ALL NOVEL Chapter 53
“Ju, I’m readyyy!”
Chloe plopped down today’s completed materials with a thud.
“Okay. Looks like we have enough to meet the deadline. Starting next week, we’ll be delivering to Mokhwi Palace, so manage it well.”
“Yes!”
For now, making potions with my alchemy is faster and more accurate.
Once my skills improve, I plan to leave the potion-making to Chloe.
I asked for a job advertisement since we would be short-staffed, but there are still no applicants.
I open the status window and check my skills list.
―――――――――――
○ Alchemy C
· Enhancement C – Property Change C
· Compression C
· Synthesis C – Extraction D
· (Not Acquired)
○ Medicine C
· Diagnosis C – Blood Test C – X-ray D
· Prescription D
· Emergency Treatment D – Surgery (Basic) C
· (Not Acquired)
―――――――――――
I now have quite a few skills, so I need to use them effectively.
For medicine like aspirin that utilizes the effects of raw materials, compression and enhancement processes are useful and quick to make.
Medicines requiring chemical processing need to start with extraction, thus taking a long time to create.
“Teacher, the materials have arrived.”
“Uh, just stack them for now.”
Tanya neatly placed a huge box in a corner. At this rate, the office was turning into a logistics warehouse.
We definitely need a bigger space.
Right now, what I want to create first is a digestive aid.
Thanks to that, I’ve been gathering all sorts of ingredients like pig pancreases, corn, and various greens.
“It’s taking too long. Mass production is out of the question for this.”
I gave up on producing digestive aid raw materials.
Spending too much time on emergency medicine reduces efficiency.
Using simpler materials lowers effectiveness, making it unusable for patients.
If I’m going to invest time anyway, I should make a potent one like a painkiller, strength-enhancing elixir, or mana potion.
That’s what you call a finishing move.
I decided to postpone making digestive aids until the mass production system is set up.
“Should I just make some carbonated water instead?”
Carbonated water isn’t completely ineffective for digestion either.
But too much can actually be toxic to the stomach.
Cola… I’d love to have some.
I’ll move on to creating a finishing move. Fortunately, there’s something I’ve been working stolidly on for a few days now that’s nearly done.
I prepare the liquids to fill two syringes.
I got the idea from the chemical warfare equipment issued to soldiers along with gas masks.
“This is an antidote.”
This antidote temporarily alleviates neurotoxic effects, buying time for treatment.
Surprisingly, most antidotes are poisonous themselves. The term “antidote to poison” exists for a reason.
The idea for the antidote came from the incident where Camilla recalled the black magician group.
Black magic shows illusions or attacks that rely heavily on damage over time.
Basically, it behaves like poison.
The Curse of the Death Dragon also falls under this category. Acella got caught up in it during the Martial Arts Tournament, and the same thing could happen again.
If Acella poisoned herself and died? No need to say more; I’d be guaranteed a bad ending.
The antidote is a safeguard for that.
“The smaller one is atropine, and the larger one is oxime.”
It’s the product of my alchemical grind, diligently searching for toxic herbs in the northern mountains of the Imperial Palace.
“Synthesis.”
Completing the final process with a spell.
Hmm, it’s lovely.
Since it’s for emergency use, I hope I won’t need it.
I place the syringes carefully within my robe.
Now that I have many types of syringes prepared, I’ve memorized their locations precisely to avoid confusion.
“Teacher, shouldn’t you be moving to prepare for the party soon?”
At Tanya’s suggestion, I checked my pocket watch.
“There are still three hours left?”
“That’s why you should go.”
“But it only takes 5 minutes to change clothes.”
“Are you serious? With that hairstyle?”
What’s wrong with my hair?
“Ju, it’s an important occasion… please take care of the office.”
Even Chloe started pushing me from behind.
With that kind of push, I can’t exactly refuse, and I’d get scolded by Acella if I’m late anyway.
I set off for Moonlight Palace.
*
Darkness settled over the ballroom in the Imperial Palace where the party was held. The sparkling starlight was overshadowed by the magnificent decorations.
The fact that the Western Duke’s family had contributed since the founding of the Empire or had declared victory in the recent small battle against the Kingdom was, of course, important.
