The Empress Dowager had raised her since she was young, and Diana brought her into the shadows.

She had worked wholeheartedly under the imperial family's orders without complaint for many years.

'Freedom' had dropped out of the blue, but she was somewhat unaccustomed to it.

Equipped with a horse carriage, a considerable amount of travel expenses, and a simple bundle of luggage, Irene began a life of her very own.

She travelled into the middle plains.

At a small county town, a disease carrying cow had died in a source of water, infecting the villagers there.

Irene was moderately skilled in medicine.

She had also followed Jisoo for three years under Jennie's orders before, so she was confident that she could deal with this kind of illness.

And so, she started to live in this small county town to treat the sick.

Irene rarely accepted money when she treated patients, and she was quite skilled too.

Eventually, her name started to spread.

More and more patients came to Irene's clinic.

One day, a 'special' guest came to Irene's clinic.

Jisoo parted the entrance drapes as she walked into the clinic, smelling a familiar scent of medicinal herbs.

She had left the grass plains.

Riding without a destination, she headed all the way south.

When she came to this area, she heard about a 'miracle doctor' who did not accept money for treating the sick.

Her interest was piqued, so she came to Irene's place.

Irene walked out from the inner room once she heard the rustling of the entrance drapes.

Meeting each other's eyes, both of them were taken aback.

"So it's you..." Jisoo nodded, then she sat down casually on a chair.

Irene had not expected that she would meet an old acquaintance here either.

She poured a cup of tea for Jisoo, then she sat down in front of her.

They had not seen each other for two years.

Irene studied Jisoo carefully, but she found that time had not left a single mark on Jisoo's face.

She still looked as she did two years ago, but those defiant and unruly eyes had become much dimmer now.

There was a faint sadness in the depths of those eyes.

After her experience with Lisa, Irene knew what sentiment was, in a way.

Looking at Jisoo now, she gained some understanding in her heart.

But she did not know if this hurt was because of the Princess, or the Queen?

"How have you been doing for the past two years? I've heard that Queen Nikki had signed a friendly pact with the kingdom. Life must have been rather easy."

A trace of hurt brushed Jisoo's eyes, then she asked in return: "How have you been doing for the past two years?"

Irene smiled, then she sighed quietly.

She went along with Jisoo, reminiscing with some melancholy: "I headed south with no destination, then I came across this small county town that was suffering from an epidemic. So I stayed to give the most of my trivial contribution. After that, I just started to live here. Who would've thought that time would pass so quickly."