The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away-Chapter 46: Head Nurse (1)

"They responded to the carrier pigeon."

The next day, I began work alongside Bruno’s report.

I’d also sent word to Tanya that I was still alive.

Unlike the Imperial Guard, who would be returning via Teleport, she had to march back with the main force. It would take a few more days.

It was obviously something she’d worry about, so I asked Bruno to send a pigeon.

“Damn, there’s really no time to rest.”

“There’s a rumor the Subjugation Medal for the Four-Headed Dragon will be awarded at Moonlight Palace.”

“Ah, how annoying. I hate having to decorate my uniform with medals. Any chance of a reward vacation?”

“Hm. Should I disguise myself as you and take your shifts?”

“Bruno, cut that deadpan face. I can’t tell if you’re joking or serious.”

He was nearly twice my size. What the hell was he talking about?

I tapped my status window and headed off to check on Asella.

[Medicine has ranked up to C. You may now select two new skills.]

Two new skills, no less.

Just like I’d planned, I was going to stay on the [Diagnosis] path rather than the [Prescription] route.

“Let’s see, the next skill after blood tests is...”

When I saw the skill name, I couldn’t help the impressed sound that slipped out.

With the rank-up came a new skill tree.

The skill that followed after Diagnosis and Blood Test was exactly what I hoped for.

[X-Ray Imaging D]

No hesitation. I tapped the status window and acquired it.

X-rays were the alpha and omega of diagnostics.

Okay, not the best analogy. If we’re talking about wavelengths, it’s closer to gamma.

With this, I could finally treat fractures based on sight rather than just touch, and detect all sorts of conditions with certainty.

I’d have to test how it actually worked.

Surely it wouldn’t be something absurd like lasers shooting from my eyes or seeing only skeletons in my vision.

“Let’s see what else is here.”

From the prescription path, [Prescription Writing] was now available.

That route could synergize with alchemy, but I didn’t need it immediately.

Next, in the emergency care path, one skill stood out.

[Surgery (Basic) C – You may perform basic-difficulty surgical procedures without failure.]

“Oh.”

Surgery, huh. Definitely interesting.

I’d observed surgeries before, but never actually performed one myself.

I had the basic knowledge, sure, but I couldn’t do any open procedures on my own skill yet.

I was good with a needle and thread, though.

Judging by the description, this skill probably applied only to lower-difficulty operations.

“But who would ever let a knife touch their body?”

In a world where healing magic was taken for granted, cutting someone open with a scalpel would be seen as attempted assassination.

Not like I’d be operating on myself either. This skill might just end up being dead weight.

Unless a cosmetic surgery path opened up later—that’d be a hit.

There was always demand for beauty work. Just look at how Lauga lost her mind over that mask.

Still, even if cosmetic surgery became available, it’d likely require some base experience with normal operations first.

I decided to hold off on that selection for now.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your morning checkup.”

Given everything that had happened, I had even more reason to follow my routine as her physician.

When I checked Asella’s vitals, her blood pressure was lower than usual. Her mana still hadn’t fully stabilized.

On the other hand, her pulse was faster than before.

At this rate, I should probably start monitoring her for arrhythmia. She’s young, but maybe she has some kind of dietary sensitivity.

“I’ll have to prohibit magical activity for today. You’re not back to full condition yet. Also, I’d like to perform a more detailed examination.”

“A detailed exam?”

“Yes. Nothing serious. A blood test, and a photo.”

“A photo? What are you going to use that for?”

“To assess Your Highness’s condition, of course.”

She gave me a skeptical look.

“There won’t be any recording in crystal or anything like that. No need to be so wary.”

“Fine. Go ahead.”

Despite her grumbling, Asella obediently rolled up her sleeve and extended her arm.

She still flinched when I wiped her skin with alcohol. That hadn’t changed.

To distract her from the pain, I started a casual conversation.

“What’s the status of the Recall spell?”

“It’s been banned. All mages who were at the tournament. The origin was traced back to my master, who reverse-engineered my magic circle.”

“Even the Empress Camilla?”

“Yeah.”

Blood slowly filled the syringe.

Asella was so focused on the conversation, she didn’t even notice the needle going in.

“What’s going to happen to the person who summoned the dragon? That’s straight-up treason.”

“They caught a group of black mages nearby. The narrative {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} is that they performed the descent ritual.”

“What?”

What the hell? Black magic out of nowhere?

“They died from self-inflicted curses before they could talk. There’ll be an investigation, but it won’t lead anywhere.”

Did Camilla prepare them with Recall too?

That woman always had a sharp mind—for evil, anyway.

“And knowing His Majesty, he’ll prioritize using this for diplomacy or politics instead of actually finding the culprit.”

In other words, the matter would be buried.

“Your Highness, there was someone who disappeared from the Colosseum when the dragon appeared.”

“I know who you mean. But that testimony’s useless. Georg will vouch for him.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Camilla had become a full enemy of Moonlight Palace. Since the tournament, she’d stayed exclusively at Georg’s residence, the Tojin Palace.

Asella, too, no longer seemed inclined to shield her. Perhaps the dragon incident was the final straw.

“A war with Tojin Palace seems inevitable.”

“If I want to become Emperor, it has to happen eventually. Every heir to the throne is an enemy.”

“Are you truly okay with that, Your Highness? Going to war with your own mother?”

“Ha.”

Asella gave a wicked smile.

“Who do you think I am?”

Hearing that confident voice reminded me of something she once said—

—A grudge is paid back tenfold. That’s the way of the Empire. I show no mercy to enemies.

