The New Year has begun, and a fresh wind started blowing in the Empire.
The biggest change was the widespread movement across the continent to prepare for the anticipated war against the Demon King’s army with the emergence of the Hero.
The formation of the allied forces began to take shape, and the Empire, with its Hero, could not turn a blind eye to this trend.
“The Moonlight Palace has a chance to seize control within the Imperial Family.”
Acella had prepared to maneuver politically. But at the same time, she felt uneasy about using the Hero actively.
On the last day of the festival, a moment that could have turned into a lifetime memory was ruined by that commoner girl.
At the very moment she was about to confirm her feelings with her betrothed, she never expected the other person to blurt out another woman’s name first.
“Lars, from now on, don’t get involved in managing the Hero at all. Don’t even exchange words or show your face.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just do it that way.”
For Lars, it was a challenging order. It was clear that taking care of Lishe would increase the alliance’s chances of victory, especially since most of Acella’s potential bad endings had been erased.
More importantly, he hadn’t been able to meet Lishe at all due to his responsibilities in caring for Acella.
“I need to see the reincarnated Lishe again.”
If she really had reincarnated, he could quickly erase the bad endings by seeking her cooperation.
Acella’s order, which had no justification, was nothing short of bewildering.
But Acella’s desire to keep Lars away from the Hero crumbled too easily.
“To seize control of the allied forces, we must treat the Hero’s health as delicately as a treasure. Every attending physician in the Inner Palace must form a special team to manage the Hero thoroughly.”
The imperial command was issued. A task force team was formed to operate for several years until the Hero set off to defeat the Demon King.
All attending physicians, except for the female Ambrosia, were organized into the special team to focus on managing the Hero.
Naturally, the imperial command took precedence over Acella’s orders. Acella found herself in a troublesome position where she couldn’t defy the imperial decree.
In the end, Acella reluctantly allowed Lars to manage the Hero passively. Thanks to that, Lars could reunite with Lishe after months.
“I’m glad to see you’re in good health, Hero.”
“Yes, Teacher, you look well too.”
Since it was a public setting, Lars used formal language. The gaze Lishe directed at him radiated a certain ease.
They continued with the basic examination.
When the other attending physicians briefly stepped away, Lishe seized the opportunity and hurried over to Lars.
“Hey, Teacher. Did you miss me while I was gone?”
Lishe had changed the mood a little. Her demeanor made Lars shrink back slightly.
“Of course, I missed you.”
“Teacher, you’re the same as ever. Do I look any different?”
“Does it look like there’s nothing changed?”
“I braided my hair. I’ve been growing it out too.”
“Ah, it suits you.”
“It would have looked better from the other side…”
Lars halted as he felt a sense of déjà vu.
It was a conversation he had once had with her.
While watching Lishe step back playfully, biting her tongue, Lars made one guess about a possibility.
“Lishe?”
“Yes, Teacher?”
“I’m just asking, but are you currently holding the Holy Sword…?”
“Ah, Teacher, it looks like you have a wound here. Are you okay?”
Lishe moved closer again and gently brushed the back of Lars’s neck. Where was it scratched? Lars touched his neck.
“Do you have a Band-Aid? I can put it on for you.”
“Ah, no, I’m fine. I’m the doctor here; why would I get treatment from a patient?”
“Ahaha, I interrupted your work. Then please keep an eye on me. Honestly, Master, you’re being unreasonable.”
“Tanya?”
“Yes! Look here. There are so many little scratches!”
Saying this, Lishe popped the button on her top and spread her collar.
Lishe, teasingly showing just a hint of her collarbone.
“Where?”
Lars slipped his hand in to inspect more closely, pulling her collar aside a little more. His fingers brushed Lishe’s soft skin.
“Ugh… Um… down there.”
Her whispery voice and breath brushed teasingly against his ear.
“Oh, there’s an actual cut. Wait a sec. I’ll treat it right away.”
“…Hehe, thank you.”
Taking out ointment and a Band-Aid, Lars glanced at Lishe’s face suddenly.
“Why have you been grinning like that since earlier?”
“Um… Because I’m happy?”
“What’s so great?”
“Because I get to be treated by you, Teacher. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I have good skills, don’t I?”
“Of course.”
After finishing the treatment, before Lars could back off, Lishe immediately opened her mouth.
“Um, Teacher. Can I ask you for one more favor?”
“What is it?”
“I’m clumsy with my hands, and I don’t know how to fasten this again… Ehehe.”
Lishe pointed at her collar. It was a setup with a leather band and hooks. It could be tricky for someone who wasn’t familiar.
“Alright.”
Pulling her collar, he kindly began buttoning it up for her.
It wasn’t particularly strange for Lars. Even in the future, Lishe tended to struggle with such delicate tasks.
