“…Ah.”
Acella let out a short groan.
While flipping through the pages, she sliced her finger on the corner.
It was a tiny wound barely visible to the naked eye, but soon the gap widened and a thin line of blood seeped out.
“Y-Your Highness. Emergency treatment.”
Chloe, who had been waiting, panicked and grabbed the medical bag. When Acella reached out, Chloe froze.
She had already been sleep-deprived for over a month, with deep fatigue settling under her eyes.
She didn’t want to hear the loud sounds around her.
It had been a while since she could focus on the letters on the paper. She smudged a drop of blood on the book and crumpled the page like a piece of scrap paper.
“…Sigh.”
Despite the injury, no ointment or bandage was applied.
…She knew the reason well.
Acella lowered her head and buried her eyelids in her palms, remaining still for a while before slowly speaking.
“Any contact?”
“…Not yet.”
With the head maid’s short reply, Acella bit her lip.
Where on earth was Lars, and what was he doing?
What remote place was so far that he couldn’t send even a letter?
Or did he dislike her so much that he didn’t even want to talk in writing?
…Had she been too harsh on him until now?
Had he finally lost patience and gotten angry?
If he returns, would she perhaps… treat him a bit better?
Give him compliments and rewards.
But she had no idea how.
She didn’t know how to make people feel good.
As a princess of the Empire, she had no need to know.
All she had seen her whole life were her siblings, who had their heads full of scheming to tear each other apart.
And Camilla.
The inside of the Imperial Palace, behind the castle walls, had been Acella’s entire world.
Thus, she was beginning to realize just how significant Lars was to her.
As her loneliness deepened, her longing tightened around her throat.
‘Lars left to heal me.’
There was surely no lie in that statement.
If this continued, it would just repeat itself even if Lars returned.
Lars would come back, healed, and gather merits.
It was something she was eagerly anticipating, as the ailment that had been tormenting her would finally be gone.
But she would end up indebted to him even more.
Acella admitted it. Up until this point, she owed a lot to Lars for the status she and the Moonlight Palace had attained.
It wasn’t achieved through her abilities alone. They had built it together with Lars.
Lars likely knew that fact well, even if he didn’t say it.
Thus, Acella speculated that he may have valued Heike more than her.
After all, unlike her, Heike had single-handedly established Mokhwi Palace.
‘Before Lars heals me.’
She wanted to be recognized as a person of greater worth than Heike.
Someone beyond reproach as an attending physician, someone worthy of the Emperor.
She didn’t need anyone else’s recognition.
She needed Lars’ acknowledgment.
Because with that acknowledgment came love, and that was only natural.
She wanted to be loved solely with his sincerity.
That’s why she had been so angry when he spoke Heike’s name instead of hers.
It felt as if it meant he didn’t love her.
She didn’t want to be in a relationship with Lars that was filled with duty but devoid of sincerity.
Now she understood why she had so impulsively rushed the new engagement ceremony.
She wanted him to think that, like her, it wasn’t a relationship of mere obligation.
‘Acella von Württemberg isn’t someone who just sits and waits.’
It had always been that way and would continue to be.
She would prove her abilities by the time Lars returned.
Trrrr
Acella rose from her seat.
She headed straight for Mokhwi Palace in search of Heike.
“Now this is rare. You come to find me directly.”
With her work in progress, Heike maintained a relaxed demeanor.
In front of the enemy. Acella kept a more confident posture and an intimidating gaze.
“Heike, the 4th unit of the 1st brigade hasn’t shown up for a month and a half; are they carrying out a long-term mission outside?”
“That’s confidential.”
Based on information she had gathered in advance, she guessed that Heike had been assisting Lars.
With the current response, she was certain.
Clack, Acella took slow steps and perched on the desk, looking down at Heike.
“If you’ve carried out a joint mission with the servants of the Moonlight Palace without my permission…”
Acella got straight to the point.
Heike, having guessed that her concern was about Lars, didn’t show any surprise.
“Should I take that as a provocation aimed at me?”
Heike scoffed lightly.
