27. The Princess's Magic (2)

Seeing the text on the status window stirred up the trauma I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠buried deep in my memories.

"Asella completely lost her mind and went berserk like a monster a few times."

In the latter half of the game, there were times when Asella appeared as a mindless beast that wouldn't listen to reason—a sort of hidden boss event. This ending was a bad ending where you got captured by the hidden boss Asella and tortured to death with magic.

"The empress is increasing the odds of this ending?"

I couldn't help but frown. The reason the bad ending probability was rising was that Asella was about to have a negative experience in the event that triggered it.

"There's only one thing I need to do in a situation like this."

Just act the opposite.

"Lucy sis."

"Eek! Teacher?"

I grabbed the head maid's arm as she started to walk away, and she clutched her chest like she'd encountered a monster. She's way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too on guard.

"What do you mean by going to the workshop?"

"Let's talk outside first…."

"I'm not going anywhere until I hear an explanation."

"Oh, come on…!"

The head maid bit her lip in distress, then quickly whispered in my ear.

"There's a magic workshop belonging to Her Majesty the Empress in the basement of Moonlight Palace. On days when the princess doesn't study properly, she gets extra special lessons there. We have to clear out right away…."

"You mean disciplining her with magic?"

"Well…."

She trailed off, unable to answer my question directly. I'd figured out how things worked here.

Empress Camilla was a fairly knowledgeable witch when it came to magic—a mage who'd reached at least the 5th Hierarchy, no less. Her brand of magical punishment.

It must hurt like hell. And yet, depending on the spell, it probably wouldn't leave a mark for anyone to see.

As I sank into thought for a moment, Camilla called out to us in a voice sharp as shattered glass.

"Personal physician, didn't you hear me? Get out of the room."

"My title is 'teacher,' but it seems you haven't heard."

I stepped forward instead, and her face twisted.

"What did you just say?"

"If you're planning to punish the princess with magic, I have to stop you. It's my job as her personal physician to look after her patient's health."

Asella's pupils dilated at my words. Her wavering eyes fixed straight on me.

"Hah, so the healer's little game has finally crossed the line."

The empress scoffed mockingly.

"Punishment? This concerns the education of the Third Imperial Princess. This is the imperial family, boy. Know your place."

"It's only natural that my workload increases if my patient gets injured. It's squarely within my duties."

"Then fix her up afterward. If you don't want to tarnish your family's name, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sit there quietly. Coming here through inner court manipulation, of all things."

"Wow, me?"

"Young Master Gotberg, when you committed lèse-majesté back at the marquessate, I let it slide for your father's sake. Even when you wasted the holy chalice, I mercifully forgave you."

"Yes. I let Her Majesty's barbs slide for my father's sake, and I graciously accepted the holy chalice too."

"You insolent little…!"

The empress's face turned beet red, like coal fueling a steam locomotive, her rage boiling over.

"The only reason I haven't dealt with you is one: wasting time on a brainless wastrel like you is a loss for me! But this time, you've gone too far."

"The greater good?"

"I raise Asella my way. You've barged into imperial family matters without qualification!"

"As her fiancé, I have every qualification."

Asella's pupils widened again at my response.

"You…!"

The empress glared at me, grinding her teeth.

"How dare you talk back like that!"

"Then could you tell me what this lesson for the princess entails? Depending ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the content, I might even permit that special class."

"Are you saying the wife of the emperor needs permission from a mere healer like you?"

Thud.

I took a step toward the empress.

"Not 'mere,' Your Majesty. I'm the personal physician appointed by the princess herself. Call me 'doctor.' I'm a retainer to the heir and a member of Princess Asella's faction."

As my logical words poured out steadily, the empress's momentum faltered.

"Since an outsider like Your Majesty—who might harm the princess's precious body out of malice—requires permission as a matter of course."

"Did you just call me, her own mother, an outsider?"

"Isn't that what you are? In the imperial family, there are no allies just because they're parents or siblings. My liege is Princess Asella alone."

