Entering the Palace
"Congratulations on being selected as the chief physician, my son."
After the final selections were over, I had a chat with Father in the main hall. He was so thrilled about my appointment that he forgot his dignity as the family head, unable to hide his beaming smile.
"Haha, it's all thanks to your guidance, Father."
"No, I failed to properly teach you about healing arts or the wisdom of life. It was my great oversight not to pay you more attention sooner. This success is entirely your own doing, Ras."
Father placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded.
"Congratulations on your success, Brother."
"Ah, Neria. Thanks."
Neria seemed a bit down for some reason.
"Neria, is something wrong? Ras has this great news, but your face looks gloomy."
"No, it's not that... well, not really..."
Neria shrank back, her voice trailing off.
"Brother, you're going to the imperial palace now, right...? I finally got to talk with you after so long, and now I won't be able to see you..."
"Haha."
How did Neria manage to say something so sweetly with just a few words? I stroked her head as I replied.
"I'll take frequent leaves, so you'll see me soon enough. I've already arranged it."
"Really?"
Only then did a bright smile light up Neria's face.
"Yeah. While I'm at the imperial palace, there's something I want you to do for me, Neria."
"Me?"
"Yeah. You know the rose bed in front of the annex?"
"Oh, yes! I always had to pass by it whenever I went out of the mansion..."
Neria hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands, as if realizing her slip-up.
So that dog hole really was for her secret outings.
"Tend to that bed and grow lots of roses for me. Send me the petals regularly, mixed with honey candies."
"Honey candies and rose petals..."
"It's important. Can you handle it?"
"Of course! Leave Brother's rose bed to me!"
Neria clenched her fist with a confident expression. Our Neria—I could trust her completely.
I headed to the barracks next.
Despite the massive operation the day before, Captain Tanya hadn't rested. She was still doing strength training in the training grounds, hauling rocks, but it didn't seem like I was interrupting.
She spotted me and came running over right away.
"Hey, Captain."
"Young Master, I heard the news. Congratulations."
"Now the real grind begins."
I crunched on a candy and replied casually, making Tanya chuckle as she brushed back her sweat-dampened bangs.
"Am I interrupting your training?"
"Not at all. This is the Gotberg mansion—you can come and go anywhere, anytime. It's I who needs to prepare."
"Good. Keep up this energy."
"As long as you stay as diligent as you are now, Young Master."
I couldn't win against her with words. Great people really are different.
"Captain, I'm starting my duties as chief physician at the imperial palace tomorrow."
"Understood."
"As we discussed, I'd like you to come along as my escort knight. What do you say?"
I suggested it lightly, as if asking her to join me for a neighborhood stroll.
Tanya stepped forward as if she'd been waiting and offered a handshake.
"Looking forward to working with you, Young Master."
"A handshake? Shouldn't you be kneeling and swearing fealty?"
"You know how northern knights do things."
"Even at the palace?"
Tanya shrugged with a light smile. A plain handshake was boring, so I gripped just her thumb and bumped shoulders. She seemed to like that greeting better.
"Escorts are limited to two. Got anyone else to recommend for the other spot?"
"How about asking Boris? Aren't you close?"
"Close? He's injured and can't go right away, and I can't drag a guy about to be newlywed along."
"Hmm... fair point. Still, let's talk to him."
I visited Boris in his sickbed, and he immediately recommended a knight.
"Aw, it'd be fun to go with you, Young Master, but the marquisate is my place. Nothing beats home soil, right? Recommend Bruno instead."
Bruno was ready the moment Boris called him. He hadn't been in my squad during the monster subjugation, but he'd performed well. His burly build reminded me of a gray bear.
"Bruno, the Young Master needs an escort while serving as chief physician at the palace. Care to join me?"
"It's an honor."
I liked his straightforward acceptance.
"With you and Bruno gone, Captain, our knight order's strength will be down for a bit."
"You're managing it well, Boris."
"Whoa, making me vice-captain? Pay raise too?"
"No extra pay, but more leave."
"Eh, that'll do."
And just like that, my palace companions were set.
The next day, I donned the clothes Sibers and the servants had prepared and stepped out of the annex.
"To think you'd actually enter the Imperial Medical Office as chief physician, Young Master—truly moving."
Sibers always overreacted. I wouldn't see him much, but I'd miss him later?
"Glad the clothes you ordered arrived fitted, Young Master."
I didn't wear the usual healer's robes. Over my normal suit, I donned a specially ordered garment—the symbol of a physician: a white coat.
"Send extras as they're finished."
"Of course. Leave it to me."
We passed through the garden and exited the marquisate's main gate. Father, Neria, the servants, the knights—many waved me off. I waved back appropriately.
Leaving the mansion, we headed to the Teleport Gate. My two escort knights flanked me, trailed by a small army of knights and servants.
At the center stood Asella, chin raised, looking down at me imperiously.
"You're late."
I checked my pocket watch—it was well before departure time.
"I'm not."
"If you kept me waiting, you are."
Of course, Your Highness sets the world's standards.
Soon, Empress Camilla joined us from the mansion side. A prepared court mage channeled mana, and a signal from the palace opened the portal through the gate. A cascade of blue light poured out.
Just before stepping in, Asella asked me,
"Young lord, ever used a gate before?"
"No."
I hadn't since regressing, so that was true.
Asella grinned devilishly at my answer.
"Good. It'll be a fresh experience."
With those words, she strode ahead gracefully.
"Shall we go, Young Master?"
"Let's. One thing, Captain Tanya—from now on, call me Teacher."
"Understood, Teacher."
Quack or not, with the chief physician title, this level of respect was fine. I popped a honey candy in my mouth and plunged into the blue light.
My first Teleport Gate experience after regressing was the worst. My head spun wildly, and I collapsed unceremoniously on the spot.
Asella laughed at me, and I had to be carried into the palace by Captain Tanya.
"So this is the imperial palace."
Tanya gawked at the grand, resplendent crimson buildings, clearly fascinated.
The palace grounds sat at the capital's heart. Fittingly imperial, its scale dwarfed even the Gotberg marquisate mansion. The emperor's main palace was fortress-like, with separate palaces for imperial family members scattered about.
Asella and Empress Camilla resided in the "Moonlight Palace," northwest of the grounds.
"And this is the room I'll be staying in."
It was right next to Asella's actual room. I'd expected some distance, but no—it was on the second floor, separated by just one wall.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Much better now."
"There's an appointment ceremony this afternoon. Let's unpack and prepare first."
"Work schedule?"
"Starts immediately tomorrow."
Tanya handed me the itinerary. As chief physician, my core duty was daily health checks on my assigned patient—the imperial family member. Detect even minor abnormalities, heal them instantly, and maintain peak condition at all times.
"Up at dawn for mana circuit checks. They even prepared dedicated artifacts."
My room was stocked with tools and high-end artifacts for the chief physician.
"Useless junk for Asella, since healing spells don't work on her."
I shoved the mana measurer into a drawer and closed it.
"She promised to prepare the environment, after all."
I could request any materials needed.
"What's your plan, Teacher?"
Tanya and Bruno eyed me curiously. I smirked, curling my lip.
"Not payback exactly, but this much is fair, right?"
"You mean the princess...?"
"Yeah. She wouldn't be scared of a little needle, would she? What do you think?"
Tanya blinked blankly at my question as I checked the Blood Test skill description.