The final selection test to determine Acella’s attending physician.
I faced considerable hardship.
Hah.
As I stared at the emerald dragon hatchling that was brought out as a task, a sigh escaped my lips.
Dragons are demons closely related to magic and spells.
The flames belched by a fire dragon can be seen as a form of magic.
Because they love prey rich in mana, every year, at least five wizards unknowingly wander around dragon nests and end up getting eaten.
The emerald dragon has the trait of consuming healing spells.
Even if it’s just a hatchling, how they managed to procure a dragon is truly worthy of the imperial family.
“That’s an unwelcome action for me.”
This guy isn’t hurt; he just wants to gobble up healing spells like a hungry pig.
Greedily, endlessly!
The problem lies with the conversation I had with Gis before the test.
“Young Master will naturally only use medicine as you demonstrated in the practical test, right? You’re on a different level than us!”
Upon hearing that provocation, I confidently replied.
“Haha, of course. I’ll pass using only medicine.”
Having declared that, it would be quite embarrassing now if I ended up using healing spells.
Beyond the blindfold, the physician from the imperial family is probably judging me.
I can’t give up here, what should I do?
“Hey.”
As I called out to the hatchling, it glanced at me with disinterested eyes and let out a kugh.
It seems the spell it just consumed from the previous candidates has already been digested. The smell was absolutely foul.
“I don’t know. It might like this too.”
I offered the hatchling a rose candy.
Sniff, sniff, the little guy wiggled its long, torn nose to smell and then whack!
It sharply used its claws to knock the candy away.
What is this madness?
Just how precious is this candy?
“Ah, don’t do that, just try it already. Hey, try try okay?”
I grabbed the hatchling by the neck, opened its mouth, and placed the candy on its tongue.
—Kieeek! Kweeek!
Now it’s throwing a fit. Or maybe it’s just expressing its refusal… right?
Is this not the dragon language? Or could it be that it’s so sensitive to the rose scent that honey wouldn’t be enough to mask it?
In the end, due to my method, a senior healer had to intervene and reprimand me.
Wait, they might like other medicine!
As we continued with the test, a struggle ensued, and at the end of it, the hatchling escaped from my hands.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
Crash!
As I tried to catch the hatchling, I tripped and fell, making eye contact with the people beyond the blindfold who were grading the test.
Beside my father stood an old man who seemed to be the supervising physician.
Both of them had their mouths agape, staring at me in shock.
“Um, hello.”
An awkward greeting exchanged.
“With that white hair, could it be that candidate… no, is that candidate the son of the Marquis?”
“Um.”
My father pressed his temple, looking troubled. The test should have been conducted anonymously for fairness, so that was expected.
Well, this is it; is my chance at becoming the physician slipping away just like that?
After reaching the final selection test, it would be a shame to fail because of the testing format.
‘I’ve seen him. The attending physician of the inner palace, Falkenhayn.’
If the opponent is this man, then I’ve got some material to work with.
Click, clack.
As I was thinking, the sharp sound of heels echoed through the corridor.
Everyone’s attention turned to the sound emanating from the hallway. The door opened shortly thereafter.
Acella looked around the test hall with a dissatisfied expression.
“Royal Princess.”
Falkenhayn greeted Acella.
His demeanor wasn’t overly formal, but considering he was in charge of the second prince, it was a natural attitude.
Acella glared down at me and then spoke to Falkenhayn.
“Sir Falkenhayn. What was your intention in not calling me to the position of deciding my own physician?”
“That is…”
Falkenhayn’s face showed signs of panic at Acella’s sudden display of anger.
My father answered in his place.
“Royal Princess. The selection of the attending physician was prepared by Sir Falkenhayn for fairness, and it was conducted as a blind test.”
“And that is a complaint. Shouldn’t it be natural that I decide my own physician?”
“However, Your Highness.”
Falkenhayn argued with a serious face.
“You know well that the royal family’s physician wields power beyond just being Your Highness’s doctor. As the highest-ranking physician in the inner palace where over two hundred of the empire’s best healers gather, one must manage a faction of healers.”
Without any other intentions, Falkenhayn was just stating the facts to Acella.
“Therefore, as the senior physician, I must verify candidates. While I entrusted the final selection to the Gothberg breeding ground due to its reliability, if the physician selected were to harbor any disqualifying factors that would lower the inner palace’s standards…”
“My physician isn’t needed for anything other than managing me, right?”