Important, but Acella sighed for a different reason as she looked out from the balcony.
As the heir, it’s essential to win over the nobility. Even if I become Empress, it’s useless if a rebellion breaks out immediately.
I had to step into the social circle eventually. Today, especially, was a gathering of powerful young individuals who would become heads of their families with the generation change.
But right now, I was too busy growing factions within the Imperial Family and keeping other heirs in check.
There was so much to do.
Faction growth, Imperial Family management, winning over the nobility, and studies.
I was confident I could handle all of it simultaneously. In fact, Moonlight Palace has visibly grown compared to when Camilla was in power.
Just handling the tasks expected of a girl like Acella was superhuman. But those demands are also natural for the bloodline of the Imperial Family.
Perhaps it was a bit of a burden.
The unnoticeable sigh I let out was accumulated stress slipping out unknowingly.
And I also hoped that I wouldn’t suddenly develop abdominal pain in front of so many people.
The main reason I had continuously declined Lau’s invitations was that.
Showing weakness in front of the nobility would make recovery difficult.
I planned to debut in the social circle a little later, maybe two or three years down the line.
‘Still.’
I craved more now.
The Emperor was aging.
As if doubting he could make it until next year, he excessively boasted of his vitality.
Even the Martial Arts Tournament didn’t halt because of the epidemic and the attack of demons.
It’s said that he spent most of the tournament sleeping, having missed it entirely after just two days.
The attending physician and healers had a rough time dealing with all that.
Although he wasn’t very old, he had exhausted his youthful vigor.
With uncertainty about when he might collapse, I had to prepare more swiftly.
And…
At this moment, I felt like any unexpected incident would be alright.
Let’s endure a little longer.
That’s what I was thinking when…
“Acella.”
At the sound calling her name, Acella turned her head.
Camilla, all dressed up, had stepped out from the adjacent room onto the balcony.
“Your Majesty.”
“You seem to be doing well.”
A bittersweet smile crossed Camilla’s face.
She seemed relatively less venomous than before.
“I’m surprised you could run Moonlight Palace so well without me.”
“Because I’m a princess. What brings you here?”
Acella quickly wanted to get to the point, knowing that Camilla wouldn’t speak to her without a purpose.
“The agreement with George has concluded.”
“What was the content of the agreement?”
“As you know, the second Empress is not suited for politics, just like Lauga’s second princess. She’s a lady who has only enjoyed luxury in her cage her whole life.”
The second Empress; this was about George and Lauga’s biological mother, a stunning princess taken from a foreign nation during the conquest wars 25 years ago.
“The disadvantage for George compared to Gunter or Heike is that he lacks a well-established Empress.”
Clink, Camilla stepped towards Acella.
“In exchange for my cooperation with George, George will treat me as the Empress and grant me authority after his ascension. That’s the content of the agreement.”
George the second prince was essentially acknowledging Camilla as his political stepmother.
Conversely, it implied that Camilla intended to sever all ties with Acella and the Imperial Family.
“Acella, I need the Emperor as my ally. It’s been a long time since the Emperor turned his back on me.”
“I know.”
“It’s true I was greedy and did despicable things to you. I’m reflecting on that.”
Acella listened calmly to Camilla’s words.
“I may have laid too much of a burden on you, the youngest of the Imperial Family. My war should have been fought by me alone from the start.”
Camilla’s smile lifted at the corners of her mouth as she expressed regret.
“Acella, you don’t have to be tied to the succession anymore. Enjoy the privileges of royalty like Lauga and live happily.”
“…Is that really okay?”
At Acella’s question, Camilla’s expression brightened as she responded.
“Of course. Leave the troublesome matters to me. You don’t have to study or manage the palace. You don’t have to learn magic either. I’ve consulted with my sage.”
Camilla excitedly raised her voice.
“They said they could remove your magical talent and burdens. Acella, from now on, you’ll live a normal life freely.”
“Is that so?”
Unlike Camilla, who was passionate, Acella maintained her calm demeanor.
Her sharp gaze pierced through Camilla.
Then she calmly uttered a single line.
“I refuse.”
“What?”
Gone was the friendly face, replaced with a furrowed brow from Camilla.
Acella stood firm, not bending an inch.
The reason Acella remained calm was simple.
