“Ah, Royal Princess.”
Acella met Lars in the corridor of the Moonlight Palace. Accompanied by guards, he appeared serious.
As Lars approached with thud thud, he felt an unusual atmosphere upon seeing Acella’s condition.
“Lars, I have something to discuss.”
“That’s great. I have something to say as well. But first…”
Lars took out a handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat from Acella’s face, placing the back of his hand on her forehead.
“Your temperature is slightly elevated. You don’t look well. We need to examine you.”
Feeling his skin against hers, Acella was overwhelmed with the urge to collapse into his arms without a thought.
Could that strangely sweet aroma be his pheromones?
This wasn’t the time for that. Barely suppressing her desires, Acella regained her composure.
“Just the two of us.”
“Understood. I’ll leave the guards outside. This way.”
Lars gathered his medical bag and led Acella to a nearby conference room, closing the door behind them.
He seated her and began the examination.
Acella felt a wave of comfort wash over her as her eyelids drooped.
“The magic circuit is a mess. What happened?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
“I’ll give you something for your headache and fatigue. Please take it easy in the afternoon. Although Prince Heike is here, I’ll handle the situation.”
“Is it about the kingdom’s delegation?”
“Oh, you knew. Then we can get to the point quickly.”
Taking a deep breath, Acella launched into the main topic.
“Effective today, I’ll be stepping down from my role concerning the Hero. I’ll inform His Majesty myself. Hand it over to Heike’s faction. Recover the Holy Sword.”
Lars showed a look of shock at the sudden order.
“Suddenly? If you’re worried about the Holy Sword going berserk, didn’t I tell you I found a cure? Plus, the Hero just set out on an expedition.”
“Expedition?”
“It should’ve been reported yesterday.”
Acella realized her mistake. She hadn’t checked due to Lars’ matter the day before.
Since Tanya was in charge of the Hero’s training schedule, it was fine to ask for a follow-up.
“Lars, listen seriously. I’m not the kind of person to say things without foundation, you know that.”
“I know very well.”
“That girl isn’t fit to be the Hero.”
“Hm… Really?”
Lars found it somewhat hard to accept.
“We need to find another warrior who can resonate with the Holy Sword. That girl won’t do.”
“So that’s how you feel.”
“It’s not a feeling; it’s a sure judgment. So you need to stay away from her right now.”
“Princess.”
Lars calmly addressed Acella.
“You look very tired. I believe it’s because your magic circuit is overloaded, so perhaps you should rest first.”
“Magic is unrelated.”
Acella snapped back sharply, feeling a bit pricked by the failure of her clairvoyance casting.
Seeing her attitude, Lars thought he needed to take a more serious approach; kneeling in front of her to meet her gaze.
“Royal Princess.”
“…What?”
“I deeply appreciate the affections you hold for me.”
“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”
“If you’re referring to what happened yesterday, I assure you it wasn’t of the romantic nature you might think.”
“Do you believe that I’m acting out because of that?”
“Is it not?”
“No.”
Acella firmly denied it.
When she asked herself if her personal feelings for Lishe affected this judgment, the answer was naturally yes.
With sincerity, Lars appealed to Acella.
“I’m serious when it comes to my work. I cannot take things lightly and risk causing harm to my patients. The Hero is merely a patient; I’ve never seen them as anything more.”
“Which means that’s irrelevant…”
Even as she spoke, Acella’s voice began to lack confidence.
When he spoke with such conviction, it made her feel at ease, proving that Lars was right.
“…You’ve really never seen them as anything romantic?”
“Never, not at all.”
“Then what about me?”
“Are you curious?”
“No, don’t answer that.”
Acella realized she misspoke. Unaware that her ears were turning red, she waved her hand dismissively.
“Regardless of that, the Holy Sword shouldn’t be entrusted to the Hero. It’s true she’s not cut out for it.”
“Even so, I don’t think we can find another warrior capable of resonating with the Holy Sword at this point.”
“We won’t know unless we look.”
“If there’s no user for the Holy Sword, we’ll face defeat in the war.”
“That’s my concern to worry about, not yours. I’ll be the Emperor, not you, the attending physician.”
“True, but it’s regrettable not to utilize the cure I’ve discovered.”
Lars confidently offered a suggestion.
“Let’s try just one attempt. If it fails, I’ll back off.”
Acella fell into thought.
Lars had been increasingly assertive lately.
It was all because she had confessed first.
But somehow, she didn’t mind this kind of attitude as much as she thought she would.
“I’ll give you a month.”
“I need time to develop the technique. Three months.”
“No, two months.”
“This isn’t a deal negotiation.”
“Then show me your loyalty.”
“How can I convince you?”
Acella extended her hand in an old-fashioned manner.
It was the same hand that wore her engagement ring.
Lars understood her intention and bent down to lightly kiss her hand.
Standing up, he bowed his head, speaking in a serious tone.
“I, Lars Gothberg, shall… the third princess of the Empire…”
“Enough of that; here too.”
Acella tapped her finger beneath her soft, pouting lips.
Without hesitation, Lars bent down again, gently lifting her chin with his right hand.
His lips brushed against hers, as fleeting as a hummingbird’s touch.
Would she become addicted to that soft sensation she’d never experienced before? Acella lightly nibbled on Lars’s lower lip with her front teeth.
