“Hero!”
The knights, flustered by the sudden situation, helped the collapsed Lishe.
She is undoubtedly one of the most important figures on the continent right now. Seeing the hero sway, the knights felt as if they were witnessing a troubling vision of the future.
“What happened?”
Lars, who had come upon hearing the news, quickly assessed the situation. A Moonlight Palace knight replied to him.
“We were in rest after finishing training, but then she suddenly collapsed.”
“Again? Let me see, diagnosis.”
Lars used his skill on Lishe.
“Poisoned? Was there a situation where that could happen?”
“It was a real combat training against demons. There was a poisonous basilisk.”
“Let’s try a healing spell first. Let’s check her condition.”
Lars knelt in front of the collapsed Lishe. Assessing her pupils and breathing to judge the symptoms.
She had similar symptoms recently and had needed an antidote once. Lars didn’t want to use the side-effect-laden medication continuously.
“Ah, teacher. I’m fine… really.”
Lishe forced a smile as if to endure the pain.
Lars sighed inwardly.
‘Clearly unnatural.’
Lars was convinced that the recent incident was deliberately caused by Lishe.
It was also obvious that Charles was involved. There was no way Lishe’s growth would suddenly decrease without any issues.
He believed separating the two was no longer a choice, but a necessity.
―――――――――――
Target: Hero Lishe (In Resonance)
Stress Stabilization ■■■■■□□□ Tension
―――――――――――
‘But Charles’s stress has decreased quite a lot.’
They had held two more counseling sessions with Charles. She was steadily stabilizing. If this continued, they could proceed to the main work.
As long as Lishe could hold out until then, normalcy was entirely possible. Lars believed in the strength of Hero Lishe.
“Hero, how are you feeling?”
“The pain is still… I’m sorry, can I rest for a bit inside?”
“Given your symptoms, that would be wise.”
As Lars was about to get up, Lishe gently pulled on the hem of his white coat.
“I, um, would like to receive a prescription for pain relief.”
A simple and reasonable request.
For the prescription, Lars would need to examine her once more.
Lars was spending more and more time with Lishe recently.
“Understood. Let’s go inside…”
“There are plenty of painkillers here.”
A cold voice interjected between the two, and plop, a small vial dropped in front of Lishe.
Ascelia emerged from the line formed by the knights, glaring at Lishe as if she were trash.
“W-What’s the matter, Your Highness…?”
“Shouldn’t you be addressing me as ‘Your Majesty’? You seem to lack both decorum and sense.”
“Your Highness, what brings you here so suddenly?”
Lars stood up to mediate.
Ascelia’s sudden appearance and fury were clearly unexpected.
“It’s nothing serious. I simply came to condemn this brazen woman who wastes the precious resources of the Imperial Palace.”
Lishe bit her lower lip at Ascelia’s denunciation. Meanwhile, Lars frowned, trying to comprehend what Ascelia meant.
“Your Highness, I asked you to refrain from contacting the hero during the treatment period…”
“I placed a geass on not causing a ruckus anyway, so what can it do? Ah, so you’ve come out with such sinister actions, haven’t you?”
“What do you mean…?”
“It’s not an accident. That crazy woman has been deliberately injuring herself all along!”
Ascelia shouted while pointing at Lishe. Hearing that, Lars sensed that Ascelia had picked up on the issue, which was a red flag.
Not to mention the previous incidents, Ascelia had never been fond of Lishe. A war was undoubtedly about to break out.
Lars wanted to calm Ascelia down to defuse the situation.
“There must be a misunderstanding. There’s no benefit for the hero in doing this.”
“There is definitely a benefit. She can get your attention that way!”
Hearing Ascelia’s words, Lars finally understood Lishe’s motivation.
Could it really be that such a caring hero was only seeking attention?
Lars found it a bit hard to believe and observed Lishe’s reaction. She seemed profoundly taken aback and flustered.
Lars’s status window changed.
[No. 014: Unbinding 61% → 65%]
‘If I press Lishe here, it’ll be a disaster.’
Pretending not to know was the course of action. Separating Ascelia was the priority.
Judging thus, Lars made a request to Ascelia.
“Your Highness, I will speak with the hero. Please leave it to me.”
“I’ve given enough time. I can’t wait any longer.”
Ascelia felt completely deceived by Lishe. To her, the hope that would carry the continent, seeing the proud figure of the future, made her feel a bit defeated.
In truth, that woman was not a mystery but a malevolent spirit.
The remaining feelings were betrayal and humiliation. At this moment, she was certain. This woman was nothing but a lunatic who would repeatedly destroy the Holy Sword.
“I told you, Lars. She’s not worthy. I can’t leave the Holy Sword in her hands any longer.”
“Your Highness. She is my patient. I will assess the hero’s condition. Comments that may influence…”
“She’s no child, so what influence are you talking about? You’re the same.”
Ascelia glared at the knights around her.
“This is the Imperial Family. It’s a place where only the capable survive. When did we start pampering and coddling a mere newborn while waiting for her to grow up? So isn’t it entirely inappropriate to cross a line and act like this!”
“Your Highness, the hero’s swordsmanship achievements are quite significant. Just wait a bit longer…”
“Enough.”
