The Doctor Cured the Villainess and Ran Away

2 – 2. Regressing Ten Years Back

Ashella, looking out of the window, seemed to exude an atmosphere that suited her sixteen years of age.

As befitting a princess, she donned an elegant dress that gave off an antique charm.

When sunlight peeked through the birch trees, her slender silhouette became visible through the folds of her dress.

Her delicate collarbone led to her clean shoulders, which made one imagine the gestures hidden under her casual clothes.

Curiosity was mixed into her indifferent expression as she gazed at the flowers.

It almost felt as if she belonged to a different world than the insane villainess I know, raising suspicions.

…She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

“No.”

I forcefully dispelled any doubts that the girl might be someone other than the 13th Empress of the Empire.

The villainess who repeatedly brought me to the brink of death. Regardless of her youthful appearance, I didn’t entertain any illusions.

“Understanding the situation comes first. Instead of repeating the blocked month indefinitely, going back ten years with endless possibilities is better. Any side effects?”

One phrase caught my eye on the status screen.

[All playtime has been used.]

[Regressing further is impossible.]

It meant that this was the last chance.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s enough.”

Experiencing boundless possibilities for ten years is better than being stuck in a blocked month forever.

Not just ten years.

There will be no bad endings in this life.

I should enjoy my heavenly blessing, shouldn’t I?

“Moreover, there was one more special benefit.

‘Ending List.’

A list appeared on the status screen.

——————————

○ Ending List

You can see the probability of each ending occurring in real-time.

Bad endings with a probability of 0% are removed from the list and will not occur thereafter.

· Bad Endings

No. 001: Dragon Army (New!) 42%

No. 002: The Great Cataclysm 22%

No. 003: Filial Piety of White People 87%

No. 004: Sweet Poison 56%

No. 005: Demon King’s Victory 73%

…

No. 101: Magic Rampage 4%

——————————

“Wow, this is exciting.”

Until now, I didn’t know that so many were collected and organized into a list.

He kindly labeled them by number, too.

As I checked each one, they were all deaths I had experienced.

Among them were bad endings I had experienced multiple times. For example, if you lose in the final battle with the Demon King, the “Demon King’s Victory,” number 5, appears.

“Ugh, this gives me chills.”

All I could think of were unpleasant memories with every letter. I don’t want to see them again.

The list continued. I scrolled down.

——————————

· Normal Ending

· ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ 0.1%

· ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ 0.3%

· ■■■ ■■■■■ 0.2%

· Good Ending”

“Is it really there?”

There were normal, good endings diligently listed.

“I guess if you don’t do anything, there’s a chance of appearing.”

No, it’s garbage probability.

The probability of a good ending occurring was 0%.

I should file a complaint for violating fair trade laws.

“Does the probability change according to my actions in the future?”

I wonder if a good ending can also have a probability.

I need to experiment with this.

At that moment, along with a knocking sound, a middle-aged man’s voice could be heard from outside the door.

– Milord, you really need to prepare now.

I wanted to check the status window a little more, but it seemed like I didn’t have much time.

Asella, my fiancée and the princess of the empire.

It’s absurd that the fiancée of a marquis family didn’t come out to greet her along with the crown prince.

She’s been asleep until now when the sun is at its zenith. That guy is useless.

“In the original work, I, Las Gotthberg, was a useless character known as a stain on the family’s reputation.”

My position and evaluation in the family are clearly at rock bottom.

So even in this large mansion, I’m tucked away in the far corner, and they probably didn’t bother waking me up on a day like today.

“In ten years, I lost the family, became weak, and faced only contempt from those around me.”

If I continue like this, the same future awaits me.

From now on, things have to change.

I got up from my seat and opened the door wide.

“Oh my, have you woken up?”

From Noble mtl dot com

The butler was surprised and averted his gaze.

The face seemed to come to mind, but then disappear.

“Surely, it was my caretaker, Sivers.”

I calmly replied to him.

“Good morning, Sivers.”

“Oh…yes, yes.”

