“Injection complete.”
Lars handed the empty syringe to the nurse. She finished the post-processing with tweezers and signaled to Chloe.
Chloe relaxed her grip on the winch. At the same time, a needle threaded with sutures and forceps were in Lars’s hand.
The team’s work flowed swiftly like water, matching their breaths again and again.
As they entered this phase, all members relaxed their tension to a certain degree. Starting the suturing meant there were no issues with the surgery.
Ambrosia stepped forward, slowly drawing out her Divine Power.
Once the suturing was complete, the Healing would be her responsibility.
‘High-tier spells affect the surgical area, so let’s use a low-tier high output.’
Having coordinated with Lars during the Emperor’s surgery before, Ambrosia understood her role perfectly.
The needle at Lars’s fingertips meticulously filled in the affected area with precision, as if machine-driven.
It was the moment she wrapped Divine Power around her arm.
Thud! Thud! Boom!!
A sudden enormous impact rocked the operating room. The unexpected disruption startled everyone.
Ambrosia turned her gaze. The temporary lock was weak, and an uninvited guest broke into the operating room.
Soldiers. Royal Kingdom armor.
Their harsh weapons in hand were certainly not friendly.
“Infection!”
Seeing the soldiers, Chloe shouted urgently. Ambrosia instinctively reacted, converting her Divine Power into a spell immediately.
“Ha!!”
Barrier. A protective spell. Ambrosia’s Divine Power formed a clean sphere that immediately enveloped the patient.
Whoosh!!
The wind rushed in through the broken door. Dust from outside poured in, contaminating the once sterile operating room in an instant. If they were even a second late, the patient could have been affected.
Ambrosia minimized the size of the barrier just in time to manage a close call. The barrier barely wrapped around the patient.
Lars’s hand was still inside the barrier while suturing the arm.
The soldiers approached, threatening the doctors.
“Stop the demonstration at once. We will rescue the prince.”
“Teacher!!”
Chloe called him urgently. But amidst it all, Lars maintained his focus, quickly continuing the suturing.
“Get away from the prince immediately! It’s an order!”
The soldiers charged at Lars. The circulatory doctor and the videographer tried to block them, but their swings knocked them out with a single blow.
One soldier approached Lars threateningly, grabbing him by the collar.
Only then did Lars feel the limits and reluctantly let go of the forceps, turning his body.
He crossed his arms and said, “Back off, you bastards. The surgery isn’t finished yet.”
“Did you think we would let the prince get harmed? You underestimate the kingdom.”
“Get out, alright? We need to disinfect it again while the barrier is still up.”
“You mouthy brat!”
The soldier yanked Lars by the collar and threw him to the ground. Chloe screamed and rushed to support him.
Just as the soldier was about to approach Ambrosia’s barrier, Lars, like a weeble, stood up and blocked him again.
He remained with his arms crossed.
“Don’t you value your life?”
“Haha, who’s saying that?”
At this point, the soldier should have been scared silly and run away, but instead, he was unnerved by Lars’s laughter.
From behind the crow mask, madness glinted in his eyes.
“Arrogant fool! Relying only on the Empire!”
The soldier grabbed Lars’s collar again, pulling him in. Lars clearly lacked strength. He was certainly no fighter.
Yet he still wouldn’t uncross his arms.
The soldier’s rage only intensified at Lars’s confident demeanor.
“Oh, this?”
Lars scoffed.
“Can’t let my hands get hurt. Surgery isn’t finished.”
“…You’re talking nonsense!”
To overcome his bizarre audacity, the soldier lifted his fist.
*
The King eagerly watched the screen, alternating his gaze with the stage.
He had always thought that princesses without succession rights were nothing but empty-headed kids who loved to play.
In reality, the 2nd and 3rd princesses indeed were. The 1st princess, Persiya, had some sense of economics, but he still had a prejudice and believed she was tricked by the Empire.
The Empire had been at odds with the Kingdom for decades. Even if they formed an alliance through a treaty, they were no allies.
The moment the Demon King was defeated, they could start another war. At the very least, he needed to gain a political upper hand, but how could things go so wrong from the Holy Sword to this Martial Arts Conference?
The King had no intention of sitting still.
Right now, everyone was submissive, but surely they all wanted to keep the continent’s strongest nation, the Empire, in check.
There were even whispers that the law-abiding country, an ally of the Empire, was plotting in the background.
The Emperor’s life being at risk might even be related to them.
‘I have to move right away.’
It was exactly during the Healer demonstration. The law-abiding country surely wanted to take the upper hand in this field.
If he took action, the law-abiding country would surely follow suit. If both powers pressed, no matter how stubborn the Empire’s Emperor was, he couldn’t hold out forever.
It would be good to break his arrogance just once. The King, who had never managed to win against the Emperor, was eagerly watching for his chance.
Suddenly, that chance appeared.
Clank!