Acella raised her chin and glared at Falkenhayn.
He was silenced by the pressure of her gaze.
“The games within the inner palace are for you to decide. I will manage my physician. And the one I want to select among the final candidates is one person.”
With a swirl, Acella lifted her arm and pointed her finger at me.
“Lars Gothberg.”
Silence fell. The other candidates and the senior healers present felt the tension crawl over them.
The first to speak was Falkenhayn.
“Indeed, it seems you are the child of the Gothberg family. Do you wish for Her Highness to choose this candidate?”
His expression seemed relaxed, almost relieved.
No, beyond that, he was grinning to himself.
What’s that about?
“Wait a minute, I cannot accept this!”
Gis, who had been observing the situation from behind the blindfold, stepped forward.
“Just now, the prince did not show any accomplishments in front of the task! You’ve even ruined a test that was supposed to be conducted anonymously. If you had predetermined a candidate from the start, what significance does this selection have?”
“I agree!”
The third candidate also raised his voice.
What was his name again? I forgot.
Strictly speaking, their opinions aren’t entirely wrong.
Gis might feel wronged about this.
But now that we’ve come this far, I don’t want to retreat without a fight.
Acella threw a glance at the other candidates.
As she stepped up to Gis, she asked with a cold voice.
“Do you wish to be my physician?”
Gis, taken aback by Acella’s behavior, hesitated before answering.
“Of course.”
“Are you prepared to dedicate your life to me, Princess Acella von Württemberg?”
“…Of course.”
Gis’s voice grew increasingly small under Acella’s intimidating presence.
Acella openly scoffed at Gis and then cast a spell.
“Ice Spear.”
Instantly, three magic circles formed above Acella’s raised right hand.
The atmosphere began to condense and shape into sharp pointed forms.
Seeing this, Gis gulped. It seems he finally understood what sort of challenge he was up against.
However, Acella’s next action was a bit unexpected.
Swish!
Acella flicked her right hand and pierced her left arm with the sharp ice spear.
In a moment, everyone present froze like ice at the sudden turn of events.
Crimson blood dripped from Acella’s snowy forearm.
“Fix this.”
Acella commanded in an emotionless voice.
Gis, pale-faced, trembling, slowly raised his hands.
“…I pray to the gracious goddess.”
Gis cast a healing spell. Divine power enveloped Acella.
In that instant.
Crack!
The white divine energy twisted as if it were being squeezed, quickly turning into Acella’s golden hue.
“W-why…”
“You try it too.”
Acella gestured to another candidate.
He too cast a healing spell, but the result was the same. The healing spells wouldn’t work.
Acella’s overwhelming mana instinctively rejected the low-grade spells, crushing them.
Finally, Acella glanced at me.
‘Truly a tyrant after all.’
I shrugged and walked toward Acella.
I pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket.
Carefully, I wiped the droplets of blood dripping from Acella’s elbow.
“It will sting a bit.”
I retrieved some red ointment and applied it to the wound I had just cleaned. I could feel Acella flinch slightly, but her face didn’t change at all.
The wound wasn’t very deep.
Just a shallow cut.
Shouldn’t it heal without a scar?
I took out a linen bandage and performed emergency treatment.
A knot was tied around Acella’s left arm.
“It’s done.”
Acella’s arm turned orange.
That meant the healing effect had taken place.
Acella tilted her head back and looked at Falkenhayn.
No more words were needed.
Falkenhayn jumped up from his seat and clapped his hands.
“That was an excellent demonstration. Although there were some issues in the process, I can accept this content.”
He turned to my father and said.
“It seems the royal princess’s physician has been decided. Congratulations, Lord Gothberg.”
“Thank you.”
The senior healers also began to applaud as the selection came to an end.
I looked around at the other candidates.
Gis, biting his teeth in frustration, nodded towards me, showing that he accepted the defeat.
At least he could acknowledge his loss.
“Lars, Prince.”
At the sharp voice ringing in my ears, I quickly turned my head to respond.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You don’t look very happy?”
“Not at all. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve you, Royal Princess.”
Acella’s golden eyes looked up at me.
Oh, this is very intimidating.
She slightly curled her lips, wearing a perfectly wicked expression, and ordered me.
“I’ll show you the imperial palace. Follow me.”