—Return kindness tenfold? Don’t be ridiculous. I gave you a chance to earn merit for me. Be grateful.

Yeah, this was who Asella really was.

I’d almost forgotten.

But should she really be turning toward me so confidently when—

“Your Highness, you’re still mid-draw.”

“Eek!”

Startled by the sight of her own blood flowing into the syringe, Asella quickly shut her eyes tight.

I’d treated the wounds, and now it was time to test my brand-new skill.

X-ray—how would it work?

“I’d like to conduct the imaging in a closed space.”

Asella, licking the honey candy I gave her for the blood draw, frowned.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said. I need to see inside Your Highness’s body.”

“What?”

Poor phrasing on my part.

Explaining light that penetrates flesh probably wouldn’t help.

“Please just trust me. Is there any metal in your clothing?”

“Do you even hear yourself?”

“If there is, please remove it.”

“It’s not built to come off!”

Asella snapped.

“You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you?”

“What?”

“The only clothes without metal are my pajamas. Are you telling me to come out in my sleepwear?”

“That’s fine, too. You don’t have magic lessons today anyway. A good nap would help recovery.”

She stared at me with her mouth slightly open in disbelief before letting out a puff of air.

“You’re serious, aren’t you, Lord Gotberg?”

“Always. Your Highness’s health is my top priority.”

After quite a bit of back-and-forth, she finally gave in.

“...Fine. Lucie, prepare me.”

I was shooed out of the room while the maids helped her change.

“The princess is ready.”

The head maid signaled me in. They’d drawn the curtains. The lighting was ideal for imaging.

Asella was in a baggy pink nightdress. The lace at the sleeves fluttered—probably a size too big.

She was also hugging a stuffed bear. I had no idea where she got it.

“What are you staring at?”

“You’ll need to put the bear down.”

“Oh.”

Realizing what she was holding, Asella chucked the bear onto the bed. It landed head-first under the pillow.

The head maid leaned in to whisper.

“Her Highness can’t sleep without her comfort toy.”

Interesting. I didn’t know that.

“What if it needs washing?”

“She rarely allows it. When she does, she sleeps with Max.”

Well, thank goodness Max has a gentle temperament.

I confirmed one last thing with her. Any metal would interfere with the scan.

“That dress doesn’t have any metal, right?”

“I said it doesn’t!”

No need to shout.

I had Asella stand in front of the wall and prepared the skill.

X-rays were still radiation. I needed to keep exposure time to a minimum.

This first use was just to see what else I might need.

“Beginning imaging.”

“With what?”

“Oh, right.”

I pulled out a random pen from my pocket.

“This. A newly developed artifact.”

I activated the skill while looking at her.

Oh.

A photo appeared directly in my status window.

So it really was a laser-from-the-eyes mechanism? No film?

Nah. Let’s assume the status window just reads what I see.

Blurry.

I could see the general structure of her internals, but the image quality was poor.

Asella’s frame is small and slim... 0.1 seconds of exposure... okay, let’s estimate that as roughly 200mA current.

Without actual instruments, I had to make some ballpark guesses.

Still, better than nothing.

I continued scanning.

Adjusted exposure times. Tried different angles.

I paid special attention to her abdomen—where she often reported discomfort.

“All done.”

“That’s it? ...Did I come out pretty?”

“Yes. Your eighth and ninth ribs are very photogenic.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“If you're curious, I can record it to a crystal later. That concludes today’s exam. The results will take a bit longer.”

Asella shook her head in disbelief.

“That’s it? You made me change into pajamas and took pictures?”

“Well, the test is done. Nothing else to do, right?”

“Get out.”

“I was going to. No need to rush me.”

As I packed my bag, she threw a question over her shoulder, disinterestedly.

“Lord Gotberg, how’s your body? You were coughing up blood.”

“I was hit by a dragon’s curse. Not sure if you’re aware, but normal people don’t have as much mana as Your Highness. That kind of spell wrecks us.”

“I should’ve let you suffer more.”

“If that makes Your Highness happy.”

“Shameless. Your face must be made of steel.”

“You’re not planning to cook me on that steel, are you?”

“What do you think?”

Wouldn’t be the weirdest way this story ends.

Still, back to the matter at hand.

I spoke to Asella, who was glaring at me with arms crossed.

“Thanks to you, I survived. Forgive the delay, but... thank you, Your Highness.”

She stared at me with disapproval, then sighed.

“I’m going to sleep.”

Patient rest is sacred. Naturally, I stepped aside.

I left Asella’s room.

***

“What the hell is this.”

Asella’s body, seen through X-ray.

Of course the bones were fine.

But her internal organs...

A mess.

I adjusted the colors for contrast and studied the image.

Near her spine and left pelvis, dark blotches clustered.

“So this is what Georg meant.”

The soul or curse Camilla implanted via black magic.

“This is the source of the cost.”

The debuff that came with her talent—now visible to my own eyes.

“But even now, I can’t pinpoint it exactly. I don’t even know what to call it.”

I pressed a finger to my temple.

More detailed scans were needed.

Better skills.

But whatever it was—

“It has to be removed.”

No question.

I opened the status window and acquired the [Surgery] skill without hesitation.

“I can’t do this one alone.”

It wasn’t a simple operation. It was tangled with black magic.

I’d need a lot of equipment, too.

The exact diagnosis might become clear once my medicine rank rose higher.

Until then, there was one thing I could do.

“I need to build a medical team.”

Starting with nurses.

I headed for the Imperial Clinic.