The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away

Impressions.

Nobility’s social circle parties are exhausting.

I’m nothing more than Acella’s brooch. Like an accessory, I stood quietly beside her.

Since it was Acella’s first party, she received countless greetings from the nobles. It’s impressive that she remembers each name.

It wasn’t hard to stand there like an object, smiling quietly as she instructed.

―”So you are the eldest son of the Marquis of Gothberg. It would be an honor to shake your hand.”

―”I saw the Martial Arts Tournament footage. Tanya, the Sword Expert! She’s certainly a woman worth serving!”

―”I heard that the Teacher healed all the epidemic in the palace alone. Hehe, I’m curious about your secret.”

Dealing with middle-aged nobles is tiring.

Then again, even if Neria had represented, it makes sense to go through me to connect with the Gothberg family.

There will certainly be relationships that will come in handy once business expands later.

My father wasn’t the type to frequent social gatherings, so I needed to make a solid first impression.

“Brother, look at this cake! It’s piled up like a mountain!”

Neria, forgetting her duties, excitedly wandered around the snack corner.

“Oh, Princess. You should try this Mont Blanc.”

“This crème brûlée here is sweet too.”

Still, she raised the family’s favor carefully.

She was receiving affection from many noble ladies all over her body.

With Boris and Bruno guarding, there was little risk of other problems arising.

Well, it doesn’t really matter about the old geezers.

―”Oh my, is that really the Gothberg Prince? Not at all what I heard?!”

―”Hey, he’s the attending physician in the Inner Palace! He’s so competent that both the First and Second Royal Princess have offered him love calls!”

―”What a reckless lad; he’s totally a gentleman. If I had known, I would have wanted to meet him when the marriage talks came up.”

―”How did Princess Acella know to snatch him first? So envious. The royal family’s information network is something else.”

―”Prince, do you perhaps have no siblings?”

―”Or at least cousins!”

―”I’m okay with a concubine. If I send a letter to the Inner Palace, will it reach you, Prince?”

I had no idea there were this many noble families in the Empire. The noble ladies were just as swarming.

Each one offered their greetings to Acella before throwing a line my way.

Because of Acella’s orders, I couldn’t even open my mouth, which was torture.

I wondered if I would get labeled as mute.

Surrounded by noble ladies, I noticed that Acella seemed a bit pleased.

Could it be that she unexpectedly enjoyed the social scene?

‘Well, when Acella becomes Emperor, 80% of the nobles in the Empire will support her.’

―”What is my weakness, you ask? Ahahaha! That’s the silliest question I’ve heard this year, Healer. As if I could have a weakness!”

―”Since I was young, I mastered all studies, magic, and politics. The noble nobles of the social circles were all lost in my rhetoric. Now they must have realized they were deceived.”

―”But why do you ask? Are you taking notes to ensure that I die next time? It would be quicker to shoot the moon down from the sky.”

No matter how conceited she may be, Acella is indeed a genius.

Even now, she must be sowing seeds to attract young nobles.

She must have studied each profile in detail, but I wonder when she had the time for that.

“I will receive the next greeting in an hour.”

An escort of Acella stepped forward. Royals have scheduled breaks since the rush of greetings at a party never ends.

Once Acella distanced herself from the crowd, she sat at a secluded table. When a servant brought a cocktail, I told him,

“Bring me herbal tea instead of alcohol.”

“Herbal tea, understood.”

The servant took the glass away, and Acella complained.

“I want to drink coffee.”

“That’s not allowed. You can have it when you’re an adult.”

“I’ve had it before. It was fine.”

“You promised you’d listen to me when I became your attending physician. Oops, here’s an Inner Palace visitor badge. Whose is it?”

“That’s annoying.”

Acella sulked, glancing around and pointed her chin toward someone.

“There’s Princess Schwarzschwaik. She’s the guest of honor today. Her father is the one that made a name, but it’s guaranteed that the Duke’s family will prosper.”

“Certainly a crowd is gathered around. The one on the steps is the Western Duke.”

“That’s right. I have to wait since it wouldn’t look good if I went first. Because rank-wise, I’m superior.”

Even at her first social gathering, Acella had calculated everything. It seemed she planned to take control of the Duke’s family from here.

“Has His Majesty not arrived?”

“The Duke must have come to visit separately. Such gatherings would be tiresome for him. And this is relatively a younger atmosphere.”

“Indeed.”

“…Isn’t it boring?”

Acella suddenly asked me, looking slightly fidgety.

“Is this gathering boring? Well, it is an important event for you, Your Highness.”

“That’s true, but….”

“Why?”

Acella hesitated, finally swallowing her words.

“Never mind.”

“During the break, you should just rest and do nothing, it’s called zoning out.”

“I know! Don’t be so uptight even here.”

Seeing Acella getting annoyed, I decided to stay quiet.

Soon, music began to play, and the lights shifted.

The spotlight focused on the stage, and some nobles paired up to dance.

“Can you dance?”

“Haha, not at all.”

“…Really? Haven’t you learned anything?”

“I was studying healing spells?”

“Liar.”