“Isn’t that merely speculation? I’m not so naïve as to take what can be akin to slander lightly, Acella.”
She would retort with provocation.
Her answer indicated she would willingly accept any disputes.
Moreover, it also implied she wouldn’t disclose Lars’ destination to Acella.
Heirs exchanged what they wanted through their capabilities. It was common sense.
“You’ve been pretending to be noble all this time, but now your true colors are showing, leopard.”
“Let me give you a piece of advice, Acella. If you keep showing your claws, you’ll surely become a target.”
It was indeed valid advice.
Compared to Acella, who had clashed greatly with other claimants, Heike had only fought George a few times in minor conflicts.
Minimizing damage while leading the enemies to self-destruction and collapse. All of it was strategically calculated moves from the succession battle.
“A strong one doesn’t need to hide their claws. They just need to tear apart all their prey.”
Acella glared at Heike with her golden eyes as if she would pierce through her.
“It’s a duel between the Moonlight Palace and Mokhwi Palace. The loser loses their claim to succession.”
“I’ll accept.”
As casually as if setting a meal appointment, a duel where they each risked everything was established.
“And one more thing.”
Acella demanded strongly.
“If you speak with my betrothed one more time, I’ll take your head off.”
*
I hurriedly stepped out of my lodging, having heard that the Heavenly Dragon had opened its eyes.
With a beaming smile, I hadn’t even eaten breakfast.
“What’s that?”
An unwelcome sight unfolded before me.
Huh, huh, huh, huh!
We were in Meat Village, the closest place to the lair of the Heavenly Dragon.
Even so, it was a thirty-minute run on a bear. Due to the topography of the basin, it was within sight.
From the opposite side of the basin, white figures were pouring down from the east, dyeing the plains. It looked like an iceberg melting and flowing.
“Binoculars.”
“Here!”
It wasn’t an avalanche; they were all snowmen. Fluffy white fur with dark bodies.
“Wow, what is that?”
“I believe it’s the influence of the Heavenly Dragon awakening. Look, the mana vortex from the lair has also intensified.”
As Hugo had said, the vortex rising from the center of the plains shot up high enough to pierce the clouds.
“We need to go now. They’ll be fast and might reach us in no time.”
“War!!”
A booming shout from behind startled me. It was Gishta.
“Everyone, grab your weapons! Tell the beast village to bring everything out!”
With the beat of the war drum announcing the start of the battle, the tribesmen busily moved around. Demon bears and mammoths roared as they were reined in.
“It looks like it’s going to be a long day.”
Tanya, having finished her preparations for battle, strapped her sword to her waist and mounted the bear.
“What shall we do, Teacher?”
“I will head for the Heavenly Dragon. Until then, I leave the escort to you. Afterwards, defend the lair with Gishta. If there’s a leader of the snowmen, subjugate him.”
“Understood.”
Next, I asked Hugo.
“How’s the situation over there?”
“It’s not looking good. Dolph, who was on site, found out, but he’s angry and refusing to let any humans near the lair, threatening them, apparently.”
“He must have been startled to wake up surrounded by doctors and with an IV drip when he was alone before. Let’s go.”
Thud, thud. The sound of the mammoth’s footsteps erupted as Gishta appeared and said to me.
“Lars, I have to defeat the Glacier Tribe! There are too many of them this time. Don’t come to the battlefield!”
“Got it. Can I bring some reinforcements?”
“Reinforcements? How many?”
“The best knights in the Empire, two hundred.”
The number of two hundred seemed to please Gishta as she smiled slightly.
“Good, bring as many as you want!”
“Squad Leader.”
“Yeah!”
The squad leader took out an artifact hanging from his neck and infused it with mana. A signal was sent out.
I completed my preparations and climbed behind Tanya.
“Let’s go fight!!”
With Gishta’s booming shout, all the tribesmen began their charge toward the soaring mana vortex.
Running for about thirty minutes.
“Ah—Lalalalala!!”
Leading the charge, Gishta swung her axe energetically.
The mammoth braved forward with all its might, showing no intention of braking.