Lars, startled by Acella’s sudden action, dropped his gaze. Seeing his displeased expression, she couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.
“Now I know you’ve permitted it.”
“If you’re going to fix it, do it properly. The Hero isn’t normal.”
Though it was an extreme expression, Lars considered Acella to be quite sharp.
“As I said, please rest this afternoon. It seems your mind’s a bit hazy.”
“There’s nothing I can’t say to the Empire’s Princess.”
“You’re the attending physician. Shouldn’t you be able to offer sincere advice as well?”
As Lars prepared medication for Acella, he continued.
“This is a recent medication I developed. It should relieve the congestion in your magic circuit.”
“Magic circuit…”
Hearing that term recalled moments from earlier, and worries she had temporarily set aside came flooding back.
“Lars, you’re not well-versed in magic.”
“I don’t have much knowledge of it. Everything I know comes from you and the sage.”
“Right.”
After the earlier casting, Acella was sure her magical skills had declined.
Even if Lars’s developed medicine improved her condition, he couldn’t restore her abilities.
‘Perhaps it’s because I hadn’t rested properly for a long time.’
When her body recovered, it might just be a temporary symptom. Acella decided not to mention this magic issue to Lars for now.
After all, she had embarrassed herself during the previous battle against Heike.
She also felt as if she was at a disadvantage against the Hero.
If she were to lose faith in her magic, the ability she’d once believed in wholeheartedly…
Having always presented herself with confidence and arrogance as a princess, she worried she would disappoint Lars greatly.
“Then I’ll visit again tonight.”
With a farewell, Acella waved him off as he left.
—
Recently, it had been tough soothing Acella.
While she seemed diligent outside, once inside the Moonlight Palace, she had a tendency to regress in mental maturity.
She easily made unreasonable demands, like the last time.
“Let’s go.”
Yet at important tasks, she displayed sharp impressions without a single gap.
The kingdom’s delegation had arrived, preparing to set off for negotiations.
Acella was dressed regally in her formal attire, her hair impeccably arranged, and her makeup emphasized her intense gaze.
The negotiation meeting was to be held at Mokhwi Palace. We traveled by carriage for about ten minutes.
Mokhwi Palace, where we frequented for medication deliveries, was quite large within the Imperial Family. The buildings had been expanded and decorated in shades of green, serving precise practical purposes.
Inside the conference room, Heike, her secretary, and the commander of the Knights were already present. Alberich welcomed me with a cheerful expression upon seeing me.
Come to think of it, there still wasn’t a secretary at the Moonlight Palace. The Head Maid was filling in, after all. She’s quite a jack-of-all-trades. Will she get promoted soon?
In a solemn atmosphere guarded by knights, before long, the kingdom’s delegation entered from the opposite side.
Naturally, there was heavy tension, given they were the enemy nation. Without any greeting, five members sat across with their heads held high.
“First Royal Princess, Third Royal Princess.”
A middle-aged man with an impressive mustache glared as he began speaking.
With an attitude suggesting he might challenge us to a fight right away, Heike responded with calm composure.
“General Darren.”
A general of the kingdom’s army had come.
“This delegation has brought important issues regarding the Empire’s inhumane acts of unlawfully invading our territory and killing our soldiers while they were on duty, along with plundering our possessions. And yet…”
Thud, the general slammed his hand on the table lightly.
“Why is it that your Emperor doesn’t address this directly, and only the princesses appear? What does the Empire think it’s doing? Do you understand the seriousness of the situation?”
Whoa, he was so aggressive that it felt like he was outright challenging us.
Heike maintained a steady demeanor, refusing to be provoked by cheap taunts.
“If you look directly at the sun, your eyes will burn. That was a courtesy for you.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The general frowned, unable to grasp Heike’s words.
Powerful but foolish rulers are difficult to deal with.
Heike seemed to have decided to cut to the chase.
“Let’s talk about the international treaty. According to that, if the countries on this continent are in crisis…”
“We know about the treaty! But does having that make it okay to cause a ruckus on someone else’s land?”
In an instant, the atmosphere turned tense.
The general, enraged, seemed to choke on his own frustration, clearing his throat angrily.
“Is the Empire not offering tea to its guests?”
At Heike’s signal, a servant brought out prepared teapots and cups and served them before the delegation.
“This is a local specialty imported by the guild, not from the Empire. I hope you have no complaints.”
“Ah, peanut tea. I like this.”
One oblivious member of the delegation eagerly guzzled the tea without thinking.
Perhaps due to many adventurers among them, the kingdom’s army certainly seemed to abandon all pretense of manners.
Hmm?
While observing them for a diagnosis, I discovered something important.
—
– Name: General Brian A Darren
– Symptoms: Severe peanut allergy
—
“That tea isn’t something you should be drinking, General.”
Suddenly, I interjected, drawing the focus onto myself. It was natural; an unheard-of character was talking to the leader of the delegation.
The general looked at me in disbelief, asking, “What did you say? Who are you?”
“I’m a doctor, affiliated with the great Empire’s Inner Palace and the attending physician of Princess Acella, the third princess.”
“Ha, what a disorderly hierarchy. Now a nobody is stepping in to spout nonsense.”
Not wanting to look weak in front of the opposing forces, the general scoffed and downed the cup in one gulp.
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