Sivers panicked, sweating profusely, in response to my answer.

It seemed as if he had done something wrong.

“Hurry up and prepare. Bring me my suit. Apologize politely to the princess for being late.”

Sivers opened his mouth wide at my request.

“Oh, did I speak too quickly? I thought someone as competent as you would remember.”

Finally, Sivers nodded his head quickly and responded swiftly.

“Yes, of course! It’s just that…the master, I didn’t know how to speak so politely…”

“hahahaha, it’s the day the fiancee is coming, how could you be slow? Oh, don’t forget to bring the refreshments.”

“I understand! I will prepare right away!”

I tapped Sivers’ shoulder as he hurriedly moved.

“Yes, sir. Is there anything else you need…?”

“Thank you for always working hard, Sivers.”

Sivers choked up at my words. I easily noticed his intensified emotions.

“Why are you like this?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. It’s been 10 years since I’ve served you, so I didn’t think you would remember my name…please leave it to me!”

He ran off to do what was asked of him. I was pleased with his loyalty.

With the help of Sivers and the maids, I quickly finished preparing.

I went down the stairs to the first floor of the annex.

Just before stepping out of the entrance, my eyes caught sight of various weapons elegantly decorated on the fireplace.

“Hmm.”

I looked around. Since I had descended quickly, the clock hadn’t struck yet.

I swiftly pulled out a dagger from the decorations, concealed it at my waist, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

As a viscount’s family, the Gotthberg mansion consisted of several buildings and the grounds were tremendously vast.

My room was located in the annex of the mansion.

The garden where Asella was strolling was right behind the annex, so I could go and meet her immediately.

As I enter the flower garden, I hear the sound of grass rustling beneath my shoes – a soft and delicate sound. I pass through towering birch trees, and with each step, the shimmering golden locks of hair come closer and closer. The refreshing breeze caresses me gently, and I turn my head to meet her gaze. “It’s you,” I say, commenting on the familiar gaze of Asella’s crow-like eyelashes. Her golden iris is the color of topaz shining in the desert, and for a moment, I feel as though I am being sucked into them.

Asella von Bürenfeld – the woman who will become the 13th empress of the empire and reach the pinnacle of magic. Or perhaps, I should call her the “magic weapon.” She is the ultimate villainess, using all the means at her disposal to bring about the destruction of the world due to her hatred of it. And now, she is my fiancée. I shudder at the thought.

“Your Highness,” I call out to her lightly, and a reply comes back in a small voice from her thin lips.

“Master Gotthberg.”

…As I listen to her voice, unconsciously I feel my fists clench. Is this because of the terror I’ve felt around her thus far or is it anger? I have spoken, but what am I supposed to do with this woman now? My heart desires nothing more than to hit her with all the anger I’ve been holding in thus far. However, I will have to hold back; there is no turning back from this stage now. I even feel the urge to flee.

If I think about the magic Asella has been using up to now, it frightens me to my core, and I just want to sign the annulment papers and be on my way. I wish this villainess would do the same and be on her own way. But if I run away now, Asella will become the Empress, and most likely, she will destroy everything. The ending list is quite clear about that. “Maybe I can just kill Asella now,” I think to myself, but doing so will give the future Asella tremendous power and magic.

There are no enemies anywhere.

If I eliminate her now, before she becomes the emperor, wouldn’t it be possible to get rid of dozens of bad endings?

…It’s now, ten years back, before she commits evil deeds.

Because of Asella, I have experienced countless deaths, and it is an undeniable fact that she is the worst villainess who will leave her name in history.

“Greetings. It’s my first time meeting you like this. The spirit of Gotberk greets the princess.”

I bowed my head respectfully. Asella slowly lowered her eyes and scrutinized me.

‘What if I do this?’

Slowly, I reach for the dagger hidden behind my back.

I prepare to assassinate her by drawing it out quietly.

The current Asella is unable to perform great magic yet.

On the other hand, I have fought countless battles.

I can finish it in an instant.

Then, the numbers in the status window began to change frantically.

