ALL NOVEL Chapter 207
Acella sat on the castle wall, waving at me gently.
Is this déjà vu? I feel like I’ve seen her doing this just before the last regression.
I looked up at the sky.
Fortunately, there was a hole, and the Dragon Legion was not pouring down upon us.
Upon closer inspection, I could see the affection overflowing in the corners of Acella’s smiling eyes.
This was definitely the Acella I knew who had been with me.
The world experienced through the ending viewing rights felt so real, every sensation vivid—from the stuffy air entering my mouth to the sensations at my fingertips.
As such, I could feel the state of my own body clearly.
Is it because the debuffs have worsened? My vision is foggy, and my head is spinning.
Since it’s the ending point, I must have spent all ten years of regression. That’s roughly five years from the time I was in.
“Come here, Lars.”
While I was lost in thought, Acella waved at me again. Under some sort of spell, I approached and sat on the wall, and Acella rested her head on my shoulder.
“Royal Princess, this is…”
“Royal Princess?”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I had a strange dream.”
“Are you still half-asleep? It’s alright. Would you like to go back to bed with me?”
I was surprised by Acella’s incredibly kind demeanor. I hid my confusion and replied.
“It’s alright. Shouldn’t you be attending to the affairs of the state?”
“Wow, you really are still half-asleep, Lars. Affairs of the state? Since when did you start worrying about such things?”
“Excuse me?”
Was this really the Acella I knew? It was a truly perplexing statement. The thought of her shirking her duties as an Empress and drinking alcohol instead of working since morning was mind-boggling.
At that moment, there was a loud thud from the end of the castle wall. One of the guards on watch had fallen, and the sound of armor clashing echoed.
“What’s going on?”
I rushed over to him. The sight of him rolling on the ground, frothing at the mouth, was not good.
“Diagnosis.”
―――――――――――
· Stamina: 13 / 51
· Status: Severe side effects from hallucinations
· Injury: Drug addiction
· Mood: Happiness
―――――――――――
“Drug addiction? What on earth?”
As I was administering emergency treatment, Acella approached.
“Your Majesty, the palace has purged toxins disguised as medications. We need a response.”
She looked at me oddly, tilting her head.
“Poison? Lars, we distributed the ‘Happiness Drug’ throughout the Empire, remember?”
“…What?”
Now that I think about it, other knights had dilated pupils too. That’s a symptom associated with hallucination. Everyone’s been taking drugs.
The streets below the castle were filled with citizens stumbling around like zombies.
Only then did I realize that something was seriously wrong.
I stood up and faced Acella.
“Your Majesty, did we lose to the Demon King’s army?”
“That’s a strange question, Lars.”
Acella came closer with a look of sympathy and wrapped her arms around my waist, sharing her warmth.
“I understand. With your lifespan running out, it’s only natural that your mind is crumbling. Don’t worry. I’ll be with you until your last day.”
“Lifespan…”
I opened the status window.
―――――――――――
Name: Lars
Surname: Württemberg
Age: 26
Occupation: Imperial Physician / Attending Physician
Affiliation: Imperial Palace
Talent: Alchemy – B (S)
Medicine – A (S)
Goal: Avoid bad ending (completed)
Remaining Time: 16 hours
―――――――――――
This hidden ending can be reached when I remain by Acella’s side.
One noticeable point is:
‘Alchemy is only at B rank.’
I immediately opened the skills window.
―――――――――――
◎ Recipe List
· Elixir = ??? + Dragon Scale of the Primitive Dragon + Branch of the World Tree
―――――――――――
‘Is this it?’
The reason my lifespan was brought up was simple.
I failed to make the elixir.
I found out about the second ingredient, but I had no clue what the final one was.
“Your Majesty, might I ask how we managed to win against the Demon King?”
“I don’t think you’ve hit your head… The Hero Party performed splendidly, achieving victory after two years. We were counterattacked at the end, but thanks to you drawing out your secret weapon, we defeated them.”
“What was that secret weapon?”
“I was quite surprised at the time too. Who would have thought you were acquainted with the legendary Heavenly Dragon?”
Did I ask the Heavenly Dragon for a joint attack?
However, I would need their cooperation to gather materials for the elixir.
There was only one request I could make of her. Had I missed the chance to obtain the Dragon Scale of the Primitive Dragon?
Due to the slow growth of my alchemy, I learned this only later, and it seemed I had become entrenched in debuffs, facing an early death… that felt like a logical deduction.
While I wore a serious expression, Acella looked displeased.
“Lars, you’re not saying that you’re dissatisfied with the agreement we made, are you?”
“Agreement… you mean?”
Acella wrapped her arm around my neck and gazed into my eyes.
I felt like a rabbit waiting to be entangled by a snake.
“Until the day you die, we promised to forget all sadness and indulge in every desire together.”
Acella’s gaze was predatory, and her arms clung to me, tightening around my neck.