At my words, the empress seemed to run out of patience, unconsciously emanating mana from her body. A sinister black aura.

"Everyone else, get out."

She issued the command in a voice cold as ice. The atmosphere felt like the guillotine blade was about to drop any second.

Tanya stepped in front of me.

"My duty is to escort the teacher…."

"It's fine. Go."

I might be safe as a direct Gotberg heir, but she could get tangled in a lèse-majesté charge. I nodded at the hesitant Tanya, giving her a final glance, and she withdrew.

Bam.

The door closed, leaving just me, Empress Camilla, and Asella in the room.

"You wanted to know the special lesson's content, right?"

Camilla flicked her hand, conjuring a magic circle. Four intricate geometric shapes intersected, greedily devouring black mana. Runes engraved the outer edge as the casting prepared.

"Mother."

Asella finally spoke up after staying silent. But the princess's words seemed not to reach her ears; the empress focused solely on her magic.

"Experience it yourself. See if it harms Asella or not—feel it with your own body."

Snap.

Camilla snapped her fingers, and the spell activated.

Boom!

A crushing weight like a pile of boulders slammed into my entire body.

"Ugh."

A 4th Hierarchy gravity manipulation spell. The gravity around me intensified several times over. The pressure was so immense I could barely stand.

My body was pulled inexorably toward the floor.

"How's that? It doesn't leave scars or injure the body. It's vital education to let Asella feel the power of magic firsthand. Understand now?"

The empress sneered and snapped her fingers again.

Rumble!

The magic circle expanded, amplifying its power.

…I couldn't even breathe now. The air was too heavy to move my lungs. My back bent, my arms drooped.

What the hell.

She seriously thought this was education? It was nothing but torture. I felt like collapsing any second. My upper body was already hunched like a porcupine.

But I held my legs steady somehow.

"Impressive that you haven't knelt yet."

Asella's sadistic streak was clearly inherited from her mother. Camilla was always a thorn in my side, meddling and boosting bad ending odds. No way was I giving her the satisfaction.

I forcibly lifted the corners of my mouth, heavy as lead ingots, baring my teeth in a grin.

"My knees are reserved for kneeling to my liege alone."

The empress's eyes sharpened even more. Hmm, I've seen that look somewhere before.

Suddenly, memories flashed through my mind like a montage.

—Impressive that you haven't knelt yet, healer of the hero party.

Asella cackling with a devilish expression. The face from the final scene I'd witnessed countless times across ten years of loops.

Right now, the empress's face overlapped with that of the Golden Witch. My vision glitched with static.

The intensified gravity must be keeping blood from my brain—blackout incoming. Or maybe just a hallucination on the verge of passing out. Or my instincts conjuring an image.

A face I didn't want to recall appeared.

—How dare you touch an offering meant for the emperor of the empire?

Empress Asella's tone carried natural poise and dignity. A far cry from her current snappish demeanor.

Looking back, she really did resemble Camilla.

Parents and children naturally do. Magic talent, genes—they determine everything from looks to physical prowess to mental tendencies. But environment can't be ignored either.

My gut told me Camilla had heavily influenced Asella becoming the mad villainess.

Why am I thinking about this now, of all times?

—Isn't it beautiful? The day the curse ends.

Curse. Asella often mentioned that word. I couldn't guess her exact thoughts, but….

"Let's see if you can endure this too."

As the empress raised her arm to add another magic circle—

Crack!

A golden magic circle pierced through hers. A spell interference.

"Hah…."

I gasped raggedly, clutching my chest. Looking up, Asella had her hand extended toward Camilla. Golden mana rippled from her tiny palm.

"…Asella?"

The empress's face was blank, uncomprehending.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Asella, steeling herself, shot back at Camilla with eyes blazing.

"Get your hands off my possession."

I'd heard that tone before. The voice like an ice pick shattering a frozen lake—the one she used when truly angry.

"Right now."