That reminds me, tick, tick, as he fastened the leather band row by row.
“Um, Teacher. About what happened that day…”
Finally, that story came up.
It was the event that occurred on the last day of the year-end festival at the castle wall.
“Yes.”
“Did you… What did you answer the Royal Princess?”
“Did you really say that?”
“Why do you care?”
“Because.”
Tap.
A small hand firmly grips her wrist, but not too strongly.
Lishe’s clear eyes, like a lake, look directly up at Lars.
“I… I didn’t just happen to overhear that day.”
“…Then?”
“I went to listen because I wanted to know what you two were talking about.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know what it means, Teacher.”
There’s no wavering in her gaze.
A few seconds as their eyes meet.
Heh, Lishe smiled comfortably.
“Anyway, shall we go finish the remaining knight training? Thank you for the clothes.”
While Lars mulled over Lishe’s words, she added one more line.
“Teacher, now you’re not just the Royal Princess; you’re my attending physician.”
*
“AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”
That night, Lishe buried her face in the pillow and hit her head with all her might.
“Sis, are you crazy?! What did you do?!”
“What do you mean ‘well’?! You tempted him by showing your cleavage?! Are you out of your mind? He was never in the running! Empress Acella is way, way… Anyway!”
“What else did she say… I really can’t live like this…”
Having kicked her blanket around so much that she rolled over twenty times, Lishe finally lost all her energy and stuck to the floor like a loser.
“Now we’ll see each other all the time. What do I do?”
―So it’s a good thing. Now he’ll be conscious of us. He wouldn’t know unless I told him. Do you know how many women have pushed up against him until now?
“No matter what, wait a minute, ‘us’?”
―Let’s talk about that later. The important thing is we can’t let that demon take Lars away. Without him, the Demon King can never be defeated.
“Ah, right… you said that. The Demon King…”
―Are you scared?
“I’m scared, but it feels surreal, I guess. I still feel like I… I’m not sure. …If I admit I don’t really understand, will that make me sound too clueless?”
―I get it. I felt the same way. At first, it’s confusing. But we really need to keep our goals in mind. If we don’t defeat both the Demon King and Acella, there will be no future with Lars.
“With you, Teacher…”
Lishe covered her face with both hands.
“I’ve never thought about the future like this before.”
I’m dreaming.
Yeah, hope is important. Charles saw through Lishe’s psychology perfectly.
Of course, because it was her past self. If she really wanted to, she could hypnotize her with just a thought.
‘Will there be a future for me…?’
I have to defeat the Demon King and the Empress Acella, and even if peace comes…
Will I really get to be with Lars? No matter what, right now, I’m still Lishe in control of my body.
The gold is owned by Lishe.
They lived happily ever after.
So what about that ‘ever after’ next?
What if I end up back here all alone again?
With the sudden question, Charles felt her spirit crash down.
“Sister?”
– Let’s go to bed now. It’s late.
“Ah, uh-huh. Let’s do our best tomorrow.”
*
“The magic circuit is broken.”
Acella realized something was wrong with her body after failing to cast magic.
Anxiety and loss. She shook off the negative emotions before they turned into despair and moved forward.
“Call the attending physician. I have something to discuss.”
“The physician is attending to the hero. Today is the day of the performance for Your Majesty, so he will be present all day…”
“What? Why wasn’t I informed about the schedule?”
“…I checked, but the hero requested not to notify the Moonlight Palace.”
“That sneaky little cat.”
Acella wasn’t stupid. She had already sensed that Lishe interfering with her confession that day wasn’t a coincidence.
Overwhelmed by anger, Acella immediately headed to the Imperial Palace.
Lars was in the waiting room. He tried to push her away, but she met with reasonable resistance.
“This is where Your Majesty is present. If there’s any issue, I alone cannot be absent from the Special Affairs Division; it would disgrace the Moonlight Palace.”
“That’s something I’m willing to bear. Gothberg physician. Fix my lord’s condition, not let that vile witch linger!”
“You know I have no expertise in magic. I’ll check, but the chance that I can cure the royal princess is highly unlikely.”
“Wasn’t making that happen your job somehow?”
Acella pleaded while holding onto Lars’s arm.
“I’m going to be your wife. Do you wish for that woman to be crippled or a great person?”
“Such words…”
While the two were quarreling, a confident stride echoed in the waiting room.
“Teacher, the Special Affairs Division is scheduled to march. You need to prepare.”
Lishe quickly came over and hooked her arms around Lars.
Upon witnessing that scene, Acella’s expression turned into the most fearsome one she’s ever had.
“Hello, Royal Princess.”
With that, Lishe—or rather, Charles—offered a relaxed smile.
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