The Doctor Cured the Villainess and Ran Away

6 – 6. Roses Have Thorns

Asella must have received some sort of insurance; there was no need for her to hesitate in participating in the physician examination.

“Well, let’s think positively about it.”

The advantage of becoming the royal physician.

The rewards are plentiful. The annual salary exceeds a hundred gold coins easily. Furthermore, being responsible for the royal family? You can even see two hundred gold coins.

Working for just five years would be enough to buy a mansion in the city.

The social status is also significant.

In the social hierarchy divided into nine grades, it is equivalent to the third grade. It’s on par with a mayor.

Even within the royal palace, it surpasses the head chef.

“I have many personal achievements I want to accomplish as well.”

Surely she must have obtained a promise of support, enabling her to become a doctor and accumulate accomplishments.

As Asella gets closer, there are more opportunities to delete the bad endings she causes.

There are also opportunities to get involved in royal politics.

It becomes easier to prevent incidents that could lead to the downfall of our family.

“If there’s any downside to all of this, it’s that I’ll have to see Asella’s face every morning, every afternoon, and every evening. Come to think of it, I don’t need a list of endings. Whenever I see Asella, the scenes of my death come back to me naturally like a flashback. She’ll be the perfect living recording device. Her face is still chubby because she’s not yet completely grown, but that’s okay. I’ve already made up my mind, so there’s no need to complain further.”

“Since Shinyang is supervising the exam, I should prepare for it.” The written test has already been conducted, and it seems that the first round of candidates has been filtered out. The remaining task is the practical test, which is an important test to select the final candidates.

However, “let’s delete this today.” Asella has made up her mind.

[No. 003: ‘The filial piety of a white person’ 31%]

It’s a bad ending that Asella is inspired by from the event of giving yellow roses to the queen.

Asella is examining the crown closely.

After much contemplation, she makes up her mind and nods her head.

“This is definitely the best choice.”

Asella stands up with the crown in her hands and walks out to the balcony, followed by Shinyang, who is there to escort her.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m in a meeting with Fuhak at the main building.”

“I

“I understand.”

Asella left gracefully without even looking back.

Left behind, I turned to Max.

With his tongue between his teeth and sparkly eyes, he looked at me like the only cotton candy in this thorny field.

“I’ll be back too, Max.”

As I patted his head, he replied with a firm “okay”.

***

Along the garden path, from the Eastern Pavilion to the Central Hall.

I mimicked Asella’s footsteps.

The noble princess was accompanied by her attendants, while the idle me strolled aimlessly alone.

It seemed she didn’t notice that I was following along.

In front of the main hall, the Empress conversed with her father in the well-manicured courtyard reserved for formal meetings.

I discreetly hid behind a birch tree, observing their exchange.

“Third Empress Camilla von Bürtemfeld, if I recall correctly.”

She was certainly not part of a powerful faction within the royal family.

“Silver hair. A witch indeed.”

The Empress unmistakably possessed magical abilities.

Her naturally colored hair had faded away through extensive use of mana, leaving it shimmering faintly.

That was the exact shade Asella would have in ten years’ time.

“So, the witch who fell out of the Emperor’s favor sought to seize power within our clan.”

I knew that the secret alliance between Asella and me came about with the Empress’s deliberate intention.

Asella stood silently a short distance away, near the entrance to the Central Hall.

It seemed she was waiting for the Empress.

Father noticed Asella before she did.

He began talking to the Empress about Asella.

After seeking permission from the Empress, she stood up and walked towards Asella with determined steps.

They changed their position. They shifted to a shaded spot as if they were conducting a secret meeting.

I moved closer to a nearby birch tree in order to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Asella, what’s going on?”

“I have a su-u-urprise gift for you.”

Azella extended the object she had been holding in her arms.

It was a yellow rose garland I had made.

A surprise gift from my daughter.

I wonder if I would earn some points if I gave such a thing to Father? As I pondered, Empress Hwangbi’s cold voice struck my ears.

“What is this?”

“A yellow rose garland.”

Hwangbi accepted the garland.

She slowly turned it around and examined it.

“Azella.”

“Yes.”

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Hwangbi’s voice had now reached an icy level, piercing through my eardrums like a window.

“The Marquis instructed you to hold yourself gracefully and quietly in the palace.”

Hwangbi stroked the wrinkled fingers over the roses on the garland, then snapped.

She tore off the rose flowers from the stem.

“To think that such a trivial thing could disrupt an important conference, it’s unbelievable.”

Hwangbi sharply shot me a look.

Azella couldn’t reply and tightly bit her lower lip.

“Realize the importance of your duties. Do you know how far I traveled to this countryside just to choose your chief physician? The cooperation of the Gotberg family is necessary for the royal family to gain power.”

Indeed, that was their purpose for pushing forward with this arranged marriage.

It’s a common occurrence in high society.

Even within the palace, there are various factions. The nobility always keeps an eye on where to align themselves.

Father is a loyal believer and is weak in politics.

Geographically, the Gotberg family’s territory is far away from the capital.

However, it is a family that can become valuable if you consider the future.

“Because it is a healing lineage, the probability of a saint being born is high.”

Although it’s a peaceful era now, if a demon king were to appear, it is natural for the faction possessing a saint to gain power.

Hwangbi must have bet on that and cast her eyes on our family.

Hwangbi continued to harass Azella.