“I’m serious.”

When have I had the opportunity to dance when all I’ve been doing was hunting demons and rolling around battlefields?

As the stage brightened, I seemed hidden in the shadows, like viewing a different world.

As I stared blankly at the stage, Lau was joyfully dancing with a noble lady he’d caught from somewhere.

Suddenly, Acella grabbed my wrist.

“Come with me.”

We left the party venue and walked through the corridor.
Acella took me to a quiet balcony.

“Here, you can hear the music.”

“True. The view is nice too.”

I looked down from the balcony. There was a meticulously arranged garden with a life-sized goddess statue standing.

In the original work, it served as a checkpoint. You can often see it even in the Imperial Palace.

“Your Highness, did you know? Being near the goddess statue gives slight but beneficial effects. Like nullifying low-grade black magic…”

“Stop with that talk. Look at me instead.”

I must follow the command.
I paused my knowledge display and faced Acella.

“Take my hand and raise your arm.”

As I moved according to Acella’s words, she pressed herself close to me.

Her hair almost brushed beneath my nose, swaying gently.

“Next, move your right foot on the beat.”

“Excuse me?”

“Beat.”

Without warning, Acella tensed her body. I was pushed into stepping.

I gazed down to follow her steps.

I had already lost the music. I was too focused on not stepping on Acella’s foot, making my timing awkward.

Ultimately, a clumsy rhythm continued, clattering like a horse’s hooves. If it had been tap dancing, I might have scored high, but unfortunately, it was blues.

“Ugh, you can’t do this.”

“Hey, I told you I’ve never done this.”

Acella smiled with satisfaction as she looked up at me.

She seemed pleased to torture me.

“Are you having a bit of fun now?”

Acella’s golden eyes reflected the lights of the terrace, shining like cubic crystals.

It is said that the eyes are the most potent part for mana flow.

It felt like swimming in a lake beneath the evening glow.

“Sort of.”

Well, it’s a fresh experience.

Acella scoffed at my response and lowered her gaze to her feet, slowly continuing her steps.

Swish, swish.

Admiring Acella’s dancing hair, she slowly started speaking.

“Hey, Prince.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I have one question.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“…Do you often have dreams?”

“Dreams?”

Why is she suddenly bringing this up?

I have no idea where this is going.

“How about you, Your Highness? Sleep quality is important. If one has breathing troubles due to things like rhinitis, they often have nightmares.”

“I… hear voices speaking to me.”

“Voices?”

“Yeah. They say horrible things that I never even thought of.”

I wondered if the traces of black magic still linger inside Acella’s abdomen.

Georg mentioned they had infused the soul and talent of a great witch.

If Camilla told me, then it wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate.

Lacking expertise in black magic, I have no idea what Acella is fighting against.

However, I understand what it feels like to endure pain caused by any disease.

Whether it be the soul or a curse, it’s all the same.

For me, it’s a pathogen that inflicts pain on patients.

It’s something to be eliminated.

I ask again the question I once posed her.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

At my question, Acella gently shook her head.

“It’s alright. For now.”

“Your Highness, about the illness plaguing you inside…”

“Yeah.”

“I will definitely cure you.”

Acella received my declaration quite flatly and quietly replied.

“I swear.”

I could feel the pressure in Acella’s hand tightening.

Her fingers were unnaturally thin for her age, and even compared to my inadequate strength, they felt frail.

Holding the base feels like it might snap like a rose petal.

A brief silence followed.

The warmth of the summer night meant there was no need for a coat.

Step by step, gradually, I moved in rhythm with Acella as time passed.

“Prince, you answer too.”

“About the dream talk?”

“Yeah. Do you… have nightmares too?”

Nightmares.

It’s a topic I don’t particularly want to bring up.

“Why the face?”

Did I inadvertently tense my face?

“No, it’s nothing.”

Since I first experienced death, I’ve replayed scenes like that repeatedly in similar situations.

Naturally, the more deaths I’ve experienced, the more scenes I’ve accumulated.

Exactly 101, to be precise.

It hasn’t been entirely negative, as it provided help with the strategies.

Even sleeping isn’t an exception, as I often wake up after dying in my dreams.

If only I could faint, that would be better, as I wouldn’t have to see it.

As soon as I wake, I quickly forget. I can’t let my brain’s subconscious activities spoil a day in reality.

But sometimes…

It still appears even when I’m active during the day.

“Prince? Why did you fall silent?”

Especially when I face Acella’s face directly like this.

I raised the corners of my mouth.

“I too am a person who has nightmares sometimes. Conversely, I also have pleasant dreams. Oh, just this morning, I rode a unicorn and flew in the sky.”

“If you flew in the sky, it must have been Pegasus. A unicorn wouldn’t carry a flirt like you.”

“Haha, but a dream is a dream, right?”

Even after insultingly branding me, Acella didn’t seem to enjoy it as usual; she looked somewhat unsettled.

Acella appeared to be contemplating for a moment.

Her thin lips slowly parted.

And then, she finally threw me that question.

“…So, what is the thing you wrote in your notebook?”

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