She saw through Camilla’s pretense from the start.
“I said no. The decision to become Empress is solely my will. Even without your desires, the reasons for succession are numerous.”
“How can you say that so resolutely?”
“Your tone always rises when you lie.”
“What did you say?”
“For my entire life, you’ve stopped at nothing to make me Empress. You wouldn’t throw away all the time and resources you’ve invested over the years. Do you think this Acella von Württemberg would fall for such cheap theatrics?”
“Ha, you little…”
Camilla revealed her true colors and knocked over a glass sitting on the table.
The glass shattered on the floor, creating a crash that echoed.
“I’ve raised a monster all this time! How dare you rebel against me like that!”
The saying goes that birds of a feather flock together; George and Camilla had not lost their tempers.
You underestimated me, thinking I would just roll over for some sweet deal.
If you truly cared for me, you would have brought up the theme of the Death Dragon that attacked during the Martial Arts Tournament.
There was only one magic expert in this royal family who surpassed Camilla.
If she genuinely wanted the best for me, wouldn’t she at least show concern for my well-being?
Camilla, even now, was solely filled with her own greed.
Acella speculated about Camilla’s intentions for approaching her.
‘The most peculiar part of our recent conversation.’
She showed no signs of trying to take the resources of Moonlight Palace, like knights or funds.
‘The part about her consulting with her sage must be a lie.’
Why would she bring up the sweet tale of removing my magical talent?
‘Does she want to get rid of my abilities instead of simply taking them?’
What did I possess that made Camilla go to such lengths, pretending to be a good mother to take it away?
How did she even know what I held?
If I think about it, it’s clear.
‘She’s never called me her daughter.’
She’s never referred to herself as my mother.
She always used “I.”
Acella reaffirmed her conviction.
Camilla was a power-hungry demon and an enemy.
Thump, thump, the vibrations from the orchestra playing below echoed.
The adults were wrapping up their congratulations for the duke, and it was time for the young nobility to enter.
“Excuse me, as my turn has come. Please keep the matters written so that it’s more convenient for both of us.”
“Acella!”
Ignoring Camilla’s exclamation, Acella swiftly turned and walked into the room.
Although I didn’t outwardly show it, my heart pounded.
That recent clash served as a moment of certainty.
Camilla was no longer my mother.
Nowhere in the Imperial Family… Acella had no family.
She forcibly suppressed the rising emptiness.
Ignoring it, she turned away.
‘After all, I’ve always been doing it alone.’
From here on out, nothing would change. There would be no room for disappointment.
Wasn’t it all a resignation? Didn’t I already know?
The road to becoming Emperor is lonely, perilous, and drenched in blood.
But it must be done.
If I become the Emperor.
—As an Emperor, I shall plunge the world into ruin.
Unbeknownst to herself, Acella quickened her pace as she left the room with the head maid’s assistance in the corridor.
And…
“Your Royal Highness.”
A voice called out.
A man was waiting for her.
The darkness that had been creeping up her body slowly faded away.
The tumultuous thoughts in her mind began to settle under the quiet moonlight.
…What a wonder it was.
Acella carefully examined him.
His meticulously styled white hair exuded nobility.
The skinny suit accentuated his slender form. While he lacked raw masculinity, he had an oddly alluring silhouette that triggered a protective instinct in women.
Yet, while embodying the etiquette of the nobility, he extended his hand politely, making her feel like a queen.
Lars tilted his head.
“Are you alright? Your forehead seems a little flushed. Would you like a check-up even now…?”
“Just take my hand, Prince.”
“Yes.”
Acella gently placed her gloved hand over his.
They walked down the hallway.
She could easily tell that he was adjusting his pace to match hers.
“Prince.”
“Yes.”
“Confidently, shoulders back.”
“Of course. How could I risk tarnishing your Majesty’s reputation?”
“Shut up and speak less. If any noble lady speaks to you, don’t say a word.”
“Yes.”
What a handful this man was.
Acella found herself sneaking glances at his profile without thinking.
—“Presenting the radiant jewel of the Imperial Family, Your Royal Highness Acella von Württemberg, and her betrothed!”
The entrance doors swung open, and bright light poured in.
Acella lifted her right foot in sync with Lars.