“So, go back to your room and prepare to entertain that stupid fool. You two are a perfect match in your stupidity. This arranged marriage must never be broken. Even if you have to use your body, keep that fool in check.”

Did that old lady just call me stupid?

Otherwise, your neck will eventually fall off like this.”

Hwangbi puts the yellow rose she had taken off in front of Asela.

She used magic.

It seems to have been poisonous. The rose boiled and melted instantly.

The worn-out rose fell powerless on the ground.

Asela watched the scene with an expressionless face.

Hwangbi lets go of the coronet.

The rose that Asela carefully chose and fell to the ground crumpled.

Hwangbi turned around and left Asela.

Asela slowly bowed her waist and picked up the coronet.

The letters light up red and the probability rises.

[No. 003: Backin’s Filial Piety 31% → 77%]

I unknowingly hit my forehead.

‘Who doesn’t know the importance of work.’

The probability has gone up more than twice.

No, does it mean that I didn’t intervene faster, so it went up?

Is it my fault?

‘Nonsense.’

Well, I can endure being called stupid.

But.

“I can’t stand being called a fool.”

I walked towards Asela.

She turns back to me.

She had the attitude of a bad child who was caught in the wrong, not knowing that I would appear here.

I took the coronet from Asela.

Suppressing the surging blood vessels, I called out to Hwangbi with respect.

“Nice to see you, Hwangbi.”

Hwangbi turns to me, bows her waist, and bends her knees to show respect.

Her face looked a little hesitant when she saw me, but soon cleared up.

“Oh my goodness, Master Gutenberg. I didn’t realize you were here.”

“hahahaha, even from afar, the grace of Her Majesty cannot be fully captured by the eye; it shines so brightly. Please forgive the rudeness displayed by my impulsive actions.”

“What are you talking about? Thanks to…”

“However.”

I interrupted her words.

Didn’t she know she would face such rudeness? Empress Hwangbi’s face stiffened.

She must be shocked to this extent. This is just the beginning.

“It seems that Her Majesty is not particularly fond of our family.”

“Your Highness? What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about this floral crown.”

I swiftly handed her the yellow rose crown.

“The yellow rose is a specialty of the Gottberg family, which has been cultivated by our ancestors until now through direct crossbreeding.”

Of course, it’s a lie.

I don’t even know who the ancestors are.

“Well, I see. I didn’t know.”

A faint perplexity appeared on Empress Hwangbi’s face.

“And I personally made this floral crown as a tribute to present to Your Majesty. In accordance with Princess Hwang’s request, I intended it as a gift for Empress Hwangbi.”

“Oh… I see.”

Empress Hwangbi has no excuse.

If Asella hadn’t conveyed the message that this was my tribute, then it would be a flaw in the mediator. Deducted points.

But if it appears that she had no intention of receiving the tribute, then it would be an even greater act of disrespect towards our family.

Of course, Viscounts are beneath the royal family.

But while Asella may not know, Empress Hwangbi, being outside the Emperor’s favor, needs our family.

She doesn’t want her relationship with her father to deteriorate.

However, if by any chance, the viscount’s heirs create a disturbance displeasing to the palace…

Whether it’s negotiations or mediations, they will all go down the drain.

Even if the other party is part of the royal family, it is entirely possible.

I am a notorious troublemaker, after all.

“…Your Highness.”

This is a precarious situation.

Empress Hwangbi probably thinks this is my trap.

As her eyebrows changed sharply, she was definitely hated.

But I’m not scared of you at all.

You probably can’t kill me, but Asella actually does.

What are you going to do?

But if we keep going like this, the deadlock won’t go away.

I proposed a deal to her.

“If you accept the gift immediately, I think it won’t go to the king. What do you think?”

” …I understand.”

Hwang Bi slowly received the crown from me.

My nose constantly running looks quite frustrated.

It’s kind of funny.

“… It seems that he wasn’t just a rogue, he made some political comments as well.”

She mumbled to herself as if brushing past me.

“Hmm, this is ridiculous.”

Why did she have to add a word to protect her pride?

It would have ended very well if she had accepted it quietly.

I’m not an adult who ignores provocations.

“Oh no, one petal fell.”

I took out a rose from my pocket.

It was the one I put in my suit earlier when it was dangerous and the thorns were not yet removed.

“Just take this too.”

Hwang Bi’s hand, which was free to move, inserts the rose there.

“Ouch…!”

Her face contorted with pain.

It’s okay. I pricked her gently so she wouldn’t bleed.

There was a shape of her mouth twitching and trembling with words, almost cursing, until it catches in her throat.

What are you going to do about it?

In the end, Hwang Bi went back grinding her teeth.

“Phew, let’s see where.”

Confirm the system window.

[No. 003: White man’s filial piety 77% → 0%]

[Changed]

[Ending has been deleted.]

“It’s done.”

I felt a surge of relief inside.

It was the moment when my future of being executed disappeared.

It feels like my weight is suddenly lifted off. This, this feeling.

As I enjoy the sense of liberation, unexpectedly, I feel a tap on my back.

“Gongja.”

I turned my head and was surprised to see Asella’s face in front of me.

Instinctively, I took a step back and fell.

I’m still not used to it, as expected.

While I try to calm my startled heart, Asella approaches me with heavy footsteps.

It was like a scene from a horror movie.

“Gongja, I have something I’m curious about.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“What is your name?”

She still doesn’t know.