Ascelia interrupted Tanya sharply.
“I will transfer the management of the hero to Mokhwi Palace as of now. Lars, you too, step away.”
“Your Highness.”
“I will have the discussion on work distribution with Mokhwi Palace right away, so be ready, Head Maid.”
It was just as Ascelia was preparing things with lightning speed.
“No way!”
Lishe shouted back in a loud voice.
Ascelia turned slowly toward Lishe, as if she couldn’t believe it.
She had never before seen someone outright refuse her orders.
“What did you just say?”
“I said I don’t want to! I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to stay in the Moonlight Palace.”
Ascelia laughed in disbelief.
“Who do you think you are? The Moonlight Palace is my palace.”
“Even if I’m Your Highness’s subject, I’m also a comrade. The knights, Master Tanya, and Teacher Gothberg. I want to be with them.”
Lishe trembled with fear, her shoulders shaking.
Lars thought it was odd. If it were in the future, it wouldn’t be so surprising, but right now, Lishe wasn’t the type who could confidently assert herself like that in front of Ascelia.
There was only one reason he could speculate.
‘The integration of personalities has probably already begun.’
There were few cases, and each patient had different symptoms. Treating dual personalities involved many unpredictable variables.
Lars realized one thing he had overlooked. He had treated Lishe and Charles as entirely different people.
Unlike typical dual personalities, they weren’t simply separated from one personality but rather, Charles was destined to be the person Lishe would grow into. They were, in essence, the same individual.
Lars should have assumed that Lishe was much more susceptible to influence than expected.
“What are you trying to say you want to do?”
Ascelia stepped forward coldly, fixing her expression toward Lishe.
“I don’t want to leave the Moonlight Palace.”
“It’s my palace.”
“Please, I’m begging you.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then I’ll throw a tantrum, too.”
‘Ah, I need to shift the situation here first.’
These two had awful compatibility. Thoughts could come later.
As Lars considered jumping in between them, there was an unexpected loud voice that boomed, completely out of place.
“Hahaha! Have you been waiting for me? Don’t worry, the phrase ‘golden return’ is precisely what I mean right now!”
A loud, cheerful voice echoed through the room.
As a result, the three of them froze and couldn’t move further.
“Aah, Gothberg! It’s been exactly three years! I have a whole treasure trove of stories to share with you. Have you been eating well? You look even more haggard than before!”
Georg, adorned in dazzling jewelry and dressed in a neat suit, swaggered in. He stepped before Lars, grinning widely, showing off his teeth.
“During my wandering after being expelled, I met your teacher, Doctor Faust! A remarkable individual. Please let me know a mailing address, would you? Ah, Ascelia!”
Enthralled by delight, Georg swayed around like he was in a social gathering, greeting each person graciously, while everyone else in the room remained completely still, as if frozen in time.
He still hadn’t grasped the situation.
“Did you miss this older brother? Hahaha! Of course not. You’ll start wanting to see me more. I believe we can have an excellent business discussion about the Moonlight Palace. Oh, so this person is the hero! Nice to meet you, I am Georg von…”
“Get out.”
Ascelia’s voice pierced like a needle, and finally, Georg slowly started to read the air.
It was quite an awkward situation for him.
Thinking it was a surprise party, he had entered beaming with gifts, only to find a scene that was clearly on fire.
He snapped his fingers and began to back away.
“I’ll leave the gifts here. I have no place to go, now that Togin Palace is gone. Until we meet again!”
Georg hurriedly dashed for the entrance of the Moonlight Palace.
Thanks to that, an opportunity arose for people’s gazes to shift. Lars did not miss the timing.
“Your Highness, can we have a moment to talk?”
He took hold of Ascelia’s wrist and headed toward the terrace.
They moved to a shaded spot where only the two of them could be seen.
Ascelia relaxed her expression a little but playfully swatted Lars’ arm.
“Ugh, why?”
“Are you serious about transferring the hero to Mokhwi Palace? You’ll be at a disadvantage in the succession tournament.”
“Then what should I do? Am I supposed to sit idly by and watch you act like a tail-chasing fool?”
“Hey, a tail? Nothing like that.”
Automatically denying it, Lars began to see Ascelia’s point.
“Hmph.”
“See.”
“The hero is only confused because of the personality of the Holy Sword. Once I succeed in controlling it, she will return to normal.”
“Is there any progress?”
“Well…”
Lars frowned as though he sensed something strange.
“It’s tricky. But as long as you don’t provoke the hero, the treatment will be much easier.”
“But…”
With Lars beside her, Ascelia had calmed down a bit.
She had gotten a bit too wound up and angry. It was only natural given that Lars was involved.
“Is there a particular reason you’re so upset?”
Lars clasped his hands with Ascelia and looked into her eyes.
As he asked with his sapphire-like gaze, Ascelia wanted to forget about the hero and confess to Lars.
About her magic.
She harbored a growing desire for him to cherish and heal her more than Lishe.
‘…Right.’
In reality, what made her more upset was envy.
She was angry because Lishe had stolen her cherished doctor away.
“Lars.”
“Yes.”
“Forget about the hero.”
“Please go ahead.”
Ascelia prepared herself and opened her mouth.
“Fix me.”
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