Chapter 98
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Interlude (4)
When I came to, I was lying in bed.
"Ugh..."
I gritted my teeth at the groan that slipped out involuntarily.
How long was I out? This thing.
My last memory was meeting the Aonia soldiers and explaining the situation before and after...
After that, the film cut out.
And when I opened my eyes, here I was in bed.
This must be a hospital room.
It was similar yet different from the one I'd seen back in the capital after taking down Bloody.
Back then, it had been all stark white.
Now, even the potted plants in the room gave it a colorful, well-decorated feel.
It was a familiar sight.
From the time I'd brought Ariel to visit Mother.
The sanatorium was called 'Ikimizu,' I think.
"They brought me all the way here?"
I sprawled out on the bed and let out a sigh.
I remembered there being quite a distance from Aosen, where the Azure Dragon Festival was held, to Yukime where Ikimizu was located.
This was some seriously luxurious treatment.
I didn't think I'd told the Aonia soldiers who I was.
I'd been wearing an oni mask, after all.
How did this happen?
"You're awake?"
Just then, the door opened.
A man walked in with steady steps.
I remembered him too.
He was Mother's personal physician.
"You were unconscious for a full day. It's a relief you opened your eyes so soon."
"This is 'soon'?"
"Yes. For an ordinary person, that injury might have turned you into a cripple unable to use mana at all."
"Whoa."
That serious, huh.
"Fortunately, Sir Kline should recover with time... but it won't be easy to even draw on your mana for a while."
"I see."
"Yes."
The physician nodded and asked me a few questions.
Was my consciousness clear? Did I remember things? How did I assess my own condition?
After hearing me out, he scribbled something on the medical chart with his pen.
"Hmm. As expected, no problems. You should recover just fine here at the sanatorium."
"Got it. But how did I end up here? The Aonia soldiers shouldn't have known who I was."
"Ah, that."
The physician set down the chart and explained.
Apparently, during the identity check after I passed out, they removed my oni mask.
They were shocked to see my golden blond hair and blue eyes.
From the Aonia people's perspective, I was a foreigner, and they had no idea how to handle the situation.
Bodies causing a nationwide uproar, a massive corpse pile summoned in Aosen, and the Gravekeeper controlling them.
I'd explained as much as I could on-site, but Yoru and I were both exhausted, with no strength or time left to cover everything.
So they were heroes who'd saved the country, but their identities were unknown. If they mishandled it and the Empire complained...
While they were agonizing over that, news arrived.
-Contact from the Imperial Palace. They say that boy is the son of the Leonhart Ducal Family, and the Emperor instructed to handle it appropriately, staking his name on it.
-W-what? The Emperor himself?
-Yes. Apparently, he even granted full immunity... And the Third Imperial Princess has formally entered the country and wishes to meet the person in question. What should we do?
-What do you mean? We have to accept. We can't do anything ourselves. Besides, they're heroes who saved the country. Brushing it off sloppily would tarnish our honor.
"Ah."
As I listened quietly, an old memory surfaced.
Right, come to think of it, the Emperor had said that.
When I'd met him alone with Ariel.
He'd told me he wouldn't hold me accountable for anything I did abroad.
I never dreamed it would actually come to pass.
"Now that Sir Kline's identity is confirmed, the Palace will cover all treatment costs at the sanatorium. They'll handle any follow-up matters during your stay as well."
"That's a relief. Is the Third Princess who's coming handling that?"
"Yes. I was shocked. Even as the heir to a ducal family, I never imagined you were engaged to the Third Princess..."
Adelheit.
It had been a while since I'd seen her face after our engagement.
And here she was, jumping right in to handle her fiance's messy affairs.
"Hmm."
So basically, I had nothing to worry about.
"..."
Ah. Wait a second.
I'd been so focused on the sideshow that I forgot the main point.
"What about Yoru?"
"Pardon?"
"The girl who was with me. The one with blue eyes."
"Ah, you're referring to her."
The physician pointed to the wall of my room.
He meant the room right next door.
"She's hospitalized as well. Not as severe as you, Sir Kline, but her injuries are serious too."
"Did you confirm her identity?"
"No. However... the Emperor strongly advised against prying too deeply and to let it slide. He said to support everything for your convenience."
"Wow. They're going that far."
"They're covering her treatment costs in full too, so no need to worry."
Fair enough, then.
This time, I really stretched out and relaxed.
"Ah. I should get going."
The physician gathered his chart and prepared to leave.
"Someone's waiting. She's been looking forward to it anxiously."
"?"
The physician walked to the door and opened it.
As he exited, a girl hurried in with quick steps.
Pink hair and pink eyes.
It was the Empire's Third Imperial Princess, Adelheit.
**
"Just what have you been getting up to while I wasn't around?"
Adelheit huffed from the guardian's chair.
Her gaze held both anger and worry as she looked at me.
"If you're engaged to imperial royalty, you need more self-awareness and keep yourself safe. What good is making your princess worry?"
"Sorry. But it was something I had to do."
"Haa... Do you know how shocked I was to hear you'd collapsed in Aonia?"