―――――――――――

· Bad Endings

No. 001: Dragon Legion (New!) 42% → 0%

No. 002: Great Collapse 22% → 0%

No. 003: Filial Piety of the White People 87% → 0%

No. 004: Sweet Poison 56% → 0%

No. 005: Demon King Army Victory 73% → 98%

…

No. 101: Magic Outburst 4% → 100%

―――――――――――

‘Oh, I see.’

As expected, most of the destruction endings caused by her evil deeds are eliminated.

However, there is only one ending, the Magic Outburst, where the probability of occurrence jumps to 100%.

‘It was certainly an ending where Asella’s magic goes out of control and engulfs the entire continent.’

The memory is still vivid.

Being crushed by her mana, it was an unpleasant sensation of my whole body being destroyed.

If I kill her now, it means the magic inside her will go out of control in that moment.

This isn’t even a living bomb. Anyway, she’s a difficult woman.

“I can’t kill her recklessly.”

I can’t execute her for treason by assassination here since it would be obvious that I am the culprit.

She can’t be executed for treason as a princess.

I understood how the ending list operates.

I returned the dagger to its original position and hid it.

“While Asella is still young, I can ruin her bad ending so that it doesn’t happen. Running away comes next.”

As I was thinking that, a cold voice pierced my eardrums like a needle.

“Aren’t you going to draw that knife?.”

…Hm.

Is it ruined?

One of the numbers on the ending list was shining strangely and ominously fluctuating.

[No. 056: Villainess’s Hatred 6% → 99%]

“No, this is just an ending where Asella gets killed.”

It was an ending that usually occurs when I lose my temper and provoke or fight with Asella.

This is a big problem.

Could the bad ending have occurred immediately?

I underestimated this woman.

I didn’t expect her to notice the dagger hidden on my back.

“Sigh.”

Now that it’s come to this, I have to adapt.

“Of course, I have to draw it. Wouldn’t it be shameful if I, a man, didn’t draw the sword that I caught once?”

“You have guts.”

“But in return, won’t the princess also show what she’s hiding behind her back?”

Asella hesitated at my suggestion.

From the moment we met, Asella had been hiding both hands behind her back.

I heard from her about what happened that day.

She said she was picking yellow roses in the garden and was tormented by me.

She said I yelled at her for casually damaging someone else’s belongings.

She had been keeping that incident in her heart.

As expected, a woman’s grudge runs deep.

Since Acella continued to hesitate, I spoke firmly once again.

“We should show each other what we hold in our hands without hiding anything. After all, we are betrothed.”

“…You have a point.”

Acella dropped the rose she had been hiding onto the floor.

No matter how secret our relationship is, it still belongs to another family.

The fact remains that she damaged the garden without permission. I could feel her tense up, knowing that she was also at fault.

I approached her with a dagger in hand.

Slowly, I knelt down on one knee.

And then, I began tending to the stem of the rose with the dagger.

“What are you doing?”

“Beautiful roses have equally thorny stems. What if the princess were to get hurt by accident? It wouldn’t be good.”

I carefully removed the thorns from the rose stem one by one.

“How did you know?”

“My room, above us.”

I gestured towards my room with a nod of my head.

“I saw you from there. I prepared because I saw you picking the flowers.”

“Hmm.”

Wasn’t she buying it?

Did it seem like an obvious lie?

She was as foolish as a rose.

It would have been better if an assassin appeared so I could stab that person.

No, I am the assassin.

Please just let this go. While praying inwardly, I vigorously plucked away the thorns on the rose stem, when suddenly–

Acella bowed her waist and grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze.

Her deep golden iris as if trying to devour me.

“You, come to my room later.”

With a devilish smile, Acella said those words to me.

It was a smile etched in my memory.

-Notification: The probability of an ending occurring has changed.

-Bad Ending

No. 056: The Villainess’s Hatred 99% → 21%

-Good Ending

-■■■ ■, ■■ ■■■■ 0% → 0.04%

-■■■■

-■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■

0% → 0.001%