The surgery screen on the large screen wobbled. As Lars adjusted the angle for the patient’s condition, he accidentally touched the output side.
It was just a brief two seconds, but Lars’s knife scene was laid bare.
“Oh my god.”
“Isn’t that… already dead?”
The unfamiliar scene stirred the audience.
The King seized the moment, kicking his chair and leaping to his feet.
“I can’t watch this any longer! You’re just going to watch as a knife pierces the body of the noble blood of the great kingdom? There’s a limit to this deception. Commander! Enter at once and rescue the prince!”
At the King’s command, soldiers began to surge into action. The Empire responded immediately.
“Your Majesty, this act is a breach of the Allied Peace Treaty and a provocation against the Empire. Please withdraw your order.”
Heike requested, but the King showed no signs of listening.
“Commander, relay it to the Swordmaster.”
A sharp voice pierced through the tension.
It was Acella.
Maintaining her demeanor, she ordered the Commander of the Knights at the Moonlight Palace.
“Protect the doctors on stage. I grant permission for the Knights to deploy.”
“Yes, your Majesty.”
The distinguished guest area grew busy. The clang of armor echoed all around.
The soldiers and knights from both the Empire and the Kingdom prepared for the imminent battle, expecting a confrontation at any moment.
“Acella.”
Heike called Acella as if scolding her.
Mentioning Swordmaster Tanya would surely be seen as a clear act of aggression from the Kingdom.
However, Acella couldn’t care less about such matters and countered Heike with a scoff.
“Showing your true motives.”
The King glared at the guests from the Empire. Heike tried to mediate.
“It’s a proactive act of defense.”
“You already attacked the Kingdom’s bloodline and honor.”
“It’s just a misunderstanding. Let’s find a point of agreement.”
“Where in that scene is there anything to agree on? Let me ask you, does any healing magic exist that cuts into a person’s body with a knife?”
The King shot a pointed gaze at the distinguished guest area of the law-abiding country.
They held a careful meeting. A Cardinal rose and responded.
“…In our country, there is not.”
“See that!”
It was merely the law-abiding country’s emblem that avoided taking sides to evade responsibility.
If this continued, a clash would be unavoidable. Heike concluded thus.
In the arena, royal soldiers from the Kingdom had clashed with imperial knights, establishing a frontline.
The audience gasped, startled by the suddenly opened arena.
The Empire, having to limit themselves to defense, could not strike back and were reacting passively.
Even Tanya felt her feet were stuck.
Taking the opportunity, the Kingdom launched a mass assault. A few soldiers breached the defenses and stormed the makeshift operating room.
Seeing things progress this far, Acella could not remain idle as well.
She glanced back at Lars. Her expression asked what he was doing when things had reached this point.
Yet Lars simply wore a grin.
…Something felt off.
Acella stood up and strode towards him.
Lars met her gaze and flashed a natural smile.
“Ha.”
Acella finally realized she had been deceived.
“The positions are different. Who are you?”
The imposter Lars swallowed hard, desperately trying to conceal his trembling shoulders.
Trying to divert attention away from him, he refocused on the stage.
The situation had already unfolded.
The Kingdom’s soldiers swarmed the doctors in surgery. The operating room became a mess.
While trying to protect the patient with a barrier, the attending physician fell again.
He hit the floor, and his mask came off.
Even from a distance, Acella recognized that white hair and delicate face.
“Lars!!”
She screamed his name like a cry.
*
Oh my head.
Surely, the Kingdom’s soldiers were wild. The Empire knights were often from the lower classes, which seemed rough, but they were civilized compared to these guys.
Those guys have their hands out first. Not even thugs.
That said, I had no intention to back off from the patient in surgery.
As suturing was only halfway done, there was a danger of infection, and more than anything…
“Teacher, the circulatory doctor…!”
The patient was under general anesthesia. The end of surgery was approaching. Recovery was necessary.
I needed Ambrosia’s help, but the barrier was tying her hands.
Tsk.
It might really become dangerous at this rate.
The soldier threatened me again as he stood up.
“Are you going to charge at me with that little knife?”
“That’s not a weapon, you jerk.”
Another soldier approached me, slowly.
Honestly, this was the better option. If Ambrosia got hurt, it would really become hopeless.
Just as he swung his fist again—
Crash!!!
With a magnificent sound, the soldier in front of me flew somewhere.
He smashed into one wall and bounced out of the stage, slamming into the arena floor.
“Ah— lalalala!!”
With a thunderous shout, a massive axe swung through the air.
The remaining soldier got hit by the side of the axe and instantly vanished from the operating room.
“How dare you touch my friend!”
Boom!
Gishta slammed her fists together and growled like a wild beast.
“Lars! I’m here to help!”
“Good.”
I gave a thumbs up and then nudged Chloe, who was curled up in the corner.
“Change my gloves. And disinfect too.”
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