Perhaps I had become so integrated into this moment that I felt oddly good.
I didn’t feel any sense of crisis.
“I… I did agree to that agreement.”
“At the start, you didn’t even want to listen. Do you know how hard I worked to persuade you for that entire year? If we had enjoyed it like this from the beginning, how happy would we have been? See!”
Acella splashed wine below the castle wall and tossed the cup aside.
A laugh more joyous than ever escaped her lips.
“Your elixir is the best! The citizens have forgotten all their sorrows and are this happy! Lars, you feel the same, don’t you? You gave them everything they wanted: riches, fame, women—everything they could have in this Empire!”
“But…”
Then a single question arose.
“My lifespan isn’t likely to last more than a few days. After that, what will you do, Your Majesty?”
Acella smiled slyly, running her finger along my chin.
“How many times have I given you that answer?”
The eyes of an addict.
With their neural pathways damaged, emotions and thoughts were no longer normal.
Her murky golden eyes stared at me.
“I don’t need a world without you.”
Acella’s answer was firm.
The identity of the hidden ending became clear.
This route allows everything to be within reach.
It certainly suits the description of a path of desire—no obligations to fulfill, no need for more headaches.
Drown all dark, sad emotions in alchemy-made drugs and forget them.
Whether my body deteriorates is irrelevant. After all, I’m on borrowed time, with little lifespan left.
Just spending all day, every day indulging, eating, enjoying, and sharing love. For a year, or maybe over two years.
This is the path where I receive the reward for all the struggles I’ve endured with the highest-grade dopamine.
Acella looks happy too. She must have found satisfaction in the time we’ve spent together without me leaving.
There’s likely no one among the citizens who isn’t high and happy. Happy deaths are rare. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, they wouldn’t even feel pain, perhaps making for a rather fine death.
Yet.
Still.
“Lars.”
Was Acella bored waiting as I fell deep into thought? She tugged on my arm.
Suddenly, a soft sensation touched my lips, moistening my tongue, which had become dry with tension. Before I knew it, Acella’s tongue was forcefully pushing into my mouth.
“Ugh.”
Simultaneously, my vision blurred and I felt as if my body was floating.
Did she drug me?
“Hehe, your expression is coming back.”
Not satisfied with the sticky kiss, Acella licked her lips and grabbed my arm.
I was pulled toward her laughter. The Emperor’s bedroom awaited.
With a bang, Acella boldly opened the door.
The bedroom was adorned with pink lace and roses.
The enormous bed could easily accommodate ten people.
“…What is this?”
Seeing the scene laid out before me, I became spellbound as Acella beckoned me closer.
In a daze, I was drawn in.
On the bed, already prepared to serve, were ten half-nude maids.
What was strange was that Gishta and Lishe were mixed in among them.
“Lars.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Acella grinned devilishly.
“Let’s have fun again today. Until the sun sets and rises again.”
Her hand slipped into my clothing, caressing my collarbone.
As my consciousness faded, I asked a question.
“Your Majesty?”
“Uh-huh?”
“If I had run away from you that day, what would you have done?”
“What would I have done or what should I have done?”
Acella’s lips curled in a smile.
“I would have desperately chased after you to become the Emperor. I would have wanted to reclaim you.”
As I let my thoughts drift, I was sucked into the mass of flesh spread across the bed.
*
―――――――――――
· Hidden Ending [The Attending Physician Healed the Wicked Woman and Was Satisfied] has been viewed.
―――――――――――
I returned to reality, having finished my viewing.
I was still collapsed on the ground. Acella was laying on top of me, her face buried in my chest, waiting for an answer.
Compared to the Empress I had seen before, she still seemed youthful. The Empress from the hidden ending had a somewhat worn look.
Unconsciously, I patted her head. Acella jolted at my touch.
The day felt like it passed in one or two hours. I had acquired many clues.
‘This ending is quite tempting.’
You can obtain everything you want. Even desires can be expressed freely, with no one stopping you—only encouraging you.
The degree of happiness obtained through this would undoubtedly be substantial. Happiness is ultimately determined by how much neurotransmitters are released from the brain’s synapses, surpassing a threshold.
‘But.’
Throwing away everything I have built until now to indulge in drugs with Acella.
While the degree of happiness might be high, the right to choose the kind belongs to me.
No, more than anything.
‘What use is it if I die?’
Failed to make the elixir?
Did my future self trip and degrade in intelligence while walking down the street? How foolish.
“Royal Princess.”
I grabbed Acella’s shoulder and pulled her up.
I sat opposite her, locking eyes.
“I’ve given this much thought.”
“Don’t say you’re leaving.”
“I have something important to tell you.”
A clear reason that Acella would understand, why I had to retire from the attending physician position.
I held that secret in my mouth.
“I am terminally ill. I won’t be long for this world. The Imperial Family cannot cure my affliction.”
“…What?”
At my confession, despair washed over Acella’s face.