“Up close, they look even more numerous than I thought.”
Tanya remarked with a flat tone. The approaching group of snowmen resembled an exaggerated swarm of ants feasting on sugar candies.
“We’re almost there. Commander, pick up the pace a little!”
“I’m already at maximum. It’s not enough.”
Just as she said, the snowmen were slightly faster than us.
Even though there were tribesmen guarding the lair, they wouldn’t hold out against such numbers for long.
“Beastmaster! Are you ready?”
“Ready, Chieftain!”
Hearing the response from the one in charge of mounts, Gishta took out a seashell and blew into it.
Bwooo!
A moment later, the ground began to shake. I thought it was because of the massive number of approaching enemies, but no.
It was from beneath the earth. An earthquake.
Before long, Kwaaaaaang!!
The ground beneath the charging snowman army split apart, and something dark sprang out from within, engulfing them.
Clean seawater splashed around, creating a rainbow. I couldn’t help but drop my jaw in awe.
“Is that a sperm whale?”
“It’s convenient for catching fish!”
It was about fifty meters long. This was definitely not for catch.
The whale soared into the sky, landed with a crash, shattering the ice beneath it before diving again. It went without saying how many snowmen were pulverized in the process.
“Hahaha! You look healthy!”
Gishta greeted it cheerfully.
Thanks to this, one wave of the enemy’s advance had been slowed, but they weren’t going to just sit still.
“Looks like they’re up to something.”
The snowmen joined hands and began organizing their formations, throwing their kin towards the lair one by one like caterpillars.
It wasn’t a catapult, but whoosh—snowmen flew toward us.
The barricade suddenly had to deal with snowmen dropping down from above.
“They sure know how to think. This is troublesome.”
“Look out, one’s coming this way!”
A shout from the tribesman.
Suddenly, Kuwong! A snowman fell in our path, tripping several bears that were running.
“That’s the one!”
Gishta shouted urgently.
There was a notably different sound of landing.
Standing there was a snowman far larger and darker than the others.
In its hands was a massive mineral pillar, serving as a weapon. Was that adamantium?
Whoosh!!
As the snowman leader swung its weapon, whoosh, it sliced through the air.
It struck Gishta’s mammoth. Gishta tumbled heavily to the ground.
“Hey!”
“Lars, you need to go to your mother!”
She boldly charged with her axe towards the snowman leader.
‘This is the crucial moment. If we take out the snowmen, we can likely eradicate the Demon’s Blood as well.’
On the flip side, losing the Heavenly Dragon would result in a catastrophe similar to history.
I hurriedly rushed toward the lair with Tanya.
Upon reaching the lair, we descended underground.
Doctors and several tribespeople were panicking at the entrance, not knowing what to do.
“Teacher, you’ve arrived!”
“What about the Heavenly Dragon?”
As we entered the entrance, I confirmed the scene.
The awakened Heavenly Dragon rose from the lair, glaring at us as if it would eat us at any moment.
The mana waves it emitted were staggering, making it almost impossible to stand unsteadily in front.
“Since it’s been like this from earlier, we couldn’t dare to enter…”
Hmm.
After all, it’s not an evil dragon; it wouldn’t just kill someone who came to heal it.
How should I initiate a conversation?
Ah, a hospital. Don’t worry, there was a curse placed on you at a dreadful place.
No, that would probably make it angrier.
For now, let’s greet it politely. I stepped one foot into the lair.
“Teacher!”
The Heavenly Dragon’s eyes widened even more. The mana storm made my entire body feel like it would be torn apart.
I couldn’t even gather my bones; retreat was the only option. Just as I turned to leave, a voice reached me.
—Did you heal me?
The dragon spoke without opening its mouth.
“Yes, I am responsible for that. I’m Doctor Lars Gothberg.”
The Heavenly Dragon glared at me without answering.
I couldn’t figure out its thoughts.
I had treated you diligently, should I give you a gift?
I rummaged through my pockets.
“How about some candy?”
Silence reigned.
A brief standoff ensued.
—It looks delicious.
The Heavenly Dragon replied.
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