"Ahem."
Yeah, I had nothing to say to that.
I shut my mouth, at a loss for words.
Adel tapped the bed with her fan and spoke.
"So?"
"Yes?"
"Is it over now? The villains like Bloody."
"Hmm."
She'd realized Gravekeeper was in the same league as Bloody.
Makes sense, since she was there herself.
I'd have to explain it to Aonia when I was discharged anyway...
No harm in giving Adel a heads-up.
I gave a rough explanation of the Crimson Blood Cult and vampires.
Nothing too detailed, just enough to satisfy her curiosity.
"I see."
Adel covered her mouth with her fan.
She seemed lost in thought.
"So the group that man you took down belonged to, the Crimson Blood Cult, is currently leaderless."
"Yes. Probably no more after that."
"Then what's left is..."
"The cult leader, the Blood Demon."
The root of all issues.
The final villain threatening [Shardia Academy].
Elder Vampire, Blood Demon.
I had to take her down.
"...And you have to do that too?"
"Probably."
This was still far from the original timeline.
The Academy hadn't opened yet, and there was no word from the protagonist's party.
But that's why the Crimson Blood Cult hadn't gathered enough followers.
If I were to strike, now was the time.
And the one who could pull it off... was probably just me.
'Well, Ariel might not be impossible.'
But the Sword Empress was giving her special treatment right now. Who knew how that would turn out.
I could only rely on myself.
"Jeez. You always make me worry."
"Sorry."
"Whatever. That's why I fell for a guy like you-"
Adel was tsundere-ing, covering her mouth with her fan.
Creak!
The door slid open.
Adel and I turned toward it.
Who could it be?
Someone bold enough to enter while a princess was visiting.
"Hah, hah...!"
Disheveled purple hair.
Frazzled purple eyes.
It was Ellie.
"S-S-Sir Kline...!"
She rushed to my side in a panic.
Whoever knew where she'd run from, she was gasping for breath right up to her throat.
Yet she checked over my body, unconcerned with anything else.
Adel, who'd been about to speak, was left speechless.
"Hey. Ellie."
"Stay still...! Aonia's treatments might have missed something. I'll check, so just stay put."
"No. Wait a sec."
Ignoring me, she touched me all over.
Crown of my head, around my eyes, cheeks, lips, collarbone, chest, abdomen.
After examining me like a diagnostician, Ellie finally sighed in relief.
"Good... Your condition looks stable."
"I told you not to worry. The treatment worked fine."
"But your mana circuits aren't functioning well. What on earth happened...?"
"Hey."
Adel cut off Ellie's barrage of questions.
She pointed her fan at Ellie's face and snapped.
"Lady Ellisia? I get you're in a hurry, but shouldn't you check your surroundings first?"
"...! Ah. Uh."
"I was in the middle of talking to this man. Butting into a conversation between fiancees—since when did Lady Ellisia become so bold?"
"Th-that..."
Ellie's eyes trembled.
Now that she'd realized the situation, she was scrambling for an excuse.
'Tch.'
Unfortunately, I had to side with Adel this time.
I knew Ellie, as a healer, was extra concerned about my injuries.
But it wasn't behavior for in front of a princess.
"If you get it, could you leave? You were worried about Kline's condition, right? I can handle that."
"...Pardon?"
"I mean I'll take care of nursing him. I don't know why you're here, Ellisia, but just head back to the Empire-"
"No."
"What?"
Adel's eyes widened.
As if she'd never imagined such a response.
Ellie.
She couldn't tolerate handing my care over to Adel instead of herself.
She glared sharply even at the princess.
"I'm Sir Kline's exclusive healer. I won't hand him over to anyone else."
"...The nerve. Were you always this confident? Since when do you talk back like that?"
"Healers have to say unpleasant things for their patients' sake too. It's a medical judgment."
"Right... Guess that means you can't make noble judgments. Hey, I wasn't going to point it out, but do you realize who's standing in front of you is imperial royalty?"
"Does being royalty mean you can declare you'll nurse someone when you know nothing about medicine? Good to know."
Sparks flew between the two beauties' gazes.
A battle of wills where neither backed down.
It felt like they were claiming ownership over me, with me in the middle.
'...'
But seriously.
Why fight right on either side of me? I'm the patient here.
Can't you take your staring contest somewhere else?
"Kline. What about you?"
"Sir Kline. What do you say?"
Who did I want nursing me?
They pressed me sharply.
"..."
Ah-
What to do.
What I wanted to say was,
'Both of you. If you want, do it together.'
But.
I didn't want them looking at me with cold eyes if I said that.
What should I do?
Creak!
Then the door opened.
A black-haired, black-eyed woman entered.
"My, my disciple's room is more crowded than I expected."
Adel and Ellie both looked at her.
My master, the Sword Empress, gazed leisurely at them both.
Then she smiled and pulled out a document.
"For now, since I'm listed as Kline's guardian in Aonia, could both of you step out?"
It was a document with Sword Empress listed as guardian.
The adult authority that silenced both Adel and Ellie.